Bridges Area Learning Center
Quarter 2 Community Newsletter, 2016
Greetings Bridges Community,
As our new quarter is now upon us a lot of energy is swirling around the school! We have new students, new schedules, new classes and new opportunities for success! Being that we are at the beginning of the quarter I wanted to highlight a few items that are key to success:
Consistent Daily Attendance - The greatest contributor to a successful school experience is good attendance. Bridges is a smaller environment with smaller class sizes and a tremendous teaching staff that works to engage students in many effective ways. Additionally, our teachers are great at approaching students individually meeting their individual needs. None of this can happen, however, if students are not in school. We have a highly effective support team as well that is here to work with students in a variety of ways to help them progress positively. We also have Jump Days twice a month as scheduled intervention days (see below for more) that can support students in many ways.
Completing Daily Class Work - At Bridges students are graded on what they do while they are here. We acknowledge that there are many responsibilities required of our students outside the school day. As a result, students grades are based on the daily projects, work and contribution that happens during the school day. Homework will not be a reality unless work is not submitted.
Staying in the Know. Grades, attendance, classroom learning are all available to both students as well as parent(s)/guardian(s) through PLSAS website. Infinite Campus will show you daily attendance as well as grades. Schoology is on online extension of each teacher's classroom. Most of the work that happens in the classes can be found there. If you are not sure how to log in to get this information our school secretary, Denise Schmidt, can assist (952-226-0840).
Take Advantage of the Differences in Bridges. Being a smaller school (by design) we can offer a lot for our students. Flexible scheduling, hybrid online classes, work release, scheduled intervention days (JUMP DAYS), variety of student support services including a social worker, licensed drug and alcohol counselor and therapist and Bridges ALC guidance counselor. These are just some of the options we can and have successfully leveraged for the progress of our students to earn their PLHS diploma!
Warm Regards,
David Brown
Bridges ALC Coordinator
Bridges Mission - To support students' successful progress toward acquiring their high school diploma leading to gainful employment or post-secondary education.
School Board Takes Action on Short-Term Enrollment Growth Recommendations, Begins Long-Term Facilities Planning
Prior Lake-Savage Area Schools (PLSAS) continues to be a growing district with increased student enrollment each school year. A new demographic report points to an increase of 850 resident students over the next 5 years spread across all grade levels. As a result, the School Board has taken action on short-term solutions and, with input from the community, is researching long-term solutions to ease crowding in our schools.
Short-Term Solutions
To help ease enrollment growth in our schools, PLSAS is limiting open enrollment to the most restrictive amount possible, per state statute, for the remainder of 2016-17 through the 2017-18 school year.
Long-Term Solutions
Long-term facilities planning is underway, with the district's Facilities Task Force meeting to study enrollment and demographic data. The Task Force will identify districtwide needs, generate ideas and provide input to a Facilities Design Team.
The Task Force and Design Team will present long-term facilities options to the community for input in March, with final options presented to the School Board in the spring for its consideration and action.
For more details on short and long-term plans to ease crowding in our schools, click here.
Bridges September Student of the Month - Jacob
From his teachers - Jacob has been a positive leader, doing excellent and VERY strong effort!
Bridges October Student of the Month - Jimmy
From his teachers - Jimmy is doing so well this year. He is keeping up with his work and doing quality work.
Bridges November Student of the Month - Josey
From her teachers - Engaged and on top of her work. Josey is a pleasure to have in class!
Quarter 2 Conferences
Thursday, Dec 8, 2016, 05:00 PM
Bridges Area Learning Center
Teacher Corner: Ms. Olson, English
As the chill in the air sets in and the snow waits patiently to be moulded into various forms of Frosty and Olaf, learning and inquiry is heating up at Bridges!
This year, I have redesigned my curriculum to best meet the needs of both struggling and exceptional readers and writers. A large part of this redesign includes Project Based Learning. My Communications 3 class, which consists of mostly seniors and some juniors, has embraced PBL and is thriving. Project Based learning asks students to pick a research topic they are excited about and design a multimedia, research-based project that includes 21st Century skills. Student topics have included works of personal inspiration and motivation, intensive book studies, Schizophrenia, taboos and stereotypes, the impact of teenage pregnancy on society and the individual, recording music and exploring the history of sound, writing fantasy novels, writing short stories in addition to many others.
Student Reflection - Izzy
I came to bridges 2nd quarter of my sophomore year. Ever since I have been here all of the problems I had at the high school changed, I never used to want to go to school, now coming to school is no big deal. I actually like it. My biggest issue was attendance, I now have no attendance issues. I think coming to bridges has helped me even as a person. Everyone here helps everyone. The teachers are always a big help because you have a question there are always there to help answer it. It's more hands on then any other school I've ever been too. I am now in my second quarter of my junior year and I'm ahead of credits. That would of never been possible if I had stayed at the high school but all the teachers here have encouraged me so much to get my stuff done and now I'm ahead of the game.
Most of us are here for similar reasons so I think that really helps. Being here I've seen kids with terrible attitudes about school completely turn around and go from getting all F's to all A's. The environment at bridges is always so calm. At first my parents were uneasy about me coming to bridges because they did not know a lot about it. Now they love it, they even feel more involved in my schooling. Not only did it help me but it helped my parents know where I was at in school.
I think bridges gives kids a new start to their high school careers. It gives them that extra chance to turn things around when they didn't think they could. Bridges is a great place to be. We are all a family, we help each other out to succeed.
Quarter 2 Life @ Bridges ALC !
Erik and mom with Mr. Brown and Ms. Olson being honored at the all district Optimist's Youth Appreciation Luncheon
Ms. Bauer guiding her work program class through a college and career interest survey
Guest Speaker Rob Severson guiding a class though the Achievers book with guest contributor
PL City Manager, Frank Boyles, presents to the STRIVE program (Bridges mentorship group) on thoughts for effective job applications
La Ola Del Lago Program Director, Mr. Kucinski, and Bridges students Anna & Emily with students they support during the day. Great Partnership with Bridges!
Bridges was recently awarded a grant by the Laker Education Foundation to support our library and reading goals! Thanks Ms. Jenkins, Mr. Martin, Mr. Brown and Ms. Olson who worked on the grant!
Native Nation group with Mr. Wells!
Some time in US Government
Small group work @ Bridges ALC
Communications III work
Graduation Highlights from This and Last Year!
Alumni Visits!
Marine Corporal Connor
Private Hansen!
Louk stopping in
Logan Cheking in
Mark receiving his PLHS diploma
Shalojme stopping in
Richard and Tony stopping by
Cassy visiting
End of the Day
From the student support staff: Mr. Kevin Wagner, Social Worker
The year is off to a fantastic start. This is my third year here at Bridges and I have to say that it feels great to see the hard work of everyone here pay off. Ms. Jenkins (our wonderful special education teacher) and I started our anxiety support groups as soon as the year started. We have more students attending and benefitting than we ever had before! Since anxiety seems to be an increasing factor with many young people these days, I am so thankful that Mr. Brown has allotted the time for us to start this group and make it work for students.
Anxiety can present itself in many different ways depending on the student, his or her genes, and his or her personality. Some people present with periodic panic attacks which involve a very rapid heartbeat, racing and out-of-control thoughts, and rapid breathing. Others show anxiety through seemingly being ‘checked out’ or withdrawn from the classroom experience and other people. These students are not lazy, they are overwhelmed. Rather than show their anxiety outwardly, they withdraw from the sources of their anxiety which many times involve social situations and academic expectations.
Other students will show anxiety through frequent outbursts of anger and intense irritability. Many students spend a good amount of their school day physically and mentally exhausted. This is because anxiety is very hard on the mind, body, and emotions. And, since anxiety is also related to sleep difficulties, many students come to school with little or no sleep.
Indeed, anxiety is a very real and debilitating condition which affects the lives of many, many people. Many people suffer from anxiety in silence because they have received messages from family and friends that anxiety is ‘all in your mind’ and that they should just ‘grow up and get over it’. While many times well intended, these messages end up worsening a person’s anxiety because now their suffering has been invalidated by the people who are close to them. This ends up making the individual suffering from anxiety feel more marginalized than ever.
If you or a loved one is suffering from anxiety, there are many effective treatment options available. Talk therapy and support groups are a great help to those who feel like they are alone in their suffering. Anxiety is not just a figment of a person’s imagination. It is very real and can be an enormous barrier toward success in life…both personally and professionally.
If you or someone you know here at Bridges is suffering, don’t hesitate to contact me. We are here to help!
Bridges Staff Contact Info
David Brown - ALC Coordinator
Email: dbrown@priorlake-savage.k12.mn.us
Phone: 952-226.0846
Twitter: @davidwbrown39
Teaching Staff
Melissa Olson - Teacher (Language Arts)
Email: meolson@priorlake-savage.k12.mn.us
Phone: 952-226-0841
Twitter: @PLSAS_Olson
Andrew Martin - Teacher (Math, FABLAB, Projects) & Independent Study Coordinator
Independent Study is held Monday's and Wednesday's from 3:30pm to 6:00pm
Email: amartin@priorlake-savage.k12.mn.us
Phone: 952-226-0844
Twitter: @mrmatinium
David Lawson - Teacher (Social Studies)
Email: dlawson@priorlake-savage.k12.mn.us
Phone: 952-226-0848
Twitter: @EdinaEast78
Chris Nelson - Teacher (Art, Phy Ed)
Email: cnelson@priorlake-savage.k12.mn.us
Phone: 952-226-0842
Twitter: @Ms_Cnelson
Candi Jenkins - Teacher (SPED)
Email: cjenkins@priorlake-savage.k12.mn.us
Phone: 952-226-0843
Twitter: @sped_jenkins
Alexius Serefeas - Teacher (Language Arts, Science)
Email: aserefeas@priorlake-savage.k12.mn.us
Twitter: @PLSAS_Serefeas
Student Support Staff
Denise Schmidt - Bridges Secretary
Email: dschmidt@priorlake-savage.k12.mn.us
Phone: 952-226-0840
Ann Collins - (Licensed Drug and Alcohol Counselor)
Email: acollins@priorlake-savage.k12.mn.us
Phone: 952-226-0847
Twitter: @AnnCollins1516
Kevin Wagner - Social Worker
Email: kwagner@priorlake-savage.k12.mn.us
Phone: 952-226-0849
Jenny Bauer - Guidance Counselor
Email: jwitt@priorlake-savagek12.mn.us
Phone: 952-226-0855
Twitter: @imjentwitt
Erik Elsberry - Therapist
Bridges ALC Independent Study
Do you know of a student that is behind on credits? Independent Study is a great way for students to make up those lost credits.
Here at Bridges we offer a flexible online based program to get students the credits they need. After a student determines their credit needs, they simply fills out a registration form, brings it in, and they are ready to go within minutes. Each student is enrolled in a class through a browser based program called PLATO.
Each class a student signs up for requires a total of 10 hours of seat time here at Bridges, and this can be done after school on Mondays and Wednesdays from 3:30 to 6:00 p.m. Once the attendance piece is completed the student will finish the course(s) on their own time. I’ve had many students get caught up, back on track, or even finish up for their diploma through Independent Study. It’s a great program and it provides a great service to our students.
JUMP DAY the Only Difference in Bridges Calendar to PLHS
If a student is progressing well and there are no issues with attendance they may earn a Golden Pass allowing their attendance on these days to be optional.
JUMP DAYS usually happen every other Friday (twice a month). Sometimes, however, they do not land on a Friday.
Q1 JUMP DAYS
- Dec 9
- Dec 21
- Jan 13
- Jan 25
- Jan26 (Thursday & Early Release & Last Day of school)
Mr. Lawson spending some time during his enrichment block with his students!
Quarter 2 Significant dates
Nov 23-25 Thanksgiving Break
Dec 8 - Conferences from 5-8pm
Dec 9 - JUMP DAY
Dec 19 - All School Lunch
Dec 20 - All School Field Trip - Rogue One
Dec 21 - JUMP DAY
Dec 22- Jan 2 Winter Break - No Classes
Jan 13 - JUMP DAY
Jan 16 - Staff In-service - No Classes
Jan 25 - JUMP DAY/Early Release - Last Day of Q1
Jan 26 - Staff Work Day - No Classes
Jan 30 - Q3 Start