District schools celebrate National African American Parent Involvement Day with various events

Recognized on the second Monday in February each year, National African American Parent Involvement Day (NAAPID) celebrates the critical partnerships between African American families and schools. Around Osseo Area Schools, several elementary schools marked the occasion with opportunities to gather, strengthen community and share information with students. 

At Garden City Elementary, the school held an inaugural event that began with a soul food breakfast catered by Run Tell That BBQ for students and their families in the media center and then migrated to the school gym, where the entire student body joined together in a Harambee - a Swahili word that means “all pull together.”

The Harambee began by singing the song “Something Inside so Strong” by Iabi Siffre, followed by special guest readers Superintendent Dr. Kim Hiel and 2025 Ms. Black Minnesota USA Triasia Yun-Robinson. Another special guest was 2024 Ms. Juneteenth Khadijah Lamah, who attended Garden City as a child. 

After students returned to their classrooms, they were able to participate in a virtual visit with a Black author currently living in Japan, Alicia Coleman-Kennedy. 

At Woodland Elementary, the day’s events began with a performance by the fifth grade choir that all students attended. After heading back to their classrooms, students were visited by a variety of African American guest speakers who shared about their experiences growing up and finding their way through challenges. Guest speakers included Superintendent Dr. Hiel and Assistant Superintendent Dr. Bryan Bass, in addition to many Woodland parents.

Zanewood Community: A STEAM School’s NAAPID event began with a family waffle breakfast and resource fair in the school’s cafeteria, followed by opportunities for families to visit their students’ classrooms and take part in their morning meeting times. Finally, the school put on tours at the end of the event to help familiarize families with the building and all the opportunities students have within it.