Wolves Newsletter

November 20, 2023

Dear Parents and Guardians,

I am continually encouraged as I walk the halls of Park Brook and see students engaged in learning. I receive a number of compliments regarding how students at Park Brook are focused and engaged in learning in classrooms. I anticipate strong academic growth this year based upon how I see students engaging with lessons in classrooms.

Throughout the school day interventions are provided for students in math, reading, social skills, speech, additional fitness breaks, and so on. The purpose is to meet the needs of all of the students at Park Brook. Teachers review data to ensure students are making progress, and interventions are put into place when needed.

The Loppet Foundation partners with Park Brook to provide cross-country ski lessons for all 3rd - 5th grade students during physical education classes. These lessons will begin soon. The lessons conclude with a field trip to Wirth Park to participate in the Next Gen Ski Race, and then to Lake of the Isles to enjoy the Luminary Loppet. The field trip is on Saturday, February 3rd. Winter is a great time at Park Brook!

We monitor to make sure students have seat belts on in the vans that the district hires to bring students to and from school. I do not apologize for being non-negotiable on this. One of the contracted vehicles that we use, just after leaving Park Brook on a sunny day, on a residential street, was hit by another vehicle causing the vehicle with our student inside to flip over. While always knowing an accident is possible, that day when we sent the vehicles off I never imagined receiving a call of an accident such as this. I am thankful no one was injured in the accident, and I know the reality would be much different if our student did not have their seat belt on. I bring this up because I notice many students riding in cars without seat belts, and in the front seats where an airbag could be quite dangerous. I encourage you to make sure your precious children have their seat belts on even for short trips on residential streets.

Mr. Taylor

• The Brooklyn Park Rotary kindly donated hats and gloves to Park Brook Elementary and other schools in the district.
• The Knights of Columbus donated coats and snow pants to Park Brook Elementary and other schools in the district.
• Medtronic employees come every week to read with 2nd grade students.
• Prince of Peace Lutheran Church is recruiting volunteers to begin the Reading Buddies Program with 3rd grade students.
• District 279 Foundation Grant for the 4th Grade Kindness Retreat with Youth Frontiers.
• American Heart Association grant of $1,500 for fitness equipment. This was from an individual to the American Heart Association who requested the donation go to a school, Park Brook was selected.

Please label your children's jackets, gloves and other belongings so that their items can easily be returned to them. Please encourage your child to check lost and found if they are missing an item.

We teach students to put their gloves and hat in the sleeve of their jacket so that they can easily find them, and when they hang up their jacket the gloves and hat are hung up as well.

At the October PTO meeting parents suggested that 3rd, 4th and 5th graders get the opportunity to use the new playground. Our goal is to implement suggestions given at PTO meetings. This was also an opportunity for Mr. Taylor to join the fun with the 4th graders playing with the younger students!

MN Wild shared the message of the importance of getting 60 minutes of exercise and healthy eating. The MN Wild donated equipment for street hockey which will be used in physical education classes and/or after school programming.

Students are recognized each month for following the Wolf Way. Pictured are students receiving the award on Nov. 6.

W - We will respect ourselves and others

O - Own our actions

L - Listen and Learn

F - Follow Directions

Students in grades 2 - 5 are working at math fluency (speed). Each month the students take a 3 - minute timed test to measure how many problems they can complete in three minutes.

2nd grade - subtraction

3rd grade - addition and subtraction to practice going between the two

4th and 5th grades - multiplication

Great fun was had at the Resilinator on Sunday, October 29 with seventy (70) students participating. The Resilinator is an outdoor obstacle course sponsored by the YMCA of the North. Thanks to a generous grant from Allina, Park Brook students participate for free.

The Resilinator is part of the Focus on Fitness initiative at Park Brook Elementary.

Girls on the Run (GOTR) is a program that has met since the first week of school and concluded on Tuesday, November 14. On November 12, the girls participating gave it their all at a 5K held on the MN State Fair Grounds.

GOTR includes running, but is actually much more. Character and leadership instruction is a large part of this program. The girls also did a service project for a homeless shelter, pictured above left.

The button below will take you to Mr. Taylor's Webpage. On the webpage he has questions you may find useful when discussing you child's report card with them. The hope is that report cards will not only inform you of your child's progress, but also lead to discussion to assist your child to talk about what they are doing to get the strong growth, or see changes they could make to increase academic growth.

PTO - Parent Teacher Organization. Parents and guardians are all welcome to come to learn more about Park Brook, connect with each other, and give input to programs at Park Brook Elementary. Mrs. Shober, kindergarten teacher, will share information during this meeting.

Students are welcome to come with their parents/guardians.

Grade levels and the Park Brook Choir will perform for the students and guests.

Students will return to school on Tuesday, January 2.

• The bus circle during morning drop-off (8:20 a.m. - 8:55 a.m.) and dismissal (3:00 p.m. - 3:35 p.m.) is for busses and commercial vehicles only. (The district does contract with transportation companies that use mini vans, which look like personal vehicles.)

• Change in after school plans? Please be sure that communication is between adults-at-home and adults-at-school, this greatly helps reduce confusion. It is helpful to receive information about changes in after school plans by 2:30 p.m.

• New phone number or email address? Please update your information in ParentVUE or call the school office at 763-561-6870 to update your information.

• If students are ill, they need to be fever free for 24 hours WITHOUT medication. Medication reduces symptoms of an illness, but they are still sick. This is the same guidance from before COVID.

• Students need to bring their boots, coats, hats, gloves and so on to school every day. Students will be going outside for recess unless the weather is colder than - 5 degrees.

Extending the school day is of great value to the Park Brook School Community. There are a number of learning opportunities provided, and additional ones will be offered later in the school year. The list below is provided just to give parents/guardians an idea of some of the classes offered this year.

• Boot Camp - month of September - Grades 1 - 5 - 140+ students participated. Purpose is to increase movement and fitness at the beginning of the school year to increase academic growth, and build relationships between students and between students and staff.

• Girls on the Run - twice-a-week, 20 girls in grades 3 - 5 participated - September - November 14. Another session will be held after Spring Break. This incorporates running and character and leadership skills.

• Cardio Drumming - twice-a-week during the months of October and November. - 50+ students participated. The plan is to offer another session later this school year.

• Choir - grade 3 - 5; 40+ students participating - October - December, with another session beginning after Winter Break, from January through March.

• Language Clubs - Language Clubs are designed to increase student's knowledge of their home language and culture.
• Hmong, Spanish, Vietnamese
• World Languages - This club is designed for students with a home language other than English, but not enough students at Park Brook to form a club.
• Siblings Club - This club is designed for younger students who have a sibling in one of the Language Clubs.

• World of Reading

• Double Dutch - Grades 3 - 5, November - March. This class learns and practices Double Dutch skills and other jump rope routines. This club will travel in late winter/early spring to schools throughout the Twin Cities to kick-off the American Heart Associations fundraising campaigns. This class is sponsored by the American Heart Association.

• Game Club

• Coming Soon! Boys Club

Weekend Events:

• Twin Cities 5K (Grades 1 - 5)- September 30
• Resilinator (Grades 1 - 5) - October 19
• Loppet Events (Grades 3 - 5) - February 3
• Kidarod (Grades 1 - 5) - February 17