Dear Parents,
This morning when I woke up, I had a warm feeling. As I sat at my desk and began writing my update to all of you Baldwin parents, I was immediately taken back to the ranch where I grew up, in the high, misty, Andean mountains of Colombia. I have memories of my father sitting at his desk at home very early in the mornings, writing endless lines that would eventually become curriculums and guidelines for administrators, deans, teachers and other staff at his own school, which he founded some years back with the invaluable help of my mother Cecilia.

The School was born the same year as my older sister was; and just 11 months before my own birth. Since then, all of our childhood memories have been imprinted onto my sister's and my brains, tinted with the Academy's colors. I recall my father saying once "It is great to be surrounded by intelligent, educated, quality people, with similar intentions of shaping a better society.". Coming from a man who had worked every job imaginable to survive in the tough, unstable environment of developing countries, those words really stuck with me.

This morning all those memories come back to my mind and I can't help but to feel the overwhelming warmth of those familiar surroundings. Having moved around the world and worked in many other trades myself, it is comforting to be back in familiar territory and to know that what I do today has such a positive impact on the little people we form for tomorrow's society. I truly believe that through attention, care and proper guidance we can all create amazing, creative, self-confident people, capable of facing the world and embracing life's challenges happily and successfully.

I feel great pride and honor to be walking along the moral guidelines which, in our young years long ago, were passed down to us as family traditions. Furthermore, it is a privilege for me to be a part of a group with such integrity and professionalism. Today I find myself working with "intelligent, educated, quality people with similar intentions of shaping a better society".

In this message I would like to address and acknowledge some of those intelligent, highly educated professionals with great human qualities who work with me at the Academy and contribute to shaping a better society.

I start, of course, with the creator of the Academic Curriculum, known by all for her amazing charisma and dedication to helping develop children and parents to become better at who they are. I am very happy to count Rose amongst the people who influence our environment. Through a special agreement that allows the Academy to benefit from Rose's knowledge and experience, we have been very successful at implementing the Baldwin Method by allowing Rose to specialize in what she likes best. Rose is now continually working with the programs, their directors and leads, to ensure that the quality and necessary detail are in place. She is making sure that all teachers and aides are fully aware of the standards that we at Baldwin require to deliver a safe, clean and motivating environment for our children. Rose is also available to Baldwin parents, through different workshops targeted directly to specific age groups, as well as individually to families requiring some particular guidelines. I can say from personal experience that spending a few minutes with this "very intelligent person" loads one's imagination and is enlightening to all of us parents with young children. I personally try to get her into my office with work-related excuses for a few minutes to pick her brain. I come out with great, practical tips that I apply with my boys at home. They work like a charm!

I am very happy also to count on some of our outside providers such as Mr. Steve, who does an amazing job with Robins and Canaries in his bus. It is always wonderful to hear his train whistle calling the next group of children to the bus for their fun exercises. As a professional specializing in gymnastics, Mr. Steve plays a very important part in the children's development. Mr. Steve, Thank You also for your continuous monetary contribution to the teacher appreciation fund.

Yet another wonderful and important person is Miss Lisa, from Compuchild, who has been quietly contributing to the development of such an important skill in today's world. Miss Lisa, Thank You also for being a monetary benefactor of the teacher appreciation fund.

Along those same lines, I wish to thank Little Amigos, for their job with the children. Having being exposed to several languages in my early years, I know the ease with which these children can learn languages and the importance of it in today's world. I am also very grateful to Little Amigos for their monetary contribution to the teacher appreciation fund.

With regards to MY GYM, I am happy to say that Suzie was commissioned to spend some time at MY GYM, meeting with all the teachers and managers involved with Baldwin Children. She has reviewed all standing agreements and standards required by Baldwin to continue our professional relations with a common understanding under which safety, detailed attention and special benefits for Baldwin Families are accounted for. I am very happy to say that Suzie's endeavor went well - her report is outstanding and all her expectations were met. Furthermore, as a suggestion from one of our parents, we have instructed a Baldwin teacher to remain onsite with the children at all times during visits to MY GYM. Thank you for your suggestion - I find it of great value.

I would like to remind all parents at the Academy that I have created an Advisory Board to which I have invited four Baldwin parents to represent the voices of all of you in the Academy. Julie Ryan, Julio Montenegro and Jeff Chapman are your representatives who meet with me every two months to discuss suggestions and ideas with which you parents would like me to become familiar. Please make a point to meet them and talk to them. They will soon approach you as well with developments, comments, news and other information valuable to you as a Baldwin parent.

Last but not least, I want to inform all members of the Academy about our new effort to decrease our impact on the environment. A few months ago we initiated a recycling program and with the help of all teachers and staff at the Academy, it has been successfully implemented. Now we are taking our idea one step further by implementing a paperless system where any document that can be sent electronically to teachers and parents will not be printed. This is an effort that requires several steps to be taken. Technologically we are making progress and through discipline we are changing our own culture to become more aware and conscious of our environment. I am very proud to say that all members of the Academy have been very eager to contribute to this effort. Furthermore, I have had many more suggestions from these young ladies as to what other things we can do to improve our efforts in conservation.

Some of the changes you will start to see are electronic documents in your e-mail such as teacher updates and plan sheets. Also at a later time I will be sending you accounting statements as reminders and you will see Suzie sending a Director's update. All these are documents that we typically read and dispose of quickly. This way, they can be printed only if need be. Imagine how much we alone can do at the Academy with this small change. I invite you to join us in our effort and also to teach by showing our children how we go about helping our planet. I am sure that if anybody can make a difference in environmental impact, it is us at Baldwin. Baldwin congregates a very young group of people. All parents of young children are in this generation of urgent change. We understand it, we embrace it and we are willing to do our part. Therefore, I believe that we at Baldwin will soon become an example to our children, our community and our peers.

Thank you for being a part of Baldwin Academy.
I wish you all happiness, good health and prosperity.
Mr. Herbert.