March 12th, 2025

As part of the Osseo Area Schools operational plan and strategic direction, the district's communication team is working together with schools to help create improved communications between the district and its families and community members. Our new e-newsletters are more accessible and translatable, and they can be shared for easily in a variety of formats. We hope you enjoy catching up with the latest Zanewood Community STEAM School news in this new format.

As we have completed our second trimester, I want to thank you for your continued partnership to ensure successful learning experiences for our scholars. Please know that parents may view report cards in ParentVUE on March 18th. We continue to remind students to follow the Panther Path to show respectful interactions with others and make choices that ensure a safe and inclusive school community. We continue to celebrate being together in community through our House Meetings and House Celebrations. I hope your scholar shares the excitement of these with you as well as how many points they have earned both individually and as a member of their House.

We appreciated the opportunity to connect with families during Winter Conferences. Please continue to reach out to your child’s teacher at any time should you have questions or concerns. Additionally, I would love to visit with you about the things that are going well for your scholar and ideas you may have for now to make Zanewood Community School even better.

Finally, it is with pride that I share Zanewood being named a National Merit School of Excellence by Magnet Schools of America, the national association for magnet and theme-based schools. Zanewood will be recognized and receive a National Merit School of Excellence Award on behalf of the school during an awards ceremony held at Magnet Schools of America’s National Conference April 7-10, 2025, in Nashville. Merit School of Excellence Awards are only given to a select group of magnet schools. Schools of Excellence are eligible to receive monetary awards and are eligible to be named the nation’s top Elementary, Secondary, or New & Emerging Magnet School. One of the Schools of Excellence will also be selected to win $5,000 and the Dr. Ronald P. Simpson Distinguished Merit Award, which is considered the most prestigious magnet school award in the nation. To receive a national merit award, members of Magnet Schools of America must submit a detailed application that is scored by a panel of educators. These schools are judged and scored on their demonstrated ability to raise student academic achievement, promote racial and socioeconomic diversity, provide integrated curricula and instruction, and create strong family and community partnerships that enhance the school’s magnet theme.

With appreciation and in partnership,

Jenny Tollefson, Principal

Zanewood Community Elementary School

Phone: 763-549-2435 x81450

During Three Rivers Field Work Tri 2, students engaged in a variety of exciting outdoor learning experiences. Three Rivers, engaged each grade level in exciting, hands-on learning experiences aligned with science standards. Pre-K and 2nd grade focused on reptiles and amphibians, exploring these fascinating creatures up close. Kindergarten students investigated the habitats of deer, searching for clues around Mississippi Gateway Park. 1st and 3rd graders studied animal tracks and patterns, while 4th grade explored the unique traits of turtles. Finally, 5th graders delved into the world of food chains, discovering how energy flows through ecosystems. It was a wonderful opportunity for hands-on learning in nature!

We’re excited to announce our new partnership with Project Scientist, where our Pre-K scholars had the opportunity to explore the impact of pollution on rivers and lakes through a hands-on experiment! The students participated in a fun and engaging activity where a simple cup of water became a “pond” representing the natural habitats of fish and frogs. By adding baking soda (to represent efforts to keep the water clean) and vinegar (to represent pollution), our scholars saw firsthand how pollution can change the water, making it unsafe for animals to live. This experiment helped them understand the importance of clean water and how small actions, like keeping our water clean, can have a big impact on protecting nature and the animals that depend on it. It’s a wonderful lesson in environmental stewardship that we’re proud to share with our young learners!

We have loved having your students in Media, Music, Gym and Art this trimester!

The music room has been a busy place! Our 3rd and 4th graders just performed their first choral concert. It was wonderful to see them perform for their families and fellow students.

The 5th graders have spent their last few music periods working on a STEAM unit. Using a design tool called TinkerCad, they are creating a ukulele pick printed the 3D printer here at school. They are excited to see their creations and use them when we play the ukulele. In the primary grades, we have used the stretchy band, learned Three Little Muffins and have been working on solfege - the musical alphabet. Sol, La and Mi have been our focus.

As a school, we have been learning about Black History Month, with songs like “Sing About Martin” and “All Night, All Day” as well as composers such as Jon Batiste and Trombone Shorty.

Our Kindergarten, First, and Second grade students have been loving reading books for our Star of the North competition, Minnesota's Kids-Choice book awards through MYRA. Our goal is to read all then picture books in the Media Center before spring break. Zanewood Scholars truly love reading. During I Love to Read Month, we had a school wide Reading Party during our House Meetings. Students continue to use Virtual Reality to explore new locations and inventions, create and design using online tools, and practice researching, like 5th grade did when they studied important people from the Harlem Renaissance!

Exciting things have been happening in art this trimester. 5th grade scholars learned about various artist of the Harlem Renaissance and have been busy working on digital art (self-portraits) using Adobe Express and its AI. 4th Grade scholars learned about composition and 1point perspective, creating fun 3d images using pastels. 3rd grade scholars have been exploring pop-art and created Andy Warhol inspired artworks. 2nd and 1st grade have been exploring texture in art, Kindergarten has been having a lot of fun using paint sticks and watercolors. Pre-K has been sharpening their fine motor skills and created space themed puppets.

This trimester in Physical Education, students got to test their balance and strength of body throughout a variety of climbing equipment and gymnastics. Whether it was the climbing rope, rope ladder or the rock wall, students got to test their confidence in themselves and their abilities in a safe environment. During our gymnastics lessons, students were able to start from not knowing how to do a cartwheel or somersault, to being able to do it on their own while adding their own flair and moves. The support that these students give each other during these lessons was awesome to see. Whether it was cheering a classmate on while they climbed higher than they did before, or helping a fellow classmate with their handstand, the students created an extremely supportive environment that was amazing to witness as their teacher.

The student ambassadors at Zanewood Community: A STEAM School are a group of dedicated 4th grade scholars who take pride in representing their school. Recently, they had the opportunity to give a tour to Dr. Hiel and Rep. Hiltsley, showcasing the school's STEAM initiatives and achievements. These ambassadors are not only leaders in their current grade but will continue in their roles next year, helping to train new 4th graders to join the ambassador team. Their commitment to their school and community makes them role models for their peers.

Zanewood now has an Instagram page! Use the QR Code to follow us.

Zanewood Community: A STEAM School will be recognized and receive a National Merit School of Excellence Award on behalf of the school during an awards ceremony held at Magnet Schools of America’s National Conference.

Come and celebrate all of our scholar's hard work at STEAMFest on May 27th from 5:00-6:30 pm. See what your students have learned in class with their projects, enjoy our Scholastic Book Fair, visit our community partners and incredible staff! Food will be provided, with more information to come.

Like our school on Facebook for regular updates! https://www.facebook.com/zanewoodsteam/

Arrival

Our arrival and dismissal times remain the same: School doors will open at 9:10, the school day starts at 9:30, and school is over promptly at 4:00.