Bridges Community School

Bridges Office Phone Number 507-387-2800

Secretary (Amanda Robinson)

Health Assistant (Holly Kelly)

Principal (Jody Rittmiller)

🐻 Important School Updates: December Learning and Daily Routines

As we enter the month of December, I want to share a few important reminders and exciting updates regarding our daily operations and student learning.

⏰ Start of the School Day

Please remember that the school day officially begins at 8:10 AM. Arriving on time ensures our students are settled, ready for the day's instruction, and prepared to take full advantage of their learning opportunities from the moment the students arrive. Students are marked tardy if they aren't in the classroom starting at 8:20 AM

🚌 Keeping Our Bus Lanes Clear

For the safety and efficiency of our student transportation, we kindly ask that you do not use the bus lanes for drop-off or pick-up before or after school. Keeping these lanes completely clear allows our school buses to operate safely and promptly, ensuring all students get to and from school smoothly.

📈 A Month of Growth and Learning: NWEA Assessments

December is a month of great growth as students prepare to show what they know! We will be conducting our winter NWEA Math and Reading assessments this month.

• These assessments are a valuable tool we use to accurately measure student progress and help us adjust our instruction to meet the specific needs of each learner.

• Please help your child get a good night's rest and a healthy breakfast on testing days. We are so proud of the tremendous growth we have seen so far this year!

🧸 Lost and Found

Please check the lost and found before winter break if you are missing anything! It is very full once again and will be donated during winter break.

Thank you for your partnership in making Bridges a safe, nurturing, and high-achieving environment. We look forward to a successful and productive December!

Partners in Learning,

Mrs. Rittmiller

Please complete this form to let us know what your plans are for early release. School will dismiss at 12:50. This form needs to be completed every month for staffing purposes.

https://forms.gle/HG1z6Acg8S3LVsFP8

Classrooms have completed their first Global Unit of Study! Take a look below at what each grade has learned this fall and what they will learn in the spring of year 1!

Click here

Students can work independently or with 1-2 other students. We believe students can have 3 in group when they get to regionals.

Mrs. Zarn (STEM teacher), Mrs. Parno (Special Education Paraprofessional), Mrs. Modrow (3rd Grade Teacher), Mrs. Copeland (2nd Grade Teacher)

Dear Bridges Parents and Guardians,

This December, students across the district will be taking the NWEA MAP Growth Assessment. This assessment is a simple, effective tool that helps us measure your child's academic knowledge and growth in Reading and Math. The scores help teachers check student performance by measuring achievement and growth and can be used to tailor classroom lessons and set goals for students.

Our students will be taking the NWEA assessments online between December 1-18. Each teacher will set aside about an hour for each of the two assessments (Math and Reading). It is not a timed test, so we will make sure each student has the time to complete the assessment at their own pace. If your student is absent during their class’ designated assessment time(s), we will find a time to have them complete the assessment before winter break.

NWEA Growth Assessments are unique and adapt to your child’s responses to measure your child’s knowledge. If your child answers a question correctly, the next question is more challenging. If they answer incorrectly, the next one is easier. These results will provide a more complete picture of where your child is on their learning journey—regardless of whether they are on, above, or below their grade level.

Since NWEA Growth tests provide immediate and accurate information about your child’s learning, it’s easy for teachers to identify students with similar scores in similar skills and topics and then plan instruction accordingly.

If you have any questions about this formative assessment, please feel free to reach out to your child's teacher or the principal.

Key Dates for 2025-2026:

• October 1, 2025 Application Window Opened

• January 23, 2026 Application Window Closes

• February 13, 2026 The notification process to Families of elected seats through application lottery begins; Everyone in the lottery will receive either an offer or waitlist notification.

• Deadline to Accept or Decline Accepted Applications is one week from the date the offer notification is sent.

Please read this document for more information regarding the lottery process for Bridges Community School. Click here

Snow season is just around the corner! In preparation, here is an important resource that is available on the ISD77 website for your review:

Weather Related Information - includes details on where to find out about weather related closings and late starts. Please note the MAPS Notification Line: 507-387-6046.

Dear Families,

We want to remind you that our ACES School Age Child Care Program uses the school playground as part of its daily programming. To ensure a safe and structured environment for ACES students, the playground is reserved for their use until the program ends at 6:00 p.m.

After 6:00 p.m., the playground is open to the public. We appreciate your cooperation in helping us maintain a safe and supportive space for all students.

If you’re looking for alternative play spaces before 6:00 p.m., the City of Mankato provides a list of parks here, and a map of North Mankato parks can be found here.

Thank you for your understanding and support!

Find more information HERE.

Looking for a way to connect to MAPS? We strive to connect our community to our district and schools. Subscribe to this newsletter to get the current information and links to events.

Follow MAPS Facebook and Instagram for student celebrations:

Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/ISD77MAPS

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/isd77maps/

MAPS Website: https://www.isd77.org/

Bridges BAC Website: BAC website link: : https://bridgesbears.weebly.com/faq.html