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~ Points of Pride ~
ISD 279-Osseo Area Schools Points of Pride 2009-2010
Note: This is an ongoing list of just some of the many accomplishments of ISD 279-Osseo Area Schools students and staff. Additional submissions always welcome; send to WeListen@district279.org
<< ISD 279-Osseo Area Schools Points of Pride 2008-2009 >>
Achieving Results
March 2010
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The Palmer Lake Future Problem Solvers team, The Hippy Chickens, recently participated in a regional competition and won the coveted 2-6 Award, took first place in the written competition, and first place in the oral presentation, which earned them a spot in next month’s state competition.
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Woodland Elementary hosted its third annual Cultural Celebration on February 26, welcoming more than 320 students and family members to enjoy dinner and performances by students, the Chinese Dance Theater and the Titambe African Drummers. This event was co-sponsored by the Woodland PTA, ISD 279 and the District 279 Foundation.
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Congratulations to the Osseo Junior High Destination Imagination teams for a great showing at the regional tournament last month. The Middle Level team placed second in the Instant Challenge portion of the competition, and fourth overall. The Secondary Level team of placed second overall and will be advancing to the state tournament in April.
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Maple Grove Senior High’s “Little Shop of Horrors” was one of 39 Minnesota high school productions receiving awards in the Hennepin Theatre Trust's Spotlight Musical Theatre Program. The musical was cited for outstanding accomplishment by a chorus and Sharayah Bunce received the award for outstanding performance in a leading role. Kevin Kriz also received honorable mention in a leading role.
February 2010
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On January 8, more than 200 Brooklyn Junior “A” honor roll students were invited to the school’s Bulldog Café for a special Honor Roll Breakfast sponsored by the Rotary Club of Brooklyn Park. Students received certificates and enjoyed a celebratory breakfast. In addition to school administrators and staff, special guests Gina Smith and Brian Bourassa of the Rotary Club were on hand to offer their congratulations.
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The February 2 Business Beat segment on Channel 12 showed how students in the Osseo Area Schools Community Based Vocational Assessment and Training program help local businesses. The feature story described the success students have had obtaining jobs, earning an income, and learning valuable life skills through the program.
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For the 20th consecutive year, Osseo Area Schools has received the Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Association of School Business Officials International. The certificate is awarded to school districts that demonstrate quality and clarity in the preparation and issuance of their comprehensive annual financial reports, and is the highest recognition offered by the organization.
- On January 29, ISD 279 Early Childhood program staff collaborated with other community partners and neighboring school districts to host the annual Family Resource Fair, showcasing educational programs and services available to families in our communities. More than 50 families attended and learned how to support their children’s education. Families also enjoyed music, activities, and lunch, and each child received a free book to promote early literacy.
January 2010
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Edinbrook Elementary hosted a Family Literacy event at the Brooklyn Park Library January 6 to equip parents with the tools, confidence and know-how to support reading habits at home. More than 400 students and their family members were in attendance at this community event, where each gained insight about literacy, enjoyed student performances and stories read aloud, and played games together.
December 2009
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The Birch Grove Media Arts Troupe visited the studios of local cable news Channel 12, where students got a tour of the news station and the public access facility where community members can create their own cable programs. Troupe members learned about the equipment needed to produce a television program, toured the cable truck that travels around our community to capture news in action, chatted with news anchors, and observed a live newscast right from the studio.
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60 sixth grade scientists from Weaver Lake Elementary: A Science, Math & Technology School presented their scientific investigations at the Insect Fair at the University of Minnesota on December 12. The students had conducted science inquiry, designed and completed investigations, and created displays that highlighted their work with a variety of invertebrates. At the fair, all students presented their work and answered questions from interviewers and the public. Students also attended break-out sessions on various science topics. Weaver Lake’s group was the largest from a single school; 29 schools and 300 students from Minnesota and Wisconsin participating in the Insect Fair.
- In concert with monarch studies taking place on the space shuttle Atlantis, Weaver Lake Elementary is conducting a space chamber simulation and antigravity investigations in the classroom. Students are learning about the intricacies of monarch biology, and how living organisms function in a microgravity environment where near-weightlessness is the prevailing condition.
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Twenty-one fourth-graders from Basswood, Elm Creek, Fernbrook, Oak View, Rice Lake, Rush Creek and Weaver Lake Elementaries each won first, second or third place trophies in the Maple Grove Fire Department Fire Safety Poster Contest. Each student’s poster can be found on the Maple Grove Fire Department website and will be entered into the statewide fire safety poster contest.
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Third-grade students at Elm Creek Elementary were treated with a visit by a Minnesota Historical Society history player portraying Minnesota author, Maud Hart Lovelace. Students learned about Maud Hart Lovelace and what it was like to grow up in Mankato, Minnesota in the early 1900s. The stories were captivating and inspired many students to check out Betsy-Tacy books from the library.
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Eric Paulsen recently paid two visits to ISD 279 classrooms to teach kids about how a bill becomes a law. On November 20, the congressman read a book to first-graders at Birch Grove Elementary and toured the school with principal Jeff Zastrow; and on November 25, he discussed democracy with a fifth-grade classroom at Weaver Lake and learned about the school from principal Gretchen Peel.
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Four Maple Grove Junior High students have been selected to participate in the 2009 Anacrusis Honor Choir, which consists of 100 boys and 100 girls from across Minnesota. The singers were selected from several hundred auditioning students throughout the state of Minnesota, and will perform under the direction of guest conductors from St. Olaf and Northwestern Colleges.
November 2009
- Emergency health care training currently available only at Osseo Senior High is being extended to two junior high schools through a pilot program. Students at Osseo Junior and Maple Grove Junior will practice artificial ventilation and administering defibrillators on manikins that provide students with feedback about their performance. Students also have the option of obtaining official AED and CPR certification through the American Heart Association. If the pilot program proves successful, the goal is to expand this training to all district junior high schools so all incoming high school students will have had the opportunity to gain critical life-saving skills.
- Woodland Elementary is one of four schools in the state honored with the Family-Friendly Schools award. As part of Minnesota Parent Involvement Month, parents were encouraged to nominate their child’s school in a statewide contest hosted by the Minnesota Parent Center. Woodland was chosen for the close relationship staff members have with each family and child, and for the outstanding communication between administration and parents. Principal Linda Perdaems accepted the award on behalf of the school.
October 2009
- As examples of our efforts to accelerate learning for all students:
- Almost 300 elementary students district-wide are participating in accelerated math programs that allow high achievers to study math at a higher grade level. The majority are sixth-grade students at Basswood, Rush Creek, Edinbrook, Oak View, Woodland, Fernbrook, and Elm Creek Elementaries who are taking seventh-grade math.
- Basswood Elementary received a District 279 Foundation grant that funded the purchase of books and learning materials that challenge advanced readers.
- As a certified monarch waystation, Weaver Lake Elementary: A Science, Math and Technology School, received 800 eggs and caterpillars from the University of Minnesota this year. Weaver Lake students tagged each monarch, then released them into the wild. Students will track the butterflies along their winter migration trek.
- The Osseo Area Schools Adult Education Center and its builder, ATS&R, was recognized for Outstanding Design in the August 2009 American School and University magazine. The magazine noted that ATS&R’s design for the Enrollment Center’s common areas uses daylight, warm colors and patterns on the floors and walls to make the center feel welcoming.
September 2009
- 62 ISD 279 students were named 2009 AP Scholars, based on their achievement on Advanced Placement exams taken last spring. In 2008, 46 students district-wide earned the honor. This year’s increase is driven primarily by a surge in the number of students who took the rigorous college-level exams: in 2008, 689 exams were taken, while in 2009, that number jumped to 1290. AP Scholar counts by building are: Maple Grove Senior High (43); Osseo Senior High (17); and Park Center Senior IB World School (2).
- ISD 279 has been recognized for achieving approximately $500,000 in energy savings over a 12-month period through the Schools for Energy Efficiency (SEE) program. The energy savings program seeks to achieve energy reduction through operational strategies, behavioral awareness campaigns, and improved use of data.
- The September issue of Maple Grove Magazine includes a cover story about magnet school excellence at Weaver Lake Elementary, and another article profiling extraordinary ISD 279 athletes.
- In an article about English Language Learners in the workforce, Minnesota Lawyer Magazine published a feature spotlighting customized training provided to local businesses through the ISD 279 Adult Basic Education program.
- ISD 279 students nearly doubled the number of college-level AP exams taken last spring, jumping from a total of 689 exams taken in 2008 to 1290 exams taken in 2009. A state grant helped participating high schools increase both the number of college-level courses offered and student participation in those classes. More than half of all the exams taken earned scores eligible for college credit, representing a significant tuition savings to those college-bound students.
August 2009
- 2009 Adequate Yearly Progress reports released by the Minnesota Department of Education showed significant improvement for our system over the previous year. One example was the percentage of student subgroups that met their targets, which jumped from 64% in 2008 to 79% in 2009.
- Approximately 1,000 high school students were served this summer through academic programs coordinated by the Osseo Area Learning Center:
- More than 400 students earned credits through a seven-week Independent Study Program.
- More than 100 students earned credit to replace a failing grade previously earned in a 9th grade core subject class.
- More than 200 students participated in BST-MCA/GRAD Prep and Test courses. According to principal James Hill, our system may have been the only district to offer summer instruction prior to the summer test dates (others may have offered the tests without a corresponding refresher course). The reading results are in, and nearly 70% of the students who received instruction and retook the reading test improved their score. Of those students, nearly 40% earned a passing score.
July 2009
- Spring MCA-II results reflected a mixture of news to celebrate and opportunities for additional work.
- There were several improvements over the previous year, including increased proficiency rates, more students performing at the highest proficiency level and fewer students performing at the lowest proficiency level. These are important improvements, and we want to recognize the work that students and staff did to earn them.
- At the same time, we are dissatisfied with the overall math and reading proficiency rates compared to state averages.
- We are also concerned that the performance of students in higher poverty schools lags behind that of their peers in higher-income schools.
- Weaver Lake Elementary: A Science, Math & Technology School, has been certified as a Monarch Waystation by Monarch Watch, an outreach program based at the University of Kansas. As an official Waystation, Weaver Lake maintains a robust monarch habitat and pledges to teach students about the science of the monarch. Weaver Lake’s monarch project involves K-6 students in various scientific investigations focused on these fascinating migrating creatures.
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Student Confidence, Courage, and Competence
March 2010
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The MGSH boys swim team won the Section 5AA championship with 14 swimmers advancing to state. Coach Ron Jacobsen was awarded Section 5AA Coach of the Year and Stacy Benjamin was named Section 5AA Diving Coach of the Year.
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The Maple Grove Senior High girls’ basketball team won the Northwest Suburban Conference for the first time in school history.
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Maple Grove Senior High placed second in state at the recent Academic Decathlon, bringing home 19 total gold, silver and bronze medals.
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Congratulations to Keelie Sorensen for being named Park Center’s Athena Award winner. This award is for an outstanding female athlete based on excellence in team or individual sports. She will be recognized at the Athena Awards luncheon on May 7 at the Minneapolis Convention Center.
February 2010
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Maple Grove Senior High wrestlers are heading to state for the first time in school history. After a nail-biter heavyweight match at sectionals, the team defeated defending sectional champion and top seed Centennial, ensuring a berth at the state tournament. Congratulations to the team, head coach Troy Seubert, and the rest of the coaching staff.
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Five engineering technology students at Maple Grove Senior High (four of whom are pictured) recently attended a National Engineering Week event hosted by BAE Systems. Students experienced an electronic propulsion experiment, observed armament design and development, and heard a panel of engineering professionals share their career paths. The day also included a team activity in which students had 30 minutes to build a marshmallow launcher from a bag of miscellaneous parts. Our students’ launcher propelled a marshmallow more than 30 feet. The students’ next focus, along with their entire engineering club, is to complete their robot for competition in early April.
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Birch Grove Elementary School for the Arts students are busy preparing for their annual musical production. This year’s musical is “Dear Edwina, Jr”, with performances scheduled for March 12 and 13. Ticket information is available by contacting the school office.
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Osseo Junior High’s MATHCOUNTS team placed fourth out of 14 schools in regional competition earlier this month. Team member Allen Miller placed 6th in the individual competition and first in the Countdown Round; Christian Becker placed 10th; and Bryan Hulse placed 18th out of 77 competitors. MATHCOUNTS is a nationwide program that seeks to improve students’ mathematical skills, improve the quality of math education and increase student interest in math.
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Elm Creek Elementary is hosting a Family Reading Night tonight, featuring WCCO’s Jason DeRusha as a special guest reader. Mr. DeRusha is an ISD 279 resident and journalist who is well known for his “Good Question” segments on WCCO-TV. Elm Creek students are working toward a goal of 200,000 reading minutes during February, which is I Love to Read Month.
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As part of the Singers in Accord concert series, North View Junior High and Osseo Senior High Choirs will welcome guest conductor Nick Page on February 18 to learn about community sing-a-longs. That same evening, at 7 p.m. in the Osseo Senior High auditorium, students will perform a free community sing-along concert called, “The World in Six Songs,” inspired by the Daniel Levitin book of the same title. Together, the choirs and audience will explore six fundamental song types: friendship, joy, comfort, religion, knowledge and love.
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Students in the ninth-grade choir at Brooklyn Junior High have the exceptional opportunity of learning directly from two professional jazz vocalists with local ties: Timotha Lanae, a Park Center Senior High graduate and former American Idol contestant whose photo is on the screen; and Gwen Matthews, one of the Twin Cities’ favorite jazz and R&B vocalists. Lanae and Matthews are conducting six jazz clinics at Brooklyn Junior as members of Minnesota Artists for Youth Arts. The clinics will culminate in a concert at the Park Center Senior High auditorium on March 25, which will include performances by the Brooklyn Junior High Jazz band, 9th grade choir, and a special performance by Lanae and Matthews.
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Park Center’s gymnastics team took second place in the “Think Pink” Columbia Heights Gymnastic Invitational on January 23. They also won they award for “Top Fundraiser”, raising more than $200 in the fight against breast cancer.
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District 279 athletes earned high marks in recent Northwest Suburban Conference Nordic Ski meets. In the Nordic boys’ team competition, the Osseo Orioles took the meet title; and in the girls’ team competition, the Maple Grove Crimson took top honors. Matt Jackels of Maple Grove was the individual pursuit champion. Park Center Senior High students Jennifer St. Peter, Nicole Ball and Kayla Ampe earned All Conference Honors, while Gina Tonn and Andy Fenske earned All Conference Honorable Mention.
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The Maple Grove Senior High Math Team is advancing to the state competition, having won the Twin Cities Suburban West Division title. Seven of the top 15 placing individuals in the divisional competition—including first, second and third place winners—were Maple Grove students. We wish the team good luck at state on March 8.
January 2010
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Nearly 400 students, parents and community members attended Zanewood’s Multicultural Night on November 17. Attendees enjoyed multicultural food, visited booths hosted by community organizations, enjoyed entertainment by a Zanewood staff member, and visited the Media Center to sign up for a library card and receive a free Reading is Fundamental book. The evening also included a student talent show and a display of traditional clothing from many cultures, while members of the sixth-grade diversity team explained to the audience the significance of the clothing and where it is worn.
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After winning the section True Team title, the Maple Grove boys’ swim team went on to win the True Team State Meet on January 23.
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Congratulations to the Park Center Music Listening Team 1 for earning a spot at the state music composition contest in February. The team qualified by taking second place out of 18 teams at the regional competition. The winning team consists of seniors Annie Gabriel and Stephanie Morse-Noland, and junior Emily Notturno.
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Adam Mickelson, a junior at Park Center Senior High, has been accepted to the Summer Leaders Seminar at the United States Military Academy at West Point next summer. The week-long program of academic classes, military training, physical fitness and intramural athletics allows students to experience cadet life at West Point. Adam is one of only 1,000 high school juniors in the nation to attend the program in 2010.
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Christian Thompson, Park Center senior, was recently named a Channel 12 Standout Student, recognizing his accomplishments in academics and extracurriculars. Christian is an honor roll student, president of the National Honor Society, and a member of the senior class cabinet and he participates on the math team and Mock Trial. Currently, he is preparing for the lead role in the spring musical, “The Pajama Game.”
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The Park Center Pirates girls’ basketball team has joined forces with the American Cancer Society, National Association of Basketball Coaches, and the Minnesota Girls’ Basketball Coaches Association in the fight against cancer. During their game against the Blaine Bengals, parents, fans and community members will have the opportunity to purchase a t-shirt or bracelet, with all proceeds benefitting colon cancer research and awareness. Donations will be accepted throughout the game, and all fans will receive a blue ribbon to commemorate the fight against colon cancer.
- Two seniors from each of our high schools have been nominated for the Minnesota State High School League’s AAA award acknowledging males and females who excel in Arts, Academics, and Athletics:
Park Center’s Triple A athletes are Christian Thompson and Gina Tonn;
Osseo Senior’s Triple A athletes are Becca Girvan and Michael Scheffler; and
Maple Grove Senior’s Triple A athletes are Hahn Chang and Anne Michael
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In partnership with the American Heart Association, Crest View Elementary’s Jump Team performed double-dutch for students at Breck Lower School to promote physical fitness and heart health. The Crest View Jump Team is made up of 16 girls from grades 4-6 who practice twice a week for the 20 demonstrations they have scheduled this year.
December 2009
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Maple Grove senior Hahn Chang is one of two Minnesota students named scholarship winners in the 2010 United States Senate Youth Program. In addition to receiving a $5,000 college scholarship, Chang will participate in an intensive week of activities in Washington DC designed to deepen student delegates' understanding of the federal government and give them direct access to those who lead it. Events include meeting with President Barack Obama; Senate leaders; a Supreme Court Justice; officials from executive agencies; an ambassador; and senior members of the media.
- The Maple Grove Senior High girls’ swim team won the Section 8AA swimming title and took seventh place at the state tournament. Team member Tess Behrens won first place in the 100 yard backstroke at the same event.
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Jameer Jackson, junior at Osseo Senior High, was named to the first team All-Metro football squad, an honor typically reserved for seniors. Jameer was recognized in the Star Tribune on November 24 along with other exceptional high school athletes from across the state.
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The Park Center Pirates CI Soccer team recently won the state championship for the second year in a row. The team entered the championship as the third seed in the North Division but upset both number one and two seeds to win. Two Pirates were named All Tournament recipients, three received All Conference Honorable Mention, and three were named All Conference.
November 2009
- The Maple Grove girls swim team won the Northwest Suburban Conference title.
- Patty Zhao is the first Maple Grove female to compete in the state tennis tournament, where she took fourth place on October 29.
- The Osseo Senior High varsity soccer Orange Squad placed third in the State Sideline Cheering Competition, and the Football Squad placed second. Three athletes participating in the competition were named 2009 all-state cheerleaders.
- The Osseo Boys Cross Country team was named Northwest Suburban Conference champions, with three team members receiving all-conference honors.
- The Osseo Volleyball Team tied for first place at the Northwest Suburban Conference.
- Three Osseo Senior High students have signed letters of intent to play sports at various post-secondary institutions in the Midwest next year.
- Congratulations to the Park Center Girls Soccer Team for finishing as runner-up in the Section 5A championship. One team member was named an all-state athlete.
- Two Park Center Cross Country athletes will compete in the state cross country meet at St. Olaf College November 7.
- At Boys Nation in Washington, D.C. this summer, Maple Grove Senior High student senior Hahn Chang ranked third out of 98 students nationwide in assessments determining individual leadership potential and knowledge of government.
October 2009
- The Maple Grove Senior High Girl’s Swim Team won the True Team swimming and diving sectionals this month to earn a spot in the True Team swimming and diving championship where they placed 4th overall out of 12 Minnesota high school teams. One team member also won the overall competition in the 100-meter backstroke.
- Park Center Senior IB World School is hosting a special ceremony on October 22 to showcase and dedicate a large mosaic composed of symbols made by art students to represent their individual heritage, culture, and ethnicity.
- Congratulations to the following Maple Grove Senior High students who were selected as Junior Rotarians after a rigorous screening and interview process: Ryan Kamphuis, Angie Lockwood, Lauren Lynch, Adam Mann, Ayushi Narayan, and Rachel Smardich.
- Late last summer, 12 junior- and senior-level students from ISD 279 high schools participated in the Northwest Suburban Conference Leadership Day, which kicked off a year-long effort to build leadership and team-building skills. The students will serve as advisory council members on various issues affecting extra-curricular activities this school year.
September 2009
- Park Center senior Jeanel Mouelle was one of two Minnesota “senators” who attended the American Legion Girls Nation, a week-long citizenship and government program in our nation's capital. While in Washington, D.C., Mouelle participated in mock election activities, caucuses, senate sessions, bill hearings and field trips to federal agencies, institutions, memorials and historical sites.
- We are extremely proud that two of the four Minnesotans participating in this prestigious national leadership program came from Osseo Area Schools.
July 2009
- Maple Grove Senior High student Hahn Chang has been named one of two Minnesota “senators” who will attend the American Legion Boys Nation, a week-long citizenship and government program in our nation's capital. While in Washington, D.C., Hahn will participate in mock election activities, caucuses, senate sessions, bill hearings and field trips to federal agencies, institutions, memorials and historical sites, including a tour of the White House and a scheduled meeting with President Obama.
The Park Center Marching Band ended its season on a high note with several commendations:
- Grand Champion at the Lake Waconia Band Festival—for the tenth year in a row!
- Grand Champion at Winona Steamboat Days
- Grand Champion at Mason City Musicman parade
- First place at Sauk Rapids River Days
- Best Winds at an unofficial state championship parade in Alexandria
- The Band recently returned from a tour to St. Louis where they were received with great enthusiasm in both Jefferson City and Webster Groves, MO.
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Achieving Dreams
February 2010
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Congratulations to Corbin Gillen, senior at Maple Grove Senior High, who was awarded a $500 scholarship from the Minnesota Chapter of the Germanic-American Institute. He won the scholarship by writing an essay—completely in German--that explained how he would use the scholarship to advance his study of the language. Corbin, along with his parents and German teacher, Carolyn Tischer, will attend an award ceremony in mid-February.
January 2010
- 2009 Park Center High School graduate Ashlee Kephart was one of only 20 Americans—and the only Minnesota teenager--chosen to help carry the Olympic Torch on its way to Vancouver. Ashlee was nominated through the Cola Cola “Living Positively” program, which recognizes individuals who model positive leadership, volunteerism, and commitment to community.
September 2009
- The Osseo Area Learning Center is celebrating 10 years of service to area youth this year. Watch for more details over the coming weeks as we publicize this milestone in the OALC’s work to help students achieve their dreams of graduation.
July 2009
- Fourteen Brooklyn Junior students recently participated in a week-long educational exchange in London to achieve a dream and share their Hmong heritage with others. CLIMB, which stands for Culture, Leadership, Integrity, Motivate and Build, is a collaborative program where students set goals and then plan how to attain them. While in London last month, the students received a history lesson, visited historic landmarks, and educated the Aylesbury, England Rotary Club members about their own Hmong culture.
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Contributing to Community
March 2010
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Maple Grove Junior High recently learned that the Community Emergency Assistance Program needed sturdy bags for its clients to transport food in as they traveled from the food shelf on city buses. Students in the school’s Textile Art & Design class decided they could use the skills and information they learned in class while helping others in the community. By recycling scraps of fabric left over from previous projects, students crafted durable, reusable grocery bags and donated them to CEAP.
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Elm Creek PTO hosted “Rock On,” the annual Family Dance on February 19 where students were invited to dress up in clothing representing the ’60s, ’70s, and ’80s. In lieu of admission, families donated food shelf items and money to benefit CEAP. Donations added up to $246 and 320 food items for the hungry in our communities.
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The 10th annual Park Center Hoops for Heart basketball game between students and staff netted $2,100 to benefit the American Heart Association.
- Zanewood Community School hosted a waffle breakfast for families on February 11 attended by more than 100 parents. The breakfast was followed by a short data presentation informing parents of the school’s growth goals and the strategies being employed to help all students succeed. The event concluded with a 30-minute program to celebrate all cultures in recognition of Black History month.
February 2010
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The Maple Grove cheerleaders were recently honored by the Maple Grove City Council, led by Mayor Mark Steffenson. The Council issued a proclamation recognizing the students for their volunteer efforts and school and community spirit
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ISD 279 students are continuing to help earthquake victims in Haiti:
- Responding to their class theme of “working together,” students in Rush Creek’s Four Star Express preschool and child care program hosted a penny drive to raise money for Kids Against Hunger, an organization helping earthquake victims. The students raised more than 10,000 pennies and learned that they can help fight hunger in the world.
- Elm Creek sixth-graders raised more than $125 in donations from their families, neighbors, and friends. The AFL-CIO Union Fund matched the funds, resulting in a total of $250 that will be used to provide food and temporary shelter for earthquake victims.
- Zanewood sixth-graders packaged meals at Feed My Starving Children on February 8.
- The Woodland Student Council is collecting donations in hopes of raising $1,000 for the American Red Cross
- In a spirit of community partnership, the After-School Art Club students at Birch Grove Elementary School for the Arts created decorations for the Brooklyn Park/Brooklyn Center Youth Council’s Blue Jean Ball held on January 22 at Embassy Suites in Brooklyn Center. Student volunteers from Park Center Senior High and Brooklyn Junior High also helped, and Triarco Arts and Crafts donated materials. The Birch Grove students’ hard work culminated in a field trip to the event location to see their decorations on display.
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On February 18, Park Center Senior High will host its annual Hoops for Heart charity event, a fun basketball game between students and staff. Money is raised through a raffle for the chance to win one of 250 donated prizes. All proceeds benefit the American Heart Association.
January 2010
- Many students across our system are engaging in fundraising and volunteer projects to help earthquake victims in Haiti:
- Two schools are partnering with Feed My Starving Children to help meet the needs of disaster victims in Haiti. Sixth-graders at Zanewood Community School will pack meals in early February, and the Student Council at Rush Creek Elementary has designated March 15 –19 to raise money to help Feed My Starving Children meet the country’s basic food needs;
- Joni Sutton’s French class at Maple Grove Junior High is collecting money for the Red Cross to help aid disaster victims;
- Maple Grove Senior High is taking a multi-pronged approach to fundraising during their Sno-Daze celebration February 1-6:
- In exchange for online donations made at a special web site, hairdyingforHaiti.org, students will dye their hair wild and crazy colors, showcasing their creativity at a student assembly on February 5;
- A benefit concert will also take place on February 5 featuring three different Maple Grove student bands or groups;
- Tee-shirts are for sale with all proceeds benefitting Haiti disaster relief;
- And, in a remarkable gesture of generosity, an anonymous donor has agreed to match ALL funds raised.
- North View Junior High students participated in the “Mother Bear” service learning project, which provides teddy bears for children with HIVV/AIDS in emerging nations. Students volunteered their time to help stuff the bears and add a signature fleece scarf to each one, similar to the scarves they made for children in Guatemala last month.
- Elm Creek Kidstop hosted a donut/coffee/hot chocolate sale on January 20 and raised more than $200 for the KS95 Change for Kids campaign, which benefits the Children’s Cancer Research Fund and Gillette Children’s Specialty Healthcare.
- During Zanewood’s Multicultural Night in November, the sixth-grade boys leadership team collected 129 pounds of food for the Emergency Foodshelf Network.
- Throughout the month of December, Kidstop students at Woodland Elementary collected 250 pairs of athletic socks as a gesture of support for soldiers stationed in Iraq. They also collected and decorated more than 100 pairs of children’s socks for the soldiers to give as gifts to children in Iraq. The service project culminated on December 28, when students participated in a Skype session with Chad McNiesh, stationed with the 34th Infantry Division, to learn about life and culture in Iraq.
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First-, second-, and third-graders at Woodland Elementary participated in “Operation: Soldiers Phone Home” last month, where each of the students created a greeting card for a U.S. soldier in Afghanistan or Iraq. Thanks to donations from General Mills employees, each student’s greeting card will be sent overseas accompanied by a calling card so soldiers can phone loved ones here in the States.
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Toro Corporation generously provided gifts for 13 Crest View Elementary families this holiday season. Toro reps and employees presented gifts both to the parents and children of each family, as well as a wreath and a box of cookies.
- The Maple Grove 9th and 10th grade girls basketball teams took time during winter break to help those less fortunate by spending several hours at CROSS in Rogers organizing and stocking the food shelf. The Maple Grove girls basketball team also collected donations for CROSS at its home game against Andover on January 5.
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Residents at Maranatha Care Center in Brooklyn Center enjoyed a visit from Birch Grove Elementary School for the Arts Show Choirs on December 15. The choirs performed several musical pieces, choreographed performances, and sing-a-longs.
December 2009
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The Osseo Senior High Motet singing group, along with the Maple Grove Senior High Jazz Band and Crimson Harmony, entertained thousands of community members at the grand opening of the Maple Grove Hospital on December 12. Student musicians performed jazz and a cappella music, traditional holiday carols, and others.
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Boston Scientific teamed up with Osseo Area Schools in an extraordinary way this season to meet the needs of families in our community. Boston Scientific sponsored 180 individuals in 48 families by purchasing and wrapping gifts, clothing and more, and arranging for pro bono delivery of the gifts by Barrett Moving. Boston Scientific also donated 200 t-shirts and a large quantity of hygiene items to be distributed to students as needed. ISD 279 staff members joined the effort by donating ingredients and volunteering their time to bake 1,200 cookies that were distributed among the sponsored families.
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Fifth and sixth grade members of the Woodland Elementary Eagles Choir entertained seniors at St. Therese at Oxbow on December 8 with a choral concert, performing holiday and folk songs from around the globe.
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The Maple Grove Crimson Cabinet will be featured on the 10 pm newscast on KARE-11 on December 18. Crimson Cabinet representatives will be on the air to celebrate the success of the school’s Toys for Tots drive.
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In a long-standing tradition, Elm Creek Elementary celebrates student birthdays each month by inviting students to have lunch with Principal Jim Meyer. Mr. Meyer helped ten students celebrate their December birthdays with lunch, an ice cream treat and a special birthday card.
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A Zanewood second-grade class raised approximately $88 in cash donations, and with additional support from their teacher Melissa Uecker, students bought more than $120 in supplies needed to make 10 fleece blankets for an orphanage in Ethiopia.
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North View Junior High students are taking part in an international community service project by making fleece scarves for children in the mountainous regions of Guatemala. Students are learning about the histories and cultures of countries in Central America, and Spanish language students will write notes to the scarf recipients in hopes of beginning a pen-pal relationship.
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Weaver Lake served more than 500 parents, students, and staff at its annual Waffle Breakfast on November 20.
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Fair Oaks Elementary hosted two family math nights in November: one for preschool, kindergarten, and first-grade students and their parents; and another for second- and third-grade students and their families. Nearly 200 people representing 71 families attended over the two-night period to learn math games and tips for building their child’s math skills at home. Each family was given a gift bag with all the materials needed to play the math games at home, along with directions in both English and Spanish.
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The Positive Leadership class at Osseo Senior High demonstrated what it means to lead with their hearts by nominating a fellow classmate for a holiday wish from the KDWB radio station. The class asked the station to do something special for their classmate to lift her spirits after the loss of a parent. KDWB paid a special visit to the school on November 30 to grant the wish and present the student with a laptop computer, printer, and accessories. To encourage her post-secondary aspirations, classmates also presented her with a check for $1,800, donated by OSH students and their families, to be put toward college tuition, room and board.
November 2009
- For the sixth year in a row, Basswood fifth graders are participating in the Maple Grove Parks and Recreation Department’s Adopt-a-Park program. This fall, students picked up litter on and around the Basswood Community playfield as part of their commitment to community and to reinforce the concept of citizen responsibility.
- Edinbrook is launching a new program called Watch DOGS, or Dads of Great Students. Watch DOGS is a National Center for Fathering initiative that invites fathers and father figures of Edinbrook students to spend at least one day per year volunteering at the school. The initiative seeks to increase parent involvement in schools and to provide students with positive role models. Watch DOGS will launch in mid-November with a pizza party for students and their fathers.
- Eighteen Osseo Hockey Team members partnered with Community Emergency Assistance Program (CEAP) this fall to help senior citizens in Osseo and Dayton rake and clean up their yards before the coming winter.
October 2009
- Elm Creek Elementary hosted its annual Family BBQ Lunch on October 8. More than 240 guests joined students to build community and enjoy a delicious lunch prepared by the talented kitchen staff and Chef Tom Pellegrino.
- A community rally against racism and hate crimes was hosted by the cities of Brooklyn Center and Brooklyn Park on October 1. Several ISD 279 representatives attended as a gesture of support for the victims of a recent hate crime, and to demonstrate our system’s core belief that everyone has equal intrinsic value.
- Volunteers from Target performed a Media Center Makeover at Zanewood Community School on September 25, donating nearly 300 books and materials to create a reading nook. Twenty Target employees from the Brooklyn Center and Brooklyn Park stores also built a book bin, designed and installed three bulletin board displays, and performed cleaning and organization tasks.
September 2009
- The National Committee for Employer Support of the Guard and Reserve has recognized Supt. Susan Hintz and Osseo Area Schools as a “Patriotic Employer.” The award recognizes the district for “contributing to national security and protecting liberty and freedom by supporting employee participation in America’s National Guard and Reserve Force.”
- Zanewood Community School hosted a family BBQ on September 11 with more than 100 parents in attendance.
- The Maple Grove Rotary Club donated hundreds of school supply items to Rice Lake Elementary to support student learning this school year.
- Living Word Christian Center also donated a generous number of school supplies to Crest View Elementary. You can see the supplies and hear Principal Suzette Erickson’s thank you message to Living Word, which was posted by Living Word on YouTube (find it by searching for the phrase “School Supplies for Crest View Elementary”).
- On August 31, the MOMS club of Maple Grove generously donated nearly 400 school supply items for the students of Garden City Elementary.
- Park Center junior Austin Hafner and his family were featured in a Star Tribune newspaper article describing the Hafner family’s involvement with the Brooklyn Park Champions for Youth organization, whose goal is to give youth a voice and to provide positive opportunities encouraging youth to become productive adults.
- On August 27, 27 Target employees volunteered their afternoon to help prepare Zanewood Community School for the new school year by sorting and collating materials, cleaning windows, assembling bookshelves, and packing backpacks with school supplies they donated.
August 2009
- Beach Blanket Blast, the summer family celebration for Kidstop, Cosmic Club, and the SPOT program, drew about 675 students and parents who enjoyed a penny carnival, outdoor BBQ, games, music, dancing, and more. Participants contributed more than 525 pounds of food items that were delivered to the CROSS food shelf.
- Students in the Kidstop child care program at Woodland, Weaver Lake, Rice Lake and Basswood Elementary Schools collected more than $5,000 in toys, electronics, art supplies and gift cards, and more than $900 in cash to benefit Children’s Hospitals and Clinics.
- Target Corporation contributed books valued at $500 to the Zanewood Elementary library, and is assisting with a “media makeover” to enhance a reading nook for all students at the school.
- Champions for Youth of Brooklyn Park, an organization of which District 279 is a co-sponsor, will host Teen Stock 2009, a free concert for area youth, from 2-6 p.m. August 29 at the Brooklyn Park Central Park Pavilion.
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Overcoming Obstacles
September 2009
- Through federal Title I dollars, preschool opportunities were expanded at three elementary schools this fall. The response to this--and all other district preschool opportunities--has been overwhelming, and every seat in the Title I preschool program will be filled within the next few days. Zanewood Community, Fair Oaks, and Crest View Elementary Schools are hosting the Title I preschool program.
- This summer, approximately 300 students who tested below grade level in reading and/or math participated in a free, 7-week, half-day summer school program at Zanewood Community School, thanks to funding from Targeted Services and 21st Century Community Learning Centers.
- This summer, approximately 300 students who tested below grade level in reading and/or math participated in a free, 7-week, half-day summer school program at Zanewood Community School, thanks to funding from Targeted Services and 21st Century Community Learning Centers.
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Leveraging Assets
March 2010
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Current and prospective students in Park Center’s High Achievers Program attended a meet and greet with their mentors at Boston Scientific on February 26. The students and mentors have been emailing each other weekly for nine weeks about guided topics such as post-secondary education, career advice, and more. The day-long event was initiated by Boston Scientific’s director of community relations, who visited Park Center last year during the International Baccalaureate showcase and was impressed with the great things being done for students at the school.
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The annual Future Professionals Luncheon was held at Park Center on February 25. The event is designed for students to meet and learn from professionals and leaders in our community who work in fields where minorities and women are underrepresented.
February 2010
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For the fifth consecutive year, the Minnesota Department of Education has recognized Osseo Area Schools with the School Finance Award. The Department of Education gives the award “in recognition of outstanding accomplishments in financial management, including compliance with state statutes.”
- The Watch DOGS volunteer program at Edinbrook Elementary has brought more than 100 fathers and father figures into the school, where they have committed more than 85 days of volunteer service this school year. Following Edinbrook’s model, Crest View Elementary is also launching a Watch DOGS program. Watch DOG volunteers play an influential role as positive role models, greeting students as they enter the building, helping in the lunchroom, reading to small groups, helping in the classroom, and mentoring students.
January 2010
- As part of the Reading is Fundamental program and supported by the District 279 Foundation, students at the Osseo Area Learning Center were given the opportunity to select free paperback books for leisure reading at a December 17 event. Attending the event was Timberwolves mascot, Crunch, who reinforced the importance of literacy by demonstrating his own love of books.
- The District 279 Foundation has secured a $15,000 grant from the Prudential Foundation for “Prudential Arts Grants – Connecting Youth and Community through the Arts.” The grant will provide students in our system the opportunity to expand their learning and appreciation of the arts through trips to art museums, centers, and institutes, as well as theaters and performing arts centers.
December 2009
- Baseball fields at Zanewood Community School and Edinbrook Elementary will be converted to soccer fields this summer thanks to a $435,000 grant earned through a partnership between ISD 279 and the City of Brooklyn Park. The grants are funded by Target Stadium sales tax revenue. Similar awards totaling $2.5 million have been distributed across Hennepin County.
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Wal-Mart donated 80 copies of the children’s book The Very Hungry Caterpillar to Crest View Elementary on December 2.
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The Basswood Elementary PTO recently provided $25,000 worth of new technology for classrooms at the school. As a result, all kindergarten through sixth grade classrooms received both a document camera and projector. In addition, the PTO gift enabled the school to mount a Smart Board and projector in the media center and to purchase and mount a new LCD screen in the entry area of the school.
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Two Rotary organizations are helping keep students warm this winter. Maple Grove Rotary donated 1,000 hat and glove sets to be distributed to students as needed throughout our system, and Brooklyn Park Rotary donated 400 hat and glove sets to students at Crest View Elementary. The Brooklyn Park Rotary also provided a dictionary to each third grader at the school.
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Living Word Christian Center set up a Holiday Toy Store with more than 1,000 donated items so families could select holiday gifts for their children free of charge. Sixty-two families participated and were able to choose two items per child from an abundance of age-appropriate gifts.
- The Maple Grove Rotary hosted a fundraising silent auction/dinner November 21 to raise money for the STRIVE program, which serves seniors at Osseo and Maple Grove Senior Highs. The fundraising goal was $3,000, but in less than 15 minutes, they raised about $10,000. All funds will be used to award scholarships to graduating Osseo and Maple Grove seniors.
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Many of our elementary schools hosted Turkey Bingo around Thanksgiving and we want to thank the community donors who help make such events possible. For example, more than 500 people attended Elm Creek Elementary’s Turkey Bingo Night, which was supported by local businesses including Kid’s Hair, Cub Foods, Rainbow Foods, Timber Lodge Steak House, The Kopper Kettle, Main Street Pharmacy, Barnes and Noble, Brunswick Zone, Minnesota Timberwolves, Wells Fargo, Sundance, Sam’s Club and more.
November 2009
- Palmer Lake Elementary is partnering with Boston Scientific and The Works, an educational non-profit, to host a Family Fun Night December 3. The Works museum will be on site offering "hands-on, minds-on" interactive games and activities that make learning about engineering, science and technology interesting, understandable, and fun. The event will help students get a jump start on topics related to the STEM science standards being implemented in 2011.
- Owners of the Mobil service and gas station across the street from Woodland Elementary have graciously donated $750 to Woodland through Exxon Mobil Corporation's Educational Alliance Program to support math and science in schools. The funds will be used to support Woodland’s Fast Math program, which builds math fact fluency for 1st-6th graders.
- On November 1st, the Brooklyn Park Athletic Association (BPAA) Football Program held an end-of-season event at PCHS stadium. The event ran smoothly and student athletes and parents were excited to be using the stadium and its new field turf. Five games were scheduled throughout the afternoon and the event was a huge success. A great team of district staff supported the Association by setting up the field and the press box equipment and assisting Association members throughout the day. Park Center Booster members ran concessions, and Brooklyn Park police officers provided security. Stadium use guidelines, fees and staffing structure will be finalized this fall and we will be ready to welcome community users in 2010. Staff of the Community Education and Services Department will be processing permit requests as we welcome our community use of all three district stadiums.
October 2009
- Thanks to its partnership with Orchestra Hall, Birch Grove Elementary School for the Arts hosted world-renowned musician/composer Bernard Woma from Ghana, along with dancers and other musicians. The troupe performed its “Percussion Spectacular!” concert featuring Woma on the xylophone.
- Palmer Lake Elementary is receiving volunteer support from members of Lord of Life Church this year. Approximately 25 volunteers have stepped forward to help in classrooms, read to kids, and provide other support as needed. Earlier this fall, Lord of Life Church also donated approximately $2,000 in school supplies to Palmer Lake students.
- Palmer Lake Elementary is teaming up with University of Minnesota Gopher athletes who will be volunteering in classrooms for two hours each month as part of their Maroon and Gold Impacting the Community (MAGIC) service program.
- ISD 279 and Brooklyn Center Schools have jointly been awarded the ARRA McKinney-Vento Education for Homeless Children and Youth Grant. The grant will help ensure that homeless students enroll, attend, and succeed in school.
- Project Lead the Way, a technology and engineering education program offered in our system’s secondary schools, has received the 2009 Education Commission of the States Corporate Award. The award honors organizations for sustained commitment to and investment in improving public education. Project Lead The Way courses help create future generations of successful engineers and technology-savvy graduates.
September 2009
- ISD 279 Community Education, along with community partners TreeHouse, Brooklyn Park Recreation, and the Osseo Area Schools, received a 21st Century Community Learning Center grant in the amount of $899,000. A portion of the grant will help serve students at Brooklyn Junior High and North View Junior IB World School over the next three years through programs that help students become more connected to school, achieve at higher levels, and become productive adults.
July 2009
- For the 19th consecutive year, ISD 279-Osseo Area Schools has been awarded the Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting award from the Association of School Business Officials International. The award recognizes our system’s “commitment to the highest standards of school system financial reporting.”
- The Early Childhood Family Education (ECFE) program has been awarded a $3,000 grant from the Hennepin County Department of Environmental Services to implement a curriculum on environmental stewardship.
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Lifelong Learning
March 2010
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TC Bear from the Minnesota Twins visited Palmer Lake on February 22 to encourage lifelong reading habits during “I Love to Read Month.”
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Fifteen male students from Park Center attended an overnight leadership retreat at Camp Ripley February 19-20. They worked on team building, integrity, and trust in order to attain a more global worldview as International Baccalaureate students. The female students will attend a similar leadership retreat in April.
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Students from Wellstone Elementary in St. Paul visited Park Center Senior High on February 19 to perform a drum routine in honor of Black History month. The Wellstone students learned about life in high school and, through their moving performance, inspired Park Center students to achieve their dreams.
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Palmer Lake 4th graders participated in the Coming to America project, which explores the reasons people came to America, the challenges they faced, and the impact immigration had on their families. Students specifically examined the immigration of Sudanese-, Somali-, Irish- and Japanese-Americans. By putting themselves in others’ shoes, students gained empathy and a deeper understanding of the challenges experienced by immigrants.
February 2010
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At the Sno-Daze assembly on February 5, Maple Grove Senior High students watched an excerpt of the “I Have a Dream” speech delivered by Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. In observance of Black History Month and in support of our mission for all students to achieve their dreams, students were challenged to ponder their individual dreams and declare them in writing on a paper globe that will be displayed in the school.
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Students in North View Junior High’s after-school Sewing Club have been busy learning the lifelong skill of designing and making different kinds of hats and mittens this month. Club members were previously recognized for making and donating scarves to children in Guatemala.
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At the February 1st Maple Grove City Council meeting, Kidstop students from Basswood, Elm Creek, Fernbrook and Rice Lake received trophies for completing the Maple Grove Fire Safety G.L.O.W. (Giving Little Ones Wisdom) program. Students learned about fire prevention and safety, toured the fire station, climbed aboard a fire truck and met with fire fighters. Four Star students at Woodland, Cedar Island, Weaver Lake and Rush Creek are currently participating in the G.L.O.W. program.
January 2010
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IB students at North View Junior High participated in a live videoconference with Holocaust survivor Gerda Weissmann Klein on January 14. North View was the only school in our state selected to participate in the videoconference, during which students heard a first-hand account of what it was like to be a prisoner at Auschwitz. Student participants gained invaluable life lessons about hope, thanksgiving, perseverance, and giving back.
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The acclaimed Minnesota choral group, VocalEssence, is a regular partner with Birch Grove Elementary School for the Arts, and most recently collaborated with the school as part of a national initiative to celebrate the contributions of African-Americans and to learn about our shared heritage through studies of the arts. Patricia Brown, an artist with VocalEssence’s WITNESS project, taught students a folk song from Ghana. The Birch Grove students will also attend a VocalEssence WITNESS Young People’s Concert at the Ordway in mid-February.
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As part of their character and culture studies, Kidstop students at Zanewood Community School focused on the themes of peace and justice by participating in a peace march on January 22. Leading up to the project, students observed Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.’s birthday and studied the devastation in Haiti, compiling relevant quotes and writing poetry about peace. During the march, children circled the halls carrying signs promoting peace and sharing good wishes and kind words with everyone they passed.
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Zanewood sixth-graders visited the University of Minnesota in November to participate in the Kids Connect program, designed to engage community youth in university life and foster an interest in higher education. This opportunity helps students gain the confidence and courage to pursue their academic goals and career aspirations.
December 2009
- Osseo Senior High observed Chemical Health Week November 16-20. Students learned about the dangers of using drugs and alcohol, made pledges to always wear a seat belt and to stop/refrain from smoking, and were given statistics about drunk driving fatalities, all intended to influence good choices throughout life.
November 2009
- During fall conferences, 32 Fair Oaks families participated in a special craft project to create a writing box. Parents were provided information about early writing with children, then parents and children worked together to decorate and fill the boxes with many types of writing tools to encourage practice at home.
- Sixty student leaders from Osseo Senior High and Maple Grove Senior High explored the topic of corporate ethics at a university-level “Got Ethics?” workshop on October 29. The program was hosted by Maple Grove Rotary, with corporate sponsorship by Great River Energy and Liberty Mutual. ISD 279 was chosen as the first district in the state to participate in the “Got Ethics?” expansion, after 16 years of exclusivity at Eagan High School.
October 2009
- Oak View Elementary is hosting two teachers from Berlin, Germany this month as part of an international teacher mentorship program coordinated by the University of Minnesota. The German instructors will shadow Oak View 6th grade teachers to gain a better understanding of team teaching, to share culture, and to build relationships.
- Oak View, Fair Oaks, and Cedar Island Elementary Schools hosted their first-ever all-campus PTO meeting on October 19, focusing on helping parents understand their child’s MCA-II test scores. Parents were given a packet with their child’s individual scores, and received helpful information about the test from Don Pascoe, Director of Research, Assessment and Accountability.
- On September 29, more than 3,000 ISD 279 juniors and seniors from all three high schools attended the Minnesota Education Fair to learn more about opportunities that can help them achieve their dreams after high school. Representatives from more than 100 public and private colleges and universities, community and technical colleges, career schools and military organizations were available to help students consider their post-secondary options. This year’s event broke all previous attendance records for student and educational institution attendance.
- Robin Mueller, substitute physical education teacher, modeled a passion for lifelong learning when she was featured on KARE 11’s Showcase Minnesota for her artwork.
- Crest View Elementary hosted its fourth annual Family Math Night and Ice Cream Social on October 1. About 75 families learned a variety of fun and easy math games that students and parents can play at home.
September 2009
- Jodi Hartwig’s fifth grade class at Zanewood Elementary is engaging in a pen pal program with students from Ghana. Zanewood students have already received letters from their pals in Africa, and are exchanging details about their school, class schedules, and extra-curricular activities in order to get acquainted and learn more about each other’s culture.
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Mission-Driven Employees
March 2010
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Congratulations to Kip Sackett, College and Career Readiness teacher at the Osseo Area Learning Center, who was recently named Minnesota Association of Alternative Programs Staff Member of the Year for his dedication to students and his involvement with the association at the state and local level.
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The Minnesota Elementary School Principals’ Association (MESPA) recently awarded Rice Lake principal Mark French the 2010 MESPA Division Leadership Achievement Award. The award honors principals whose exemplary leadership and sustained efforts have made noteworthy contributions to the operation of effective school learning programs, thereby improving education, their communities, and their profession.
February 2010
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Senior players and managers of the Osseo Senior High basketball team took part in a special recognition of mission-driven employees at the February 18 game against Andover. Each player or manager on the team identified an Osseo educator who had particularly inspired or influenced the student over his or her years in ISD 279. The honored educators were introduced and recognized before all attendees at the game.
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Maple Grove coaches Mark Cook and Ellen Wiese have been named Section 5AAAA Girls’ Basketball Coach and Assistant Coach of the Year.
- Rachel Arntson, speech language pathologist at Fair Oaks Elementary, recently published a book entitled, “We Can Talk: Tips for Enhancing Your Child’s Speech and Language.” The book is based upon Ms. Arntson’s extensive experience working with children and families, helping children improve their communication skills.
January 2010
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Palmer Lake Elementary Principal Tommy Watson is featured on the University of Minnesota’s home page, describing his life story of overcoming obstacles in order to find success. The U of M web feature also includes an audio clip of students singing the Palmer Lake school song.
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Congratulations to Barbara Rose, fourth-grade teacher at Birch Grove Elementary School for the Arts, who illustrated a recently published children’s book called The Adventures of Sandora about a stick figure that comes to life. The book was written by Alice Goertzen, the mother of Mrs. Rose’s best friend, and Sandora’s adventures are based on stories from Mrs. Rose’s childhood with Mrs. Goertzen’s daughter.
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Marti Micks, Social Studies Teacher at BJH, has been awarded the 2010 Minnesota VFW Teacher of the Year award in the 6-8th grade category. The VFW's Citizenship Education Teachers' Award recognizes the nation's top elementary, junior high and high school teachers who teach citizenship education topics regularly and promote America's history and traditions. Ms. Micks will be recognized at a banquet on January 16.
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Two ISD 279 educators, Bill Huston and Jill Simon, received the 2009 TIES Exceptional Teacher Award on December 15. Since 2004, TIES has recognized teachers in member districts who model successful practices in using classroom technology and engage students in learning. In total, 65 Minnesota teachers from 33 districts were given the Exceptional Teacher Award.
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Dawn Nelson, Instructional Media and Technology Coordinator, is presenting a break-out session at the “Internet@Schools East 2010!” conference in Arlington, Virginia in April. Ms. Nelson will share how ISD 279 teachers are using Project Copernicus to leverage students’ personal technology, such as iPods and cell phones, with other equipment and online resources to teach 21st century skills in a variety of creative and engaging formats.
December 2009
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The Fair Oaks Elementary PTO received an Honorable Mention from the PTO Today organization in its national 2009 Parent Group of the Year competition. The national spotlight follows a statewide feature in the 2008 Education Guide produced by Minnesota Parent magazine. Fair Oaks volunteer coordinator Ana Markowski was featured in the article.
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Carrie Larson, Amy Brengman and Lisa Greene have earned distinction as National Community Education Association (NCEA) Fellows. The NCEA Fellow designation is conferred to members who have demonstrated the highest degree of professional competency in the field of Community Education, as determined by NCEA’s Professional Endorsement Committee. Only 35 individuals in the nation have earned the NCEA Fellow endorsement, and four of them (the three above plus Mike Looby, Executive Director of Community Engagement) are employed in ISD 279-Osseo Area Schools.
- Joni Hodsdon, second grade teacher at Woodland, received the Lite 102.9 “Apples for Teachers Award” November 23. She was nominated by a parent whose child was diagnosed with diabetes after Ms. Hodsdon shared some observations of symptoms with the student’s parent.
November 2009
- Park Brook Elementary special education teacher Linda Chambers become the second ISD 279 teacher surprised by OfficeMax volunteers who presented her with $1,000 in classroom equipment and supplies as part of the “A Day Made Better: Working to Erase Teacher-Funded Classrooms” teacher recognition program.
- The Minnesota High Tech Association has awarded the 2009 Innovation in Teaching Award to Laurie Toll, a Technology Integration Collaborative Teacher at Weaver Lake Elementary: A Science, Math and Technology School. The award honors organizations and individuals who merit special recognition for their outstanding contributions to Minnesota’s technology-based economy.
- Three Weaver Lake Elementary teachers presented a course about integrating technology and outdoor education at the regional conference of the National Science Teachers Association on October 30.
- Music Coordinator Wendy Barden recently published a book entitled Performance Assessment in Band, which focuses on giving band teachers pragmatic ways to assess student progress and deliver feedback to students in a large ensemble. Performance Assessment in Band is the first book in a series of six, and is on sale now in music stores.
- Career Resource Specialists Diane Ahlberg, Michelle Mazanec, Kathy Nelson have been credentialed as Global Career Development Facilitators by the Center for Credentialing and Education. Only 411 individuals in the state have received this prestigious designation, and we are proud that our high schools have credentialed professionals who are well equipped to help students achieve their post-secondary dreams.
October 2009
- Crest View Elementary Licensed Media Specialist Holly Thompson received a scholarship to attend a conference for librarians where she was inspired by the use of Web 2.0 tools, such as blogs, to reinforce a book’s storylines and to get students excited about swapping book recommendations. She also left the conference with new favorite titles and authors to share with students. The scholarship was provided by Metronet, one of seven state-funded multi-type library networks in Minnesota.
- Ashley Mathews, a North View Junior IB World School Spanish teacher, was surprised by OfficeMax volunteers with $1,000 in classroom equipment and supplies as part of the “A Day Made Better: Working to Erase Teacher-Funded Classrooms” teacher recognition program. Ms. Mathews was nominated by North View secretary Rita Humble in recognition of her excellent teaching, dedication to her students, and commitment to the mission of the International Baccalaureate Programme.
August 2009
- Woodland Elementary’s Rojanne Brown, a Technology Integration Coordination Teacher, was one of only 51 educators selected through a national competitive process to participate in an intensive Google Teacher Academy. Mrs. Brown is now a “Google Certified Teacher,” with access to a network of other innovative educators, free education technology resources, and special professional development opportunities.
- Rice Lake Elementary principal Mark French will be a featured author in Principal magazine, the journal for the National Association of Elementary School Principals. Mr. French’s article provides insights on including non-traditional families in the school community.
- The fourth annual Macy’s Spelling Bee, hosted by Reading is Fundamental, took place at the Mall of America. In addition to District 279 Foundation staff support, four other ISD 279 staff helped judge and manage the contest.
- ISD 279 School Board chair John Nelson was elected chair of the TIES board of directors. TIES is an education technology collaborative serving 39 Minnesota member districts, including the Osseo Area Schools.
July 2009
- The 2009 National Magnet Schools of America Conference is being held in Minneapolis this month, bringing educators from across the country together to learn about magnet school excellence in Minnesota. On July 13, staff from Weaver Lake Elementary: A Science, Math & Technology School, were featured conference presenters and also hosted an afternoon site visit for conference participants. The visiting educators learned how Weaver Lake staff integrates technology and inquiry-based practices, along with citizen science, to create real world learning experiences for elementary students. Both of our district’s elementary magnet programs (along with Park Center Senior High) earned Magnet School of Excellence honors this year.
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