Bridgewater Bear Tracks

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

One of our goals is to engage all of you in your child's learning experience at Bridgewater. This fall, we will be holding grade level breakfasts. I'll share more details about the breakfast at a later date, but I wanted you to get these dates on your calendars. 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 breakfast dates:

Friday, October 13th - 5th Grade

Friday, November 3rd - 4th Grade

Friday, November 10th - 3rd Grade

Friday, November 17th - 2nd Grade

Friday, December 1st - 1st Grade

Friday, December 8th-Kindergarten

The Social Skills Improvement System Brief + Mental Health Scales (SSIS SEL screener) is a short screener that is completed by a student (grades 3-12), or their teacher (grades K-2). The screener takes between 5 and 8 minutes to complete. The focus of the scales is a student’s social emotional learning (SEL) (including self-awareness, self-management, social awareness, relationship skills, and responsible decision making) and emotional behavioral concern (internalizing and externalizing). The purpose of this online screener is to identify areas of strength and emotional behavioral concerns in students. This will help inform teachers and school leaders in planning Social Emotional Learning (SEL) instructional and programmatic supports for students. If you do not want your child to participate in the screener, here is the link to the family opt out form in English and in Spanish. The Parent letter is attached below.

A huge thank you to our custodians as we celebrate Custodian Appreciation Day on Monday, October 2nd. The team of Juan, Jerry and Oscar help keep our school clean and running smoothly. We appreciate their hard work and care for Bridgewater Elementary! Thank you, Juan, Jerry and Oscar!!

The Raider football team will be playing the Chaska Hawks at 2:00 p.m. on Saturday, Sept. 30th. The elementary students have done a great job at the past two home games, and it would be great to see the same happen at all home games. Just a simple reminder that students need to be accompanied by an adult, and that adult is responsible for supervising while at the game. Go Raiders!!

We are happy to have you join your child for lunch. 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.

• If you bring items to share with your child, please make sure that it is just for your child, not the other students due to food allergies.
• Please supervise your group while you are there. Students are expected to stay at their table and eat lunch.
• Thank you!

Drop-in Bilingual Homework Help started this week at Northfield Public Library. Tutoring/homework help is available Monday through Friday from 4:00-6:00 pm for K through 12th grade students.

https://www.facebook.com/northfieldpubliclibrary/posts/pfbid02FvGgco6cQrjcVXCFqxqTCMFPt3A6hFgTBtYTkCH8uSVGxHadBZbJY3QbJTfVLVe5l

I thought I would take a moment again this year to share a little bit about myself so that you may get to know me better. I am originally from a small town on the North Shore, Lutsen, MN. I graduated from Cook County High School, and had the pleasure of seeing Lake Superior every day on my ride to and from school on the bus! This is my 17th year at Bridgewater as the principal. Previously, I was a head principal for five years in Worthington. I am also an adjunct professor for Concordia St. Paul preparing teachers to become administrators. I am married to my husband Doug and we have two adult children, Chris and Jen. My mother, Muriel Lyght, has also lived with us for the past twenty-six years. My son Chris graduated from St. Cloud State University where he also played on the football team. He is currently working in St. Paul as an associate account executive for the St. Paul Arena Company, owners of the Xcel Energy Center, the River Centre, MN Wild, and the Roy Wilkins Auditorium. Jen also graduated from St. Cloud State, and is working at an elementary school in St. Cloud and a daycare in Sartell. It seems like just yesterday when they were students at Bridgewater, and I am very proud of them.

I also stay busy professionally trying to stay current across the state and nation. I am a Past-President of the MN Elementary Principals’ Association and serve on the Board of School Administrators. I was also asked to represent seven states on the NAESP National Racial Equity Task Force. I have learned so much through all of these experiences and it is great to see what happens in other school districts across the country.

I thoroughly enjoy working with students, staff and families, and try my best to learn the names of all the students. I cannot imagine not being around children; they are such great gifts and bring happiness with lots of energy! I am also a huge sports fan and that is why you may see me at many local sporting events when they are in session. The picture is my son and me at a MN Lynx game!

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. 10---BBC Meeting-6:00 pm BW Media Center

Oct. 19-22 MEA-No School for Students

Oct. 27---Bus Driver Appreciation Breakfast

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

Nov. 8---Picture Re-Take Day

Nov. 10---Veterans Day Assembly

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

Nov. 21---Grandparent's Day

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

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