Falcon Newsletter
November 2023
11/6/2023
A NOTE FROM PRINCIPAL LOOBY
Greetings Fair Oaks Families!
It was wonderful seeing so many of you at our Breakfast with Books event last Friday. Reading with your children is a wonderful way to not only encourage them to read, but to build their vocabulary and comprehension. Your students should be bringing books home to read as well, so please ask them to read to you!
We have about 4 weeks left of this trimester already. It’s sailing by! Your students are such deep thinkers and problem solvers. They exhibit our CARES attributes and have passion for learning and growing – and we still have a lot more learning to do! It’s a pleasure to partner with you!
Sara Looby, Principal
IMPORTANT REMINDERS
NO CANDY AT SCHOOL PLEASE
PLEASE BE SURE YOUR STUDENT LEAVES ALL CANDY AT HOME! WE WANT FAIR OAKS TO BE A SAFE AND HEALTHY ENVORINMENT FOR ALL OF OUR STUDENTS AND STAFF! THANK YOU FOR YOUR COOPERATION WITH THIS!
EXTRA CLOTHING FOR LOCKERS
IT IS HELPFUL FOR STUDENTS OF ALL AGES TO HAVE AN EXTRA SET OF CLOTHING IN THEIR LOCKER. SOMETIMES SPILLS HAPPEN, ACCIDENTS HAPPY AND WEATHER HAPPENS AND IT CAN BE HARD TO LEARN WITH WET OR DIRTY CLOTHING. KIDS WILL BE KIDS!
WINTER GEAR
IF YOUR STUDENT IS IN NEED OF WINTER GEAR, WE DO HAVE A LIMITED AMOUNT OF COATS, SNOW PANTS, BOOTS, GLOVES AND HATS AVAILABLE TO STUDENTS WHO NEED THEM. PLEASE REACH OUT TO YOUR STUDENT'S TEACHER OR THE FRONT OFFICE TO LET US KNOW IF YOUR STUDENT IS IN NEED AND WE WILL BE HAPPY TO SET THEM UP WITH SOMETHING!
SNACKS
WE ARE ALWAYS IN NEED OF SNACK DONATIONS!
STUDENTS LOVE A CHANCE FOR A HEALTHY SNACK DURING THEIR SCHOOL DAY, AND WE ONLY HAVE SNACKS AVAILABLE WITH DONATIONS. WE WELCOME HEALTHY SNACK DONATIONS AT ANY TIME! PLEASE DO NOT BRING SNACKS THAT CONTAIN NUTS OR NUT BUTTERS.
SOME OF OUR FAVORITES ARE
ANIMAL CRACKERS
GRAHAM CRACKERS
SALTINE CRACKERS
FRUIT SNACKS
POPCORN
HEALTHY CEREALS
GRANOLA BARS
PRETZELS
GOLDFISH CRACKERS
APPLESAUCE POUCHES
OTHER HEALTHY SNACKS ARE ALSO WELCOME!
CLOTHING DONATIONS
WE ARE ALWAYS IN NEED OF NEW OR GENTLY USED CHILDREN'S CLOTHING DONATIONS. OUR BIGGEST NEED IS FOR BOYS PANTS IN SIZES 4T-SIZE MEN'S SMALL
FEEL FREE TO DROP DONATIONS OFF IN THE OFFICE.
CARES corner
At Fair Oaks, we believe in CARES!
Cooperation
Assertion
Responsibility
Empathy
Self Control
The Fair Oaks team works hard to create a united community that utilizes CARES to support all students in their learning! Students can earn badges for demonstrating CARES behavior. If your student comes home wearing a CARES badge sticker, please ask them about it!
FALCON LEADERS
This month Falcon Leaders have been working on creating school-wide rules for Fair Oaks. The students examined individual classroom rules and looked for the common themes, revealing four main rules for all students to follow:
Take CARES of yourself.
Take CARES of each other.
Take CARES of the school.
Believe.
Representatives from Falcon Leaders shared the rules at the all-school meeting and created posters that they hung up around the school!
Here are our OCTOBER CARES CHAMPIONS!
Jakoby Vonghalath
Jasper Lee
Bentley Morton
Austin Copeland
Alhassan Donzo
Christopher Nyanplu
Jamelia Roberts
Aliyah Ojeda
Zak Vue
Piper Tcha
Israel Selegajallah
Remy Thao
Janelle Torres Vazquez
Valentina Exiga Rios
Dennis Gontee
Ke’Yori O’Hara
Vincent Yang
Elijah Yang
Bouakham Xiong
Sebastian Hernandez Avila
Emelia Yang
Abdiel Gonzalez
Naznin Gonzalez Kadir
Maria Thao
God's Favour Khingkile
ChrisRodriguez Torres
Therryroose Gehnyoh Fonju
Kullen Vang
Celina Thoeun
Marjorie Diaz
Emma Link
Jaidyn Sanchez
Ruby Sandoval Lopez
Kaedryn Vang
Uriel Munoz Andrade
Gio TA
Daira Garcia Morales
Congratulations to all of these hard working students!
Here are some winter resources
The winter months are right around the corner! The beginning of winter can be an exciting time for kids and families. It can also be a time of increased financial stressors. If you or someone you know needs additional resources, these organizations may be able to help:
CEAP Food Market
Salvation Army Toy Shop- opens November 1st
CEAP Food Market: https://www.ceap.org/
Salvation Army Toy Shop- opens November 1st: https://centralusa.salvationarmy.org/twin-cities/toy-shop/
Your CARES Team,
Caitlin Carlson, School Counselor
Krysta Sathers, School Social Worker
Brian Thul, Behavior Intervention Teacher
Sarah Pinkerton, Behavior Intervention ESP
Kristine Frei, Responsive Classroom Teacher
4TH GRADE FIELD TRIP
On Thursday, October 12th, the 4th graders from Mr. Ruekert and Mr. Kelly’s classes had a blast learning about the history of Minneapolis and the state of Minnesota at the Mill City Museum! Thank you to the District 279 Foundation for providing funding that helped pay for this incredible day of learning for our scholars!
Important October Dates
Save the date
- NOVEMBER 3RD - PICTURE RETAKES
- NOVEMBER 7TH - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS
- NOVEMBER 7TH - BE SURE TO VOTE!
- NOVEMBER 16TH 5:30-7PM - TURKEY BINGO
- NOVEMBER 23RD AND 24TH - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS OR STAFF
JOIN US FOR TURKEY BINGO!
JOIN US FOR TURKEY BINGO AT FAIR OAKS ON THURSDAY, NOVEMBER 16TH FROM 5:30-7PM! WE LOOK FORWARD TO SEEING YOU FOR A FUN NIGHT! WE WILL HAVE FOOD, FUN AND PLENTY OF PRIZES.
Volunteer Corner
Our volunteer coordinator is Sophie Castruita. She can help you with any and all questions regarding volunteer work at Fair Oaks. There are many events though out the year that we need volunteers to help make a success! If there is a chance that you will chaperone your student's field trips at all this year, we ask that you please fill out this application as well. You can reach Sophie at: CastruitaS@district279.org
WATCH FOR MORE INFO COMING SOON ABOUT OUR PENNY WARS FUNDRAISER!
Get out and vote on November 7th!
Building a Better Future, Phase II will directly impact Fair Oaks as well as many other schools!
HERE IS HOW YOU CAN VOTE!
Just a reminder that District 279 students do NOT have school tomorrow, November 7th due to it being an election day. Please make sure to VOTE tomorrow on the "Building a Better Future: referendum.
You can vote:
•Until 5 p.m. today, Nov. 6, at Brooklyn Park City Hall (5200 85th Ave. N), or
•Between 7 a.m. and 8 p.m., tomorrow, Nov. 7. Election day polling locations can be found via pollfinder.sos.mn.gov.
You can also call 763‑493‑8032 to find your voting location.
So what happens if the referendum fails?
• Projects to improve safety/security would not proceed.
• Crowded conditions and large class sizes would continue. Attendance boundary adjustments would be required at all levels to provide relief, which is estimated to move 6,000 students from their current schools.
• Learning spaces would continue to age and become less relevant.
• Inconsistent learning experiences would continue.
• Budget cuts would be required. Projected to be at least $31 million (approx. 300 jobs).
We will see students back on Wednesday!
Election results will be posted online the evening of the election.
Notes from the nurse
Dear Fair Oaks families,
We have been experiencing an increase of illness at school. Below are helpful tips for when students should remain at home to help avoid the spread of illnesses.
Please consider keeping your child home if they show signs of: (consider calling your child’s primary physician’s office to assist you with any questions or concerns)
· Earache, ear drainage
· Stomachache, nausea
· New or Persistent cough
· Runny nose and/or nasal congestion
· Unidentified/Suspicious skin rash
· Headache
· Sore throat
· Pink eye (conjunctivitis) in one or both eyes, especially if they are unable to remember to not touch their eye and to wash their hands after touching their eyes
Students must stay home if they are experiencing:
· Vomiting, or diarrhea (must be vomiting or diarrhea free for 24 hours before returning to school)
· Oral temperature of 100.0 degrees or higher (your child must be fever free for 24 hours, without the use of medication (Tylenol or Ibuprofen) before your child returns to school)
· If diagnosed with strep throat, your child may return after taking the prescribed antibiotic for 12 hours and has been fever free after 24 hours (if they had a temperature over 100.0)
· Live Lice, students cannot return to school until treated for lice (medication can be purchased at any Target, Walmart, Walgreens, etc.) When your child returns to school, the nurse must check your child’s hair for any signs of live lice
***If your child needs medication for fever or discomfort in the morning, please do not send them to school that day. We appreciate your cooperation!
Follow us on FACEBOOK to keep up with everything FAIR OAKS!
Helpful links
ParentVUE access instructions
https://mn-oas-psv.edupoint.com/PXP2_Login.aspx
- Takes you to the login screen - do not enter anything here.
- Scroll down to activate account - click and accept user agreement.
- Enter your name (has to match what we have in our system)
- Enter activation key - this is case sensitive and is all caps.
To get started using ParentVUE if you do not yet have an active account, follow our Getting Started guide HERE.
- Getting Started SOMALI
- Getting Started VIETNAMESE
- Getting Started SPANISH
- Getting Started OROMO
- Getting Started HMONG
FIRSTview bus tracking
The FirstView mobile app helps you to keep track of school buses going to and from school each day. Support is available Monday - Friday from 7:00 am - 5:00 pm ET for existing FirstView users with app-related questions or concerns.
Email:support@firstviewapp.com Phone:1(888) 889-8920
**Click blue button below to get started with set up.
Important Contacts
Principal - Sara Looby-Morris Loobymorriss@district279.org
Resource Manager - Chris Marinac Marinacc@district279.org
Administrative Assistant - Heather Hausladen Hausladenh@district279.org
Counselor - Caitlin Carlson CarlsonC3@district279.org
Social worker - Krysta Sather Satherk@district279.org
Psychologist - Megan Monette Monettem@district279.org
Nurse - Nikki Terry - TerryN@district279.org
Volunteer Coordinator - Sophie Castruita Castruitas@district279.org
Behavior Intervention Teacher - Brian Thul ThulB@district279.org
Fair Oaks Main Line - 763-533-2246
Fair Oaks fax number - 763-549-2350
Attendance - 763-533-2246 (press 1) and leave your child's name, grade, parent's name and phone number and the reason for your child's absence.
Transportation - 763-391-7244 or Busquestions@district279.org