Baldwin Middle School News

Dear Baldwin Middle School Families,

I’m thrilled to share some of the incredible work our BMS Bruins have accomplished! So far this school year has been truly rewarding, filled with growth, achievement, and school spirit. As you explore each page, I encourage you to chat with your children about their involvement in these exciting events. And if they weren’t part of something yet—this is the perfect time to jump in! The more they engage in our school community, the more joyful and enriching their middle school experience will be.

Baldwin Middle School is grounded in Care, Kindness, and Respect, and we are always looking for ways to give back. Please keep an eye out for opportunities to contribute to our Guatemala Fundraising Project—every effort makes a difference!

Happy reading, and go Bruins!

Anti-Bullying Week

BMS had an engaging Anti-Bullying Week. We kicked it off with a "No Place for Hate" pledge and engaged in community circle discussions centered on care, kindness and respect. Students were encouraged to note acts of kindness on paper leaves, which were then attached to a Kindness Tree.

Operation Turkey: Baldwin Shares the Harvest

SIO, advised by Courtney Nelson and Ashley Firmbach, and NJHS led by Laurie Tricamo, raised $2,000 and five turkeys to be distributed to local families before Thanksgiving.

Our AVID (Advancement Via Individual Determination) students are developing their leadership skills by participating in activities such as:

• Supported parents on Know Your School Night
• Volunteer to assist parents on all Parent-Teacher Conferences
• Leading the school in the Pledge of Allegiance weekly
• Provided cards for the elderly staying in Mount Sinai Hospital
• Assisted in our Valentines Day Dance
• Act as BMS ambassadors for new entrants
• Provide support in the creation of our "Celebration of the Arts" assembly
• Became classroom and lunch buddies for our life skills students

Additionally, our AVID students hosted the admission directors for Molloy University

Under the direction of Ms. Courtney Nelson, Baldwin Middle School students participating in the Bruins News Network (BNN) Pre-Academy program created a video compilation exploring the significance of #BlackExcellence. This video served as the opening for the Black History Month assembly, which was organized by the middle school students for their classmates.

WATCH VIDEO >>

Assistant Principal Mrs. Tumbarello and English teacher Ms. Nelson launched our new positive behavior program “Stamp it Forward”, which recognizes what it means to be a BRUIN. Students who demonstrate one or more of the BRUINS values receive a stamp to acknowledge their positive behavior. As students rack up on stamps, they are given the opportunity to trade them in to earn rewards for themselves and their academic teams. “Stamp it Forward” is off to a GREAT start.

Brave

Respectful

Upstander

Inclusive

Noble

Scholarly

Ms. N. Thompson's Spoken Word Pre-Academy went to NYC to perform at a Teen Open Mic night. It was the group's first performance.

Ms. Oakes' Theatre/Improv Pre-Academy visited the Cultural Arts Playhouse in Merrick for an Improv Masterclass.

Ms. Greaves' Public Speaking and Debate students competed in the American Debate Competition. Out of 116 middle school debaters, two BMS students placed 15th and 37th. Go Bruins!!

For Black History Month, students in Ms. Kaltsas' Art Pre-Academy are creating masterpieces that celebrate the Black community.

Students in Mr. Rothbard's Future Teachers Pre-Academy enjoy their visits to our elementary schools engaging young readers with their immersive lessons.

Mr. Iannucci's Medical Detectives Pre-Academy had a hands-on learning experience at the DNA Learning Center in Cold Spring Harbor.

Our 8:1:1 students are very busy:

• Cooking
• Creating art projects with Mr. Zirkuli
• Taking trips to Atlantic Nursery and Five Below
• Participating in a Secret Snowflakes Exchange
• Restocking the Dining Hall
• Building partnerships with AVID

The Qustodio app allows parents and guardians to see their child’s activity and pause the internet on their school Chromebook after school hours. For no additional cost, the program is designed to help families monitor and manage their children's online activity.

Visit www.baldwinschools.org/qustodio to learn more and to register today!

• Thursday, March 6: GLO Empowerment Tea

• Monday, March 10: BMS PTA meeting 7:30PM

• Wednesday, March 12: Board of Education Meeting at BMS 8PM

• Thursday, March 13-Saturday, March 15: Willy Wonka musical

• Wednesday, March 21: Blue and Gold

• Monday, March 24- Friday, March 28: College and Career Week

• Check out the BMS website for more news and important announcements.

• Please continue to monitor your children’s social media activity, cell phones, and other devices, and speak with them about proper online behavior.