Forrester: Baldwin Community Schools welcomes back students, staff, announces updates for families
I hope all of our Baldwin Community Schools students and families enjoyed a relaxing summer break filled with new memories and time spent with friends and loved ones.
On Monday, August 28th, we will kick off the 2023-2024 school year, and along with it a sense of renewal, growth and positive change as we welcome back our amazing students, families and staff.
You will notice some new faces in our hallways. We welcome new high school math teacher Keith Calkins, who brings years of experience and will teach upper level math. At Baldwin Elementary School, we welcome new staff members Sally Park as a kindergarten teacher, Ashley Bacon as a preschool teacher, and Allyson Sims and Kayla Puckett as paraprofessionals. Jeff Krantz will also join the elementary as the student support specialist.
Please help provide a warm Panther welcome for our new staff members.
Staff at both schools will continue professional development this school year to help ensure they equip our students with the latest programs that support student success in the classroom and beyond.
At Baldwin Community Schools, we are committed to helping ensure all students have the skills and real-world experience to succeed. That starts with our youngest learners, and this year we will implement the Pillars of Character Program at Baldwin Elementary. We are the Panthers, and we are PROUD!: Principled, Reflective, Open-hearted, Upstanding citizens and Determined. The PROUD pillars will help provide a foundation for lifelong learning for our Panthers.
Daily attendance at school is the first — and most important — step in preparing all Panthers for the jobs of tomorrow. This fall, we will implement new guidelines for student attendance to comply with changes in state law. We look forward to working with our partners to ensure attendance is a priority.
This school year, we will continue efforts to keep our Panther community informed about all the great things happening in our district. You will continue to see stories in the Lake County Star, social media posts, letters to families, the Panther Press, the official newsletter of Baldwin Community Schools, and more.
I look forward to seeing all of our students and families again as we kick off a great school year!
David Forrester is Superintendent of Baldwin Community Schools.