Hello from the Principal's Office

March 21, 2025

Dear Baldwin Families,

Spring is here, and with it we have a busy three weeks of activities and events prior to our April vacation!

March 24 - Mandatory Pre-Prom/Senior Trip Meeting (option 1), HS Auditorium, 7pm

March 25 - District String Festival, HS Auditorium, 7:30 pm

March 26 - College Bound Night, Virtual? - 7pm

March 27-29 - Spring Drama Production of Clue!

April 2 - PTSA Meeting, Cafe A, 7:30 pm

April 3 - Bruins Booster Club Meeting, HS, 7pm

April 4 - Eng of Marking Period 3

April 7 - Mandatory Pre-Prom/Senior Trip Meeting (option 2), HS Auditorium, 7pm

April 9 - Board of Education Meeting, Meadow Elementary, 8pm

April 10 - Small Ensemble Concert, HS 7:30 pm

April 14 - 21 - SPRING BREAK SCHOOLS CLOSED

Required Safety Drills

As we do every year, our students and staff will be involved in several safety drills as required by New York State. Drills serve as an opportunity to practice procedures that keep our students safe in the event of an emergency. Next week, the High School will review these skills through conducting a lockdown drill. Please be assured, this serves only as practice for our students. The district’s safety plan can be found on the website HERE.

Remote Day - June 11

Due to the administration of the new NYS (New York State) Geometry Regents exam, Wednesday, June 11, 2025, will be a REMOTE-LIVE instruction day for all students except for students enrolled in Geometry Honors or Geometry with Lab. If your child
is currently enrolled in Geometry Honors or Geometry with Lab, they are required to take this exam in person. Please read the attached letter for more details

Regents Review classes are underway! Take advantage now!

Regents Review Schedule

Advanced Placement Testing Reminders

Please be reminded to submit AP payments as soon as possible if you have not done so already. Please visit the website for more information about AP exams, the schedule and payments.

Announcements

ATTENTION SENIORS!

The Class of 2025 will be hosting the annual Prom on Thursday, June 26, 2025, at the Jericho Terrace from 7 -11 PM. For any senior planning to attend, they and a parent/guardian MUST attend one of two pre-prom meetings. This meeting is designed to inform you about the prom and upcoming senior events and to discuss our expectations so that we have safe, fun, and memorable experiences for all. This is a mandatory meeting in order to receive the prom contract, which is necessary to purchase tickets. NO MEETING, NO PROM!

Option 1: Monday, March 24, 7pm in the HS auditorium

Option 2: Monday, April 7, 7pm in the HS auditorium

Method SAT Test Prep is now available. Go to the registration page to sign up today!

Come see the BHS drama production of Clue! Based on the iconic 1985 Paramount movie which was inspired by the classic Hasbro board game, Clue is a hilarious farce-meets-murder mystery. The tale begins at a remote mansion, where six mysterious guests assemble for an unusual dinner party where murder and blackmail are on the menu. When their host turns up dead, they all become suspects.

Tickets go on sale Sunday, March 23 for $10. and can be purchased here

Show dates are as follows:

March 27, 2025 at 4PM

March 28, 2025 at 7:30PM

March 29, 2025 at 7:30PM

Please enjoy the most recent published stories in the Baldwin High School Golden Wave online newsletter. We are always looking for new inspiring events, stories and news for our staff to write about. A student can be a guest writer and submit a singular submission that they are passionate about. They can inbox me or come to our weekly Friday meetings in room 416A.

https://goldenwave.baldwinschools.org/

Congratulations Meghan Kargman - Best Psychologist - Best of LI Competition!

Girls Badminton - The first day of tryouts will be Monday 3/24 at 3 o'clock in the front gym. A reminder - you must have a current physical to try out. Any questions please see Mr. Winn in room 633.

Those interested in trying out for the Varsity Boys Tennis team should report to the tennis courts at 3:15 on Monday. Please make sure you have signed up on final forms and it is completed.

Congratulations to the Marksmanship Team on an outstanding season! Senior Safiya Allie earned All-County honors and Junior Soren York earned All Conference! Each girl also won individual medals for their high scores in the Coaches Rifle Tournament.

Coach Mike Palumbo and the team were awarded the Sportsmanship Award for the 4th Year in a row!

The Challenger Basketball team ended their season with a 2-1 record with a 60-53 win over Division High School. The team displayed great sportsmanship and passing. The team and coaches would like to thank all the fans who came to the games and all the volunteers who helped make this a great season!

Congrats to the Girls' Basketball team for their regional win and off to the state championships this past Saturday! The Lady Bruins take on Central Catholic this Saturday March 22nd at 10 am at Hudson Valley Community College in Troy New York. Check out the articles highlighting their most recent win!

Newsday article

Newsday photos

Support Bruins Athletics! Weekly Game Schedule

Sincerely,

Dr. Testa

March 14, 2025

Dear Baldwin Families,

If you have not yet done so, please be sure to check out progress reports posted to the portal. With four weeks until our long April Recess vacation, now is the most critical time of the marking period, and of the school year. Our teachers, counselors, and grade level administrators are monitoring student academic progress very closely to ensure that all students reach their maximum potential.

Regents Review Classes start Monday! Take advantage of this great opportunity to get prepared to take your exams! Check our our offerings HERE

Next Board of Education Meeting

The Board of Education Meeting, Budget Work Sessions, and PTA Reflections Award Ceremony have been moved to Wednesday, March 19.

Please see the updated schedule below:

Wednesday, March 19, 2025
Baldwin Middle School

5:30 PM: Executive Session (Closed Session)
7:00 PM: Budget Work Session II and III
8:00 PM: Regular Meeting (Open Session) and PTA Reflections Award Ceremony

Announcements

The 2025 All-County Art Exhibit at Herricks High School was a truly remarkable event, showcasing the outstanding creativity and talent of almost 1400 student artists around the county and included many Baldwin students! Their incredible work was a testament to their passion, dedication, and artistic growth. The program will be displayed on our HERE, in the coming days for those families who could not make it or did not receive a program.

ATTENTION SENIORS! There will be a class meeting after school on Thursday March 20th in Cafeteria A. We will be discussing important information regarding Prom and the Senior Trip. Any questions please see Mr. Morrow or Mr. Buckle

Congratulations to the incredible performance from our Girls' Track team with multiple, individual NEW YORK STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS! Senior Sariah Doresca earned her third straight New York State and Federation Championship in the 55 meters! In the 300-meter race, junior Breanne Barnett was crowned NYS and Federation champion! Breanne and Sariah then teamed up with Jahzara Emili and Kelys Walker to take home the 4x400m relay and were crowned NYS and Federation Champions for the third time, and with a new meet record time of 1:39.33. Check out the Newsday article HERE

Congratulations to Brandon Thweatt for placing 6th in the 55 meter hurdles on Saturday at NYS Championships!

Read more about our Track team wins:

Newsday: Girls' Track NYS Champs!

Newsday: Photos

Boys’ Basketball – congratulations to the team as they defeated Elmont on Saturday 47-44 making them the Nassau County Champions for the 5th year in a row and 10th time overall. Chase Timberlake had 18 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists, 3 steals, & 2 blocks. Gabriel Phillips had 10 points, 11 rebounds, 3 steals & 3 blocks. They then defeated Amityville 75-56 and are now Long Island Champs for the 5th time. Mical Saint-Jean had a career high 19 points, Ethan Sainsbury had 14 points, 10 assists, 5 steals, Chase Timberlake had 12 points, career high of 8 steals, 4 assists and Vaughdrea Johnson had 11 points, 10 rebounds. Please come support the team as they play in the state quarterfinals on Saturday at 1:00 at Yorktown against Tapan Zee High School.

Girl’s Varsity Basketball - · Congratulations to the Girl’s Varsity Basketball team for winning on Saturday against Garden City, making them the Nassau County Champions. They then went on to beat Westhampton last night and are now the Long Island Champions! Please come support the team in Regional Championship. The Lady Bruins take on Rye on Saturday at 11:00 am at Yorktown High School.

To purchase tickets for both games, you must go online at

https://gofan.co/app/school/NYSPHSAA1

Read more about our Girls' Basketball team victories:

https://www.newsday.com/sports/high-school/girls-basketball/high-school-girls-basketball-h8z3itho

https://www.newsday.com/sports/high-school/girls-basketball/baldwin-garden-city-nassau-class-aa-championship-pictures-u34ewtis

https://liherald.com/baldwin/stories/baldwin-wins-10th-county-title-in-11-seasons,213607

Read more about our Boys' Basketball team victories:

Herald: Nassau County win over Elmont

Newsday: Nassau County win over Elmont

Newsday: Photos

Newsday: LI Championship win

The Baldwin Wrestling team had 13 Wrestlers achieve All Conference status this season. Two Baldwin wrestlers took home individual titles, becoming conference champions. Two wrestlers achieved all county status this season. Frantz Byron And Nahkin Stevens both placed at the county tournament, with Frantz Byron reaching the county finals. With his county finals appearance, Frantz Byron became a state qualifier, representing Baldwin at the New York state championship in Albany. Congratulations on an amazing season!

Tickets for the BMS musical production are on sale here

See a preview of the show here

April is approaching! In support of Autism Awareness and Acceptance Month, t-shirts are being sold. Attached please find the flyer with the different t-shirt options.

The Business Department is proud to announce that for the very first time, we launched the DECA program here, and our students have already achieved remarkable success. After competing in the Regionals, we had several students advance to the state competition, which is an outstanding accomplishment for our inaugural year. At the state competition, two of our students, Solomon Ruff and Layla Gentles, earned medals for placing in the Top 10 in their First Role Play. This achievement speaks volumes about their dedication and hard work, and we couldn’t be prouder of their accomplishments.

For any juniors and seniors that are interested in applying for the Molloy University Business Boot Camp, check out the attached flyer. We have had a bunch of students attend this program over the last decade and everyone always has wonderful things to say about it. We have even had a few that have won scholarship money at the award ceremony at the end of the program!

In this week's episode of the Baldwin Bruins Sports Podcast, Blaine and Averi sit down with Peyton Dulin and Toni Smith from the Girls Basketball team. They discuss their motivation, how Baldwin contributed to their success, their game preparation, the challenges of living up to the Baldwin tradition and so much more. Tune in! (Note that this was recorder on Friday before they won the Nassau County Championship)

https://bhs.baldwinschools.org/athletics/baldwin-bruins-sports-podcast

Congratulations to all our Sportsnite girls on an outstanding performance on Saturday! Blue and Gold teams did an amazing job on their routines! Check out the Herald article HERE

The Challenger Basketball season is off to a great start with a win over our rival Bellmore-Merrick. Baldwin won the game 63-60 with great shooting and team defense. Steals were made by Tristan Bishop and Dana Haughton. Jayden Noble and Obi Okocha were leading scorers. The Baldwin Challenger team played its insta-squad game yesterday and the Blue team won 80-70. We honored our exiting seniors: Obi and Sam and thank them for all their excellent teamwork during their time on the team. A special thank you to our student volunteers for playing in the game and selling snacks. Please join us at our final game of the season which will be on Tuesday, March 18th at 4:15 in the gym. Go Bruins!

ATTENTION ALL FUTURE EDUCATORS OF AMERICA! PLEASE MAKE SURE TO ATTEND THE NEXT 2 MEETINGS IF YOU HANDED IN A PERMISSION SLIP FOR THE STEELE HIGH SCHOOL HEROES TRIP! If you are not sure if you signed up, please ask! Not attending the meetings will forfeit your spot! MANDATORY DATES: TODAY & TUESDAY, 3/25 ROOM 312 @ 2:40PM!

Please join us this Monday night at 7pm for the band program's annual fundraiser concert, Suites and Sweets! The night will include light/pop music performed by the Concert Band, Jazz Ensemble, Symphony Band and Wind Symphony, trivia questions, and an ice cream buffet at the end of the program. The cost is $5 per ticket and includes an ice cream buffet following the performance. The program will feature Disney music and current Broadway hits, with trivia questions and prizes for audience members. Come out and support the band program!

Sincerely,

Dr. Testa

March 8, 2025

Dear Baldwin Families,

What an amazing week of Sportsnite spirit! From Father/Daughter night, Banquet, and the Tea Dance, our Blue and Gold teams are ready to compete in the 92nd annual Sportsnite this Saturday!

Marking Period 3 Progress reports will be available on the portal starting March 12th at 3pm. Please review with your child and contact your teachers with any questions or concerns.

As we spring ahead our clocks for daylight savings and the weather turns warmer, I ask our parents to remind their children about our expectations for appropriate behavior as they patronize local businesses and restaurants during their lunch period as well as appropriate conduct after school. It is also crucial that students arrive back from lunch on time for their next class. Additionally, students should not be attempting to leave a class to exit the building to obtain food. This especially goes for Uber/Door Dash deliveries. We do not permit food deliveries on campus and all deliveries are turned away by security.

Cell phones and electronic devices

As I am sure you have heard, there is much discussion from Governor Hochul about the possibility of a cell phone ban in all New York public schools. Regardless of our personal views on the merits of such a ban, we can all agree that cell phones are hazardous to student learning.  

While we live in a digital age of endless content, I can attest directly to the serious distraction that cell phones and other electronic devices create for teaching and learning. The addictive and excessive use of these devices for our children is creating a lack of focus as well as contributing to declining academic and social attitudes.  

Therefore, it is imperative that I remind you that all disruptive use of personal electronic devices is prohibited during school hours. The display and/or use by students of cellular phones (including “smart phones”), SMART devices, earbuds, headphones, 2-way communication systems and/or other personal electronic devices is a disruption to learning and is prohibited in all classrooms and learning spaces. Only district-issued Chromebooks should be utilized as directed by the classroom teacher.  

If a student fails to adhere to this expectation, teachers and administrators are authorized to confiscate the electronic device. Any refusal to turn over an electronic device and/or frequent display of devices will be considered as insubordination and subject to disciplinary consequences as outlined in the Code of Conduct.  

To support your efforts, the district highly recommends the Qustodio parent app which gives parents and guardians increased visibility into their child's Chromebook activity and controls for out-of-school usage.  With Qustodio, you can utilize web filtering to block website categories and specific sites.  You can also set daily time limits for Chromebook use, after which the device will be blocked.  The routines feature allows you to schedule screen-free time by blocking specific websites or all internet access.  We encourage you to explore these new tools to support your child's digital wellbeing. 

I am confident that you will partner with us in supporting this endeavor. I ask that you have a conversation with your child about the importance of accepting and following through on this critical expectation, as well as the consequences for not adhering to it.    

New Building Entry Procedures

As usual, students must present their school ID upon entry to the building. Additionally, students are now required to scan in, as we have recently launched a new system called MOOV. This system will eventually be deployed across the school building, ensuring further that intruders or non-Baldwin people have little chance of trying to get into the building. This is also being used to track students who continually forget their ID. Continued instances of this will result in disciplinary action.

We are still testing the system for signing in and out of bathrooms, and soon to monitor who enters and exits the cafeteria. Next year, the system will be used for all classroom attendance.

National School Social Worker Week

This past week marked National School Social Worker Week, a time designated to honor the incredible contributions of our school social workers and recognize their invaluable support to our students, families, and staff.

This week provides us with an opportunity to express our gratitude and appreciation for the tireless efforts and dedication of our school social workers, Amy Slif and Peggy Curnutt. Ms. Slif and Ms. Curnutt consistently go above and beyond to ensure the well-being and success of our students. Their commitment to fostering a safe, supportive, and inclusive school environment has had a profound impact on our school community. Let us take this opportunity to express our heartfelt gratitude them for their unwavering dedication and remarkable contributions. Please join me in recognizing and thanking them for the difference they make in the lives of our students every day.

Virtual Parent Academy Workshop

Join us on Tuesday, March 18 at 7pm for a virtual presentation hosted by PM Pediatrics on "How Parents Can Effectively Support Their Children During Stressful Times."

Topics will include:
• Understanding childhood anxiety
• Effective strategies to help support your child in managing their anxiety
• What we can do to continue the conversation and learn more to
support our students

Click the webinar link to join.

Virtual College Bound Night, March 26, 7pm

The Baldwin High School College & Counseling Center is excited to present you with the opportunity to attend a webinar focusing on the college search process. This event will consist of a College admissions keynote speaker and various workshops centered on the different elements that factor into the college search process. Following the keynote address, attendees will have the opportunity to attend two different workshops. Each workshop is approximately 30 minutes in duration. Links for the Keynote Speaker and Break-out rooms will be sent out soon. If you have any questions, please contact your child's guidance counselor at 516-434-6134. We hope to see you there!

Announcements

Please enjoy the February 2025 issue of Inside Baldwin UFSD by clicking here.

The Baldwin Friends of Music & Arts Fall 2024 Newsletter is now out! Check it out HERE

Hofstra University welcomed 30 students from Baldwin High School for the annual Baldwin Shadow Day, an immersive experience designed to introduce high school students with specific post-secondary goals to visit the University and explore the academic programs within that area of interest. Check out the article HERE!

Check out the story in the Herald about Senior Paul Fleck winning the Congressional App Challenge HERE

In this episode of the Baldwin Bruins Sports Podcast, Blaine, Averi and Robert sit down with Chase Timberlake and Gabe Phillips from the Boys' Varsity Basketball team. They discuss their love for the game, the impact of Coach Burton, their plans for the future and most specifically about the semi-finals playoff game against Great Neck South.

https://bhs.baldwinschools.org/athletics/baldwin-bruins-sports-podcast

Some of our art students under the direction of Mrs. Leimer-Kelly participated in the Memory Project, where art students create portraits of students from around the world, this year the project focused on students in India. Below are links to the video. The memory project team does one large video of all participating students and partner schools. Congratulations to our participating students!

https://vimeo.com/memoryproject/India2025

ATTENTION SENIORS!

Cap and gown ordering for seniors is open online. Please click on the link below for ordering information. After April 1st there will be a price increase, so please place your orders before. The deadline to order is April 11th. We look forward to a magnificent ceremony this year and we can't wait to celebrate all of the achievements of the class of 2025! Don't wait. Get yours TODAY!!!!

CAP AND GOWN LINK: https://oakhallcg.com/pages/BALDWINHS

LAWN SIGNS ARE HERE! There will be more days to pick up your lawn signs next week, so continue to check your Canvas messages. Any questions please see Mr. Morrow or Mr. Buckley.

New York State STEM Incentive Program

The New York State STEM Incentive Program application is now open for New York State students attending a SUNY or CUNY college in the fall! To be eligible, students must:
Be ranked in the top 10 percent of their high school graduating class at a New York State high school.
Apply in their senior year of high school.
Enroll in an undergraduate program in Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics.
Commit to living and working in New York State for five years in the fields of Science, Technology, Engineering, or Mathematics.
Students who don’t meet residency requirements may qualify through the NYS DREAM Act.
The application deadline for the 2025-2026 academic year is August 15, 2025.
For more information and to apply or request an appointment, visit the New York State STEM Incentive Program website.

The Prom Boutique is back on April 26^th 9am-3pm at the David Mack Training Center, Garden City, NY. Dresses and suits for students in need free of charge! Keep in mind that in addition to prom attire, dresses and suits can be for other occasions like Sweet 16's, Quinceanera's, or any other formal events.

Congratulations to all the performers from this year’s Talent Show! The winners this year were Asia Dowe, Madison Martin, Lauren Ephraim, Hannah Moncion, Bruce Revels and the Baldwin High School Step Team.

Congratulations to our Staff and Students of the Month!

Staff - Ms. Deidre McManus, Teacher, English Department

Grade 9 - Raphael Rodriguez

Grade 11 - Nerio Problete

Grade 12 - Isaiah Ramsey

The Band program will present their annual fundraising event, Suites and Sweets, on March 17th at 7pm. The cost is $5 per ticket and includes an ice cream buffet following the performance. The program will feature Disney music and current Broadway hits, with trivia questions and prizes for audience members. Come out and support the band program!

The Challenger Basketball season has arrived! Home games are on March 13th and 18th right here at Baldwin High School. Please wish the athletes luck if you see them today! Go Bruins!

Boys’ Varsity Basketball – Congratulations to the team as they defeated Great Neck South 56-45. Mical Saint-Jean had a career high 17 points & 4 rebounds, Gabriel Phillips had 13 points, 12 rebounds, Chase Timberlake had 10 points, 5 rebounds, 5 assists & 2 steals. Please come to support the team as they play for the Nassau County Championship on Saturday at 6:00 p.m. at Farmingdale State College against Elmont.

Congratulations to Girls' Varsity Basketball team as they defeated MacArthur 77-31in the semi-finals! Please come support the team as they play for the Nassau County Championship on Saturday at 2pm at Farmingdale State College against Garden City!

Good luck to all of our Girls' and Boys' Track Athletes participating in the State Championships at Ocean Breeze Complex in Staten Island this weekend! Bring home the titles!

Support Bruins Athletics! - Weekly Game Schedule

Sincerely,

Dr. Testa

March 1, 2025

Dear Baldwin Families,

Welcome to March! Unbelievably, next week marks the midpoint of marking period 3! Progress reports will be published to the portal on Wednesday, March 12 at 3pm.

New Entry Procedures

As usual, students must present their school ID upon entry to the building. Additionally, students are now required to scan in, as we have recently launched a new system called MOOV. This system will eventually be deployed across the school building, ensuring further that intruders or non-Baldwin people have no chance of trying to get into the building. This is also being used to track students who continually forget their ID. Continued instances of this will result in disciplinary action.

We are still testing the system for signing in and out of bathrooms, and soon to monitor who enters and exits the cafeteria. Next year, the system will be used for all classroom attendance.

Regents Review Classes

In order to ensure that are students are fully prepared and confident to succeed on June Regents exams, we are offering a variety of review classes after school. All students should take advantage of these opportunities!

2025 Regents Review Classes

Chromebook Care

This midpoint of the marking period is a good time to remind parents of the important responsibility students have for the general care of the the Chromebook issued to them. One in particular that needs to be pointed out is the case each comes with. It is critical that students leave the case on. We are seeing that our students are purposely taking the case off so that it is lighter as they carry it in their hand or in a bag. Please keep the case on! In a review of all reported damage to chromebooks, all but two had the case still on it. Please check your child's Chromebook to ensure that the case is covering it.

A few other reminders of note:

Chromebooks must remain free of any writing, drawing, stickers, and labels.

Do not tamper with, modify or deface device asset tag or serial number in any way.

Heavy objects should never be placed on top of Chromebooks.

Chromebooks should never be loaned to another student or individual during the school day or otherwise.

District-owned Chromebooks should never be taken to an outside computer service for any type of repairs or maintenance.

Batteries are not covered by an extended warranty; therefore, batteries that are determined to have been damaged may incur a cost for repairs.

Do not fully deplete your battery. If you run the battery down to close to zero you are damaging the battery cells.

More tips can be found here: Chromebook Care

Baldwin UFSD offers an optional insurance agreement with Smart Tech Insurance to provide peace of mind for any damage to your child’s Chromebook, as well as loss or theft of the device.

The price for the insurance policy is $29 and will be effective until July 1, 2025, with an option to renew each school year.

Parents will need to purchase the insurance policy directly with Smart Tech Insurance using the instructions below. Also, all insurance claims are handled directly through Smart Tech. Baldwin UFSD DOES NOT need to be involved with any insurance claims.

To sign up, simply go to Baldwin Schools - Smart Tech Insurance (https://smarttechinsurance.com/organization/baldwin-schools/) to enroll for the optional Chromebook insurance.

Announcements

Last chance to register for SAT review in preparation for May/June SAT! Baldwin High School has partnered with Method Test Prep to make SAT Prep classes available at night at the high school. All classes are held on our campus. The preparation for the May and June 2025 SAT begins on Monday, March 10th, and continues for nine weeks, with classes being held on Monday and Wednesday, from 7:30pm-9:30pm. For more information including the dates and the cost for the course can be found here: SAT Class at Baldwin High School starting March 10th If you have any further questions, you may contact Kevin Dennis by email kevin@methodlearning.com, or directly at 516-597-4997. This class is perfect for any Baldwin student taking the May or June SAT.

Baldwin High School will be the site of testing on the following dates:

Test	Test Date	Registration Deadline	Online Registration
SAT	May 3, 2025	April 18, 2025	My SAT
SAT	June 7, 2025	May 22, 2025	My SAT
ACT	June 14, 2025	May 9, 2025	My ACT

If your child is interested in taking the SAT or the ACT, they must register and make payment online before the stated deadlines for each test. Please use the links above to register for each examination.

Please check out the latest issue of our digital newsletter, What’s Bruin in Baldwin.

Congratulations to our Virtual Enterprise Team, Populaire who recently earned a spot as a finalist in the 2025 Virtual Enterprise New York State and Northeast Championship Business Plan Competition! Congratulations to Solomon Ruff, Kingston Patterson, Jasmine Polonia, Gavin Sparks, and Chad Iles!

Sportsnite season is here! Blue and Gold Teams are doing an amazing job in their routines! If you are interested in seeing the show, come to Preview this Saturday at 1:45. Tickets will be sold at the door - $8 each. Come support this great program.

Baldwin High School Theater Club is hosting a Chipotle Fundraiser on Monday, March 3 at the Chipotle in Oceanside from 4-8. Please check out the flyer in the Main Office for more information.

Please come support the Lady Bruins Basketball team as they take on Macarthur HS in the semifinals. The game will be on Monday, March 3 at 6:00 at SUNY Farmingdale. We need your support! You must purchase tickets online at www.gofan.com. No tickets will be sold at the door. If you cannot attend, watch via livestream:

BALDWIN VS MACARTHUR - LIVESTREAM

https://varsitymediapass.com/products/3-3-25-baldwin-vs-macarthur-girls-aa-semifinals-basketball-live-stream-this-is-not-tickets-to-the-game

Boys’ Varsity Basketball –Please come support the team as they play in the semi-finals next Tuesday, March 4th at 6:00 at Farmingdale College against Great Neck South! To attend, you must purchase tickets online at www.gofan.com. No tickets will be sold at the door. If you can't attend, you can watch the game via livestream:

GREAT NECK SOUTH VS BALDWIN - LIVE STREAM

https://varsitymediapass.com/products/3-4-25-great-neck-south-vs-baldwin-boys-aa-semifinals-basketball-live-stream-this-is-not-tickets-to-the-game

Girls’ Badminton - There will be a mandatory meeting on Tuesday March 4 at 2:45 in room 632 for anyone interested in trying out for the team. Any questions please see Mr. Nguyen (win) in room 633.

Boy’s Tennis – anyone interested in playing tennis in the Spring must attend a meeting on Tuesday, March 4th at 2:45 in Cafeteria A.

There will be an informational meeting for boys and girls interested in Spring Track & Field on Tuesday, March 4th at 3:15 in Cafeteria A. You must sign up on final Forms and have an updated physical.

Support Bruins Athletics! Weekly Game Schedule!

Sincerely,

Dr. Testa

February 14, 2025

Dear Baldwin Families,

Wishing you a wonderful and relaxing February break!

The third marking period is off to a great start as we embark on a critical point in the school year. Upon our return from vacation, we have Seven full weeks of consecutive classes. Therefore, this period in the third marking period could not be more important for student achievement and success. Being on time and present every day during this period will only enhance opportunities and ensure a strong finish to the school year.

One of the most important factors in student academic success is directly connected to their attendance. Chronic absenteeism is defined as being absent 10% or more of enrolled school days for the school year for any reason, excused or unexcused. At this point of the school year, this means any student that is absent 10 or more full days this year is considered chronically absent. In terms of instructional time, this is two weeks of missed instruction. The research is clear that by ninth grade, good attendance can predict graduation even better than test scores.

Please reach out to your grade level administrator, school counselor, or attendance coordinator with any questions or concerns regarding your child's attendance. Together, we can work together in ensuring that our students have use of every minute of instructional time at their disposal for their future success.

Announcements

The Nassau County Council of School Superintendents is proud to announce its 12th annual Student Scholarship where four Nassau County students will receive $1,000 scholarships if their essay is chosen. Last year, a Baldwin Senior was chosen! To qualify, please follow the instructions linked below. Student essays should be handed back to their school counselor no later than March 7th!

How to apply

Talent Show tickets are now available through digital QR code on Flyers around school. Paper tickets are available through Ms. Liemer-Kelly in room 416B during the school day. The show is on February 27 at 7:00 p.m.

Boys Lacrosse: Please continue to drop off your fundraising forms to Coach Clancy in the Guidance Office. If you need a form, we have extras. Also, the team store is open. Please make your purchases ASAP.

Congratulations to our work-based learning students of the quarter!

David Waring

Christian Feliz

Tristyn Bishop

Alyssa Fernandez

Jaden Noble

Sportsnite season is here! Great practices this week by both the Blue and Gold teams!

Congratulations to Payton Dulin for her nomination for McDonald's All American Games. Check out the Herald article HERE

Congratulations to our Girls' Winter Track team for a well-earned runner up Silver placement in the Section VIII Conference 2 Championship meet. Congratulations to our individual placewinners and relay teams!

Sariah Doresca - 1st in the 55m, 2nd in the 300

Jahzara Emeli - 1st in the 600, 3rd in the 300

Breanne Barnett- 1st in the 300

4x200 relay (1st place) - Sariah Doresca, Savannah Stephenson,Skye Dubose and Neena McKenzie

4x400 (2nd place) - Breanne Barnett, Jahzara Emeli, Alexis Abrahams, Kiera Sinclair

Rihanna Hodge - 2nd place triple jump

Sienna Bolasingh-1st place high jump

February 4th was the Section 8 County Championships Class A meet, where our girls continued to dominate earning several individual county titles!

Sariah Doresca - 1st in the 55m (3 years in a row), 3rd in the 300m

Jahzara Emeli - 2nd in the 300m

Breanne Barnett- 1st in the 300m

4x200 relay - 1st place (Breanne Barnett, Sariah Doresca, Jahzara Emeli and Alexis Abrahams)

Sienna Bolasingh-4th in High jump

Then on February 10th, at the Section 8 NYS qualifiers meet:

Sariah Doresca qualified for the 55m. (3rd time in a row Sariah has made it to the NYS Championship)

Jahzara Emeli and Breanne Barnett both qualified for the 300m.

Sariah Doresca, Jahzara Emeli, Breanne Barnett, and Kelys Walker qualified for the 4x200 relay. (4th time in a row the BHS Girls Track 4x200 Relay Team has made it to the NYS Championship)

Those who qualified will be participating in the New York State Championships!!! The NYS Championships will be held at Ocean Breeze Athletic Complex on Saturday, March 8, 2025. Go Bruins!!!

Congratulations to the Boys' Winter Track 2025 County A Champions!

55H:Brandon Thweatt.

4x200 Relay: Darrell Turner, Prosper Prawl, Patrick Appolon and Christon Raysor.

All County Honors: 4x400 Relay (3rd) Mikhi Williams, Hayden Castello. CJ Graham and Jeremy Rosario; 55H : Patrick Appolon (3rd); 55M: Brandon Thweatt; 300M: Darrell Turner. Point scorers: 55H:Dorryen Dort, Triple Jump: Chinonso Adjimowe.

Check out the article in the Herald HERE!

Boys’ Varsity Basketball – congratulations to the team as they defeated Mepham 75-30 on Senior Night. Chase Timberlake had 21 points, 7 assists & a career high 8 steals. Gabriel Phillips had 13 points, 10 rebounds & 3 blocks and Ethan Sainsbury had 4 points, 10 assists & 6 steals. Please come support the teams as they play in the 1st round of the playoffs on Friday at home at 6:00.

Please come support the lady bruins in their home playoff game this Tuesday night February 18th at 7pm.

Support Bruins Athletics! Game Schedule

Sincerely,

Dr. Testa

February 8, 2025

Dear Baldwin Families,

February is off to a fantastic start! February is always both an exciting and fast-paced month as we look to the end of winter and hopefully spring weather soon in March! Yet, we still have to be prepared, as the weather report over the weekend and into the next week could bring significant snowfall.

Inclement Weather Plans

In anticipation of inclement weather this winter, please be advised that school closures or a switch to remote learning are always announced on the district website, on major news and radio broadcasts and by phone/email messaging. In the event of severe inclement weather, the decision to switch to a remote learning day or to a school closure will be made as early as possible.

If the decision is made to switch to remote learning, the following procedures will be implemented:

• Except for our 8:1:1 program, a regular bell schedule, period 1-9, will be followed along with the corresponding day (A or B).
• Students are expected to turn on their webcam and visibly be on camera at the beginning and end of the period, and as instructed by the teacher.
• Students are expected to log in on time for the scheduled start of their period class.
• Students should access the specific virtual link for each class via their Canvas class pages.
• When your teacher engages in live videoconferencing, please be aware that everyone involved in the session can see what is happening in the immediate area.
• Consider using headphones or earbuds while engaging with audio or video content as it will help focus on the learning and not on what’s happening in the home.
• If possible, find a quiet space with limited surrounding activity so you can participate in the learning activities. It is helpful to mute their microphones upon entering a live session.
• Adults/siblings should not be present or interrupt any live session unless younger children need technological assistance. Students are prohibited from recording a video conference session in any form.
• Students are prohibited from altering any content presented during remote learning. Students are prohibited from distributing in any manner any altered content in the event altered content is received.

Class of 2025 - FAFSA

For those of you who plan to go to a college or a trade school after high school, you will need to consider filling out an application for FAFSA. FAFSA stands for the Free Application for Federal Student Aid. This application is used to determine your eligibility for federal, state, and college-sponsored financial aid, including grants, educational loans, and work-study programs. Even though the FAFSA is technically the application for federal aid, you must fill it out to receive state and college-sponsored financial aid as well. If you're hoping for any government or school financial aid for college, you need to file a FAFSA.

Also, please take a moment to answer the survey regarding the use of the FAFSA application which has been emailed to your family by the district through Ed Vista. It is required that each family complete the survey to indicate if they will or will not be filing a FAFSA this year.

If you have any questions, please contact your child's counselor for more information.

Announcements

Check out our What's Bruin in Baldwin video episode!

Attention students enrolled in College Marine Biology and College Forensics! The deadline to pay for dual enrollment credit is February 14th! Students will now have the ability to create their own portal, where they can view courses they have taken in the past and add to their current registration during the registration window. If they have not taken courses in the past, they will fill out the registration page, pay for their courses and submit. If they have taken courses in the past, they will be prompted to set up an account before logging in. Any student who decides to attend Molloy University in the fall and has taken one or more courses through our High School Scholars Program will receive a $1,000 Tuition Grant each year for the 4 years they will attend Molloy as part of their financial aid package. Molloy will not accept any registrations after the deadline of February 14, 2025 and that all courses are non-refundable.

Molloy Registration Link

Congratulations to our Staff and Students of the Month!

Scott Peritz - Teacher, Technology Department

Jill Grover - Teacher, ENL Department

Grade 11 - Erick Colon Rosa

Grade 12 - Michael Alfaro

Grade 12 Jahniece Ward - Student of the Quarter, Nassau BOCES

Congratulations to Layla Gentles and Cristiana McCoy, two cast members from The Unsinkable Molly Brown, for being featured in a recent podcast episode of Stages. Listen HERE!

In this episode of the Bruins Sports Podcast, Blaine sits down with Rihanna Hodge and Jahzara Emeli from the Girls Winter Track team. They discuss their dedication to running, routines that work for them, how they balance their time between their academics and sports, the role of their families, etc. Tune in!

https://bhs.baldwinschools.org/athletics/baldwin-bruins-sports-podcast

Congratulations to the following students who have been published in our Fall/Winter edition of the Phoenix Art & Literature Magazine!

Editor: Tyler Johnson

Cover: Tyler Johnson

Back Cover: Isabella Fleck

Joellena Miller

Taina Jerome

Lilian Madoo

Kaylie Quintero

Eric Miles-Bailey

Tyler Johnson

Vivianna Drinkwater-Louverture

Connor Markus

Morgan Martin

Isabella Fleck

Christian Gilbert

Kaylie Quintero

Yessenia Mendoza

Fahiem Jenkins

Khadijah Khoule

Kevin Mokund

Congratulations to Paul Fleck for winning the Congressional App Challenge! The Congressional App Challenge is an official initiative of the U.S. House of Representatives, where Members of Congress host contests in their districts for middle school and high school students, encouraging them to learn to code and inspiring them to pursue careers in computer science. Paul created an app called SPLASH Tracker, that allows cleanup of waterways, shores, marshes, and other locations to be more efficient and timely. Check out the stories in Newsday and on the website from Congressional App Challenge below!

Baldwin High School senior wins Congressional App Challenge - Newsday

https://www.congressionalappchallenge.us/24-NY04/

This past Saturday, our Science Olympiad teams competed in the Nassau West Regional Competition at Kellenberg High School. Our two teams competed in 23 events against 41 other teams from schools in western Nassau County. We received a total of 4 medals, which is the most our teams have ever earned! They are:

· 6th place in "Optics" received by Paul Fleck and Lucas Lautan

· 7th place in "Robot Tour" received by Ivan Barrera and Joseph Cruz

· 3rd place in "Write It Do It" received by Ariana Foster-Guy and Samantha Desantos

· 2nd place in "Write It Do It" received by Chad Henry and Neuville Brown.

Congratulations to our all of our members and our medalists on a job well done!

Attention Fall Driver Education students: Your Certificates of Completion are now available in the Main Office for pick up. Please see Ms. Sisco.

Talent Show tickets are now available using the QR code on the posters around the school or see Ms. Liemer-Kelly for paper tickets.

Boys’ Basketball – congratulations to the team as they defeated Great Neck North, 73-44. Chase Timberlake had 23 points 6 assists & 5 rebounds. Gabriel Phillips had 10 points and 10 rebounds and Mical Saint Jean had 10 points, 3 rebounds & 3 assists. Please come support our next game, Senior Night, on Monday at 7:00 against Mepham.

Boy’s Lacrosse - We will have a mandatory meeting on Monday February 10th @ 2:45 in the auditorium to set up the fundraiser. After this meeting we will go outside for our next workout. Also, the team store is open. The link is on the google classroom page, along with available numbers for varsity players. Please make your purchases by February 17th

Come support Bruins Athletics! Weekly Schedule

Sincerely,

Dr. Testa

HELLO FROM THE PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE

February 1, 2025

Dear Baldwin Families,

Welcome to Semester 2! Now in the third marking period, this is a critical ten weeks of the school year for students to accelerate their commitment to their academic success. Whether you are doing well or struggling, this marking period serves as a great opportunity for all for a positive year in total. Midterm and marking period 2 grades will be posted to the portal on Monday, February 3 at 3pm.

2025-26 Course Selections

Student course selections for next year are now completed! During the month of January, guidance counselors met with each student and discussed recommendations, educational goals and interests, and course selections. Your child's selected classes are available for viewing on the Parent Portal. The eSchool Parent Portal can be accessed here: https://parentportal-ren.eschooldata.com/BaldwinUFSD The course selections will only be available in the portal from Tuesday, February 4th through Sunday, February 9th.

If you have any questions after viewing the selections and speaking to your child, please reach out to your child's guidance counselor at your earliest convenience.

National School Counseling Week

Monday, February 3rd through Friday February 7th is National School Counseling Week. This week provides time to recognize the vital roles school counselors play in the lives of students across the country. Our exceptional team of school counselors includes Erin Beirne, Tim Clancy, Virginia Coles, Vanessa Gonzalez, Stephanie Pina, and Meghan Schlosser, and Kristen Parisi.

School counselors provide a wealth of support throughout a student's academic career. As a counselor, they help students when they face adversity, need assistance with academics, as well as many other issues. Counselors also listen to students' interests and assess their skills and personality to help them decide their future academic and career goals. A counselor works closely with the student, educators, and parents. They work in a variety of settings including the classroom, groups and one on one situations. Please extend a thank you to your school counselor for all that they do!

Important Social Media Alert from Nassau County Police Department

The Nassau County Police Department would like to make you aware of a dangerous
trend circulating via social media. The “fire challenge” is an internet challenge which
involves applying flammable liquids to one's body and then setting the liquids aflame,
while being video recorded. The footage is then posted to social media sites.
An alternate version involves drawing pictures on a mirror with alcohol and then lighting it on fire. The first known fire challenge video was uploaded in 2012. The activity gained mainstream media attention in 2014. Recently the trend has resurfaced. I ask that you speak to your children about this trend and helping us to ensure that they continue to make good decisions both in and out of school.

Qustodio Parent app - Free Electronic device monitoring

Speaking of good decision making as it relates to social media, Qustodio can help! The district offers this free to Baldwin families! New features are now available in the Qustodio parent app to give parents and guardians increased visibility into their child's Chromebook activity and controls for out-of-school usage. With Qustodio, you can now utilize web filtering to block website categories and specific sites. You can also set daily time limits for Chromebook use, after which the device will be blocked. The routines feature allows you to schedule screen-free time by blocking specific websites or all internet access. We encourage you to explore these new tools to support your child's digital wellbeing.

Nassau Community College Dual Enrollment Information Night - Virtual

Attention Class of 2026! We will be hosting a virtual informational session regarding the Nassau County Community College Partnership program with Dr. David Follick from Nassau Community College, and Mrs. Pamela Higgins, Assistant Principal of Guidance on Tuesday, February 4, 2025, at 6:00 PM.

Link: https://meet.google.com/crn-yuxj-jeh

Nassau County Community College (NCCC)'s Partnership with Baldwin High School is an exciting opportunity for high school seniors to earn college credits while experiencing college life! The unique and innovative collaboration allows Baldwin High School students to take college-level courses directly on the NCC campus while also fulfilling their New York State high school graduation requirements. This event will provide parents of interested students details and the benefits of the NCCC/Baldwin Partnership including courses, costs, campus life, and application process. More information about the program can be found HERE.

Announcements

Attention Seniors enrolled in English 4! Nassau Community College is extending a one-time registration offer for English 102!

If a student completed English 101, paid for credit, and earned credit: That student is eligible to register for English 102.
If a student completed English 101, earned a grade of C (70 or above), but did not pay for credit: That student is also eligible to register for English 102.

Additionally, any Baldwin student who registers for ENG102 will receive a 50% tuition discount. Students eligible for free lunch will receive free tuition for this course. The district will provide this information to the Registrar.

The Dual Enrollment Brochure is attached. Use the enrollment registration link and to complete the application. The deadline for registration is 2/5 and students will have additional time to pay.

Attention Sophomores! Are you interested in jewelry and/or fashion design? Well the Future Jewelers Academy at the Shubert School is offering a free, 2-day workshop on February 18-19 for any 10th grade student interesting in enrolling in the program next year! See the flyer for more details! If you would like to attend, please RSVP with your school counselor by February 10th.

Please join me in congratulating the following students whose work will be featured in the 2025 All County Art exhibition at Herricks High School March 9, 2025!

Adrian Suriel

August Sage

Avery Augustine

Chidera Ubah

Irvin Maldonado

Isabella Fleck

Isabella Portillo

Jandiel Torres

Jenna Gonzalez

Joellena Miller

Jojo Yawson

Layla DePaz

Lucas Liriano

Molly Curran

Nyomi Collado

Yessenia Mendoza

Zoe Gordon

Zoe Parkes

All Future Educators of America who are attending the Lenox High School Heroes event must attend the training meeting Tuesday, February 4th in room 312 @2:40pm. Any questions, see Ms. Billig.

Attention Fall Driver Education students: Your Certificates of Completion are now available in the main office for pick up. Please see Ms. Sisco.

Support Bruins Athletics! Next week's Game Schedule

Boys’ Varsity Basketball – congratulations to Chase Timberlake for becoming Coach Burton’s 1st 1000-point scorer. He is only the 2nd person in school history to achieve this goal!

Congratulations to the team as they defeated Long Beach, 66-41. Chase Timberlake had 25 points, 5 rebounds, 5 steals & 3 assists. Gabriel Phillips had 15 points, 10 rebounds & 2 assists. Mical Saint Jean had 11 points, 5 rebounds, 4 steals & 3 assists.

Next, they defeated Jericho 76-40. Gabriel Phillips had 18 points, 11 rebounds. Chase Timberlake had 17 points, 7 assists, 6 rebounds & 3 steals. Jordan Williams had a career high of 12 points, 2 rebounds, 2 assists. Ethan Sainsbury had 11 points, 4 assists & 2 steals. They also defeated MacArthur 73-47. Chase Timberlake had 28 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists & 2 steals. Ethan Sainsbury had 10 points, 6 assists, 3 rebounds and Mical Saint Jean had 10 points, 4 assists, 3 rebounds & 3 steals. Good luck to the team as they play at Stevenson HS in the Bronx on Sunday at 1:30 against Thurgood Marshall.

Congratulations to the Varsity Cheerleading team on their incredible performance at their competition this past Saturday! Great job by all!

Boys Lacrosse: If you were unable to attend Tuesday's meeting, please see Coach Clancy in the Guidance Office to pick up some important paperwork regarding the season. This is mandatory for every player, JV or Varsity.

Marksmanship - Junior Lucas Duet led the Baldwin Marksmanship team yesterday by scoring a season high of 180 as the Bruins defeated Glen Cove by the score of 677 to 620. Also scoring for the Bruins were Sophomore Aidan “HAPPY BIRTHDAY “ Smalling and Senior Captains Safiya Allie and Blaine Harding.

Cohen Children’s Medical Center and Hofstra University invite you to join them
before the Hofstra Men’s Basketball Game on March 1st to meet with their experienced physicians and faculty to find out how to keep young athletes healthy from head to toe! Middle and high school student athletes can explore different opportunities to keep them at the top of their game. All attendees will receive FREE tickets to the Hofstra Men’s Basketball game! See the flyer for details on how to participate.

Baldwin PAL Sports Registration

Sincerely,

Dr. Testa

January 25, 2025

Dear Baldwin families,

As January comes to a close, we have reached the academic mid-point of the school year! Monday, January 27 (Day B) begins Semester 2 classes and marking period 3. Students must check the portal for any changes to their schedule, particularly if they finished a semester-based class. It is critical that students check the portal at least once a week to ensure that their attendance and grades are adequate. Please also note that there is no school on Wednesday, January 29th.

One of the most important factors in student academic success is directly connected to their attendance. The research is clear that by ninth grade, good attendance can predict graduation even better than test scores. That is why we make a concerted effort to address absenteeism on a daily basis. The New York State Education Department also is paying close attention, as they require all school districts to improve student attendance for accountability purposes. This is why at the end of each month we send out letters to families for any students considered chronically absent or at-risk.

Chronic Absenteeism applies to both unexcused AND excused absences. Chronic absenteeism is defined as being absent 10% or more of enrolled school days for the school year for any reason, excused or unexcused. At this mid-point of the school year, this means any student that is absent 8 or more times this year is considered chronically absent. In terms of instructional time, this is nearly two weeks of missed instruction.

Important Reminder about picking up your child early from school

The academic halfway point in the school year is a good time to remind you of the importance of adhering to our early dismissal procedures. We are noticing more parent pickup requests arriving to campus without advanced notice and expecting to pick up their child quickly. Please understand that we have procedures of verification that are needed as well as a processing of the student dismissal through the attendance office. Our campus is very active and our security team have solid procedures to ensure the safe travel of vehicles and student pedestrians leaving campus during lunch periods. I appreciate your understanding and support of the following:

Any student leaving the campus during scheduled classes for health-related reasons must first report to the Health Office for parental and office approval. Failure to do so will result in a cut/illegal absence.

Any student looking to be dismissed for an appointment or other legal reason must be formally dismissed by the Attendance office. They should not leave campus without being dismissed and their reason verified with a parent.
Parents/Guardians must call in advance to the Attendance Office if they desire to pick up their child early from school. All visitors need to call ahead and should not show to campus unannounced.

Nassau Community College Dual Enrollment Information Night - Virtual

We will be hosting a virtual informational session regarding the Nassau County
Community College Partnership program with Dr. David Follick from Nassau
Community College, and Mrs. Pamela Higgins, Assistant Principal of Guidance on Tuesday, February 4, 2025, at 6:00 PM.

Link: https://meet.google.com/crn-yuxj-jeh

If you have any questions regarding the Nassau County Community College Partnership Program, please do not hesitate to contact the High School Counseling Center at 516-434-6133 to speak with your child's school counselor.

Announcements

Please enjoy the January 2025 issue of Inside Baldwin UFSD by clicking here.

Please check out the latest issue of our digital newsletter, What’s Bruin in Baldwin.

Baldwin High School Celebrates Black History Month! You are invited to celebrate the work of our secondary artists, whose Black History Month art will be displayed at
the African American History Museum of Nassau County throughout the month of February! This event will be held on January 30th, at 6:30 pm at the African American History Museum of Nassau County (11 N. Franklin St. Hempstead, NY).

Attention Seniors! Those enrolled in College Civics and News Literacy are eligible to receive dual enrollment college credit through Stony Brook University! Deadline to register is March 3rd. See flyer for how to register!

Support Bruins Athletics! Game Schedule

Sincerely,

Dr. Testa

January 17, 2025

Dear Baldwin Families,

We have reached the final week of Semester 1 and marking period 2, with our upcoming midterm/regents exam week. With the especially cold temperatures outside, I want to give special thanks to our custodial and maintenance staff for working tirelessly to ensure that our learning spaces are comfortable for students and faculty. There are four classrooms, all in the 400 building, that are still not suitable for use. Classes normally scheduled in those rooms have been relocated to other spaces. The rest of the building is operating normally. Thank you to our students and parents for your understanding and patience while we fully resolve the remaining issues.

Also, special thanks to the Class of 2025 parents for planning, supporting, and volunteering to create a wonderful Senior Banquet last night! It was a beautiful evening and I am proud of our seniors for reaching this first milestone in many more celebrations this year. Thank you to class advisors Mr. Buckley and Mr. Morrow for leading the Class of 2025 this year!

Midterm/Regents Examination Next Week

Our winter testing period, which includes Midterms and January Regents examinations, begins on Tuesday, January 21, 2025, and concludes on Friday, January 24, 2025. Please refer to this link for all necessary examination details including the testing calendar. If you have questions about your child(s) exams, please contact their school counselor. If school is closed or cancelled for any reason, continue to follow the published Exam Schedule for the next day. The missed exams may be rescheduled.  

The following procedures will be implemented. A full description of our procedures and testing calendar are included HERE.

Students may not bring any book bags, backpacks, or pocketbooks to school on exam days.
For regents exams and midterms in the back gym, cafeteria a and cafeteria b, devices will be collected before being allowed to enter the exam location.  Some AP midterms require use of the student-issued chromebook. Please make sure chromebooks are charged.
Students must always have their ID with them
Students will only be permitted to enter and exit the building through the Commons where they must present their ID cards and check in any book bags, backpacks, or pocketbooks.  
During exams, students will only be allowed in examination rooms and bathrooms.
When students have completed an examination, they are to exit through the same doors they entered through.  They will not be permitted to exit through other doors.  
Students are NOT permitted to visit the Middle School or any Elementary School during their free time. 
If your child does not have an exam, he/she should not come to school during exam days. 
Nassau BOCES Barry Tech is OPEN and operating on a regular schedule for all students next week. Students are expected to attend their BOCES program all week unless they are scheduled to take a Midterm or Regents Exam. If your child is scheduled to take a Midterm or Regents Exam at the high school, please send in a note with the Midterm or Regents Exam(s) they are taking so we may provide that information to the Attendance Coordinator at BOCES. The Nassau BOCES Barry Tech buses will be running on their regular schedule.
Second semester classes will begin on Monday, January 27, 2025.  Students are expected to check the portal for any Semester 2 courses that begin on the 27th. Updated paper schedules will not be distributed, so you must access the portal for this information.

2025-26 Course Requests

Scheduling for the 2025-2026 school year has begun. Current 9th and 10th grade students have already met with their counselors to discuss their requested courses for next school year. 11th grade students will meet with their counselors via Social Studies class from Monday, January 27 - Friday, January 31. Please reach out to your child's counselor to select courses if they were absent for their scheduled day.

Please refer to the Coursebook in this link for a full description of all of the courses offered next year at Baldwin High School. 2025-2026 BHS Coursebook

Students in each grade level are required to carry a full course load, with no free periods, except for a regularly scheduled lunch period.

Nassau Community College Dual Enrollment Program for Rising Seniors!

Link: https://meet.google.com/crn-yuxj-jeh

Qustodio app

As part of the district’s ongoing commitment to ensuring our students’ online safety and well-being, we are excited to introduce the Qustodio app to our parents/guardians. Unfortunately in these recent times, there are far too many stories on the news about harmful, inappropriate, and offensive content and messages that our kids can be exposed to online and on their devices. We certainly don't want them to receive this kind of content, nor respond to it. And we want to be able to do what we can to protect them from it. For these reasons and more, I highly recommend that you take advantage of this opportunity to utilize Qustodio for no additional cost.

Key Features

Activity Monitoring: Develop increased understanding of your child’s digital habits. Track your child's online activities, including websites visited, apps used, and the amount of time spent online.
Pause Button: Switch off online activity on your child’s Chromebook after school hours (when not needed for homework or other school-related activities) to restore a healthy digital balance and encourage screen-free family time.

In addition to being available on all district devices, families can register up to one personal device per child for free.

To Register for a Qustodio Account

Use the following link to register with the Qustodio parent app: https://auth.qustodio.com/en/my-school/

IMPORTANT: Please use the email address the district/school already has on file for district communications or the registration process will not work.

New and Improved Wi-Fi Network

As part of our ongoing efforts to enhance our district's technology infrastructure, we are transitioning to a new and improved Wi-Fi network. This change will affect the Wi-Fi networks used for personal devices by students. The new Wi-Fi network (BD-BYOD) will become available beginning January 15, 2025. The old Wi-Fi network (BD-Student) until be available for you to continue to use until February 28, 2025.

To access the new staff Wi-Fi network (BD-BYOD), you will need to install an application on your personal devices (Android, iOS, Windows, and Mac). The directions to install the application can be found using this link.

Announcements

Congratulations to our students and staff member of the month!

Mrs. Jill Grover - Teacher, ENL Department

Jairel Solomon - Grade 9

Vallerie Reyes Perez - Grade 10

Students from Baldwin High School’s Global Business & Entrepreneurship Academy recently showcased their talents at the 2024 Apprentice Challenge hosted by Adelphi University. Since its inception in 2007, this annual competition has gathered ambitious high school students in grades 9-12 from across Long Island, allowing up to ten students from each school to participate. The team that devises the most effective marketing plan within just one hour is honored with the title of Adelphi Apprentice. Check out the full article HERE.

Attention Juniors and Seniors. Registration for the spring semester of Driver Education is now open. Please see the high school page on the district website for information and forms or see Ms. Sisco in the main office. There are only 13 more spots available so get your registration quickly.

We invite your students and their families to join us for SUNY Financial Aid Days. SUNY campus experts across the state will be hosting the event on January 25th and February 8th. The event is free and open to all New Yorkers seeking hands-on assistance with FAFSA completion, regardless of whether they applied to a SUNY or the campus hosting the event. Students can register at SUNY Student Events.

The Shine Club is collecting gifts and hygiene products for sick teenagers in local hospitals. Be a blessing to another teen and make a donation to our bins in the commons. Donations will be accepted from January 15th to February 7th.

The National Honor Society is hosting a book drive through the Book Fairies! Please donate used books from now until Friday, January 24th. Bins have been placed in the Commons Area. Please no textbooks, magazines, or books in poor condition.

The Baldwin High School Theater Club is having a Restaurant Fundraiser this Thursday, January 23, 2025 at Sonny's Canal House (1 Jefferson Place - Baldwin). 20% of sales will be donated back to the club, from 3pm - closing. Dine in or pick up - Just mention BHS Theater Club!

Come support Bruins Athletics! Game Schedule

Boys’ Varsity Basketball – congratulations to the team as they defeated Mepham 73-33. Chase Timberlake had 21 points, 4 rebounds, 4 assists, Gabriel Phillips had 12 points, 10 rebounds, 2 steals & Ethan Sainsbury had 6 points, 7 assists, 5 steals and 4 rebounds. They also defeated Great Neck North 88-46. Chase Timberlake had 32 points, 5 rebounds, 2 assists. Gabriel Phillips had 8 points, 10 rebounds and 2 blocks.

The Baldwin Wrestling team competed at the Ted Petersen this past weekend. The Bruins capped off the day with a 1st place finish by first place finish by Frantz Byron.

Congratulations to junior Nahkin Stevens on being named one of Newsday's Top 100 Wrestlers. Nahkin is an 2024 All-County wrestling who took fourth in Nassau Division I at 101 pounds. See the Top 100 boys wrestlers for the 2024-25 season in Newsday.com>>

Sincerely,

Dr. Testa

January 10, 2025

Dear Baldwin Families,

This past week we have experienced the coldest temperatures in years. As a result, we have experienced some heating issues in the building. Our custodial and maintenance department have worked diligently to diagnose, mitigate, and resolve these problems. The issues have been primarily in the 300 and 400 buildings. There are still some remaining issues that we are sorting out.

While the district has a five-year facilities plan, and in general the condition of our building is good, the infrastructure is still old and aging. We have made repairs and changes to ensure that as the winter progresses, our classrooms are comfortable for learning.

We have taken the following actions to alleviate the problems experienced this week. They include:
• Relocation of some classes to alternative locations
• Insulating the breezeway hallways to reduce wind entering the building
• Ordering and installing heating window units
• Working with district architects and contractors to resolve heat issues for the long term

This has been an exceptional week regarding frigid temperatures and because it is the highest priority, we focused on this issue for the entire week. Please note that most of our building is operating normally, and the issues are isolated in a small section, specifically about ten classrooms.

Thank you for your continued patience and support as we fully resolve this situation. Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any additional questions or concerns.

In-class Midterms and Midterm/Regents Examination Week

With five class days remaining in the marking period, students need to make sure all assignments, homework, and classwork are up to date. Please log onto the parent portal to review your child’s academic progress and to review their attendance and/or missing assignments for their courses. In-class midterms start Monday, and our Midterm/Regents Examination week begins on Tuesday, January 21st and goes through Friday, January 24th.

Midterm/Regents Exam Information and Calendar

The second semester and third marking period begins Monday, January 27th.

2025-26 Course Requests

Scheduling for the 2025-2026 school year has begun. Students will visit with their guidance counselor during their regularly scheduled social studies class. At this meeting, students will review course recommendations and select electives for the upcoming school year. When selecting electives, students and families should keep in mind that our vibrant Academic Academies offer students innovative learning opportunities and relevant educational and vocational experiences in their specific area of study through electives. These electives will be selected as a first choice for those enrolled in one of the seven Academic Academies.

Please refer to the Coursebook in this link for a full description of all of the courses offered next year at Baldwin High School. 2025-2026 BHS Coursebook

Students in each grade level are required to carry a full course load, with no free periods, except for a regularly scheduled lunch period.

Students will be visiting counselors as scheduled:

Monday, January 6th-Friday, January 10th-- Grade 9
Monday, January 13th-Friday, January 17th-- Grade 10
Monday, January 27th-Friday, January 31st-- Grade 11

Please take some time to discuss academic choices with your child in the upcoming days so the best possible schedule can be created for the new school year.

Founders' Day

Each year, Baldwin High School PTSA celebrates individuals who go above and beyond in their roles, making a meaningful impact on our school and community. These honorees are recognized at our annual Founders' Day event, and we need your help to identify them!

We invite you to submit your nominations for individuals who deserve this special recognition. Please share why your nominee is deserving by completing the form at the link below:

Submit Your Nomination Here

The deadline to submit your nomination is Friday, January 17, 2025.

SAT Test Prep

Method Learning has partnered with Baldwin High School to offer in person SAT prep classes in preparation for the March and May SAT exams. See the attached flyers for details.

SAT Method Test Prep Classes for March SAT

SAT Method Test Prep Classes for May SAT

Announcements

February is Black History Month, and we are excited to invite you to submit your artwork for display at the African American History Museum in Hempstead! This is a fantastic opportunity to showcase your creativity and contribute to the celebration of Black history. Your work will be part of a special exhibit, with a gala event unveiling your piece. Accepted submissions include (but are not limited to):

Poem or original song lyrics

Sculpture

Graphic design

Painting or drawing

You’re welcome to explore other forms of art as well!

Submission Deadline: January 20, 2025

Digital submissions: Email to Dr. Franza at franzag@baldwinschools.org

Physical submissions: Drop off in Room 618 (High School) or the Main Office (Middle School)

Complete the Google Form: Submit Here: https://forms.gle/KLDwkJFDVetfUY9W6

The unveiling event will be held on January 30 at 6:30 PM at the museum, and all contributors will receive an invitation.

Are you looking for something fun to do after school? Join Sportsnite today! It's not too late to join if you are still interested. Sportsnite is a program that has something for everyone from singing, dancing, art, photography, stunts and there're even opportunities for student leadership, community service and scholarships for participants. So, join Sportsnite today. There are QR codes in the hallways.

Attention Juniors and Seniors. Registration for the spring semester of Driver Education is now open. Please see the high school page on the district website for information and forms or see Ms. Sisco in the main office. There are only 24 more spots available so get your registration quickly.

The next Shine Club meeting will be on Friday, January 17th, in Room 429. Check the Canvas page for updates and announcements.

Are you looking for a welcoming space to be yourself and make new friends? Come to the next GSA club meeting! GSA is a student-run club that brings together LGBTQ+ and allies to support each other, create a safe space, and work to improve our school climate for all students. Our next meeting is Wednesday, the 15th in room 323 after school, don't miss out on this chance to get involved and make new friends!

Come support our Baldwin Bruins Athletes! Game schedule

The Bruins Wrestling team defeated Great Neck South, by a score of 54-16. They followed that up with a 3rd place finish at the Kellenberg tournament, with 1st place finishes by Nahkin Stevens and Jayden Young.

Marksmanship - Junior Soren York led the marksmanship team yesterday as the Bruins defeated Sewanahaka by the score of 664–655. Also scoring for the Bruins were sophomore Taylor Antoine, senior Safiya Allie and sophomore Josie Engelhardt. Congratulations to all and good luck in your match on Monday!

Sincerely,

Dr. Testa

January 4, 2024

Dear Baldwin Families,

Happy New Year! I hope you enjoyed some joyous time with your loved ones during our vacation. The second marking period and first semester is coming to a close rapidly with only ten class days left. Please note the following:

January 13-17: In-Class Midterm Exams - SEE CALENDAR

January 17: Last Day of Semester 1 / Marking Period 2 Classes

January 20: Schools Closed

January 21 - 24: Midterm / Regents Exam Week - Exam Calendar Coming Soon!

*Students only attend if they have a scheduled exam, except 8:1:1 program

January 27: Classes resume - start of Semester 2 Classes / Marking Period 3

January 29: Schools Closed

2025-26 Course Requests

Scheduling for the 2025-2026 school year will begin on Monday, January 6. Students will visit with their guidance counselor during their regularly scheduled social studies class. At this meeting, students will review course recommendations and select electives for the upcoming school year. When selecting electives, students and families should keep in mind that our vibrant Academic Academies offer students innovative learning opportunities and relevant educational and vocational experiences in their specific area of study through electives. These electives will be selected as a first choice for those enrolled in one of the seven Academic Academies.

Please refer to the Coursebook in this link for a full description of all of the courses offered next year at Baldwin High School. 2025-2026 BHS Coursebook

Students in each grade level are required to carry a full course load, with no free periods, except for a regularly scheduled lunch period.

Students will be visiting counselors as scheduled:

Monday, January 6th-Friday, January 10th-- Grade 9
Monday, January 13th-Friday, January 17th-- Grade 10
Monday, January 27th-Friday, January 31st-- Grade 11

Please take some time to discuss academic choices with your child in the upcoming days so the best possible schedule can be created for the new school year.

Inclement Weather Plans

If the decision is made to switch to remote learning, the following procedures will be implemented:
• Except for our 8:1:1 program, a regular bell schedule, period 1-9, will be followed along with the corresponding day (A or B).
• Students are expected to turn on their webcam and visibly be on camera at the beginning and end of the period, and as instructed by the teacher.
• Students are expected to log in on time for the scheduled start of their period class.
• Students should access the specific virtual link for each class via their Canvas class pages.
• When your teacher engages in live videoconferencing, please be aware that everyone involved in the session can see what is happening in the immediate area.
• Consider using headphones or earbuds while engaging with audio or video content as it will help focus on the learning and not on what’s happening in the home.
• If possible, find a quiet space with limited surrounding activity so you can participate in the learning activities. It is helpful to mute their microphones upon entering a live session.
• Adults/siblings should not be present or interrupt any live session unless younger children need technological assistance. Students are prohibited from recording a videoconference session in any form.
• Students are prohibited from altering any content presented during remote learning. Students are prohibited from distributing in any manner any altered content in the event altered content is received.

Reminder about Eligibility Procedures & Expectations

At the midpoint and end of each marking period, a student's attendance and grades are subject to review for eligibility to participate in extracurricular activities, sports and Leaving to Learns (Field Trips). There are three levels that a student can be issued.

Probation: The student will be permitted to participate in the total activity but will be subject to review and weekly monitoring.

Ineligible: The student will be excluded from all contests, performances and competitions but is entitled to attend and participate in practices and meetings.

Disqualified: The student will lose the privilege to participate in all athletic and extracurricular activities during the period imposed, up to the remainder of the school year.

A Student with more than five illegal or unexcused class absences for any subject/class period, and/or fail two or more classes, will jeopardize their eligibility status as defined above. Excessive lateness to school/class will also be factored in and may impact student eligibility. Any student currently on probation or ineligible risk being disqualified if attendance and/or academic performance do not improve. Excessive tardies may also impact student eligibility according to the outlined procedures. Students who accumulate 15 or more unexcused tardies in any class period are subject to the Eligibility procedures, which may result in their status being elevated more rapidly.

Home Basketball Games

Attention all students! Students interested in attending home basketball games (both girls and boys) will be required to show their Student ID to gain entry. You also must be eligible to attend as well! No student ID, no entry! This will be in place for all home basketball games, including any playoffs. DISQUALIFIED STUDENTS are not permitted to attend games.

Announcements

Support Baldwin Athletics! Weekly Sports Calendar

There will be a Sportsnite watch party on Monday, January 6th at 4:30pm in Cafe A. Everyone interested in joining Sportsnite or wanting to learn more about what Sportsnite is can come to the watch party. We will enjoy some snacks while we watch past Sportsnite performances.

WATCH: Why join Sportsnite?

Seniors: Senior Banquet ticket sales will begin next week. Ticket sales will be on Tuesday and Wednesday in Cafeteria B and Thursday in Cafeteria A after school. Tickets are $5 cash only. For more information, please check the Senior Activities Canvas announcements or see Mr. Buckley or Mr. Morrow. ONLY ACADEMIC/ATTENDANCE ELIGIBLE STUDENTS WILL BE ABLE TO PURCHASE TICKETS!

Talent Show auditions are scheduled for This Monday and Tuesday. YOU MUST SIGN UP for an audition. QR codes are posted on flyers around the school or see Ms. Liemer-Kelly in room 416

Any student interested in working on the yearbook should attend a meeting on Tuesday, January 7th at 2:45 in room 635. Any questions, please see Ms. Seepersad or Mr. Palumbo.

Boys’ Basketball – please come support the team at our next game on Sunday at Chaminade HS against William Floyd at 2:00 p.m. This game will be televised on MSG Varsity.

Method Learning has partnered with Baldwin High School to offer in person SAT prep classes in preparation for the March and May SAT exams. See the attached flyers for details.

SAT Method Test Prep Classes for March SAT

SAT Method Test Prep Classes for May SAT

Poem or original song lyrics

Sculpture

Graphic design

Painting or drawing

You’re welcome to explore other forms of art as well!

Submission Deadline: January 20, 2025

Digital submissions: Email to Dr. Franza at franzag@baldwinschools.org

Physical submissions: Drop off in Room 618 (High School) or the Main Office (Middle School)

Complete the Google Form: Submit Here: https://forms.gle/KLDwkJFDVetfUY9W6

The unveiling event will be held on January 30 at 6:30 PM at the museum, and all contributors will receive an invitation.

Sincerely,

Dr. Testa

HELLO FROM THE PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE

December 20, 2024

Dear Baldwin Families,

Wishing you all a joyous holiday and a Happy New Year! So far, the 2024 part of the school year has been filled with many things to be grateful for. I look forward to an even better 2025 school year! Due to construction projects occurring within the building over the break, the High School building is completely closed starting immediately after school on 12/20 through January 1st. Classes resume on January 2nd.

Upon our return, the second marking period will rapidly draw to an end, with 12 class days before our midterm week. To mark this critical moment of the year as well as the turn to 2025, I made the following announcement for all students and staff and I wanted to share it with you:

We are in our final days of school before the holiday break. I'd like to take this time now before the week really gets underway to wish everyone a wonderful holiday, a restful vacation, and a Happy New Year.

As we approach our December break and the end of the 2024 calendar year, I'd like everyone to reflect on your goals and priorities that you have set for yourself this year. If you haven't set any goals and priorities, well, I ask that you take this downtime to start thinking about them. It is important to have goals - both personal and academic goals.

At the beginning of the year, we spoke to you all about Bringing out the Best for Baldwin. This was a challenge I made to you, which doesn’t require perfection, but it does require consistency of intent and honesty.

So, take this time to make an honest reflection on this for yourself - have you brought out your best?

Have you brought out your best with your actions, your attitude, your emotions?

Have you brought out your best in the way that you treat your peers-- with dignity, respect, compassion, and grace?

Have you brought out your best in being on time, attending all your classes, and completing all your assignments?

Can you say with confidence and pride that you represented your family, yourself, and your school in a manner that others would be proud of too? Would you be proud of your most cherished and respected loved one to know how you have behaved, performed, acted, and learned so far?

If your honest answers to these questions are "yes," then fantastic! Thank you and keep it up! If you honestly can't answer "yes," then it's time to start thinking about who you really want to be and what you want people to think about you. Whether you believe it or not, you are creating a brand for yourself, one that either opens doors of opportunity or closes them. How many doors do you want to have the choice to be able to walk through? That is entirely up to you.

So, use this time this week and over the break to think about this, and when we return in 2025, let's make it the best part of the school year, and the best part of you.

Have a wonderful rest of the week and enjoy your time off with your friends and family. Have the best week to end 2024 and see you all next year!

Announcements

Please check out the latest issue of our digital newsletter, What’s Bruin in Baldwin.

Method Learning has partnered with Baldwin High School to offer in person SAT prep classes in preparation for the March and May SAT exams. See the attached flyers for details.

SAT Method Test Prep Classes for March SAT

SAT Method Test Prep Classes for May SAT

Poem or original song lyrics

Sculpture

Graphic design

Painting or drawing

You’re welcome to explore other forms of art as well!

Submission Deadline: January 20, 2025

Digital submissions: Email to Dr. Franza at franzag@baldwinschools.org

Physical submissions: Drop off in Room 618 (High School) or the Main Office (Middle School)

Complete the Google Form: Submit Here: https://forms.gle/KLDwkJFDVetfUY9W6

The unveiling event will be held on January 30 at 6:30 PM at the museum, and all contributors will receive an invitation.

Check out the student produced digital newspaper, Golden Wave! If you are interested in journalism, writing, or photography, consider participating! Meetings are held on Fridays in 416 A/B immediately afterschool.

https://goldenwave.baldwinschools.org/

DECA Launch and Regional Competition:This year, we proudly introduced DECA at the high school level with Mr. Malin as the advisor. Our students competed in their first regional event this past Saturday, and their performance exceeded expectations. Four students, Solomon Ruff, Layla Gentles, Alyssa Ramdass and June Kreshsvich, have earned the opportunity to advance to the state competition, with three of them scoring a perfect 100 in their role-play competition. These achievements are a testament to their commitment and preparation.

Roger Rees: Christina and Sophia Tephly have both been selected to represent Baldwin High School in the Roger Rees Competition in June. Thank you to Ms. Tricia Wilder for directing a wonderful fall musical and supporting our thespians!

Ridgewood Savings Bank Lights, Camera, Save: Our YCLC students participated in the Ridgewood Savings Bank “Lights, Camera, Save” competition, where Diego Garcia placed 3rd. This accomplishment is an excellent example of how our students are excelling in both creative and professional endeavors. Congratulations!

Talent Show auditions are scheduled for January 6th and 7th. YOU MUST SIGN UP for an audition. QR codes are posted on flyers around the school or see Ms. Liemer-Kelly in room 416

Sportsnite season has started. Join today using the QR code by the main office and the girl's gym. Singing, dancing, competition, games... you'll have a blast so sign up today for Sportsnite.

Key Club is hosting an important Blood Drive the Saturday we return from vacation, January 4. Any student who is 16 years or older, and staff members can sign up for an appointment. Please use the QR codes on the flyers posted around school or see Ms. Liemer-Kelly in room 416.

Seniors: Please check your canvas inboxes this week for important information regarding senior banquet ticket sales. If you have any questions, please see Mr. Buckley or Mr. Morrow.

Boys’ Varsity Basketball – Congratulations to the team as they defeated Long Beach last Friday night 64-52. Chase Timberlake had 38 points, 10 rebounds, 6 steals, 5 assists and 2 blocks. Next, they defeated Jericho 69-59. Chase Timberlake tied his season high with 38 points, 10 rebounds, 4 assists & 4 steals. Gabriel Phillips had 13 points and a season high 15 rebounds. Last night, the team defeated MacArthur 81-40. Chase Timberlake had 27 points, 7 steals, 5 rebounds & 5 assists. Gabriel Phillips had 14 points, 10 rebounds, Tyler Saulters had a career high 10 points, 2 assists and Ethan Sainsbury had 9 points, 10 assists and 5 steals. Please come support the team’s next game on Friday the 27th at 8:00 p.m., against Amityville at the Christmas tournament which will be held this year at the Massapequa fieldhouse.

Marksmanship Team - Junior Soren York led the team on Friday by scoring a 181 out of a possible 200 points as the Bruins knocked off Garden City by the score of 682 to 669. Also scoring for the Bruins were Safiya Allie, junior Kevin Rottkamp and sophomore Josie Engelhardt. Juniors Soren York and Lucas Duet led the Marksmanship team to our 3rd win in a row as we knocked off undefeated Massapequa by the score of 707 to 702. Also scoring for the Bruins were Senior captains Safiya Allie and Blaine Harding. Senior captain Safiya Allie led the coed marksmanship team yesterday to their fourth victory in a row as they defeated Glen Cove. Also scoring for the Bruins were Blaine Harding, Soren York and Kevin Rottkamp. Go Bruins!

Bruins Wrestling - this past weekend the Bruins Wrestling team placed 3rd out of 13 teams at the Valley Stream South Tournament. Jayden Young capped off the tournament with a 1st place finish at Heavyweight. Go Bruins!

Come support our athletes! Upcoming game schedule 12/27 - 1/5 AWAY GAMES

Happy New Year!

Sincerely,

Dr. Testa

December 14, 2024

Dear Baldwin Families,

As we approach our last week before December break, it is important to note that we have reached the midpoint of marking period 2 already! Progress reports will be published to the portal on December 18th by 3pm. When we return from recess, there are only 12 class days in the marking period before midterm exams. At this critical time in the marking period and school year, it is important for all students to attend extra help if needed, get in that little extra studying, and be on time and present to all classes. It does make a difference!

Recently our school counselors went into English classes to discuss the process for 2025-26 class scheduling. Yes, we are already making preparations for it! Teachers have completed course recommendations, and now is the time to start thinking about your courses for next year. Starting in January, each student will meet with their counselor for their course selections. I recommend using the vacation to review our coursebook in preparation for these conversations. Our course offering book can be found HERE.

One of the incredible things about Baldwin High School is the strong Advanced Placement program offerings to our students. Part of the review that I want every student to do over the break is to examine these courses and determine if one or more fits your passion and your level of rigor. AP courses and exams help students build the critical skills important for success in high school, college, and career, and are aligned to the proposed New York State Portrait of a Graduate, which outlines that high school graduates should demonstrate proficiency as "critical thinkers, innovative problem solvers, literate across all content areas, culturally competent, socially-emotionally competent, effective communicators, and global citizens."

We believe that it should be the goal of every student to take at least one AP course before they graduate. These two courses in particular could be a great entry point for your child into Advanced Placement.

What is AP Computer Science Principles?

AP African American Studies

AP Exam Payment Instructions:

For those students enrolled in AP courses, go to www.myschoolbucks.com, or navigate here through the BHS homepage on the district website.   Due to ordering deadlines set by the College Board, it is important that all payments be submitted by Wednesday, January15, 2025.

To see the AP exam product list, click on “School Store” in the upper left.  Then click on “Categories” to click and view “AP Exams.”  Choose each exam to add and check the class and teacher name of each exam to ensure accuracy.  Add the appropriate exam(s) to your basket for the correct student(s) and proceed to checkout by viewing the cart in the upper right corner of the screen.    Payment may be made using a VISA, Mastercard, or Discover card.  No checks are accepted. The online or printed statement from your financial institution will serve as your receipt.

For more information about AP testing, click HERE

Important Dates

12/17: Winter Concert II, HS Auditorium - 7:30 pm

12/18: MP2 Progress Reports published to the Portal - 3pm

12/23 - 1/1: Holiday Recess - Schools Closed

1/7: PTSA Meeting, Virtual - 7:30 pm

1/8: Community Input Meeting followed by BOE meeting, HS Cafeteria - 7pm

1/16: Senior Banquet, Cafetera and Commons - 6pm - 9pm

1/20: Schools Closed

1/21 - 1/24: HS Midterms and Regents Exams

1/27: Semester II / Marking Period 3 Begins

1/29 - Schools Closed

Announcements

Baldwin Bruins Sports Podcast: We are excited to have Sariah Doresca, 2x NYS Federation Track & Field Champion and Division I Stanford bound, back in the studio today to let the world know where she will continue her academic and athletic endeavors after a successful "run" at Baldwin HS. She speaks about the recruitment process, how she made the announcement, her motivators, goals for this season and much more. Sariah also recently had her official collegiate commitment signing to Stanford recently, so tune in to hear all about her journey!

https://bhs.baldwinschools.org/athletics/baldwin-bruins-sports-podcast

Talent Show auditions are scheduled for January 6th and 7th. YOU MUST SIGN UP for an audition. QR codes are posted on flyers around the school or see Ms. Liemer-Kelly in room 416.

Girls’ volleyball - Congratulations to Mia Randazzo, Sabrah Folkes and Kennedy Thompson for receiving All-Conference and Blaine Harding for Scholar Athlete awards from the Nassau County Volleyball Coaches Association.

Boys’ Varsity Basketball – congratulations to the team as they defeated Valley Stream Central 80-52. Chase Timberlake had 25 points, 5 rebounds & 5 assists. Gabriel Phillips had 13 points, 8 rebounds and 4 assists and Mical Saint Jean had a career high of 10 points & 3 rebounds.

Congratulations to the Baldwin marksmanship team as they defeated Freeport by the score of 678 to 532. Leading the way for the Bruins were seniors Safiya Allie and Blaine Harding while Juniors Kevin Rottkamp and Lucas Duet both shot 164 points. Good luck to the team tomorrow when they host Garden City.

Attention Boys Lacrosse: Anyone interested in playing boys lacrosse, both JV and varsity levels, there will be a meeting on Wednesday, December 18th at 3:00 PM in Cafeteria B. This meeting will start immediately after the senior class meeting. It will be brief, but it is mandatory for all players interested in participating in Winter workouts and the Spring season. If you cannot make the meeting, please see Coach Clancy in the Guidance Office.

Sportsnite season has started. Join today using the QR code. Singing, dancing, competition, games... you'll have a blast so sign up today for Sportsnite.

Sincerely,

Dr. Testa

December 7, 2024

Dear Baldwin Families,

December is well underway, with two solid weeks remaining in the month. These next ten school days are going to be critical for your child's academic success in the second marking period. This is because when we return from break there will be just 12 class days in the marking period and the first semester prior to midterms/regents exams. This is why the month of December is an important one with punctual daily attendance at school and engagement in all learning activities.

Recently our school counselors went into English classes to discuss the process for 2025-26 class scheduling. Yes, we are already making preparations for it! Teachers are completing course recommendations, and now is the time to start thinking about your courses for next year.

Starting in January, each student will meet with their counselor for their course selections. I recommend using the vacation to review our coursebook in preparation for these conversations. Our course offering book can be found HERE.

Part of your preparation most likely will involve determining what Advanced Placement courses you should consider. Recently, we held an AP Informational Night where we discussed our AP program and the benefits of taking these courses. If you missed this event, you can view the presentation using this link: AP Informational Night 2024

Research shows students who take AP courses and exams are more likely to attend college and graduate on time. The students who enter four-year colleges with credit from AP accelerate their path to graduation and build confidence for college success. And even for those who don’t earn college credit, AP coursework provides early exposure to college-level work and contributes to a college-going school culture. In addition to AP courses, the Baldwin Union Free School District offers more than 30 dual enrollment courses through colleges and universities, including a unique partnership with Nassau Community College (SUNY Nassau). Baldwin High School’s current graduation rate is 99%.

AP Exam Payment Instructions:

For more information about AP testing, click HERE

Financial Aid Workshop Night

We are excited to invite you to a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Workshop on Tuesday, December 10, at 6pm in Cafeteria A.

Key Workshop Highlights:

Overview of recent changes to the FAFSA Form

Step-by-step guidance on completing the FAFSA
Who Should Attend? Parents/Guardians with their students. If a student cannot attend, parents/guardians must have the student's log-in information.

What do I Need? Student's Chromebook
FSA ID log-in Information for both student and parent/guardian
Creating a FAFSA ID info sheet

As per New York State Education Law §305(61), all school districts are required to verify that high school seniors either complete the FAFSA or, if applicable, the DREAM Act application. Alternatively, families may sign a waiver to acknowledge the decision not to file these financial aid applications.

To ensure compliance, parents of seniors will receive an email to complete a brief survey to indicate your family’s intention regarding FAFSA or DREAM Act applications. Your response will help us fulfill this state requirement and support your student’s post-secondary plans.

Best of Long Island 2025

Baldwin Union Free School District is proud to announce that we have been nominated in multiple categories for the Best of Long Island 2025!

The 2024 voting period runs through December 15, 2024. During this time, Baldwinites can vote once per category everyday at www.bestoflongisland.com.

At the end of the voting period, the nominee with the most votes in each respective category will be awarded the distinction of winning the Best of Long Island 2025.

To vote, visit www.bestoflongisland.com/voting:

Baldwin Nominees

Go to Arts and Entertainment:

Baldwin Bruins Sports Podcast: select “Best Podcast”
The Baldwin Bruin: select “Best Mascot”

Go to Education:

Erin Beirne: select “Best Guidance Counselor”
Stephanie Pina: select “Best Guidance Counselor”
Virginia Coles: select “Best Guidance Counselor”
Baldwin High School: select “Best High School Spirit”
Darius Burton: select "Best High School Sports Coach”
Tom Catapano: select "Best High School Sports Coach”
Erica Taylor: select “Best School Principal”
Neil Testa: select “Best School Principal”
Meghan Kargman: select “School Psychologist”
Dan Baxt: select "Best Teacher”
John Buglione: select "Best Teacher”
Scott Dunn: select "Best Teacher”

Go to Services:

Baldwin UFSD: select "Best Place to Work”

Show us your Baldwin spirit by voting! Please share this exciting news to help Baldwin win!

Announcements

Congratulations to our Staff and Students of Month!

Staff - Shannon Roberts, Special Education Teacher

Grade 9 - Sean Jacquet

Grade 10- Bave Endly Dorval

Grade 11- Valentina Colmenares

Grade 12 - Joseph Mejia

Please enjoy the November 2024 issue of Inside Baldwin UFSD by clicking here.

Please be sure to check out the latest issue of our digital newsletter, What’s Bruin in Baldwin.

In this episode of the Bruins Sports Podcast, Jelani Williams steps back into the studio for another interview with Averi and Blaine, but this time he speaks about his recent injury, his recovery, and he gives tips to any other athletes that are recovering from injuries.

https://bhs.baldwinschools.org/athletics/baldwin-bruins-sports-podcast

Congratulations to Paul Fleck for placing 23rd at the NYSPHAA Championship meet on Saturday, November 16th at Queensbury HS in upstate NY with a time of 15:57. Paul’s performance at this meet earned him a spot at the Federation meet on November 23rd at Bowdoin Park also upstate. Paul holds the school record for the 5k, has posted the fastest time of any athlete in any division in Nassau county this season with a time of 15:29, and is the first athlete to represent Baldwin at this level in over 25 years. This is an outstanding accomplishment and Paul looks to continue competing in the winter and spring seasons this year. The Baldwin teachers, coaches, administration, and student body wish him luck at the Federation meet and in the coming seasons.

Congratulations to the following students on their selection for their artwork to be included in the 2025 Long Island Gardening Guide and Calendar published by Cornell University Cooperative Extension for Nassau County!

Rose Altschuler

Lukas Duet

Isabella Aparicio Romero

SIGN UP for Sportsnite! The QR posters are on the big screens in the commons, On the Sportsnite board between the cafeteria and the gym and in the hallways. Everyone wanting to participate must sign up using the QR code to be placed on a team. Sportsnite is a competition between the blue and gold teams. Practices include dancing, stunting, and singing. There are also opportunities for other interests like art, photography, community service, scholarships and so much more. Join Sportsnite today!

December to Remember is back! For the next ten days, join in the spirit as we countdown to the break! See the details HERE.

Sincerely,

Dr. Testa

November 23, 2024

Dear Baldwin Families,

Where did the month of November go?? With the close of the month, we are already nearly halfway through marking period 2!

Important Dates

11/25 - Parent Teacher Conferences, 6:30 - 9pm by scheduled appointment

11/26 - SEPTA Thanksgiving Pie Pickup at High school

11/27-11/29 - Schools Closed for Thanksgiving

12/4 - AP Information Night, Virtual

12/5 - Bruins Sports Boosters Club Meeting, 7pm at HS

12/11 - Board of Education Meeting, 8pm at Lenox School

12/12 - Winter Concert I, 7:30 pm

12/17 - Winter Concert II, 7:30 pm

12/23 - 1/1 - Holiday Recess, Schools Closed

AP Informational Night

One of the many great aspects of being a student at Baldwin High School involves the accessible opportunities for all students to access Advanced Placement (AP) coursework. With over 30 courses, we believe that there is something for everyone. It is our hope that every student has the opportunity to experience at least one AP course before they graduate from Baldwin High School.

We invite all parents and students to our Virtual Advanced Placement (AP) Informational Night on Wednesday, December 4, 2024, at 6:00 PM.

Event Details:
Date: Wednesday, December 4, 2024
Time: 6:00 PM
Location: Google Meet: https://meet.google.com/cqc-ejij-wav

During this virtual event, we will cover a range of important topics to provide you with a comprehensive understanding of the Advanced Placement program at Baldwin High School. The agenda for the evening includes:

*Explanation of Advanced Placement Courses: Learn about the structure and benefits of our AP courses.

*Why Students Should Challenge Themselves with AP Courses: Understand the advantages of enrolling in Advanced Placement classes.

*AP Myths and Realities: Address common misconceptions about AP courses and provide accurate information.

*The AP Capstone Program: Explore our advanced diploma program designed to enhance students' research, collaboration, and communication skills.

*AP Scholars: Recognize and celebrate the achievements of our AP Scholars.

*2025 AP Exam Updates: Learn about how AP exams will be administered in a digital format.

Please mark your calendars for this informative event. We encourage both parents and students to attend and take advantage of the opportunity to learn more about the benefits of our Advanced Placement program.

AP Exam Payment Instructions:

You can review the 2025 Exam Schedule on the College Board website. Please read the attached letter for some important information that all AP students and families should know. Spanish version.

Class of 2025 Important Information

We are excited for the Class of 2025 as they embark on the college application process and post-secondary planning! Along with that, our senior events will be just around the corner! To help ensure you can stay in touch with all pertinent information, I suggest you bookmark the link below. All important announcements, dates, and links will be posted there.

https://bhs.baldwinschools.org/class-of-2025

The Baldwin PTSA through the Senior Parent Committee is committed to ensuring that the Class of 2025 can have the best experience this year. Therefore, they are asking Senior families for a one-time family contribution of $40.00. This donation will help provide food at the Senior Banquet, raffles at their Prom, food at the Senior Countdown, snacks for the Senior Trip and a Class of 2025 commemorative bench to be displayed proudly outside Baldwin High School. See the attached letter for more details.

Financial Aid Information for Seniors

The Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) and the José Peralta New York State DREAM Act (DREAM Act) help determine a student’s eligibility for financial aid to assist with college or career school attendance.

Our FAFSA Workshop has been officially rescheduled for Tuesday, December 10 at 6pm in Cafe A.

Who Should Attend?
- Parents/Guardians with their students
- If a student cannot attend, parents/guardians must have the student's log-in information.
What do I Need?
- Student's Chromebook
- FSA ID log-in Information for both student and parent/guardian"

Creating a FAFSA ID info sheet

Best of Long Island 2025

Baldwin Union Free School District is proud to announce that we have been nominated in multiple categories for the Best of Long Island 2025!

The 2024 voting period runs through December 15, 2024. During this time, Baldwinites can vote once per category everyday at www.bestoflongisland.com.

At the end of the voting period, the nominee with the most votes in each respective category will be awarded the distinction of winning the Best of Long Island 2025.

To vote, visit www.bestoflongisland.com/voting:

Baldwin Nominees

Go to Arts and Entertainment:

Baldwin Bruins Sports Podcast: select “Best Podcast”
The Baldwin Bruin: select “Best Mascot”

Go to Education:

Erin Beirne: select “Best Guidance Counselor”
Stephanie Pina: select “Best Guidance Counselor”
Virginia Coles: select “Best Guidance Counselor”
Baldwin High School: select “Best High School Spirit”
Darius Burton: select "Best High School Sports Coach”
Tom Catapano: select "Best High School Sports Coach”
Erica Taylor: select “Best School Principal”
Neil Testa: select “Best School Principal”
Meghan Kargman: select “School Psychologist”
Dan Baxt: select "Best Teacher”
John Buglione: select "Best Teacher”
Scott Dunn: select "Best Teacher”

Go to Services:

Baldwin UFSD: select "Best Place to Work”

Show us your Baldwin spirit by voting! Please share this exciting news to help Baldwin win!

Announcements

As part of the district's “School2Career” curricula and programs, Plaza Elementary School welcomed nearly 80 students from Baldwin High School’s Education Academy, the Future Teachers of America club, and Baldwin Middle School’s Education Pre-Academy for a hands-on learning experience.The secondary students stepped into the role of “teacher” for the day, educating the younger grades, K-5, on financial literacy. This marked the first time for an entire elementary school in the district to participate in this program.

Check out the story that aired on CBS2 News HERE

Baldwin Varsity Girls' Basketball Head Coach Tom Catapano was recently inducted into the Nassau County Sports Hall of Fame! Check out the LI Herald story HERE

Recently, Ms. Giannone's Fashion students were featured in the Baldwin Herald for their efforts to design and sew stuff animals to donate for families at the Bethany House—a local non-profit supporting women and children experiencing homelessness. Check out the article HERE

In this week's episode of the Baldwin Bruins Sports Podcast, Averi, Blaine and Robert all sit down with Brianna George, Alexis Abrahams and Soulava Gabr from the Field Hockey team. They discuss the dynamic of being a captain on a high school sport, the roles of coaches/captains and players and how to create a great team dynamic. Let's just say that the BearSpot was a blowout this week.

https://bhs.baldwinschools.org/athletics/baldwin-bruins-sports-podcast

SIGN UP for Sportsnite!! The QR posters are on the big screens in the commons, On the Sportsnite board between the cafeteria and the gym and in the halways. Everyone wanting to participate must sign up using the QR code to be placed on a team. Sportsnite is a competition between the blue and gold teams. Practices include dancing, stunting, and singing. There are also opportunities for other interests like art, photography, community service, scholarships and so much more. Join Sportsnite today!

Sincerely,

Dr. Testa

November 16, 2024

Dear Baldwin Families,

I hope everyone enjoyed your scheduled conferences with teachers this past Tuesday. As we progress rapidly through November, marking period 2 is well underway along marking period 1 report cards now available on the portal.

Right now, our administrative team is finalizing the end of marking period eligibility report. These are the parameters that determine a student's eligibility status. A student's eligibility status is determined based on attendance and academic factors.

Important Definitions:

Probation: The student will be permitted to participate in the total activity but will be subject to review and weekly monitoring.

Ineligible: The student will be excluded from all contests, performances, Leaving to Learns (trips) and competitions but is entitled to attend and participate in practices and meetings.

Disqualified: The student will lose the privilege to participate in all athletic and extracurricular activities during the period imposed, up to the remainder of the school year.

Attendance Eligibility

A Student with more than five illegal or unexcused class absences for any subject/class period will be placed on probation, lasting for a period of five weeks. Any further illegal or unexcused class absences for any subject within the five-week period will make the student ineligible for participation. Continued illegal or unexcused absences will disqualify the student for all extra-curricular activities and sports for an imposed period, up to the remainder of the school year.

Excessive TU may impact student eligibility according to the outlined procedures. Students who accumulate 15 or more TU in any class period are subject to the Eligibility procedures, which may result in their status being elevated more rapidly.

Academic Eligibility

Students failing two or more courses will be placed on probation or elevated to the next status as deemed by administration.

Students who continue to fail two or more classes after the five-week period may then be deemed ineligible. Students who were not previously on the eligibility list and failed 3 or more classes may automatically be elevated to ineligible. The continued failure of two or more courses after the next five-week period may disqualify the student from all extracurricular activities and sports for an imposed period, up to the remainder of the school year.

National School Psychologist Week

Did you know Baldwin High School has 4 school psychologists who are here to provide support to students and staff? They are in Room 110D. This past week was National School Psychology Week! This year’s theme, “Spark Discovery,” recognizes the work that school psychologists do to help their communities seek out new ideas, effect change, and expand horizons for children and youth.Please join me in recognizing the incredible work of our dedicated school psychologists as we celebrated this week, National School Psychologist Week. National School Psychologist Week is an annual event that falls between November 11, 2024, and November 15, 2024. It serves as a platform to raise awareness about the invaluable contributions school psychologists make to our schools and students. They support not only academic success but also the emotional and social well-being of our students.

Thank you to Ms. Betyne Farrell, Ms. Meghan Kargman, Mr. Matthew Quiroz, and Dr. Scott Schnee. Each has been instrumental in addressing the unique needs of our students, promoting a positive and inclusive school environment, and ensuring that every child has the opportunity to thrive. We are fortunate to have you as part of our Baldwin High School team. Your work often goes unseen, but it has a profound impact on the lives of our students, their families, and our school community.

Financial Aid Information for Seniors

Our FAFSA Workshop has been officially rescheduled for Tuesday, December 10 at 6pm in Cafe A.

Who Should Attend?
- Parents/Guardians with their students
- If a student cannot attend, parents/guardians must have the student's log-in information.
What do I Need?
- Student's Chromebook
- FSA ID log-in Information for both student and parent/guardian"

Creating a FAFSA ID info sheet

SEPTA Thanksgiving Pie and Bread Fundraiser

Enhance your Thanksgiving Celebration by supporting SEPTA with a delicious Pie and other treats! Options to purchase includes Cookies, Soups, Dips, Cookie Pie, Chicken Pot Pie (~New~) and Gluten Free selections!

The ONLY way to order is on-line. Follow these directions on how to order.

The Unsinkable Molly Brown

Tickets for the Baldwin High Musical are on sale below! Performances are November 21-23.

Get Your Tickets Here

Learn more about supporting the arts in Baldwin Schools. Become a BFOMA member here.

Bruins Sports Podcast

In this episode, Averi sits down with Robert Bautista Chavez, Max Ascencio and Nathaniel Hernandez from the Boys Soccer team. They discuss their season, the impact of Coach Soupious, their soccer inspirations, why they love Baldwin soccer and so much more. Tune in!

https://bhs.baldwinschools.org/athletics/baldwin-bruins-sports-podcast

Announcements

Paul Fleck qualified this weekend to represent Baldwin at the NYSPHSAA State Championship meet on 11/16 in Queensbury, NY. Paul is the school record holder in the 5k and the first athlete to qualify for this meet since 1998. It will be exciting to see him compete at the next level. Good Luck!

Attention Future Educators of America! Our meeting is MANDATORY for anyone who is attending Plaza's High School Heroes. We will be meeting Tuesday, November 19th in Cafeteria A (NOT 312). If there is a complication, you must see Ms. Billig ahead of time. Failure to attend may result in being removed from the leave-2-learn!

Seniors, the official Baldwin High School graduation lawn sign website is closing on December 1st! Order your personalized sign through the senior class Canvas today! Proceeds directly benefit your senior class.

Key Club and Virtual Enterprise class is doing an annual Food Drive for Saint Christopher's Pantry. We are collecting now through November 22nd. The items can be dropped off in the large box in the commons by the security Desk.

Sportsnite is a competition between the blue and gold teams. Practices include dancing, stunting, and singing. There are also opportunities for other interests like art, photography, community service, scholarships and so much more. Join Sportsnite today! The QR posters are on the big screens in the Commons, On the Sportsnite board between the cafeteria and the gym and in the hallways. Everyone wanting to participate must sign up using the QR code to be placed on a team.

Boys’ Basketball - tryouts for Varsity Boys’ Basketball, 11th and 12th graders, will be held on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday next week from 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm. JV tryouts, 9th and 10th graders, also will be next week from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. You must be cleared on final forms and need to hand in a bi-weekly to try-out. Please see Coach Burton if you have any questions.

The Baldwin football team wrapped up a successful season on Friday night with a competitive match against Glen Cove High School. They improved their record from 1-7 in 2023 to a strong 5-3, securing 7th place in the regular season standings. Congratulations to Vaughdrea Angel Johnson for being selected as an All-County player for the second consecutive year, along with All-Conference and Honorable Mention All-County players, Senior Micah Ellerbe and Junior Ryan Healey.

Sincerely,

Dr. Testa

November 8, 2024

Dear Baldwin Families,

November and marking period 2 is off to a fantastic start! Teachers will be finalizing marking period 1 grades over the next week. You will be able to access report cards starting at 3pm on Friday, November 15th. There is still time to schedule a parent conference for either November 12 or 25. The Teacher Reacher window will close at 10 PM on November 11th. Make your appointments today!

Qustodio app

Key Features

Activity Monitoring: Develop increased understanding of your child’s digital habits. Track your child's online activities, including websites visited, apps used, and the amount of time spent online.
Pause Button: Switch off online activity on your child’s Chromebook after school hours (when not needed for homework or other school-related activities) to restore a healthy digital balance and encourage screen-free family time.

In addition to being available on all district devices, families can register up to one personal device per child for free.

To Register for a Qustodio Account

Use the following link to register with the Qustodio parent app: https://auth.qustodio.com/en/my-school/

IMPORTANT: Please use the email address the district/school already has on file for district communications or the registration process will not work.

Learn More

For more information, including an FAQ, visit www.baldwinschools.org/qustodio. For support, please email myschool@qustodio.com.

What is Chronic Absenteeism?

One of the most important factors in student academic success is directly connected to their attendance. Chronic absenteeism is defined as being absent 10% or more of enrolled school days for the school year for any reason, excused or unexcused. At this point of the school year, this means any student that is absent 5 or more full days this year is at risk in being considered chronically absent. In terms of instructional time, this is a full week of missed instruction. The research is clear that by ninth grade, good attendance can predict graduation even better than test scores.

Letters are being mailed home to students who currently meet this criteria so as to inform you of this risk. Now, I know you may be wondering, why if your child's absences are excused/legal, would you be getting this letter? The reason is due to the NYSED definition of chronically absent, which does include legal/excused full day absences. You can learn more about chronic absenteeism by accessing NYSED resources HERE.

Early Dismissal from School

While it is best that medical appointments are scheduled after school or on non-school days, we understand that sometimes it is necessary to take your child to a medical appointment. If this is the case or for another legal reason, your child must be formally dismissed by the attendance office. They should not leave campus without being dismissed and their reason verified with a parent. We also ask that parents do not show up to campus without contacting the attendance office at least one hour in advance of your desire to pick up your child.

Instructional Technology Department Office Hours

We are pleased to announce that our technology office (room 612) will have dedicated office hours during lunch periods 4-8 to assist any student with a Chromebook issue. Students will only be permitted to visit office hours during their assigned lunch period.

Class of 2025 Important Information

https://bhs.baldwinschools.org/class-of-2025

Fall Musical - "The Unsinkable Molly Brown"

Baldwin High School has received a $10,000 grant to produce an updated version of the 1960 musical “The Unsinkable Molly Brown," which features new lyrics from Tony-nominated author Dick Scanlan focusing on Brown's character as an underdog and advocate. Sixteen schools nationwide were chosen through a program run by the Educational Theatre Foundation, The Music Man Foundation and Music Theatre International.

To win, applicants shared their plans to use the work as a tool to engage their school community in the musical's themes of women's and immigrants’ rights. The school will stage four performances from Nov. 21-23. This is a can't miss show!

The Unsinkable Molly Brown are officially on sale to the public. Get your tickets now before they are sold out!.

To Purchase tickets: https://cur8.com/15948/project/126196

Announcements

Our next community circle is Tuesday, November 12th. Please see our special bell schedule HERE

Congratulations to our Staff and Students of the Month!

Staff - Mr. Matthew Quiroz, School Psychologist

Grade 9- Jason Joseph

Grade 10- Chris Belice

Grade 12- Maya Bryan

The Key Club and Virtual Enterprise class is doing an annual Food Drive for Saint Christopher's Pantry. We are collecting from Wednesday 11/6- Friday 11/22

The items can be dropped off in the large box in the commons by the security Desk.

The Church is located in Baldwin and provides for those in need in the immediate area.

The items they are in need of:

Canned Chicken

Mac & Cheese

Canned Veggies (NO CORN)

Canned Beans (Hispanic)

Pasta

Crackers

Cereal

Tissue Products

Soup

Oatmeal

Diapers Sizes 1-6

Sportsnite is a competition between the blue and gold teams. Practices include dancing, stunting, and singing. There are also opportunities for other interests like art, photography, community service, scholarships and so much more. Join Sportsnite today! The QR posters are on the big screens in the commons, on the Sportsnite board between the cafeteria and the gym and in the hallways, or use the link below. Everyone wanting to participate must sign up using the QR code to be placed on a team.

Attention Future Educators of America! Our next TWO meetings are MANDATORY for anyone who is attending Plaza's High School Heroes. We will be meeting on Tuesday, November 12th & Tuesday, November 19th in Cafeteria A (NOT 312). If there is a complication, you must see Ms. Billig ahead of time. Failure to attend may result in being removed from the leave-2-learn

Baldwin High School's Theatre Club will be accepting donations starting today through Wednesday November 13th. We will be accepting the following baby products, food, cereal, wipes, pacifiers, socks, blankets, towels, and wash clothes. Donations will be given to Lutheran Social Services, who will give these items to new mothers in need. Donations will be collected in bins behind the Security Desk in the Commons throughout the week. Thank you for your support.

Seniors, the official Baldwin High School graduation lawn sign website is closing on December 1st! Order your personalized sign through the senior class Canvas today! Proceeds directly benefit your senior class.

Any student interested in trivia should attend the Academons Club on Tuesday at 2:45. Any questions, please contact Mr. Palumbo.

· Any student interested in working on the yearbook should attend a meeting next Tuesday AND Wednesday in room 635 right after school. If you have any questions, please contact Ms. Seepersad.

· There will be a Wrestling Interest Meeting held after school on Tuesday at 2:50 in the wrestling room. Whether you're new to wrestling or have previous experience, we welcome everyone to come and get more information.

The Baldwin Football team secured a hard-fought victory against the Macarthur Generals this past Saturday. A crucial goal line stand, spearheaded by Micah Ellerbe and Ryan Healy in the fourth quarter, allowed the Bruins to push the game into overtime. Angel Johnson then put Baldwin ahead by seven points during the overtime period. The defense rose to the occasion once more, preventing the Generals from reaching the end zone and sealing the win. On to the playoffs this evening at Glen Cove High School. Go Bruins!

Sincerely,

Dr. Testa

HELLO FROM THE PRINCIPAL'S OFFICE

November 2, 2024

Dear Baldwin Families,

Welcome to November! With the end of marking period 1 on Monday, we begin the part of the school year filled with some incredible events and high spirit! Next week is a short week, with no school for students on Tuesday for Superintendent's Conference Day, and no school on Monday, November 11 for Veterans Day.

The High School Parent/Teacher Conference sessions are scheduled for November 12 from 6:30 PM to 9 PM and November 25th from 6:30 to 9 PM. As we did last year, we will use an online parent-teacher conference scheduling tool called Teacher Reacher. The sign up process for Parent Teacher Conferences is open through Teacher Reacher (www.teacherreacher.com). The window for conference registration will close on Sunday, November 10th at 10 PM. Report Cards will be posted to the portal at 3pm on Friday, November 15.

Important Dates/Upcoming Events

11/4 - End of MP1

11/4 - Sports Boosters Meeting @HS 7pm

11/5 - Superintendent's Conference Day - Schools Closed

11/6 - PTSA meeting @HS 7:30 pm

11/7 - Parent Academy Workshop Virtual, 7pm

11/11 - Veteran's Day - Schools Closed

11/12 - Parent Teacher Conferences by appointment

11/13 - Board of Education Meeting @Steele, 8pm

11/15 - Report Cards Published to the Portal

Chromebooks

We ask that all students check their Chromebook to see if you have one that has a round charging port. If so, those will be locked down Nov 5 at 5 pm. Please check now so we can provide you with an updated device. Tech support will be available at 7 am on November 6 to assist with swapping your device. This is only for those with a Chromebook with a round charging port. For those who already have the most recent model there is no need to do anything.

Qustodio

As part of the district’s ongoing commitment to ensuring our students’ online safety and well-being, the Qustodio app is available to all Baldwin families to help you monitor and manage their children's online activity.

Activity Monitoring: Develop increased understanding of your child’s digital habits. Track your child's online activities, including websites visited, apps used, and the amount of time spent online.
Pause Button: Switch off online activity on your child’s Chromebook after school hours (when not needed for homework or other school-related activities) to restore a healthy digital balance and encourage screen-free family time.

In addition to being available on all district devices, families can register up to one personal device per child for free.

To Register for a Qustodio Account

Use the following link to register with the Qustodio parent app: https://auth.qustodio.com/en/my-school/

IMPORTANT: Please use the email address the district/school already has on file for district communications or the registration process will not work.

Using the Qustodio App

After registering, you can access Qustodio through the Qustodio website or with the Apple iOS or Android app.

Learn More

For more information, including an FAQ, visit www.baldwinschools.org/qustodio. For support, please email myschool@qustodio.com.

AP Exam Payment Instructions:

You can review the 2025 Exam Schedule on the College Board website. Please read the attached letter for some important information that all AP students and families should know. Spanish version.

Baldwin HS PTSA

Our next ptsa meeting is November 6 @ 7:30 and immediately following we will host our second senior parents meeting. All seniors and their parents are encouraged to attend. Those interested in supporting the senior class can make a donation HERE

Friendly reminder, the NYS PTA Resolutions is up for review and vote in November and submit your stance. Please note that is for paid members only. Your vote must be submitted by 11/5. thank you.

Best of Long Island 2025

Baldwin Union Free School District is proud to announce that we have been nominated in multiple categories for the Best of Long Island 2025!

The 2024 voting period runs through December 15, 2024. During this time, Baldwinites can vote once per category everyday at www.bestoflongisland.com.

At the end of the voting period, the nominee with the most votes in each respective category will be awarded the distinction of winning the Best of Long Island 2025.

To vote, visit www.bestoflongisland.com/voting:

Baldwin Nominees

Go to Arts and Entertainment:

Baldwin Bruins Sports Podcast: select “Best Podcast”
The Baldwin Bruin: select “Best Mascot”

Go to Education:

Erin Beirne: select “Best Guidance Counselor”
Stephanie Pina: select “Best Guidance Counselor”
Virginia Coles: select “Best Guidance Counselor”
Baldwin High School: select “Best High School Spirit”
Darius Burton: select "Best High School Sports Coach”
Tom Catapano: select "Best High School Sports Coach”
Erica Taylor: select “Best School Principal”
Neil Testa: select “Best School Principal”
Meghan Kargman: select “School Psychologist”
Dan Baxt: select "Best Teacher”
John Buglione: select "Best Teacher”
Scott Dunn: select "Best Teacher”

Go to Services:

Baldwin UFSD: select "Best Place to Work”

Show us your Baldwin spirit by voting! Please share this exciting news to help Baldwin win!

The National Business Honor Society

NBHS recognizes high-achieving students in the fields of business education and leadership. We invite juniors and seniors who demonstrate excellence in business coursework, leadership, and community involvement to apply for membership. To qualify for active membership, a student must be a high school junior or senior. The student must have completed or be currently enrolled in their third business course. The student must have a minimum of a 3.0 GPA and a 3.5 Business GPA.Please complete the form attached, as well as submit two recommendation forms (linked in the form) by November 19, 2024. See Dr. Franza with any questions. Apply HERE

Announcements

The Counseling Center will be begin hosting On Site Admission Days the week of November 1 – 15th. The participating colleges are listed on the Counseling Center Window. Please see your School Counselor for the criteria for each school. You will receive an immediate Acceptance Determination at the end of the interview if you meet the school’s criteria. In most cases, the application fee is waived. The participating colleges are listed on the Counseling Center Window. Please see your School Counselor for the criteria for each school. You will receive an immediate Acceptance Determination at the end of the interview if you meet the school’s criteria. In most cases, the application fee is waived.

The FAFSA Workshop originally scheduled for 10/29 was postponed to a later date to be announced soon.

Join us for our Fall Parent Academy Workshop this Thursday, November 7, at 7pm (virtual) to learn more about raising readers and practical strategies for K-8 parents to support literacy at home. See the attached flyer for more details. Spanish version.

Check out the What's Bruin in Baldwin Newsletter!

JOIN SPORTSNITE! Sportsnite is a program that has something for everyone. If you like music, singing, dancing, stunting, art, or photography, these are only a few of the fun activities that are involved in the Sportsnite program. It's a fun performance-based competition between the Blue and Gold teams. Practices are after school where students are learning routines all leading up to the final week of spirited events. Sportsnite also offers leadership, community service, and scholarship opportunities for those involved. Check out Why Join Sportsnite

This is a big week for the Bruins Sports Podcast! With the soccer season ending, our 3rd co-host Robert officially joins Blaine and Averi on the team. They sit down with the Junior Captain of the Cheerleading team, Morgan Jackson. Morgan talks about the challenges of cheerleading, how her gymnastics background led her here and how it helps. Morgan also talks about the difference between cheering for a game and cheer competitions. Make sure you tune in!

https://bhs.baldwinschools.org/athletics/baldwin-bruins-sports-podcast

BALDWIN SCHOOL DISTRICT IS HIRING!!!! The District is hiring part time Elementary School Lunch Monitors to assist students during lunch & recess. Apply today!

$18.72 per hour
Report to the same school five days a week
Hours 10:45 AM – 1:15 PM
Send your resume or letter of interest to Humanresources@baldwinschools.org

This past weekend 23 Baldwin students served as volunteers at Sunrise Day Camp and spent the day making kids happy by engaging them in a variety of activities, such has helping kids navigate a corn maze, helping them with crafts and activities, and supervising hayrides! Thank you for bringing out your best for others!

Jadyn Culbreath

Asia Dowe

Sabrah Folkes

Summer Hamilton

Blaine Harding

Mikayla Lorusso

Mia Randazzo

Kennedy Thompson

Breanne Barnett

Soren York

Alli Linhart

Haiti Vann

Akua Bonsu

Annabelle Lopez

Averi Thomas

Abigail Forde

Amanda Aguiluz

Erin Timmes

Safiya Allie

Valeria Zuluaga Hincapie

Madison Rosado

Michelle Perez

Shyla Irby

Cheerleading – there will open gym for anyone interested in cheerleading on November 7th and 13th from 3:30 to 6:00 in the back gym

Any student interested in joining the Coed Marksmanship team should attend a meeting next Thursday November 7th at 2:45 in room 629. Any questions, please see Mr. Palumbo.

There will be a meeting on Thursday, November 7th at 3:15 in Cafeteria B for any boy or girl interested in trying out for the winter track team. You must have an updated physical and be signed up in final forms to be eligible to try out.

Congratulations to the JV volleyball team on a hard-fought win over MacArthur. The team finished the season winning 13 of their last 14 games. Congrats to all players on a great season!

Girls' Varsity Volleyball - Congratulations to the team as they beat Glen Cove 3-1 on Friday. Please come support the team on Senior day in their last season home game tomorrow at 6:45.

Varsity Football - the Bruins faced off against Calhoun High School in a crucial Week 7 matchup last Saturday, with both teams entering the game with a record of 3-3. In a hard-fought contest, the Bruins emerged victorious with a final score of 13-6. Quarterback Angel Johnson led the charge for Baldwin, making a significant impact with a 50-yard touchdown run in the first half that broke the game open. The Bruins' defense also delivered an impressive performance, restricting the Colts to under 100 yards of total offense. Then this week in the final home game of the season and Senior day, the team won a thrilling 7-0 overtime victory against MacArthur. The team finished the season with a 5-3 record and advances to the playoffs! Go Bruins!

Sincerely,

Dr. Testa

October 25, 2024

Dear Baldwin Families,

October has been a fantastic month so far and even more so with the beautiful weather! Next week is the final full week of the marking period, so it is important that each student finish strong, get in those assignments, and attend extra help as often as possible.

Instructions on how to create your account and begin using Teacher Reacher can be found HERE. If you have used Teacher Reacher previously, your account is still active, and you do not need to create a new account. Just log in and make sure your child is connected to your account.

IMPORTANT NOTE #1: When scheduling your appointments, please DO NOT schedule your appointments back to back. You will need time to walk from one conference to the next. Therefore, please have at least one conference time slot. This will give you five minutes to get to your location.

IMPORTANT NOTE #2 To afford as many parents as possible the opportunity for conferences, we have created the 5- minute timeframe. For this scheduling plan to work well for all, please know that teachers must limit conferences to five minutes. It is important to use your brief time wisely. The purpose of the Parent-Teacher Conference is to meet your child’s teacher, to review their progress and, if necessary, to discuss what should be done to maximize student success. There simply won’t be enough time for lengthy, personal discussions during these 5-minute conference sessions.

Arrival and Dismissal

As part of our efforts to ensure smooth arrival and dismissal of students, we ask that all parents coming on property during these times to follow all directions of our security team and to move slowly through campus. If dropping off your child in the morning, it is best to do so before 7:30 as it gets very congested thereafter. Similarly at dismissal, it is best to pick up your child after 2:45 when the busses depart. Additionally, we ask that all parents wait in their vehicle for your child to come out, and not walk up to the courtyard.

Baldwin High School is getting in the Halloween Spirit! Next week we will have three designated spirit days:

October 30 - Jersey Day: Wear your favorite team jersey

October 31 - Costume Day -

-No full face coverings or makeup that conceals your identity

-No offensive or culturally inappropriate costumes

-Costumes must be school appropriate and in-line with the dress code

-No prop items - toy swords/knives, toy guns, or any other prop items permitted

-Costumes must not compromise student and staff safety

November 1 - Blue & Gold Day

PSAT this Saturday, October 26

Those registered to take the exam, please make sure to arrive by 7:30 AM to check in and be directed to your testing room. As this is a digital exam, all students must use their school issued Chromebook to take the exam. Prior to Saturday, please follow the directions attached to ensure that the BlueBook app needed for the exam is updated. There will be tech support on site tomorrow if you need any help.

AP Exam Information

The 2025 AP Exams will be administered in schools as digital exams except for
language exams which will remain paper based, over two weeks in May: May 5-9 and May 12-16. You can review the 2025 Exam Schedule on the College Board website. Please read the attached letter for some important information that all AP students and families should know. Spanish version.

Student use of E-bikes

Recently our region has seen an increase in the use of E-bikes and motorized scooters. While many utilize this technology appropriately, a handful of riders have operated these devices recklessly leading to accidents and injuries. Thankfully, none of our children have had these situations. However, it is important that you know as parents that we expect that students are obeying all traffic and safety laws, which includes regular bikes and scooters.

-There is a speed limit (20 mph) for motorized bikes and scooters

-You cannot be younger than 16 years old

-You cannot drive on the sidewalk

Attached is an informational flyer from NCPD regarding the rules governing the use of these vehicles.

Be careful of Scams!

Please let this serve as a reminder that you should not share personal or financial information over the phone with unsolicited callers. If you receive such a call, hang up immediately. We are sending this reminder because parents and/or guardians of children who have recently taken an SAT or PSAT exam have been receiving scam calls requesting personal information, including a credit card number, to mail the test results.

Additional tips about how to protect yourself from SAT test-related scams can be found on the Better Business Bureau website and below:

Always be wary of unsolicited callers: If you receive a random call from someone asking for payment, research their organization before sharing any personal information.
Double check with your child: If someone claims they're calling because of a service your child requested, hang up and check with your child first.
Understand the College Board's practices: The College Board will never ask you for your bank or credit card information over the phone or through email.
Don't give your financial information to strangers: Never agree to pay a stranger with any form of payment for a purchase you didn't initiate.

Announcements

The Counseling Center will be begin hosting On Site Admission Days the week of November 1 – 15th. The participating colleges are listed on the Counseling Center Window. Please see your School Counselor for the criteria for each school. You will receive an immediate Acceptance Determination at the end of the interview if you meet the school’s criteria. In most cases, the application fee is waived.

Bruins Sports Podcast: This week, Averi sits down with some of Baldwin's finest Cross-Country stars. She chats with Paul Fleck, Jeremy Rosario and Jaden Small. Their discussions are all over the place touching on season preparation, the necessary mentality for long distance running, goals, challenges and the importance of time management as an athlete.

https://bhs.baldwinschools.org/athletics/baldwin-bruins-sports-podcast

Congratulations to the boys’ soccer team for their playoff victory over Roosevelt. The bruins defenders Justin Victor, Max Ascencio, Toni López and Matt Alexandre led a great team defensive effort holding Roosevelt scoreless for the full 80 minutes. The game was scored by senior Justin Valle off a cross by Matt Alexandre.

Congratulations to the JV Volleyball team on their victory over New Hyde Park. The offense was led by the serving of Dreyana Raymond and spiking of Jalaena Jorif. Brianka Joseph and Aysha Giraldo led the defense.

Congratulations to the JV volleyball team on a hard-fought sweep over Roslyn yesterday. The offense was led by great serving and setting from Jesse Englehardt, with great hustle plays by Samiah Banjo and Ella Ozsirkinti. All players played their best games of the season

Sincerely,

Dr. Testa

October 18, 2024

Dear Baldwin Families,

The school year sure is moving along rapidly! With just 11 school days remaining in marking period 1, the next two weeks are critical for your child if they need to boost their academic performance or improve their attendance. As you know, marking period grades and attendance affect eligibility to participate in clubs, sports, activities, and leaving to learns. Let's bring out our best for marking period 1!

I am pleased to welcome Ms. Pamela Higgins to Baldwin High School as Interim Assistant Principal of Guidance. Dr. Papandrea departed for a new role in another district. While we wish Dr. Papandrea well and will miss him, we are excited to have Ms. Higgins fill this very important role. Ms. Higgins is a highly experienced and recently retired school administrator with 11 years as a High School Dean and Assistant Principal and serving as a Middle School Principal for the last 7 years. We are excited to have her join our team to help support us for the rest of the school year. Please join me in welcoming her to Baldwin High School!

Financial Aid Night

We are excited to invite you to our upcoming Financial Aid Informational Night, which will provide valuable insights into the college financial aid process and help you navigate the path to securing financial support for your child's higher education.

Here are the event details:

Date: Tuesday, October 22, 2024
Event: Financial Aid Night
Time: 7:00 PM
Location: Baldwin Senior High School - Auditorium
Host: Mr. Clancy, School Counselor

Our guest speaker for the evening will be Elizabeth Dalton with Adelphi University. Ms. Dalton brings a wealth of knowledge and experience in the field of financial aid. She will cover a wide range of topics, including:

The FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) Application Process
Understanding the differences between subsidized and unsubsidized loans
Exploring scholarship opportunities
Navigating the world of grants and financial assistance

This event is an excellent opportunity for parents to gain valuable information and insights that will be instrumental in supporting your child's college journey. Whether you are a first-time college parent or have been through this process before, there is always something new to learn.

We encourage you to mark your calendars for this important event, and please feel free to invite other parents who may benefit from this information.

Thank you for your continued support, and if you have any questions or require further information, please do not hesitate to contact the Baldwin High School Counseling Center.

Announcements

Please enjoy the October issue of Inside Baldwin UFSD by clicking here.

In this week's episode of the Baldwin Bruins Sports Podcast, Averi sits down with her co-host Blaine Harding and her volleyball teammates Asia Dowe and Gabby Vanterpool for an excellent episode. They discuss their season, a little about themselves and really break down some of their volleyball pet peeves. Tune in!

https://bhs.baldwinschools.org/athletics/baldwin-bruins-sports-podcast

Attention Seniors - The Senior Class will be having a brief meeting on Monday in Cafeteria A to go over important information. All seniors are encouraged to attend. Any questions see Mr. Buckley or Mr. Morrow.

The next GSA meeting will be on October 23rd.

Any student interested in working on the Yearbook should attend a meeting on Wednesday, October 23rd at 2:45 in room 635. We are assigning students to work on specific pages of the book. Any questions, please see Ms. Seepersad or Mr. Palumbo.

Boys Basketball – any boys interested in trying out for basketball, must attend a mandatory meeting on Tuesday at 2:45 in room 516. Please see Coach Buton if you have any questions.

Girls’ volleyball - Congratulations to the Varsity Girls Volleyball for winning their game against Uniondale in 3 sets. Congratulations to the team for another victory against Academy Charter in 3 sets at the Spike Out Cancer game!

Congratulation to the boys’ Varsity Soccer Team who clinched a playoff spot yesterday with a win over Mepham. The Bruins opened the scoring with a goal by Devonte Young who was assisted by Justin Victor. Matt Alexandre scored the game winning goal off an assist by Max Ascencio Cueva with 13 seconds left in the game. They will face Roosevelt tomorrow, time to be decided.

Sincerely,

Dr. Testa

October 12, 2024

Dear Baldwin Families,

Marking period 1 is advancing quickly as we are already past the midpoint of the quarter. Progress reports are now available on the portal, so please be sure to review the comments as well as grades. Please reach out to your teachers with any questions or concerns.

Next week, the High School will review these skills through conducting a lockdown drill and a fire evacuation drill. Please be assured, this serves only as practice for our students. The district’s safety plan can be found on the website HERE.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me. Thank you for your continued support and partnership.

Parent-Teacher Conferences

On Tuesday, October 15th at 10:00 AM, the sign up process for Parent Teacher Conferences will be open through Teacher Reacher (www.teacherreacher.com). The window for conference registration will close on Wednesday, November 6th at 10 PM.

IMPORTANT NOTE #1: When scheduling your appointments, please DO NOT schedule your appointments back to back. You will need time to walk from one conference to the next. Therefore, please have at least one conference time slot in between. This will give you five minutes to get to your next location.

IMPORTANT NOTE #2: To afford as many parents as possible the opportunity for conferences, we have created the 5- minute timeframe. For this scheduling plan to work well for all, please know that teachers must limit conferences to five minutes. It is important to use your brief time wisely. The purpose of the Parent-Teacher Conference is to meet your child’s teacher, to review their progress and, if necessary, to discuss what should be done to maximize student success. There simply won’t be enough time for lengthy, personal discussions during these 5-minute conference sessions.

Qustodio app for online safety

As part of the district’s ongoing commitment to ensuring our students’ online safety and well-being, we are excited to introduce the Qustodio app to our parents/guardians. For no additional cost, the Qustodio app is designed to help families monitor and manage their children's online activity.

Key Features

Activity Monitoring: Develop increased understanding of your child’s digital habits. Track your child's online activities, including websites visited, apps used, and the amount of time spent online.
Pause Button: Switch off online activity on your child’s Chromebook after school hours (when not needed for homework or other school-related activities) to restore a healthy digital balance and encourage screen-free family time.

In addition to being available on all district devices, families can register up to one personal device per child for free.

To Register for a Qustodio Account

Use the following link to register with the Qustodio parent app: https://auth.qustodio.com/en/my-school/

IMPORTANT: Please use the email address the district/school already has on file for district communications or the registration process will not work.

Using the Qustodio App

After registering, you can access Qustodio through the Qustodio website or with the Apple iOS or Android app.

Learn More

For more information, including an FAQ, visit www.baldwinschools.org/qustodio. For support, please email myschool@qustodio.com.

Best of Long Island 2025

Baldwin Union Free School District is proud to announce that we have been nominated in multiple categories for the Best of Long Island 2025!

The 2024 voting period runs through December 15, 2024. During this time, Baldwinites can vote once per category everyday at www.bestoflongisland.com.

At the end of the voting period, the nominee with the most votes in each respective category will be awarded the distinction of winning the Best of Long Island 2025.

To vote, visit www.bestoflongisland.com/voting:

Baldwin Nominees

Go to Arts and Entertainment:

Baldwin Bruins Sports Podcast: select “Best Podcast”
The Baldwin Bruin: select “Best Mascot”

Go to Education:

Erin Beirne: select “Best Guidance Counselor”
Stephanie Pina: select “Best Guidance Counselor”
Virginia Coles: select “Best Guidance Counselor”
Baldwin High School: select “Best High School Spirit”
Darius Burton: select "Best High School Sports Coach”
Tom Catapano: select "Best High School Sports Coach”
Erica Taylor: select “Best School Principal”
Neil Testa: select “Best School Principal”
Meghan Kargman: select “School Psychologist”
Dan Baxt: select "Best Teacher”
John Buglione: select "Best Teacher”
Scott Dunn: select "Best Teacher”

Go to Services:

Baldwin UFSD: select "Best Place to Work”

Show us your Baldwin spirit by voting!

Please share this exciting news to help Baldwin win!

Announcements

All are welcome to attend the first Baldwin Friends of Music & Arts meeting occuring October 15th at 7:30PM in the Baldwin High School choir room. Learn more about how to support the arts in Baldwin and see an exciting performance from the cast members of the BHS production of The Unsinkable Molly Brown.

Follow Baldwin Friends of Music & Arts

Follow Baldwin Arts

Checkout the Baldwin Friends of Music & Arts Newsletter

BFOMA Membership Form

Congratulations to our Staff and Students of the Month!

Mr. Tom Llewellyn, Physical Education

Ms. Gisela Collado, School Monitor

Grade 9- Namani Raynor

Grade 10- Chibueze Ijeaku

Grade 11- Elizabeth Pintor

Grade 12- Julia Tapa

Please join us at the SEPTA Expo at the Meadow School on October 16 starting at 7pm! See the attached flyer for details!

ATTENTION SENIORS: Please check the Senior Activities Canvas page to order your Graduation Lawn Sign. Proceeds from the lawn signs can help bring down the cost of Prom and the Senior Trip. Ordering will close soon so make your order as soon as possible. Any questions see Mr. Buckley or Mr. Morrow.

The Counseling Center will be begin hosting On Site Admission Days the week of November 1 – 15th.

The participating colleges are listed on the Counseling Center Window. Please see your School Counselor for the criteria for each school. You will receive an immediate Acceptance Determination at the end of the interview if you meet the school’s criteria. In most cases, the application fee is waived.

Attention Juniors and Seniors – Now through November 26th, College Representatives will be offering Juniors and Seniors both In Person and Virtual College Visits. The In Person Visits will be held during the school day in the Guidance Office and the Virtual College Visits will be held in the early evening hours after school. You and your families may join the Virtual Visits on your devices in the convenience of your home or anywhere. This is your opportunity to learn more about the schools you may be interested in a very casual setting and ask questions that you may have. Simply, sign into your Clever Account and choose Naviance. Select Colleges and click on Research Colleges. Click on College Visits. Here you will register for the visits you wish to choose. You will find a schedule in the Guidance Office Show Case, on Naviance or ask your Guidance Counselor for assistance. Please don’t pass up this opportunity to start your college, Journey.

Crochet Club is excited to announce our first meeting of the school year! Stop by Room 419 this Tuesday after school to see what we're making!

Any student interested in participating in Baldwin's trivia team should attend the Academons Club meeting on Tuesday at 2:45 in room 629. Any questions, please see Mr. Palumbo.

Congratulations to the girls’ varsity tennis team on their 7-0 win against Freeport!

Congratulation to the JV Football Team on their 40-0 win over New Hyde Park. Kassim Taylor scored 4 touchdowns, with MJ Mitchell and Aiden Stewart scoring one touchdown each. Gavin McGinley scored 4 extra points, and Alejandro Costa, Lucas Diaz, and Myles Darby each forced turnover. The team moves to 2-2 on the season with 4 games to go. Go Bruins!

Congratulations to the JV volleyball team who won their 7th consecutive win with a victory over Westbury. The team was led by strong defense from Ella Ozsirkinti and great serving from Jasmin Mcleod.

Boys’ Varsity Soccer – Congratulations to the team as they beat last year’s county champions East Meadow 1-0 yesterday on a goal by Devonte Young. The Bruins were led by a strong defensive effort from seniors Justin Victor, Robert Bautista, and Justin Valle. Please come support the team on Senior day in their last regular season home game on Monday at 1pm.

The Boys Varsity Soccer team defeated MacArthur 3-1 yesterday with a goal from Erick Ramos and 2 goals from Nathaniel Hernandez. Assists from Devonte Young and Matt Alexandre. Please come support the team on Monday at 1:00 at home as they battle against Great Neck South for a playoff spot.

Sincerely,

Dr. Testa

October 3, 2024

Dear Baldwin Families,

October is off to an excellent start and officially at the midpoint of the marking period. Progress reports will be published on the portal on Wednesday, October 9th at 3pm. Students should be in the habit of checking the portal at least once a day to ensure that their attendance is accurate and that their grades are up to date.

Baldwin High School is excelling year after year, with a 99% graduation rate and ranked as one of the best schools in the nation for the fifth straight year, according to US News & World Report. This is because of our students who immerse themselves in not only their academic pursuits, but also extra-curricular activities and sports. It's no secret that the more involved you are in Baldwin High School, the more success you will have as a student.

This is why it is so important that each Baldwin High School student aim to Bring out their Best and participate in at least one school activity or more that connects them to our school. We have a comprehensive list of clubs and activities to engage your children. Check out all that we offer in clubs and activities HERE.

Attention students taking the SAT this Saturday, 10/5. Please make sure to go on your school-issued Chromebook and open the Bluebook app before Saturday. This will allow it to auto-update which will be necessary to take the exam.

Our next home football game is this Saturday starting at 11AM. We are implementing for every home game the following rules. This will be in effect for all home varsity football games and varsity basketball games in the winter.

ONLY BALDWIN STUDENTS AND STUDENTS FROM THE AWAY TEAM ARE PERMITTED TO ATTEND THE GAME
STUDENTS FROM BOTH SCHOOLS MUST SHOW THEIR STUDENT ID TO ENTER. NO ID, NO ENTRY
ALL ADULTS ARE PERMITTED TO ENTER AND BE PREPARED TO SHOW ID
SCHOOL-AGED PEOPLE NOT FROM BALDWIN SCHOOLS OR THE AWAY TEAM CAN ENTER IF UNDER THE SUPERVISION OF AN ADULT(S) OVER 21
ALL INDIVIDUALS SHOULD BE PROMPTED TO REMOVE THEIR HOODS AND ANY COVERINGS THAT CONCEAL THEIR FACE.
NO STUDENT ENTRY OR RE-ENTRY ONCE THE 3^RD QUARTER BEGINS
NO RE-ENTRY FOR ANY SPECTATOR INCLUDING ADULTS ONCE THE 3^RD QUARTER BEGINS

2024 College Board National Recognition for our students

A total of 31 Baldwin High School students—nearly double last year’s count—earned academic honors from the 2024 College Board National Recognition Programs, which celebrate students’ hard work in high school and showcase their strong academic performance. The award recipients can showcase this academic achievement in their college applications, and numerous colleges actively seek out these students through College Board’s Student Search Service™. Check out the story HERE!

AP Scholars

171 Baldwin High School students have earned Advanced Placement^® (AP) Scholar Awards in recognition of their exceptional achievement on AP Exams during the 2023-2024 school year. To qualify for the AP Scholar Award, students must complete three or more AP Exams with scores of three or higher. Check out the story HERE!

Announcements

Last week all students grade 9-11 had their portrait retaken. To order your child's photo, following the instructions attached below!

Please check out the latest issue of our digital newsletter, What’s Bruin in Baldwin.

Method Learning still has openings to enroll in its Fall 2024 SAT prep course!. All classes are held at Baldwin High School in the evenings. See the attached flyer for detail and how to enroll!

There is still time to join Intramural Night. Intramural night is a great place to make new friends while to dance or stunt. 12th and 10th grade practice is today from 6-8pm in Cafeteria A. Junior and Freshmen practice tomorrow from 4:30 - 6:30 pm. Practice will go back to normal time after break.

Congratulations to the members of the cross-country team who competed in the Suffolk County Coaches Invitational at Sunken Meadow, one of the most challenging courses on the east coast. Paul Fleck took second in the 5k race with a time of 17 minutes and 6 seconds and was supported by Jeremy Rosario, Jayden White and Kuh-ron Punj. Three members of the girls team also posted impressive performances including Sienna Bolasingh, Samantha Joseph, and Milan Coggins. The team will compete next week at the Manhattan College invitational at Van Courtlandt Park. This is one of the largest meets in the nation. Good luck to all who compete.

The cross-country team competed in their 5k league meet at Eisenhower Park last night. Paul Fleck broke his own school record of 15 minutes and 29 seconds and posted the fastest time by an athlete in Nassau County this season. Supporting him were Jaden Small and Jeremy Rosario who ran 17:44 and 17:47. Rounding out the team were Jayden White and Kristian Sawh. The girls team posted impressive performances too by Sienna Bolasingh, Kelly Dehler, Chidera Ubah, and Samantha Joseph.

Girls’ volleyball - congratulations to the varsity girls’ volleyball for another win against Freeport last Friday. That was the team’s 3rd consecutive wins in 3 sets. The team also got over 100 service aces in their last 8 games. The team then had their fourth winning streak against Jericho last night with the score of 3-2. Shelly Rivera had 8 exceptional service aces and Sabrah Folkes, Asia Dowe and Kennedy Thompson had a combine of 24 kills to send the opponent home with a loss. Keep up the momentum!

Congratulations to the JV volleyball team who won their 6th consecutive game over Jericho. The offense was led by Lizzie Albrecht, Brianka Joseph, and Jalena Jorif with great serving by Lilly Wolfrom.

Congratulations to the Girls Varsity Soccer team on their win against Farmingdale on Friday 4-1. Baldwin scored early in the first half off a long range shot from Elizabeth Hill followed by a second goal from Malia Robinson with an assist by Averi Thomas. Baldwin led 2-0 at half time and came out strong in the 2nd half to score early on another goal by Malia Robinson with the assist from Averi Thomas. This was an overall great effort from the team with goalkeeper Dee Ikechukwu making 16 saves, and strong performances from Erin Timmes, Akua Bonsu, Amanda Aguiluz , Haiti Vann and Allison Linhart. The 4th goal was added by Abigail Forde with the assist coming from Ameena Joseph. Well done girls!

Congrats to the Girls Varsity Tennis team on their fifth win against Bethpage yesterday!

Sincerely,

Dr. Testa

September 27, 2024

Dear Baldwin Families,

It was wonderful to see our parents in the building this week for Know Your School Night! I hope you enjoyed your experience and left feeling great about your child's academic program.

Now that we are entering the month of October, the midpoint of the marking period is approaching! This means that student progress reports will be posted on the portal soon, and serves as an important reminder to routinely check the parent/student portal for student attendance and grades. Information about accessing the student and parent portal can be found HERE

We provide a variety of additional support for students so that they can bring out the best academic performance in themselves. All teachers have set extra help times for their students to get the help that they need.

Extra help Schedule

Another great resource is our Saturday Academy, where on select Saturdays from 9AM - 11 AM, students can get tutoring in all core subject areas. Please contact your counselor or dean to sign up to attend! Our next session is tomorrow, September 28 followed by October 19, 26, November 2, 9.

Students can also come to the Learning Collaboratory after school from 2:45 - 4:15 pm for quiet and comfortable place to study or complete their homework.

I'm sure you would agree that cell phones for our kids are a huge distraction to their learning. That is why one of our Critical Expectations is that all cell phones, headphones, earbuds, and any other mobile devices besides their Chromebook needs to be out of sight and away. If a student is becoming too distracted due to their device, teachers are authorized to take the device and hold it. Some teachers use pouches, charging stations, etc. to help manage this. We ask for your support in ensuring that your child understands this expectation and accepts it, and to be conscious of when you may need to communicate with them to avoid doing so during class time.

Safety Drills

As a reminder, early next week, we will conduct our first lockdown drill of the year. This will be one of two drills we will conduct this Fall. In all drills and in a real emergency, students and staff must move into the safe zone of the room, which is in an area that is not visible from the door or hallway. This area is marked in each room with a Bruins Paw sticker.

During drills and a real emergency, cell phones should be silenced. Use of a cell phone in a lockdown would be limited, and only used to relay pertinent information to 911, such as a description or location of an intruder or the need for medical aid for someone. You should not send messages to other people within the building as this can place the receiver in danger. Sending messages to parents or parents to their child can cause panic and possibly compromise the emergency responder’s ability to effectively manage the incident.

In a lockdown, we would not respond to the Fire Alarm unless actual signs of fire are observed in the room. Doing so could compromise the safety of those already secured. We would not respond to the Public Address (P.A.) system or other announcements.

Flu Season

Flu season is upon us and it is important to be aware of how you can protect yourself from getting seriously ill. Check out the attached flyer for important tips on how you can fight flu at home and at school. Additional Information can be found on The New York State Department of Health website.

Congratulations Coach Catapano

Please join me in congratulating Tom Catapano, Baldwin PE teacher and Girls' Varsity Basketball Coach on his induction last night into the Nassau County High School Athletics Hall of Fame!. Coach Catapano has done Baldwin proud in his 15-year tenure as Head Coach, amassing 236 victories, 10 Nassau County Championships, 5 L.I. titles, 2 State Championships, and a State Federation title, which involved defeating the number 1 ranked team in the nation!

Above all, Coach Catapano has influenced the lives and careers of countless young ladies, producing individuals of character, leadership, and unparalleled work ethic. Thank you, Coach Catapano, for your dedication to Baldwin Basketball and our school community!

Bruins Sports Podcast

In this week's episode of the Baldwin Bruins Sports Podcast, Blaine and Averi sit down with Jelani Williams, Prosper Prowl and Coach Bobby Appel from the Varsity Football team after their big win at Homecoming last weekend on the new turf field. They talk about the energy at last week's game and their expectations for the rest of the season.

Announcements

Please enjoy the September issue of Inside Baldwin UFSD by clicking here.

Tuesday, October 1, will be our next community circle day. The special bell schedule for this day can be found HERE.

Join us for the Baldwin Grand Baldwin Festival on Saturday, October 5th

Any student interested in joining Baldwins Trivia Club should attend our first meeting on Tuesday, October 1st at 245 in room 629. Any questions, please see Mr. Palumbo.

ATTENTION SENIORS! Senior Portraits are being held for the final time at Baldwin High School on October 23 - 25. To schedule an appointment, you must go to https://prestigeportraits.com/ First time to camera seniors are welcome as well as retakes ($20 resit fee).

Attention Juniors and Seniors – Beginning today through November 26th, College Representatives will be offering Juniors and Seniors both In Person and Virtual College Visits. The In Person Visits will be held during the school day in the Guidance Office and the Virtual College Visits will be held in the early evening hours after school. You and your families may join the Virtual Visits on your devices in the convenience of your home or anywhere. This is your opportunity to learn more about the schools you may be interested in a very casual setting and ask questions that you may have.

Simply, sign into your Clever Account and choose Naviance. Select Colleges and click on Research Colleges. Click on College Visits. Here you will register for the visits you wish to choose.You will find a schedule in the Guidance Office showcase, on Naviance or ask your Guidance Counselor for assistance. Please don’t pass up this opportunity to start your college Journey!

The Varsity Cheerleaders are holding a school supply drive and they NEED YOUR HELP! They will be collecting through Wednesday. Any donation makes a difference and is appreciated! Please drop your donations in the grey bin located in the Main Office.

Congratulations to Arianna Joseph, Kayla Charles, Kennedie Payne, Gabby Lawrence, Morgan Jackson, Taleah Cameron, and Imma Warrington for making the All- American Cheerleading team this past weekend! Their hard work and dedication to the sport is undeniable!

Congratulations to the girls’ varsity tennis team on their 5-2 against Wantagh and their 7-0 win against Lawrence!

Congratulations to the JV volleyball team who won earned their third consecutive victory over Hicksville yesterday. The team was led by strong serving from Dreyana Raymond, Jaelana Jorif, Kyle Deslemond and Jasmin Mcleod.

Congratulations to varsity girls’ volleyball for a big win against Hicksville in 3 sets. The team was focused and played exceptionally well. And for another win against Valley Stream Central in 3 sets! Please come cheer them on as they will attempt their third straight win in 3 games and in 3 sets against Freeport at 6:30 home tonight. Keep up the momentum!

Gender and Sexuality Alliance Club will be holding our first meeting on Monday, September 30th after school in room 323. All are welcome!

Do you love music and want to learn to play guitar or bass. Join the Electric Guitar Club. Learn how to play guitar and then you can impress your friends on tik tok. We provide instruments and equipment in the club. No music experience is necessary, beginners are welcome.

CONGRATULATIONS to the Girls Varsity Soccer team on their win against New Hyde Park, 2-1 with a victory that has been deserving of the team up to this point in the season. Malia Robinson scored the first goal from an assist by Captain Averi Thomas. Malia Robinson scored a second goal assisted by Elizabeth Hill. Incredible saves from keeper Dee Ikechukwu, as well as good performances from captain Haiti Vann, Akua Bonsu, Amanda Aguiluz and Erin Timmes all on defense helped to keep New Hyde Park at bay. A very good performance by all the players and a great team win. Well done!

Upcoming Important Dates & Events

10/5 - SAT Exam

10/5 - Baldwin Grand Festival - 12 -4:30 pm

10/7 - PTSA Meeting - 7:30 pm

10/9 - Progress Reports Published to the Portal

10/10 - PTA Sponsored Legislative Forum at HS, 7pm

10/10- Bruins Sports Booster Club meeting, 7pm

10/15 - Friends of Music and Arts meeting, 7:30 pm

10/17 - Tri-M Music Honor Society Induction and Concert, 6:30 pm

Sincerely,

Dr. Testa

September 20, 2024

Dear Baldwin Families,

The 2024-25 school year is off to an excellent start! While we are still early on in the first marking period, it is always critical for our students to get off to a strong start in their course of study. Good study habits, time management, organization, and good attendance are critical factors for student success. Our teachers are ready and willing to support their students and we encourage them to take advantage of extra help on a regular basis. We also have a Saturday Academic Academy program, where we have certified teachers available to help support students. This is available to all students. If you are interested, speak to your child's counselor to sign up for a particular Saturday date.

Know Your School Night

Next week, please join us for Know Your School Night, which will be held on Tuesday, September 24th beginning at 6:55 pm. Please view the attached letter for details!

Safety Drills

Next week, we will conduct our first lockdown drill of the year, which is one of the safety drills required by New York State. See the attached letter for more details.

New Website

We are thrilled to offer a newly enhanced digital experience that is not only visually appealing but offers improved usability and mobile functionality. The new design is based on extensive research and feedback from our families and staff.

Check out the new and improved Baldwin UFSD website: www.baldwinschools.org. Please be sure to update any bookmarks, since some links may have changed. To learn more about the redesign and what's new, click here >>

Fall College Expo

Each year, the Nassau Counselors’ Association (NCA) hosts the Fall College Expo, a valuable resource for Long Island students and families. This event provides access to a wide range of colleges and universities, where representatives will offer their expertise to help guide your child through the college admissions process. We are fortunate to have this year’s event take place once again at Adelphi University in 2024!

At the Fall College Expo, students and parents can benefit from:

One-on-one conversations with college and university representatives
Guidance from experienced counselors to assist in navigating the college search process

Please see the attached flyer for more details about registering for the event.

College Visits

Starting on September 23rd through November 26th, College Representatives will be offering Juniors and Seniors both In Person and Virtual College Visits. The In Person Visits will be held during the school day in the Guidance Office and the Virtual College Visits will be held in the early evening hours after school. You and your families may join the Virtual Visits on your devices in the convenience of your home or anywhere. This is your opportunity to learn more about the schools you may be interested, in a very casual setting and ask questions that you may have.

Simply, sign into your Clever Account and choose Naviance. Select Colleges and click on Research Colleges. Click on College Visits. Here you will register for the visits you wish to choose.

You will find a schedule in the Guidance Office Show Case, on Naviance, or ask your Guidance Counselor for assistance. Please don’t pass up this opportunity to start your college Journey

Announcements

Please join me in congratulating the following students for being recognized as All State Musicians by NYSSMA (New York State School Music Association). These students will be performing in ensembles at the annual NYSSMA conference in Rochester, N.Y. December 5 through December 8, 2024.

Brandon Firth - Alternate - Tenor 2

Brandon Firth - Symphonic Band - Euphonium

Rohan Khan - Symphonic Band - French Horn -

Congratulations to our Commended Students in the 2025 National Merit Scholarship Program! Lucas Lautan and David Orlep both were awarded as Commended Students, which means they placed among the top 50,000 students in the nation for their performance on the 2023 PSAT!

Seniors: Please check your Senior Canvas Page about Yearbook announcements. All baby photos for the yearbook are due by September 27. Instructions on how to upload your photo are on the Senior Canvas page. Also, order your yearbooks now or BEFORE September 27 and get up to four free personalized icons on your yearbook cover.

Attention seniors: The senior class will be having a brief meeting on Monday September 23rd in Cafeteria A going over important information. All seniors are encouraged to attend. If you have any questions see Mr. Buckley or Mr. Morrow. Also check your Senior Canvas Page about Yearbook announcements. All baby photos for the yearbook are due by September 27. Instructions on how to upload your photo are on the Senior Canvas page. Also, order your yearbooks now or BEFORE September 27 and get up to four free personalized icons on your yearbook cover.

https://bhs.baldwinschools.org/class-of-2025

ATTENTION SENIORS ENROLLED IN ENGLISH 4! The deadline to register for Nassau Community College Dual Enrollment Credit is September 25th! See the attached flyer for details!

Congratulations to the Girls Varsity soccer team on their Tie with Bellmore J.F.K. The Girls played a hard game going into the second half 0-0. Breaking the tie for Baldwin, was a penalty goal by Malia Robinson and then a Free kick taken by Lizzy Hill. The final score being Baldwin 2 Bellmore 2. Well done girls!

If you love to DANCE! OR STUNT! JOIN Intramural Night. Intramural Night practices are on Tuesdays and Thursdays for 12th and 10th graders and on Mondays and Wednesdays for 9th and 11th graders. Meet in Cafe A from 6-8pm. See Ms. DeTurris, Ms. Piña, Ms. Austin and/or Ms. Polo for more details.

Future Educators of America will be meeting this Tuesday, September 24th in room 312 at 2:45. We will be discussing all the upcoming leave-to-learns, community service opportunities, and events to participate in. Don't miss out! New members are welcome! Bring a friend!

Step Team tryouts start next week after school. Anyone interested should report to Cafeteria B at 2:45 PM. Please make sure to wear gym attire

The Girls Varsity Volleyball Team won 3-0 against Hempstead! Keep up the winning momentum!

Baldwin Varsity Football - We extend our heartfelt gratitude to everyone who joined us for our homecoming game last Saturday. The team showcased an impressive defensive performance, recording 10 tackles for loss and one interception. Micah Ellerbe stood out with 7 tackles, while Michael Jordan secured a crucial late-game interception to help seal our victory. On the offensive side, we racked up over 300 total yards, with Jelani Williams leading the charge with 143 rushing yards and a touchdown, and Angel Johnson contributing 163 passing yards and a touchdown. Tonight, the Bruins will travel to Glen Cove to take on the Big Red, with kickoff scheduled for 7:00 PM. We invite you to come out and support our 1-0 Bruins!

Congratulations to the JV volleyball team who went 2-0 this week with wins over Hempstead and Sewanhaka. The team was led by the strong defense of Aysia Giraldo and some great offensive hits from Jalaena Jorif, Jasmin Mcleod and Liv Pascual.

The Varsity Cheerleaders are holding a school supply drive and they NEED YOUR HELP! They will be collecting through Wednesday the 25th. Any donation makes a difference and is appreciated! Please drop your donations in the grey bin located in the Main Office.

Sincerely,

Dr. Testa

September 14,2024

Dear Baldwin Families,

Our first full week of school was filled with spirit, culminating in a wonderful pep rally out on the turf field! Later today at 1pm, join us as we officially open our new Athletic Complex with a ribbon cutting and parade, followed by our Homecoming football game at 2pm. See you at the game!

This past week I and the building administration held grade level assemblies to discuss important expectations and goals for the year. We spoke about the importance of strong attendance, eligibility, leading with character, and getting involved in the school. Ultimately, we want students to bring out the best in themselves, to help motivate others to do the same, and to ultimately Bring out the Best for Baldwin!

As we do every year, our students and staff will be involved in several safety drills as required by New York State. Drills serve as an opportunity to practice procedures that keep our students safe in the event of an emergency. Next week, the High School will review these skills through conducting fire evacuation, lockout, and lockdown drills. Please be assured, these serve only as practice for our students. The district’s safety plan can be found on the website HERE.

PSAT Exam

At Baldwin High School, we believe in creating as many opportunities as possible for our students to own their future. That’s why we offer the PSAT/NMSQT® (Preliminary SAT/National Merit Scholarship Qualifying Test) to our students. Whether your child is thinking about attending a two- or four-year college, is going straight into the workforce, or isn’t sure what they want to do after high school, the PSAT/NMSQT can help make their path clearer. This is why we encourage ALL juniors to register and take the PSAT! We also encourage 10th graders who have successfully completed Geometry to also consider taking the exam and get a head start!

Taking the PSAT/NMSQT can also help your child to:

Enter the National Merit® Scholarship Program if they meet program requirements specified in the PSAT/NMSQT Student Guide.

See where they are and set a target for where they want to be.

Practice and prepare for the SAT®.

Find out what AP® courses they’re ready to take.

Plan and pay for college.

Connect to their future career.

This fall the PSAT/NMSQT will be administered in a digital format on October 26, 2024 that will provide an overall easier testing experience for students. Your child will have to use their own school-issued device.

To register for the PSAT, please go to myschoolbucks. The fee for the exam is $23. Please register by September 30, 2024.

Lifetouch Portraits for students in grades 9-11

On September 18th and 19th during PE classes, students will have their portraits taken in an effort to update our student management system. You will also have an opportunity to purchase portrait packages via Lifetouch if you so choose. Details will be sent to you via email from LifeTouch.

College Essay Workshop

We are excited to invite you to our upcoming College Essay Workshop on Tuesday, September 17, 2024, at 7:00 PM in the Baldwin High School Auditorium. This workshop is an invaluable opportunity for our Seniors who are in the process of completing their college essays, as well as for rising Juniors who are eager to get a head start.

The workshop will be hosted by our dedicated School Counselor, Ms. Vanessa Gonzalez. We are also honored to have two special guests: Mr. Francisco Resto, an admissions representative from St. John’s University, and Ms. Kate Anderson, an admissions representative from SUNY Oswego. They will share their insights on what college admissions officers are looking for in essays and offer tips on how to make your student’s essay stand out.

Announcements

If you love to DANCE! DANCE! DANCE! OR STUNT! STUNT! STUNT! JOIN Intramural Night. Intramural Night practice has started! See Ms. Deturris, Ms. Piña, Ms. Austin and/or Ms. Polo for more details on how to participate!

Seniors: Please check your Senior Canvas Page about Yearbook announcements. All baby photos for the yearbook are due by September 27. Instructions on how to upload your photo are on the Senior Canvas page. Also, order your yearbooks now or BEFORE September 27 and get up to four free personalized icons on your yearbook cover.

If you love to DANCE! OR STUNT! JOIN Intramural Night. Intramural Night practices are on Tuesdays and Thursdays for 12th and 10th graders and on Mondays and Wednesdays for 9th and 11th graders. Meet in Cafe A from 6-8pm. See Ms. Deturris, Ms. Piña, Ms. Austin and/or Ms. Polo for more details.

The Golden Wave Online Newspaper will have its first meeting this Tuesday in room 416A immediately after school. New members are welcome.

Boys’ Basketball Open gym will be held next Tuesday and Wednesday at 6:00 -8:00 PM at the high school. If you have any questions, please see Coach Burton.

Mathletes - We will have our first meeting Tuesday September 17. We will hold elections at this meeting. See you there!

Congratulations to the Girls Varsity Soccer team on their first win of the season against Freeport on Saturday 7-1. Goals were scored by Averi Thomas, Ameena Joseph, Lizzy Hill, Akua Bonsu, Malia Robinson, assisted by Lizzy Hill, Malia Robinson and Averi Thomas. This was a great team effort, where everyone on the team got to play and were ALL responsible for the win. Well done girls and let’s look forward to our next game against Farmingdale today. Go Lady Bruins!

Boys’ Varsity Soccer - The Bruins tied Long Beach 2-2. The Bruins were led offensively by Robert Bautista and Justin Valle who each contributed a goal. Erick Ramos, Matt Alexandre and Max Ascencio - Cueva were key contributors on the defensive end. Please come support the team tomorrow at home as they take on the undefeated Jericho Jayhawks.

Cross Country - Congratulations to Paul Fleck who broke his own 4k school record with a time of 12 minutes and 47 seconds. For the first meet of the season at Bethpage, he was supported by Jaden Small, Jeremy Rosario, and Karan Punj. The girls’ team was led by Sienna Bolasingh and supported by Kelly Dehler, Milan Coggins, Chidera Ubah, Sam Joseph and Chi Okeke. Good luck to the teams as they compete in their first 5k of the season next week at Eisenhower Park. Go Bruins!

Congratulations to the girls’ varsity tennis team on their 6-1 win against Wantagh. Other congratulations for their 7-0 win against Lawrence. Singles players Molly Curran, Alex Baez, and Michelle Perez winning their matches in straight sets. Come cheer them on today against Farmingdale at home.

Congratulations to the girls’ varsity tennis team on their 5-2 win against Farmingdale. Clinching the win at fourth doubles was Kimmy Perez and Jada Taylor. MOLLY CURRAN then finished an exciting win by beating out her opponent in a tiebreaker to get our fifth win.

Congratulations to the Girls Varsity Volleyball team on their first win of the season at home against Roosevelt 3-1 last night. Please come support the team's next home game on September 19th at 6:45 pm. Thank you all for coming.

Girls’ volleyball - The Varsity Girls Volleyball team deserves congratulations on their dominant 3-1 victory over East Meadow. After dropping the first set, the team battled back with grit and drive to add another victory to their record. The team's record now stands at 2-1. Keep up the triple X's.

Sincerely,

Dr. Testa

September 7, 2024

Dear Baldwin Families,

What a fantastic first week of the 2024-25 school year! It was wonderful to see the students back and smiling and enjoying being back! With such a great start, it is exciting to already have our Homecoming festivities next week culminating with Pep Rally and our Homecoming Game! Click on the links below to see details!

Homecoming Spirit Week Activities

Ribbon-Cutting Ceremony and Homecoming Game

This year, we challenge all students to Bring out the Best, for themselves, their family, and their school community. This can be accomplished through focusing on leadership, character, and high academic expectations. Already, the building administration team is speaking with all students by grade about this, along with critical expectations, including attendance and academic eligibility procedures.

We are also focusing very seriously on late arrival to school and tardiness overall. I need your help in supporting a major improvement in our children arriving at school on time. Period 1 begins at 7:42 AM and it will no longer be acceptable to continually arrive after this time and expect there to be no impact on student performance and success. As we know as adults, punctuality is a critical factor for success in our careers and work. Together, we can improve the mindset in our kids about the importance of being punctual in our daily activities.

Free Breakfast and Lunch

We are pleased to announce that all Baldwin School District students will once again be able to receive FREE breakfast and lunch meal at all schools throughout the 2024-25 school year! Even though families are no longer required to submit an application to qualify for these free meals, it is strongly encouraged that those families who have done so previously continue to submit the attached application. This is important in order for us to determine eligibility for reduced fees for AP exams and other fee waivers that are available. You can also submit the form online by using the following link: www.baldwinschools.org/meals

Chromebook Insurance

Baldwin UFSD offers an optional insurance agreement with Smart Tech Insurance to provide peace of mind for any damage to your child’s Chromebook, as well as loss or theft of the device. Parents will need to purchase the insurance policy ($29) directly with Smart Tech Insurance using the instructions below. Also, all insurance claims are handled directly through Smart Tech. Baldwin UFSD DOES NOT need to be involved with any insurance claims.

To sign up for the 2024-2025 school year, simply go to Baldwin Schools - Smart Tech Insurance to enroll. The optional Chromebook insurance policy can be purchased starting July 1, 2024.

Please see this flyer (English | Spanish) for more information. A detailed FAQ can also be found on the Smart Tech Insurance website.

Virtual PSAT/NMSQT Informational Night

Join us on Tuesday, September 10, 2024, at 7:00 PM for essential details about the upcoming PSAT/NMSQT, including its benefits and how it can support your child's academic journey. The PSAT is highly recommended for current 10th and 11th-grade students as it plays a key role in their academic planning and college readiness.

To join the meeting, please use the following link: PSAT/NMSQT Informational Night.

Please note that the PSAT exam date has been changed to Saturday, October 26, 2024, at 8:00 AM at Baldwin High School. The exam cost is $23, payable through MySchoolBucks. The registration deadline is Friday, September 30, 2024.

Join the PTSA!

Join the BHS PTSA for the 2024-2025 school year! This year, we're offering fantastic incentives for those who join by September 30th. Don't miss out—join today!
https://bhsptsa.memberhub.com/

The PTSA is also holding a Double Good Gourmet Popcorn fundraiser! Join us for an exciting competition among all grades at Baldwin High School! The grade with the highest sales will win a spirit day and ultimate bragging rights. Let's discover which grade reigns supreme at BHS! The BHS PTSA will receive 50% of all sales. No need to create stores—simply shop using the provided link below:

9th Grade Link: https://s.dgpopup.com/ir2078ki

10th Grade Link: https://s.dgpopup.com/2824lxfn

11th Grade Link: https://s.dgpopup.com/5z9iq45v

12th Grade Link: https://s.dgpopup.com/mg03lm74

College Essay Workshop

Join us on Tuesday, September 17, 2024, at 7:00 PM in the Baldwin High School Auditorium. This workshop is an invaluable opportunity for our Seniors who are in the process of completing their college essays, as well as for rising Juniors who are eager to get a head start.

The workshop will be hosted by our dedicated School Counselor, Ms. Vanessa Gonzalez. We are also honored to have two special guests: Mr. Francisco Resto, an admissions representative from St. John’s University, and Ms. Kate Anderson, an admissions representative from SUNY Oswego. They will share their insights on what college admissions officers are looking for in essays and offer tips on how to make your student’s essay stand out.

Lifetouch Portraits for students in grades 9-11

Bruins Sports Podcast

Welcome back, listeners! Our 1st episode of season 6 is an introduction sharing some information about this year's hosts, Blaine, Averi and Robert. Tune in!

Announcements

Yearbook Club - there is a mandatory meeting on Tuesday, September 10th right after school in room 635.

Attention ALL students: The cafe offers FREE breakfast and Lunch to all students! Don't miss out on some delicious menu items. Also, Cafe A now has a deli station along with the same in Cafe B! Enjoy your meal!

All students: Please remove last year's stickers from the back of your ID card and go to the Deans' Office to obtain your new stickers to use the Library and Learning Collaboratory.

Sincerely,

Dr. Testa

August 27, 2024

Dear Baldwin Families,

I am proud to welcome you to the upcoming start of the 2024-25 school year! This new school year affords us an opportunity to renew our commitment to ourselves and our school community! With that renewal also comes a desire to work together to accomplish amazing things for our children.

As the year progresses, please routinely check the parent portal to stay informed about your child’s academic progress and attendance. Additionally, please check your email at the end of each week for my weekly messages titled, Hello From the Principal’s Office. These messages will contain all sorts of information and celebrations of student and staff success stories. The school website will be a valuable resource for you. I suggest bookmarking the following link: www.baldwinschools.org/bhs and go to the section titled For Parents and Students. This is the primary information center for the High School.

As a school community, we desire all students to commit to bringing out the best in themselves--for them, for their family, and for our school. In partnership together, we can Bring Out The Best for Baldwin!

We are excited to see our students back on Tuesday, September 3rd. Please make sure to view the portal to view your class schedule, as this will be the only means to obtain it. Please also note your home room location, as that will be the starting location for students on the first day. You can view the first day bell schedule HERE

IMPORTANT REMINDERS

ALL students must show their school ID upon entry to the building, and have it visible at all times during the school day. Students who do not have their ID can only enter after being verified and provided with a temporary ID sticker. This sticker must be worn in a visible area for security and staff to be able to see it.

Prior to period 1, students will wait in the cafeterias until 7:35 AM. At that time, students will be permitted to go to their lockers.

School starts at 7:42 AM. If you are dropping your child off, it is strongly suggested that you do so before 7:30 AM. Any later and you risk your child being late to class (which will be considered unexcused) and getting stuck in the volume of cars and buses trying to get in and out of campus. Please also respect and follow the security staff and the directions they give so that we can have a safe and orderly arrival.

If you DO NOT want your child(ren) photographed or filmed by the District, please complete the form below and submit to the Main Office of your child(ren)’s school no later than SEPTEMBER 5. Opt-out photo form

As the new school year begins on September 3, please remind your children of some important expectations and aspects of our code of conduct policies. This information can be found in our Baldwin High School Information Packet, linked HERE. It is important for all students and parents to review this information each year. Additionally, please note the following reminders.

Critical Expectations:

Dress for Success in a professional learning environment – no hoods, hats, head coverings allowed in learning spaces. No hoods on anywhere.

Be on time and engaged in all your classes

Cell phones and earbuds away and out of sight

Must have a pass and visible student ID in the halls

Locker access should occur before/after school, passing time only.

Stay in class for the First 10 minutes and remain for the Last 10 minutes of class

Be Kind; Respect yourself and others

Threats made to the school on social media or other means will result in automatic Superintendent Suspension

Closed Campus per. 1-3, grades 9-11

Student Dress Code:

A student’s dress, grooming, and appearance, including hairstyle/color, jewelry, make-up and nails, shall:
1. Be unlikely to injure people or damage property, appropriate according to this code, and not substantially disrupt or materially interfere with the educational process.
2. Recognize that extremely brief garments and see-through garments are not appropriate.
3. Ensure that underwear and midriffs are completely covered by outer clothing
4. Include footwear at all times. Footwear that is a safety hazard will not be allowed.
5. Not cover the student’s face to the extent the student is not identifiable except for a medical or religious purpose. (Parental or doctor’s notes required.)
6. Not wear hats, bandannas, or other head coverings in class unless otherwise permitted for a school activity or for a medical or religious purpose.
7. Not include items that are vulgar, obscene, discriminatory, libelous or denigrate others based on a person’s actual or perceived race (including traits historically associated with race, such as hair texture and protective hairstyles like braids, locks, and twists), color, weight, religion, religious practice, national origin, ethnic group, gender (including gender identity and expression), sex, sexual orientation, or disability.
8. Not promote and/or endorse the use of alcohol, tobacco, or illegal drugs and/or encourage other illegal or violent activities.
9. Not include headphones or earpieces or other electronic devices at any time while on school property, except for instructional purposes and in designated areas as directed by the teacher or administrator.
10. Not include items of clothing that advocate a prohibitive group identification or affiliation.
11. Not include sunglasses unless a medical necessity.

Student Entry into the building:

All students must show their issued student ID upon entry to the building. This is required at arrival to school and any other time during the school day when re-entering. Students who do not have their ID upon entry must be verified and provided a temporary student ID sticker. This sticker must be visibly worn. Students who are frequently without their school ID will be assigned lunch detention and/or lose their open-campus privileges.

If your child lost their ID, they can request a new one at the Dean's office. A replacement fee of $5 will be charged.

IDs are also necessary to access assigned lockers and enter the Learning Collaboratory.

Attendance

Attendance is one of the most important factors contributing to student outcomes. As such, students are expected to attend school daily. The full district attendance policy can be found HERE

If a student is absent, a parent/guardian should contact the attendance office the morning of the absence.

Students who are absent must also submit a note to the Attendance Office within five days of their return to school. Notes must include the date(s) and reason for the absence and must be signed by a parent/guardian. Notes submitted beyond the five-day limit will be treated as a cut for eligibility purposes. The Attendance Office is located on the 2nd floor of Building 7.

Students who become ill during the day must check in with the classroom teacher and request a pass to the Health Office.

Any student leaving the campus during scheduled classes for health-related reasons must first report to the Health Office for parental and office approval. Failure to do so will result in a cut/illegal absence.

Any student looking to be dismissed for an appointment or other legal reason must be formally dismissed by the Attendance office. They should not leave campus without being dismissed and their reason verified with a parent.

A Student with more than five illegal or unexcused class absences for any subject/class period, or one or more full day unexcused absence within a marking period, will be placed on probation, lasting for a period of five weeks. Any further illegal or unexcused class absences for any subject within the five-week period will make the student ineligible for participation. Continued illegal or unexcused absences will disqualify the student for all extra-curricular activities and sports for an imposed period, up to the remainder of the school year.

Students are expected to arrive on time for all scheduled classes. Students who reach 5 TU in a particular class are subject to teacher intervention, which includes but is not limited to, mandatory extra help, teacher detention, loss of class participation points for the marking period.

Students who are tardy unexcused more than 5 times are subject to a disciplinary referral to the grade level administrator. Teachers will be responsible for initiating a referral for disciplinary action.

Excessive TU may impact student eligibility according to the outlined procedures. Students who accumulate 15 or more TU in any class period are subject to the Eligibility procedures, which may result in their status being elevated more rapidly.

The only legal/excused reasons for being absent or late to school are:

1.personal illness

2. illness or death in the family

3. impassable roads or weather

4. religious observance

5. quarantine

6. required court appearances

7. attendance at health clinics

8. approved college visits,

9. approved cooperative work programs

10. military obligations

11. such other reasons as may be approved by the appropriate building administrator.

*Absences due to vacation will be automatically considered unexcused.

Attendance Coordinators: Mr. Kappel (Grades 10 & 12), Ms. Moorer (Grades 9 & 11)

Important Reminders from the Health Office:

Except Epi-Pens and inhalers, medications (prescribed and over the counter) are not permitted to be self-carried. For Epi-Pens and inhalers, a completed medication form (for self-carry or otherwise) must be completed by a licensed physician and submitted to the Health office for review. All other prescribed medications directed to take during the school day must have a completed medication form submitted to the Health office. In those cases, the medication must: 1) be delivered to the nurse in the prescription bottle or original packaging; 2) remain in the Health Office and 3) be administered under the supervision of the school nurse.
Students are not permitted to wear any type of apparatus (i.e. slings, braces, bandages, boots, soft/hard casts, etc.) or use crutches unless a doctor’s note specifically indicates that it is needed. Students in school without the proper medical documentation will not be permitted to remain in school and/or attend classes.
In general, students should be symptom-free before returning to school and resuming normal activities. In some instances, students may be asked to provide a note from their licensed health care provider before they return to school or participate in the full range of school activities. Students who exhibit flu-like/Covid symptoms and/or fever/vomiting are not permitted to remain in school. The final decision to permit participation rests with the school physician. The Superintendent of Schools, or his/her designee, in consultation with the school physician, nurse and other appropriate staff, will develop protocols to address a student’s return to activities when there has been a serious illness or injury.

Transportation information

The Baldwin School District follows the transportation guidelines set by New York State Education law. In Baldwin, transportation is provided for resident students attending both public and non-public schools as follows: K - Grade 12 residing more than 1.5 miles from the school attended, to a maximum of 15 miles. Please visit the Transportation page on the district website for more information and details.

Late Bus Schedule:

BHS - 2 BUSES 1 north 1 south

3:30

4:30

6:00

Important Dates:

September 3 - First Day of Classes - following a special bell schedule - view HERE

September 5 - First Day of Classes for Barry Tech/BOCES students.

September 14 - Homecoming

September 16 - PTSA New Parent Mixer and Monthly Meeting

September 24 - Know Your School Night - 7 pm

See you soon!

Sincerely,

Dr. Testa

August 2, 2024

Dear Baldwin Families,

I hope everyone is enjoying a wonderful summer! While we still have four weeks until the first day of classes, we are already well underway with our preparations for the 2024-25 school year!

Now that we are midway through the summer, this is a good time to remind our students to get moving on any summer reading or summer assignments they need to complete! Information for all summer reading/assignments can be found in the link below. Incoming 9th grade students enrolled in AP Human Geography, please make sure to complete your assignment as instructed!

Summer Reading/Assignments

Attention incoming 9th grade students and parents!

Very soon you will receive a letter in the mail inviting you to our 9th grade Orientation program on August 26th. You can also view the letter HERE. We hope to see you all there! We will go over pertinent information and other details, so make sure you attend! In High School, there are no supply lists that are put out for materials required. Students are expected to bring their Chromebooks everyday and have writing utensils. Other than that, each teacher will review what may be needed for class on the first day of school.

Attention Juniors and Seniors!

Fall Driver Education Registration information is now available on our website. Registration must be submitted by September 4th! Use the link below to access the registration form and learn more about the program.

Fall Driver Education Program

Attention Class of 2025!

Our first round of Senior Portraits at the High School has concluded. The next scheduled week at the High School is August 19-21. Please use this link to search your school by city, Baldwin, and state, New York to schedule your appointment online at www.prestigeportraits.com

You can also make an appointment at the studio in Farmingdale. You can make an appointment at the studio at www.prestigeportraits.com and use the FIND A STUDIO NEAR YOU tab to schedule an appointment.

Chromebook Insurance

Baldwin UFSD offers an optional insurance agreement with Smart Tech Insurance to provide peace of mind for any damage to your child’s Chromebook, as well as loss or theft of the device.

The price for the insurance policy is $29 and will be effective until July 1st, with an option to renew each school year.

Parents will need to purchase the insurance policy directly with Smart Tech Insurance using the instructions below. Also, all insurance claims are handled directly through Smart Tech. Baldiwn UFSD DOES NOT need to be involved with any insurance claims.

To Sign Up

To sign up for the 2024-2025 school year, simply go to Baldwin Schools - Smart Tech Insurance to enroll. The optional Chromebook insurance policy can be purchased starting July 1, 2024.

For More Information

Please see this flyer (English | Spanish) for more information. A detailed FAQ can also be found on the Smart Tech Insurance website.

Textbooks/Debts Owed

Please make sure that your child returns any textbooks issued and/or settles any outstanding debts they may still have from this past school year. Debts and items can be returned resolved in the main office, Monday - Thursday from 8 AM - 2PM in August.

Important Dates:

The digital version of the full 24-25 Baldwin UFSD calendar is now available on our website, and linked HERE.

August 14 - Sports Physicals

August 19 - Football Tryouts

August 19 -21 - Senior Portraits by appointment only at HS

August 22 - Sports Physicals

August 23 - Class Schedules released on student portal only - no paper schedules

August 26 - Fall Sports Tryouts

August 26th - 9th Grade and New Student Teen to Teen Orientation - 9 AM

August 26th - 9th grade and New Student Parent Orientation - 7pm

September 3 - First Day of Classes

Announcements

Please enjoy the July issue of Inside Baldwin UFSD by clicking here.

Coach Michael Higgins was honored as Coach of the Year for Track and Field, while Coach Rebecca Laflare was recognized as Coach of the Year for Conference III Girls Lacrosse. Congratulations!

Have a wonderful rest of the summer!

Sincerely,

Dr. Testa

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Hello from the Principal's Office

BALDWIN CARES