Bulldogs Newsletter October 2, 2023

Hello Basswood families,

I want to take this opportunity to thank our Basswood community for your ongoing support of our school. Thank you for your your generosity during our Fun Run Fundraiser. We had a celebration with all our Bulldogs yesterday to thank them for their efforts in the Fun Run (See photos.) The students and our staff had fun at the Inflatable Olympics. To see more about this event, check our our Facebook page. The link is below.

As we recognized the efforts of our students yesterday, I also want to recognize our Basswood community. Thank you!

In partnership,

Steven Schwartz

Basswood Principal

Join Osseo Area Schools for the first-ever School Choice Fair! This event is a wonderful opportunity to learn about the various schools and programs for all grade levels in the district, including early childhood, preschool, elementary, middle, high schools, magnet and online programs. Whether you have enrollment questions, need information about kindergarten, are new to the district, or looking to learn more about your child’s school or specialized programs, this event is the perfect chance to get everything you need in one spot.

EVENT DETAILS:
Date: Saturday, Nov. 16, 2024
Time: 9 a.m. - noon
Location: Osseo Senior High School, 317 5th St NW, Osseo, MN 55369
*This event is an open-house style event open to the public, come anytime between 9 a.m. - noon.

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.

• October 31: Spirit Day: Harvest Headwear Day...wear your most festive fall headwear! Maybe it is a hat or animal ears, sparkles, or leaves! Rock a headpiece that screams FALL! Please remember, no masks as we want to see those beautiful faces!
  

• November 5: No School / Teacher Workshop
  
• November 8: Turkey Bingo 5:45-8pm
• November 12: Picture Re-Take Day
• November 14: 5th grade Choir Concert 6:30pm
• November 16: School Choice Fair at OSH
  

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.

• 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

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.