Bridgewater Bear Tracks
Be Responsible, Be Respectful, Be Safe, Try Your Best
Defeat of Jesse James Days
There are many activities taking place for the DJJD today and this weekend. Here is the link for more information: https://www.djjd.org/
Some activities that students may enjoy are as follows:
Carnival Rides, Food, Bingo on Bridge Square, Kiddie Parade, Grand Parade, Rodeo, Duck Races and more! Have a great time!
Tips For Having a Good School Year
Here are six tips to make this year the best that it can be:
1. Make sure that your child gets plenty of sleep at night.
2. Communicate with your child's teacher.
3. Be positive about the school experience and staff.
4. Ask your child about the best part of his/her day.
5. Expect minor glitches at the beginning of the school year; it takes time to get the routine in place.
6. Speak up if you see or hear something that is questionable; we are all responsible for making school a safe environment.
Profanity
This should go without saying.... Please don't use profanity in the school and especially not around children. I was disappointed when I heard this twice from parents on the very first day of school. What you do and say around your house is your business, and I'm not getting into that. I just know that this language is not appropriate, and it sounds even worse repeated by children. Thank you!
Community School
Hello Bridgewater Families! Many of you took a moment to stop by the BW Community School table during family conferences, and we thank you!
Hopefully you received information on our upcoming open house/ice cream socials!
Kindergarten and 1st Graders - Wednesday, Sept. 14 from 5:30-7PM.
2nd and 3rd Graders - Wednesday, Sept. 21 from 5:30-7PM
4th and 5th Graders - Wednesday, Sept. 28 from 5:30-7PM
Thank you to all the families who have registered your child(ren) for Community School so far!! We will follow up with specific program offerings and schedules in the next couple of weeks! Remember to follow us on Facebook!
Please also contact the BW Community School Coordinator at jjones@northfieldschools.org, with any questions.
*** Volunteers Needed ***
Hearing & Vision Screening
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0C45A9AF22A7FDC70-hearing2
Date: Friday, 9/23/2022
Slot #1: 8:30am - 11:30am
Slot #2: 12:30pm - 3:00pm
Thank you very much for volunteering!
~ Bridgewater Booster Club
IMPORTANT REQUIREMENT: Northfield Schools require that all volunteers complete a background check - here's the website... https://northfieldschools.org/schools/bridgewater-elementary/volunteer/
Phy Ed Reminders
Hello! We have a couple important reminders for you and your student as we start off the 2022-2023 school
year!
- Please make sure your student has tennis shoes for P.E.
- - Shoes that are velcro or tie are preferred
- - Good vs Bad Shoes---(See below)
- - If you need help obtaining P.E. appropriate shoes, please let us know!
- - Shoe tying tips---(See below)
- If your student has P.E. in the morning, your student may also appreciate an extra pair of socks in their
backpack as the grass is often wet in the mornings
- If you have any shoes you are willing to donate, we would greatly appreciate it! Sizes of shoes that
would fit a kindergarten, 1st, and 2nd graders are in high demand and we have very few of those sizes.
- If your student is injured and receives a doctor's note, please have your student bring it to the school
nurse and then bring a copy to us ( P.E. teachers).
- If your student has a doctor's order to refrain from Physical Education class, they will be unable
to participate until we receive a doctor's note stating that they have been cleared to participate.
- 5th grade 5K will be on Tuesday, October 18, 2022.
- - 2022 5K Info. (See note below)
This year in Physical Education class, we started a challenge called the “Possible Shot”. This is a challenge
where students stand 5 feet away from a 4 inch PVC pipe standing upright and attempt to toss a tennis ball
into the tube. To make it even more challenging, students are not given any practice. Students are only allowed
to attempt the “Possible Shot” if they are chosen for having exemplary character skills that were determined for
that day.
On the second day of school, a 4th grade class was challenged with who could “work hard” in P.E. that day.
Many students did a nice job, but only 2 students were chosen to shoot. Despite the social media reviews on
the toughness of this task, the nearly impossible, possible shot was conquered by Nicole Salgado. Nicole was
nominated to shoot because she did an awesome job of setting an example for her peers with her energy and
perseverance. It became hot outside when playing tag, but Nicole did not let this get in the way of her
continuing to participate in P.E. and give her full effort. Nicole was able to make the “Possible Shot” on her
second toss! Nice job, Nicole!
We look forward to a great school year! Please do not hesitate to contact us with any questions or concerns!
Thank you!
Paul Bernhard and Shari McCabe
pbernhard@northfieldschools.org or smccabe@northfieldschools.org
Bridgewater Elementary Physical Education Teachers
Arrival Information--Parent Drop Off
Students should arrive no earlier than 8:00 a.m. each day (9:00 a.m. on Wednesdays) unless they are eating breakfast. Students arriving for breakfast may be dropped off starting at 7:50. Students will go to the playground for morning recess including those who are finished eating breakfast. Kid Ventures is still available for childcare before and after school; this is fee-based and your child must be registered before they may access this program. We will have staff inside the front door who will help your child find their way to the classroom or to breakfast.
When you pull up into the drop-off lane, please pull ahead as far as you can before letting your child exit your car. If there is a long line, please don't wait until you are directly in front of the door before letting your child out of your car. There is enough space for at least eight cars to drop off at the same time, and the children can walk up the sidewalk to the front door or playground.
End-of-Day --- Parent Pick Up
The end of the day is a busy time. You can only imagine trying to dismiss 530 students at the same time in an organized fashion, making sure students get to the correct place. These are the things that keep me awake at night and give me nightmares. We dismiss at 3:20 pm each day. It is most helpful if you arrive to pick up your child after 3:00 p.m.
As in the past, we will provide you a car-tag for your child. Please write your child's name and grade clearly on this tag, and place it so that it is visible through your windshield. This way you will drive up, we can read your child's name and make sure that your child gets to your car. Please keep your car-tag displayed until your child is in your car. Also, remain in your car and in line. This is similar to a drive through, were you place your order and receive your happy face. Please be patient, alert and courteous. Everyone has a schedule with places to go. We are trying our best! I did hear from another school yesterday where dismissal is taking them an hour!! We usually finish in under 20 minutes total! Whew!
Walkers
Students who live within the walking boundaries should leave home no earlier than 8:05 a.m. each morning. Leaving at this time will keep them out of the way of high school traffic, and this is a safety issue. Crossing guards will be at their post at Raider Drive and Jefferson Parkway in the morning at 8:00 a.m. (9:00 a.m. on Wednesdays), and at 3:20 p.m. in the afternoon. Students should always cross with the patrols and not at other places on Jefferson Parkway. Please talk to your child about going directly to school in the morning and directly home in the afternoon. We have found several students at the park in the afternoon since they didn't walk directly home.
Lunch with Students--Begins on Sept. 19th
We are happy to have you join your child for lunch. Please give us two weeks to set the routines for the students before you come in. Remember that you are welcome to dine with your child/children and two friends maximum. We also appreciate when you help to clean up the space when you are done since we are busy with the rest of the students. Thank you for understanding!
Visitors
Visitors are allowed in the building during the school day. Unfortunately, this does not mean that parents are able to walk children to class. We are doing our very best to keep our students safe, and we will meet them at the front door to make sure they get to the correct room. Thank you for understanding!
School Pictures are scheduled on Tuesday, Sept. 27th during the school day. Picture packets will be sent home with students. Online orders may be done by going to www.strawbridge.net and using the code FM387945.
Activities
There are many activities that children and adults may access during the course of the year. Don't forget to check the numerous opportunities from the Northfield Community Education Program: https://northfieldschools.org/communityeducation/
Bridgewater Elementary School
World-Class Learning for Elementary Students K-5 Bridgewater Elementary School, situated on a 14-acrd campus just south of downtown Northfield, is a K-5 public school serving approximately 530 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.
Main Office Number: 507-664-3300
Attendance Line: 507-664-3306
Address: 401 Jefferson Parkway
Web page: northfieldschools.org/schools/bridgewater-elementary/
