BALDWIN — As 2019 comes to an end, Baldwin Community Schools Superintendent Rick Heitmeyer said he is looking forward to what 2020 will bring to the school district.
One area he said the district plans to improve on is the academic success of BCS students.
"We're continuing to see improvements in academic performance," Heitmeyer said, noting junior high students have continued to show positive progress over the past three years.
Additionally, he said the district is planning to enhance their language arts curriculum across all grade levels.
The new plan would work so each grade's curriculum builds upon what students learned in the previous grade, making each year a smoother transition for students, Heitmeyer said.
While looking to continue to enhance students' academic performance, Heitmeyer also said he is proud of the work the district is doing for students' mental health.
"We're looking forward to continuing the social and emotional growth of our students," he said.
Throughout 2019, BCS has been working closely with the Children's Trauma Assessment Center, based out of Western Michigan University, to assist students who have faced difficulties in their personal lives.
"We have a lot of situations here where children have faced trauma, so we want them to have every bit of support they can have," he said.
While looking into the new year, Heitmeyer said he is proud of the many accomplishments Baldwin made this year as well.
"There are so many great things to count from in 2019," he said.
One success he noted was the graduation of many senior students from Baldwin.
"We had a great graduation last spring, which is always an achievement," he said.
He also said the "welcome back" picnic thrown for Baldwin students was a success, and the district will continue to provide fun ways to support students throughout 2020.
"Anything great we can do for our kids is huge," Heitmeyer said.
