STEM Newsletter

10/31/2025

Hello families,

November is here, and we are enjoying the fact that the weather is still warm enough on most days to go outside without a heavy winter jacket.

I was reflecting on my own experience growing up close to the Caribbean coast of Costa Rica, where the days are warm, humid, and often rainy. When I arrived in Wisconsin during a snowy January, I had no winter gear or even the concept of dressing appropriately for the season. Within a couple of weeks, I was sick. I quickly learned that winter can be a very enjoyable season, but only when you're wearing the appropriate clothes.

We want to express our appreciation for sending students with clothing that is suitable for these cold fall days. To help us return any items that are misplaced or forgotten, our request is that you please label your students' winter clothing.

If your family needs a jacket, pants, shoes, or gloves, please contact our social worker right away so she can secure the items you need.

Our school utilizes restorative practices, which includes morning circles. During circle times, students take turns sharing while actively listening to their classmates. A key guideline is that students always have the option to pass if they do not feel like sharing. It is inspiring to see our students so engaged in this community-building activity.

Circles are also used to restore relationships, and our staff often facilitate circles when a group of friends is having a hard time getting along.

On Thursday, the 30th, we were honored to host 15 administrators from around the district who visited our school to observe three of our teachers implementing Building Thinking Classrooms.

I truly appreciate the incredible work being done by our staff under Ms. Gaab’s leadership using this approach to teaching math. It is exciting to see students fully engaged in mathematics, with many of them saying that math is one of their favorite subjects. We appreciate the funding provided by the district for all the additional training, and the PTO for providing additional support so we can continue learning and implementing Building Thinking Classrooms.

As the weather continues to get colder, please go outside with your students so they can also learn to enjoy the beauty of having four different seasons.

Thank you for all you do.

Dr. Salazar

Hard to believe, but our STEM Fair is about 3 weeks away now on Thursday, November 20th, from 5:00 - 6:30. Our students love share with their families the hard work they've been doing since the beginning of the year. We look forward to seeing you for this celebration of learning!

Open Enrollment for priority application at Weaver Lake is now available and will remain open until December 17th. Families with currently enrolled siblings are highly encouraged to apply for any other children who are not yet enrolled for the next school year. If any families are interested in applying, please click HERE to go to the application page.

Please consider having your student bring in extra candy to their classrooms. Kidstop will have boxes in every classroom and will collect every morning what students have brought in. Friday, November 7th, members from the Yellow Ribbon organization will pick up all of the candy and pack it to ship to troops overseas!

Last year, we collected almost 600 lbs!

On October 22nd, classrooms participated in various Unity Day activities. We used our classroom pennants from the school color run to create a full school display to show our community together

Did your student miss picture day or you would like for them to have retakes? Picture Retake Day will be November 11th in the morning from 9:30-12:00. A volunteer will go to each classroom and ask if any students want/need retakes. Please let your child know if they should be getting a retake.

We will be conducting a Vison and Hearing Screening on November 18th and 19th for 1st graders, 3rd graders, and 5th graders. If there are any students who have prescription glasses, please make sure those glasses are brought to school both days with the students.

Osseo Area Schools use a variety of digital tools to support student learning. Technology vendors and software are utilized to support work as we help all students develop the skills necessary to succeed in an ever-changing world. The district provides an inventory of system wide approved and adopted tools that can be found on the district website. In addition to these tools, Weaver Lake students may use additional digital resources to enhance the students' learning experience.

Weaver Lake is partnering with CROSS for a food drive running December 8th-11th. More information to come in the next newsletter.

Out of respect for instructional time, family and religious choices, and many students with food allergies and sensitivities, food and treats are not permitted in the classrooms.

Thank you for understanding.

Thank you so much to all of the volunteers that helped make our Fall Book Fair a success! Our volunteers gave over 100 hours of their time during the 6-day event (not including the time the PTO Chairs put into it!). Thank you all for your dedication! It was wonderful seeing so many of you eager to help out.

We’d also like to give a shout out to the volunteers who brought the Blue Blocks out for our students to play with during recess. The kids love the opportunity to engineer and create with their friends using these blocks and without the help of volunteers, they would not have the same chance to do so.

Since the beginning of this school year, Weaver Lake volunteers have already given over 800 hours of their time. That is more hours than we've logged for this same time period in the last 3 years! Just a nice reminder about how valuable our volunteers are around here. Thank you all for every minute that you have given or will give!

Weaver Lake 1st, 2nd and 4th graders have already gotten to enjoy a field trip this fall! We would like to thank the volunteers who chaperoned those field trips. You helped build some core memories for our students!

There will be more field trips and opportunities to come this school year, so be sure to register as a volunteer so you don’t miss the information when the sign-ups become available! The volunteer application can be found online at https://apps.raptortech.com/Apply/Nzg0OmVuLVVT.

For more information about our volunteer program, or to keep posted on the latest volunteer opportunities, check out the volunteer website at https://bit.ly/WVRvolunteer.

Stephanie Clark, Volunteer Coordinator/ESP

clarks@district279.org

Office Hours M-F 9:15am-2:15pm

763-391-8873

https://bit.ly/WVRvolunteer

November 4th: No School

November 5th: PTO Meeting; 7:00 - 8:30 pm

November 11th: Picture Retake Day

November 18th: Vision and Hearing Screening

November 19th: Vision and Hearing Screening

November 20th: STEM in Action; 5:00 - 6:30 pm

November 21st: ButterBraids Pick Up; 3:30 - 5:00 pm

November 26th: No School; Marks reporting day

November 27th: No School; District Closed; Holiday

November 28th: No School; District Closed; Holiday

Families are invited to the Osseo Area Schools Information Fair on Saturday, Nov. 15, at Osseo Senior High School. The event runs from 9 a.m. to noon.

The fair gives families the chance to connect with school leaders, explore academic and enrichment programs, learn about enrollment and access Community Education and district resources.

Whether already enrolled, new to the district, or considering future options, families can find resources, ask questions, and discover the wide range of opportunities available across Osseo Area Schools.

Learn more and RSVP: OsseoSchools.org/info-fair

Discover Osseo Area Schools’ Community Education! Find classes, programs and events for all ages — from early childhood, youth to adult. View the catalog or register at osseo.ce.eleyo.com.