Falcon Newsletter

Supporting Our Students and Fair Oaks Updates

Dear Fair Oaks Families and Community,

As we transition into the final stretch of the school year, I wanted to take a moment to reflect on the incredible community we’ve built together. There is a special energy at Fair Oaks, and it stems directly from the connection between our school and your homes.

Thank you to everyone who joined us for our recent school conferences. Seeing our hallways filled with parents, guardians, and students engaging in meaningful conversations about growth was truly inspiring. Your presence and involvement are the backbone of our students' success, and we are deeply grateful for your partnership.

Celebrating Trimester Two

We are so incredibly proud of our students! The second trimester is often the most demanding, yet our students showed up every day with determination and curiosity. Whether it was mastering a difficult math concept, showing empathy on the playground, or diving into a new art project, their hard work has certainly paid off.

Looking Ahead: The Final Push

As we enter the third trimester, we ask for your continued support in keeping that momentum alive. This time of year often flies by, and staying grounded is key. Your encouragement—academically, socially, and emotionally—makes all the difference in helping our students finish the year strong and confident.

Save the Date (More to Come!)

We are thrilled to announce that the third trimester will feature several community events designed to bring us all together. While we are still putting the finishing touches on the specifics, please keep an eye out for more details coming your way soon. We would love to see your faces there!

We are a team. > My door is always open. If you ever have questions, concerns, or just a success story you’d like to share, please feel free to contact me at any time.

Thank you for being part of the Fair Oaks family. Let’s make this final trimester the best one yet!

Warmly,

David Freeburg

Principal of Fair Oaks Elementary

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26-27 Kidstop School Year Flyer.pdf

2026 Summer Kidstop Flyer.pdf

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Immigration related safety, support and resources

Immigration-related safety, support and resources

This continues to be a very trying time in our community. Many of our families and colleagues are dealing with immense feelings of fear and anxiety due to Immigration Customs Enforcement (ICE) action taking place. Our foremost priority during this time, as always, is to create safe and secure learning environments, and to provide meaningful education to each and every student in our community.

Our district and school teams have put many plans into place to ensure the continuation of this opportunity for all of our students. Please refer to our dedicated website for the most up-to-date information, including on topics like learning options, meals and safety/security procedures.

Additionally, the dedicated webpage continues to be updated. A link to it will also be added under your school website's Community menu by the end of the day tomorrow. Reach out with any questions or concerns.

Building Independence: The Magic of Shoelaces

Hello Fair Oaks Families!

As we continue to jump, sprint, and play our way through the school year, I’ve noticed a lot of our "all-star" moments are being interrupted by a common foe: the untied shoelace. While Velcro is convenient, learning to tie shoes builds a foundation for learning. While it seems like a small detail, mastering the art of tying shoes is actually a vital part of a child’s physical education. I am encouraging all our families to practice this skill at home:

· Safety on the Move: In the gym, a loose lace is a major tripping hazard. Whether we are playing tag or practicing drills, secure shoes ensure your feet stay securely in place, increasing stability during physical activity. A self-tied, double-knotted shoe ensures they can run, jump, and climb without an added risk of injury or a sudden "timeout" to fix their gear.

· Maximizing "Play Time": Every minute spent waiting for an adult to tie a shoe is a minute of lost movement! There is a visible spark of pride when a child no longer has to "wait for an adult" to help them tie their shoes. It’s a skill that can promote self-confidence and independence in children.

· Developing Coordination: Shoe-tying is a fantastic workout for fine motor skills. It requires hand-eye coordination and "bilateral integration" (using both sides of the brain and body at once)—the same skills needed for catching a ball or swinging a racket. Tying your shoes is an early lesson in sequencing and executive function. It teaches children how to follow multi-step instructions and stay focused on a task until it’s finished.

The PE Challenge: If your child is still rocking Velcro or

slip-ons, that’s okay! However, if they are wearing

lace-up sneakers, I encourage you to spend

5 minutes a day practicing at home.

Thanks for helping our students

stay safe, confident, and ready to run.

While the 2025-26 school year is still young, Osseo Area Schools is already making preparations for a smooth transition to new attendance boundaries at the elementary and middle school levels for the fall of 2026. Families can double-check whether or not their household is impacted by using the 2026-27 search tool available via osseoschools.org/boundaries.

FOOD RESOURCES

Local Food Resources

CEAP Food Market in Brooklyn Park: https://www.ceap.org/
NEAR Food Shelf in Crystal: https://www.nearfoodshelf.org/
Food Shelf in a Box at Zanewood Recreation Center (2nd Tuesday of the month): https://www.goodinthehood.org/our-programs/food-programs/
Hunger Solutions hotline (1-888-711-1151) or food finder tool: https://www.hungersolutions.org/find-help/
Second Harvest Heartland food finder tool: https://www.2harvest.org/find-food/resource-map
Loaves and Fishes find a community meal: https://www.loavesandfishesmn.org/find-a-community-meal/

This is a tough time for many in our Fair Oaks community. Please know that support is available for a variety of needs. Our school social worker, Krysta Sather, can assist you in making community connections.

Fair Oaks elementary will continue to have the weekend food bag program provided by EveryMeal. If you have not signed up for this program, but want to participate please contact our school social worker, Krysta Sather, via email (satherk@district279.org), phone (763-549-2356), or TalkingPoints to request a sign up brochure.

More Minnesotans can now get free or lower cost health insurance regardless of immigration status. Portico health helps families navigate the healthcare system and apply for health insurance through the MNSure system. Trained navigators can speak with families in multiple languages including Spanish and Hmong.

https://porticohealthnet.org/

YOU CAN CALL THE MAIN OFFICE FOR YOUR STUDENT'S PARENTVUE ACCESS CODE. IF YOU ALREADY HAVE AN ACTIVE ACCOUNT THAT YOU CANNOT ACCESS, YOU WILL JUST NEED TO CLICK "FORGOT PASSWORD" AND GO THROUGH THE STEPS TO RESET YOUR PASSWORD.

YOU CAN ACCESS YOUR STUDENT'S ID NUMBER AS WELL AS THEIR FIRSTVIEW (BUS TRACKING) ACCESS CODE IN PARENTVUE.

SEE THE BOTTOM OF THIS NEWSLETTER FOR HELP TO SET UP ANY OF OUR DISTRICT APPS.

Dear Scholars and Guardians,

Osseo Area Schools provides all scholars with access to district technology resources, including an assigned 1:1 iPad or Chromebook, for educational purposes. All scholars must follow all district policies regarding the use of these devices at all times. More information can be found on the District Website under digital learning.

Although devices are in the hands and homes of our scholars, each device is and remains the property of Osseo Area Schools. Scholar devices can and may be accessed by authorized Osseo staff, including their teacher, to provide instruction, technical support, and ensure district policy is followed. If a device becomes damaged at any point, repair or replacement cost may be assessed and would be added to the scholar’s account after notification to the family. A list of costs and other information can be found on our website under digital learning. Below are the most common device repair costs:

iPads

Chromebooks

Asset tag replacement: $10.00

Charging kit replacement: up to $28.00

Charging kit replacement: up to $31.00

Damaged case: up to $50.00

Damaged keyboard: up to $25.00

Damaged screen: up to $139.00

Damaged screen: up to $185.00

Liquid damage: varies, up to $294.00

Liquid damage: varies, up to $300.00

Full replacement: up to $350.00 (Kit)

Full replacement: up to $375.00 (Kit)

Mary McGrath

Tech ESP Fair Oaks

74309

mcgrathm@district279.org

Tech Support Call 763-391-7180
bit.ly/TechHelpOsseo

Click here to reach the help desk for any technical related issues.

3/2 - Robotics: Nature Bots (for students who are signed up) 4:10-5:10

3/4 - Crafty Readers 4:10pm-5:10pm (for those who are signed up)

3/5 - 5th Grade - Math Masters (for those who are signed up)

3/6 - No school for students - Report card marking day for students

3/9 - Robotics: Nature Bots (for students who are signed up) 4:10-5:10

3/10 - Class pictures taken

3/11 - Crafty Readers 4:10pm-5:10pm (for those who are signed up)

3/12 - 5th Grade - Math Masters (for those who are signed up)

3/16 - Robotics: Nature Bots (for students who are signed up) 4:10-5:10

3/18 - Crafty Readers 4:10pm-5:10pm (for those who are signed up)

3/19 - 5th Grade - Math Masters (for those who are signed up)

3/19 - All School Morning Meeting - Celebrating March CARES Champions

3/20 - No school for students

3/23-3/27 - Spring Break (No online or in-person school)

THESE STUDENTS WERE NOMINATED BY STAFF FOR SHOWING C.A.R.E.S. QUALITIES!

February CARES Champions

Jasper Lee

Felix Vanderpuye-Eshun

Helina Xiong

Andy Edstrom

Koran Stewart

Mikail Suleman

Eamon Krogh

Ada Vetaw

Na’Mora Cunningham

Yacine Diallo

Kaiden Williams

Kelly Kromah

Gio Chamberlain

Priscillia Abbey

Fatima Dioubate

Khalid Ahmed

Karrion Barnes

Von Myers Bradley

Aliyah Ojeda

Mayte Huerta Rios

Israel Selegajallah

Gabriel Omanga

Kyrie Vang

Carlos Ventura

Roman Thepbanthao

Tayvon Reynolds

Sabrina Her

Yasmine Rezk

Matthew Montero Ozuna

Hadasa Ponce De La Rosa

Karim Youssry

Deon Phomvongsa

Fabian Diaz

Musa Komara

Kellen Yang

Adnan Hassan

***February CARES Champions were celebrated at the February All-School-Morning-Meeting.

Congratulations to all of our CARES Champions!

Our volunteer coordinator is Sophie Castruita. She can help you with any and all questions regarding volunteer work at Fair Oaks. There are many events though out the year that we need volunteers to help make a success! If there is a chance that you will chaperone your student's field trips at all this year, we ask that you please fill out this application as well. You can reach Sophie at: CastruitaS@district279.org

Volunteer Application

ATTENDANCE REMINDERS

Attendance Reminders

If your student(s) are ever late or absent from school for any reason, please be sure to call our attendance line at 763-549-2353 (this is different than our main office number). You can leave a voicemail in either English or Spanish, 24 hours a day on this line. We ask that you please let us know about your child's absence or late arrival by 10am whenever possible to avoid receiving one of the automated calls from the district about your student's attendance.

Click here to see the Fair Oaks Facebook page

Hmong families are also welcome to follow our Hmong FB page!

KOU VANG

ML Community and Communication Specialist

Educational Equity Department

Osseo Area Schools

11200 93rd Ave N. Maple Grove, MN 55369

Work Cell: (612) 394-3358

vangk@district279.org

Brooklyn Middle School (T/W/F)

Fair Oaks Elementary (TH)

Palmer Lake Elementary (M)

OSSEO AREA SCHOOLS HAS A NEW BUS TRACKING APP THIS YEAR! PLEASE DELETE YOUR OLD FIRSTVIEW APP AND FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS TO DOWNLOAD THE NEW APP. YOU WILL NEED YOUR STUDENT'S ID NUMBER WHICH YOU CAN FIND ON PARENTVUE, AS WELL AS THE CODE: P4P7U.

NEW FIRSTVIEW BUS TRACKING APP!

The FirstView 1.0 mobile app helps you to keep track of school buses going to and from school each day. Support is available Monday - Friday from 7:00 am - 5:00 pm ET for existing FirstView users with app-related questions or concerns.

Email: support@myfirstview.com

Phone:1(888) 889-8920