BLOOMING PRAIRIE HIGH SCHOOL
DRIVER EDUCATION

Instructors: Darren Pauly, Chad Gimbel, David Pfiefer
BEWARE!
There are websites offering to teach classroom driver education. Many are not licensed to do so in Minnesota. They cannot offer the student a blue card, which is required to show proof that the class was taken. Students therefore cannot test for their permit. You need to check to see if the website is from a licensed Minnesota school that teaches driver education.

Blue Cards and White Cards
Blue cards that show completion of the classroom part of driver education and required for the permit test, and white cards that show completion of behind the wheel, and required for the driver's test, can be picked up from Mr. Pauly during the school year, and in the high school office during the summer months. Students must sign them in front of a school official. The link to the Minnesota Class D Driver's Manual needed to take the knowledge test and obtain a permit is:


https://dps.mn.gov/divisions/dvs/forms-documents/Documents/Minnesota_Drivers_Manual.pdf


Driver Permit & License Tests
Students testing for their driver permit or driver's license are being strongly encouraged to
use the pre-application on the Driver and Vehicle Services website prior to taking a knowledge test, applying for an instruction permit, or a driver’s license.  Starting the application online will reduce wait times when at a driver’s license office.  This feature can also be used by anyone renewing their license or identification card, requesting a duplicate or moving into the state and applying for the first time. Here is the link to the DVS site:

https://onlineservices.dps.mn.gov/EServices/
*Click on PRE-APPLY for a driver's license or ID.

Behind The Wheel
Behind the wheel is running through the fall months. Students can sign up outside Mr. Pauly's door for summer BTW. Students will drive home with the instructor after fall lessons. During the summer months, students are to be dropped off at the high school at the designated time. They will drive home with the instructor at the end of the lesson. Students that fail to show up at the scheduled time will be charged a fee of $10.

Scheduling your behind the wheel test for your driver's license:
Once you have received your white card showing completion of behind the wheel, and you are testing for a farm license or you have had your permit for six months and are 16 or older, you can schedule your driving test. It is preferred that you do this online, but you can call or do it in person if you wish. Here's the link to do it online:

https://dps.mn.gov/divisions/dvs/online-self-services
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Point of Impact Meeting
Dear Parent/Guardian,
 
Your son/daughter has either already completed the classroom portion of driver education or may be soon. The next step is to take the behind the wheel portion. After that is complete and he/she has had a drivers permit for a minimum of six months, and is at least 16 years old, he/she can take the driving exam to get a provisional driver’s license.
 
In 2015 the state of Minnesota added a new law regarding parent/guardian responsibilities concerning your son/daughter’s driving with a permit before testing for a driver’s license. Effective January 1, 2015, every driver under the age of 18 who completes behind the wheel instruction and is testing for a provisional driver’s license must submit a driving log. This log sheet can be found at:
 
https://dps.mn.gov/divisions/dvs/forms-documents/Documents/SupervisedDrivingLog.pdf
 
Parents/guardians have two options regarding the supervised driving log:
 
**Complete a supplemental parent class, called Point of Impact, provided by a driver education program approved in Minnesota, and then submit a supervised driving log showing their teen has completed at least 40 hours (2,400 minutes) of supervised driving, 15 hours (900 minutes) of which are nighttime hours;
 
OR
 
**If the parent/guardian chooses to not complete the supplemental parent class, the driving log must show that their teen has completed at least 50 hours (3,000 minutes) of supervised driving, 15 hours (900 minutes) of which are nighttime hours.

 
Parents/guardians are encouraged to provide as many additional driving hours with their teen as possible to prepare them to become a safe driver. The driving log must be presented at the time of the road test and submitted with the application for the provisional license.

***A Point of Impact meeting for parents and student drivers is available through Albert Lea community education. Their website can be accessed through:
https://alschools.ce.eleyo.com/


Darren Pauly, Chad Gimbel, & David Pfiefer
Licensed Driving Instructors



**Class Signup**
Classroom driver education will be offered again in two sessions during the summer of 2025. Dates will be announced at a later date. Students will sign up for the classes beginning in April. 

 
Driver education for students who are 14 to 17 will begin soon. Learning to drive is a major step in growing up, and whether parents are ready or not, their teenager has long been waiting for this time.  This is also, however, one of the most dangerous times of a child’s life.  Automobile crashes are the number one cause of death for teenagers.  Some parents might want to delay their child from driving for that very reason.  That, however, is not a reasonable solution to the problem.
 
Minnesota State law currently requires drivers under the age of 18 to go through 30 hours of classroom instruction followed by six hours of behind the wheel instruction.  All students under the age of 19 must hold a valid permit for a minimum of six months before testing for a driver’s license. This is only a minimum requirement. Parents are a vital link in the educational process of their teen.  They are the ones who have the greatest influence over what type of risk their teen is going to be exposed to.   It is the parents or guardians who must decide if their teenager is ready to take the wheel! 

 
***Currently in effect, every driver under the age of 18 who completed behind the wheel instruction and is testing for a provisional driver's license must submit a driving log showing the dates and lengths of drive time for each supervised trip. The supervised driving log must be signed by a parent or guardian. ***
 

Below are some key points about the class.

*Two classes are taught during the summer months.
Summer class sign-up will be in May.

On the sign-up sheet picked up in April/May, students will choose which of the two classes they would prefer. We will try to honor all requests, but do not guarantee them.


*Students must be at least 14 before starting the class.

*Behind the wheel is done mostly during the summer months, but is also offered after school hours and Saturdays during the Spring and Fall while school is in session.

 

DRIVER EDUCATION CLASSROOM SCHEDULE

Summer class times are from 9:00 a.m. to noon.

Classes will be held Monday through Friday during the summer sessions.
The following dates are scheduled for the summer 2025 classes:

***One class from June 9 to June 20 (no class June 19) and another from July 21 to August 1.



The instructor reserves the right to change the class schedule as needed.
 
Total cost for driver education is $330, which covers both classroom and behind the wheel, and must be paid in full before a blue card is issued to show completion of the course.
 
ATTENDANCE IS A MUST! Allowed excuses are: school activities, church related activities, and extreme emergencies.  Blooming Prairie High School keeps its rates low compared to other districts and private schools in Austin and Owatonna partly because we do not intend for the instructor to complete unnecessary make-up classes. Students have made a decision to take driver education; that may mean not being able to do some other activities. Homework is given to students for the excused absences and class time work meetings will be scheduled with the instructor that may include before or after school in the fall and/or before or after the regularly held class.
 
Additional information is periodically posted outside Mr. Pauly's classroom door. Questions about the program can be directed to Mr. Pauly. Mr. Pauly's contact info: , 583-4426 ext. 476.

 
 

Contact: Darren Pauly
JMC Parental Information
To set up an account, please call either the High School Office (for high school students) or the Elementary (for elementary students).
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High School Parents: To access Online JMC information, go up to Our Schools and click on High School. On the left side click on Parent Access. 

Elementary Parents: To access Online JMC information, go up to Our Schools and click on Elementary School. On the left side click on Parent Access.