News and events

November 3, 2024

Oxbow Creek Families,

This month, we will focus on the character trait: GRATITUDE. Throughout November, we will share what we are grateful for at school and at home. I feel fortunate to have a very long list of things to be grateful for and this school community is at the top of my list. I'm so grateful for your generosity and support. Thank you for partnering with us and making Oxbow Creek a wonderful place for our students and staff. We are so grateful! I'm looking forward to hearing about what our students are grateful for and seeing the various ways they show gratitude this month. Thank you.

Mrs. Monson

• No School, Staff Development: November 5, 2024
• 2nd Grade Field Trip - The Works Museum: Thursday, November 7 & Friday, November 8, 2024
• Scooter World: Monday, November 11 - Wednesday, November 20, 2024
• Scooter World Open House: Thursday, November 14, 2024
• End of Trimester 1: Friday, November 22, 2024
• No School, Fall Break: Monday, November 25 - Friday, November 29, 2024
• Holiday Gift Shop: Thursday, December 5, 2024
• No School, Staff Development: Friday, December 20, 2024
• No School, Winter Break: Monday, December 23 - Wednesday, January 1, 2025

Starting the week on November 11th, the students at Oxbow Creek will explore a candy themed scooter world "Willy Wonka and the Scooter Factory" in Physical Education classes. This is a highlight of the school year. The students will navigate their scooter through various obstacles while also doing exercises to increase physical fitness and awareness. We are looking forward to a great week ahead. We recommend watching the Willy Wonka movies as a fun family activity!

Back by popular demand we are inviting you to an Open House on Thursday, November 14th from 5:15-6:45pm. This is an event for the whole Oxbow Creek Community, present and past! This is one of our most popular events of the year, please be patient as there may be longer wait times.

Physical Education Department

Dan Masloski

Nikki Collison

Madisyn Pehlke

In recognition of Veterans Day on November 11, we want to take time to honor those men and women who have served or are currently serving our country in the military. Below is a list of activities that we have planned:

• A name tag will be sent home with each student on Friday, Nov. 1st for you to honor the veterans in your life. The students should wear the name tags to school on Monday, November 11.

• If you have a digital copy of a picture of any of those people you want to honor - and you are willing to share them with us - we'd like to create a slideshow of our heroes and put it on our scrolling monitors. You can send an electronic (.jpg) copy of the picture(s) to - Katie Robledo - by using her email address katie.robledo@ahschools.us. We'll download the pictures and include them in our slideshow.

• Grade 5 students will participate in a ceremonial flag-raising on Monday, Nov. 11th at 9:30 am. Veterans and those currently serving are welcome to attend the brief flag raising. We hope the day is a true celebration of our veterans and hope all of our students acquire a better understanding of what our veterans mean to our country.

• Veterans and active serving military are welcome to have lunch on us! (Bring your license and have parents call the school giving permission). Please wear your uniform, as it leaves quite an impression.

We'll be holding our annual food drive from Nov. 14 - Nov. 22 this year. Students are encouraged to bring in items to their classroom at any time during that time frame. This year we will be donating items to CEAP, a food shelf/social service agency that serves the cities of Brooklyn Park, Brooklyn Center and Champlin (east of 169), and surrounding cities. In the month of August, they served over 1600 families with over 2000 visits, and over 14,000 pounds of food. They are mostly in need of non-perishable food items.

Our word of the month for November is Gratitude and we are grateful for the contributions that are made from our school families for those in need. We are grateful for the compassion, kindness, caring and generosity from so many. It's a great tradition.

Please fill out the forms to join our team of volunteers at Oxbow:

Volunteer Application and Background Check Form.

Click here to check all the ways you can get involved:

Current Volunteer Opportunities

Volunteer Coordinator News and Updates

Scooter World: We need volunteers to help create pieces of art for the walls, please email Haley directly if this is something that interests you! We also need volunteers to help decorate the gym to make this week exciting for the students! Sign up to help decorate the gym!

Spirit Wear: If you would like to order Oxbow Creek Spirit Wear please visit http://www.rambow.com/ and enter our Store Code: Oxbow. Online ordering ends on 11/12/24 and orders will arrive prior to winter break.

Holiday Gift Shop: This event is on December 5th from 4:30-7:30pm. It’s a great opportunity for students to secretly shop with an elf for gifts for their loved ones. All gifts are under $13 and will be gift wrapped for your student. Many additional volunteers are needed to make this event run, sign up to volunteer here: Holiday Gift Shop

Enrichment groups: Have you ever thought about working with students in a small group setting? Enrichment groups are forming now! For more information contact Alece at Jessica.KC@ahschools.us or fill out the Enrichment interest form.

Yearbook: Please share photos you have taken with the yearbook staff! Email them to oxbowyearbook@gmail.com. Include any information available such as grade, classroom and event.

Haley Belongia

Jessica KC

Volunteer Services Coordinators

Oxbow Creek Elementary

763-506-3830

Haley.Belongia@ahschools.us

Jessica.KC@ahschools.us

• Reach My Teach: We are implementing a new communication tool here at Oxbow called Reach My Teach. Communications will come through as an email and/or text to families. This is being utilized for a variety of different reasons i.e. Field Trips, Health Office, Conferences, etc.. If you would like more information regarding this tool, please reach out to the office at 763.506.3800.

• Phy. Ed. Request: Please remember to have your student wear appropriate footwear for their P.E. class! Tennis shoes are recommended!! Crocs and boots of any kind are not allowed - students will be asked to sit out if they do not have the proper footwear.

• November 21st is "Give to the Max Day" in Minnesota. You can give directly to Oxbow Creek! Remember, any donations made today until November 21st will automatically count toward "Give to the Max Day." The funds come directly to Oxbow Creek to help buy supplies and fund field trips for students in need.

• Thanks to all of you who donated to our Staff Appreciation Coffer Bar & Dinner during conferences this Fall!

• With colder weather upon us, please consider sending in a complete set of extra clothes for your student. Sometimes, the little ones don't quite make it in time when removing the extra layers as well as clothing can become wet from the snow and ice.

• Cold weather Guidelines: Please send your child to school dressed appropriately. Be certain your child has a coat, hat and mittens. Students go outside for recess if the temperature is above 0 degrees and the windchill is above -10. If you are in need of winter clothing, we have donations of gently used items that can be given to your child. Please contact the school office.

Minnesota weather is shifting gears, and the Anoka-Hennepin School District has plans in place for when extreme winter weather arrives.

The safety of all students is the first priority when determining if schools should stay open in adverse weather. If a determination is made to close school due to extreme winter weather, the district will alert families in a variety of ways, including:

• Text and email message from #AHSchools. (For parents/guardians only.)

• District and school websites.

• District and school social media pages (e.g. Facebook, Instagram and Twitter).

• Media outlets including WCCO, KSTP, FOX 9, KARE 11, CCX Media, WCCO radio and Star Tribune newspaper.

Those responsible for activities scheduled in schools over the weekend will determine if adverse weather conditions necessitate a cancellation.

Read more about the district’s policies on extreme winter weather at ahschools.us/weather.

The Anoka-Hennepin Schools Special Education Advisory Council (SEAC) is hosting a resource information night for families of students with special needs to learn about resources available in the community. Vendors for sports, camps, and community services will be in attendance.

• When: Thursday, Nov. 14 from 6-7:30 p.m.

• Where: Educational Service Center, 2727 N Ferry St., Anoka. Enter through Door 7 and meet in Erling Johnson rooms C and D.

Families will be able to speak with various vendors at stations that will be set up in the rooms.

The SEAC intends to provide tools and resources to help guardians of children receiving special education services and collaborate with the district to promote continuous growth of special education services to best meet the needs of students. Members serve as representatives of district learners with disabilities from birth through age 22. SEAC strives to promote, educate and share resources between families, schools, and communities.

The council is a partnership between parents/guardians and the school district and meets four times (three in person and one virtual) during the school year.

The Anoka-Hennepin School District allows qualifying flyers from nonprofit groups to be distributed at school and sent home with students. These flyers have gone through the district approval process. A virtual gallery of flyers is also available. These events, classes and activities are not sponsored or endorsed by Anoka-Hennepin Schools.