Bridgewater Bear Tracks

Looking for a great way to advertise AND support our school? The Bridgewater Booster Club is seeking T-shirt sponsors for this year’s Boosterthon Fun Run!

Every student receives a 👕FREE Fun Run T-shirt 👕, made possible by our amazing sponsors.

Your business logo will be printed on the back of every shirt—that’s over 550 students wearing your logo around town!

💰Cost: $300 per business logo
📅 Deadline: March 1
📩 Checks payable to:
Bridgewater Booster Club
401 Jefferson Parkway
Northfield, MN 55057

👩🏻‍💻 Logos & questions: Lahna Tran – ltran@northfieldschools.org

Thank you for supporting our students and our school!

This week bright yellow letters came home with students whose artwork was selected for the 2026 Northfield Public Schools All School Art Show! We have limited space to hang our work and could only take about 80 BW artists. The artwork will be displayed Thursday 2/19/2026 through Saturday 3/28/26 at the Northfield Arts Guild on Division Street in downtown Northfield.

A public reception called the “Imagination Celebration” will be held Saturday 3/7/2026, 10:00 a.m.-2:00 p.m. All students, families, guardians, and friends are invited to enjoy the visual art show, theater performances, art activities, and musical performances during this special day of recognizing the wonderful work these students have done. Ms. W will be present in the gallery on this day from 10:00-11:15 a.m.

Ms. W also had the chance to be on KYMN radio talking about our wonderful artists and our partnership with the Northfield Arts Guild. You can listen here: https://kymnradio.net/2026/02/17/michael-johnson-and-local-arts-educators-talk-the-all-school-art-show-2-17-26/

I hope that you can attend this event to see the outstanding display of talent by Northfield’s young artists. If you are unable to attend the “Imagination Celebration” you may view the show during regular gallery hours:

Tuesday – Friday: 12 to 5 pm

Saturday: 11 am to 4 pm

Closed Sunday & Monday

https://northfieldartsguild.org/arts/visual-arts-2/galleries/main/

Congratulations and keep up the great work!

As you know, Principal Nancy Antoine is retiring at the end of the school year. She has done an exceptional job as principal, we have been lucky to have her leadership, and we wish her well in her retirement. We are committed to hiring an exceptional leader to succeed her as principal.

Here is the timeline for hiring:

• Posting: 2/12/2026

• Applications close: 03/05/2026

• Telephone/virtual interviews: 03/12/2026

• In-person interviews: 03/16/2026

• Finalists meet with the superintendent: 03/18/2026

• Board approval of contracts: 04/13/2026

We welcome you to apply to be part of the selection process. Spring Creek Principal Tania Will is also retiring, so we will conduct the selection processes simultaneously. Please complete this form by March 5 if you are interested in assisting in the selection of the next Bridgewater principal.

We have a multitude of lost and found items that need to be claimed! All items not claimed by Spring Break (end of day March 23rd) will be donated.

Ryder Flicek in 3rd grade was nominated for the Possible Shot by a peer for his great sportsmanship, effort, and hustle during the hockey activity in class. Ryder was able to sink the Possible Shot on his second attempt. It was obvious by the ecstatic reaction of all peers, that his classmates were thrilled for the success of such a nice teammate. Congratulations, Ryder!

There is an informational meeting for current kindergarten families interested in learning more about the Compañeros (Spanish) program on Monday, March 2nd at 6:00 p.m. in the Bridgewater cafeteria.

About Compañeros:

It is a two-way immersion program where students learn to speak, read, write and listen in English and Spanish. Students in Compañeros spend half of their day receiving instruction in English and half their day receiving instruction in Spanish. In both Compañeros and English Only classrooms, teachers may incorporate two or three subjects into one lesson to complete integrated projects and activities. Compañeros and English Only teachers may collaborate during reading and math to meet the instructional needs of the students during a flexible group time.

February is I Love to Read month! Bridgewater students and staff have participated in many fun events centered around books. This week's events included Camp Read S’more, camping gear dress up day, and our ongoing Book Character Bingo.

Daylight Savings will be in effect on Sunday, March 8th. Don't forget to set your clocks AHEAD one hour beginning 2:00 a.m. on Sunday, March 8th (or before bedtime on Saturday, March 7th)!

Spring baseball season is just around the corner, and registration is now open for Northfield Youth Baseball In-House programs! We invite all interested families to sign up their players for a fun, active, and rewarding season on the field.

Northfield Youth Baseball offers opportunities for players of all skill levels to learn the game, build confidence, develop teamwork, and most importantly — have fun! Our league focuses on sportsmanship, skill development, and creating a positive experience for every athlete.

⏰ Registration Deadlines:

• Friday, March 6th - Deadline to register for the 9U Tournament Team Tryouts
• Beginning Saturday, March 7th - $50 late fee applied to registrations for T-Ball, Futures (Coach Pitch) and Rookies (Machine Pitch). Register on or prior to March 6th to avoid the late fee.
• Friday, March 20th - Registration for all In-house programs closes

🧢 Who Can Register: Boys and Girls grades K-3
📍 Opening Day: ALL In-House levels is Saturday, May 2nd
🌐 How to Register: To register for the 2026 In-House Baseball Season, please visit the registration link below. Registrations require users to create or sign into a SportsEngine account.

• Registration link: https://northfieldyouthbaseball.sportngin.com/register/form/932190813

❓ Questions about In-House programs or Registration?

Danny DuChene - In-House President - NYBAPresident.InHouse@gmail.com

Missy Spitzack - In-House Director - NYBAInHouseDirector@gmail.com

⚾ Play ball!

There will be a parent presentation held on Monday, March 2nd at 6:00 p.m. at the high school on the topic of Student Online Safety. Parents of all 4th and 5th graders are welcome to attend. Please reach out to Heather Stanton Ims (hstantonims@northfieldschools.org) with any questions.

Welcome, New Middle School Families!

We look forward to you and your student attending the 5th Grade Parent Night / WEB event on Thursday, March 19, 2026, from 5:30 - 6:30 p.m. Parents and students will report to the Middle School auditorium for a welcome from staff. Students will then be dismissed to meet our awesome 8th grade WEB leaders for some fun activities and parents will have a presentation in the auditorium.

Save the Date:

We will have WEB Orientation for all incoming sixth graders on Friday, August 28th. Please watch for an email with further details this summer.

We are very excited to welcome all of you to our Middle School family. Please do not hesitate to contact us if you have questions.

Greg Gelineau
Northfield Middle School Principal

Yearbooks are ready to order!

1.Visit www.strawbridge.net

2. Enter code: YB32386

3. Select either the standard yearbook option, or select the personalization you would like (personalization is only available for online orders)

All yearbook orders are due by April 3, 2026.

In the event that Northfield Public Schools are closed due to inclement weather, the first full school day cancellation due to winter weather was not replaced with an e-Learning day. Any future school closures during the 2025-2026 school year will be replaced with e-Learning days. Please see the plan for e-Learning days linked below.

All absences should be reported by 9:00 AM each day a student is absent.

• Call the attendance line and leave a message (507-664-3306) OR

• Email: bwattendance@northfieldschools.org

• Student’s full name
• Classroom teacher
• Reason for absence and symptoms if it is illness related
• Phone number to reach you if there are any questions

Please do not leave messages on the attendance line for changes to the end of day routine. Please call the office at 507-664-3300 by 2:00 p.m. instead.

While documentation is not required until after 10 illness absences, it is recommended that parents/guardians provide the school with documentation each time their student misses

school and visits the doctor due to illness or for an appointment. After 10 illness-related absences, medical documentation will be required to excuse any additional illness/appointment related absences.

Personal days include vacations, family events, or non-school sponsored sports or academic activities, etc. After 5 personal absences, a request must be submitted via Google Form (link below) for any additional personal absences to be excused. Additional absences will be considered unexcused unless approved by the school administration.

Attendance Line

507-664-3306

Benjamin Bus

507-645-5720

BW Main Office

507-664-3300

Office Hours: 7:00 a.m.-4:00 p.m.

Nurse

507-664-3305

• School starts each day at 8:20 a.m. (except Wednesdays) and dismisses at 3:20 p.m.

• On Wednesdays, students start at 9:20 a.m.

• Students are allowed to arrive between 8:00-8:20 a.m. (9:00-9:20 a.m. on Wednesdays) if not eating breakfast at school. Supervision will be in place during that time on the playground.

• Please do NOT park in the drop off lane. If your child isn't exiting your vehicle right away, please park in the lot and walk them to the building at the appropriate time.

• Breakfast (optional for all students) begins at 7:50 a.m. (8:50 a.m. on Wednesdays). Once they are done eating, students will go outside until 8:20 a.m.

If your student’s end of the day plans is going to differ from their normal routine (ie. your child will be picked up by mom/dad instead of riding the bus home), please call the main office number (507-664-3300) no later than 2:00 p.m.

*Please do not leave messages on the attendance line for changes to the end of day pick up routine.

The safety of our students is always our top priority. Each year, we practice a variety of safety drills so students know what to do in case of an emergency. This year, our elementary schools will be using the Standard Response Protocol, which includes five simple actions that give everyone a shared language and clear steps to follow. These drills are designed to help students feel prepared, not scared. Families will always be notified at least 24 hours in advance before we hold a lockdown drill.

All volunteers in our school buildings are required to complete a confidentiality acknowledgment, plus an informed consent form that grants permission for the district to conduct a criminal background check. A background check needs to be completed each year in order to volunteer in the schools or chaperone field trips. Please click the link below to complete a background check for the 2025-2026 school year, and allow processing time of 24 hours prior to your event. You can call the Bridgewater office at 507-664-3300 if you have questions.

There are many activities that children and adults may access during the course of the year. Click the "button" below to check out current event, activity, and resource opportunities.

Mar 2--Compañeros Parent Meeting for Current Kindergarten Families - Bridgewater Cafeteria (6:00 p.m.)

Mar 5--3rd Grade Field Trip - History Museum

Mar 6--4th Grade Field Trip - Mill City Museum

Mar 16--All District Band Concert (7:00 p.m.) - Northfield HS Gym - Student call time 6:15 p.m.

Mar 17--Bridgewater Booster Club (BBC) Meeting (6:00-7:00 p.m.)

Mar 19--6th Grade Parent Information Night at Middle School (for this year's 5th grade families) 5:30 p.m.

Mar 20--End of 3rd Quarter

Mar 23-27--No School-Spring Break

Mar 30--No School-Teacher Preparation Day

Apr 14--Bridgewater Booster Club (BBC) Meeting

Apr 17--2nd Grade Field Trip - Science Museum

May 11--Kindergarten Field Trip - Children’s Museum

May 12--Bridgewater Booster Club (BBC) Meeting (6:00-7:00 p.m.)

May 12--Band and Choir Concert - Bridgewater Gym (7:00 p.m.)

May 14--5 Grade Field Trip to Riverside Education Days (9:30-2:30)

May 15--Boosterthon Fun Run

May 22--No School-Teacher Preparation Day

May 25--No School Memorial Day

Mary 26--Ag Day

June 9--5th Grade Graduation (1:15-3:00)

June 10--Last Day of School (2 hour early dismissal)

The Northfield School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, creed, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, familial status, status with regard to public assistance, sexual orientation, including gender identity or expression, or disability and prohibits discrimination in any education program or activity that it operates, as required by Title IX, including in employment. You can learn more at: https://northfieldschools.org/about/departments/human-resources/ under the Title IX tab.

World-Class Learning for Elementary Students, Bridgewater Elementary School, situated on a 14-acre campus just south of downtown Northfield, is a K-5 public school serving approximately 560 students. It serves the neighborhoods on Northfield's southern side, Dundas, and the rural area south of Highway 19 and west of Highway 246. Students benefit from an active parent-teacher organization, Bridgewater Booster Club (BBC) and many parent volunteers.

The staff is intensely dedicated to offering a high-quality, well-rounded education that strives to meet the specific needs of each student. We focus on empowering our students in their academic and social emotional learning along with building a solid foundation for their educational journey in partnership with families.

Main Office Number: 507-664-3300

Attendance Line: 507-664-3306

Address: 401 Jefferson Parkway

Web page: northfieldschools.org/schools/bridgewater-elementary/