Wolves Newsletter
Welcome to Park Brook Elementary
Dear Park Brook Families,
As I begin my 34th year in education, I am filled with thankfulness to enjoy my work as much as I do. I enjoy Open House so much, as the school is filled with life as students return, and then the first day of school is simply amazing to experience.
As I sit here at the end of the first day, I am exhausted from the day, yet excited for the learning opportunities and activities in the year ahead. I can relate very well to students who are tired after the first day of school.
As we begin this school year, I simply ask the following of you, enjoy your children at home:
- Enjoy eating together as a family, without the television or cell phones. Simply enjoy time eating together.
- Read. If your child is in the younger grades, simply enjoy reading to them, don't try to get them to sound out words or read every-other-page, simply enjoy time reading to them. Make it a special time. (This develops vocabulary and a love of reading.) If your child is in one of the upper grades, or is struggling to read, find a good chapter book to enjoy together and read a chapter every night.
- Exercise. Kids don't call it exercise, they play. Get them outside to play or take a walk together in the evening. Sixty (60) minutes of exercise every day greatly helps with learning and behaviors. Have Fun!
- Sleep. Elementary kids need between nine and eleven (9 - 11) of sleep every night. Think of a bedtime between 8:00 p.m. and 8:30 p.m. which will give them time to get eleven (11) hours of sleep, and wake up so that the morning is not rushed and more enjoyable for all.
- Monitor and Limit Technology. Beyond technology keeping kids from moving and engaging in creative play, we deal with issues from social media, group texts, and so on. Monitoring and limiting technology can keep your child from 'drama' that occurs on social media and group texts, along with the negative impacts on mental health. At night, all technology should be out of rooms where children sleep; cell phones, tablets, televisions.
Lastly, get your kids to school on time and every day, unless they are ill.
Enjoy your kids at home, spend time with them, and when they come prepared for learning, they will make great gains in school.
Sincerely,
Mr. Scott W. Taylor
Principal
Mission Bay High School - San Diego, CA
Northern Arizona University, B.S. - Flagstaff, AZ
St. Cloud State University, M.S. - St. Cloud, MN
St. Mary's University, Administration Program - Minneapolis, MN
Funding for Park Brook Elementary is dependent upon free/reduced cost lunch forms. We kindly request that all families complete a form (including Pre-K), even if your child will not be eating school lunches. Please complete the form in September if there is a possibility you may qualify for free/reduced lunches.
Completing the lunch forms before October 1 will assist Park Brook in providing Title I services; TAG services; additional teachers to reduce instructional group size; and ESP support.
While breakfast and lunch are free for all students in the State of Minnesota, the forms are important for funding purposes.
Coffee with Mr. Taylor is an informal time to visit with Mr. Taylor, visit with other parents, ask questions, and also discuss concerns and wonderings you may have. All parents and guardians are welcome!
Kindergarten has great fun with a different color each of the 2nd and 3rd weeks of school, the entire school joins in with the fun! We encourage families to NOT go out and buy new clothing, simply if your child has clothes with the color of the day, to join in the fun on those days.
Park Brook Elementary was recognized this past summer with a RAMP Award from the American School Counselor Association (Recognized American School Counselor Association Model Program).
If you feel that your child could benefit from meeting with our school counselor, Ms. Booth, please contact the school office or click on the button below to send Ms. Booth an email.
Parents and guardians are welcome to join Park Brook Students for lunch on Thursday, September 25. Lunch is a BBQ hamburger lunch with all of the fixings!
Students will eat at their regular lunch time. Students lunches are free. Cost for each adult is $5.25.
Students will eat at their regularly scheduled lunch time and will not join siblings at other lunch times.
Kindergarten - 12:30 p.m. - 1:00 p.m.
1st Grade - 11:45 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.
2nd Grade - 11:45 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.
3rd Grade - 12:15 p.m. - 12:45 p.m.
4th Grade - 12:15 p.m. - 12:45 p.m.
5th Grade - 11:45 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.
At recess, students are welcome to wear hats and hoodies.
School Spirit Days
Friday, September 26 - Hat Day
Wednesday, October 22 - Hoodie Day
Mission of Be the Hype: Enhance Physical Education and Physical Activity Experiences.
Park Brook Elementary Staff participated in professional development to enhance the Focus on Fitness Initiative on Tuesday, August 26. Nick Kline with Be The Hype is the guest presenter.
Kline is an adjunct lecturer at the State University of New York at Cortland, member of the Development Council and National Trainer with OPEN, and is serving as the Active Schools Director.
Click Picture for Be the Hype.
Kinesthetic Seating
Kinesthetic seating, such as stability balls and Hokki Stools that require core muscle use during instruction, are standard seating at Park Brook. According to Dr. John Ratey of Harvard University, there is a 10% increase in focus when using kinesthetic seating.
Students may be a bit sore the first week or so of school from using muscles they are not used to using from sitting on the kinesthetic seating. This is normal, and good for the muscles.
Boot Camp
Students in Grades 1 – 5
Monday, September 8 - Wednesday, October 1
Mondays and Wednesdays from 3:20 pm– 4:15 pm.
Students who are enrolled in school the first week of school need to register for Boot Camp by Friday, September 5 to participate. Registration information will be available at Open House.
Twin Cities 5K
Students in Grades 1 - 5 – Saturday, October 4
The Twin Cities 5K is held in St. Paul beginning at the Minnesota State Capital. Students will ride a bus from Park Brook to the Twin Cities 5K. Parents/guardians are welcome to ride the bus and come cheer on the students from the starting and finish lines, but they are not required to come.
Parents are welcome to come, but if they want to participate they must register online with Twin Cities in Motion.
For weekend events, a $5 commitment fee is required which is returned to all students who participate and students who let the office know by noon the day before the event if they are not able to come; we need to have an accurate count of students who are participating in events outside of the school day.
Registration deadline for the Twin Cities 5K is Monday, September 22 at 4:15 p.m.
Families New to Park Brook, and all Pre-K and Kindergarten Families
Tuesday, September 16, 2025
5:00 pm – 7:00 pm
Families are welcome and encouraged to join us for dinner and conversation.
· Families and staff will enjoy time together eating dinner.
· Following dinner, students will go to the gym for activities.
· Parents/guardians will spend time together visiting about Park Brook, discuss questions families have, and a time for everyone to get to know each other.
All-Beef Hot Dogs will be served (No Pork).
- W - We will respect ourselves and others.
- O - Own our actions.
- L - Listen and Learn.
- F - Follow Directions.