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

66 BRENTWOOD-BALDWIN-WHITEHALL

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