Bulldogs Newsletter October 2, 2023

Dear Basswood Families,

Today we had our first end of year sing-a-long. We enjoyed several songs together and then our fifth graders sang a closing chorus that was so sweet. The students learned a new Basswood School song and a special song to thank our teachers. It was a fantastic way to close the year together and the beginning of a new Basswood tradition.!

Our fifth graders continued the established tradition of walking around the building to the cheers and high-fives of all of the staff and students at Basswood. It is a great way to send them off to middle school. Best wishes to all our fifth graders, "Once a Bulldog, always a Bulldog!"

It has been a great week of celebrations and we look forward to welcoming our Basswood families back in the fall.

Steven Schwartz
Basswood Principal

Basswood Parents, would you like someone else to shop for all those school supplies that your child needs for the 2025-26 school year? No more running from store to store to find that one missing item!

Thanks to our partnership with 1st Day School Supplies, you can order your school supply kit where everything is 100% teacher-approved, and guaranteed to be delivered on time directly to Basswood. With 1st Day School Supplies, there’s no guessing, just teacher-approved kits with exactly what your child needs. Order Here: https://1stdayschoolsupplies.com/gs/55333

Please note this online option will be available until July 1, 2025! Don't delay, order today! This is available for 1st thru 5th grades.

Here is the link to order a yearbook: https://kemmetmuellerphotography.square.site/

You will have until the end of June to order. Orders will take around three weeks for publishing and will be delivered to home.

On Thursday, June 12, Trimester III report cards will be available in your ParentVUE account. The office will be open until Friday, June 13. Have a wonderful summer break!

Here is the school supply list for the 2025-26 school year:

The purpose of this charitable outreach program is to provide free care to low-income children in need. Thousands of dental professionals volunteer their time to this program because they understand the pain and embarrassment many children experience due to untreated dental problems. Since the program’s inception in Minnesota in 2003, 86,000 children have received free care through Give Kids a Smile.

Find a Participating Clinic - some clinics may offer an alternative date.

1. Parent/guardian – locate a clinic and call to make an appointment.
2. Patients generally have to be 18 years of age or younger.
3. Patients must be accompanied by parent/guardian.
4. Assistance: Families who need help with finding a clinic/scheduling an appointment can call United Way 2-1-1 (800-543-7709) Monday-Friday 8 am– 5 pm.
5. Translation services: Referral specialists can assist in scheduling via 3-way call to dental clinic and making an appointment for those who speak Hmong, Somali, & Spanish.

You can find more information here:

https://www.mndental.org/events/give-kids-a-smile/find-a-participating-clinic/

• June 12 - Report Cards available in ParentVUE
  

• August 22 - Class Placement Available in ParentVUE
• August 27 - Back to School Open House 4:30-6:30pm (Food Trucks available)
• August 28 - 2025-26 PTO Kindergarten Popsicles on the Playground
• September 2 - First day of the 2025-26 School Year

• 2nd grade: 10:45 - 11:10am
• 4th grade: 11:15 - 11:40am
• 1st grade: 11:45 - 12:10pm
• 3rd grade: 12:15 - 12:40pm
• 5th grade: 12:45 - 1:10pm
• Kindergarten: 1:15 - 1:40pm

First bell rings at 8:40am letting students into the school. Second bell rings at 8:50am letting students know they should be in their classroom ready to start the day! At 8:50am, the front doors are shut and student will need to come through the office to get a late pass.

If you are planning a family vacation or just time away from school, please remember to call your student's absence into the attendance line. You can call 763-494-3858 and press 1 to leave a message with your student's name, student's teacher, reason for absence, and dates that your student will be gone. We really appreciate your assistance!

We welcome and encourage volunteers at Basswood. You can complete an online volunteer form online at apps.raptortech.com/Apply/Nzg0OmVuLVVT and work with our volunteer coordinator, Lezlie Northagen. Volunteer information will go home the first week of school. Activities in a normal school year include being a classroom assistant, helping with classroom parties, helping with PTO sponsored activities (Carnival, Turkey Bingo, Book Fair, etc.) along with numerous other opportunities. We continue to follow state guidelines and adjust our volunteer program accordingly.

Yes! You will be able to follow us on Facebook. Our first posts went live on September 5th. Please note that we are moving away from Twitter (@BWPrincipal279) for Basswood social media. Click here below to follow us.

Every parent or guardian of enrolled students of Basswood Elementary is an automatic member of the PTO. We encourage you to join one of our next general meetings - or just send us a note if you have a question. You can find more information on our PTO website: https://sites.google.com/view/basswoodpto/home?authuser=1 or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BasswoodElementaryPto

Our district Community Education department offers a variety of after school classes. If you do sign your student up for one of these classes, please remember to let your student's teacher know about the class and when your student needs to stay after school.

The District Transportation department only allows students to ride their assigned bus to and from school. If you have questions, you can reach out to the Transportation Department at 763-391-7244 or transportationreques@district279.org.