Nov. 30, 2023

This e-newsletter is intended for Osseo Area Schools Community Education staff.

These social media pages are designed to be a hub for communication and connection about all of our Community Education programs. Click on the links below to “Like” and “Follow”.

Osseo Area Schools Community Education on Facebook

Osseo Area Schools Community Education on Instagram

Once you're connected, encourage other staff, volunteers, participants and community members to like, follow and share future posts!

The second annual CEAP Season of Sharing event has successfully concluded! A HUGE THANK YOU to Mary Thompson and Michelle Lamardo, two wonderful ABE volunteers who led this event. Michelle and Mary went above and beyond and were instrumental in making this event happen- they are rockstars!

Another THANK YOU to all of YOU for your participation! During the two week food drive, Osseo Area Schools collected 256 pounds of food and a monetary donation of $425. Together, this will provide 1,488 meals to our community! This event was successful because of the participation and commitment from each of you to our community.

The Office of Broadband and Digital Inclusion is program run through Hennepin County with the goal to put free technology into the hands of our community. ABE is now a referrer for this program. ABE can directly refer students to an OBDI navigator without having to send them to Hennepin County. If you have a student or know someone living in Hennepin County who could benefit from this program, please send an email to Annie Xiong, Nancy Johnson or Emily Watts (all in ABE).

A new program "Musical Theater Movement” started at Crest View Elementary School on Monday, Nov. 20. This theatre opportunity is offered to Crest View Elementary School students at a much discounted rate (due to funding from The BEAT who partners with Community Education). The principal and a teacher at Crest View Elementary School were very helpful in recruiting students to sign up- it is full with 21 students!

The Winter/Spring Adult and Youth Enrichment catalog is going to arrive to households in the district in early December. Registration for classes are available now at osseo.ce.eleyo.com.

Sinahi Aguirre is the newest member to the Enrollment Center team! She brings great experience and was a seasonal staff for three summers. Sinahi started on Oct. 23, as the Enrollment Center Administrative Assistant.

Find next year’s enrollment applications and packets on the enrollment center website district279.org/enrollment

Recently, the Enrollment Center staff had their first ever Spirit Days – hosted by their very own Sunshine Committee. Themes included:

• Style yourself in the color of a full rainbow
• Show your spirit or tropical vibes
• Show your spirit with your favorite animal and Pumpkin contest
• Show your spirit with silly socks

Sharing some pictures of the fun!

• The Winter/Spring ECFE Session II brochure will be mailed to homes in early December. A registration lottery will be held on Tuesday, Dec. 19. Registration for classes is available now at osseo.ce.eleyo.com.
• A field trip is planned for prekindergarten students to visit the Maple Grove Fire Station in early December.

Facilities had their first two of many basketball tournaments this year!

• Osseo Maple Grove Girls Basketball Association (OMGBA) girls tournament was held Nov. 4-5 at Maple Grove Community Gym (MGCG), Maple Grove Middle School (MGMS), Osseo Senior High (OSH) and Maple Grove Senior High (MGSH)
• Osseo Maple Grove Boys Basketball Association (OMGBA) boys tournament was held Nov. 11-12 and used Maple Grove Community Gym (MGCG) Maple Grove Middle School (MGMS), Osseo Senior High (OSH), Osseo Middle School (OMS), Park Center Senior High (PC), Brooklyn Middle School (BMS) and Maple Grove Senior High (MGSH).

• Shannon Lund is moving on from the program, she has worked as a Program Manager since 2016. We wish her well in her future endeavors. Her last day with the program is Dec. 1.
• The waiting list for Kidstop is getting smaller each month! The school year started with 450+ families on the waitlist. Kidstop is now down to 278 and the team is working hard to hire more staff to get as many families off the waitlist.
• At Basswood Elementary School Kidstop:
• A mentorship program has launched in collaboration with Four Star Express program. Recognizing the value of mentorship in student's lives, older students will take on the role of leading activities and playing games with the Four Star Express students.
• Students are creating a one-of-a-kind Kidstop Cookbook. Students are sharing their family favorite recipes to be included in the cookbook.
• At Rush Creek Elementary School, Kidstop students are putting on a magic show (date and time to be determined).
• At Weaver Lake: A Science, Math & Technology School, Kidstop collected nine milk cartons filled with candy to send in care packages to troops!
• Four Star Registration opens Tuesday Jan. 9, 2024 at 9 a.m. and Summer/School Year 2024-25 Kidstop registration opens Tuesday , March 5, 2024 at 6 a.m.
  

District 279 Foundation is grateful to Osseo Area Schools for the opportunity to be a recipient of the annual employee giving campaign. Osseo Area Schools Employee Giving Campaign took place Oct. 2 to Oct. 13. Through this campaign, employees had an opportunity to donate to District 279 Foundation, Greater Twin Cities United Way and/or a non-profit of their choosing. The employee giving campaign raised a total of $39,736. Special thanks to the 311 employees who contributed a total of $28,977 to District 279 Foundation.

The Foundation’s year-end giving campaign has kicked off with Give to the Max Day which took place on Thursday, Nov. 16. Celebrating its 15th anniversary in 2023, Give to the Max Day (GTMD23) has become Minnesota’s annual giving holiday. The first $2,000 contributed to District 279 Foundation’s campaign was matched and the Foundation reached the fundraising goal for the day. Thank you to our generous donors who made GMTD23 a success for District 279 Foundation. These contributions will fund innovative and creative projects in Osseo Area Schools.

Preparations have begun for the A Night Out at the Speakeasy which will take place on Friday, Feb. 2, 2024, at Edinburgh USA Golf Course. Nearly 300 attendees including many business, city, school and community leaders who want to support scholars and educators in Osseo Area Schools are expected to participate. Event sponsorship and auction items are currently being secured. Registration will open in December.

About the A Night Out at the Speakeasy

Friday, Feb. 2, 2024

5:30 p.m. Check In, Appetizers & Silent Auction

7:30 p.m. Dinner and Program

Attire: Attendees are encouraged to dress in 1920s themed attire.

Location: Edinburgh USA Golf Course

8700 Edinbrook Crossing, Brooklyn Park, MN 55443

Proceeds will provide enriching learning experiences for scholars in Osseo Area Schools

This year began my 21st year working as Clerical ESP in Osseo Area Schools, 13 of them at the Enrollment Center. When I'm not at work I like to garden, go camping, ferment food, and spend time with my grandchildren.

My name is Caeli (pronounced Kylie), and I was born and raised in Arizona, but relocated to Minnesota just this month. I’m eager about the transition and excited to get acclimated. I obtained my Bachelor of Science in Literacy, Learning and Leadership from the University of Arizona and will be completing my Masters of Education in Special Education in the spring.

Over the years, I have worked in a variety of school-based roles through different age ranges and concentrations. I have previously worked as a Co-Teacher for a K-3 Developmental Delay classroom, a lead teacher in an Early Childhood Inclusion classroom, and a Special Education Teacher and Service Coordinator for exceptional students in a self-contained setting. In this most recent role, I provided direct interventions for students, facilitated IEP meetings and evaluations, and provided professional development to other educators regarding behavior management and PBIS practices. I also have taught summer school for 1st and 5th grade, as well as ESY for K-5 students with significant needs. I am very passionate about enhancing social emotional learning for children, connecting with and providing support to families, and working with other educators to address the unique needs we are facing in the school setting today. I look forward to meeting everyone!

Sharing: A picture of myself and my husband, Cole.

• I enjoy travelling, most recently I went to Greece for my birthday, and it was incredible.

• I like hiking with my friend's dog.
• Spend time with friends and family.
• Learning new hobbies.

Greetings Osseo Area Schools Community Education! I'm Mischelle, and I'm thrilled to be a new member of the EC&FE team here. While I'm new to Osseo Area Schools, I bring close to 30 years of experience in the world of Community Education, where I've been actively involved and passionate about making a positive impact.

My journey in Community Ed has taken me through Youth Enrichment, Adult Enrichment, and Early Learning Programs. I've worn many hats, including roles in marketing and communications in each of the programs. Along with my work here, I proudly serve on the Board of Directors for the Minnesota Association for Family and Early Education (MNAFEE), where I chair the Communications Committee.

These first few weeks have been a joy as I've had the pleasure of getting to know this incredible team. I'm excited about the opportunities ahead and the chance to contribute to the vibrant community we have here.

Feel free to reach out if you have any questions or just want to connect. Here's to a fantastic journey together!

On Tuesday, Nov. 14 Equity Teams from throughout the school district convened for a day of training. This workshop session focused on teachings from the book Street Data: A Next-Generation Model for Equity, Pedagogy, and School Transformation (2021) by Shane Safir and Jamila Dugan.

The main areas we focused on from the book revolved around the Core stances of holism, awareness, antiracism, deep listening, agency, coherence, symmetry, vulnerability, and warm demander. We also spent time reviewing our Community Education 3 year operational plan to see what alignment our plan had to the core stances.

Thank you again to our dedicated and caring CE Team for hosting the MCEA Fall Conference Oct. 25-27. It was a HUGE success!

Congratulations again to Adult Basic Education, recipient of the MCEA Region 3 Community Educator of Excellence Award. This picture was taken of the ABE staff team at their Staff Development meeting on Nov. 20.

Email Kathryn Polum, Communications Specialist at polumk@district279.org. Content and photo(s) are requested on or before the 25th of each month.

11200 93rd Ave. No.

Maple Grove, MN 55369

Phone: 763-391-7000

www.ce.district279.org