Bridges Area Learning Center
Quarter 1 Community Newsletter
Year 10 and Many Changes
Of course another major change is that I will be on a military leave of absences while deployed to Kuwait this year with the 34th Infantry Division - The Red Bulls. As I have been transitioning out I experience so much love, caring and support by all. It was so wonderful and overwhelming to experience such caring from our Bridges community - students, alumni and parents alike! I am so appreciative of all of the kindness that was shown to me and our Bridges staff as I ended my time with the school on Friday, September 21st for the year.
Additionally, I am so appreciative of the support and caring that my colleagues have shown as well. Both my wonderful staff @ Bridges and the district was absolutely amazing. I absolutely love Bridges ALC and the work we do supporting and re-defining students educational journey in order for them to graduate. Seeing lives of all our stakeholders changed by the Bridges experience has been both profound and amazing. I will carry all of this love and support with me during my deployment and I know it will support me in trying times.
Another amazing change will be our beautiful new school projected to open Fall of '19. It will most certainly be an amazing place for students to continue to receive personal learning experiences and engagement as they progress towards earning their diploma in ways we are not able to in our current building. Myself along with our core design team has spent the last year touring some of the newest and most innovative educational spaces as we planned and designed our new school. THANK YOU Dr. Staloch in facilitating an early Ground Breaking ceremony for our new spectacular school. I was so touched that we were able to conduct a Ground Breaking ceremony with our Bridges family and stakeholders before I left for deployment.
Warm Regards,
Dave
#WeArePLSAS
#ideasmatter
#bridges1819
PLHS Assistant Principal - Heather Fitzloff - will be taking over as administrator of Bridges ALC during Dave Brown's deployment
WELCOME Ms. Fitzloff to Bridges ALC! We are happy you are here leading our school!
When I heard the news that Bridges Area Learning Center Coordinator, Dave Brown would be deployed by the military for a year, my heart sank. I was sad for Dave, his family, and the students and staff at Bridges. A few weeks later, I was approached and asked if I would be willing to step in as the administrator at Bridges while Dave is serving our country. I am humbled that Mr. Brown and his staff trust me to lead Bridges in his absence.
This is the beginning of my 22nd year in education, and 11th year as a school administrator. I began my teaching career in the south suburbs of Chicago, and after one year, I relocated to Minnesota and began teaching at a Minneapolis elementary school before finally settling in for almost 10 years at Scott Highlands Middle School (SHMS) in the Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan School District. I’m also proud to say that during that time, I coached Cross Country and Track & Field at Apple Valley High School and continued to coach basketball and swimming at the middle school. I decided very early on in my career to pursue my Master’s Degree and then my K-12 Principal license. In 2007, I assumed an Associate Principal position at SHMS. One year later, I accepted an Assistant Principal and Activities Director role at Richland Center High School, in Richland Center, Wisconsin, very close to my hometown. After two years, I was offered the Principal position there, and served in that role for 2 years. As a family, we made the decision to move back to the Twin Cities area and I was hired at Prior Lake High School as an Assistant Principal in 2012. This is the start of my 7th year in the Prior Lake-Savage Area School District.
Personally, I am a proud Mom of 3 sons: Connor (20), Camden (16), and Cade (13). They have been very active in sports and activities and I have enjoyed watching them grow. Other than that, I love to run, watch sports, and read in my spare time.
I’m proud to be serving at Bridges this school year. We are off to a great start, and the students and staff have been wonderful and welcoming! We will all miss Dave’s leadership, and my hope is that when he returns, we will have made him proud by continuing the positive school culture he has created with his staff, and the students. Please know that I will work hard to ensure all Bridges students are successful!
BRIDGES MISSION - TO SUPPORT STUDENTS' SUCCESSFUL PROGRESS TOWARD ACQUIRING THEIR HIGH SCHOOL DIPLOMA LEADING TO GAINFUL EMPLOYMENT OR POST-SECONDARY EDUCATION.
Celebrating our nearly 50 graduates!!
Teacher Corner: Melissa Olson, Communications Teacher
“The secret of change is to focus all of your energy, not on fighting the old, but on building the new.” Socrates
In September, 2009, I received a call from David Brown. He responded to my teaching application and asked me to come in for an interview. The job was for an English teacher at the new PLHS ALC. During the interview, David shared that the school was still in the design process, there were no student computers, no curriculum, no other teaching staff, and no set-up classrooms. We expected 30-40 PLHS students that had been attending an out of district ALC. He warned me that I would need to be willing to “get my hands dirty”. I smiled, and said, “I am pretty sure they already are.” That was ten years ago.
As time has passed, our story has changed. This September, we sunk golden shovels into fresh ground. We have created a cutting edge learning environment that will serve 130 students. Our classrooms are full of energy and joy as students dive into the challenges and creative tasks designed by them and supported by an entire community. We have adults, families, and administrators who have given us more support than I have ever experienced in my 18 years of teaching at-risk youth.
This is a little bittersweet. As David leaves to serve our country in Kuwait (accompanied by a former Bridges Graduate), we will watch the new building grow, brick by brick, without him. We have promised to keep him informed. We have promised to continue the growth. We have promised to build the new, while honoring the intent of our beginnings. We will continue to do so as David begins his new journey. We will miss him. We will worry about him. And we will welcome him back at the doors of our newly constructed Bridges ALC upon his return.
Conferences - Quarter 1
Thursday, Oct 11, 2018, 05:00 PM
Bridges Alternative Learning Center, Franklin Trail Southeast, Prior Lake, MN, USA
Bridges opens it 9th year with 90+ students!
Mr. Lawson's Gov Class
Ms. Bauer's Work Program Class
Ms. Nelson's Drawing/Painting/Tech Class
Ms. Olson's Com II Class
Mr. Martin's Math Projects Class
Ms. Serefeas's Bio Class
From the Student Support Team: Ann Collins, licensed drug and alcohol counselor
After 3 weeks of schools it is fair to say that we are in full swing! We have a great bunch of student this year but as usual, they come with high needs and heavy issues. Thankfully, Bridges has the best group of people I have worked with and we are ready for whatever comes at us this year! This will be the start of my 9th year at Bridges and my 13th with the district serving as a Chemical Health Counselor. This year will be similar to the last as far as my schedule. I will be at Bridges Monday's and Tuesday's. Wednesday I will be able to be flexible and be at Bridges if I am needed. I can be found at the HS the rest of the week, please note that I am in a new office with a new phone extension this year. I am available to students who are dealing with their own chemical use and also students who are effected by someone else's chemical use/abuse.
As you all know, summer can be difficult for some of our students. Some have been at home with an alcoholic parent who may have unpredictable, erratic behaviors while other students have experienced some tough consequences as a result of their decisions with drug and alcohol. My role here is to connect with those students and provide support and resources.
Some of my best times are here at Bridges, not only with the students but the awesome staff! Each year just keeps getting better and better. I admire the work you all do and I am also here to support you guys anyway I can. Please do not hesitate to come talk to me if you have any questions or concerns.
I look forward to another great year!!!!