Wolves Newsletter

June 7, 2024

Dear Park Brook Families,

The 2023 - 2024 school year has come to a close, and I look forward and have begun planning for the 2024 - 2025 school year. The calendar has been updated and I encourage you to take a look at events coming towards the beginning of the school year.

While looking ahead to the next school year, I also celebrate this past year with students making strong academic growth.

Summer is here, and I want all of you to enjoy the summer months. If I could encourage a few things: enjoy reading together; spend time outside enjoying nature and getting exercise; and most of all enjoy time together as a family.

I look forward to time outside, gardening, reading, and a slower pace over the summer. The first week in August will be my 26th year volunteering at Camp Cherith, which I truly enjoy.

Over the summer months I may not respond to emails every day, but please feel welcome to reach out at any time.

Sincerely,

Mr. Scott W. Taylor

Report cards will be posted on ParentVUE by the end of the day on Thursday, June 13.

Fifth grade students spent two days at Wirth Park. The students participated in several activities, including mountain biking. The Loppet Foundation continues to be a vital part of the Focus on Fitness Initiative at Park Brook.

Grade levels at Park Brook, beginning with Pre-K, have the year they will graduate from high school posted outside of their classroom. Fifth-grade is the Class of 2031. Commemoration is a stepping-stone on the way to high school graduation.

The last day of school each 5th grade class plants a tree. This year the students planted weeping willow trees. This is designed to be a lasting legacy of their class on the Park Brook Elementary Campus, and a reminder that the tree brings beauty to the community and wherever their lives may take them, the community should be better because they are planted in the community.

Mr. Taylor began this tradition 16 years ago at Park Brook Elementary.

A few pictures from the social following the commemoration ceremony:

The 5th Grade Parade to Commemoration:

High school seniors, class of 2024, were welcomed back to Park Brook the last days of school. The Park Brook staff greatly enjoys seeing and visiting with former students.

On Wednesday, June 5, fifth-grade students enjoyed a formal breakfast in the gymnasium to begin the day. The day ended with commemoration.

After the students enjoyed waffles with strawberries, sausage, and so on, they spent time at their tables talking about their hopes and dreams for the future, including where they want to travel, hobbies, different ways they want to be physically active, and careers.

All classes at Park Brook participate in woodworking. Each year students have a different project, with each project chosen to teach different woodworking skills.

Mr. Paul Strand, volunteer, currently assists with the woodworking classes, however, he was the one who originally taught woodworking at Park Brook, beginning about 15 years ago. Mr. Strand taught for many years in the Osseo Area Schools after completing his student teaching at Park Brook Elementary in 1963. Mr. Strand did not teach at Park Brook, but returned after he retired.

Mr. Nelson is currently teaching the woodworking classes.

Please see calendar on Park Brook Website.

According to Great Schools, Students at Park Brook are making far more academic progress given where they were last year, compared to similar students in the state.

High progress with low test scores at Park Brook means that students are starting at a low point but the school is doing a great job at supporting their academic growth compared to most other schools.