In the Know - Sept. 29, 2023
September 29, 2023
Annual survey gathers community feedback on perceptions, reputation of district
The Anoka-Hennepin School Board is committed to collecting community feedback as an essential element to ensure schools are meeting the needs of the community.
The district authorizes an annual scientifically valid survey of community members using the Morris Leatherman company, a leading Twin Cities based firm to collect the data - which is considered accurate by plus or minus 4.5 percentage points in 95 of 100 cases:
☎️ Conducted by phone.
🔀 Contacted 500 randomly selected residents and 400 randomly selected parents in the Anoka-Hennepin School District.
Women and men are equally represented.
Demographics are representative of the population of the community.
📍 Participants are located in locations across school district boundaries, representative of the communities.
The information gathered is used to monitor performance and guide decision making. Questions seek to understand the quality of education, support for teachers and administration, job performance and community involvement. In total, the survey includes 107 questions, including many perception questions asked every year, which are monitored to identify trends or areas of concern.
❤️ Caring staff: 95% of parents think teachers and staff care about their children and that their child’s school is safe.
📚 Educational opportunities: 91% like the wide range of programs and opportunities for students.
🤝 Providing support: 90% say all or most of their child’s learning needs are met.
⬆️ Reputation: 87% rated the quality of education provided as good or excellent, up five percentage points from 2022.
🚸 Trust in leadership: 87% trust the School Board to do what’s right by the children and do a good job involving the community and citizens in decisions about schools.
💲 Fiscal responsibility: 82% think the school district has spent tax dollars effectively and efficiently.
👨🏫 Strongest ratings: Community members say the top benefits included good programs/broad curriculum, high-quality education and good teachers.
The district commits to an annual survey as one tool in a system of continuous improvement for the school district. Visit ahschools.us/schoolboard to view the full presentation and report.
Cybersecurity training for staff
As cybersecurity continues to be a growing concern for school districts nationwide, the Anoka-Hennepin technology and information department is launching cybersecurity training for staff in conjunction with Cybersecurity Month.
💻 District technology partnered with Infosec IQ, a cybersecurity training company, to conduct research last year. They concluded that 28% of Anoka-Hennepin staff clicked on links in test phishing emails (no sensitive data was collected during this test). Reducing our phishing email fail rate to zero is the goal with this training plan.
👨💻 In an effort to strengthen the district’s data security defenses and protect staff and student data, Anoka-Hennepin is launching a training course and awareness plan:
- Security training course available Oct 9.
- Additional phishing simulations will begin in December.
Cybersecurity is everyone’s responsibility and with these additional steps, technology hopes to educate staff on the need to keep our data safe and secure. Please continue to read the weekly “In the Know” staff e-newsletter for updates on upcoming cybersecurity initiatives.
Parapalooza: An open house for paraeducators Oct. 5
The Anoka-Hennepin Paraeducator Association (AHPA) is hosting an open house for district paraeducators at the Educational Service Center (ESC) in Anoka on Oct. 5 from 2:30-6 p.m.
At the ‘Parapalooza:’
- Meet Superintendent Cory McIntyre from 2:30-3:30 p.m.
- Gift card raffle prizes.
- Socialize with other paras.
- Refreshments.
Learn about:
- Insurance and other benefits.
- Retirement questions.
- Becoming a cluster representative.
- Joining a committee.
- Supporting your association.
💻 Learn more about the AHPA at ahparas.com.
Flu shot clinics offered this fall for staff, families
Anoka-Hennepin Schools, with support from the district’s employee wellness program, Where Wellness Matters, will offer flu shots at several schools and sites Sept. 25-Oct. 12.
Employees are required to schedule appointments to attend and complete an immunization screening questionnaire when registering (photo of UnitedHealthcare insurance card required).
Employee family members age 7 and above, who are enrolled in district plans, may receive the flu shot at any of the clinic dates. Family members ages 3 to 6 years old will have the opportunity to receive the shot on family designated dates only.
Suicide prevention training available for staff on Oct. 3
New last school year for Minnesota schools was a requirement for suicide prevention training for licensed staff and Anoka-Hennepin continues to take a leadership role in that effort. In addition, school social workers and district central office staff will have the opportunity to participate in QPR - Question, Persuade, Refer training - a system to identify warning signs of suicide and refer someone for help.
🗓️ QPR training will be held on Tuesday, Oct. 3 from 4:30-6:30 p.m. at the Educational Service Center located at 2727 N Ferry St. in Anoka.
If you are interested in attending the QPR training on Oct. 3, please register in the LMS.
AHEF to raffle Minnesota Vikings vs. Green Bay Packers tickets
🏈 The Anoka-Hennepin Educational Foundation (AHEF) is selling raffle tickets for a chance to win one of two pairs of tickets to the Minnesota Vikings vs. Green Bay Packers game on Sunday, Dec. 31 at 7:20 p.m. at U.S. Bank Stadium. Proceeds will benefit Anoka-Hennepin students, schools and the foundation.
🎟️ The winning tickets will be drawn on Friday, Dec. 1 at 1 p.m. at the AHEF office at the Educational Service Center in Anoka (you do NOT need to be present to win). Raffle tickets are $20 and can be purchased using check or cash only at the AHEF office.
For more information, please contact Tess DeGeest at 763-506-1105 or at theresa.degeest@ahschools.us.
Recently retired bus paraeducator recognized with state transportation award
Marceille Myers, a district teacher for 39 years, has passed away
Marceille Myers, a teacher in Anoka-Hennepin Schools for 39 years, has passed away. She was 74 years old. Myers taught at Hoover Elementary School and worked in Targeted Services before retiring from the district in 2009.
Visitation will be from 2-5 p.m. Sunday, Oct. 1 at Thurston-Lindberg Funeral Home (2005 Branch Avenue) in Anoka. Funeral Services will be held at 11 a.m. Monday, Oct. 2 at Victory Baptist Church (13560 63rd Avenue North) in Maple Grove with visitation beginning at 10 a.m. and a luncheon after the service. Burial will follow in Forest Hill Cemetery in Anoka.
In the News: Sandburg Regional High School featured in the Star Tribune
Sandburg Regional High School moving to Sandburg Education Center in downtown Anoka hasn't only caught the attention of those who attended or taught at Sandburg in its storied history, but it has also caught the attention of the media. 📰 Read this feature from the Star Tribune.
Nationwide Emergency Alert Test set for Wednesday, Oct. 4
The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) will conduct a nationwide test of the Emergency Alert System (EAS) and Wireless Emergency Alerts (WEA) on Wednesday, Oct. 4. The national test is scheduled to begin at approximately 1:30 p.m on Wednesday, Oct. 4. The WEA portion of the test will be directed to all cell phones, so please expect any faculty and student mobile devices to be alerted at this time.
All wireless phones should receive the message only once. The following can be expected from the nationwide WEA test:
- Beginning at approximately 1:20 p.m., cell towers will broadcast the test for approximately 30 minutes. During this time, WEA-compatible wireless phones that are switched on, within range of an active cell tower, and whose wireless provider participates in WEA, should be capable of receiving the test message.
- The message that appears on screen will read: “THIS IS A TEST of the National Wireless Emergency Alert System. No action is needed.”
Visit www.ready.gov/alerts for more information on the emergency alert system.
Brookside and Hamilton rock their schools with engaging learning experiences
Two schools in Anoka-Hennepin have made it a tradition to participate in Rock Your School events which take place worldwide, annually, in an effort to energize educators, engage students and celebrate learning. This year, the event was held Friday, Sept. 29, and was the fourth year for both schools to participate in the event.
Hamilton makes it a magical day of learning
Hamilton teachers and staff transformed the school into a fun and magically engaging environment while getting creative with their lesson plans. Hamilton’s theme for this year’s Rock Your School event was “Hamilton Goes Disney.” Teachers and staff decorated their classrooms and even the cafeteria with Disney-themed sets.
📸 View photos from Hamilton’s Rock Your School event.
“This is a really fun day where we celebrate student learning and student engagement,” said Julie Bowman, principal at Hamilton. “It’s about taking the learning standards that we have and adding a little Disney magic to it. It was a special day.”
Brookside levels up engagement while educating
At Brookside Elementary, staff really embraced the idea of continuing to provide high-level instruction while infusing engagement.
For the event, each grade level has a theme. The first grade space was transformed into a carnival and in class the students participated in a popcorn game where they read and wrote sight words. In fifth grade, the students became detectives and had to solve mysteries. They used the theme to start a new unit in science where they had to make specific observations of evidence to solve a case.
📸 View photos from Brookside’s Rock Your School event.
“The teachers have found great ways to take this out-of-the-box thinking and engagement to combine it with what they are already teaching,” said Jim Potthoff, assistant principal at Brookside. “In the past the students have been excited about the decor, but this year they are also excited about the content.”
Energy savings: Solar energy panels installed at two Coon Rapids elementary schools
Anoka-Hennepin is exploring the benefits of solar energy as a possible energy savings tool. The district entered a no-cost agreement with Ideal Energy and Xcel Energy, installing solar panels at Adams and Hoover elementary schools in Coon Rapids.
The goal is to improve energy efficiencies reducing costs across the system, and solar energy is an area the district is exploring as a possible energy savings tool.
📸 View photos from Adams Elementary and Hoover Elementary.
Between solar-generated energy and electric energy (which will still be required for total energy needs), the projected energy utility savings range from 10-25% annually over the next 20 years at each site. After 20 years, the district will own the solar panels outright and will realize 100% of the energy savings generated by the solar panels.
The solar panels will also provide additional educational opportunities for students to learn about renewable energy. Specifically, fourth-grade students will learn about different energy sources, discover how people use energy, and find out what impact energy use has on the environment.
🗞️ View the full story.
Parent Engage 360 Podcast Episode 36: Parent involvement in schools
In the latest episode of the Parent Engage 360 Podcast, host Liz Burgard, district parent involvement coordinator, was joined by Coon Rapids High School principal John Peña and volunteer services coordinator Danille Callahan to discuss the importance of parent involvement in schools.
In the episode, Peña and Callahan discussed their experiences both as parents and in their current roles, and the importance of parents/guardians being involved in their child’s educational journey in a number of ways.
🎧 Tune in to the Parent Engage 360 Podcast on Podbean, Apple Podcasts, or at ahschools.us/parentengage360. The podcast is also now available on Spotify, Amazon Music/Audible, iHeartRadio and Samsung Podcasts.
Volunteering and getting involved
Anoka-Hennepin values parent involvement in education and is committed to offering resources to meet the changing needs of parents and families. The district invites parents/guardians and community members to volunteer or participate on committees as a meaningful way to get involved with the district.
- To learn more about becoming a volunteer in Anoka-Hennepin, please visit ahschools.us/volunteer.
- If you are interested in joining a district committee, there are four committees in need of more members. Learn more about district committees.
Young Scientist Roundtable events in Anoka free for all Anoka-Hennepin families
Young Scientist Roundtable events are free and open to Anoka-Hennepin School District students, parents, and community members seeking to learn more about science. Three sessions are scheduled for this year with the first on Oct. 10. All the events are in the evening at the Educational Service Center (2727 N. Ferry St.) in Anoka.
- Tuesday, Oct. 10 from 7-8:40 p.m.
- The topic: “MRI: A powerful tool to see inside your body”
- Part I of the event is from 7-8 p.m. and will explore how strong magnets are used to image the hydrogen atoms in our body.
- Part II is from 8-8:40 p.m. and features Dr. Mehmet Akcakaya who will go into greater depth about how images are formed from MRI recordings and how these are being improved with deep learning methods.
- Registration is required to attend the event. Visit the registration website.
View a flyer for the event.
Get involved: Join a district committee
Anoka-Hennepin values parent involvement in education and is committed to offering resources to meet the changing needs of parents and families. The district invites parents/guardians and community members to participate on committees as a meaningful way to get involved with the district.
The district is coordinating an annual committee application process for committees in need of new members as a strategy to increase awareness of opportunities and participation from community members and parents.
There are currently nine committees districtwide and four are in need of more members. The Early Childhood Family Education Parent Advisory Council (PAC), Special Education Advisory Council (SEAC), Student Services Advisory Council (SSAC) and the Parent Advisory Committee for Racial and Ethnic Equity are all seeking new members.
First Say it Again extended hours of the school year set for Oct. 4
Say it Again is a store that sells home decor, furniture and gifts refurbished by special education students practicing on-the-job skills through an Anoka-Hennepin Schools work-based learning program called Teaching Employability through Assessment and Manufacturing (TEAM). The store in Andover (13735 Round Lake Blvd. NW) will have extended hours on Wednesday, Oct. 4 until 6 p.m. Everything in the store is 25% off.
Regular store hours are Monday-Friday, 8 a.m. to 1:30 p.m.
- Action of the School Board, September 25, 2023.
- Staff may subscribe to receive emergency text message alerts.
- Three-part Appreciation of Diversity workshop series for staff to begin Oct. 28.
- Highway 10 construction update.
- Minnesota Wild to hold Educator Appreciation Night on Oct. 19.
- Redeem your Rally® rewards before they expire.
- SupportingYoU an employee wellness podcast, has 34 episodes available.
- Suicide Prevention Training available in the district's learning management system.
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This e-newsletter is published by Anoka-Hennepin Schools. It's sent to all Anoka-Hennepin staff on a weekly basis during the school year, excluding breaks (and periodically during the summer). Questions, comments or concerns about In the Know e-newsletter? Contact us.