Wolves Newsletter

Focus on Fitness ... Good for our Bodies ... Good for our Brains!

Friday, October 23, 2026

If your child is registered for the Resilinator and is NOT able to attend now, please call the school office by noon today, Friday, October 23. The commitment fee is returned to all who participate, and all who call the office by noon the day before the event if they are not able to attend.

Dear Park Brook Families,

The C-Lab at Park Brook began under the direction of Mrs. Julie Pink, retired TAG teacher, a number of years ago at Park Brook, and now under the direction of Mrs. Erika Lohn. These types of spaces are now called Maker Space, however, we have never changed the name and I do not intend to do so.

The C-Lab stands for creativity. Children need to be able to think, problem solve, and create without an adult telling them what to do. We do not use technology in our C-Lab, it is all about creating with a bunch of supplies of their choosing, decorating as they choose, and using their imagination.

I think of Legos and how much fun I had years ago building with Legos. Legos have changed over the years. When I was little, we are talking 50 years ago, Legos came in a box and you simply built what you wanted. Now, so many Legos come in sets with directions to build a specific item. I think this one item shows the change in play over the years, from creativity to guided experiences. (I am having fun putting together my VW Bus Lego Kit!)

I always hope for an extremely cold winter so that the ice is ready for the Luminary Loppet and to move our C-Lab outdoors for students to build with ice. The first year the C-Lab moved outside I was asked a specific question: "what do you want the kids to build?" My answer was simple, "I don't know. It's up to them. I haven't thought about what they should build." It wasn't that I didn't care; I wanted them to simply have the freedom to think and create.

The hallway outside of the C-Lab sometimes has a stack of boxes as there is no place to store them. However, it may look a bit junky, but it is needed so the students can create.

If your child comes home with a creation, this is an essential part of learning.

Sincerely,

Mr. Scott Taylor

taylors@district279.org

Mission Bay High School, San Diego, California

Northern Arizona University, Flagstaff, Arizona; BS History/Education

St. Cloud State University, St. Cloud, Minnesota; MS Special Education, EBD

St. Mary's University, Minneapolis, Minnesota; Administration Licensure Program

If your child needs winter wear, please complete this form. Complete one form for each child.

Thursday, October 29, 2026

Students are welcome to wear their pajamas to school on Friday, October 30, 2026 for Pajama Day. Students will go outside for recess, participate in phy ed class, and so on.

This is the day before Halloween. Students are not permitted to wear: face paint, Halloween Costumes, Halloween Costume Face Masks, spray-in hair coloring, and so on. Please do not send candy to school; students who participate in Halloween activities will receive plenty of candy trick-or-treating, and so on.

I will welcome trick-or-treaters to my house on Halloween, just as some students will participate in Halloween Activities, but on Friday, October 30 at school it is Pajama Day.

Every Meal is a program that any family can sign up for if they would like to have food sent home for the family. Food that is sent includes rice, beans, pasta, and other foods that families can use to prepare meals. If you have questions or this would help your family, please reach out to Mrs. Kale.

kaleh@district279.org

It is the responsibility of the parents/guardians to ensure that the office is aware of the reason for your child's absence. You can also input the information into ParentVUE.

The reason for the absence can be updated up to one-week after the absence. After that date, the absence is an unexcused absence.

Schools are mandated reporters. If a student has excessive absences, schools are mandated to report the absences to child protection.

If a student has an unusual number of sick days with no notes or reasonable explanation, a family may be required to provide medical documentation for the school to consider the absence excused.

If there are extenuating circumstances, please contact Mr. Taylor.

Missing 10% of school, about two (2) days per month, on average results in lower academic growth in math and reading.

Students walking in late to school miss the same subject day-after-day. There are a some students who walk in late most days, after the others have their belongings put away and engaged in learning activities.

• Elementary age students need 9 - 11 hours of sleep every day.
• If your child needs to be woken up or needs an alarm clock to wake up, have them go to bed earlier.
• Students who are tired struggle to learn, and are understandably more prone to be emotionally dysregulated.
• Have your child play outside for 60 minutes, in all weather, as the exercise is good for the body, good for learning, and helps kids, and actually adults as well, sleep.
• Avoid drinks with caffeine.

Reduce the percent of students who are considered continuing truant from 38% of all Park Brook Students during the 2025 - 2026 school year to 10% for the 2026 - 2027 school year.

While it would be nice to reduce the percent to zero, we are aiming for 10%. Students who attend Park Brook typically have strong academic growth, however our students who are absent or are repeatedly late to school, do not make the strong academic growth that we desire.

Some schools in the Osseo Area Schools are used for voting, and therefore school is not in session on Tuesday, November 3.

This is a staff workshop day.

Click below for more information.

• W - We will respect ourselves and others.
• O - Own our actions.
• L - Listen and Learn.
• F - Follow Directions.