Welcome Back

Dear Ada-Borup-West Elementary Families,

Welcome to the 2024-2025 school year! We are thrilled to kick off another exciting year of learning and growth at our school. This year, we have made some changes to how we start the school year, and I’m excited to share these with you.

For the first time, we will be starting the school year with assessment days. This approach allows us to get to know your child’s individual strengths and needs right from the start. Class assignments and assessment day schedules were mailed out last Friday. If you have not received yours, please don’t hesitate to contact the office so we can ensure you have the information you need.

Please note that, unlike in previous years, we will not be holding an open house. Instead, we welcome all students to bring their school supplies with them to their scheduled assessment time. During this visit, they will have the opportunity to meet their teacher and explore their new classroom, setting the stage for a smooth transition into the new school year.

The first full day of school will be on Thursday, September 5th, and we are looking forward to seeing everyone then, ready and eager to learn.

Thank you for your continued support, and here’s to a fantastic year ahead!

Warm regards,

Bree Triplett, M.Ed., Ed.S.
Elementary Principal
Ada-Borup-West Elementary

Hi everyone! I’m Ali Swenson and this will be my fourth year as a teacher. I grew up in Ada and graduated from Ada-Borup in 2015 - I am so happy to be back! I currently live in Shelly with my husband, Eli, my daughter, Taryn, and my golden retriever, Mabel. I am looking forward to being part of the Ada-Borup-West team!

We are thrilled to welcome Deanne Flom to our 3rd-grade team this year! Deanne brings a wealth of knowledge and experience to the classroom, having served in various district administrative roles and working across different districts. Her deep understanding of curriculum and instruction, combined with her passion for teaching, will be a tremendous asset to our students. We are excited for the fresh perspectives and expertise she will bring to our 3rd graders, helping them achieve new heights in their learning journey.

Hello! My name is Courtney Farwell, and I am thrilled to be teaching 4th grade this year. This will be my 10th year teaching. Over the past nine years, I have had the privilege of working with the Waubun Ogema White Earth School District. During that time, I taught 5th and 6th grades in the Waubun School Forest for three years and served as a Junior High Math Teacher for six years.

When I am not in the classroom, I love spending time outdoors with my wonderful family—my husband, Mark, our daughter, Maisyn, and our lovable pug, Leo.

I am incredibly excited to join the ABW school district and am looking forward to an amazing year ahead!

Hello! My name is Kelsey Merkens and I will be the Ada-Borup-West school nurse. I am originally from Twin Valley, and now reside in Ada with my husband- Austin, son- Harrison and our two cats. I have a Bachelor of Science in Nursing degree from NDSU and work as a Registered Nurse for Norman-Mahnomen Public Health. In my spare time, I enjoy listening to podcasts, reading, playing board games with friends and spending time with my family. I look forward to getting to know the students and staff at Ada-Borup-West this fall!

In this week's newsletter, we're introducing an important change to our start-of-year procedures for the upcoming academic school year (2024-2025). Please take a moment to read the attached letter, which outlines the introduction of Assessment Days on Tuesday, September 3rd, and Wednesday, September 4th, for our Kindergarten through 5th-grade students. These days will offer valuable opportunities for parent/student/teacher conferences, academic assessments, and essential health screenings, setting the stage for a successful year ahead. Preschool students will not have scheduled time, but are welcome to visit their classroom and meet the teachers and staff during the two Assessment Days (8:00 AM-3:00 PM).

Thank you for your continued support and involvement in your child's education. We look forward to partnering with you for the success of your child.

Attention Ada-Borup-West Elementary Families!

As we gear up for another amazing school year, it's time to start thinking about school supplies.

To make your back-to-school shopping a breeze, we've got the 2024-2025 School Supply List ready for you! Check out the link below to see what your students will need for the upcoming year.

Let's get ready for a fantastic year of learning and growth!

With the school year fast approaching, it’s time to think about transportation again. Here are a few reminders, along with some new updates for this year:

If you have moved over the summer, please let the school know as soon as possible. This will ensure I have the correct information when I begin creating the bus routes in the next few weeks.

We will need to make some changes to Bus 7 this year due to road construction in Perley. I’m not sure of all the specifics yet, as we need to wait and see how far the project progresses before school starts. However, to start the school year, Bus 7 will not be picking up students in Georgetown or south of Perley. Instead, students will need to be picked up somewhere in Perley. I will provide more detailed information to the affected families closer to the start of school.

Another significant change this year involves Cougar Pack bussing. There will be no Cougar Pack bus for Ada. However, the shuttle bus to Hendrum and Halstad will operate four days a week for Cougar Pack students, with no shuttle service on Fridays.

If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at shawnr@ada.k12.mn.us or call 218-784-5311.

GPS Link:

Please bookmark the GPS Link for the upcoming year.

https://cloud.samsara.com/o/3733/fleet/viewer/N5ZIOxjL8NM7gXdB2etZ

Transportation Policy Change:

Parents with students in grades K-2 will be required to fill out a Transportation Plan.

**Please note that bus changes WILL NOT be allowed the day of and MUST be approved by the transportation department.

**Day of changes from bus to pick up MUST be communicated to Elementary Office (merileep@ada.k12.mn.us) and to the teacher’s Remind account. If a response is not received from district staff, a phone call must be made to 218-784-5303.

**If a change from bus to adult pick up occurs, the adult MUST come in and sign out the student in the office no later than 3:05PM. Students will not be brought out to the pick-up lane.

Nurse’s Corner:

Hello! With back to school approaching quickly the health office has a few reminders. Please ensure that all health information forms mailed out by the school are completed and returned to the health office. If your child needs any medication during the school day, a medication administration form needs to be signed by both a parent/guardian and your child’s medical provider. Please bring your child’s medication to the health office by the first day of school. Check with your child’s medical provider to ensure their immunizations are up to date. If your child has a chronic illness such as asthma, seizures, allergies, or diabetes, additional paperwork needs to be filled out. If your child has any health changes throughout the school year, please notify the health office. Your child’s health and safety are our top priority, and open communication with the health office makes this possible.

As your school nurse I will in the health office one day a week and available by phone Monday-Friday 8-4:30. Char, the health aide, will be in the health office each school day. Please give us a call if you have any questions or concerns.

Kelsey Merkens, RN, PHN

School Nurse

Ada-Borup-West Public Schools

Phone: 218-280-3125

Email: breet@ada.k12.mn.us
Website: https://www.ada.k12.mn.us/
Location: 604 West Thorpe Avenue, Ada, MN, USA
Phone: 218-784-5000
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100057630782213)