The CL Courier
September 8, 2026
Principal's Post
Crooked Lake Families,
Welcome back to school! We are looking forward to teaming up with your family for the 2026-27 school year. It was so great to see so many of you at Open house, supporting a smooth transition to the school year.
We really want to encourage all of our students to take time every day to read at home. Reading to our children is a powerful way to support their brain development. Reading just 5 minutes a day at home exposes students to 282,000 words per year. Reading at home stimulates neural pathways that are responsible for visual imagery, language processing, and reading comprehension.
Looking forward to our PTO Fun Run/Community Picnic coming up after school from 5:00 - 6:30 on September 17.
Picture day is coming on September 30.
Take care.
Sam Anderson
Crooked Lake Principal
763-506-2101
Upcoming Events
- September 17: Fun Run Family Night (5:00-6:30pm)
- September 21: 5th Grade Parent Meeting (5:00-6:00pm in Media Center)
- September 21-25: Spirit Week & Safety Week
- September 23: Bus Evacuation Drills (morning)
- September 30: Picture Day
Look ahead: - October 6: Eveland Farms (4:00-7:00pm)
- October 9: 1st Grade field trip to Oliver Kelley Farm
- October 15-16: MEA Break (No School)
Follow this link for more upcoming events:
https://www.ahschools.us/Page/16#calendar11/20250903/month
You can also find more information when you visit the Crooked Lake Elementary website here: https://www.ahschools.us/crookedlake
Reedy's Report
Hello Crooked Lake Elementary Families!
I am so excited to welcome your students back for another wonderful school year. As your school social worker, my goal is to ensure every student has the tools and support they need to feel comfortable, confident, and ready to learn.
If your student is still in need of a backpack, specific school supplies, or other basic resources to kick off the year, please reach out to me directly. I am happy to help connect your family with these essential items.
We are also proud to continue our partnership with Every Meal, a community nonprofit dedicated to fighting child hunger. This program provides a bag of nutritious, free food placed directly and discreetly into your student's backpack each Friday afternoon to help fill the food gaps over the weekend.
Important details for the Weekend Meal Program:
Annual Registration Required: Even if your child received meals last year, every family must register again at the start of each school year.
One Form Per Student: A separate sign-up form must be completed for each individual child in your household.
No Qualifications: There are no qualification requirements or income restrictions to participate; this resource is open and free to all who need it.
To sign your student up for weekend food bags, please fill out this Weekend Meals Registration Form.
Let's make it a fantastic school year together!
Tyler Reedy
MSW/LICSW
763-506-2164
- If you have immediate concerns for the physical safety of a friend, a family member, or yourself, call 911.
- Dial **CRISIS from your cell phone to be connected with county mobile crisis services.
- Anoka County Mobile Crisis: 763-755-3801
- Hennepin County Children (up to 18): 612-348-2233
- Hennepin County Adults (18+): 612-596-1223
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: 1-800-273-8255 (English) or 1-888-628-9454 (Spanish)
- Crisis Text Line: “HOME” to 741741
Nurse's News
Happy back to school from the health office!
Nurse Amanda and Nurse Katelyn are back at Crooked Lake for another year of supporting students.
If your student has a health condition or medical need, please call and let us know. This includes activity restrictions due to an injury, taking medication at school, monitoring or assisting with health needs, or any worries or concerns you may have.
Crooked Lake Health Office Phone: 763-506-2104
Also please remind your students to WASH THEIR HANDS! Before they eat, after the bathroom and after they get home from school! Let's hope for a healthy school year!
Katelyn Salwey
Licensed School Nurse, PHN, BSN, RN
763-506-2124
Amanda Kerns
LPN Health Para
763-506-2104
Cook's Corner
Nutrition:
The child nutrition program is dedicated to providing high-quality, nutritious meals to the students in the Anoka-Hennepin School District so they can learn and develop for their future. Our department's services include breakfast, lunch, and after-school snack programs as well as daycare meals, catering and other snacks and meals as needed.
Free School Meals:
As of September 2023, the state’s Free School Meals program will cover the cost of one breakfast meal and one lunch meal for every student daily. However, the cost of à la carte items, such as milk, other drinks, or additional meal items, will not be covered. Students will need to have funds in their meal accounts to purchase any additional food items.
How meals are planned:
All student meals must meet the federal guidelines for types and amounts of food offered. In addition, they must be appealing to students so they are consumed. A departmental advisory committee consisting of staff from elementary, middle, and high schools and a department administrator, plus student focus and advisory groups, all contribute to menu development and product choices. Menus are reviewed and adjusted periodically to reflect changing customer tastes and new products. Nutritional information for menu items can be found on the district website.
Thanks!
Lauren Green
Child Nutrition Site Supervisor
Library's Latest
Welcome to another exciting school year!
My name is Mrs. Kocak, and I am thrilled to step into the role of school librarian this year after serving as our Media Paraeducator for the past seven school years. My connection to our school community is both professional and personal—I am a proud mother of three boys who all attend schools in the Anoka-Hennepin district, including my youngest son who is currently a 5th grader right here at Crooked Lake. I am so eager to transition into this new role and continue supporting our students as they discover the joy of reading and learning.
We are also incredibly lucky to welcome Mrs. Brown as our new Media Paraeducator! Many of you may already recognize her, as she has been a dedicated parent volunteer at our school for years while her own children have been attending Crooked Lake. Having her join our official library team is a wonderful addition to our school family. Together, Mrs. Brown and I look forward to helping every student find books they will truly love and fostering a lifelong passion for reading across our entire school community!
Cheers to a new school year!
Amy Postigo-Kocak
Library Media Specialist
Katie Brown
Library Media Para
Volunteer Voice
I’m thrilled to welcome our wonderful volunteers back to school! A few dedicated individuals have
already jumped right in, assisting teachers with classroom projects and ensuring everything is set up for a successful school year.
We have several volunteer opportunities available, including a chance to support the CLPTO with our primary fundraiser of the year! The CLPTO has poured countless hours into organizing the upcoming Fun Run, and we need our amazing volunteer community to help make the event a seamless success.
Below, you will find detailed descriptions of our open volunteer roles along with direct sign-up links.
As a reminder, all volunteers need to complete the 2026-2027 Crooked Lake Elementary Volunteer
application and Criminal Record History Release form.
Thank you for your continued dedication and support—we are deeply grateful for all you do to make
Crooked Lake an incredible place for our students!
Upcoming Opportunities:
- Fun Run
Assist at obstacle course stations, guide students through the course, and ensure everyone follows rules respectfully. Click Fun Run Volunteers for more information and to sign up. - Lunchroom Volunteer
Guide students on cafeteria routines, assist with opening packages, and keep lines moving. Click Lunchroom Volunteer to sign-up. - Picture Day
Help students look their best (fixing collars and necklaces) and keep photo lines on schedule. Click Picture Day volunteer for details and to sign up.
Melissa Hayek
Volunteer Services Coordinator
763-506-2130
Crooked Lake PTO
Welcome Back, Crooked Lake Families!
The PTO is excited to kick off another great year of learning, community, and fun at Crooked Lake Elementary. Whether you are returning or joining us for the first time, we are grateful to have you as part of our school family. Throughout the year, we will share updates on events, volunteer opportunities, and ways to stay connected. We can’t wait to partner with you to make this year memorable for our students and staff!
Stay Connected:
Be sure to join the 'Crooked Lake Elementary Families' Facebook page for regular updates.
Upcoming Event:
Join us for our annual Fun Run on Thursday, September 17, from 5:00 PM-6:30 PM. We will have fun activities for the kids and food trucks available!
Email us at CrookedLakePTO@gmail.com to get involved.
Follow us on Facebook at the CLS Parents group on Facebook!
Ashley Szostak: Chairperson
Community Education
Community Education is excited to share our upcoming lineup of classes! Join us for:
- Cheer Camp starting Oct 6
- Drawlandia starting Oct 6
- Eagle Choir starting Oct 13
View Crooked Lake offerings and register here!
Abby Kowles
Community Ed Programmer
Late Arrivals & Absences
Bus Information
What if my child's bus doesn't come in the morning and/or my child doesn't get off the bus in the afternoon and I am unable to reach the school? This is rare, but if this does happen, please call your child's bus company. The bus company will assist you in the morning and also take the lead and contact you in the afternoon when they locate your child.
Kottkes' 763-755-3100
Busses: 2, 4, 11, 30, 68, 461, 504
First Student 763-421-3199
Bus: 301
Transportation App: FirstView
Crooked Lake Elementary is on Facebook! Get the latest news by following:
@https://www.facebook.com/crookedlake/?ref=bookmarks
Follow Crooked Lake's PTO too at:
Crooked Lake Elementary School
2939 Bunker Lake Blvd. NW | Andover, MN 55304 | P: 763-506-2100 | F: 763-506-2103 | crookedlake@ahschools.us | Translate
This e-newsletter is published by Crooked Lake Elementary School. Questions, comments or concerns about the school e-newsletter? Contact us.