Baldwin Blast
April 16, 2021
A Message From The Principal
I am happy to report that our return to hybrid learning is fully underway and a success. Throughout this school year, I have been amazed by the creativity, energy, and commitment of our teachers and community to making the best of the challenges presented by COVID-19. Our students and teachers have done more than survive - they have thrived and developed the skills necessary to communicate and work together in person and at a distance. As we approach the last weeks of the school year, we will continue to provide engaging experiences for students no matter where they are learning!
Baldwin Welcomes Some Very Special Visitors!
On April 13, 2021, Baldwin Elementary was proud to host Dr. James Lane and Dr. Aurelia Ortiz as special guests and visitors to our school. Dr. Lane is the Virginia Superintendent of Public Instruction and stopped by for a tour as part of his commitment to visiting all of the school divisions in the Commonwealth. Our guests visited classrooms, spoke with students and teachers, and learned about our STEM, PLTW, and Robotics programming for all students.
Soaring Rockets!
Counselor's Corner
For the month of April, all students will receive counseling lessons about diversity, inclusion, and celebrating differences.
- All students will learn about the word diversity and how it means differences. We will discuss how it is okay to be different and how it is not appropriate to not include someone just because they are different from you. Students will learn about ways they can include others in school when they see differences like race, ethnicity, age, disabilities, language, culture, appearance, etc.
- Kindergarten and first-grade students will learn how there are many different types of people in the world, and we will read a story together called “We’re Different, We’re the Same” where we discuss similarities and differences between us and other people. We will also talk about ways we can welcome people that are different from us and how each person is unique and special in their own way.
- Second, third, and fourth grade students will define the word diversity and what it means to them. We will do an activity where students will identify things they have in common with other classmates while acknowledging what makes them different. We will read a story called “Chocolate Milk, Por Favor” which will allow them to critically think from a different perspective about how you would feel if someone treated you unfairly because of a difference. We will also talk about inclusion and how to welcome others while being sensitive to their differences.
Here are some online resources to aid in your discussion with your child about diversity and inclusion:
- “Race, Diversity, & Inclusion Resources for Parents and Caregivers”
- “10 Tips for Teaching and Talking to Kids About Race”
- Learning for Justice
Please reach out to your school counselors if you would like more information about resources and activities used in counseling lessons.
Heather Hartman: hhartman@mcpsva.org, 571-377-6127 (English)
Carmen Perez: cperez@mcpsva.org, 571-377-6129 (English & Spanish)