Throughout the past month, CFMS honored our school resource officer and plans to honor our school counselor in response to the appreciation weeks. School Counselor Week is celebrated the week of February 7th, and CFMS celebrated our school officer in the week of January 9th. Mike Baldwin and Kyle Patterson are voices in our school that make it a welcoming and safe environment for everyone.

Mike Baldwin is the Chagrin Falls Middle School Resource Officer who serves to protect, support, and guide students. Officer Baldwin began working at CFEVS in 2017. He has four children and has been happily married for 20 years. He loves going to church, reading, and spending time with his family. Baldwin also served in the Army.

He said that his favorite part about his job is the opportunity to work with varying people throughout the day, “No day is really the same. I’m working with a kindergartener at one moment and a high schooler at another” Baldwin said.

Baldwin also expressed that he truly values the Chagrin Falls community, and its “Small Town feeling. People really look out for each other in a lot of different areas.”

To any student who is struggling, Officer Baldwin wants them to know, “Don’t be afraid to be real. I think a lot of times when we do struggle we think we need to portray strength or we think that we can get through it, or If I ask for help I’m weak. That’s just not true. Everybody needs help. People are people.” He emphasized the importance of asking for help, as it is a hard but necessary step in getting the support you need.

Molly Macioch, an eighth-grader said, “I am very grateful for Officer Baldwin. I know I’m safe at school with him here.”

Kyle Patterson is Chagrin Falls Middle School’s school counselor. He began working at CFMS in 2013. He has two children, and he is also happily married to his college sweetheart. He loves playing music and spending time with his family.

Patterson mentioned he enjoys “the connections that [I] have with students, colleagues, and parents and getting to know new people and being around them every day.”

Patterson also talked about support, sharing that “every single person at some point needs support, and that support can look very different. I want to be a positive support for anybody in any way that they need.”

Mr. Patterson stated that his “door is always open” and “whether students run into a small question or have a big problem,” he is there.

“If you’re having a bad day, he’s always open to talk to you about your issues. You’ll come out of his office feeling better than when you came in” said eighth-grader Owen Stull.

Eighth-grader Owen Adelman shared that “[Patterson] has great responses to questions you ask.”

Both Patterson and Officer Baldwin help our school community in so many ways. It is important that we share our gratitude in the coming weeks and always!

If you see either of them in the hallway or at school say “thank you.”