Panther Newsletter
Friday, February 21, 2025
Aladdin Practice
Next Tuesday (2/25) and Thursday (2/27) only performers will be staying after school. Everyone else will go home as usual.
Book Fair
The Book Fair will be set up during conferences. This round will include a raffle drawing for a free book or poster! Hope to see you there.
Conferences
The last two nights for Parent/teacher conferences are this coming week. Parents should have received communication from your students teacher regarding your conference date and time. Please call Palmer Lake with any questions!
Note that if you have a 7:40-8:00am time, you will need to stay with your children until 8:35am when children enter the building, or take them with you and bring them back by 8:50am.
PREVIOUSLY POSTED
Outdoor Recess
Students will be going outside for recess unless the "feels like" temperature is -5 degrees or colder. Students are expected to bring winter gear to wear outside. If you need assistance with winter gear, please call Palmer Lake. A doctors note is required if you do not want your student(s) to go outside.
2025 Career Expo
Important Dates
March 7: No school (report card marking)
March 24-28: No school (spring break)
April 21: Asynchronous Learning Day
April 22: Panther Den Parent Meeting (Media Center, 5:00-6:00pm)
May 9: All school BBQ
Parking Lot Safety
When driving through our parking lot, please use caution and slow down. Arrival and dismissal times can get very busy. It's important to watch for pedestrians, walk in the yellow walking lane, and cross at the crosswalk. Please DO NOT exit out the "Entrance Only" entrance.
FREE Family Advocate Services
Please read the information below regarding free family advocate services offered by Northwest Family Resource Collaborative.
Boundary Change Information
Over the next several months, elementary and middle school attendance boundaries will be reviewed to determine needed changes. These adjustments will reassign the elementary and/or middle school some households are zoned to attend. Our community’s support of Building a Better Future in 2023 is helping to minimize the extent of the changes. Click here for more information.
Want to submit feedback? Feedback submission form.
From the Health Office
We are seeing an increase in Norovirus at Palmer Lake. Osseo Area Schools is committed to providing a safe and healthy learning environment for all our students, staff, community, and visitors.
Ensure Sick individuals are sent home from school
Individuals who have a fever of greater than 100.4 degrees, vomiting, diarrhea or are not well enough to participate in learning while at Osseo sites will be sent home. These individuals may return when they have had no episodes of diarrhea, vomiting or fever for 24 hours without the use of medications and are well enough to participate in learning.
If your student becomes too ill to remain in school, school personnel will attempt to notify you immediately. It is your responsibility to make arrangements for the proper care and transportation of your child. In the event we are unable to reach you your designated emergency contacts will be called. Emergency contacts can be added in ParentVue or by completing an emergency form and submitting it to your child’s school.
Ensure sick individuals stay home when not feeling well
Staff, students, and families will be informed of and encouraged to self-monitor for signs and symptoms of many potential infectious diseases as listed on the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's website. Individuals with symptoms, even when mild, should remain home until they are well enough to be in the learning environment to help prevent the spread of infectious diseases. For those at increased risk of complications, individuals should reach out to a healthcare provider, even when symptoms are mild, for consultation.
These symptoms include but are not limited to; consistent cough, fever over 100.4 degrees, difficulty or trouble breathing, sore throat, nausea, vomiting, diarrhea, chills, muscle pain, excessive fatigue, severe headache, nasal congestion, or severe runny nose.
Individuals who test positive for any infectious disease such as: COVID-19, Influenza or RSV, should:
• Notify their child’s school or childcare
• Follow exclusion periods from schools which can be found on the district website under Communicable Diseases.
All staff and students who are ill should remain out and return to sites when their symptoms are improved, and they are well enough to attend. Staff should follow their sick leave procedure as is laid out in their contract and families should call the attendance line
School nurse:
Tammy Bauer, RN
763-549-2401
Give Kids a Smile
The purpose of this charitable outreach program is to provide free care to low-income children in need. Thousands of dental professionals volunteer their time to this program because they understand the pain and embarrassment many children experience due to untreated dental problems. Since the program’s inception in Minnesota in 2003, 86,000 children have received free care through Give Kids a Smile.
Year End Review and Yearbooks
Last year was a learning curve for us with our Year End Reviews and Yearbooks. This year we want to make things easier to understand.
Year End Review: this is what each student will receive for free. These do NOT include photos of all students. The Year End Review is specific to the students grade level. For example, a third grade student will receive a Year End Review showing photos of only third grade students.
Yearbook: Available by order and payment only. These will include photos of all students. There will be an order deadline. We will not have extra Yearbooks available for purchase. If you do not order a Yearbook, you will NOT receive one. An email was sent on Monday directly from Kemmetmueller photography to order! Orders are due by 4/11/2025.
Student Beverages
Please make sure the only beverage your student has at school is a bottle of water. Beverages like hot chocolate, lemonade and soda easily spill in lockers (and on floors!) and leave a sticky mess.
Interested in becoming a volunteer?
Click here to learn more!
Donations or Business Partners
We are looking to expand our partnership with local businesses. Partnership could include:
- prize donations for Family bingo
- monetary donation for field trips, guess speakers, family events, supplies, etc
- volunteering with students or preparing classroom materials
- donation of meals for teachers during conference nights
- donation of treats, meals, etc for Teacher Appreciation Week
If you have a connection with a local business who might want to sponsor Palmer Lake, please reach out to:
Sarah Schmidt @ schmidtsarah@district279.org or 763-561-1930 OR
Jen Zipf @ zipfj@district279.org or 763-561-1930
Classroom Snacks
As in previous years, some teachers will have snack time during the day and others will not. New this year, any class that has snack time will have community-provided snack only; no individual snacks from home. Teachers may ask families for snack donations for the whole class. Candy, cookies, chips and soda are not allowed. Watch for communication from your child's teacher at the beginning of the year.
SmartWatches/Cell Phones
We suggest that cell phones and other non-district devices not be brought to Palmer Lake. If brought to school, cell phones and SmartWatches should not be seen or heard in the school building, or when outside. Staff will collect cell phones at the beginning of the day, lock them in a secure place, and return them at dismissal time.
If a staff member sees or hears a phone or SmartWatch, it may be taken from the student. The first time a phone or SmartWatch is taken, parents will be notified and the device will be returned at the end of the school day. Any occurrences after that, parents will be notified and an adult will need to come pick up the device. If it becomes a chronic concern, PL staff will work with the student and parents to make a plan. Any device brought to school is the responsibility of the student. Palmer Lake will not be involved if a cell phone, SmartWatch or non-district device is lost or stolen.
If a parent ever needs to send a message to their child(ren) during the school day, please call the office and we will communicate the message to your student. Thank you in advance for partnering with us to ensure students are focused on their learning rather than distracted by their device.
Parent Pick-Up at Dismissal
Our #1 job is to ensure the safety of everyone at Palmer Lake. If your child will be picked up by a parent or other adult at dismissal, please follow the Parent Pick Up expectations.
- Students will be dismissed for pick up at 3:15pm. Please be on time and ensure students are picked up by 3:30pm at the absolute latest.
- Drive slowly and pay attention!
- Cross at the cross walk. Wait for the adult to signal it is your turn to cross.
- Handicap parking spaces are only for drivers who have a valid handicap permit. The permit MUST be easily visible each time you park there.
- Parents are encouraged to pick up their student(s) at the fence along the sidewalk in front of the building. You may also park and meet your child near the cross walk.
- Follow the expectations on the Parent Drop Off/Pick Up map (below and linked). Drivers who do not follow the expectations create unsafe situations and/or back up traffic.
School Hours
Dismissal of students who are walkers or parent pick up is at 3:15pm. Students who ride a bus are dismissed at approximately 3:20pm.
AM VPK: 8:35am-11:20am
PM VPK: 12:50pm-3:20pm
Back to School Forms
It is very important that we have accurate information for all students, especially phone numbers for parents and emergency contacts. Please take a few minutes before school starts to update Back to School Forms. They are available online through ParentVue.
Unfamiliar with ParentVue? Please click the link to get started: https://mn-oas-psv.edupoint.com/PXP2_Login_Parent.aspx?regenerateSessionId=True
Parents/Visitors at School
Safety is our number one priority. ANY person wishing to enter Palmer Lake will be expected to wait in the vestibule and speak with office staff via doorbell camera and microphone. Please have your ID ready for office staff to scan. Forgotten items (lunch boxes, instruments, etc.) can be left on the table in the vestibule for a more efficient drop off. Again, ANY person wishing to enter Palmer Lake will be expected to wait in the vestibule and speak with office staff via doorbell camera and microphone.
If you would like to speak with an administrator or teacher, you are strongly encouraged to call ahead to schedule an appointment.
Important Dates for the Year
January
Family Science and Engineering Night: 28 (5:30pm-7:00pm)
February
Spring parent/teacher conferences: 19, 25, 27*
March
Spring break: 24-28
April
Panther Den parent meeting: 22 (5:00pm-6:00pm)
May
All school BBQ: 9
Multicultural Celebration: 15 (5:00pm-7:00pm)
*Conferences will be scheduled by your student’s teacher on one of the above conference dates for each season.
Palmer Lake Website
Transportation
Transportation Office: 763-391-7244
BusQuestions@district279.org
Office hours-
School in Session: 6:00am-5:00pm
Non-Student Days: 6:00am-4:30pm