Bridgewater Bear Tracks

Tuesday, September 2nd is the first day of school for students. Please mark this on your calendar. We are excited to have the students return!

Before School

Students may enter the building only if they are having breakfast starting at 7:50. Breakfast is served from 7:50-8:20. Supervision on the playground starts at 8:00. Students that walk or are being dropped off should go directly to the playground if they are not having breakfast. If you take a bus you will be allowed to go in the building only if you need breakfast.

Parents who are with their child on the first day should also wait on the playground. We do not have a lot of sidewalk space in the front of our building and we ask parents not to congregate in this area. Mr. Danielson will be helping with cars in our drop off line. If your child requires extra time to get out of the car, pull ahead of the loading zone sign.

For the first few days at 8:18 Mr. Danielson will dismiss our Kindergarten students to enter the building. The first week of school Kindergarten parents are allowed to walk their child to the classroom. We will have a number of staff outside and in the commons area to help students get to their rooms. Once the K students get into the building, Mr. Danielson will start dismissing other grade levels to enter.

After School

If you are picking your child up, make sure you have your car tag on your rear view mirror. Do not remove the sign until your child has entered your car. Dismissal will come from the gym using Door #11. We will bring your child to you, do not get out of your car. Keep pulling forward so the line can continue to move. If you park in the lot and are getting your child, do not block Door #11 or enter the gymnasium. Still hold your car tag sign so we can see it can call into the gym to get your child.

Lunchtime is a favorite among students! As you can imagine, it takes a lot of practice to get every class into and out of the cafeteria efficiently each day. For that reason, guests will not be allowed to come for lunch for the first two weeks of school as we practice our lunchtime routines.

If you want to each lunch with your child every once in a while, that option will be available beginning Monday, September 15th. Please stop in the office to sign in prior to going to the cafeteria, and then stop in again to sign out before leaving the building.

School pictures were taken during Family Conferences. To place an online order for pictures, please visit the Strawbridge website and enter Bridgewater’s code: FM475291 under “Order Pictures & Yearbooks.”

Picture retakes are scheduled for November 7th.

As we begin a new school year, we want to remind you of the importance of regular, on-time attendance. Missing class—whether for a full day or arriving late—can cause students to fall behind academically. Please review the updated attendance procedures below, which are designed to support your child's success.

Snack Cart is offered again this year for a fee. It will begin on September 8th for those that are registered by September 5th.

Below are the snack cart letter and form for this year. This fee may be paid on RevTrack: https://northfieldschools.revtrak.net/bridgewater/Bridgewater-School-Fees/#/list

Our schools offer healthy meals each day. We are a part of Minnesota’s Free School Meals for Kids Program, which started in school year 2023-24. All students can get one breakfast and one lunch free of charge each day at school. For more information on this program click here (para español). 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 reduced fees for school sports & activities. Your application may also help the school qualify for education funds, discounts, and other meal programs.

The appropriate form must be completed each school year and submitted to Child Nutrition Services for review and approval. Applications are available online to print on your own, at each principal’s office, each school kitchen, and are mailed to each household in August. If an application is needed in a different language please contact Child Nutrition Services. Applications are also available to fill out online in Family Access under the “Food Service” tab.

Bus cards containing pick up and drop off times and bus numbers were mailed from Benjamin Bus to all registered riders. If Benjamin Bus did not receive a bus form for your child by the August 10th deadline, he/she will not be added to a bus for the beginning of this school year, regardless if you rode a bus last school year.

If you are not certain of whether your child is registered, contact Benjamin Bus at 507-645-5720.

Benjamin Bus will continue to provide SAFE and professional transportation to all students.

Attendance Line

507-664-3306

Benjamin Bus

507-645-5720

BW Main Office

507-664-3300

Office Hours: 7:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.

Nurse

507-664-3305

• School starts each day at 8:20 a.m. (except Wednesdays) and dismisses at 3:20 p.m.

• On Wednesdays, students start at 9:20 a.m.

• Students are allowed to arrive between 8:00-8:20 a.m. (9:00-9:20 a.m. on Wednesdays) if not eating breakfast at school. Supervision will be in place during that time on the playground.

• Please do NOT park in the drop off lane. If your child isn't exiting your vehicle right away, please park in the lot and walk them to the building at the appropriate time.

• Breakfast (optional for all students) begins at 7:50 a.m. (8:50 a.m. on Wednesdays). Once they are done eating, students will go outside until 8:20 a.m.

• Call the attendance line and leave a message (507-664-3306) OR

• Email: bwattendance@northfieldschools.org

• Be sure to include the following detailed information:

• Student’s full name

• Classroom teacher

• Reason for absence and symptoms if it is illness related

• Phone number to reach you if there are any questions

Please do not leave messages on the attendance line for changes to the end of day routine. Please call the office at 507-664-3300 instead. We notify students by 2:00 of these changes.

It is helpful for the office staff to know if your student will be late for school. You can do this one of three ways:

• Leave a message on the attendance line, available 24 hours/day (507-664-3306)

• Email bwattendance@northfieldschools.org

• Call the main office number (507-664-3300)

If your student arrives after 8:25 a.m., they will need to be checked-in by a parent in the office before heading to class.

Please contact the office (507-664-3300) if you plan on picking your student up before the 3:20 p.m. dismissal. All students need to be signed out in the office before leaving the building prior to the end of the school day. You can come into the office to pick your student up and sign them out.

If your student’s end of the day plans is going to differ from their normal routine (ie. your child will be picked up by mom/dad instead of riding the bus home), please call the main office number (507-664-3300) no later than 2:00 p.m.

*Please do not leave messages on the attendance line for changes to the end of day pick up routine.

Please make sure to share medical needs for your child with Nurse Lucy Archibald. Any and all medications need to go through her as well. Please do not send medications on the bus with students.

Nurse's Email: larchibald@northfieldschools.org

Nurse's Phone: 507-664-3305

Thank you!

Reminder that the Bridgewater Booster Club (BBC) is paying the school supply fee for all Bridgewater students K-5. This generosity is due to the incredible amount of money raised by families at the Boosterthon Fun Run last spring. Please note, there is a short list of remaining items on the School Supply List above that will need to be purchased by each family.

Below are the School Supply lists for the school year.

Please feel free to contact Kid Ventures for information on before or after school child care for your elementary student. Kid Ventures

All volunteers in our school buildings are required to complete a confidentiality acknowledgment, plus an informed consent form that grants permission for the district to conduct a criminal background check. A background check needs to be completed each year in order to volunteer in the schools or chaperone field trips. Please click the link below to complete a background check for the 2025-2026 school year, and allow processing time of 24 hours prior to your event. You can call the Bridgewater office at 507-664-3300 if you have questions.

There are many activities that children and adults may access during the course of the year. Click the "button" below to check out current event, activity, and resource opportunities.

Sept 2---First Day of School

Sept 3-One Hour Late Start

Oct 16 & 17---MEA Break-No School for Students

Oct 30---End of 1st Quarter

Oct 31 & Nov 3---No School-Teacher Preparation Day

The Northfield School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, familial status, status with regard to public assistance, sexual orientation, including gender identity or expression, or disability and prohibits discrimination in any education program or activity that it operates, as required by Title IX, including in employment. You can learn more at: https://northfieldschools.org/about/departments/human-resources/ under the Title IX tab.

World-Class Learning for Elementary Students, Bridgewater Elementary School, situated on a 14-acre campus just south of downtown Northfield, is a K-5 public school serving approximately 560 students. It serves the neighborhoods on Northfield's southern side, Dundas, and the rural area south of Highway 19 and west of Highway 246. Students benefit from an active parent-teacher organization, Bridgewater Booster Club (BBC) and many parent volunteers.

The staff is intensely dedicated to offering a high-quality, well-rounded education that strives to meet the specific needs of each student. We focus on empowering our students in their academic and social emotional learning along with building a solid foundation for their educational journey in partnership with families.

Main Office Number: 507-664-3300

Attendance Line: 507-664-3306

Address: 401 Jefferson Parkway

Web page: northfieldschools.org/schools/bridgewater-elementary/