Connect-Sept. 1

All families should fill out back-to-school forms online by the start of the school year, Sept. 8. Forms include emergency cards, family contact information updates, photo releases and more.

Complete the necessary steps today by going to the ParentVUE system, which is accessible from the Families tab on the top right of any district or school website. On-screen prompts will then walk you through the back-to-school forms process.

For additional assistance, go to osseoschools.org/forms or reach out to your school or IT Client Services (763-391-7180).

Osseo Area Schools appreciates your support in completing these important forms online. Let's have a great 2026-27 school year!

The new school year begins on Sept. 8, and some students at the elementary and middle school levels will be welcomed to new schools due to attendance boundary changes.

Families can double check their zoned attendance boundary schools using the district's School Finder tool: https://www.osseoschools.org/enrollment/find-your-school

For questions, please visit osseoschools.org/boundaries, call 763-391-8990 or email BetterFuture@district279.org. We are here to support you!

Together, our school communities will welcome new students and families to help them feel at home in their new schools, continuing Osseo Area Schools' tradition of one community for all - where all voices are heard and valued.

Osseo Area Schools is dedicated to ensuring that every family has timely and meaningful access to information and services. With more than 125 languages spoken throughout the district, we’re committed to providing multilingual communication that promotes the inclusive participation of all families and community members.

If you’re a parent/caregiver of a student in a public school and your preferred language is not English, you have the following rights established by law:

• School districts must have a process for identifying your language needs.

• Schools must provide information in a language you understand.

• School districts must provide effective language assistance to you, such as by offering translated materials or a language interpreter.

• Schools must provide you with language assistance even if your child is proficient in English or you have some English proficiency.

• Schools must provide translation or interpretation from appropriate and competent individuals and may not rely on or ask students, siblings, friend or untrained school staff to translate or interpret for you.

• Language assistance must be free to you.

For more information on language services here at Osseo Area Schools, please visit OsseoSchools.org/LanguageServices.

Our new community school being built in Brooklyn Park needs a name! Please consider sharing yours and/or your family’s idea(s) via this Google form.

It’s important the new name is reflective of our community’s vision and values. Many of our existing sites do this by focusing on geographic elements or features nearby. This educational site is also particularly unique in that it sits on the former Crest View Elementary School space. Please note, submissions that include names of people will not be considered. This is in accordance with school board policy.

What the naming process looks like: A representative group of district staff and community members will review submissions shared. They’ll then recommend a favorite(s) to Supt. Dr. Kim Hiel. The school board will receive a final recommendation from Dr. Hiel that they’ll then vote on at their Oct. 20 meeting. Please email BetterFuture@district279.org if you’d like to be a part of this group. Tentative meeting dates are: 4 p.m. on Sept. 17 and 24.

What about the logo? Please additionally share your ideas for a school logo. This is one of the questions you’ll see on the Google form as well. Please consider asking your student(s) what they think too. Any sketched ideas can be submitted to BetterFuture@district279.org.

Why is a new community school part of the Building a Better Future plan? New educational needs surfaced during the research phase of Building a Better Future. The community was then presented a plan to repurpose an existing school to accommodate these changing needs. It was approved by the community in 2023. Afterward, research concluded that Crest View Elementary would be the site to be repurposed. This shifted to a rebuild once it was discovered that the original support systems of the school needed significant renovations and that it was more financially aligned to move in this direction.

Multiple rounds of community input have been gathered over the last several months, including from the City of Brooklyn Park. Plans for the programming in the building are:

• Early childhood programming

• Preschool that is intercultural and heritage focused

• American Indian Cultural Center alongside Dakota and Ojibwe language learning opportunities

• Family and Community Engagement program

• And dynamic programming, such as professional development and community partnerships

The new community school is set to open fall 2027. Continue to stay tuned to OsseoSchools.org/BetterFuture for the latest, including a look at this spring’s groundbreaking photos.

Questions? Reach out to BetterFuture@district279.org or call 763-391-8900.

On Aug. 24, during Osseo Area Schools’ New Teacher Workshop, District 279 Foundation trustees presented each new educator with $250 to help in setting up their very first classroom.

As previously announced, this year, District 279 Foundation is focusing efforts in a new direction: the Strong Start Initiative. Strong Start supports the newest educators in Osseo Area Schools by helping cover the cost of setting up their very first classrooms through building welcoming, well-equipped classrooms that inspire and prepare scholars this fall. Learn more about the Strong Start Initiative on the District 279 Foundation website or check out the recent CCX Media coverage.