TBMS December Newsletter

Dear Twin Bluff Families,

I hope this finds you well, warm, and happy. December has arrived, and we are gearing up for the start of winter. We’ve had an exceptional fall, and the lack of snow, so far, has allowed us to enjoy the extended outdoor opportunities. Many students are wishing for snow so we can use the sledding hill and do some snowshoeing and cross-country skiing during the physical education classes. Many things are happening at Twin Bluff Middle School in the coming weeks. I want to ensure that we communicate information to you in a timely and accurate manner.

We will host another Middle School Leaders Dance on Friday, December 12th, from 6:00 - 8:00 pm. This is a change of date from 12/5/25 that was previously published. The doors will open at precisely 6:00 pm, and we will follow the same expectations as our previous dance. All grades (5,6,7) are welcome to attend. The dance is only for students from Twin Bluff Middle School. Any student with a major behavior referral will not be eligible to attend. The cost is $5.00 for entry, and snacks will be available for purchase. There will be door prizes given away at the end of the dance. We had 330 students participate in the last dance, and everyone had a really good time in a Safe, Kind, and Responsible way. We look forward to setting a new attendance record at this event.

On Tuesday, December 16th, we have our Twin Bluff Middle School Band Concert in Hovda Hall at the high school. The concert starts at 7:00 pm. Grade 6 students should arrive at the high school at 6:00 pm and report to the Band room. Grade 7 students should arrive at 6:15 pm at the high school and report to the Choir room. Mr. Beierman will be there to help direct you if you need assistance in finding the correct room.

On Thursday, December 18th, we have our Twin Bluff Middle School Choir Concert in Hovda Hall at the high school. The concert starts at 6:00 pm. Grade 6 students should arrive at the high school at 5:00 pm and report to the Band room. Grade 7 students should arrive at 5:15 pm at the high school and report to the Choir room. Mr. Beierman will be there to help direct you if you need assistance in finding the correct room.

Remember that our last day of school this year is Friday, December 19th, and we are on Winter Break until we return on Monday, January 5th, 2026. We have a special “Winter Fun Day” planned for Friday, December 19th. Students will have experiential learning opportunities, including choices like swimming, arts and crafts, outdoor activities (weather permitting), etc.

In my home, December is a time to reflect on our past, plan for our future, and be thankful for all the blessings we have. I hope you and your families enjoy the season and have a safe, healthy, and fun winter break.

Stay warm, stay kind, and take care of one another.

Be safe and well,

Patrick Beierman, Principal
pcbeierman@rwps.org

Congratulations to our Students of the Month! Your leadership and hard work are appreciated. Keep up the great work!

Pictured below: Soren Lund, Jaxon Hayes, Avery Parker, David Clark, Abby Hattemer, Sebastian Ricks, and Hudson Lawrence.

Monday, December 1st: Swim unit begins for Ms. Vrieze PE Class-Remember your swimsuits!!

Friday, December 12th: School Dance-6:00-8:00

Monday, December 15-Wednesday, December 17-5th Grade IGO Activities-(Outdoors by the track, Dress Warm! See Below for each class schedule)

Tuesday, December 16th: 7:00-6th & 7th Grade Band Concert

Thursday, December 18th: 6th Grade Field Trip to MN History Center

Thursday, December 18th: 6:00-6th & 7th Grade Choir Concert

Friday, December 19th: Winter Fun Day

Monday, December 22-Friday, January 2nd: NO SCHOOL-Winter Break.

School will resume on Monday, January 5th.

5th Grade Winter IGO Dates:

Mon, Dec 15

Forstad 9:30-11:30

Hansen 1:30-3:30

Tues, Dec 16

Hadler 9:30-11:30

Weess 1:30-3:30

Wed, Dec 17

Carlson 9:30-11:30

Larsen 1:30-3:30

PE: Swim unit is coming! Here are the dates for each PE Class:

Vrieze:

Dec. 1st-19th

Jan. 26th-Feb. 12th

Lemke:

Jan. 5th-23rd

Feb. 17th-Mar. 6th

Our Phy Ed Department is looking for socks/shoe donations in good condition. Please drop off in the main office.

Upcoming Concerts:

6th & 7th Grade Band-December 16th, 7:00 @ Hovda Hall

6th & 7th Grade Choir-December 18th, 6:00 at Hovda Hall

Art: Students in Art class will have a $5 classroom fee. This will replace students purchasing their own sketch pads and pencils for the Art room.

Any student that will be taking prescription medications at school will need an Authorization to Administer Medication form signed by a parent and a provider. Medication is required to be in the original container with the most recent prescription label. Medical Conditions such as Asthma, Seizures, Diabetes, Etc will need an action plan from the student's provider as well. Any student that is found to have a medication that is not pre-approved by the nurse will have medication confiscated and parents will be called.

All 7th graders needed to have a TDAP booster and a Meningococcal immunization or a Conscientious Objection on file in the Health Office prior to the start of the school year. Any 7th grader that does not have these immunizations are considered out of compliance. Please bring paperwork to the school nurse showing proof of these immunizations or a notarized Conscientious Objection. If you need a Conscientious Objection notarized, please contact the school nurse to arrange an appointment to have that notarized.

The Health Office always accepts donations such as period products and deodorant. We are also in need of t-shirts, pants, underwear and socks for both boys and girls in all sizes. Thank you

Early Pick-Ups & End-of-Day Changes

If your child needs to leave early or you have an end-of-day change to communicate, please notify the office in the morning. End of day messages are difficult as students may be outside for PE, at recess, or in band. The earlier you can notify us, the better. Thank you for your cooperation!

Student Drop-Off & Pick-Up
All student drop-off and pick-up takes place in the upper lot off of Twin Bluff Road.
Please note: The lower/back lot off of Pioneer Road is reserved for buses only.

Attendance
To report an absence, a late arrival, or if your student needs to be picked up early, please call the attendance line at 651-385-4550 or email tbmsattendance@rwps.org.

Yearbooks

Click on the link below to order your yearbook. Any questions, please contact our Yearbook Advisor, Christine Stewart-clstewart@rwps.org.

Ms. Forbes (right) was asked to do seasonal paintings on the windows at American Legion Post #54 in Red Wing and she invited two TBMS students to join the fun! Students Hailey Kaufold-Holmes (left, 7th grade) and Gwyneth Peterson (center, 6th grade) were winners of the Lions Peace Poster Contest last year and this year, and were glad to be asked to help. The weather was wonderful that day and lots of giggles were had. Wonderful job, ladies!

7th grade FACS students cooked with Jose’ Lamela, from Spain making apple pastelitos. Jose’ visits for a week teaching students about his country and the art of making food from scratch.

The Black Student Union invites students in grades 5-7 to get into the holiday giving spirit. BSU will coordinate with Merchants Bank to bring the 10 Days of Giving to the community this year. Plus, Red Wing will welcome back the Canadian Pacific Holiday Train.

From Dec. 1-10, BSU asks students, families and staff to please drop off non-perishable food items in the collection barrel in the TBMS office.

Anyone wishing to make a monetary donation should make the check payable to 10 Days of Giving and mail it to Merchants Bank, 2835 South Service Drive, Red Wing, MN 55066, or drop it at the bank. Please do not bring cash or checks to school.

Then on Friday, Dec. 12, the Canadian Pacific Holiday Train will stop in Red Wing for the first time in many years. The train will pull up at 7:15 p.m. near Bay Point Park, where professional musicians will play a free concert from a festive stage on wheels.

Ms. Fernands used immersion style teaching to teach students colors in Dakota. She explained how to form the sounds within the words and had them up and competing in a game to show what they have learned. Thank you Ms. Fernands!

School Hours:

8:35 a.m. Building opens & supervision begins (8:30 if eating breakfast)

8:45 a.m. First bell

3:40 p.m. Last bell: students dismissed

Please see the links below for a lot of helpful information and answers to frequently asked questions.

ParentVue gives you access to your student's school information such as attendance and grades. We will also be using it for report cards this year instead of mailing them. Please call or email the office to get an activation key to get things started. Once you have the activation key you can access it through this link or any of the links on the district or school buildings web pages. You must have an email address to use this system.

Middle school students attending activities and events must be accompanied by an adult. The same behavior that is expected during the school day is also expected at events. Please remember to be Safe, Kind, and Responsible as you show your Winger Pride!

No parking or drop off during busing times!

We have new signs that are now in place reminding all drivers that the bus loop is ONLY for buses each morning during drop off's (8:15 - 9:15 am) and each afternoon during pick up's (3:15 - 4:15 pm).

New signs at the bus loop entrance reminds drivers that this is a "One Way" and only bus traffic each morning and afternoon as well.

Please help us keep students safe by following the expectations.

Attendance Matters! Please take a look at this info chart that our Assistant Principal created showing the importance of school attendance. Students can have up to 10 parent/guardian excused absences prior to the school asking for a doctor's note for future absences. If a doctor's notes is not provided after 10 absences, the absence will be unexcused.

Every Sunday during the school year, the district office sends out their newsletter by email. It has news from the whole district and the calendar of events for each building. If you haven't already, please sign up by emailing a request to: newsletter@rwps.org.

Box Tops are now digital! You can help our school raise funds to help students by enrolling in the program. It is free and an easy way to help the school earn money by scanning the groceries you already pay for! https://boxtops4education.com/s/get-the-app

Class hours

8:35 a.m. Building opens & supervision begins

8:45 a.m. First bell
3:40 p.m. Last bell: students dismissed

Office hours: 7:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Email: tbmsattendance@rwps.org
Webpage: Twin Bluff Middle School
Location: 2120 Twin Bluff Road, Red Wing, MN 55066, USA
Phone: 651-385-4530
Social media: Facebook, Instagram

Twin Bluff School Office-651-385-4530

Attendance Line-651-385-4550

First Student Busing Questions-651-388-8244

District Transportation Route Questions-651-385-4795

Spanish Assistance-651-385-4607 (Carla)