Bulldogs Newsletter October 2, 2023

Dear Basswood Families,

This winter has been quite unpredictable. We have had snow, rain, warming temps and now it is cold outside again. The changing weather has created a very slippery environment for students at recess. When it has been too icy on the playground, we have kept students inside. As there was a good amount of melting this week we tried to open the playground. Sadly we have had a number of injuries due to the slippery conditions. Until those conditions change, we will have limited outdoor play opportunities for our students. Students will have "Blacktop Only" recess until further notice.

We have had a lot of congestion in our parking lot. For some time this was due to a large amount of snow in some areas. The snow has now been removed and there is ample parking for arrival and dismissal at Basswood. When parking during during arrival and dismissal, please leave your vehicle in a designated parking spot. Please do not park in the one way lanes on campus.

At Basswood, we often encourage kids to Dream Big! As we celebrate Martin Luther King Day this weekend, I am reminded of the impact of someone who embodied a big dream for his children and for children across our nation. Dream Big Basswood!

Steven Schwartz
Basswood Principal
#WeAreBasswood!

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

Basswood and our fabulous PTO are continuing the Medallion Hunt! Clues will begin on Monday, January 19. Clues will continue daily until the Medallion is found. A flyer with all the details went home this past Wednesday.

Some of our students are in need of a snack while they are at school. Our goal is to create a learning environment where every child is operating at their personal best. If hunger is getting in the way of their success, we can quickly remedy the issue and create a snack solution.

Snack Donation can be dropped off at the Basswood front office. Please note that some of our families have nut allergies so please consider nut-free options and/or gluten-free choices. Popular favorites are goldfish crackers, popcorn, fruit snacks, granola bars, pretzels, animal crackers. No perishables please. To ensure food safety to our students, individually wrapped options work best.

We are so grateful for your generosity.

Basswood conferences will take place on February 4, 10, and 12 with before and after school options. You can begin scheduling your conference on Monday, January 26. Watch for a letter coming home on Wednesday, January 21.

Scholastic Book Fair will begin on February 4 and run through February 10 with evening options on February 4, 6, and 10.

• January 19 - No School/Martin Luther King Jr. Holiday
• January 19 - Medallion Hunt Clues begin!
• January 22 - PTO Meeting 6:30pm
• January 23 - 5th grade DARE Graduation 11am

• January 26 - 5th grade Orchestra Concert at Osseo Middle School - 8pm (note time change!)
• January 26 - Conference scheduling open to parents on ParentVUE
• January 30 - PTO Read-athon Kick-off
• February 2 - No School: Teacher Workshop Day
• February 4 - Conferences
• February 4-10 - Scholastic Book Fair
• February 10 - Conferences
• February 12 - Conferences
• February 16 - No School / Presidents' Day Holiday

• 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

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!

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.

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.

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.

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. 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