Bulldogs Newsletter October 2, 2023

Hello Basswood families,

This month is National Childhood Cancer Awareness Month and we are hosting a PJammin’ event to in support of kids that are fighting cancer. The American Childhood Cancer Organization (ACCO) is our partner for this event.

Why Pajamas? Pajamas are the battle uniform of kids with cancer. Stuck in the hospital for long period of time during treatment, these children live in pajamas while fighting for their life. PJammin' is a way to raise awareness about childhood cancer and to help them feel less alone. (ACCO, 2024)

How does it work? Sadly, we have a number of Basswood students that have battled cancer and some of them will share about their experiences fighting cancer on BWTV. We will also provide an opportunity for our students to make a difference. It works like this...

• Bring a few dollars for ACCO
• Wear Pajamas to school on Friday, September 20th in support of kids who are fighting cancer.

In partnership,

Steven Schwartz

Basswood Principal

Over the next several months, elementary and middle school attendance boundaries will be reviewed to determine needed changes. These adjustments will reassign the elementary and/or middle school some households are zoned to attend. Our community’s support of Building a Better Future in 2023 is helping to minimize the extent of the changes.

Community involvement matters: There will be multiple ways for staff, students, parents/caregivers and community members to be involved throughout this process. The first opportunity is to share what considerations should be adhered to during the review via this ThoughtExchange. Please note any responses you provide are anonymous and can be completed within minutes. The provided feedback will help the team create draft attendance boundary scenarios. Staff, students, parents/caregivers and community members will then be able to provide feedback on each of the possibilities presented.

Timeline: This first feedback opportunity is open until Oct. 9. Scenarios will be created mid-October through December using the considerations shared. These scenarios will be presented shortly after winter break. Edits may be made based on that feedback, and again presented with the opportunity to share comments. The overall process is expected to wrap up in the spring. The new attendance boundaries will go into effect fall 2026.

Stay tuned: Detailed information will continue to be shared on the district website, district279.org. Any questions or concerns should be directed to BetterFuture@district279.org or 763-391-8990.

In the Osseo Area Schools, students in grades 2-12 will take the mySAEBRS assessment this fall and again this spring. The mySAEBRS assessment, which stands for Minnesota Student Academic Behavioral Rating Scales, is student self-evaluation. It provides valuable insights into areas such as social skills, emotional well-being, and behavioral strengths and challenges. This assessment helps us gain a more comprehensive understanding of your child's needs, allowing us to better support their growth and development. For more information about assessment items and questions asked click here. If you would like to opt your child out of this assessment, please complete the Parent/Guardian Refusal for Student Participation in Districtwide Assessments/Testing linked on https://www.district279.org/academics/assessments.

Volunteer opportunity! Please take a look and sign up if available.
Hearing and Vision Screenings – Tues/Wed/Thur - Sept. 17, 18, and 19

Highest need on Thursday, Sept 19th! No experience necessary. Training provided.

https://tinyurl.com/3a75b7y7

Do you love people? Would you like to serve the Basswood community?

We have an opening on our office team and are seeking someone that would enjoy welcoming families as an office assistant - Educational Support Person(ESP).

We will be interviewing soon. Apply today at www.district279.org/careers

Questions: Contact Steven Schwartz at schwartzsteven@district279.org

• Week of September 16: Bus Safety Week
• September 17, 18, 19: Vision & Hearing Screening for 1st, 3rd, & 5th grades
  
• September 19: PTO Meeting 6:30-8pm
• September 20: PJammin' Day! Wear your jammies to school!

• September 27: Spirit Day - Border Battle, wear your Vikings or Packers gear to show your pride!
  
• October 4: Fun Run Event!!
• October 7, 9, 14: Conferences
  
• October 13: PTO Kindness in Chalk
  
• October 14: Picture Day (please note this date changed from 10/3 to 10/14)
  

• 2nd grade: 10:45 - 11:10am
• 4th grade: 11:15 - 11:40am
• 1st grade: 11:45 - 12:10pm
• 3rd grade: 12:15 - 12:40pm
• 5th grade: 12:45 - 1:10pm
• Kindergarten: 1:15 - 1:40pm

First bell rings at 8:40am letting students into the school. Second bell rings at 8:50am letting students know they should be in their classroom ready to start the day! At 8:50am, the front doors are shut and student will need to come through the office to get a late pass.

We welcome and encourage volunteers at Basswood. You can complete an online volunteer form online at apps.raptortech.com/Apply/Nzg0OmVuLVVT and work with our volunteer coordinator, Lezlie Northagen. Volunteer information will go home the first week of school. Activities in a normal school year include being a classroom assistant, helping with classroom parties, helping with PTO sponsored activities (Carnival, Turkey Bingo, Book Fair, etc.) along with numerous other opportunities. We continue to follow state guidelines and adjust our volunteer program accordingly.

Every parent or guardian of enrolled students of Basswood Elementary is an automatic member of the PTO. We encourage you to join one of our next general meetings - or just send us a note if you have a question. You can find more information on our PTO website: https://sites.google.com/view/basswoodpto/home?authuser=1 or on Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/BasswoodElementaryPto

Yes! You will be able to follow us on Facebook. Our first posts went live on September 5th. Please note that we are moving away from Twitter (@BWPrincipal279) for Basswood social media. Click here below to follow us.

The District Transportation department only allows students to ride their assigned bus to and from school. If you have questions, you can reach out to the Transportation Department at 763-391-7244 or transportationreques@district279.org.

If you are planning a family vacation or just time away from school, please remember to call your student's absence into the attendance line. You can call 763-494-3858 and press 1 to leave a message with your student's name, student's teacher, reason for absence, and dates that your student will be gone. We really appreciate your assistance!

Our district Community Education department offers a variety of after school classes. If you do sign your student up for one of these classes, please remember to let your student's teacher know about the class and when your student needs to stay after school.