Monthly Boost
September 2023
Welcome to the new 279Online Monthly Boost!
As part of the Osseo Area Schools operational plan and strategic direction, the district's communication team is working together with schools to help create improved communications between the district and its families and community members. Our new e-newsletters are more accessible and translatable, and they can be shared for easily in a variety of formats. We hope you enjoy catching up with the latest 279Online news in this new format.
A note from the principal
Welcome back to 279Online! We hope your summer was joyous and filled with fun. As we look back on the past few weeks, we want to celebrate the fantastic start to the year all our scholars have shown. We are excited to partner with each of you this year to create a fantastic 279Online community! This first 279Online Monthly Boost is a little information heavy. Please take time to scan it all and stay in the know!
Trimester 1 Conferences Reminder
Just a reminder that conference sign up has opened. Please check your ParentVUE account to sign up for conferences for your scholar(s). The online booking through ParentVUE will close Monday, October 2nd at 3:00PM. If you will need interpreter services during the conferences, please let the teachers know.
High School Opportunity
Calling 279Onilne High School freshmen, sophomores or juniors! Interested in being an ambassador for our school on the Superintendent's Student Advisory Task Force?
The purpose of this task force is to inform the Superintendent of the daily lived experiences of students in grades 9-11.The student task force will provide recommendations for change within the system to improve the experiences for students. The students will work in partnership with the Superintendent to enact the changes recommended by the student task force. The experience will also build leadership capacity for our student task force members.
Please see attached flyer for more information on the application process for this task force. Questions please reach out to Amy Tollefson at TollefsonA@district279.org
TAG Communication
Talent Development, Academic Challenge and Gifted Support (TAG) services are available to students in third (3) through fifth (5) grade to strengthen interested, extend grade-level content, and apply skills and concepts in authentic ways.
For more information please reach out to Elizabeth Wald at WaldE@district279.org
279Online College & Career Resource Center Newsletter
Hear ye! Hear ye! Read all about the College & Career Resource Center Newsletter!
Any question please reach out to Mark Otis at OtisM@apps.district279.org
Find us on Social Media
Join us on social media to follow Ollie along and see what 279Online is doing!
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/279Online
Instagram: 279online_k12
X (formerly Twitter): @279Online
National Online Learning Day
September 15th was National Online Learning Day. This is how Ollie does their 279Online! Shout out how YOU 279Online!
#279Online
September 15 - October 15 is National Hispanic Heritage Month
To encourage families at 279Online to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month, please visit our Hispanic Heritage Virtual Bookshelves!
Elementary, Middle School and High School each have their own Virtual Bookshelf. Click each book title to be brought to the Hennepin County Library webpage for that book! Try out a new book and celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month with 279Online! https://bit.ly/HispanicHeritageVirtualBookshelves
Picture Day Information
Please see attached for information on pictures. Retakes will be held on November 15th more information to follow closer to the date.
Sports Information
If your 279Online student would like to attend an indistrict sporting event please scan the QR code in the attached document to get tickets. Then day of event make sure they bring their student ID.
Educational Benefits Application Information
Per the Minnesota department of education, Online and Homeschool families are not eligible for the Minnesota Free School Meals Program. But it is still important for families to fill out an application for educational benefits.
Fill out the Educational Benefits Application to take advantage of benefits available to families who meet income requirements, including free or discounted costs for the following:
- Field trips
- Community education programs
- Clubs, activities, and athletics
- Instrument rentals
- Fees, including for AP testing, graduation, student parking permits and more
- Sliding scale for repair costs on school-provided devices for qualified damages
- Comcast internet for home
- Xcel Energy account assistance for electricity bills
Additionally, the state of Minnesota uses a school district’s percentage of qualifying students from applications completed and approved prior to October 1 each year to calculate each district’s funding level. School district funding impacts every student:
- Class sizes
- Number of support staff the district can hire to help scholars (counselors, social workers)
- Extra programming opportunities
Please fill out the Educational Benefits Application today to make sure your family can take advantage of these and other benefits! To bypass creating an EduTrakConnect account you can simply fill out an application at the following link ….https://bit.ly/3hWdk7Q.
Upcoming events
Tri 1 Conferences
- Tuesday October 3
- Tuesday October 10
Community informational meeting on Building a Better Future Phase II
- Tuesday October 2 at Osseo Senior High from 6-7:30pm
- Wednesday October 11 at Maple Grove Senior High from 6-7:30pm
- More Information: district279.org/BetterFuture
2023 Kindergarten Information Fair
- Saturday October 14 at Fernbrook Elementary from 9-11:30am
- More Information: https://www.district279.org/k-fair
Tips for How Parents/Guardians can stay informationed
- Follow us on social media:
- Facebook at 279Online
- Twitter at 279Online
- Instagram at 279Online_K12
- 279Online website.
- Keep your contact information current in ParentVUE. You can update phone numbers and email addresses at any time. If you need to update your address, please go to the Enrollment Center website for instructions.
- At the elementary level, please check Seesaw for daily assignments and schedules, information from your teacher, and more.
- At the secondary levels, please check Schoology for current grades, daily assignments, and overall progress. Mid-trimester grades and Trimester grades are posted in ParentVUE.
- Review our current and past newsletters on our website for important information.
Check your email regularly for Blackboard and Schoology emails from us. If you aren’t seeing them, please look in your junk folder or check your setting to make sure you don’t have emails blocked.
Technology Assistance
Need help logging in to an account, checking in for an online meeting with a teacher, or setting up a device? Check out the technology resources in the Parent and Family Toolkit.
Need more technology assistance? The district tech support help desk is open Monday through Friday from 7 a.m. to 4 p.m. on student days, and 7 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. on non-student days. Email help@district279.org or call 763-391-7180.
Attendance/Absence Reporting
Reminders about Attendance Practices for 279Online:
GRADES K-5
Teachers take attendance twice a day through their classroom meetings.
GRADES 6-12
- Scholars are expected to self report attendance through a Schoology attendance quiz for each class by 6:00 pm in Schoology daily
- Teachers verify and submit the official attendance record in Synergy the next day.
- At 6:00 pm, School Messenger calls will go out to families for scholars with unexcused absences from the previous day
- If a scholar is unable to attend, families need to report the absence to 279Online in order to excuse the absence (phone: 763-391-8670 option 1 or email: online@district279.org) OR report your student(s) FULL DAY absences in ParentVue. Click Here for directions.
- While attendance is taken through this quiz, scholars are still expected to attend synchronous meetings with their teachers and engage in their learning. We want them to be there and miss them when they don’t come!
Teachers will review this attendance process with scholars in advisory and their classes. If you have any questions regarding attendance please contact your scholars’ teachers or the main office (phone: 763-391-8670).
District and Community Resources
Rather than posting numerous resources each week, we are compiling them in a Google Doc that will be updated accordingly. Please click here for assistance regarding things like mental health, food and clothing support, and Internet access.
Schoology Guide for Families
For families who use Schoology, we created this handy reference guide to help you navigate what you’ll see in Schoology, how Schoology is different than ParentVue, and how to get support for accessing the parent side of Schoology. Click here for the reference guide.