Founded by progressive education pioneer, Clara Bell Baker, in 1918, Baker Demonstration School serves close to 300 toddlers through eighth grade students. In the 21st century, Baker continues its mission as a demonstration school whose outstanding faculty study how children learn and mentor the next generation of teachers. A curriculum that promotes academic excellence is taught through innovative research-based best practices and assessment tools. With over 50,000 square feet of green space Baker boasts a sports field and two play areas including a dedicated Early Childhood yard. Our library of 24,000 volumes, dual-platform technology/media labs, seven interactive whiteboards, laptop cart, performance hall, art studio, drama studio, dance studio, music studio, pool and gymnasium are used by students prek-8th grades. Baker's inclusive community celebrates individual, family and cultural differences. Baker graduates attend top public, private and parochial schools throughout the Chicagoland area.
News
Baker Welcomes Dan Schwartz
Baker Demonstration School is pleased to announce that Daniel Schwartz has been hired as the new Head of School beginning in the 2010-2011 school year.
Mr. Schwartz has extensive experience in teaching and leadership positions in education and has been the Principal of the Carleton Washburne Middle School in Winnetka, IL for the past 12 years. He has served in a variety of local and national leadership positions, most notably as a board member of the International Network of Principals' Center (Harvard University) and the North Dakota Study Group, a well-known network of educators principally focused on concerns about accountability of schools and assessment of children. Mr. Schwartz brings a deep understanding of child-centered and reflective learning environments....more
Third Graders Receive a Special Visit from Iraqi Immigrant
A hallmark unit of study for the second and third grades this year is immigration, giving students an opportunity to examine the theme through exposure to immigrants’ experiences and study of individual family histories.
Always eager to take advantage of the "teachable moment," Baker warmly welcomed Shadan Salah, a 30-year-old female Iraqi who recently emigrated from Iraq to the United States and was staying with the Haight family, to Jen Rappin's third grade class. Shadan's visit was a wonderful complement to the class's conversation about visas, green cards, permanent residency, and becoming a U.S. citizen, and the students very much enjoyed hearing about her experience of coming to America only a week prior. ...more
Chicago International Children's Film Festival at Baker
On Tuesday, October 27, lucky middle schoolers gathered in the drama/music studio to watch a screening of "Felix" by visiting award-winning screenplay writer and director, Andreas Utta. The Chicago Children's International Film Festival, CICFF's , Directors in the Schools program is one of many special opportunities brought to Chicagoland children and educators during the festival each year. Baker kids blew Andreas away with thoughtful comments about themes of trust, deafness, the Internet, privacy,communication with parents and friendship. ...more
A Great Horned Owl, Rehabilitated After Being Tangled in a Baker Soccer Net, is Set Free to its Natural Habitat in a "Teachable Moment"
Baker in conjunction with Flint Creek Rehabilitation Center (FCRC) of Barrington released a rehabilitated Great Horned Owl from the Baker sports field where it was found last spring entangled in a soccer net. The bird was set free at approximately 6 PM on October 7th. Nearly 300 individuals from the Baker community and the community-at-large gathered to view the raptor's release back to her home in the woods near the school. A short presentation about the Great Horned Owl was given by FCRC before the bird was set free, during which children shared their hopes for her to "get married and catch a lot of mice." ...more