Bridges Community School

Bridges Office Phone Number 507-387-2800

Secretary (Amanda Robinson)

Health Assistant (Holly Kelly)

Principal (Jody Rittmiller)

• Dear Elementary School Families,

  As the calendar year draws to a close, I wanted to take a moment to reach out and send you warm wishes for the upcoming holiday break.

  🌟 Time to Rest and Recharge

  The school year has been filled with wonderful learning and growth, and our students and staff have been working incredibly hard! We encourage everyone to use the holiday time to rest, relax, and recharge. Enjoy this special time with your loved ones, step away from the routines, and come back in the new year feeling refreshed and ready for all the exciting things still to come.

  🌎 Gratitude for Your Support

  I also want to extend my deepest gratitude for your continued and unwavering support this year. Your partnership is what truly makes our school community thrive. Specifically, your engagement with our focus on being a community school and fostering global connections has been remarkable. Whether you volunteered your time, participated in events, or supported learning at home, your contributions have enriched our students' experiences and broadened their understanding of the world around them. Thank you for helping us build such a strong, interconnected learning environment.

• 🧸 Lost and Found

Please check the lost and found before winter break if you are missing anything! It is very full once again and will be donated during winter break.

Wishing you all a joyful, safe, and restful holiday season. We look forward to welcoming our students back in the new year!

Partners in Learning,

Mrs. Rittmiller

Starting in January, we will have Community Groups on Mondays and Wednesdays. Tuesdays and Thursdays will be more time in our classrooms and Spanish! Fridays will be our All School Meetings from 8:25-8:50. Please note our next All School Meeting will be on Friday, January 16.

Please complete this form to let us know what your plans are for early release. School will dismiss at 12:50. This form needs to be completed every month for staffing purposes.

https://forms.gle/ALjSx5rvRS2C4vsbA

Classrooms have completed their first Global Unit of Study! Take a look below at what each grade has learned this fall and what they will learn in the spring of year 1!

Click here

Students can work independently or with 1-2 other students. We believe students can have 3 in group when they get to regionals.

Mr. Hatlestad (4th Grade Teacher), Mrs. Kluntz (Mentor Coach), Ms. C (Special Education Paraprofessional - not pictured), Mrs. Campbell (Special Education Teacher)

To keep our students safe, please follow these rules during arrival and dismissal:

• Pull to the curb: Never stop in the middle of the street to let students out. Please park on the side of the road or wait for a spot to open.

• Keep Bus Lanes Clear: Do not park or idle in the designated bus lanes at any time.

• Families who are interested in applying to a MAPS focus school can review the important dates and information listed below. Please read carefully to stay informed throughout the application and lottery process.

  Key Dates

  January 12, 2026
  Explore Outdoor and Nature Based at Jefferson, start time 4:30
  Explore STEAM at Rosa Parks, start time 5:45

  These include a short presentation, time for questions, and a tour of the program.

  January 15, 2026
  Explore Global Studies at Bridges, start time 4:30
  This includes a short presentation, time for questions, and a tour of the program.

  October 1, 2025
  The application window opens for all MAPS focus schools.

  January 23, 2026
  The application window closes. All applications must be submitted by this date.

  February 13, 2026
  The notification process begins for families who participated in the application lottery. Every family in the lottery will receive either an offer or a waitlist notification. Families who receive an offer must accept or decline the seat within one week from the date the offer was sent. It is important to respond within the required timeline so the district can move through the placement process efficiently.
• Please read this document for more information regarding the lottery process for Bridges Community School. Click here

Snow season is just around the corner! In preparation, here is an important resource that is available on the ISD77 website for your review:

Weather Related Information - includes details on where to find out about weather related closings and late starts. Please note the MAPS Notification Line: 507-387-6046.

Find more information HERE.

Looking for a way to connect to MAPS? We strive to connect our community to our district and schools. Subscribe to this newsletter to get the current information and links to events.

Follow MAPS Facebook and Instagram for student celebrations:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ISD77MAPS

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/isd77maps/

MAPS Website: https://www.isd77.org/

Bridges BAC Website: BAC website link: : https://bridgesbears.weebly.com/faq.html