|
Dear Baker families,
This week is Solidarity Week (formerly known as Ally week) at Baker. As you may have learned from your students, or seen in previous bulletins, this is an annual school-centered National GLSEN (the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network) program about the meaning of solidarity. This program encourages schools to show solidarity with the LGBTQ+ community. It is also an opportunity for all students to reflect on their identities and to practice listening to groups of people who are facing discrimination in our country and taking actions to better support them. This program supports our students’ ability to empathize, connect, and collaborate with a diverse group of peers, skills that are of increasing importance in our multicultural, global society. We are thrilled to join students across the country who want to start the school year with positive, affirming messages and actions for LGBTQ+ people in schools.
| |
|
Why is this week so important for our school? This week embodies many of our school values and mission as an inclusive progressive school. We begin teaching students about the importance of identity in their early days in Preschool. Students learn to recognize characteristics of their identity. They see which characteristics are similar to others, and differences as well. As the students grow and develop we continue to reflect on identities, expanding to our families, friends and communities. We believe in the educational concept of providing students with windows, mirrors, and sliding glass doors. This concept used windows to highlight experiences where students are able to see into other people’s experiences, identities and perspectives. Mirrors are where they see their own perspectives, identities and experiences reflected in other areas of their lives. In our school this takes the form of what students see on the walls, in the books we read, and the lessons we learn. We want all students to be able to see themselves represented in many aspects of their school life. Sliding glass doors are where students are able to enter the world of another person, reflect, and then take action.
| |
|
As with everything at Baker, our students have taken the lead during Solidarity week. Our middle school GSA (Gender Straight Alliance) club has taken action to help raise awareness in our school and teach us about gender differences, and how to be an ally. They’ve made daily morning announcements, read books with their younger Baker Buddy classmates, and they’ve raised money for the Trevor Project, which is an organization that offers help and support to LGBTQ+ teens and young adults, by selling Pride swag. I have been so impressed by the middle schoolers as they’ve taken a nuanced topic and helped their younger friends understand it. In 2nd grade, two 6th graders read the book, Phoenix Goes To School, where the protagonist is a transgender child who is nervous about expressing her gender identity in school, but bravely goes forward and finds a supporting and welcoming community. After the reading, a 2nd grader, when sharing her reaction to the book, expressed how, though she was a girl, she liked doing activities that sometimes made her feel like a boy, and that was okay. I was so impressed by her self-awareness and confidence to unpack those aspects of identity that many adults shy away from.
Baker Happenings
It’s cold and snowing, but that doesn’t stop the Green Team and our Baker students! Today the 4th grade and their 8th grade buddies were working on the Preschool Garden to plant spring flowers. 3 months ago the Preschool garden had towering 4 foot beautiful flowers, but the work in our teaching garden never stops. Led by our super Green Team leaders, Natasha and William Moss together with Mr. McClennan the students are digging and planting so that spring time we have new exciting growth to explore.
|  | Finally, just for fun, check out this cool marble run that the Kindergarteners built! | |
|
Have a great day!
Mason Rocca
Interim Head of School
| |
|
We are getting closer to our community goal of 80% family participation rate! I can almost smell the chlorine for the Gym n' Swim party goal!
At Baker, we don't charge any extra fees to our families during the year, and I thought it'd be helpful to share what different levels of giving provide at Baker to also show that all gifts are impactful no matter the size:
$25 provides masking & packing tape for the Cardboard Challenge
$50 provides coffee and breakfast treats for Faculty one morning.
$100 provides 4th grade class entry to the Ecology Center
$250 provides 3D printing book & supplies for Makerspace
$500 provides one round trip bus ride for a field trip or competition
$1,000 provides lunch for Faculty during Institute Day
$2,000 provides the Art classroom with art supplies for the year
$5,000 pays for 6th grade trip Dunes Center fees
$10,000 provides Tuition Assistance for one student
$25,000 provides Faculty Professional Development for the year
Goal: $300,000
Total to date: $247,912
Board participation rate: 100% (Love the number hundred!)
Staff/Faculty participation rate: 96% (Simply the best faculty!)
Family participation rate: 64% (We're getting closer!)
Family participation rate goal: 80%
Keep in mind our other challenge of getting our Family Participation Rate to 80% by Wednesday, November 30th. If we reach that goal, we will all celebrate with a Gym n' Swim party on that Friday, Dec. 2nd. Remember any donation amount qualifies for the participation goal.
The chart below shows each class's participation rate up as of today. The 5th grade hit 100%! The race is on for the next class to hit 100% though. 7th grade is surging to the lead with 83%, followed by 1st and 3rd grade! Who will be next?
|  | |
|
Ways to Give
1. Give through PayPal . You may set up a monthly gift if you would like.
2. Donate via Venmo to @BakerDemSchool
3. Give with a credit card through GiveSmart.
4. Give by sending a direct payment by check or Donor Advised Fund to Baker Demonstration School (Attn: Advancement Office, 201 Sheridan Road, Wilmette, IL 60091)
Baker Demonstration School is a 501c3 organization. All contributions are tax deductible.
| |
|
November 18
Middle School Fall Fest
Baker Spirit Friday - Wear your Baker spirit wear!
Midsummer Night’s Dream Costume & Design Build, 3:30-6pm (Carlson)
November 21
6th Grade Metric Olympics
Fall Arts Core Share, 10 am
November 21
Arts Core Share-(Maker Space, Stop Motion, Book Making, Design, and Art)
10-10:45am
Learn More about Arts Core Share here!
November 22
Arts Core Share-(Dance, Choir, Band, and Performers)
10-10:45am
Learn More about Arts Core Share here!
November 22
6th Grade Metric Olympics
November 23-25
Thanksgiving Break- No school/No BASE
December 6 & 7
Baker Book Fair
You can view Baker's public calendar at bakerdemschool.org/calendar
| |
Collections final day is tomorrow, November 18th! | |
|
See letter above for more details:
This year, Solidarity Week will be November 14-18. During Solidarity Week, the Middle School GSA (Gender Sexuality Alliance) Club will organize activities and curate resources for teachers that focus on encouraging and enhancing solidarity with the LGBTQIA+ community.
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to any of the GSA Advisors.
In Solidarity,
Becky Crawford, Shane Courville, Julie Toole and the Middle School GSA
Here are the themes for each day
Monday-Solidarity Day
Tuesday-Tuesday-LGBT2SQ+ Native American and Indigenous focus day
Wednesday- Pronouns Day
Thursday- LGBTQ+ Disability Justice/Show your Pride (school wide “Wear a Rainbow Day”)
Friday- Transgender Rights and Day of Action
| |
|
As you pull out your children's winter clothing this year, please consider passing along any items that your family has outgrown to ESCCA to share with school-aged child/children in need within Evanston/Skokie District 65. You or your children can drop items in the bin to the right of the Baker entrance, near the office (see photo). Ideally, donations are dropped off before Thanksgiving and distributed throughout the winter.
ESCCA CAN ONLY ACCEPT:
OUTERWEAR: Heavy winter jackets, spring/fall jackets, warm vests
TOPS: Long sleeve shirts, sweatshirts, hoodies, fleece tops
BOTTOMS: Sweatpants, fleece pants, track pants, joggers, leggings
ACCESSORIES: Winter hats, gloves, mittens, warm scarves
ESCCA is especially in need of the following items:
- Scarves
- Snow pants: grade school age sizes: 5-6, 7-8, 10-12, 14-16 16-18, Adult S & M
- Sweatshirts: sizes 5-6-7, 8, Adult XL, XXL
- Sweatpants: 5-6-7, 8; Adult Sm, Med, Lg & XL
- Hoodies/Fleece: Sizes 10-12, 14-16, teen/adult Sm, Med, Lg and XL
- Boys shirts: Adult sizes Med, Lg & XL, XXL
- Girls shirts: Adult sizes Med, Lg & XL, XXL
- Girls Sweaters: sizes 5-6,7- 8,10-12, 14-16, and Adult Lg-XL
- Leggings: Adult sizes Sm, Med, Lg & XL
Also, we are still in need of 3 volunteers for the November 29th serve date. Sign up with a friend! High schoolers are also able to get volunteer hours through ESCCA. We would love to see a full (4 spots filled) representation from Baker. Sign up here: https://signup.com/go/ocdEujD
| |
Thanksgiving Resources from Baker Parent EqAT | |
|
We welcome the spirit of gratitude that surrounds Thanksgiving, and we recognize that, for many in our country, the Thanksgiving holiday is a day of mourning. To support families in shaping a well-rounded shared understanding of the holiday's past, we offer these resources for you and your family to explore:
This article reminds us that Thanksgiving is a day of mourning for many.
This tool helps us to learn about the land we live on and acknowledge its history.
This blog post and this blog post are helpful resources for talking with young kids about the real story of Thanksgiving.
This collection of opinion writings reminds us that the history of Thanksgiving is much more than a single story.
This blog post tells the truth and at the same time centers the beauty of native prayer/gratitude expressions.
| |
|
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.
| |
Baker's Book Fair is approaching for book lovers of all ages! The fair is scheduled to run from 8:00 am-7:00pm on Tuesday, Dec. 6th and 8:00am - 5:00pm on Wednesday, Dec. 7th. Volunteers are needed to help with publicity (can mostly be done from home), running the sale on Dec. 6th and 7th, clean up, and some bookkeeping. Come get involved in this event which celebrates our community of readers and gives back to our school! (We will also have an online book purchasing option for those unable to shop in person). | |
|
November Monthly Coffee BPO Coffee Social
Tuesday, November 29
8:30am - 9:30am- Cafeteria
All are welcome! Socialize and hear short updates from the BPO Teams and learn about the work they are doing.
Email: bpo@bakerdemschool.org for more info.
| |
|
November 17
FAN Event, Healing Developmental Trauma
7:00 p.m. - Zoom
Register Here
BONUS AFTER-HOURS EVENT: Attendees who purchase a copy of The Practical Guide for Healing Developmental Trauma from FAN’s partner bookseller The Book Stall are invited to attend an AFTER-HOURS event hosted by Heller, Kammer, and Klein that will start immediately after the webinar. Details on the webinar registration page.
In their ground-breaking and best-selling new book, The Practical Guide to Healing Developmental Trauma, Laurence Heller Ph.D. and Brad Kammer, LMFT present a practical guide to the NeuroAffective Relational Model (NARM), one of the first comprehensive therapeutic models for addressing adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and complex trauma (C-PTSD). In this book, they share therapeutic applications, concrete skills, and exercises for personal growth. This new book was written to support the healing of attachment, relational, developmental, cultural, and intergenerational trauma, and it serves as a therapeutic guide for helping professionals working with complex trauma or anyone wanting to lead a more fulfilling life.
With over 70 years of clinical experience and many thousands of students and supervisees between them, Heller and Kammer are offering a depth-oriented, somatic-based, relationally-focused healing modality that stands at the forefront of the trauma-informed movement. For this event, they will discuss the healing of complex trauma, focusing on topics such as differentiating PTSD (shock trauma) and C-PTSD (complex trauma), how Adverse Childhood Experiences (ACES) lead to shame and various symptoms and disorders, the ways NARM therapeutic skills can be applied for resolving the impact of complex trauma, and what practical tips they can share for those in attendance to take away for their clients and themselves. Heller and Kammer will explain why they created this model and what makes it different from other trauma treatment modalities.
As Gabor Maté, MD (FAN ’22) writes about their work: “This book, from two experienced and insightful practitioners, offers a thorough and clear guide to a modality of therapy far deeper than the prevailing cognitive and behavioral treatments. It is highly promising because it goes beyond the surface manifestations to the root causes and dynamics of human distress.”
Heller and Kammer will be in conversation with Stefanie Klein, LCSW, assistant training director and faculty member for the NARM Training Institute.
This event suitable for youth 12+. It will be recorded and available on our website and YouTube channel.
| |
|
November 18
FAN Event, GRAND ROUNDS: Healing Developmental Trauma: The NeuroAffective Relational Model for Resolving ACEs and C-PTSD
12:00 p.m. - Zoom
Register Here
NOTE: 1-credit CEU available for Illinois licensed clinicians.
In their ground-breaking and best-selling new book, The Practical Guide to Healing Developmental Trauma, Laurence Heller Ph.D. and Brad Kammer, LMFT present a practical guide to the NeuroAffective Relational Model (NARM), one of the first comprehensive therapeutic models for addressing adverse childhood experiences (ACEs) and complex trauma (C-PTSD). Inspired by the most current research on trauma, attachment, developmental psychology and interpersonal neurobiology, NARM identifies and treats the complex ways unresolved complex trauma manifests in disorganized personality patterns, disrupted affect regulation, and interpersonal difficulties.
This presentation is designed to provide a practical introduction to applying NARM with your clients. Heller and Kammer will present an overview of the NARM organizing principles, including the 4 pillars of the NARM approach. They will also share a NARM demonstration session so participants can witness the transformative power of NARM in action.
With over 70 years of clinical experience and many thousands of students and supervisees between them, Heller and Kammer are offering a depth-oriented, somatic-based, relationally-focused healing modality that stands at the forefront of the trauma-informed movement. As Dr. Gabor Maté (FAN ’22) writes about their work: "This book, from two experienced and insightful practitioners, offers a thorough and clear guide to a modality of therapy far deeper than the prevailing cognitive and behavioral treatments. It is highly promising because it goes beyond the surface manifestations to the root causes and dynamics of human distress."
This event suitable for youth 12+. It will be recorded and available on our website and YouTube channel.
NOTE: FAN collects registration data to inform event planning.
| | | | | |
