September 7th, 2023

Dear Baker families,

We are into our second week of school! While the buzzy excitement of the first few days may have tapered off somewhat, I'm happy to say that the smiles throughout the day, and thumbs up at the end of the day haven't. A highlight to my week was popping into the 3rd grade class today to share with them one of my favorite personal items - my bike! I got so many great questions and suggestions.

Our first big parent event in the building is coming up next week and it is our Back To School Night. Here you will get to meet with your child(ren)'s teacher(s) and hear a little bit of what they have planned for the year. We schedule these nights over two nights to allow families with siblings opportunities to meet with all of their children's teachers.

One new addition to our academic programming this year is a Friday Community time. This time, which is led by Danny Zamudio (aka Mr. Z), our Dean of Students, is a chance to bring our whole school community (with the exception of parents) together to get to know each other, explore, learn and grow together. Our Baker Buddy program that matches up younger students with older students will do a lot of their programming through this community time. Last Friday, we had our first Community activity and the whole school went out on the field and were tasked with forming the letter "B" building from the bottom up with our youngest PK students anchoring us and our 8th graders rounding off the top of the "B". We had Ms. Mohr and Ms. Ross on the rooftop with cameras to document the work, and directing the crowd. Later Mr. Z had the school in a circle to talk to everyone about Community time, the Buddy program, and get us all excited for a great school year. Here's a ground-level video of the school in formation B and some roof-top shots as well!

We begin every faculty meeting with a note of gratitude and shout-outs, and I want to send a shout-out to our parent community for sending in some wonderful gratitude notes, and for stepping up to volunteer in many different ways. Your contributions and engagement help make our school community a better place. The gratitude notes fuel our faculty and give them the positive feedback that reminds them of the incredible impact they have on your children. Keep them coming! If you haven't found a way to get involved or engaged, always look in the bulletin, we give you lots of ways!

Have a great day,

Back to School Nights Info

Back to School Nights will be in person on Tuesday, September 12th and Thursday, September 14th. We look forward to welcoming you to campus to get a glimpse of life in Baker classrooms; faculty will be here to share all that is happening right now, as well as plans for the year as a whole. Please review the schedules below, as different grade level cohorts meet at different times. Unlike last year, we will be doing a State of the School event later in the year, rather than during Back To School Nights.

We are pleased to share that BASE is offering complimentary care during Back to School Nights on Tuesday, Sept 12 and Thursday, Sept 14. Care will be provided in the EC BASE Room (G-57). Please complete the form to register your child/ren. Child/ren must be at least 3 years old and fully potty trained. Non-Baker siblings welcome!

Tuesday, September 12th (1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade, 4th Grade, 5th Grade)

5:30 - 6:15 1st Grade, 2nd Grade, 3rd Grade Presentations (In Classrooms)

6:15 - 7:00 4th & 5th Grade Presentations (in classrooms)

Thursday, September 14th (PreK, Kindergarten, Middle School) 

5:30- 6:15 Preschool, Kindergarten Presentations (in classrooms)

5:30-7:45 Middle School (Begin in Advisory Groups) 

 5:30- 5:45 : Advisory 

5:50- 6:00: 1st Period

6:05- 6:15: 2nd Period

6:20- 6:45: ARTS CORE (6:20-6:30 M/W/F Elective & 6:35 -6:45 T/Th Elective)

6:50- 7:00: 4th period

7:05- 7:15: 5th period

7:20- 7:30: 7th period

7:35- 7:45: 8th period

Volunteers needed at the Kids' Zone! - Wilmette Block Party

Baker Community we need your help! Calling ALL Baker families, staff, and students! Baker will once again have a booth at the Wilmette Block Party - Kids Zone on Saturday, September 9th from NOON - 4 PM. Setup will begin at 11 AM. We will have a tent, swag, face painting, sidewalk chalk, and tattoos. This is an easy way for new families to get involved alongside veteran families. Please sign up here or email Stacie Erck

Safety Corner - Reminders & Info

Furry Friends and Pick Up & Drop Off

Though we understand and appreciate the important role that pets have in our lives, we also understand that there are allergies and fears that impact the feeling of safety for folks in our community. When dropping off or picking up your child, please leave your pets at home or safely secured in your vehicle. With the noise, movement and traffic during this time, your pet may feel threatened and act on perceived threat. To keep all students, you, and your pet safe please do not bring your pets on school property. If you are meeting your student at pick up and your pet is with you, we ask that you make arrangements to meet your student on the sidewalk north of the school on Maple Avenue. 

* The only exception to this policy is our allowance for service animals for persons with documented disabilities.

Carpool Reminders

• Slow Down - Please do not speed through the carpool area. There are many small children that are sometimes difficult to see or predict their movements.  
• Don't Pull Around Another Vehicle Dropping Off Children - In the drop-off lane in front of the school, there is sometimes space for a car to pull around another dropping students off. Do NOT complete this maneuver. It is dangerous and puts at risk both children and adults exiting the vehicle.
• No Cell Phones while Driving - Distracted drivers are dangerous. Please model safe and legal driving behaviors by not using your cell phone in carpool.
• No U-Turns - If your child isn't ready for pickup, please do not complete a U-Turn in the parking lot. Proceed out to Sheridan Rd., and loop back into the carpool line.

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 9

Wilmette Block Party, See details above

September 12

Admission Tour Tuesday, 9:30 a.m.

September 12 & 14

Back to School Nights, See schedule above

September 20

BPO meeting 8:30 

September 21

FAN Event - See details below

October 6th

Baker Bonfire at Lighthouse Beach - See details below

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

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 - Learn More and Get Involved

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. A sign-up to help volunteer for the event will be in next week's Baker Bulletin.  

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.