Dear Baldwin-Whitehall Families,

With warmer weather finally on the horizon, we’ ll soon be spending much more time outdoors. I always look forward to this time of year, because it means I’ ll see more bikes on the streets and more kids on the baseball diamonds and basketball courts as the winter doldrums fade away.

You already know an active lifestyle improves your health and mood. But did you know there’ s another factor that’ s even more important to your health and happiness than physical activity?

It all comes down to two words: social support.

I was recently reminded of this when I read about the UK’ s newly appointed“ minister of loneliness,” which is England’ s answer to a problem found around the world in this tech-driven era. When I see statistics like“ 200,000 older UK citizens say they haven’ t spoken with a friend or relative in over a month,” I can’ t help but realize just how much we take our social support for granted when we do have it, and how easily it can all slip away as our social bonds fade.

Because of this, I’ d like to make two suggestions for you this season.

First, if you have an older friend or relative whom you haven’ t seen or spoken to in a while, this is a great time of year to reconnect and start a healthy social routine for both of you. Could this person use help around the house, or getting to the grocery store? Can you make time for a weekly lunch, or a regular phone call to catch up? Trust me, the stories and lessons

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you’ ll learn along the way— and the smiles and connection you’ ll share— make this one of the most valuable ways that you can possibly invest your time.

Second, I’ d like to remind you that our school events are open to all members of the District community. If you’ re a student, have you invited your older relatives or neighbors to tour your school, view your art, or enjoy a performance? And if you’ re a citizen of the District, have you stopped by to see the amazing things our kids are achieving? I invite you to read more about these opportunities in this issue of InCommunity and join us whenever you can.

Lastly, if you’ re among our older citizens, I want to personally thank you for your contribution to our District. I’ m incredibly grateful for the long-term support of our senior population, who know that good community stewardship doesn’ t end on the day your children leave home. That’ s because a home is more than just the building we live in; it’ s the community we build together.

When we share our stories, our wisdom, and our time, we strengthen the bonds of our community with every new connection we make.

That’ s why we’ ve decided to host our first ever Day of Community Caring on May 4, 2018. We invite our community’ s seniors to contact my office with requests for projects at home, and on the afternoon of May 4, our employees will serve as many projects as we can. Contact my office to discuss your project- yard work, special errands or other jobs that can be accomplished in a few hours, as we work in small teams at your service. Learn about our BWSD Day of Community Caring on page 64.

Thank you for your investment in the present and the future of Baldwin- Whitehall.

Sincerely,

Dr. Randal A. Lutz, Superintendent of Schools Baldwin-Whitehall School District