Park Center Pirate Newsletter

October 2025

Any students who needs to retake their school picture will have the opportunity on Monday, October 6th during the school day. Click on this link for more information about ordering school pictures (available in 11 languages).

Join us for fall conferences! Watch for an email and text with information on getting signed up.

• In person conferences are Thursday, October 9 from 3:15-7:30

• Virtual conferences are Tuesday, October 14 from 3:15-7:30

There is no school on Thursday, October 16th and Friday, October 17th due to MEA break.

The application for educational benefits takes just a few minutes to complete, and it unlocks valuable support for families who qualify. Benefits include:

• Summer grocery support (Sun Bucks)

• Discounted home internet and utilities

• Testing fees for the ACT, SAT and AP Fees may be discounted as well as field trips and band instruments.

• Athletics fees waived or reduced.

• After-school and summer programs

• Tutoring and academic help

• Low-cost community transit

• Free or discounted admission to museums, theaters and local events

How to apply:

• Online through EduTrakConnect at www.district279.org/FMA. This option will create a family account allowing online access to view meal accounts.

• Online at: bit.ly/3hWdk7Q This option will bypass making a family account while still allowing completion of the application.

Note: If you received a letter this summer stating you qualified for educational benefits, you do not need to fill out a form again this year

• Fall Sports Playoffs are right around the corner! Check here for dates and information to follow how our teams do! Fall Playoff Document 2025
• Be on the lookout for PAC (Parent/Caregiver, Athlete, Coach) meeting dates! This year each sport will host their own meeting. You will be able to find these dates on pcactivities.com.

Winter registration will open on October 6th! Please make sure sport physicals are up to date and educational benefits applications are completed (Links can be found here). You can register through EduTrak. If there are any questions, reach out to Ms. Samantha in the Activities office, zolnoskys@district279.org.

Start dates for each sport:

• Dance: October 20th
• Girls Hockey: October 27th
• Nordic Ski: November 10th
• Alpine Ski: November 10th
• Gymnastics: November 10th
• Girls Basketball: November 10th
• Boys Hockey: November 10th
• Adapted Floor Hockey: November 17th
• Wrestling: November 17th
• Boys Basketball: November 17th
• Boys Swim: November 24th

YouLEAD is an exchange program that brings Ukrainian teens to the United States to learn about leadership, connect with peers and learn about American culture. Read all about their visit here.

We just wrapped up an amazing homecoming week! From spirit days to the volleyball tournament, senior jeans to the pep fest, and the game (with a Pirate win!) to the dance, students showed their school spirit in so many ways. We are incredibly proud of how students showed up and showed out all week!

The AP Test Registration window is open NOW! To register, AP students must complete the AP Exam Registration form and pay for the exams by Oct 31 To avoid late fees, students must pay for their exams by Oct 31. Students that pay after Oct. 31, will have to pay a $40 late fee in addition to the AP exam fee ($105 total.) Students that qualify for free/reduced lunch receive a fee waiver for their AP exams. However, this fee waiver does NOT cover any late fees. AP students MUST have a College Board account and be enrolled in the AP course to take an exam. AP exams CANNOT be ordered for students not enrolled in the College Board.

Completing the FAFSA or the Dream Act application is the first step in receiving financial aid for college. The FAFSA IS OPEN and FREE for all seniors planning to attend a college in the fall. The Career Resource Center will be presenting the FSA ID and FAFSA application process to ALL Senior Advisories on Wed, Oct 22. A recording of this session and other helpful resources can be found on the PC CRC website > Advisory > CRC Session. To support students and families the CRC will be hosting a FAFSA Drop-In Support Session in January. This will be an opportunity for families to ask local Financial Aid professionals questions about their student’s FAFSA and get help submitting the application. A reminder for this event will be sent to senior families via Talking Points after winter break. Check the CRC Calendar for more details. The MN Office of Higher Ed also offers some Free Virtual FAFSA and College sessions.

Minnesota Goes to College is our state’s effort to provide graduating high school seniors with the preparation, opportunity, and support needed to apply and enroll in college. The PC CRC, along with the other high schools in D279, are hosting events for students and families. These events focus on college and career exploration, financial aid and Dream Act information, and application completion. There are many resources to help college-bound juniors and seniors. Also, most MN colleges waive application fees for the month of October. Check out the Free Application List 2024 and explore campuses and programs. Here is a Calendar of Planning Resources from the MN Office of Higher Education.

The Career Resource Center and FACE (Family & Community Engagement) are excited to partner with ECMC (Education Credit Management Corporation) to offer a 2-session series for students and families about the college-planning process. The first session is on Tue, Oct 28 from 5:30-7:00 pm and will talk about 1) how education can change their lives and 2) how to choose your education path. The second session will be on Tue, Apr 14 from 5:30-7:00 pm and will help students 1) learn how to pay for college and 2) learn what steps they can take now to prepare for education after high school.

Students that attend both sessions will have an opportunity to win a $1,000 scholarship! Sign up TODAY to attend: https://bit.ly/3INrybm

Both sessions will be held in the Career Resource Center near Door A. Students and families should park in the parking lot off of Brooklyn Blvd.

Some college applications and scholarships require a letter of recommendation. Typically, schools prefer a letter from a core teacher. However, if you plan to study an elective subject or a scholarship is awarded based on your experience in that field, it would be appropriate to get a letter of recommendation from that teacher. Students should give teachers at least two weeks to write the letter. It is also important to give the teacher a resume or the CRC Recommendation Questionnaire to help the teacher write a letter that is tailored to you and the school/scholarship. The CRC Recommend. Letter Handout has more information.

Here are some great scholarships that are due soon. Check out the CRC Scholarship Bulletin on the PC CRC website > Scholarships for more upcoming scholarships.

• VFW Voice of Democracy Competition ($1,000-21,000) due Oct 31, 2025

• Chick-fil-A Community Scholars Scholarship ($25,000) due Oct 28, 2025

• DoD SMART Scholarship (full tuition in STEM field) due Dec 5, 2025

• Burger King Scholars Scholarship ($1,000-60,000) due Dec 16, 2025

• Taco Bell Live Más Scholarship ($25,000t) due Jan 8, 2026

Stay connected with your student's bus via our updated bus tracking app – FirstView 1.0

This new app replaces the previous system with improved features such as easier navigation, notifications and family/caregiver email alerts. Current users should delete the previous app and download FirstView 1.0 to continue receiving real-time bus information. Refer to the Getting Started guide for first steps once the new app has downloaded onto your device.

Questions? Visit district279.org/FirstView or email support@myfirstview.com.

Get involved and represent Park Center to make a difference at Osseo Area Schools. Many district-level advisory committees are looking for parent/caregiver volunteers who are interested in influencing the direction of the district’s instructional programs, enrollment/capacity, emergency management and financial matters. Find all the details here.

• American Indian Education Parent Advisory Committee
• Community Education Program Advisory Council (CEPAC)
• District Planning Advisory Council (DPAC)
• District Technology Advisory Committee
• Enrollment and Capacity Management Advisory Committee (ECMAC)
• FISCAL Advisory Team
• LGBTQIA+ Advisory Committee
• Radically Investing in Scholars Excellence (RISE)
• Security and Emergency Management Advisory Committee (SEMAC)

At Park Center we expect every student to demonstrate P.R.I.D.E.

• Participate in your education
• Respect yourself and others
• Inspire others
• Do the right thing
• Excel in all you do

For all Park Center rules and expectations, refer to our Student and Family Handbook