February newsletter

This e-newsletter is intended for Osseo Area Schools Community Education staff.

Visit the district’s Summer Programs website for more information about opportunities for scholars from early childhood, elementary, middle and high school.

Summer employment opportunities are posted! Apply now at district279.org/careers.

A Talent Acquisition Specialist position for Community Education was approved as part of the budget process. This position will help the Community Education department with recruiting staff and will likely start on July 1.

10 new Site Supervisor positions were approved for a restructure of Kidstop and Four Star Express programs. The positions will be 12 month, salaried, full-time site supervisors that will support the overall site operations at 10 locations. Site supervisors will be responsible for the overall site operation for Kidstop, Four Staff Express as well as Youth Enrichment.

Youth Enrichment classes are going strong! Some of the most popular classes:

• Pickleball! We are offering seven classes of Pickleball this winter at seven elementary schools – 76 students are participating & learning how to play this popular sport for all ages.
• Chess Club! We are offering classes at ten elementary schools. We have 159 students currently participating.
• Spanish! We are offering classes at seven elementary schools (before or after school). 116 students are currently participating.

• Online enrollment is now open for the 2024-25 school year. Learn more: https://www.district279.org/services/enrollment-services

• The deadline for families to apply for the 2nd Magnet Lottery through Northwest Suburban Integration School District (NWSISD) – March 8. NWSISD offers magnet schools from grades K-12 in three themes; Arts, International Baccalaureate, and Sciences, Technology, Engineering, Arts and Math (STEM/STEAM). Any questions about the NWSISD magnet school application process, please call 763-450-1300. Learn more at:

https://magnetlotteryapp.nws.k12.mn.us/MagnetSchoolLotteryApplication/wfSwitchboard.aspx

We're excited to announce the launch of our new EC&FE spirit wear collection! The apparel features the adorable EC&FE sprout and the empowering message "grow with us". Orders will be accepted until Thursday, March 7 by 11:59 p.m. If you’d like to join us in showing off your EC&FE pride, check out our selection today and place your order!

Thank you to everyone involved in making our Preschool/PreK registration process a success. We utilized a new process within the ECFE module of Eleyo for enrollment and the process went very well.

Priority registration

Priority registration for the upcoming school year closed on Friday, Feb. 16. Over 100 current students from our Preschool program have secured spots for next year's PreK classes. This demonstrates a strong commitment from our current families to continue their educational journey with us.

Lottery registration, closure and results

Lottery registration officially closed on Wednesday, Feb. 28, with the lottery draw taking place on Thursday, Feb. 29.

• Over 200 registrations were processed.
• 87% of students who registered were successfully placed in one of their top three class choices.

Welcoming new families

Nearly 30% of the families enrolled in our Preschool/PreK program for the upcoming year are new to Osseo Area Schools. This influx of new enrollments is a testament to the trust and confidence families have in our program's ability to provide a high-quality learning environment.

Appreciation for EC&FE Staff

We want to extend our gratitude to our dedicated classroom staff for their ongoing commitment to excellence. Your hard work and dedication make a significant difference in the lives of our students and families, and we are grateful for your contributions.

Please join us in welcoming Sarmin Sultana. Sarmin started working as an ESP at Arbor View Early Childhood Center on Wednesday, Feb. 28.

Here is a message from Sarmi:

My name is Sarmin Sultana. I have completed my Bachelor degree in Business Management from Dhaka University, Bangladesh in 2012. I have a five year-old girl and two year-old twins boys.

I have been working with Kidstop since October 2022 at Elm Creek Elementary School. Besides I am also a Caregiver. Once I was working with little kids, I observed their behavior/activities and got more and more interested for them. From my perspective I believe with patience, creativity and adaptability a teacher can reach their students very easily. It attracts me a lot to choose this teaching profession. I have to say that I will bring creativity and cultural competence to this role. I have followed the school’s journey and seen it grow with the community’s help.

In my free time, I love spending time with my kids and also my Husband.

All I need say I love kids and enjoy every single moments with them. It’s a good opportunity for me to learn more about Early Childhood Education and grow my career with teaching profession at Arbor View Early Childhood Center. I am excited and so happy to join your team.

Our next warm welcome goes to Lupe Hoyt. Lupe will be joining us as an ESP at Rice Lake Elementary School starting Monday, March 11.

Here's a message from Lupe:

My name is Lupe Hoyt. I have been working for the District for seven years as an ESP for Four Star Express, special education preschool, Rice Lake Elementary School intervention, and Kidstop.

I am a mother of three beautiful girls, one senior, one freshman, and 5th grader - three different school districts and schedules. My husband works for CROSS Services, a non-profit organization in Rogers.

I am excited to get to know the little ones and their families. I hope that my experience with different areas of the district will be useful for our team. I am excited to meet and get to know the team and to get reacquainted with a few of you. I am looking forward to contributing as we work with the children. Looking forward to seeing you soon.

• We welcomed Jess Kolar as a Building Supervisor. She will primarily be working at Osseo Senior High where she also works during the day and as an Assistant Basketball Coach.

• The Xa-Loi group held a celebration of the Vietnamese New Year at Park Center High School. The event, which took place on Feb. 25 included music, dance, and costumed performances throughout the day. The group also had 15 volunteers who worked alongside Osseo Area Schools Food and Nutrition Services staff to prepare authentic food for the celebration. In fact, this group worked through most of the day on , Feb. 24 to prepare for the big event. Approximately 800 people attended this event.
  

In May 2023, the state signed into law the Great Start Compensation Support Payment Program/ This program provides Minnesota with additional funds designed to support the child care industry and child care workers. The Department of Human Services (DHS) is now providing an opportunity for certified child care programs to apply for The Great Start Compensation Support Payment program.

The grant program provides an opportunity to pay Kidstop and Four Star Express staff who work directly with students in child care certified centers. Any scheduled staff and substitutes who work for Kidstop or Four Star Express programs are eligible.

Tim Faklis has joined our team as a Program Manager for Kidstop & Four Star Express! He joins Osseo Area Schools after nearly 10 years in Edina's Community Education department, spending the last two years as the department's Inclusion Manager - teaming with the Kids Club and Enrichment Program Managers to build equitable programming and a staff base with an inclusive mindset. Before that, he spent six years as a Kids Club Program Site Supervisor at different elementary schools in the district. In another lifetime, Tim was also a journalist - he spent time as a Timberwolves beat reporter, a music critic and a St. Paul government reporter. In his free time, he loves hiking, playing guitar, watching sports and spending time with family, friends and his two dogs (Bradley and Astro). Tim is with his partner Stephanie in the photo he shared.

Katrina Hansen started as our Fernbrook Elementary School Kidstop Lead on Tuesday, Feb. 20.

Katrina is excited to be starting at Fernbrook Elementary School Kidstop! When Katrina is not working she spend lots of time with her dog, Nemo, as well as her partner and friends! Katrina enjoy traveling and is always thinking about what her next trip should be. Some of her favorites: Color: orange; Animal: dogs; Season: Summer; Drink: coffee; Hobbies: Escape rooms.

District 279 Foundation’s Investment in Youth celebration will be held on Sunday, May 5 at Park Center Senior High School. For over 20 years, District 279 Foundation's Investment in Youth celebration has honored the many achievements and success stories of students, volunteers and staff in Osseo Area Schools. The 6 p.m. awards ceremony is open to the public and can be attended at no charge. You are invited to join us for this inspirational celebration of 70 individuals in Osseo Area Schools who contribute to our community with confidence, courage and competence.

These social media pages serve as a hub for communication and connection about all of our Community Education programs. Click on the links below to “Like” and “Follow” to stay updated an engaged.

Osseo Area Schools Community Education on Facebook

Osseo Area Schools Community Education on Instagram

Once you're connected, encourage other staff, volunteers, participants and community members to like, follow and share future posts!

Email Kathryn Polum, Communications Specialist at polumk@district279.org. Content and photo(s) are requested on or before the 20th of each month.

January CE Staff E-Newsletter

December CE Staff E-Newsletter

November CE Staff E-Newsletter

11200 93rd Ave. No.

Maple Grove, MN 55369

Phone: 763-391-7000

www.ce.district279.org