Bridgewater Bear Tracks

Welcome to the 2026-2027 school year at Bridgewater Elementary! We have been busy planning all summer for the return of students to the hallways and classrooms. We hope you have all had a wonderful summer!

Family Conferences will take place on Wednesday, September 2nd (11:00-7:00) and Thursday, September 3rd (7:30-11:30). Links were sent with classroom placement information to sign up for the date and time that works best for you. While at Family Conferences you will have the opportunity to:

• Meet with your child's teacher and discuss the coming school year
• Sign up for Snack Cart (optional)
• Complete paperwork
• Have your child's school picture taken
• Make a car tag to display if your child is picked up at the end of the day

School pictures will be taken while you are at Bridgewater for Family Conferences. To place an online order for pictures, please visit the Strawbridge website and enter Bridgewater’s code: PX505349 under “Order Pictures & Yearbooks.” You will have 5 business days after Picture Day to order the images without being charged a fee. Order forms will also be available at the time pictures are taken (for same-day cash or check payments).

Picture re-takes will take place on October 6th, 2026.

Teacher placement information was sent via email yesterday. Please note that this process takes many hours, and this is why parent input was requested in April. Changes requested in August will not be honored except for extenuating circumstances. Thank you for understanding!

Reminder that the Bridgewater Booster Club (BBC) is paying the school supply fee for all Bridgewater students K-5. This generosity is due to the incredible amount of money raised by families at the Boosterthon Fun Run last spring. Please note, there is a short list of remaining items on the School Supply List below that will need to be purchased by each family.

New Breakfast Bag Announcement

If your student would like school breakfast we will be serving breakfast trays in the cafeteria from 7:50 a.m until school starts. We will have a limited number of breakfast bags available for students who have arrived after 8:20 a.m, who have checked in with the office and have received a tardy slip. We look forward to serving your children healthy, nutritious and delicious breakfast this school year!

Milk Prices

Milk is included in the price of a breakfast and lunch meal. Students who take milk only at meals will be charged $0.50 per carton. Please know that if your child is bringing lunch from home and ordering milk they will be charged $.50.

Our schools offer healthy meals each day. We are part of Minnesota’s Free School Meals Program. All students can get one breakfast and one lunch free of charge each day at school.

For menus, pricing and complete nutrition information please visit: Child Nutrition Service

Northfield Public Schools supports healthy eating choices. Please see the attached wellness letter. If you are interested in purchasing snack cart for your child (optional), please see the information below. Save time by printing out and bringing in the form during Family Conferences, or pay online beginning August 3rd.

https://northfieldschools.revtrak.net/bridgewater/Bridgewater-School-Fees/#/list

Elementary Parent Wellness Letter

Healthy Snack Cart Letter

Healthy Snack Cart Sign Up Form

Apply for Free/Reduced Educational Benefits

Our schools offer healthy meals each day. We are a part of Minnesota’s Free School Meals for Kids Program, which started in school year 2023-24. All students can get one breakfast and one lunch free of charge each day at school. For more information on this program click here (para español). Although no application is required to receive this free meal benefit, filling out the Application for Educational Benefits is still important! Your child(ren) may qualify for other benefits like reduced fees for school sports & activities. Your application may also help the school qualify for education funds, discounts, and other meal programs.

The appropriate form must be completed each school year and submitted to Child Nutrition Services for review and approval. Applications are available online to print on your own, at each principal’s office, each school kitchen, and are mailed to each household in August. If an application is needed in a different language please contact Child Nutrition Services. Applications are also available to fill out online in Family Access under the “Food Service” tab.

NEW THIS YEAR!

Bussing Information Now Sent via My Ride Parent App: Starting this school year, bussing information will be provided to families via the My Ride Parent App. Benjamin Bus will not be sending out bus cards this year, so this will be the sole way for families to obtain bussing information aside from calling Benjamin Bus.

Currently, there will be no transportation information available in a student’s profile but families can see student information and emergency contact information, etc. Benjamin Bus plans to have transportation information available the week of August 24.

🚌 Reminder: 2026-27 bus registration forms due

Bus Registration forms for the 2026-27 school year went home with students the week of May 18. The online option will not be available until after September 11. If your student did not receive a form, you may call Benjamin Bus at (507) 645-5720 to request transportation for the 2026-27 school year. Please submit your transportation requests by August 10 for service to begin September 8. Requests received after August 10 will not be processed until after September 15.

Transportation Fee

State statute requires districts to transport students who live two miles or more from their school. Northfield Public Schools charges a fee for transportation between the previous transportable boundary and up to two miles from school. This recommendation was approved as part of the priority-based budget reductions on April 28, 2025.

Here are the details:

• The fee is $250 per year per student, with a family cap of $500.

• Fee area:

• Elementary students: 0.75 miles to 1.99 miles from school

• Secondary students: 1.0 miles to 1.99 miles from school

• Families that qualify for Educational Benefits (Free/Reduced Lunch Form) will have their bus fee waived

• NEW - A Pay-to-Ride Option is now available for families residing in areas not currently eligible for transportation due to their close proximity to school and who would like their student to ride the bus. This option is contingent on space and routing availability. Please fill out a transportation form, and Benjamin Bus will notify you if you are eligible.

• Families who filled out a blank form should contact the district office at (507) 663-0600 to determine whether they will be required to pay a fee.

• If you have questions about the fee, contact Amy Stowe, Accounting Generalist at (507) 645-3440.

• Families who are required to pay a fee will be able to pay online starting August 15, 2026.

Northfield Public Schools and Benjamin Bus are committed to providing safe transportation to and from school while ensuring a sustainable financial model into the future.

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

Tuesday, September 8th is the first day of school for students. Please mark this on your calendar. We are excited to have the students return!

• 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.

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

• Email: bwattendance@northfieldschools.org

• Be sure to include the following detailed information:

• 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 instead. We notify students by 2:00 of these changes.

It is helpful for the office staff to know if your student will be late for school. You can do this one of three ways:

• Leave a message on the attendance line, available 24 hours/day (507-664-3306)

• Email bwattendance@northfieldschools.org

• Call the main office number (507-664-3300)

If your student arrives after 8:25 a.m., they will need to be checked-in by a parent in the office before heading to class.

Please contact the office (507-664-3300) if you plan on picking your student up before the 3:20 p.m. dismissal. All students need to be signed out in the office before leaving the building prior to the end of the school day. You can come into the office to pick your student up and sign them out.

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.

Please feel free to contact Kid Ventures for information on before or after school child care for your elementary student. Kid Ventures

September 2: Family Conferences and School Pictures
September 3: Family Conferences and School Pictures
September 8: First Day of School
September 9: One Hour Late Start (Wednesday)

October 6th: Picture Retakes

October 15-16: MEA Break

November 5: End of First Quarter

November 6: No School - Teacher Preparation Day

Please make sure to share medical needs for your child with Nurse Lucy Archibald. Any and all medications need to go through her as well. Please do not send medications on the bus with students. Thank you!

As we look forward to the 2026-2027 school year, we want to remind you that all students must meet the state and district immunization requirements for school attendance, as outlined in School Board Policy 530. The deadline for compliance is October 14, 2026. Students who do not have up-to-date immunization records or a valid exemption form on file by this date will be excluded from school until the requirements are met.

You may check what immunizations your child has or may need by selecting this link.

To ensure your child may continue attending school without disruption this fall, please complete one of the following as soon as possible:

• Obtain Required Immunizations: Schedule an appointment with your healthcare provider or contact Rice County Public Health at 507-332-6111 to inquire about upcoming free clinics. Once immunizations are completed, submit the documentation to the Health Office at your child’s school.

• Submit a Completed Exemption Form: Print the exemption form linked here.

• For medical exemptions: Your healthcare provider must complete and sign the form.

• For non-medical exemptions: Complete the appropriate section and have the form notarized.

• The required immunizations are listed directly on the form.
  
  

Documentation may be delivered in person, emailed to your child’s school building, or faxed to the school your child attends. We encourage families to address this requirement promptly to avoid any disruption to your student’s learning. If you have questions or need assistance, please contact the school office.

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 2026-2027 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.

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.

Please take a moment to review this online resource (Student Citizenship Handbook) for parents and students. The annual notifications for families are linked here for your reference as well.

If you do not want your child’s Directory Information to be released (name, address, phone number, photograph in yearbook or class photos, etc) please be sure to sign a copy of the Denial of Release of Directory Information form. A copy of the form can be found below. Copies of the form will also be available in the Greenvale Park office during Family Conferences.

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/