Gatewood News

🍎 The first Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) meeting is tomorrow, Tuesday, September 9th at 6:00 p.m. in the Media Center. Can't attend in person? Join us virtually!

📸 Say cheese! Picture Day is this Friday, September 12th. A Lifetouch Picture Day order form should have come home in backpacks last week. If not, order online here!

🚗 Beginning September 15th, when leaving Gatewood after arrival and dismissal, all drivers will be asked to turn right onto Gatewood Drive between 9:00–10:00 a.m. and 4:00–5:00 p.m. and then follow the road in the neighborhood and exit north of the Gatewood campus. Staff will be available during these times to help direct traffic flow. See traffic flow map below.

📖 Please see below under "Helpful Links" for important school year policies, including Transportation links, the Educational Benefits Application to be completed, and No Food Birthday Celebrations. All of which can also be found in the Gator Handbook.

🕞 If during the school day there is an unexpected change of plans to your child’s regular pick up routine, call the office at 952-988-5250 before 3:45 p.m. so that we may notify your child. Calls received after 4:00 p.m. may not get to the student in time.

🚌 Transportation: Please know that Transportation is working tirelessly to get into a smooth routine for all transportation needs. If you have any questions regarding your scholar's transportation, please email schoolbus@hopkinsschools.org.

• Additionally, the Gatewood Office staff is asking EVERY family to please tell us how your student is going home by clicking the button below. Complete one form for each student in your household.

Dear Parents and Caregivers,

Wow—what a fantastic start to the school year! The smiles and joy of returning to school have been evident all week. Students adjusted well to the new routine of getting up, preparing themselves, and engaging in a full day of learning.

I hope to see you all tomorrow, Tuesday, September 9th at our first PTO meeting from 6–7 p.m. in the Gatewood Media Center. During the meeting, I will share last year’s data successes, highlight our 2025–26 Title Plan, discuss programming emphases for this school year, and answer any questions you may have. Please consider joining our PTO—your voice is important to Gatewood’s success.

We are also excited to share that Gatewood will be offering a new opportunity for students called Gator Academy! This extended learning day program is designed to provide additional support in reading, math, and social-emotional learning in a smaller, focused setting. Students invited to Gator Academy will begin their school day at 7:50 a.m. and will benefit from targeted instruction and support before the regular school day begins. We believe this extra time will strengthen skills, build confidence, and create a strong foundation for success.

📅 Gator Academy will officially begin on Monday, September 15th.

Families of students invited to participate in Gator Academy will receive both an email and a letter invitation. Participation requires returning a signed permission form before students can attend.

We are currently finalizing program details, and we are working toward having targeted services busing available by mid-October to ensure access for families.

Arrival & Dismissal Procedures:

Beginning September 15th, when leaving Gatewood after arrival and dismissal, all drivers will be asked to turn right onto Gatewood Drive between 9:00–10:00 a.m. and 4:00–5:00 p.m. and then follow the road in the neighborhood and exit north of the Gatewood campus. Staff will be available during these times to help direct traffic flow. Please see the traffic flow map below.

As a reminder, students may not enter the building until 9:20 a.m. If they arrive before that time, they will need to wait in the vestibule area (between the entry doors and the inner building doors) until 9:20 a.m.

We are thrilled to bring Gator Academy and these exciting opportunities to Gatewood students and look forward to partnering with you to support their learning.

Warmly,

Dr. George Nolan, Principal

IB World School, Outdoor Education and Community School

Contact me at george.nolan@hopkinsschools.org

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 9

• Parent Teacher Organization (PTO) Meeting | 6:00-7:00 p.m. | Media Center @ Gatewood or Google Meet

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 12

• Picture Day 📸 Lifetouch Picture Day forms were sent home last week. You can also order online!

MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 15

• Gator Academy begins! Students invited to Gator Academy will benefit from targeted instruction and support before the regular school day begins. Email and letter invitations will go out this week.

TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 23

• No School | Rosh Hashanah

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 26

• Fall Family Fun Night hosted by the PTO | 5:30-7:30 p.m. | Gatewood grounds

Free for the whole family! 🚜 Hayride, Bingo, Indoor and Outdoor Games & Activities, a Gatewood Petting Zoo, Fire Truck and Police Car, Pizza for sale. Bring a non-perishable food item to donate to the ICA Food Shelf, and your name will be entered to win a $50 Gerten's gift card.

THURSDAY, OCTOBER 2

• No School | Yom Kippur

Today, we welcomed our new Administrative Assistant, Kari Krohmer, taking the place of Josie Kroics, who has found a new position at the District level. As we get Kari up-to-speed with all that is Gatewood, please stop by and say hello. Glad you are here, Ms. Kari!

What a joy it was to welcome our 340+ students to school this past week! We had a great week connecting with new and old friends, starting routines, reviewing Gatewood Basics, and getting back in to the swing of school. Plus, over 30 students began preschool today as Crocodiles and Alligators!

Welcome back Gatewood Families! We are thrilled to welcome you to the start of a new school year. Whether you are returning to us or joining our school community for the first time, we are so glad you are here.

We have many exciting events and activities planned to support our students and teachers. Your involvement, big or small, makes all the difference, and we look forward to working with you to make this a fantastic year.

• Our first PTO Meeting will be held on Tuesday, September 9th at 6:00 p.m. in the Gatewood Media Center. If you can't join us in person, join us virtually.
  
• Scholastic's Book Fair is coming September 24th-26th. Every sale helps us buy more books for our Media Center! Click here to help volunteer.
• Fall Family Fun Night (FFFN) is on September 26th. Free for the whole family! 🚜 Hayride, Bingo, Indoor and Outdoor Games & Activities, a Gatewood Petting Zoo, Fire Truck and Police Car, Pizza for sale. Bring a non-perishable food item to donate to the ICA Food Shelf, and your name will be entered to win a $50 Gerten's gift card. And we can’t achieve a great FFFN without your help--volunteer here!

The month of September Gatewood is focusing on the PYP Learner Profile Trait of caring. Watch this video and hear from a few Gatewood students what being caring can look like.

Here are a few ideas for how you make connections at home:

• Talk with your students about ways you can show kindness or brainstorm names of people you know that might need a little extra care.
• Encourage compassion and empathy by asking your student "What do you think that person might be upset about? How would you feel if you were in that situation?"
• Be creative in how you care for the environment or reduce your environmental impact. Consider planning for a garden, compost, or trash pickup.
• Discuss and celebrate ways you already care for self, others, and the environment. Modeling these things to children is a great practice!

Call the Gatewood Office phone at 952-988-5250 to request a bus pass.

What is ESAC?
ESAC is a collaborative group that advises and supports the Hopkins School District’s Innovation, Design and Learning (IDL) team in its continuous improvement efforts. Members work alongside teacher committees to review current state, set goals, evaluate progress, and provide input and feedback.

Why Join?
As a member, you’ll have the opportunity to:

• Help shape district-wide curriculum and instruction aligned with Minnesota graduation standards
  
• Contribute to recommendations to the School Board
  
• Ensure community voices are part of district planning and decision-making
  

• (Required) Orientation: Monday, September 29, 2025; 6:00-7:30
  
• (Required) Fall Planning Session: Monday, October 27, 2025; 6:00-7:30
  
• (Required) Spring Review Session: Monday, March 23, 2026; 6:00-7:30
  
• (Optional) Presentation to School Board: May 5 & May 19, 2026 (time TBD)

Your voice matters. Join us in making a meaningful impact on our schools and students.

To express interest or learn more, please contact Ann Ertl (Ann.Ertl@hopkinsschools.org) and Andrew Whitworth (Andrew.Whitworth@hopkinsschools.org) or scan this QR code!

One of the most important partnerships is those between caregivers and their child's teacher. One of the ways we create belonging in Hopkins is by knowing each scholar as an individual. You can help us get to know your child by completing this "Dear Teacher" letter. If this format doesn't work for you, that's okay! An email, a handwritten letter, or a conversation during back-to-school nights or conferences is just as valuable.

Celebrate and support Hopkins schools at Hopkins Education Foundation's Rock-n-Royal block party on Saturday, September 13th, from 5-10 p.m. in Downtown Park, Hopkins. HEF's annual 21+ back-to-school kickoff features food and drink from local vendors, a cash bar, a cornhole tournament, games, and more. The Downtown Park stage will host live music from local talents Brad Finger, Dan Israel, and Man Down.

This year, HEF has also partnered with Kiddywampus (located two blocks from Downtown Park) for childcare from 6-7:30 p.m. for kids ages 4-9 (spots are limited). Rock-n-Royal tickets ($30) and childcare reservations ($10) are on sale now. The Hopkins Education Foundation kickstarts learning for Hopkins students through grants that fund classroom projects. https://bit.ly/HEFRNR25

Hopkins Girls Basketball Association season is open from August 1

Calling all girls in grades 3–8: Registration for the upcoming Hopkins Girls Basketball Association (HGBA) season is open from 08/01 to 09/12. HGBA offers a fun, competitive, and skill-building experience for players of all levels. Whether your athlete is new to the game or ready for advanced competition, HGBA provides high-quality coaching, team play, and opportunities to grow both on and off the court.

The season includes weekly practices, weekend tournaments, and a strong focus on player development and sportsmanship. Don’t miss out on a great season of basketball, teamwork, and community! Evaluations take place on 9/13, 9/15 & 9/17 and everyone who registers can attend our pre-eval clinics on 8/27, 9/4 & 9/11. The season runs from late Oct through Feb.

Learn more and register starting August 1 at:

👉 hopkinsgba.org/program/hgba-season-registration/24086

Hopkins Boys Travel Basketball Registration Now Open (Grades 3-8)

Come be a part of the great Hopkins basketball tradition! Visit www.hrbbabasketball.net for more information and to register for the 2025-2026 travel season. Open to all boys in the Hopkins district, grades 3-8.

Gatewood Website | School Calendar | School Menu | Gator Handbook | Attendance

At Gatewood, we welcome your student(s) to school every day and we are happy to see your student at school. If there is a reason your student will be absent, it is important that the Gatewood Office receives a call or email from you or a trusted adult in the household. Please provide a reason so the appropriate attendance code may be assigned. Click here for the District's attendance policy.

Please call school by 10:00 a.m. if your student will be absent at 952-988-5260, OR complete the online form.

Concerned about sending your Gatewood student to school when they are feeling under the weather, click here and the Gatewood Health Office will help guide your decision.

Hopkins Public Schools participates in Minnesota's Free School Meals Program. Under this program, all students can receive ONE breakfast and ONE lunch free of charge each day at school. Although no application is required to receive this free meal benefit, filling out the Application for Educational Benefits is still important!

Your child(ren) may qualify for other benefits like Sun Bucks and reduced fees at school. Your application may also help the school qualify for education funds, discounts, and other meal programs.

🍎 The NEW school year means it is time again to complete your Educational Benefits (Free & Reduced Lunch) Application. Click the button below.

Gatewood Elementary works to follow the District Wellness Policy (Code 533), in which all of Hopkins Schools have a responsibility to help students establish and maintain lifelong, healthy eating habits. We want to promote a positive learning environment by providing healthy celebrations that shift the focus from food to the child. Additionally, many of our students have allergies or dietary restrictions, which prevent them from participating in food-related celebrations.

All of this leads us to creating No-Food Birthday Celebrations. Gatewood is eliminating any food and beverages brought as birthday treats. Many other schools in our District and surrounding districts have already made this change with great success. Individual teachers will decide on age-appropriate ways to recognize birthdays within the classroom. 🎉

• Change/update your address, if not correctly reflected on your students file (per Infinite Campus/Parent Portal).

• Change or request a Bus Stop, noting that you need to fall into the Bus Zone boundaries to be able to request a stop. Bus Stop Requests will take time to be finalized, a backup plan to get to/from school maybe needed in the interim.