School will begin at three high schools, four junior high schools and 17 elementary schools on Tuesday, Sept. 2, for students in the Osseo School District 279.

The following is information on new boundaries, start times, staff members and other issues in the district this school year.

Budget cuts this past spring resulted in the closing of two elementary schools and boundary changes for others.

Related cost reductions in transportation resulted in new start/dismissal times as follows:

Maple Grove Senior, North View Junior, Osseo Senior and Park Center Senior High start at 7:30 a.m. and are dismissed at 2 p.m.

Brooklyn Junior, Maple Grove Junior and Osseo Junior High start at 8:10 a.m. and finish at 2:40 p.m.

Basswood, Crest View, Edinbrook, Elm Creek, Fernbrook, Palmer Lake, Park Brook, Rice Lake Elementary and Osseo Area Learning Center start at 8:50 a.m. and finish at 3:20 p.m.

Birch Grove, Cedar Island, Fair Oaks, Garden City, Oak View, Rush Creek, Weaver Lake and Woodland Elementary and Zanewood Community School start at 9:30 a.m. and end at 4 p.m.

Boundary maps and start times for each school are available on the district website at www.district279.org.

Weaver Lake Elementary in Maple Grove is the new location for the Science, Math and Technology Magnet School. The school was previously at Edgewood Elementary, which was closed. Cedar Island and Fair Oaks elementaries are now pre-kindergarten through third grade schools. Oak View Elementary is a fourth through sixth grade school.

Open houses and orientations can give students and parents/guardians the chance to look at their school before classes start and meet their new teacher(s).

The following open houses are scheduled for elementary students on Wednesday, Aug. 27: Basswood Elementary from 4:30 to 6 p.m.; Birch Grove Elementary from 5 to 6:30 p.m.; Cedar Island Elementary from 5 to 6:30 p.m.; Crest View Elementary from 6 to 7 p.m.; Edinbrook Elementary from 4:30 to 6 p.m.; Elm Creek Elementary from 4:30 to 6 p.m.; Fair Oaks Elementary from 5 to 6:30 p.m.; Fernbrook Elementary from 4 to 6 p.m.; Garden City Elementary from 5 to 6:30 p.m.; Oak View Elementary from 5:30 to 7 p.m.; Palmer Lake Elementary from 5 to 6:30 p.m.; Park Brook Elementary from 8 to 9:30 a.m.; Rice Lake Elementary from 5 to 6:30 p.m. and new families from 6:30 to 7 p.m.; Rush Creek Elementary from 4:30 to 6 p.m.; Weaver Lake Elementary from 5 to 6:30 p.m.; Woodland Elementary from 5:30 to 7 p.m. Zanewood Community School will have open house Thursday, Aug. 28 from 3:30 to 5 p.m.

The remaining junior and high school orientation/open houses are as follows:

All sixth and seventh graders and new eighth and ninth graders at North View Junior High are invited to new student orientation from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 25. An open house for current eighth graders is from 1 to 2:15 p.m. and ninth graders from 2:30 to 4 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 25.

Osseo Junior High will have a New Student Pick-up Your Schedule Day at 10 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 21, in the cafeteria. All new seventh, eighth and ninth graders can pick up their fall schedules. Orientation for seventh graders will take place during the first week of school.

Maple Grove Senior High sophomore orientation part one is on a walk-in basis from 9 a.m. to noon Thursday, Aug. 21, for sophomores and parents/guardians. Part two of the orientation is from 8 a.m. to noon Wednesday, Aug. 27, for students only. Students attend the entire session on Aug. 27. A makeup, walk-in orientation for all grades is from 5 to 8 p.m. Monday, Aug. 25.

At Osseo Senior High, a makeup orientation for those students unable to attend their class specific orientation will be 6 p.m. Monday, Aug. 25.

Hot lunch princes will increase by 10 cents for the upcoming school year. Elementary level hot lunch will be $2 per meal, junior high level will be $2.10 per meal, senior high will be $2.20 per meal and adults $3.10 per meal. Free and reduced lunch pricing will remain unchanged.

The Raise Academic Achievement: Advanced Placement Program

State grant funds supported the training of 131 advanced placement teachers in grades five through 12 to support increased achievement in advanced placement classes. Six new advanced placement courses were added at Osseo Senior High and Maple Grove Senior High, allowing an additional 718 students to take AP classes.

HAP (High Achievers Program)

The High Achievers Program provides support and direct instruction for underserved students who enter HP classes in seventh and eighth grade through alternative pathways. The program is being implemented at Brooklyn Junior High and North View Junior High.

Early Admission

There is now an opportunity for students who turn 5 on or before Nov. 1 to go through an early admission process for kindergarten. More information: enrollmentcenter@district279.org or 763-585-7350.

According to Research, Assessment and Accountability Director Don Pascoe, current enrollment numbers are "nearly identical" to the projections from earlier this year.

"So far, it looks very stable. Things are playing out as we expected," he said. "Although, until school starts, everything right now is a projection."

Pascoe said class sizes across the district will be up due to budget cuts, but it is not the "worst case" scenario that was anticipated in the spring.

He said the only big variance in enrollment is at Weaver Lake Elementary. Upon the closing of Edgewood Elementary, the Science, Math and Technology magnet program was moved to Weaver Lake Elementary. Projections in the spring assumed that the 427 students from Edgewood Elementary would transfer to the new site. According to Pascoe, the magnet program now at Weaver Lake Elementary currently has approximately 750 students enrolled. He said most of the new students at the school are from within the district.

Several administrative changes are also expected at many District 279 schools. New principals include:

Jeff Zastrow, the new principal at Birch Grove Elementary. Zastrow was previously assistant principal at North View Junior High and replaced MaLie Lee, who left the district.

Phil Sadler, the new head of Fair Oaks Elementary. Sadler was principal at Osseo Elementary and replaced Michael Thomas, who is now principal at Osseo Junior High.

Scott Taylor, the new principal at Park Brook Elementary. He replaced Kris Rouleau, who is now Elementary Language Arts Curriculum Specialist for the district.

Gretchen Peel, the new principal at Weaver Lake Elementary. She replaced Scott Taylor, who is now principal at Park Brook Elementary.

Michael Thomas is the new head of Osseo Junior High. He replaced interim Principal Jim Nelson.

New assistant principals include:

Ann Mock at Oak View Elementary. Mock was previously an assistant principal at Fair Oaks Elementary.

Jason Harris, new assistant principal at Maple Grove Junior High. Harris was assistant principal at Park Center Senior and replaced Megan Dols, who left the district.

Maryann Pellot, new assistant principal at North View Junior High. Pellot and will be succeeding Zastrow, who is now principal at Birch Grove Elementary.

Comment on this story at our website, www.mnsun.com.

The remaining junior and high school orientation/open houses are as follows:

All sixth and seventh graders and new eighth and ninth graders at North View Junior High are invited to new student orientation from 6 to 7:30 p.m. Monday, Aug. 25. An open house for current eighth graders is from 1 to 2:15 p.m. and ninth graders from 2:30 to 4 p.m. on Monday, Aug. 25.

Osseo Junior High will have a New Student Pick-up Your Schedule Day at 10 a.m. Thursday, Aug. 21, in the cafeteria. All new seventh, eighth and ninth graders can pick up their fall schedules. Orientation for seventh graders will take place during the first week of school.

Maple Grove Senior High sophomore orientation part one is on a walk-in basis from 9 a.m. to noon Thursday, Aug. 21, for sophomores and parents/guardians. Part two of the orientation is from 8 a.m. to noon Wednesday, Aug. 27, for students only. Students attend the entire session on Aug. 27. A makeup, walk-in orientation for all grades is from 5 to 8 p.m. Monday, Aug. 25.

At Osseo Senior High, a makeup orientation for those students unable to attend their class specific orientation will be 6 p.m. Monday, Aug. 25.

Hot lunch princes will increase by 10 cents for the upcoming school year. Elementary level hot lunch will be $2 per meal, junior high level will be $2.10 per meal, senior high will be $2.20 per meal and adults $3.10 per meal. Free and reduced lunch pricing will remain unchanged.

The Raise Academic Achievement: Advanced Placement Program

State grant funds supported the training of 131 advanced placement teachers in grades five through 12 to support increased achievement in advanced placement classes. Six new advanced placement courses were added at Osseo Senior High and Maple Grove Senior High, allowing an additional 718 students to take AP classes.

HAP (High Achievers Program)

The High Achievers Program provides support and direct instruction for underserved students who enter HP classes in seventh and eighth grade through alternative pathways. The program is being implemented at Brooklyn Junior High and North View Junior High.

Early Admission

There is now an opportunity for students who turn 5 on or before Nov. 1 to go through an early admission process for kindergarten. More information: enrollmentcenter@district279.org or 763-585-7350.

According to Research, Assessment and Accountability Director Don Pascoe, current enrollment numbers are "nearly identical" to the projections from earlier this year.

"So far, it looks very stable. Things are playing out as we expected," he said. "Although, until school starts, everything right now is a projection."

Pascoe said class sizes across the district will be up due to budget cuts, but it is not the "worst case" scenario that was anticipated in the spring.

He said the only big variance in enrollment is at Weaver Lake Elementary. Upon the closing of Edgewood Elementary, the Science, Math and Technology magnet program was moved to Weaver Lake Elementary. Projections in the spring assumed that the 427 students from Edgewood Elementary would transfer to the new site. According to Pascoe, the magnet program now at Weaver Lake Elementary currently has approximately 750 students enrolled. He said most of the new students at the school are from within the district.

Several administrative changes are also expected at many District 279 schools. New principals include:

Jeff Zastrow, the new principal at Birch Grove Elementary. Zastrow was previously assistant principal at North View Junior High and replaced MaLie Lee, who left the district.

Phil Sadler, the new head of Fair Oaks Elementary. Sadler was principal at Osseo Elementary and replaced Michael Thomas, who is now principal at Osseo Junior High.

Scott Taylor, the new principal at Park Brook Elementary. He replaced Kris Rouleau, who is now Elementary Language Arts Curriculum Specialist for the district.

Gretchen Peel, the new principal at Weaver Lake Elementary. She replaced Scott Taylor, who is now principal at Park Brook Elementary.

Michael Thomas is the new head of Osseo Junior High. He replaced interim Principal Jim Nelson.

New assistant principals include:

Ann Mock at Oak View Elementary. Mock was previously an assistant principal at Fair Oaks Elementary.

Jason Harris, new assistant principal at Maple Grove Junior High. Harris was assistant principal at Park Center Senior and replaced Megan Dols, who left the district.

Maryann Pellot, new assistant principal at North View Junior High. Pellot and will be succeeding Zastrow, who is now principal at Birch Grove Elementary.

Comment on this story at our website, www.mnsun.com.