News and events

October 5, 2024

Oxbow Creek Families,

Welcome to October! The leaves are changing and the temperature is falling. Fall signifies change in many areas of our lives. Sometimes, many changes at once can be challenging. Here at Oxbow, we understand the challenges related to adjusting to a new school year. I'd like to personally thank you all for your patience and support as we work through all of these adjustments together. I am impressed with how quickly our students are acclimating to the new year and becoming comfortable in their school routines. It is exciting to watch the smiles on their faces grow as they become even more confident learners!

Mrs. Monson - Oxbow Creek Principal

• Parent/Teacher Conferences/No School: Monday, Oct. 7th from 7:30-8:30am and 1:30-8:20pm
• Parent/Teacher Conferences: Thursday, Oct. 10th from 7:30-8:30am and 4:10-8:20pm
• Fall Staff Appreciation Dinner: Thursday, October 10th
• 1st Grade Oliver Kelley Field Trip: Tuesday, October 15th & Wednesday, October 16th
• MEA/No School: Thursday, Oct. 17th - Friday, October 18th
• Picture Retake Day: Wednesday, October 30th
• Scooter World: Monday, November 11th - Wednesday, November 20th

• 1st Grade - Oliver Kelley Farms: Tuesday, October 15th & Wednesday, October 16th
• 3rd Grade - Mill City Museum: Thursday, October 31st & Friday, November 1st
• 2nd Grade - The Works Museum: Thursday, November 7th & Friday, November 8th

Elementary students do not have school on the following dates:

Monday, October 7 - Staff Development & Parent/Teacher Conferences

Thursday/Friday, October 17 & 18 - MEA Weekend

• Our school is once again partnering with Every Meal - a free weekend food program. An informational letter and enrollment form has been sent home with every student. If you wish to participate in this program, please turn in the completed enrollment form as soon as possible!

• We're excited to see everyone at parent/teacher conferences. This is a great opportunity to connect with your child's teacher and get a glimpse into their days at school. If you need help signing up for a conference, please contact your student's teacher directly.
  
  
• If your child bikes to school, please remember to equip him or her with a safety helmet and be sure to have them walk their bike when on school property.
  
  
• Notify the office at 763-506-3800 before 3pm if you need to change the dismissal plan for your student for the day. Also, if picking them up is a change in their normal dismissal, you will need to sign them out at the office.
  
  
• Do not leave your car unattended if you're in the pickup lane at dismissal. If you plan to leave your car to meet your child, please park in the lot. Students should always remain on the sidewalk areas while waiting for parents to pick them up.
  
  
• Picking up your student early? Please remember to call and notify the office of what time you will be here to pick your student up and also email your students teacher with that information. Our sign out procedure are the same as last year. You will come into the vestibule, where we will scan your drivers license and then send your student out to you.
  
  
• Dropping off items students forgot to bring? We will email the teacher, but will not call into the room during instruction time. If an item is for lunch or for winter recess, we will attempt to get those to the class if they are not picked up in a timely manner.

Motorists and student pedestrians alike are reminded to remain alert in the school zone along 109th Avenue and around schools in our community to ensure safety for crossing guards and the people they serve to protect. Please review and follow these reminders:

Crosswalks: Be mindful that we are sharing the road with young walkers and staff helping them across the crosswalks or intersections. Always stop for school patrols and crossing guards.

Know drop-off and pick-up procedures: Schools have procedures in place to keep traffic safe. Make sure you know your school’s plan for the safety of all students and staff.

Use slow speeds: Use caution in school zones and be aware of your surroundings. We can all work together to ensure the safety of drivers, school buses, walkers and bikers.

School bus safety: Familiarize yourself with school bus safety tips on the road. Always stop if yellow or red lights are flashing or if stop arms are extended from a school bus. Allow extra time for students to board and exit the bus and proceed to safe sidewalks to enter school zones or return home.

Share the road: Be patient of other vehicles stopped for pedestrians or using caution in school zones. Do not pass other vehicles or school buses. Be alert, young children may take an unpredictable path as they are learning safety rules.

Thank you for your partnership in school traffic safety.

• The Anoka-Hennepin Core Values of Respect, Responsibility, Appreciation of Diversity, Integrity and Compassion are the basis of kindness.

• Kindness is a positive call to action to counteract the negative impact of bullying.

• You can help create and spread kindness in your school.

Contest Rules and Specifications:

• All Kindergarten through 5th grade students enrolled in Anoka-Hennepin elementary schools are eligible.

• Posters must include the contest theme: Kindness Takes All of Us

• These words must be on the poster.

• Posters must be on 11” X 17” paper. Students can pick this up in the Main Office.

• Crayons, felt tip pens, markers, paint, pen and ink, pencil, etc. may be used to create the poster.

• Do not use wood, plastic, glass, metal, string, fabric, felt, collage materials, stencils, internet downloads, or computer art.

• Posters cannot include copyrighted characters from comics, cartoons, television programs, movies, newspapers, magazines, etc.

• Student name, grade, and school must be on the back of the poster.

• Each school will select one winning poster for each grade level, K-5. The six winning posters will advance to the district level contest.

Posters MUST be turned in to the Oxbow Creek main office no later than Monday, October, 28th.

Judging Criteria:

Judges will look for the relationship of the poster to the theme, originality of the poster, quality of artwork, visual impact, and suitability of the poster for viewing.

Winners:

One winning poster will be selected from each grade level K-5. District winners will be recognized at a future School Board meeting and receive a prize! Winning posters will be posted on the district website and printed for use in schools throughout the district.

Anoka-Hennepin Community Education provides fun activities and learning opportunities for children, right in your own backyard. The Community Schools program is dedicated to student success by providing quality programs year-round in safe, accessible environments to enhance the positive growth of youth.

Check out their website here!

A number of factors converged in early 2024 that led to the need to reduce district expenditures by $26 million. Anoka-Hennepin acted quickly in the spring to plan a two-phased budget reduction and realignment process.

• Phase 1: $5.1 million in central administration and services were reduced for the 2024-25 budget in an effort to mitigate the impact of additional cuts for the 2025-26 budget.

• Phase 2: The district is currently determining a solution to address a $21 million budget reduction gap. Community meetings were held Sept. 25 - Oct. 10 in combination with a feedback process on two recommendations. A final decision is expected in November.

Factors impacting the district budget: The elimination of federal pandemic relief funds, higher than budgeted employee contract settlements, the impact of inflation on transportation and other operations, limited new revenue from state and federal sources and new requirements without funding support have developed a need to reduce expenditures by $26 million by the 2025-26 school year.

Proposed solutions: Anoka-Hennepin Schools have followed School Board direction to provide a reduction plan that cuts away from the classroom, particularly for the district’s youngest learners. The draft budget solution recommendations impact central services before schools with 53 percent of the reductions taking place at the district office/central services area, and 47 percent impact at the school level. The board is also studying a plan that would make additional central services and administrative cuts but spare reductions in schools allowing community members to decide on that impact through a levy referendum election in the fall of 2025.

Two options have been proposed for School Board consideration:

• Option 1: $21 million total reduction.

• Option 2: Make additional central services/administrative reductions and authorize an operating referendum election in the fall of 2025.

Looking ahead: Following robust community feedback for an initial draft plan, draft proposals are expected to be shared at the Monday, Oct. 29 school board meeting and eventually adopted at the Monday, November 25 school board meeting. This timeline is required ahead of key planning decisions on student registration and staffing decisions prior to the 2025-26 school year.

Provide feedback: School Board expectations provide for a process that encourages robust community and staff input prior to approval of the final recommendation.

View the presentation from the Sept. 23 school board meeting and provide your feedback for school board consideration using this online form.

As the district reviews and adopts new course materials, it involves staff, students, parents, and the community in the process. This school year, the district will be in its ninth-year of using ‘Reading Wonders,’ the English Language Arts (ELA) materials used in district elementary schools, while it begins piloting potential and studying new ELA curriculum materials for the future.

📚View the timeline and learn more about the process and course materials involved.

Save the date: Families and community members are invited to the ELA curriculum review night on Wednesday, Oct. 23 at the Anoka-Hennepin Schools Educational Services Center located at 2727 N. Ferry Street, Anoka from 4:30-6:30 p.m.