Bridgewater Bear Tracks

There will be no school for students and staff October 19-20. Have a wonderful MEA break!

Daylight Saving Time ends on Sunday, Nov. 5th. Don't forget to turn your clock back one hour for one extra hour of sleep.

Come to the front parking lot of the high school where high school students will have decorated their cars and will be handing out candy to the community. "We want the youth of Northfield schools to come show off their costumes and get some candy!" - NHS Student Council

There is no school for students on Monday, November 6; this is a Teacher Workday.

We will be celebrating Grandparents/Special Person Day on Tuesday, November 21st. You will receive information from your child’s teacher regarding the specific times and activities. We will provide refreshments in the commons area for our special guests. The parking lot will be full, and we will allow grandparents to park in the parking lots, the fire lane and the bus loop as long as cars are moved by 3:15 pm, in time for dismissal. Please don’t forget to notify your child’s teacher if you are allowing grandpa, grandma or special person to take your child home with them; we cannot allow them to go without your permission.

Bridgewater Gear is for sale until October 29th, through Larson's Printing. You may go online to see the items: https://larsonsprinting.itemorder.com/shop/ and enter the sale code: BRIDGE23 to make your selection. The form is included below. Attached below is the flyer and QR Code.

Wednesday, Nov. 8th is Picture Retake Day (9:40-11:40AM) in case your child was absent and missed Picture Day. For students that did not have their picture taken on the original picture date, click here to sign up for continuing information about availability of your students' retakes as well as Strawbridge notifications. When entering student information, parents should be sure to enter the student's name as it is on file at the school.

For students that would like to have their picture retaken, they need to return the original packet of pictures to the photographer on retake day. No forms need to be filled out.

Our annual Veterans Day Assembly will be held on Friday, November 10th at 9:00 a.m. in the gymnasium. If you have a loved one who is currently serving or has served in the armed forces, please consider emailing a photo of him/her to be included in our 2023 Veteran's Day Slide Show. The slide show will be included in the assembly. All families and Veterans are welcome to attend. We will only accept digital photos in .jpeg format. Please email your photos to Kayla LaVoy at: klavoy@northfieldschools.org no later than Thursday, November 2nd. You will receive a confirmation email in return indicating that we received your photo.

The Northfield Arts and Culture Commission has graciously allowed us to present our artwork at Northfield City Hall. The show will run until December 19, 2023. The art show is located in the second floor hallway. This is a unique opportunity for Northfield schools and community organizations to highlight the visual arts achievements of our young artists. Thank you second grade for your hard work, and I hope you will get the chance to go see your art in City Hall!

As the weather continues to get colder, students will want to wear warm clothes for going outside for recess. Please make sure to label clothing just in case they are left someplace and need to be returned to an owner.

One of our goals is to engage parents in your child's learning experience at Bridgewater. This fall, we will be holding morning grade level parent meetings in lieu of fall conferences. We will focus on social-emotional learning and tips for supporting literacy in the home. I wanted you to get these dates on your calendar, and will send out a separate invite before each event happens. The time-frame for each will be 7:35-8:10 a.m. and each event will be in the Media Center. Here are the dates:

Friday, November 3rd - 4th Grade

Friday, November 10th - 3rd Grade

Friday, November 17th - 2nd Grade

Friday, December 1st - 1st Grade

Friday, December 8th-Kindergarten

Bridgewater Community School is a free after-school enrichment program to those attending Northfield Public Schools. Programming includes, but is not limited to: homework help, various clubs and activities to support the academic and social skills students are learning during the traditional school day. Thank you for your continued support of our Community School! Our after school program is currently on a waiting list, if you would like to be placed on the waiting list please contact Grace Swanson at gswanson@northfieldschools.org

Happy Fall! All of us at the Northfield Area Family YMCA hope your school years are off to a

great start. As October arrives, we want to spotlight two special programs for families and

students that we would love to see you and your children at:

• School’s Out Days: Monday, November 6th
• Looking for a spot for your students to go to during their days off from school? At the Northfield Y, all students grades K-5 are welcome at our School’s Out Days, a program full of swimming, crafts, gym-time activities, and more! This program is an excellent care option for busy parents during school breaks such as MEA or teacher workshops.

• Fall Festival: Saturday, October 28th, 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
• Families and kids of all ages are welcome to join us at the Northfield Y for our Fall Festival, a day dedicated to celebrating the season and being together! The Northfield Y will be hosting a Zombie 5K run, a Floating Pumpkin Patch, Cookie Decorating, and more! Families are encouraged to explore, eat snacks, and take part in all the activities planned. Registration is required for the Zombie 5K and the Floating Pumpkin Patch, but the Fall Festival is free to enter!

• Fall 2 Programming: Registration is OPEN NOW!!!
• All of our brand-new program offerings for the end of fall are available now! Program activities include everything from dodgeball and volleyball to crafts and STEM club; no matter what your child is interested in, odds are there is a program that is perfect for them! Interested in learning more? Head to our website to explore what’s new and to register while spots last!

For more information and to register, visit our website or connect with our Member Services

team in person or by phone: 507-645-0088. We also offer transportation from Bridgewater to our afterschool programming. Contact us if needed. We hope to see you soon!

Attached are the lunch menus for October.

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/

Oct. 19-22 MEA-No School for Students

Oct. 27---BBC Spirit Day: Hero

Oct. 27 --- Bus Driver Appreciation Breakfast

Nov. 3---4th Grade Parent Breakfast

Nov. 6---No School for Students, Teacher Prep Day

Nov. 8---Picture Re-Take Day

Nov. 10---3rd Grade Parent Breakfast

Nov. 10---Veterans Day Assembly, 9:00 a.m. gymnasium

Nov. 14---BBC Meeting-6:00 pm BW Media Center

Nov. 17---2nd Grade Parent Breakfast

Nov. 21---Grandparent's Day

Nov. 22-26---Thanksgiving Break, No School for Students

Dec. 1st----1st Grade Parent Breakfast

Dec. 8th---Kindergarten Parent Breakfast

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/

Email: nantoine@northfieldschools.org