Bulldogs Newsletter October 2, 2023

Dear Basswood Families,

In recent weeks, I have heard a strong and heartfelt desire to help those that are most impacted by the Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity in our community. Thank you to the families that wrote me to offer support and also those that shared their desire to help at our last PTO meeting too. We have been in communication with the families in the Basswood community about their needs during this time and there have not been requests for support to date. But, there is a way we can support families that have asked for help.

Fair Oaks Elementary School is part of the Osseo Area Schools and families in that school community that have requested support. At this time, they are requesting support with groceries and household supplies. If you would like to support those in our wider-community, you can do so by purchasing items from this Amazon list and sending the items directly to Fair Oaks Elementary. The team at Fair Oaks has a system for getting items to families. The Amazon list will be updated as needs change. You are also welcome to bring similar items to the Basswood office and we will ensure that they are used to support families in need.

Lastly, there have been some requests for parent support related to talking with children about current events. There are varied degrees to which children are aware of what is happening during this time. Some may not have much awareness and others may be asking questions. In our recent PTO meeting, there was a request for guidance on how to talk with children about complex issues such as race, safety, and immigration enforcement. This video from CBS News highlights some of the perspectives that Dr. Michael Walker, of the Osseo Area Schools, has shared about helping children navigate uncertain times.

I enjoyed the opportunity to connect with many of you during our conferences this week. We had a great turnout for conferences and it was great to see everyone. Thank you for your support with conference dinners as well, this was greatly appreciated by our staff.

Have a wonderful long weekend!

Steven Schwartz

Basswood Principal

#WeAreBasswood!

This continues to be a very trying time in our community. Many of our families and colleagues are dealing with immense feelings of fear and anxiety due to Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) action taking place. Our foremost priority during this time, as always, is to create safe and secure learning environments, and to provide meaningful education to each and every student in our community.

Our district and school teams have put many plans into place to ensure the continuation of this opportunity for all of our students. Please refer to our dedicated website for the most up-to-date information, including on topics like learning options, meals and safety/security procedures.

Community Education’s Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE) program is currently offering a Parenting Your Child with Special Needs online class through May for families with children from birth through grade 3, with a focus on supporting parents/caregivers raising children with special needs, delays, disabilities, or medical needs. Here is the registration link:[tce.me/jgNMsy]

Other details:

• While the online class has already started, continued enrollment is encouraged.
• No family will be turned away from participating due to inability to pay the sliding scale class fee.
• Any questions about the online class can be directed to Kari Sawyer, coordinator of ECFE or the main office staff at 763-391-8777.

Basswood Elementary School 2025-2026’s yearbook is available for sale! Order your yearbook by 04/09/2026.

• February 16 - No School / Presidents' Day Holiday
• February 19 - Group Activity Pictures 9am (4th & 5th grade)

• February 24 - Classroom Pictures
• February 25 - Hold Drill 10:05am
• March 6 - No School - Report Card Marking Day
• March 9 - First day of Trimester III
• March 23-27 - Spring Break

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!

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.

• 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

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.

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.

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.

Yes! You will be able to follow us on Facebook. Please note that we are moving away from Twitter (@BWPrincipal279) for Basswood social media. Click here 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