Bookstore Closures Due to the upcoming holidays, the Baldwin Bookstore will be closed Monday, Sept. 29; Tuesday, Sept. 30; Thursday, Oct. 9; and Friday, Oct. 10.

Meeting for Costa Rica Trip There will be an important informational meeting for all students who wish to travel to Costa Rica with Baldwin in June and their parents on Monday Oct. 6 at 7:30 p.m. in Room 127. If you are unable to attend this meeting be sure to contact Dara Solotoff at dsolotoff@baldwinschool.org.

Baldwin is sponsor of literacy event Baldwin will serve as one of the sponsors for “Read and Romp 2008 - A Family Event to Benefit ROR Greater Philadelphia” on Sunday, Oct. 12 from 1 to 4 p.m. on the Baldwin School campus.

Join the Community Gala Team Planning for the Parents' Association Annual Community Gala is already on its way, but we need your ideas, enthusiasm and time. Please come and meet your teammates at the Gala kickoff meeting on Wednesday, Oct. 8 in the Playroom immediately after drop off (8:30 a.m.) Please note that this is a change from the previously announced date. At this fun meeting we will reveal the much-anticipated theme and venue.

Get ready for Homecoming Homecoming is Saturday, Oct. 18. Enjoy a great day of children's games, varsity sports, barbeque lunch, a live DJ and school spirit. New this year – the Give and Take Jugglers! Many volunteers are needed. Please click on the downloads in the left column for more details and to sign up to help that day. Co-chairs are Cindy Evans at bigevansgang@aol.com and Erica Thaler at erica.thaler@uphs.upenn.edu.

Summer Reading Book Discussion This summer, many people in our community read Unaccustomed Earth by Jhumpa Lahiri. Dr. Diane Senior, Baldwin English teacher, will lead a discussion of the novel on Tuesday, Oct.14 at 7:30 p.m. in Room 127 in the Schoolhouse. Please join us. Please RSVP to Pooh Gephart, community affairs coordinator, at pgephart@baldwinschool.org.

Pumpkins for sale! Place your order today! The Pumpkin Sale is coming Friday, Oct. 17. Place your pre-orders now! Many volunteers are still needed. Please click on the downloads in the left column to place your order and to sign up to help at this fun and festive event. Contact Gena Bezar at gbezar@comcast.net or Sejita Page at sejitapage@yahoo.com for more information.

Bring a Friend to School Day The fifth and eighth grade students were delighted to hear of a new program, “Bring a Friend to School Day.” On Wednesday, Oct. 15, the girls in those grades will be able to invite a friend to accompany them to Baldwin for the day, giving her the opportunity to experience a day in the life of a Baldwin girl.

Community Connections Forum is Oct. 8 Baldwin has a vibrant and diverse community in which we all belong. We are here because we believe in the education and support of our extraordinary girls, yet we are also connected in many other ways. Come join us to begin exploring how we can all feel a stronger connection to our community through topics such as our common interests, diversity, and cultural values. The meetings will be held three times every day in an effort to accommodate everyone’s busy schedules. Please feel free to contact Pooh Gephart, Community Affairs Coordinator, at pgephart@baldwinschool.org with any questions. The first meeting will be held Oct. 8 at 8:30 a.m., 3:30 p.m. and 7:30 p.m. in the Museum on the second floor of The Residence. If this date does not work for you, please contact Mrs. Gephart to help schedule another meeitng.

Gift Wrap Sale extended to Oct. 8 Did you know that the Gift Wrap and Magazine Sale benefit the Baldwin School Community? All proceeds are donated to the school at the end of the year with the junior class keeping all of their net proceeds for the Prom fund. Everyone benefits so please participate by purchasing colorful wrap and gift items, and Baldwin receives 50 percent of the net proceeds.

Congratulations to the Parents’ Association The Parents’ Association presented the school with a check for $250,000 at its volunteer celebration in May. This is the largest gift from the Parents’ Association in the history of the school and represents the results of 2007-08 fundraising events, including a very successful Community Gala.

Parent program focuses on college admissions The Association of Delaware Valley Independent Schools (ADVIS) will hold its annual parent program Wednesday, Oct. 22 at 7:30 p.m. at the Agnes Irwin School in Rosemont. Lloyd Thacker, executive director of the Education Conservancy, will discuss “Beyond Ranking: Calming the School & College Admissions Frenzy.” Please click on “ADVIS Parent Program” in the left column for more information.

A Message to Pre-K Parents It has come to our attention that many Pre-K parents have not been receiving this newsletter, The Baldwin Bulletin. We believe we have corrected this problem, and all parents who have supplied us with an email address should be receiving the bulletin now. To access past bulletins, visit wwww.baldwinschool.org, click on the login button that will take you to the portal page. In the right column, click on The Baldwin Bulletin. You will then see a list of past bulletins and be able to read them by clicking on their links. You do not need to log in to do this, but if you would like assistance in logging into the site, contact Kimberly Allison at ext. 266.

Reminders for Upper School Parents A Message from Upper School Director Eric Benke Tenth Grade parents are reminded to attend a PSAT workshop Thursday, Oct. 2 at 7 p.m. in the Assembly Room. The College Counselors will demystify the testing process and answer your questions. We administer the PSAT to all sophomores and juniors in school on Oct. 15.

Upcoming Events in the Middle School A Message from Middle School Director Lois Pressman The school calendar is full of exciting upcoming events. The girls are fully engaged in the academic and athletic programs, making club selections and meeting as a class to plan grade-wide activities. Elections for Service League and Athletic Association representatives will be held on Oct. 7 to provide even more leadership opportunities for the girls.

Where are the Space Aliens and Why Aren’t They Here? The Baldwin School Science Department invites Middle and Upper School families to “A Family Evening of Astronomy" on Friday, Oct. 24 from 7:30 to 9:30 p.m. in the multipurpose room of the new Athletic Center. Presented by physics teacher, Dr. Jeffrey Goldader, this year’s topic is “Where are the Space Aliens and Why Aren’t They Here?" Dr. Goldader’s talk will run to 8:30 p.m. followed by telescope viewing outside the Athletic Center, weather permitting.