Stay up to date on what is happening in Baldwin County School District by reading August's edition of the Baldwin Beat!
THE BEAT

August 10, 2020

In The News
BCSD Hosts Open House
The Baldwin County School District will host Open House for students who will return to school campuses for traditional in-person instruction on August 12, 13, 14, 17, and 18. Safety protocols have been put in place for Open House as preventative measures amidst the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. Students who will begin the 2020-2021 school year with remote learning will receive a virtual Open House link from their assigned teacher(s) on Wednesday, August 12. To view all Open House dates and times as well as a detailed list of safety protocols, visit the link below.

Baldwin High School Holds In-Person Graduation
On Saturday, July 18, the Baldwin High School Class of 2020 had their in-person graduation ceremony. The commencement ceremony took place at the Baldwin Braves Stadium. 247 high school graduates took part in the celebration. Preventative measures, and safety protocols were put in place to ensure students, faculty, staff, and guests were safe. The ceremony was live-streamed on the Baldwin County School District YouTube Channel to accommodate family and friends who could not attend. Congratulations, Class of 2020! We are all very proud of graduates and wish them much success in their future endeavors.


BCSD Answers Parents & Staff Questions About Reopening Schools Through FAQ Document

In light of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Baldwin County School District is working diligently to identify the most effective instructional models for safely reopening schools for the 2020-2021 school year. We have received valuable input from employees, parents, Local School Governance Teams, BCSD Task Force Committee members, and other stakeholders. In this document, we have answered questions that parents, community members, and employees have asked during our town hall meetings or through surveys. Please click on the link below to download the FAQ document.

Parents have the option of choosing traditional in-person instruction (a regular Monday through Friday schedule) or remote learning for their children.

We will continue to follow the guidance of the Georgia Department of Public Health, Georgia Department of Education, and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention as we move forward with safely reopening the Baldwin County Schools.



2020-2021 School Year Start Date Moved to August 19th
At a Called Board meeting on Tuesday, July 28, 2020, the board approved the recommendation to delay the start of the 2020-2021 school year until Wednesday, August 19, 2020, for grades K-12. Due to the technical difficulties parents experienced with the Instructional Model Selection process, the extension will assist the school district in gathering needed information on the status of the number of students who will be returning for in-person instruction or choosing remote learning. In addition, this delay in starting school will also help our faculty and staff become better equipped on implementing new safety protocols for preventing the spread of the coronavirus. Protocols are based on CDC recommendations and guidance from the Georgia Department of Education (GaDOE) and the Department of Public Health (DPH).

Virtual Parent Informational Meetings on
Remote Learning

The Baldwin County School District hosted two virtual parent informational meetings via Zoom to help parents learn more about the remote learning options for the 2020-2021 school year. The virtual sessions were held Tuesday, August 4th at 12 p.m. and 5:30 p.m. Each meeting addressed in detail the difference between the Baldwin Online Academy and remote learning. Participants were also given the opportunity to ask questions on topics related to remote learning. Based on the two meetings, the school district is preparing a Frequently Asked Questions document to provide additional information for parents as well as to answer any inquiries about remote learning that were not answered due to time restraints.

BCSD Welcomes New Teachers With Drive Thru Parade
For the first day of new teacher orientation, the Baldwin County School District welcomed the team's newest members with a drive-thru parade. Teachers got to see first-hand that the BCSD truly puts the warm in the phrase 'warm welcome." As new faculty members drove up to the front entrance of the Board of Education building to pick up their Firehouse Sub lunch, they were greeted by several school and district leaders, enthusiastically waving with big smiles upon their faces. In addition to lunch, new teachers also received a selection of welcome to Baldwin gifts. Join us in welcoming our new educators to the Baldwin School District family!

We would like to thank the following businesses for supporting our New Teacher Orientation: Century Bank and Trust, Robins Financial Credit Union, Garbutt Construction, B&D Travel, Citizens Bank of the South, PAGE, and Exchange Bank. We are very fortunate to live in such a generous community.

New BCSD Teachers Prepare for
2020-2021 School Year
New faculty with the Baldwin County School District have hit the ground running during new teacher orientation. At each school, teachers engaged in thought-provoking professional learning activities to help prepare them for the start of the 2020-2021 school year. New teachers also had the opportunity to meet with their mentors and learn more about the art of educating. Throughout the process, faculty and staff have been following safety protocols and have discussed ways to implement these safety measures in the classroom.
School Nutrition Starts Meal Kit Drive Thru Service
The Baldwin County School Nutrition Department is announcing a Meal Kit Drive-Thru Service, which began Wednesday, August 5, prior to the start of school. This service will allow parents to pick up a 5-day meal kit from their child's school through a convenient drive-thru service. All kits must be preordered, and you must pick up at your child's school.

Step 1. Pre Order the meal using the link: http://ow.ly/iX0N50AI2jv

Step 2. Parents must complete the form with their child's student ID, school, and time to pick up: noon or evening.

Step 3. Drive to your child's school and present student ID number (student does not have to be with you).

Step 4. When school starts, this service will continue for all students participating in Remote Learning.

** If you do not have the ID number please email kathy.morgan@baldwin.k12.ga.us


Baldwin County School Nutrition Department Welcomes New FoodCorp Service Members
Jenna White
Midway Academy & Midway Primary FoodCorp Service Member

Ms. White is excited to serve Baldwin county as a FoodCorps service member! She was raised in Knoxville, Tennessee, then moved to Oxford, Mississippi, for college. She graduated this May from Ole Miss with a degree in International Studies with a focus on global economics and business, as well as Spanish. Ms. White loves to be outside and cannot wait to work in the gardens. In her free time, She enjoys hiking in the Smoky Mountains, running, and farming. She is so excited to move to Milledgeville!
Nicole Blyskal
Lakeview Primary and Lakeview Academy
FoodCorp Service Member

Ms. Blyskal is originally from New York and graduated from East Carolina University in 2016 with a BS in Nutrition and Dietetics, where she was heavily involved with the Campus Kitchen Project. She spent the next year serving as an AmeriCorps member, under the title 'Food Access Partnerships Specialist; at ECU and in the Greenville, NC, community. From there, she moved to Wilmington, NC, where she worked seasonally at a local produce stand and left for California in the winters. Ms. Blyskal is excited to get to know Baldwin County and follow her passions of nutrition, health, and food access in her upcoming year of service with FoodCorps.
Students Receive Early College Essentials Certificate from
Central Georgia Technical College
Join us in congratulating Class of 2022 Georgia College Early College students Dakota Warren and David Butts for receiving their certificate from Central Georgia Technical College for completing Early College Essentials credit requirements. The Early College Essentials Technical Certificate of credit is designed for dual enrollment students who have been identified as being capable of performing academically at the college level.
Dakota Warren
David Butts
Oak Hill Middle School Showing Off Their New Shining Stars
Oak Hill Middle School's New Teacher Orientation kicked off the new school year with professional learning, building new relationships, and pursuing the school's goal of excellence. The middle school made a fun, energetic video to show off their new shining stars! In addition to new teachers, OHMS will also start the 2020-2021 school year with a newly renovated school. Building improvements and renovations were funded through ESPLOST.
Midway Hills Academy Pays Tribute to New Faculty and Staff
Midway Hills Academy created a video to showcase the new faces that students will see in the coming year. The video features new principal, Dr. Eric Carlyle, as well as faculty and staff that have joined the Midway Mustangs. There is also a QR reader code that can be scanned in order to hear a short greeting from each new staff member. Join us in welcoming the new staff members to the Midway Hills Academy family as well as the Baldwin County School District team. To view the video, click on the link below.

Midway Hills Primary Teachers Prepare for 2020-2021 School Year
If you walk into the classrooms of Midway Hills Primary School teachers, you will find them busy preparing for the start of the new school year. With scissors and construction paper in hand, these MHP Superheros are making sure each classroom is filled with learning decor that will not only help reinforce lessons but also instill positive self-esteem characteristics in each student who walks through their doors. In addition to the classroom preparations, teachers are also modifying classroom space in order to implement social distancing protocols for a safe return to in-person instruction.
The Early Learning Center Faculty & Staff are Getting Ready to Start New School Year

Faculty and staff at the Early Learning Center are back and getting ready for the 2020-2021 school year. The start date for the ELC will be Monday, August 10th. Lori Smith, Director of the ELC says, "We are so excited about school starting back on August 10, 2020. The building and staff are ready to greet children for a great school year. We know it will be different but we are going to work through any issues that come up." Like all schools in the Baldwin County School District, ELC teachers and staff are preparing classrooms to accommodate the safety measures that will ensure a safe return to school for both faculty and students. In addition to in-person instruction, the Baldwin County Early Learning Center will be offering a remote learning option for young children this upcoming school year. Parents interested in the remote learning program for their children can fill out a form to make their request.

Lakeview Academy Shows
Students How to Soar
Lakeview Academy teacher Beth Craddock wants to show students this upcoming school year that they can spread their wings and soar to great heights. She created a bulletin board of great success, highlighting Milledgeville Natives that have risen to great heights of achievement. According to Craddock, the idea came to her while reading Closing the Attitude Gap by Baruti K. Kafele. "I was especially impacted by his final chapter that stressed the importance of teaching children that their future has not yet been decided. Regardless of where you come from, you have the power to determine your own destiny." She goes on to say that it's important that our children see on a daily basis that there are people from right here in Milledgeville who have achieved greatness. "As students walk down the hallway every morning and every afternoon, they will walk by a bulletin board showcasing just a few examples of "Success Stories" from people they might run into in town. I wanted to include as many different career paths as possible to reach more students. I want students to look at those pictures and say, They came from the same place as me. They look just like me. They made it. I can make it, too!" With the help of various community members including Ms. Cynthia Edwards of the local NAACP, Ms. Stephanie McClure - Professor of Government & Sociology at Georgia College and Ms. Erin Weston - Director of First Year Experience at Georgia College, the ladies were able to come up with a great list of people to place on the bulletin board of success.
Lakeview Primary School Getting Ready for a Spectacular New School Year
Lakeview Primary teachers returned to school ready to work hard at preparing for a spectacular new year. The first day back started with LPS's first faculty meeting via Zoom. Then teachers went straight to work to get their classrooms ready for the 2020-2021 school year. LPS Principal Tracy Clark spoke to faculty and staff about the importance of social distancing in the classrooms as well as mask requirements. Clark said she knows the new school year may not be what they are used to, but they are working hard to make it one of the best. "We are getting ready to welcome back our students and our families. We have missed all of them and are excited to see them once again; as well as our new families. Even though this year will be different our teachers are up for the challenge. We are looking forward to a spectacular year with our students and families. We can't wait to see what this year brings! We know it will be the best."
Donate Now to Support our Schools!
The Baldwin Charter School System Foundation serves as the primary fundraising tool to fund the REACH Scholars program, providing thousands in scholarship opportunities for students who represent the first of their families to have the opportunity to attend college. The foundation also supports our employee and student recognition programs. Please support our schools, students, and teachers by making your tax- deductible contribution today.
Infinite Campus is the Baldwin County School District's new student information system and gaining access is easier than ever before. Simply follow the link to two videos that provide step by step instructions on how to create an account and login. You can also find this information by clicking the "Infinite Campus" link under the parents tab on www.baldwincountyschoolsga.org.

Download the MyStop App Today!
Never worry about where your child's bus is ever again! Thanks to new and innovative technology that the Baldwin County School District has invested in, parents of our students can now get real-time updates of their child's bus location through the MyStop app, available for download in the iTunes or Android marketplaces. 
MyStop provides parents, and parents only, a live look at their child's bus while in transit using GPS technology. Parents can see the exact location of the bus as it's moving along its route and can even provide an estimated time of arrival. 
District Social Media Links
Follow the links below to all of the social media networks for our respective schools in the district. Our Facebook and Twitter accounts are the best ways to stay up to date with the latest news and happening in all of our schools. Give us a like or a follow and help share all the good news that is happening in the district every day!

Click the link below to access the Baldwin County Board of Education Board Meetings, Policies, Communications, and About Us. Our District Strategic Plan/School Improvement Plans are currently being revised for 2018-2023.     

https://simbli.eboardsolutions.com/index.aspx?S=4007



BCSD
Baldwin High School
Early Learning Center
Georgia College Early College
Lakeview Academy
Lakeview Primary
Midway Hills Academy
Midway Hills Primary
Montessori Academy
Oak Hill Middle School