North Trail News and Notes

For translation of this newsletter please click on the "Translate" button above or on the right hand side of this page.

Para traducir este boletín, haga clic en el botón "Traducir" arriba o en el lado derecho de esta página.

Si aad u turjunto warsidahan fadlan ku dhufo badhanka "Turjumi" ee kore ama dhinaca midig ee boggan.

Hello North Trail Families -

We have had a wonderful week with staff back in the building! We have spent lots of time learning, connecting, and preparing for our learners.

WE HOPE TO SEE YOU THIS WEEK AT ASSESSMENT DAYS! Assessment Days are a great opportunity to snap those first-day-of-school-style photos with your child’s teacher! On the first day of school, only learners will be permitted to enter the building, so please plan to get those special teacher/classroom pictures during assessments.

We cannot wait to open our doors, welcome our Tigers back, and officially begin the 2026–2027 school year! There is something pretty special about a school coming back to life after summer, and we are ready for the learning, laughter, friendships, growth, and memories ahead.

Welcome back, North Trail! Let’s ROCK THIS SCHOOL YEAR!

All the best,

Kelly Galarneau
Principal

Enjoy a few moments from our back to school workshop week! There was much learning AND fun!

August 31 - Day One of Student Assessments

August 31 - Student Picture Day #1 (all students welcome to have pictures taken today)

September 1- Day Two of Student Assessments
September 2 - First Day of School!

September 7 - No School Labor Day

September 15 - Culver's Family Night

September 21 - First Parent Teacher Partnership Meeting - 6:00 p.m. in North Trail Media Center

September 22 - Student Picture Day #2 (anyone who did not get pictures taken on August 31)

September 24 - Fall Fun Run Fundraising Begins

October 2 - Fall Fun Run Event Day!

If you haven't done so yet please use the button below to sign up for an assessment on PTCFast. Assessments take place on August 31 and September 1.

Reminder: School photos are available to ALL families during assessments on August 31 only. Even if your assessment is on the 1st you can still come and get your photo taken on the 31st. The second day will be during the school day on September 22.

In Farmington Area Public Schools, the safety and security of our learners, staff, and families has always been and will remain a top priority.

Beginning this school year, all of our buildings will have an additional layer of security at the main office entrance. Before entering the main office, visitors will be required to use the video intercom system to request access. Front office staff will verify the reason for the visit and grant access accordingly.

We remain committed to welcoming our families into our schools and creating a safe, supportive environment where every learner can be successful.

If you have any questions regarding this new security measure, please do not hesitate to reach out to your school’s main office.

For the safety of all students, any adult wishing to eat lunch at school must either be the legal guardian of the student or be pre-approved by that student’s guardian. Please email your child’s classroom teacher and/or the North Trail office if you or anyone else plans to eat lunch with your child so we can verify approval. Adults who are not the student’s guardian or not pre-approved will not be permitted to eat in the cafeteria until we receive confirmation from the child’s guardian. This includes grandparents, family friends, and other family members as well.

We ask that you wait until October 1 to come eat lunch with your learner as we get our school routines and procedures set in the first weeks of school! Thank You!

Establish a Bedtime Routine. This is a great week to get kids back into a schedule of going to bed and waking up early. Well rested students are primed for learning!

Make sure your child knows if they should eat breakfast at school when they arrive or go directly to their classroom. Students eating breakfast at school should go to the cafeteria BEFORE heading to their classroom in the morning to optimize instructional time.

Send a water bottle to school. Students are able to keep a water bottle in the classroom - this minimizes lost learning if they are thirsty.

Check in with your teacher about snack time. If your child's teacher is allowing snack time, please send your child with a healthy snack. Please do not send candy, pop, juice, cookies, etc. for a snack.

NTES Families,

I am very excited for the school year to start and to see our awesome learners running around in PE class. As most of you know, a special aspect of NTES is students in grades 1-5 have PE many days and Kindergarten has PE twice a week. Our two big points of emphasis in PE class every day are getting lots of exercise and being safe. A trend that is getting very common is that students are wearing Crocs, Birkenstock sandals, Hey Dudes, and other non athletic shoes to PE. For safety reasons - Crocs, Hey Dudes, Birkenstocks etc. are not allowed in PE class. As you are looking for foot wear as you back to school shop please look for foot attire that is safe and appropriate for our NTES PE class.

Thank You,

Aaron Johnson

NTES-PE Teacher

We know that drop off and pick up can be a busy time. We thank you for your continued role modeling of respect, patience, and kindness with staff and other families when dropping off and picking up your students. Your attention to the process and directions given by our staff and school patrol are greatly appreciated!

• Students may only exit cars on the curb side (right side) of vehicles. Families are not permitted to get out of the car to assist students as it stops the flow of the traffic. If your child is not able to exit the car independently please park your vehicle and walk them to the designated crossing area.
  
• Pull forward as far as possible in the drop off lane and fill in all open space before you stop to let your child out. We have staff available to direct students and ensure they enter the building.
• Make sure students are ready to get out of the car with their items before stopping.
• K-5 students are not permitted to walk in the parking lot unaccompanied. If you are not using the drop off lane, families must park their car, and then walk their student to the walk way.
• Families are not allowed to pull into the Handicapped parking areas unless you have a Handicap Permit.
• Do not drive around parking lot barriers. The barrier is there to stop the traffic from driving in the walking area and to ensure the safety of students

• Families need to park, exit their vehicle and come to the walk way to meet their child for all students in Grades K to 5. Children are not permitted to walk out to the car unaccompanied.
• Please walk in the walkway that is designated by the school patrol.
• Cars are only permitted in the parking lot after school, cars are not permitted on the front curb area in the afternoon.
• Do not drive around parking lot barriers. The barrier is there to stop the traffic from driving in the walking area and to ensure the safety of students.
• As a reminder - For student safety, once our staff are in the building at the end of the day, parents will need to come inside to pick up their child from our front office. Students will not be sent outside to meet parents.

In order to maintain focus on the educational process, we require that cell phones stay inside your child’s backpack and be turned off/silenced throughout the duration of the school day. We understand that families may need to communicate with their child throughout the day, however, families need to communicate through the main office to deliver important messages. Students wearing watches should not be using the watch to make calls or send/receive messages during the school day. If the phone or watch is causing a distraction to learning, the phone/watch will be placed in the office for the remainder of the day and the student may pick it up at dismissal time. If it continues to be a concern, the phone/watch will be placed in the office and a parent will need to come pick it up.

The school district will not be responsible for any lost or stolen personal items.

Policy 1022 - Student Use of Personal Mobile Phones, Digital Imaging Devices and Other Electronic Devices

If a student will be absent, a parent/guardian must call North Trail's attendance line at 651-460-1800 prior to 8:45 AM each day of the absence. You can call 24/7 and if no one answers, please leave a message. We ask that parents/guardians provide the reason for the absence at the time they call. If the school does not receive a call from the parent/guardian the day of the absence, the student’s absence is automatically marked as unexcused.

You may also fill absences out using our Student Attendance Form

• During school hours you will be routed into the main office before entering the rest of the building.You must first buzz into the entryway before being granted access. All visitors and volunteers will be required to sign in and wear a visitor's badge. If staff see an adult without a badge you will likely be re-routed to the office to secure one.

• If you come to NTES during the day, please park your vehicle in the lot on the north-east side of the building. It is essential for our students' safety that car traffic stay out of the bus corral during school hours. The gates are locked during the day, but are opened for the buses at 7:15 a.m. and 2:00 p.m.

• If you bring your child(ren) to Kid Connection, you can enter via Door 33 - the entrance designated by Kid Connection staff.

• Doors to the building are locked during the day but opened at 7:25 a.m. and 2:05 p.m. for arrival and dismissal.

• Please use the main entrance door at all times except for Kid Connection before and after the school day. If you are dropping off your child(ren) please drop them at the front door. Other doors will be locked during school hours. If you do not feel comfortable letting your child walk alone to the classroom, please come into the office and ask for assistance and we will accompany your child to his/her teacher. There are approximately 450 students walking the hallways at arrival and dismissal. We want to maintain a "welcome" atmosphere while at the same time maintaining SECURITY for all children. Additionally, we want to eliminate any disruptions in the classroom.

• If you need to drop off an instrument, lunch, shoes, or other items for your child, please place them on the cart in the inner vestibule to the school. You can place the child's name and teacher on the item and we will make sure the item is delivered. You do not need to buzz in and let us know you are here. We will check this area frequently. Again, this is to eliminate any loss of instructional time in the classroom.

• If you need to conference with a teacher, please call ahead and set up an appointment.

• On occasion, parents will be walking to the classrooms for activities. If you are planning on attending a school or classroom event, chaperoning a field trip, or volunteering throughout the building please sign in at the main office for a visitor or volunteer badge or sticker.

• Please know we have heightened security and the building is under constant video surveillance.

We are excited to welcome new faces to North Trail this school year. Please click the button below for an introduction to some of our new staff members. This document will be continually updated in the weeks to come!

We have special education AND Kindergarten paraprofessional positions available! Please use the button below to apply!

Action Required: iPad Agreements for the 2026-2027 school year are now live. The iPad Protection Plan + Loan Agreement must be signed and completed in order for your child to have access to their school-issued iPad while at school. We’ve streamlined the process for you: visit the Technology section of our district website to sign off today. Get it done now so you don't have to worry about it during the back-to-school rush. bit.ly/iPPLA

Lifetouch will be available to ALL FAMILIES on August 31 for school pictures. Even if your assessment day is not this day you are welcome to come and have your child's picture taken.

NO photos will be taken on September 1 during assessments.

Our SECOND picture day opportunity will be during the school day on SEPTEMBER 22 for any student who does not take their photo on August 31.

Makeups will take place in November.

You can place your order on mylifetouch.com using your Picture Day ID: EVTTG6R6B. Order before midnight on Picture Day to get FREE shipping!

OR Click below for the digital flyer!

Are you passionate about curriculum development and student learning? Would you like to gain insight into programming within ISD 192? Farmington Area Public Schools invites community members, parents, and students to participate in our Instructional Program Review (IPR) Committee. The committee typically meets three times a year, on Tuesdays from 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM. The scheduled dates for this year are September 22, December 1, and March 23. During these meetings, we review current district programming and value all feedback received.

Transportation information will be posted in Campus Portal on August 26th. If you are expecting transportation information and it does not appear for your child, it typically means your child is classified as a walker.




If any transportation information needs to change for your student you will need to contact Marschall Lines directly to make the change no later than August 14th.



Marschall Lines Phone Number: 651-463-8689

Marschall Lines Email: mlidispatch@mncoaches.com

Website:

http://www.marschallline.com (Main Page)
https://www.marschallline.com/for-parents/ (Parent Page)

• On the Parent Page you are able to submit:
• No Ride Request: For Special Education or Single Transportation parents only.
• Bus Stop Change: Address change or bus stop change request. Please provide as much detail as possible!
  
  

Below are the assumptions we make regarding School Bus Transportation when transitioning from school year to school year:




Incoming Kindergarten:

• Routed to/from primary home address unless noted on enrollment forms.
  
  

Incoming 1st-5th Grade:

• No changes are made to busing unless the bus company is notified. As a reminder, stop times and locations may still change for these students depending on route changes and neighborhood stop location changes. Please check Parent Portal for updated information on August 26th.




Current 6th Graders Starting Middle School:

• All secondary addresses/daycares are removed. Students are routed from their primary address to/from school. If they are to still be going to a secondary address, parents need to call/email Marschall Lines and update bussing information for next year no later than August 14th.




Multiple Addresses – Campus portal can only show one pickup and one drop off address. If it is a split family household, and they are eligible for two different addresses (both are within the school boundary), you will need to call Marschall Lines to receive the bussing information for the second address not shown on Infinite Campus.



Daycare – If you intend to have your child transported from a daycare address rather than their home address - please contact Marshall Lines by August 14th so bus routes can be planned accordingly.

As a note - once these deadlines pass all route changes are frozen until September so that the bus company has time to review and update.

Applications for educational benefits should be completed in order to determine eligibility for programs throughout the district. You can find the correct forms online using the following link:

https://www.farmington.k12.mn.us/departments-services/food-services-chartwells

Completed forms should be returned to:

Mail: ISD 192 Educational Benefits, 510 Walnut Street, Farmington, MN 55024 Email: foodservice@farmington.k12.mn.us

Fax: 651-460-3810

Menu information and pricing can be found at:

https://www.farmington.k12.mn.us/departments-services/food-services-chartwells

Each family should receive a Welcome Packet from the Food Service Department in August containing your child’s pin number, account balance, and more. If you do not receive a Welcome Packet from Chartwells or have questions about any Food Service related information please contact Chartwells main office at 651-460-3822.

To help your child practice their PIN number before the first day of school, use the following key pad image or attached file. Practicing in advance will be tremendously helpful for our K-2 learners especially.

Thank you for having students to school on time. Starting school on time is incredibly important and allows all of our learners to begin the day with a successful start!

Arrival Time: 7:25 a.m. There is no student supervision prior to 7:25. If students need to be dropped off earlier than 7:25 please make arrangements through Kid Connection.

First Bell: 7:30 a.m

Second Bell: 7:40 a.m. - teachers start instructing promptly at 7:40.

Breakfast Times: 7:25-7:45 - if eating breakfast please plan to arrive early to give plenty of time to eat before instruction begins.

Dismissal: 2:10 p.m.

Please do not drop students prior to 7:25 a.m. or pick them up any later than 2:10 p.m. unless you have registered for Kid Connection. Our school staff members have several meetings before and after school, so there is no supervision outside of these times. Your child's safety is our highest priority, so if you need additional before or after school care, please click on the following link to learn more:

Kid Connection - School Age Child Care - Farmington Area Community Education

To find the most updated supply list, please click on the following link: NTES School Supply List

Please review the North Trail Student Handbook as a family. Thank you for adhering to our policies and procedures.

Health Services Office

Michelle Pepera, RN, LSN Health Services Coordinator-Early Childhood/Elementary

Jill Hauge, RN, LSN Health Services Coordinator-Secondary Schools

Dear Parent/Guardian, July 1, 2026

Another year is behind us, and we are looking forward to fall of 2026.

Students will need to have up to date medication orders for fall. These must be signed by your medical provider as well as a parent or guardian. These may be emailed to us over summer or provided to the building nurses the week of August 24th.

New medications may be given to the nurses when school resumes. All medications including over the counter items must have an annual provider order on file and be in the original bottle from the pharmacy. The dose must match the dose on the medical order.

If your student has a special health need such as Asthma, Anaphylaxis, Epilepsy or Diabetes, we must receive doctor orders/action plans prior to school beginning. These must be updated annually and signed by your provider and a parent or guardian.

If your student has had a prior health plan, we will be emailing you the updated version for review and/or planning an in-person meeting. If your student is new to the district, contact us, the building nurse, or administrator if your student will require a health plan.

Minnesota Immunization Law 121A requires that children enrolled in school to be immunized against certain diseases or file a legal medical or conscientious exemption. Each student is required to show proof of receiving the necessary immunizations or provide a notarized statement of medical or conscientious objection to immunization. Please submit your child’s immunizations records as soon as possible and no later than the first day of school.

There are current vaccine requirements for Kindergarten, 7th and 12th grade. These students will need to show proof of vaccination or have a completed objection form prior to school beginning.

If you do not have health insurance that covers the cost of immunizations, please refer to Dakota County Public Health for a list of their immunization clinics at http://www.co.dakota.mn.us/HealthFamily/HealthServices/ImmunizationClinics/Pages/default.aspx.

Please call with any questions or concerns.

Respectfully,

Michelle Pepera, RN, LSN

Jill Hauge, RN, LSN

Health Services Coordinators

mpepera@farmington.k12.mn.us

jhauge@farmington.k12.mn.us

If your family is experiencing financial set-backs and you'd like to explore other potential supports or resources available to you, please contact our North Trail Family Support Worker, Mrs. Danielle Grundtner. She supports families in the following ways:

• Financial assistance: applying for public assistance/community programs
• Food resources: connecting to food shelves, applying for SNAP
• Housing/homelessness assistance: applying for rental assistance/crisis housing
• Domestic violence/sexual assault intervention and prevention
• Access to materials: school supplies, clothing, hygiene products, winter gear

Please note that she does not work summer hours so she will contact you when she returns to school the last week in August!

Savanna Harmening

Family Support Worker

sharmening@360communities.org
651-460-1882

To join from a browser: https://www.facebook.com/ntes192

If using the app use the search bar to type: ntes192

The photo should look like the NTES icon attached. That is how you will know you are on the correct page.

Website: https://ntes.farmington.k12.mn.us/
Location: 5580 170th Street West, Farmington, MN, USA
Phone: 651-460-1800