Hello, families! I hope this letter finds you well and I hope you are having a wonderful summer! I look forward to seeing everyone back at school and I can’t wait to meet our new families and students. It’s going to be another great year at the Maria L. Baldwin School!
Here’s the link to the district calendar for this school year. The first day of school for 1st-5th graders is Tuesday, September 3rd. The first day for Preschool and K students is Thursday, September 5th.
In the next few days, your class placement information will be emailed to you. If you do not receive that by the end of the day on Monday, the 12th of August, email me ([email protected]) or our school clerk, Elaine Coleman ([email protected]) and we’ll get that info to you right away. I’m sorry this info is coming a little later than usual!
We have scheduled some informal playground meetups starting at 5:30PM at the Baldwin Playground on Sunday, August 18th and Tuesday, August 27th. Everyone is invited, with special encouragement for our new community members. This is a great summer opportunity to meet others and build community. These events are informal, so bring your own snacks and water and just show up when you can. Strike up a conversation with other parents while you watch the kids play and make new friends. Warmly welcome those who are new to Baldwin school! Belonging and connection start here!
Can’t make these dates? Don’t worry! We have a playground meetup in the fall that is also fun and well attended by families (and popsicles are provided)! The date for that gathering is Sunday, September 8th and times are designated by grade level between 2PM and 5PM. The Preschool, K and 1st grade meetup starts at 2PM, 2nd and 3rd graders should arrive at 3PM, and 4th and 5th graders should come at 4PM. We hope to see you there!
Please save the date for a Back to School Night on Wednesday, September 18th at 6:30PM. On this evening, we welcome families into the school to learn more about daily life at Baldwin!
Working closely with all of our families and caregivers is a core value at Baldwin, and we know all of our students benefit from strong school/home connections. I invite you to get involved at school by being part of our Baldwin School Council meetings, becoming a room parent, or actively supporting our dedicated parent group, The Friends of Baldwin. Please talk with Susan Tiersch ([email protected]) or your child’s teacher if you’d like to be a Room Parent. Learn more about Friends of Baldwin and the wonderful work they do to support Baldwin School at friendsofbaldwin.org.
I’m sending this letter in a couple of ways to capture a wide audience. I apologize if you saw this through multiple channels. Please be sure to check out ParentSquare which is an easy way to stay connected and get updates from Baldwin and the Cambridge Public Schools!
As always, if you have any questions or concerns about family engagement or anything else, always feel free to contact your child’s teacher. You can also contact John Roderick, Assistant Principal, Susan Tiersch, Family Liaison, or me! See you soon!
Warmly,
Heidi Cook,
Principal, Maria L. Baldwin School
P.S. If you received this letter and you’re not returning to Baldwin in the fall, please email [email protected] and let me know!
Important Events
All meetups are at the Alden Playground on Sacramento Street across from Baldwin School
- August 18 | 5:30PM
Everyone’s invited for an informal playground meetup! Bring your own water and snacks!
- August 27 | 5:30PM
Everyone’s invited for an informal playground meetup! Bring your own water and snacks!
- September 8 | 2-5PM
Preschool/K/1st Graders--2PM
2nd/3rd Graders--3 PM
4th/5th Graders--4 PM
Schoolwide Playground Meetup
(Come the whole time or come for the designated hour by grade level!)
- September 18 | 6:30-8PM
Back to School Night
Helpful Information to Start the School Year at Baldwin School
Arrival
Students come right into the front door when they arrive via bus. Dropoff begins at 8:30AM for all other students, who also will enter through the front door. Students who eat breakfast at school can come into the building before 8:30AM to eat. Caregivers say goodbye to students at the door. We know this can be a challenge but is an important part of our safety protocols and one way we build independence. Our goal is to create multiple opportunities for parents to see the classroom throughout the year, including during a Back-to-School Night in September.
Breakfast
Breakfast is free in the cafeteria for students and is offered to all who want to eat at school. If you have questions about breakfast, please speak with your child’s teacher. For concerns about allergies or dietary restrictions, please see the school nurse or the kitchen manager.
Lunch
Students can eat school lunch or home lunch and can alternate on a day-to-day basis. School lunch is free for all students. Students at Baldwin are a very diverse mix of school lunch and home-lunch eaters. Do what works best for your family! All of our classrooms are “allergy-aware” and we ask parents to send in nut-free snacks for the classroom. Depending on the medical needs of students, snack items might be more limited for some classrooms. If students are in the cafeteria, plans will be made to help ensure the safety of students with allergies. The CPS Food and Nutrition Services website is a great resource for families, too.
Dismissal
Students are dismissed from Baldwin at 3:15PM. We often load the buses first before pick-up and walking students exit.
Bus students are assisted to ensure they load the correct buses safely. Particular care is paid to new students and to Preschool-2nd grade students who need more assistance. After the first morning of school, all Preschool-2nd grade students must have a yellow bus tag on their backpack in order to ride the bus. The tag includes their initials, bus routes and key safety contacts. Teachers fill out and put these on student backpacks on the first day of school.
Baldwin After School students in grades K-2 are assisted to their after school program by program staff and older students walk on their own to the after school room.
Parents who are picking up students will have a designated spot to meet their child’s class after school. Look for details in communications from your child’s teacher.
Preschool/K Students Opening Days
School officially starts for Preschool/K on September 5th. Students in preschool and K will be assigned an appointment time to visit their teacher and classroom on either September 3rd or 4th. You should receive information about your assigned time from your child’s teacher by August 27th. You can also call the main office after August 29th to get that information.
School Visitors
Baldwin and CPS protocols require parents to make appointments or set times for volunteering before they can come into the building beyond the main office. We were excited to welcome back plenty of parent volunteers and hold in-person parent meetings again last year. All visitors should sign in at the main office. If you need to drop off an item, you can bring it to the main office and we will be sure that the child gets it.