9/18/2024

It's time for our annual Husky Hustle Fun Run – our biggest fundraiser of the year! We kicked it off with a BIG OL' Kick-Off Assembly on Monday! It was SO fun to see all the students fine out which team they are on and see Harper the Husky.

This is the third year of our PTO planning and managing the fun run so all funds can stay with Oak View! Our 2024 goal is to raise $35,000. This fundraiser pays for field trips, yearbooks, STEM night, the Naturalist, conference catering, and more. Our team has planned fun events along the way to keep our students motivated. Each student will receive a FREE t-shirt the morning of the Fun Run to wear while running, then they can keep it!

If you haven't yet, sign your student(s) up here- http://pledgestar.com/oakview55369

Cash and check will also be accepted.

To help build excitement leading up to the actual run, we are doing a whole week of dress-up days. Go all out or keep it simple, whatever works for your family.

September 23rd- Wild West Day

September 24th- 80's Day

September 25th- Inside Out Day

September 26th- Character Day- (dress like your favorite book, TV, or movie character)

September 27th- School Spirit Day (every student will receive a FREE t-shirt the morning of the run)

If you are interested and able to help with the Fun Run, take a look at the sign-up genius to see how you can help. These events would not be possible without the help of our amazing families.

The first week of school has been SO amazing! It has been fun watching the students learn their new routines and meet new friends.

Parent Pick-Up Procedure Change:

If your student(s) will be parent-pick up at the end of the day, at any point throughout the school year, please read carefully. If you need to make a change to your student(s) end of day routine, you MUST call/email the office to let them know BY 3:15.

• Each family will be assigned a number and receive that number on a laminated piece of paper.
• When you pick your student(s) up at the end of the day (3:50), please show your number to the staff member out front.
• Your number will be communicated to staff members inside and your student(s) will come to your car!

FirstView allows you to track your student's bus in real-time in a secure mobile application. Are you new to downloading FirstView? Search “FirstView” on either iOS or Google Play and download the “FirstView” app with the blue tile icon. You can also download the mobile application by scanning the QR Code on the graphic for either iOS or Google Play. Once you have downloaded FirstView you will need you students ID number and FirstView Access Code. You will need one for each student you are adding as they have their own. You can find these in ParentVue.

For any questions, please contact FirstView Customer Support at support@firstviewapp.com.

If you have questions about transportation, please reach out to the transportation department at 763-391-7244

Please review the attached guidelines with your students about bus safety.

Did you know Oak View has a Facebook Group for each grade level! These groups are fantastic for connecting with other parents, asking questions about school activities, arranging playdates, and more. They offer a great opportunity to get to know each other better and stay updated on school events.

The PTO sets up these pages and posts upcoming events, but the conversations and posts are driven by the caregivers. Rest assured, these groups are private and secure; all requests to join are reviewed to ensure a safe environment for everyone.

Class of 2032 (5th Grade)

Class of 2033 (4th Grade)

Class of 2034 (3rd Grade)

Class of 2035 (2nd Grade)

Class of 2036 (1st Grade)

Class of 2037 (Kindergarten)

And also - follow Oak View's PTO Page

Along with Oak View Elementary for posts from the school.

Feedback opportunity on attendance boundary considerations

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.

Community involvement matters: There will be multiple ways for staff, students, parents/caregivers and community members to be involved throughout this process. The first opportunity is to share what considerations should be adhered to during the review via this ThoughtExchange. Please note any responses you provide are anonymous and can be completed within minutes. The provided feedback will help the team create draft attendance boundary scenarios. Staff, students, parents/caregivers and community members will then be able to provide feedback on each of the possibilities presented.

Timeline: This first feedback opportunity is open until Oct. 9. Scenarios will be created mid-October through December using the considerations shared. These scenarios will be presented shortly after winter break. Edits may be made based on that feedback, and again presented with the opportunity to share comments. The overall process is expected to wrap up in the spring. The new attendance boundaries will go into effect fall 2026.

Stay tuned: Detailed information will continue to be shared on the district website, district279.org. Any questions or concerns should be directed to BetterFuture@district279.org or 763-391-8990.

The purpose of this communication is to inform you that students in grades 2-12 will take the mySAEBRS assessment this fall and again this spring. The mySAEBRS assessment, which stands for Minnesota Student Academic Behavioral Rating Scales, is student self-evaluation. It provides valuable insights into areas such as social skills, emotional well-being, and behavioral strengths and challenges. This assessment helps us gain a more comprehensive understanding of your child's needs, allowing us to better support their growth and development. For more information about assessment items and questions asked click here. If you would like to opt your child out of this assessment, please complete the Parent/Guardian Refusal for Student Participation in Districtwide Assessments/Testing linked on https://www.district279.org/academics/assessments.

This message is from Mr. GIbbs , Principal at Oak View Elementary School with a request for parents/guardians to serve as stakeholder representatives on an important advisory group. One of our core values is we believe that better decisions emerge when diverse perspectives are intentionally included in a collaborative process. Please consider this exciting opportunity to share your perspective.

If you are interested in being a representative, please send e-mail at sweeneyr@district279.org or call the main office at 763-425-1881 and indicate your name and contact information (email address and phone number).

District Planning Advisory Council (DPAC)

We need two parents from each elementary site and three parents from each secondary site to serve on the District Planning Advisory Council (DPAC). In addition, each high school can have up to three students participate as members. This is a wonderful opportunity to hear the perspectives of our students. The District Planning Advisory Council (DPAC) provides community and ISD 279 staff involvement in planning for and evaluating existing instructional programs. DPAC membership is based on interest, not educational expertise.

Meetings take place from 6:30-8:00 p.m.

October 7

November 11

December 2

January 6

February 10

March 10

April 7

May 15

May 20th (School Board Presentation)

Meetings will be held at the Educational Service Center (11200 93rd Ave North, Maple Grove) Subcommittees may, at their discretion, schedule additional meetings or extend their meeting.

Committee Structure

DPAC operates with three subcommittees. DPAC members select the subcommittee on which they want to serve. The three subcommittees with brief descriptions are listed below:

Achievement & Evaluation:
Members of the Achievement & Evaluation Subcommittee advise the district on student assessments, achievement expectations and the levels of achievement reached by ISD 279 students. The group examines multiple sources of information, including data from standardized tests. Analyzing trends over time, the subcommittee recommends priorities for improving achievement in certain curricular areas and student populations.

Program & Assessment:
This subcommittee offers input and advice to subject areas in the pre-assessment phase of the Program Improvement Process. Typically, the subcommittee focuses on one of the subject areas that is in pre-assessment phase. Activities include gathering information, identifying trends, analyzing needs, and preparing recommendations. In addition to being included in the DPAC report to the School Board, these recommendations are forwarded to the assessment team for that subject area.

Student Services:
This subcommittee reviews the student support service areas which enhance and supplement regular education programs. The service may be directed to a student or groups of students and/or consultation to regular education classroom and leadership staff. Typically, this subcommittee will select one or two areas to review and make recommendations for improvement. The student support service areas are as follows: Community Education, Counseling and Guidance, Health Services, Media, Special Education and Gifted Education.

It is important that all families fill out the Educational Benefits Application every year. Families who qualify may be eligible for a variety of benefits, which may include free or discounted prices for the following:

· Field trips

· Some Community Education programs

· Clubs, activities, and athletics

· Instrument rentals

· Fees, including for AP testing, graduation and more

· Device protection plans on school-provided devices

· Comcast internet for home

· Xcel Energy account assistance for electricity bills

Additionally, the state of Minnesota uses a school district’s percentage of qualifying students from applications completed and approved prior to October 1 each year to calculate each district’s funding level. School district funding impacts every student:

· Class sizes

· The number of support staff the district hire to help students (i.e. counselors & social workers)

· Extra programming opportunities

Please fill out the Educational Benefits Application today to make sure your family can take advantage of these and other benefits!

9/27- Fun Run

10/1- Restaurant Night- McDonald's 4pm-8pm

10/8- PTO Meeting- 6pm-7pm

10/14- Parent/Teacher Conferences

10/22- Parent/Teacher Conferences

10/28- Parent/Teacher Conferences

Ryan Gibbs, Principal: GibbsR@district279.org

Jody Seppala, Assistant Principal: SeppalaJ@district279.org

Angie Passehl, Secretary: PassehlA@district279.org

Melody Hahn-Merges, Social Worker: hahn-mergesm@district279.org

Terri Simon, Counselor: simont@district279.org