Somerset E-News

9/1: Labor Day: No School

9/2: Kindergarten First Day of School

9/3: First Day of School for 1st-4th graders

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9/9: School Picture Day

9/9: 1st/2nd grade Family Picnic 5:30-7pm Somerset Playground

9/11: Kindergarten Family Picnic 5:30-7pm Somerset Playground

9/12: Warrior Rally @ District Office Parking Lot 4:00-6:00pm

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9/16: 3rd/4th grade Family Picnic 5:30-7:00 Somerset Playground

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9/22: Community Ed Class: Mufasa Musical Theater (Mayer Arts) - 2:15-3:45PM

9/23: Community Ed Class: T-Swift Dance Class - 2:15-3:15PM

9/26: Community Ed Class: Kung Fu: Beginner - 6:15-6:45PM

9/26: Community Ed Class: Kung Fu: White-Blue Belt - 6:50-7:20PM

9/26: Community Ed Class: Kung Fu: Purple-Black Belt - 7:25-7:55PM

9/27: ISD197 Warrior 5K Run/Walk @ Two Rivers High School

Believe it or not, we will be welcoming our students to school next week! Our amazing Somerset staff was busy this week preparing to welcome the students back to school. It was great to meet and see so many of you at our Somerset Meet and Greet event on Wednesday! See a few pictures below from the event.

The first day of school is exciting, but it can cause some some anxiety and nervousness for students and parents. To prepare for the first day of school and beyond, here are some things to help with a successful morning and transition to school.

1. Establish a consistent morning and evening routine.

2. Organize school supplies and lay out clothes the night before.

3. Get a good night's sleep.

4. Eat a healthy breakfast or eat breakfast at school.

5. If your child takes the bus, make sure he/she arrives to the bus stop 5 minutes before the bus is to arrive.

6. If you drive your child to school, arrive to school between 7:30AM - 7:40AM and follow the drop off procedures. Let your child know that you will drop them off outside and not be going into the building with them. Teachers and staff will help guide students to their classrooms.

On the first day of school teachers will meet students outside. Parents/visitors should say their goodbyes outside the building in the morning. Parents/visitors will not be allowed to walk their child to class. We have staff in the building who will help guide students to their classrooms. This is also for parents who bring their child to school after the start of the school day. If needed, we will have a staff member walk your child to his/her classroom. I ask your cooperation with this in order to help maintain the safety for all students and staff.

Our kindergarten teachers will continue to meet students outside through Tuesday,

September 9. Our first grade teachers will meet students outside on the first two days of school. All students 2-4 will follow the morning routine of entering the doors upon arrival beginning on Thursday, September 4.

I am looking forward to meeting all of our amazing Somerset star students!

Every Moment Matters,

Mark Quinn, Interim Principal

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

Your child can also bring their completed flyer with cash or check on Picture Day. Orders after Picture Day must be placed online only on mylifetouch.com. Order forms will be sent by classroom teachers.

School District 197 is committed to caring relationships, equitable practices, and high achievement for all. As part of that commitment, the district is partnering with AmazeWorks, a St. Paul, Minnesota-based nonprofit organization, to implement a school board adopted supplemental curriculum. It features classroom literature that helps create supportive learning communities and a sense of belonging for all students. Read more about the AmazeWorks curriculum here.

Somerset School Hours: 7:45 am-2:15 pm

As parents/guardians, it is your responsibility to ensure that your child is at school and ready to learn every day by the start of the school day. Students need to be in their classrooms and ready for the day by 7:45am. Students will be let into the building at 7:30am. All students are invited to eat breakfast from 7:30-7:50.

Morning Drop-off will begin at 7:30am

Afternoon Pickup will begin at 2:15pm

If you pick up your child from school at the end of the day, please arrive by 2:15. We cannot provide supervision of students after 2:30.

Please remember to call Somerset if your child will miss school. Use our 24-hour absence hotline, 651-403-8207. Knowing where your child is each and every day is our first concern. We will call all families when we do not receive a call from you. Even if you let your child's teacher know your child will miss school, you must also call the absence hotline.

Please click on the link to complete the End of Day and Directory Information Form for every child you have that attends Somerset if you have not already completed the form. This information is very important so we ensure that your child goes to the correct place at the end of the school day. This form needs to be completed before the first day of school. If you have changes in the regular plan for a particular day, please call the school office before 1:45PM so we can get the information to your child’s teacher. If you do not know your child’s bus number yet you can leave that question blank.

Click here to access the Somerset School Supply Lists.

If you are in need of assistance with gathering school supplies, please reach out to our school counselor, Jessalin Karsnia at jessalin.karsnia@isd197.org.

We are in the process of hiring a new Family Support Worker.

We are still in the process of hiring a person for our Crossing Guard position at Somerset. The person is responsible for helping to ensure safe crossing of vehicles and pedestrians coming in/out of the parking lot from Dodd Road. The time requirement is Monday - Friday (school days only) from 7:20-7:40 in mornings and 2:10-2:30 in afternoons. If you are interested in applying for the position and learning more about it, please reach out to Principal Quinn at Mark.Quinn@isd197.org or 651-403-8201.

Bus cards were mailed out on Monday, August 25. If you are still waiting for yours, you can view your student’s route now in the My Ride K12 app. Setup directions are on the School District 197 Transportation page. If the information is incorrect—or if no bus is listed and you registered before the August 1 deadline—please email transportation@isd197.org.

Please note: Bus registrations submitted after August 1 may result in bus service beginning in the third week of school or alternative transportation arrangements. Learn more here.

Breakfast & Lunch Served to ALL Students at no cost

We are excited to once again offer breakfast and lunch at no cost to all School District 197 students.

A household can qualify for Educational Benefits by Income level, or if your child is receiving SNAP, MFIP, or FDPIR benefits from the state. If you have not already submitted an application for this school year, please submit one prior to the start of the school year to take full advantage of the assistance available. Apply by either completing the Application for Educational Benefits online or completing and submitting a paper application found at any school office.

We will offer parent pickup and drop off in our Parent Parking Lot. Family members can pull into a "Drop Zone" to drop the student off in the morning, and staff will assist to load students into cars at the end of the day.

Morning Drop-off will begin at 7:30am

Afternoon Pickup will begin at 2:15pm

Car signs to help assist with end of day pick-up will be provided at the Meet & Greet event.

You may also choose to park in the parking lot (pending open spaces) or on Emerson Ave and pick your child up near the Somerset Sign (adjacent to Dodd Road.). The main sidewalk spaces will be used as an area to organize students that are waiting to be picked up in the parent pick-up line. We ask that parents that are walking or parking & walking stay near the Somerset Sign on the south side of the parking lot and have your child meet you there.

How To Navigate Parent Pick-up/Drop off:

Drop-Off: Parents must stay in their cars at all times during pick up/drop off times. Parents will enter the parent loop from the South driveway of the Somerset parking lot. You must be traveling South on Dodd Road to gain access to the parking lot. Left turns into and out of the lot will not be allowed during arrival and dismissal times.

Follow the lane around to the sidewalk, once you are safely parked next to the curb, your child may hop out of the car and follow the sidewalk down to the main entrance. You do NOT need to wait for a staff member to release your child from the car. There will be several Somerset staff members assisting with parent drop off and greeting students as they enter the building. Again, please create a drop off routine with your child that does not involve you getting out of your car. We will need to continue to have the line of cars moving through the parking lot.

Pick-Up: Enter the parking lot and follow the parent pick up lane alongside the sidewalk. You will be assigned a Drop Zone number. Please wait for your child at your assigned number spot. Stay in line at all times. Do not bypass another vehicle to get to your Drop Zone number. We will have staff members working to get students queued up to meet you. Parents will be provided with a Somerset Parent Pick-Up sign to put on your front dash. The sign will have space for your children's names, grades, and teachers. This will give our staff the information necessary to get your child to your car as quickly as possible. Again, please plan to exit the parking lot heading South.

Join us for after-school enrichment classes this school year! We are adding new vendors and Somerset teachers for some fun new classes.

There will be certain days that more than 1 enrichment class is offered due to teacher and vendor schedules. On some days you will have two classes to choose from! We are excited to add new classes to the mix along with old favorites like Wizards of Chess, Engineering for Kids and Mayer Arts. Some classes will have their fall, winter and spring classes up for registration right away, this is dependent on the vendor/instructor.

Registration is open HERE for all available classes. Check back often as classes will be posted as proposals are received. We do request all proposals by August 15th, but will never turn away a great class idea if it comes in late and we have the space.

If you have any questions please email us at youthenrichment@isd197.org.

Start to build connections with other Somerset families, put some faces to the names you are hearing about after the first weeks of school and learn more about the Somerset Parent Family Group (PFG). Join fellow classmates and families at Somerset for a BYO picnic dinner (packed from home or takeout) and a playdate! Mr. Quinn will be attending the picnics and is excited to meet families. Please bring a blanket to sit on if you're able. This is a family community event. Somerset teachers will not be attending the Grade Level Picnics.

Tuesday, September 9: 1st/2nd grade Family Picnic 5:30-7pm Somerset Playground

Thursday, September 11: Kindergarten Family Picnic 5:30-7pm Somerset Playground

Tuesday, September 16: 3rd/4th grade Family Picnic 5:30-7:00 Somerset Playground

Join us for the first district-wide event of the school year—the Warrior Rally! This free event is for School District 197 families to explore Two Rivers clubs and activities, enjoy games, bounce houses, and food trucks! All ages are welcome, especially our younger students!

The rally takes place Friday, September 12, from 4-6 p.m. in the District Office parking lot. After Warrior Rally, you can cheer on our Warriors at the 6:30 pm home football game against Apple Valley right next door on Warrior Field!

Join us on Saturday, September 27, 2025, at Two Rivers High School for the 16th Annual Warrior 5K Run/Walk and Family Mile!

Get ready for a fun event that welcomes both runners and walkers! You can enjoy the scenic 5K, featuring an out-and-back rolling course from the high school to the Mendota Heights Villages and through neighborhoods in between. Or join in the fun at the Family Mile on the beautiful Two Rivers Warrior Field track! The ISD 197 Foundation, in partnership with the Two Rivers Student Council, organizes this event to raise funds to support educational programs and opportunities for students in School District 197. Don’t miss this fun opportunity to run or walk for a great cause! Registration is open here.

School District 197 uses ParentSquare and TalkingPoints as district-wide communications tools. Families will receive messages from the district and their schools via email, text, or voice—depending on the situation—translated into their primary home language listed in Infinite Campus. If you’ve been receiving messages from the school or district in a language other than your preferred language, please email district.communications@isd197.org or notify your school’s administrative assistant.

Email: mark.quinn@isd197.org
Website: somerset.isd197.org
Location: 1355 Dodd Road, Mendota Heights, MN, United States
Phone: 651-403-8200
Facebook: facebook.com/somersetelementary