Backpack Online - October 7, 2022
October 7, 2022
Increased security in place to ensure safety at school events
Safety at school events continues to be a focus area for the district and surrounding communities. Anoka-Hennepin recently increased security procedures at events to ensure safety following incidents at other metro area high schools. These guidelines limit entrance to students at participating schools with identification and adult supervision for younger students amongst other strategies, which is one of the strategies in place to keep our activities safe.
As your family makes a plan to attend school events, keep the following guidelines in mind:
Bring student IDs and allow extra time for admission and entry. Students from the hosting and visiting schools are welcome with student ID. No student ID, no entry. Students from any other schools/non-participating schools must be accompanied by an adult chaperone.
Allow extra time for admission and entry. Increased security may mean lines are longer at the entrance gate. Please plan accordingly.
Plan for parent/guardian chaperones in accordance with district guidelines to monitor student activity and behavior. The student-to-adult chaperone ratio is 2:1. Adult chaperones are expected to supervise middle and elementary school students they escorted to the game at all times. Adult chaperones are NOT allowed to leave the stadium without their students. Adult chaperones and students who are unable to follow these guidelines may be asked to leave the facility. Students from any other schools/non-participating schools must also be accompanied by an adult chaperone.
Get behind your team! Spectators are expected to view the event in the appropriate designated seating area.
Leave extra items at home or in your vehicle. Backpacks, large bags/purses and outside food or drink (if concessions are sold on-site) are not allowed. Anoka-Hennepin prohibits weapons, alcoholic beverages, e-cigarettes / vaping, tobacco products and controlled substances.
It takes everyone to keep school events and activities safe. If your student, you or anyone in your family sees something or hears something suspicious or threatening in nature, report the information to school leadership or law enforcement immediately.
Spectators who are unwilling or unable to follow the rules, regulations, or directions from event staff may be asked to leave the event. For more information, please visit ahschools.us/eventpolicies.
Parent Engage 360 Podcast: How to prepare for parent/teacher conferences
Parents and guardians may have recently been invited to sign up for the first round of parent/teacher conferences for this school year, and they may be wondering what to expect or how to prepare for conferences with your child's teacher or teachers.
In the latest episode of the Parent Engage 360 Podcast, host Liz Burgard, Anoka-Hennepin parent involvement coordinator; Nikole Wodash, Sunrise Elementary School assistant principal; and Jill Alton, Coon Rapids High School assistant principal, hope to answer what parents can expect from conferences, how to prepare, and ways that parents/guardians can work with their child's teacher(s) in partnership to support success in the classroom.
Tune in to the latest Parent Engage 360 Podcast on Podbean, Apple Podcasts, or at ahschools.us/parentengage360.
The Parent Engage 360 Podcast aims to provide parents and guardians with knowledge from experts in chemical health, mental health, internet safety and more, as well as the tools needed to support their children. Anoka-Hennepin hopes that providing timely and helpful information through the Parent Engage 360 podcast series will strengthen the bond between school and home with resources parents and guardians can use and share with others.
Boundary changes: Review proposals, timeline and provide feedback
The district has a system in place to ensure students are receiving a high-quality education while maximizing the efficiency of the educational supports, programming and resources.
A formal presentation of all proposals and initial feedback from the community was presented to the School Board at its regularly scheduled meeting Monday, Sept. 26. A second round of community cluster meetings will be held in October for the board and district staff to receive additional feedback from community members. The community meetings will be held in-person and streamed online:
- Champlin cluster community meeting:
Wednesday, Oct. 12 at 6 p.m. in the Champlin Park High School cafeteria.
To discuss proposed changes impacting Champlin-Brooklyn Park Academy, Dayton, Evergreen Park, Monroe and Oxbow Creek elementary schools. - Anoka cluster community meeting:
Thursday, Oct. 13 at 6 p.m. in the Anoka High School cafeteria.
To discuss proposed changes impacting Franklin, Lincoln and Ramsey elementary schools.
Additional community meetings will not be held in the Andover and Coon Rapids clusters of schools, as there are no proposed changes. View opportunities for feedback, the timeline for implementation and frequently asked questions (FAQs).
Annual district kindness poster contest begins
Contest highlights National Bullying Prevention month
The district invites students at all grade levels to submit their best artwrok for the competition. EAch elementary and middle school will select one winning poster for each grade level, K-8, and each high school will select one winning poster from grades 9-12 to advance to the district-level judging contest.
This year’s kindness poster contest theme is There is POWER in Kindness, and those words must be on the poster. All participants will help create and spread kindness messages in their schools through this competition.
What is kindness? Kindness is a positive call to action to counteract the negative impact of bullying, and Anoka-Hennepin’s core values of respect, responsibility, appreciation of diversity, integrity, and compassion are the basis of kindness.
The winning posters that advance to district-level voting will be judged the week of Nov. 7 by district staff at the Educational Service Center in Anoka. The district winners will then be recognized at a future School Board meeting and will receive a Kindle tablet from the Horace Mann Company. Winning posters will also be posted on the district website and printed for use in schools across the district.
Minnesota Teacher of the Year nominations
Anoka-Hennepin’s teachers are making learning happen in classrooms throughout the district. Why not nominate one of them to receive some statewide recognition? Nominations are now open for the 2023 Minnesota Teacher of the Year program which is coordinated by Education Minnesota.
Online nominations are open now through Nov. 14.
Anyone may nominate a teacher. Nominations will be accepted online. For more information or to receive a paper nomination form, call Ashley Behrens at 651-292-4862 or 800-652-9073.
District to host hiring event for operational positions Oct. 12
The Anoka-Hennepin School District will host an in-person hiring event for operational positions Wednesday, Oct. 12, from 2-6 p.m. in the Erling Johnson Rooms A and B at the Educational Service Center (ESC), located at 2727 N Ferry St. in Anoka (enter Door 7).
Join us to learn more about employment opportunities and have a same-day, on-site interview for the positions listed below. Participants are strongly encouraged to begin filling out an application ahead of time at ahschools.us/jobs and come prepared to interview with hiring managers.
Read more about the upcoming hiring event and available positions.
CRHS Student prepares for National Miss Juneteenth pageant
Coon Rapids High School junior, DeMaris Jones, is preparing to compete in national Miss Juneteenth pageant on Oct. 15 after winning Minnesota's first-ever Miss Juneteenth pageant last summer. The pageant seeks to foster unity and harmony within the community.
Former Anoka High School coach to be inducted into hockey coaches hall of fame
Former Anoka High School (AHS) boys hockey coach Todd Manthey will be inducted into the Minnesota Hockey Coaches Association (MHCA) Hall of Fame during the Minnesota Wild game Saturday, Oct. 8.
Manthey, who teaches sixth grade Minnesota Studies at Anoka Middle School for the Arts, coached at AHS for more than 20 years. After serving as an assistant from 1994-98, he earned the role of head coach, a position he held until retiring from coaching in 2016. He guided the Tornadoes to a Class AA state championship in 2003 and was named section coach of the year in 2003, 2008, 2015 and 2016.
Manthey’s first high school hockey coaching experience was as an assistant coach at Blaine High School (BHS) from 1990-1994. BHS finished third in state in 1992. From there he became an assistant coach at AHS, where the team placed fifth at state in 1997 and second in 1998 before he took over as the bench boss.
Parents needed for special education advisory council
Join the district’s Special Education Advisory Council (SEAC) for the 2022-23 and 2023-24 school year. A broad range of parents/guardians are needed, from those representing early childhood, all the way to elementary, middle school, high school, and transition-aged students - with a full continuum of student disabilities.
Those interested in participating in future meetings should complete an application either by completing a Google form, or by contacting Mary Esch at 763-506-1362, or mary.esch@ahschools.us. Parents/guardians who wish to be part of SEAC are asked to make an effort to attend all four meetings as council members. The application process will close October 10. Learn more about SEAC and what it means to be involved.
Parent Advisory Committee for Racial & Ethnic Equity seeks members
Meeting schedule for 2022-23 announced
Join parents and guardians of students of color from around the district for updates, discussion and action planning as part of the Parent Advisory Committee for Racial and Ethnic Equity (PACREE).
Increasing involvement from parents and guardians in education to impact educational outcomes and supporting a sense of belonging in school is the driving force behind PACREE. The group will hold a session covering a different topic each month in support of students and in alignment with the Anoka-Hennepin Equity Achievement Plan, a coordinated effort to promote high academic achievement for all students and eliminate predictable gaps amongst student groups. Visit ahschools.us/equityachievementplan for additional information.
Meetings will be held from 5:30-7 p.m. and will be offered in a virtual format on the following dates: Oct. 18, Nov. 15, Dec. 13, Jan. 17, Feb. 14, March 21, April 18, May 16.
For additional information and to get involved with PACREE sessions, please contact Darron Sherrill, assistant director of students services - diversity, equity and inclusion at darron.sherrill@ahschools.us or Rahmo Ali, cultural liaison, at rahmo.ali@ahschools.us.
New this year: Tech protect for middle, high school students
Technology plays an important role in preparing students for life, and Chromebooks are utilized as a daily learning tool in Anoka-Hennepin middle and high school classrooms. Anoka-Hennepin students in grades 6-12 are assigned a Chromebook from the school district to ensure access to technology systems that support classroom learning.
New this year, families have the option to enroll in the Device Protection Plan. Learn more about the Technology Protection Plan - and select or decline coverage.
Apply for educational benefits for the 2022-23 school year
All Anoka-Hennepin families are encouraged to apply for the educational benefits program for the upcoming school year. A new application must be submitted each school year.
By completing this application, students may receive free or reduced fees for transportation, meals, academic, and co-curricular activities. Please visit ahschools.us/freereduced to set up, or log in to your SchoolCafe account, and complete an application for free or reduced-price meal and other benefits.
The educational benefits program not only ensures that students have access to nutritious meals, it also provides critical federal funding for schools.
As a reminder, the federal subsidy to provide free school meals for every student will no longer be available this school year.
Only one application is needed per household. Please contact the child nutrition department with any questions or assistance at 763-506-1240 or staff.CnpEnrollment@ahschools.us.
Putting 'U' in Community Education: Travis' Story
There's a place for you in Community Education, whether you're an adult, a student, a volunteer, an employee, a parent, or a preschooler. Community Education provides lifelong learning for all, but it's fascinating to. realize that everyone may have a different reason for getting involved with its programs.
Travis' Story
Travis Kelleher has a genetic disease that is temporarily keeping him down, but certainly not out. Kelleher is using the extra time to take several adult enrichment classes through Anoka-Hennepin Community Education. Class after class, he's learning about new things, brushing up his skills and finding new ways to relax. In fact, some are even calling Travis a Community Ed super user!
Meet Travis and see how Community Education is making a different in his life by watching this short video: Putting 'U' in Community Education: Travis' Story.
Upcoming events and important links
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This e-newsletter is published by Anoka-Hennepin Schools. It's sent to Anoka-Hennepin families and community members who subscribe on a weekly basis during the school year, excluding breaks (and periodically during the summer). Questions, comments or concerns about the Backpack Online e-newsletter? Contact us.