The First Week of School
What an amazing first week of school! Our teachers started the week by engaging in a variety of activities to support and create strong learning communities within their classrooms. Students participated in restorative circles to establish a safe learning environment where all voices are heard and respected. Students participated in visible thinking activities where they had the opportunity to share their needs, excitement, stance on their classes, and worries about middle school. Students also enjoyed the experience of content related icebreakers though the use of Breakout EDU activities to support collaboration. You could see the Blue and Red TSD pillars at work throughout the building. It truly was amazing to watch teachers set the stage for learning. This is an important investment in the success of all learners! If you would like to see what the start of the first day looked like, click on the First Day Cam link below.
Important Dates
- Thursday, Sept. 6th: Washington DC Parent Meeting 6 pm - Baker Cafeteria
- Tuesday, Sept. 11th: Picture Make-Up Day
- Wednesday, September 12th: Fall Sports Parent Meeting - Baker Cafeteria
- Thursday, Sept. 20th: Open House 7 - 8:30 pm
- Tuesday, October 2nd: Fall Sports Pictures 3:15 pm
- Wednesday, October 10th: A.L.I.C.E. Parent Meeting 7 pm - Baker Gymnasium
PowerSchool Parent Portal
The Troy School District is now using PowerSchool for all student data. Home Access Center (HAC) is no longer active. By now you should have received instructions via email to setup a new account for the PowerSchool Parent Portal. The access codes contained in the email can be used several times if more than one guardian wishes to have an account. The Parent Portal will allow you to track grades and attendance for your students. Report Cards will also be posted to the portal.
PowerSchool has a free app available on both Apple and Android platforms. Once you create an account, please go to your app store and search for PowerSchool Mobile. The app will ask for a 4 digit code. Troy’s code is BMMM. Please note – you must setup your account on the website before logging into the App. If you are having technical difficulties, please email parentportal@troy.k12.mi.us
Fall Sports
Football: Attention 6th, 7th, and 8th graders... the football program kicked off it's 2018 season this past Wednesday. There is a lot of excitement about the direction of the program. We have an outstanding group of student athletes and coaches. Our program is focused on safely teaching the fundamentals and being T.O.U.G.H. If you are interested in being a part of the program, it's not too late! Interested players need a sports physical to start. If you do not want to play but want to be a part of the team, you can join as a manager. Team managers will help with equipment, stats, and recording practices/games. If you have any questions, contact coach Hosbach or coach LaTorre using the Staff Email Directory link above. Go Bobcats!
Girls Basketball tryouts will be held Wednesday, September 5th and Thursday September 6th from 3 pm to 5 pm. For more information and the practice schedule please click on the Athletics Information link above.
Fall Sideline Cheer is available to all 7th and 8th Graders. They cheer on the sidelines for the football teams at all the home games and at the final game at Troy Athens High School. Fall Tryouts are Sept. 5th & 6th, 3-5 PM in the Baker Cafeteria. For more information and the practice schedule please click on the Athletics Information link above.
Intramural Cross Country will hold its Informational Meeting Wednesday, September 12th at 7:45 am in the Baker Gymnasium. A sports physical is required for participation. For more information, please join the Schoology group using the access code: 8STDC-XFVD8
Intramural Flag Football: Mrs. Hughes and Mr. Schmidt are excited to work with students this fall as they increase their knowledge and skills in the game of football. Whether they have been playing for years, or this is the first time on the field, students are sure to enjoy their football experience. Intramural Flag Football runs from September 10th to October 4th. For more information and the practice schedule please click on the Athletics Information link above.
- Practice begins at 3:05 p.m. Student-Athletes should be dressed appropriately for the weather (check this every morning).
- Guardians should begin arriving to pick up their Student-Athletes at 4:35 pm.
- Intramural Flag Football is a pay to participate activity. Interested students should pay a one time intramural/club fee ($50) through Payschools. The $50 will cover you for all clubs and sports you join this school year. Payschools is available using the link below.
Student Government
Our first Baker Student Government meeting will be Tuesday September 18th at 7:30 am in room 111. Baker Student Government's mission is to promote pride, spirit, and service. Students will gain leadership skills to promote a strong school culture where all members feel valued, as well as help create positve change in our local community and beyond. Student Government is open to all grade levels. Application forms can be found outside room 111. Completed applications can be brought to the first meeting. We look forward to seeing former Student Government members, as well as new faces. Together, we truly can make a positive impact in our community. Mrs. Traver and Mrs. Barbat
Counseling Update
On the first day of school, every Baker student and staff member was greeted with a personal note from the counseling staff. The night before the start of the school year, the counselors walked around the building anonymously leaving messages of positive encouragement and inspiration. It was a colorful and thoughtful touch that every Bobcat in the Baker community enjoyed! Gestures like these can go along way. It gets even better when you can recycle the positive energy. Instead of discarding the notes at the end of the week, the counselors, made a bulletin board for students who are in need of the right words to say to a friend. It's like having Hallmark at your fingertips! Way to pay it forward!
Connecting with The School Counselor
Hello! We hope your school year is off to a great start. It’s been a pleasure seeing the hallways full of Baker Bobcats ready to start a new year. We hope that your child has an enjoyable and successful year. As school counselors, we focus on supporting student needs and planning for their future. The role of a school counselor can be divided into three primary areas: academic planning/support, social/emotional needs, and career/college preparation. In the middle school setting, school counselors typically spend more time addressing academics and social/emotional needs but also assist with course selection/placement and long-term goals related to future life plans.
At Baker Middle School, our students are assigned to a school counselor based on their last name. Mrs. Chlebek works with students last names A-K and Mrs. Powell works with students last names L-Z. Students can connect with us in many ways. We have a sign-up area in the main office, a Schoology account to receive messages, Troy Schools e-mail, and electronic sign up. Students request to see school counselors for a variety of reasons. Grades, peer conflicts, grief, problem solving, scheduling, and other situations are common things that we address with students. Our goal is to help students be successful in all areas of life.
Parents can call us and e-mail us with questions or concerns. It is recommended to make an appointment in advance to ensure availability. We welcome and encourage parents to connect with us. Please don’t hesitate to reach out if we can be of any assistance.
- Mrs. Chlebek: KChlebek@troy.k12.mi.us 248-823-4660
- Mrs. Powell: SPowell@troy.k12.mi.us 248-823-4661
A.L.I.C.E. Parent Meetings
The Troy School District is implementing A.L.I.C.E. as a measure to counter an aggressive intruder or shooter event. A.L.I.C.E. takes a more proactive approach in the event of a serious emergency. All employees have started training and this training will continue during the school year. We will also conduct informational parent meetings, which will be held at all four middle schools. The information below includes dates, times and locations for the A.L.I.C.E parent meetings.
- Thursday, October 4th at 7:00pm – Smith Middle School
- Tuesday, October 9th at 7:00pm – Boulan Park Middle School
- Wednesday, October 10th at 7:00pm – Baker Middle School
- Thursday, October 11th at 7:00pm – Larson Middle School
Washington D.C. Trip
There will be a parent meeting Thursday, September 6th at 6pm. Mr. MacIntosh will provide information about the trip, answer parent questions, go over the schedule, payment reminders, medical information, and packing instructions. Please click on the Registration and Payment link to reserve your spot. If you have any questions, please contact Mr. Macintosh zmacIntosh@troy.k12.mi.us 248.823.4689.
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