
September 2023 Birch Grove Bulletin

09/05/2023
Welcome Back!
A Message From Principal Salazar
Dear BG families,
Welcome back to another wonderful year of learning. Today, as we opened the school doors teachers came out to welcome the students and families. It was exciting to see the high energy level, hugs, tears and smiles, everything that made the first day so special.
We thank you for attending the open house as it indicates the high level of family participation at Birch Grove. We are always a call/email/text message away. Our doors are open to you any time you need to visit with me and/or Ms. Patterson.
Please complete the form for educational benefits (known as free and reduced lunch). Every student will receive a free meal, but we still need you to complete the form because its impacts other areas of our budget. Please visit the district website to learn more about the referendum. It will pay for several improvements at our school.
New this year: Student drop off and breakfast is 9:15 am, classes begin at 9:30 am. PM PreK and first grade parent pick up, please park in front of the school. It will provide you with more time to buckle your student up and more space for parents lining up to pick up their students.
Please contact our social worker, Megan Ruhland, if you need any type of assistance at RuhlandM@District279.org.
Let us have a great school year!
Dr. Ronald Salazar, Principal
Announcements & Important Information
Arrival & Dismissal
- New this year: Students will not be allowed in the building until 9:15 am. Breakfast will not start until 9:15. Please do not drop your student off early as there will be no staff supervision and the building will not be open.
- School starts every day at 9:30 am. Students arriving after 9:30 will need to enter through the office to receive a pass to class.
- If your student will be absent from school, please call the attendance line at 763-561-1374 (option 1) to report their absence.
- School ends at 4:00 pm. All students must be picked up by 4:00!
- If you need to make a change in your child's end of day plans, such as changing from riding the bus to parent pickup, please call the office at 763-561-1374 by 3:30 pm to ensure this information gets to your child's teacher on time.
Minnesota Free School Meals Program
It is still encouraged that all families complete the free/reduced meal application, also known as the Educational Benefits Application, at the start of the school year. This information is used to determine benefits such as reduced costs for school equipment/activity fees for qualifying families, as well as additional funding for the school. Click the image to complete the Educational Benefits Application.
Learn more about the Free School Meals program here: https://education.mn.gov/MDE/dse/FNS/SNP/free/
Complete the educational benefits application form here: https://tinyurl.com/2cec6kev
Transportation & Buses
Birch Grove does not have immediate information on bus routes. If you call the school to get information, Birch Grove staff must call the transportation providers for updates on routes. FirstView is the fastest and easiest way to get information, followed by contacting transportation directly at one of the following phone numbers:
In District: 763-391-7244
Out of District: 612-789-5128
Learn more about FirstView here: https://www.district279.org/services/transportation/firstview-bus-tracking-app
Upcoming Events
September 19th: PTO Meeting
PTO meetings are held on the third Tuesday of every month. Birch Grove's first PTO meeting will be on Tuesday, September 19th at 6:00 pm in the Birch Grove Media Center. You may also join online at the Google Meet link below.
September 21st: Picture Day
Osseo Area Schools are excited to welcome Kemmetmueller Photography, Inc. as the district's school photography provider! Information on how to order school picture packages will be sent home with your child the week prior to Picture Day.
September 29th: PTO Steak Fry & Bake Sale
The PTO Steak Fry & Bake Sale will be held at the Osseo Maple Grove American Legion on Friday, September 29th! Bring your family and friends and support Birch Grove Elementary School for the Arts! Volunteers are needed for setup, cleanup, running food, and more. Sign up at the link below to volunteer - open to adults and kids 5th grade and older!
Osseo Maple Grove American Legion
260 4th Ave SE
Osseo, MN 55369
5:00 pm - 8:00 pm
October 7th: Reading is Fun 5K
Sign up for the Reading is Fun 5K on October 7th! Money raised for this event are allocated to libraries and media centers in the Osseo Area Schools to purchase learning resources. Register before September 11th for the Early Bird discount! Learn more and register at the link below.
Birch Grove Quick Calendar
Building a Better Future, Phase II
Building a Better Future, Phase II, is the second phase in improving our schools as determined through a multi-year research process that involved staff, families and community members. Their work revealed critical safety/security needs, teaching and learning needs, and building space needs with regard to programming and current and predicted population growth. A big thank you goes out to everyone who volunteered countless hours to closely analyzing the needs of all our schools.
Phase II, which in addition to addressing critical school building needs, expands on efforts already made in Phase I and continues strategic plan work. The priorities in this portion of the plan are:
Secure learning environments with enhanced safety.
Spaces for math, science and career programs, specialized learning services and growing student populations.
Access to similar learning experiences at all district schools, including program opportunities, class size levels and the functionality of spaces.
It’s been more than 20 years since the community has been asked to reinvest in school building needs. Voters made their voices heard during Phase I of the Building a Better Future plan – education is a priority to our community. Now, voters can make their voices heard again on Nov. 7, 2023 by considering these school building needs. If the ballot question is approved, the tax increase would be less than $7/month for the average-value home in our district ($300,000).
This final phase of Building a Better Future meets the overall needs of our schools for the foreseeable future – equipping students with what they need to succeed both today and many years to come.
Visit district279.org/BetterFuture for additional details, a look at both phases of Building a Better Future and answers to frequently asked questions.
Contact Information
Dr. Ronald Salazar, Principal: SalazarR@District279.org
Lindsey Patterson, Assistant Principal: PattersonLindsey@District279.org
Elise Dorgan, Administrative Assistant: DorganE@District279.org
Abbie Lecy, Counselor: LecyA@District279.org
Megan Ruhland, Social Worker: RuhlandM@District279.org
School Nurse, Direct Line: 763-549-2308
Help Desk & Tech Support: HelpDesk@District279.org
Useful Links
Osseo Area Schools are Hiring!
Osseo Area Schools ISD279 offers varies meaningful job opportunities! Learn more by completing the ISD279 Job Interest Form and our recruitment & retention team will connect with you or by visiting www.district279.org/careers.
4690 Brookdale Drive
Brooklyn Park, MN 55443
Phone: 763-561-1374
Transportation: 763-391-7244