Connect-Aug. 5

Exciting news! We’re rolling out an updated district logo – a design that honors our history and looks ahead to the future. It reflects our belief in One Community for All, bringing together our diverse schools and cities.

The circular “O” suggests movement and connection. It represents growth, momentum and the lifelong learning journey that starts here and continues beyond graduation. At the center, a subtle “eye” symbolizes our promise to truly see and support every scholar and staff member, and voice in our community. The new colors – rich purple and warm marigold – represent our leadership, optimism and dedication to providing an excellent education for all.

You'll start seeing this new logo appear on our website, social media pages and handouts in the coming weeks. Please know it will take some time to fully implement this. In fact, some of the facility-type changes will take a few years. They’ll be implemented with our regularly scheduled facility updates and Building a Better Future improvements.

Thank you for your continued partnership and support.

Our newest elementary school needs a name! Please consider sharing your idea(s) and rating other submissions via OsseoSchools.org/NewElementary.

It’s important for the name of this new school to be reflective of our community’s vision and values. Many of our existing schools do this by focusing on geographic elements or features nearby, e.g. Palmer Lake Elementary School. Please note, submissions that include names of people will not be considered. This is in accordance with school board policy.

What the process looks like: In early September, 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 Sept. 23 meeting.

Why is a new elementary school part of the Building a Better Future plan? Rapid growth and development in the northwest corner of our district (primarily Maple Grove) has caused growing pains in schools around that area. Building a new school in the geographical area that needs it will ultimately reduce the number of students who need to move schools to address space shortages.

The new school is set to open fall 2026. Learn more at OsseoSchools.org/BetterFuture.

On July 29, students who have spent their summer at Northwoods Park with Brooklyn Park Recreation and Parks got a special lunch surprise when the new Osseo Area Schools Nutrition Services food truck rolled up.

After 25 years spent as the owner of a construction company, the desire to shift gears led Robert Johnson back to his roots in Osseo Area Schools. Johnson, who attended district schools from K-12 and graduated from Osseo Senior High School in 1992, has now spent 11 years working in every district building, including the past four years at Fair Oaks Elementary School.

In addition to his traditional duties as the school’s building engineer, Johnson goes above and beyond to mentor and work with students, especially those who need extra support.

“Robert is the heart of our school’s operations, always showing up with dedication and a can-do attitude,” Fair Oaks Principal David Freeburg said. “His quick response to staff needs and his warm, friendly interactions with students make him an essential and beloved part of our school community.”

This summer, over 5,500 students are engaged in Community Education’s summer programming across the district in multiple school locations.