Dear Northfield Public Schools Families,
Thank you for all your patience, support, understanding, and forgiveness during this rapidly evolving global pandemic health crisis. Three items, today:
Child Care Update
We began our child care service for emergency and health care workers today. Thank you to Director of Community Services Erin Bailey, our Child Care Coordinator Breezy Barrett, and everyone who stepped forward to provide this critical service to support our health care and emergency response systems. This public service will become even more essential in the coming weeks. As communicated earlier, During the statewide closure of Minnesota schools, Northfield Public Schools will provide child care for children in Kindergarten through age 12 from families of healthcare workers and other emergency providers. This childcare is available for families of healthcare workers and other emergency providers ONLY regardless of whether they have used Northfield Public Schools Kid Ventures school-age care services in the past. We have prepared a detailed flyer that answers most questions about this service including a full description of eligibility, dates and times.
***We will continue this school-age child care service for emergency and health care workers over spring break (March 23-27, 2020) with slightly reduced hours. The school-age child care services will be available at Bridgewater Elementary from 7:00 am-5:00 pm.***
The Northfield Area Family YMCA will offer a fee-based child care option for families who are not emergency or health care workers over spring break. Scholarships are available. See the YMCA web site for more information.
Meals for Children
Our grab-and-go pick up for breakfasts and lunches is underway this week. Meals are available for pick up between 11:30 a.m. and 12:30 p.m. at Greenvale Park Elementary School, Sibley Elementary and Northfield High School. Families may use whichever location is most convenient for them and children must be present to pick up meals. Next week, we will have meals available on Monday, Wednesday and Friday only at Greenvale Park Elementary School. More information is available on this flyer.
Other Resources
The update I sent you on March 16 has links to additional resources which may be useful to you including how to access educational resources during an extended school closure and information about free Internet access.
We will get through these challenging times where circumstances are changing daily. I am grateful to all of our employees who continue to put our students’ needs first during these unique circumstances. And I am grateful to you for your patience and cooperation as we work together to support our community.
Most sincerely,
Matt Hillmann, Ed.D.
Superintendent of Schools