September 14th, 2023

Dear Baker families,

It has been another great week at school! With beautiful weather the bike racks are still full and slowly everyone is getting into the reassuring routines of school. As I stand by the front door in the morning, I see our younger friends confidently heading off to their classroom on their own (or almost), whether it is first graders up to the 2nd floor for the first time, or Kindergarteners walking the full length of the ground floor to their classrooms (it is a long hallway, but many are doing it without even a glance back!). I see our middle schoolers more relaxed as they form new friendships and begin to spread their wings as the older student leaders in the school.

We had a wonderful first Back To School Night on Tuesday for parents of 1st through 5th graders with a great turnout of parents. Many parents shared how thrilled they were to meet new families during the Back To School socials, to connect with their children's teachers in their classrooms, and meet other classmate parents. We know how special and important it is for parents to be a part of their children's education and we are planning more opportunities for parent engagement and community connections.

An important role in building connections in our community is held by the class parents. Class parent teams work together to facilitate communication, create community, and support teachers. I want to send a huge thanks to Leah Burt, our BPO Class Parent chair who organizes these parents. Below in the bulletin you'll see the list of fantastic volunteers in your children's classes. I'm grateful to have such a strong group of volunteers ready to help the teachers and their classes throughout the year!

Reminder there is no school tomorrow in honor of Rosh Hashana, so we'll see you all on Monday. We wish our Jewish families a sweet and good new year, Shana Tovah!

Class Parent Team Volunteers - Thank you!

Board of Trustees Community Meet ups

Please join members of the Board of Trustees for a series of informal community meet ups. Feel free to drop in for conversation, to learn more about us and what Trustees do, and share thoughts about Baker. We hope to see you at one or more of the following days and places! Questions? email Shana Bernstein

• Thursday September 28 6:15-7:30 p.m., Temperance Beer Co., 2000 Dempster St, Evanston
• Sunday October 22, 5 – 6:15 p.m., Temperance Beer Co., 2000 Dempster St, Evanston
• Friday November 3, 8:45-10 a.m., Central Station Coffee and Tea, 1150 Central Ave, Wilmette

Gratitude Notes

As we build community, relationships and connect with each other, showing gratitude is one of our most powerful tools. It fosters a sense of belonging and shares not only valuable feedback, but also appreciation. We all live busy lives, but taking a moment to thank someone at the school will go a long way. This form will be up all year, and we hope you visit frequently! The notes will all be passed onto the recipients.

Gratitude Notes

Calendar Highlights

September 15

Rosh Hashanah - NO SCHOOL

September 16

Green Team - Work day at Baker - 10:00 am - Noon

Details Below

September 20

BPO meeting 8:30 am

September 21

FAN Event - See details below

October 1

Bike-the-Ridge 9:00 am - 1:00 pm

Details coming next week

October 6th

Baker Bonfire at Lighthouse Beach - See details below

You can view Baker's public calendar at bakerdemschool.org/calendar

BPO - Green Team

Join us in the garden for one last summer workday. This Saturday 10:00 am-12:00 pm we will be prepping for the fall gardening season. Hope to see you there! 

There’s still plenty chard available to try. Stop by the intermediate sensory garden soon to cut a few stalks. Try one of these recipes shared by fellow Baker parents found here: https://baker-bpo-community.mn.co/posts/41407272 Or try them in a recipe of your own. Either way we’d love for you to share how you used them.

BASE is ready to support your family needs from day one! Registration is open for all BASE programming this fall: BASE Program Packages, Enrichments, Drop-In Care, Private Music Lessons and Semi-Private Art Classes. 

Enrichment classes have begun! Register for your desired classes today.

New this year - Our BASE Early Childhood room has moved down the hall to the right! Located right next door to the Kindergarten room, this new location offers more space for our after school cohort. 

Click HERE to Register 

Offerings Include 

• Semi-Private Art Classes with Ms. Toole
• High School Test Prep through Educational Endeavours
• Robotics Team led by Ms. Crawford
• Karate offered by Fonseca Martial Arts

SY24 BASE Program Guide - for program details and class descriptions! 

For more questions, please reach out to Erin Fentanes Steiner at esteiner@bakerdemschool.org

Baker Robotics Program - Baker Bots

Robotics! This Fall we are offering two different programs that will compete through the First Lego League. Our Jr. Bots team has been filled but we do have a few spots for our older team, the Baker Bots. No experience is required, but a willingness to work with a team is.

• The Baker Bots will be offered for grades 5-8, with a maximum of 10 participants. This team will meet Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:15 - 4:45.

 FIRST®LEGO® League Challenge (Grades 5-8)

FIRST® LEGO® League Challenge teams design, build and program an autonomous robot using SPIKE Prime technology and create innovative solutions to problems facing today’s scientists while embracing the Core Values. Elementary and middle-school students in 4th - 8th grade get to:

• Design, build, test and program robots using LEGO SPIKE Prime or Mindstorms
• Apply real-world math and science concepts in an open-ended format
• Research challenges facing today’s scientists and communities
• Learn critical thinking, team-building and presentation skills
• Participate in tournaments and celebrations

Introduces young people, ages 9 to 14 to the fun and excitement of science and technology while building self-confidence, knowledge, and valuable employment and life skills.

The Baker Bot team will compete in a local Qualifier event usually in December. The competition focuses on the following areas: Teamwork, Robot Design, and Season Theme solutions.

Baker Library Help

Calling all volunteers! We are looking for parent volunteers to help organize books and more in our library! For more information, contact Charles Jones to coordinate. 

BPO - Bonfire Volunteers Needed

Baker Parent Organization (BPO)

The BPO invites all Baker families to attend the Baker Bonfire on October 6, 2023 at Evanston Lighthouse Beach (Sheridan and Central) from 5-7 pm. Gather with Baker families to enjoy s'mores at the fire circle, play at the playground, and be in good company listening to the waves. Drop in after dinner, before dinner, or bring your dinner (nut free please). S'mores fixings will be provided. Parking is limited, so you may need to use street parking and walk over. We look forward to seeing you and your family.

Please sign-up to help volunteer at the event. This event is parent run: Bonfire Sign-up Sheet



Email bpo@bakerdemschool.org with questions.

Pop Up Spirit Wear

FAN Event

Thursday, September 21, 2023, 7:00 PM

Never Enough: When Achievement Culture Becomes Toxic—And What We Can Do About It

New Trier High School, Northfield Campus, Cornog Auditorium, 7 Happ Rd., Northfield, IL 60093.

Interviewer: Denise Dubravec. NOTE: First 100 households will receive a free copy of

Never Enough. Books will also be on sale. No registration required.

In the ever more competitive race to secure the best possible future, today’s students face unprecedented pressure to succeed. They jam-pack their schedules with AP classes, fill every waking hour with resume-padding activities, and even sabotage relationships with friends to “get ahead.” Family incomes and schedules are stretched to the breaking point by tutoring fees and athletic schedules. Yet this drive to optimize performance has only resulted in skyrocketing rates of anxiety, depression, and even self-harm in America’s highest achieving schools. Parents, educators, and community leaders are facing the same quandary: how can we teach our kids to strive towards excellence without crushing them?

In Never Enough: When Achievement Culture Becomes Toxic—And What We Can Do About It, award-winning reporter Jennifer Breheny Wallace investigates the deep roots of toxic achievement culture and finds out what we must do to fight back. Through deep research and interviews with today’s leading child psychologists, Wallace shows what kids need from the adults is not more pressure, but to feel like they matter, and have intrinsic self- worth not contingent upon external achievements. Parents and educators who adopt the language and values of mattering help children see themselves as a valuable contributor to a larger community. And in an ironic twist, kids who receive consistent feedback that they matter no matter what are more likely to have the resilience, self- confidence, and psychological security to thrive.

Ms. Wallace began her career in television at 60 Minutes, where she worked as a journalist for many years. She is a frequent contributor to The Wall Street Journal and The Washington Post. She will be in conversation with Denise Dubravec, the Winnetka Campus Principal/Assistant Superintendent of New Trier High School, District 203. Ms. Dubravec is in her twenty-sixth year as a school administrator and has enjoyed a 12-year tenure within the New Trier community.

This event is suitable for youth 12+. It will be recorded but not livestreamed and will be available on FAN’s website and YouTube channel.