Orioles Newsletter
February 2026
October 2026
A note from the principal
Welcome Back, Orioles!
Dear OMS Families,
We are off to a great start at Osseo Middle School! It has been wonderful to see students building friendships, engaging in learning, and settling into school routines. Our staff continue to teach and reinforce the Oriole Way: being respectful, responsible, and resourceful. Thank you for your partnership as we begin the year together.
A focus this year is strengthening literacy across all subject areas. Whether students are interpreting a math problem, reading about history, or explaining a scientific discovery, literacy helps them access learning and communicate their thinking. Every subject matters, and strong reading and writing skills support success in all of them.
You can support this work at home through a few everyday habits:
Encourage reading regularly. Help your student find books, graphic novels, or articles that match their interests. Reading in your home language supports literacy, too.
Talk about what they read and learn. Try asking, “What was the most interesting thing you learned today?” Follow up with, “Tell me more.”
Explore new words together. Discuss unfamiliar words you encounter in reading, conversation, recipes, or directions.
Attendance and being on time to each class are also priorities at OMS. Being present helps students stay connected to their learning, their teachers, and their peers. Arriving before the bell gives students time to get organized and participate in directions and opening activities. We are reinforcing these expectations at school and recognizing students’ efforts along the way.
If your student is experiencing challenges with attendance or getting to class on time, please reach out. We want to understand what is getting in the way and work with you to support your student.
Thank you for the many ways you support your student and our school community. I am grateful to be part of OMS and look forward to the learning and growth ahead.
Jan Bitzer
Interim Principal, Osseo Middle School
Share feedback with board and district leaders at conferences this month
Share feedback with board and district leaders at conferences this month
School board members and district leaders want to hear directly from you! This month, they’ll be providing an opportunity for families to share their experiences – what’s going well and what needs improvement – at school conferences. You can share feedback in person at select schools, including Osseo Middle School on October 13th, or simply scan the QR code on posters or flyers around your OMS to take a quick 2-minute survey.
One Community For All — where all are heard and valued. Thank you for partnering with us to make Osseo Area Schools the best place to learn!
New Chromebooks for Middle Schools this year!
All middle school students across the district are being issued brand new Chromebooks this year. If you have a 7th or 8th grade student, you may have noticed that the Chromebook your student received looks a little different than in previous years. The new devices were selected based on feedback from students and staff regarding desirable features (e.g. battery life, camera quality, etc.).
The new Chromebooks also come with an attached protective case. The type of case was selected to better protect the devices from accidental drops or impacts that often require costly repairs (this was the #1 cause of damage at the middle level). The cases are considered a part of the Chromebook, and will be expected to be returned along with the Chromebook and charger during collection at the end of the school year. If the case is damaged or lost, it will result in a fee to replace it.
Please note that middle school students are no longer issued a Chromebook bag. We understand it will be an adjustment for those that had them last year, but anticipate the new protective cases being more effective at preventing damage and requiring fewer repairs that result in charges to families.
Minnesota constitutional amendment question on school funding
This fall, Minnesota voters will consider a constitutional amendment regarding school funding via the Minnesota Permanent School Fund (PSF). This fund was created upon Minnesota’s statehood and set aside federal land for public education. Money from this land comes in the form of mining, timber and leases on approximately 2.5 million acres of school trust land, and currently 2-2.5% of the fund’s interest and dividends are paid out to public schools twice per year based on student enrollment. By constitutional design, the principal cannot be spent.
The proposed constitutional amendment asks voters whether to update the distribution formula to 4.5% of the fund’s three-year rolling average market value. Passing this measure would not increase state income taxes or local property taxes. For Osseo Area Schools, this proposed formula change is projected to generate an additional $1 million annually from the PSF.
Distributions from the fund support the full range of educational services provided by Minnesota schools, including instructional materials, curriculum development, teacher salaries, extracurricular activities, and the construction and maintenance of school facilities.
The proposed amendment was recommended by a non-partisan task force, co-sponsored by members of both major parties, and passed on a bi-partisan basis.
Osseo Area Schools, along with many other school districts across the state, is working to inform constituents about the proposed amendment. Please note that under the Minnesota Constitution, a ballot measure requires a majority of all voters casting a ballot in the election to pass; therefore, leaving the question blank has the same mathematical effect as a 'No' vote.
Here are some resources to learn more about the PSF’s constitutional amendment:
● Minnesota School Boards Association
● Association of Metropolitan School Districts
● Minnesota Office of School Trust Lands
TreeHouse
Is your child looking for a supportive peer group to navigate the ups and downs of teen life? If so, TreeHouse Maple Grove is for YOU! TreeHouse is a free program offered Tuesdays from 6:30 – 8:30 pm at 9600 Zanzibar Lane N in Maple Grove.
Since 1984, TreeHouse has provided:
· Community – a safe place with real talk, encouragement, and relationships
· Non-discriminatory services
· Support and mentoring
· Coping strategies to navigate life’s challenges with hope
· Peer support, professionally facilitated
·
For more information:
· Check out our website at treehousehope.org for more information.
· Follow us on Instagram @treehouse_maplegrove
· Reach out to 612-492-1088 or treehousemaplegrove@gmail.com
New Media Center
Around Town
Maple Grove
Celebrate Halloween with an afternoon of family fun at Weaver Lake Park with Maple Grove Community Organization! Enjoy Halloween-themed games and activities, make a craft, take home a goodie bag filled with candy and treats, and show off your costume!
Date: Saturday, October 17
Time: 12:30 to 4 p.m.
Location: Weaver Lake Park (8401 Maple Grove Pkwy)
Ages: 2 to 8
Price: $6 per child. Sign up at Maple Grove Community Organization website
Put on your favorite costume and join us for Trunk or Treat, a free community event for all ages! Enjoy decorated trunks, costume contests, free treats, and a variety of fun Halloween-themed activities for the whole family. If you are a business interested in participating, please fill out the Trunk or Treat application.
Date: Saturday, October 24
Time: 1 to 4 p.m.
Location: Parking lot of Maple Grove Community Center (12951 Weaver Lake Rd)
Ages: All ages
Price: Free
Trunk or Treat Halloween Party | October 24, 2026
Put on your favorite costume and join us for Trunk or Treat, a free community event for all ages! Enjoy decorated trunks, costume contests, free treats, and a variety of fun Halloween-themed activities for the whole family. If you are a business interested in participating, please fill out the Trunk or Treat application.
Date: Saturday, October 24
Time: 1 to 4 p.m.
Location: Parking lot of Maple Grove Community Center (12951 Weaver Lake Rd)
Ages: All ages
Price: Free
Beyond the Yellow Ribbon Veterans Day Event | November 11, 2026
Maple Grove Beyond the Yellow Ribbon and the Commander of the Osseo-Maple Grove American Legion invites the community to commemorate Veterans Day.
Date: Wednesday, November 11
Time: 11 a.m. to Noon
Location: Central Park (12000 Central Park Way)
Ages: All ages
Price: Free
Get ready to light up the night at the Kids Glow Party! Kids can dance, play, and have a blast at this high-energy event featuring glow-in-the-dark fun, music, games, and more! Wear your brightest neon outfits and get ready for an night of music, movement, and fun designed just for kids.
Date: Friday, November 13
Time: 5:30 to 7 p.m.
Location: Maple Grove Community Center Gym
Ages: All ages. Kids 2 and under get in free. Everyone ages 2+ must have a ticket.
Price: $7 per person (including adults)
Registration: register on Parks and Recreation website
Brooklyn Park
Spooktacular
October 24 @ 2:00 pm - 5:00 pm
7150 Zane Ave N
Brooklyn Park
Halloween Family Fun Night
October 29 @ 5:00 pm - 8:00 pm
The Brooklyn Park Police Department presents a Halloween event for the whole family! Activities will include Trunk-or-Treating, Explore A Truck, Balloon Artist, DJ, Scavenger Hunt, Coloring Station, Temporary Tattoos, Candy and Refreshments, Photobooth, and more! This event is FREE, no registration required.
Additional food will be available for individual purchase via on-site food trucks. Costumes are encouraged!
Thursday, October 29
5:00-8:00 pm
Police Department Garage
5400 85th Ave. N
Brooklyn Park, MN 55443
Zanewood Fall Festival
October 30 @ 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm
Join us for a family friendly community event to celebrate the fall season! The event is open to all and will feature fall theme activities for whole family!
We will have puzzles, games, prizes, music, food, fun, and more for everyone to enjoy.
7150 Zane Ave N
Brooklyn Park
Brooklyn Center
Halloween Party
Trick or treat along the trail before doing a little BOOgie at the Amphitheater. End the night with a special treat.
Choose your start time! Arrival time tickets are available for 5:30pm, 5:45pm, 6pm and 6:15pm.
Tickets are only needed for those participating in the trick or treat activities.
You must purchase tickets ahead of time by calling 763-569-3400, online at https://mnbrooklyncenterweb.myvscloud.com/webtrac/web/, or in person at the Brooklyn Center Community Center. $5 for residents. $7 for non-residents.
- Date:10/16/2026 5:30 PM - 7:30 PM
- Location:Centennial Park
6301 Shingle Creek Parkway
Brooklyn Center, Minnesota 55430
Nurse Healy’s Health Office Update
Fall is coming, which means so is cold and flu season. It’s a great time to schedule those Flu and COVID shots. Many retail stores even offer incentives to get them!
Just a friendly reminder to keep your student home if they are ill, they can return to school when:
- They are fever free (less than 100.4) for 24 hours without medicine (Tylenol, Advil etc.)
- They are well enough to participate in learning (cough is stable or improving and not disruptive to the learning environment)
Tips to stay healthy:
- Cover your cough
- Wash your hands frequently but especially before eating
- Drink lots of water, your body needs to be hydrated to function at its best
Important Links
- Welcome to OMS: General Information, Parent Drop Off/Pick Up, Cell Phones &
- School Year Calendars
- Staff Directory
- Technology, Nutrition Services, and Student Support
- How to order school pictures.
- FirstView (Transportation app)
- Breakfast and Lunch Menus
- Family Access: Schoology for Parents, ParentVue, Parent & Family Toolkit, and more.
- Community Resources: Academics, Crisis, Family Support, Mental Health, Post-High School Planning.
Upcoming events
- October 13: Conference Night 3:15 to 7:00 PM
- Oct. 15: 2027-28 Magnet School Application opens
- Oct. 15-16: Conference release, no school for students
- October 22: Conference Night 3:15 to 7:00 PM
- Vote on or before Nov. 3: This November's ballot includes Minnesota constitutional amendment question on school funding
phone: 763-391-8800