Backpack Online - July 29, 2022
July 29, 2022
Check out our new look!
The Backpack Online e-newsletter has a new look for the 2022-23 school year, and it comes with a number of benefits:
Translations: A translation tool is available for those wishing to receive information in another language. Recipients may click anywhere on the message to open it in a web browser and at the top of the page, select your language from the dropdown menu.
Accessibility: Built-in tools for readers to increase font size, if needed, or utilize a high contrast viewing mode, incorporating Americans with Disabilities (ADA) compliance.
Email and text functionality: Schools will be able to share news with families by email and/or text message.
Designs unique to each school: E-newsletters, event information and emergency messages are designed in a consistent format, branded to their own school.
Opportunities to provide feedback will be coming soon. Share the opportunity to subscribe to Backpack Online with your friends and neighbors.
Get a variety of back-to-school information, including supply lists, handbooks, Lifetouch picture days, and more by visiting the district’s back-to-school website at ahschools.us/bts.
As families prepare to start the 2022-23 school year, back to school verification is now available online. It’s important that each family completes the verification process before the first day of school. Verification ensures that Anoka-Hennepin Schools has confirmed contact information for each student to ensure schools have access to emergency contact information and information releases for the safety of our students. Learn more.
Anoka-Hennepin 2022-23 school handbook
The Anoka-Hennepin School District has updated its school handbook for the 2022-23 school year. Parents/guardians will be required to view and sign off on the handbook as part of the district’s back to school verification process through A-HConnect, and families can preview the School Handbook now for important information and updates about the upcoming school year.
To access the forms through A-HConnect, click on the lock icon and log in at the top right corner of any district or school website. Then, select "my student information." For login/password assistance, call 763-506-HELP or email 506help@ahschools.us.
Parent Engage 360 Podcast Episode 24: Summer safety for youth
Summer is a fun-filled time for many that includes a variety of outdoor activities like swimming and biking, to name a few. While summer is a time to enjoy as many of those activities as possible, it is also important to think about how to enjoy all of those activities safely.
In Episode 24 of the Parent Engage 360 Podcast, host Liz Burgard, Anoka-Hennepin parent involvement coordinator, was joined by Robin Chambers, Anoka-Hennepin Community Schools Specialist, and Danielle Forsman, a patrol officer with the Coon Rapids Police Department, to learn more about summer safety for youth.
Tune in to the latest episode via Podbean, Apple Podcasts, or at ahschools.us/parentengage360 to learn more about summer safety and how you, as a caregiver, can be better prepared to take on summer activities.
Follow us on Facebook, Instagram and Twitter
Although students are home for the summer, there is a lot happening around the Anoka-Hennepin School District over the summer months. Stay in touch with all the happenings through the district’s official social media accounts.
Anoka-Hennepin is on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and YouTube:
The district also shares news on its website and within e-newsletters, but when Anoka-Hennepin leaders have breaking news that they feel students, parents and guardians, staff and the community needs to know — Facebook, Instagram and Twitter are sometimes the first place that news is posted.
While Anoka-Hennepin will share districtwide news on social media, important school-specific news will still be shared via email, phone call or text through the district’s AHlert messaging platform, and not necessarily the district social media accounts.
Anoka-Hennepin Schools to host job fair Aug. 15
The Anoka-Hennepin School District will host an in-person hiring event for operational positions Monday, Aug. 15 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.
- Special Education Paras - Full-time (benefited positions); $17.50 to $20.40/hr and up depending on experience.
- Elementary Para (recess/lunch attendants) - Part-time; $16.50 to $18.90/hr.
- Bus Paras/Assistant - Part-time, a.m. or p.m.; $16.00 to $18.40/hr.
- Custodians - Full-time, 2nd and 3rd shift (benefited positions); $16.50 to $16.80/hr.
- Custodians - Part-time; $15.30/hr.
- School Food Service - Part-time; $15.30/hr.
- Before and after-school child care (Adventures Plus) - a.m. or p.m.; $14.00 to $17.25 depending on experience/education.
- Substitute for any of the above positions - Part-time/casual.
- Substitute Teachers - (any Bachelor's Degree), casual (as many days as available), $180/day.
- Minnesota Reading Corps - Anoka-Hennepin School District partner.
For those interested in being bus drivers, the bus companies used by the district will be at the event.
Anoka-Hennepin has employment opportunities for any phase of your work life. Full-time, part-time and substitute positions are available, including flexible weekly schedules with hours ranging from early morning, mid-day, late afternoon or evening opportunities.
Everyone plays a role in student achievement; help your community succeed by applying today!
Visit ahschools.us/jobs or call 763-506-JOBS for more information.
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.
Over 28,000 Chromebooks will be distributed to students the first week of school. As careful as students and schools are, accidents do happen each year - and hundreds of Chromebooks are returned at the end of the school year with damages.
New this year, families have the option to enroll in the Device Protection Plan.
The Technology Protection Plan is optional; it is not required, however, by electing not to participate in the Protection Plan, families may be required to reimburse the school district for the replacement or repair of damaged Chromebooks assigned to their student/s. Damaged or broken screens may cost between $100 to $190 depending on parts needed; or the replacement cost for the entire device could be up to $410.
Families can opt-in to the Device Protection Plan when completing their back to school verification, and pay for the coverage in SchoolPay.
- The plan cost is $20 per student or $60 per family per school year.
- If the student qualifies for reduced priced meals, the cost of the Protection Plan will be reduced to $10 ($25 for families).
- If the student qualifies for free school meals, the cost will be reduced to zero.
View the Device Protection Plan flyer to learn more. (PDF)
Enroll in the device protection plan using SchoolPay.
Parent/guardian participation needed for Special Education Advisory Council
Anoka-Hennepin is seeking parents/guardians to join the district's Special Education Advisory Council (SEAC). SEAC is comprised of parents/guardians of students in the district who receive special education services. The intent of SEAC is to advise the Anoka-Hennepin School District on different aspects of special education, such as policies, procedures, and communication.
Meetings are held both in-person and in virtual formats from 6-7:30 p.m. Virtual meetings utilize Google Meet, while in-person meetings are held at the Anoka-Hennepin Education Service Center (ESC) located at 2727 N. Ferry Street in Anoka. The 2022-23 School Year SEAC Meetings are as follows: October 13 from 6-7:30 p.m. - in-person; November 10 from 6-7:30 p.m. - virtual; February 9 from 6-7:30 p.m. - virtual; and April 13 from 6-7:30 p.m. - in-person. Topics will be generated ahead of time based on district initiatives, SEAC co-chairs’ input, and the focused work of the council.
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 August 20, 2022 and members selected will be contacted in September.
District participating in summer food service program
The Anoka-Hennepin School District is participating in the Summer Food Service Program (SFSP) once again this summer. Meals will be provided to all children 18 and under, free of charge.
Meals will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis, at 13 sites across the district. Meal availability and serving times vary from site to site and are subject to change. Review this list of sites and meal times for more information (English and Spanish versions available).
For more information, contact Anoka-Hennepin child nutrition at 763-506-1240 or staff.cnpenrollment@ahschools.us.
School improvements continue as Fit for the Future projects move forward
The Fit for the Future plan, which was supported by voters in 2017 when the community approved a request for new funding to make the plan happen, promised to create safe and secure learning environments by removing all portable classrooms across the district, construct additional schools and classroom space, provide solutions for maintaining quality schools at every building in the district, and address class sizes at every level.
Many of the major projects were completed at the start of the 2019-20 school year, including the opening of Brookside Elementary School in Ramsey and Sunrise Elementary School in Blaine.
Also as part of the Fit for the Future plan, all district schools are beginning to see a number of science, media center, and special education improvements being implemented. Those projects are scheduled to be completed by the start of the 2023-24 school year.
Sites receiving media center updates this summer include Adams, Andover, Crooked Lake, Evergreen Park, Franklin, Hamilton, Jefferson, Lincoln, Madison, Monroe, Morris Bye and Sand Creek elementary schools, as well as Anoka Middle School for the Arts - Washington Campus, Jackson and Roosevelt middle schools.
In the summer of 2023, the following schools will receive media center updates: Dayton, Eisenhower, Hoover, Johnsville, McKinley, Mississippi, Oxbow Creek, Ramsey, Rum River, University, Wilson elementary schools and Coon Rapids, Oak View and Northdale middle schools. Classroom additions are also on the schedule for the summer of 2023 at Sunrise Elementary and River Trail Learning Center at L.O. Jacob. Learn more about facility improvements.
Apply for free and reduced-price meals
The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) recently announced that beginning next school year, school meals will not automatically be free for everyone. To avoid accruing any debt on your children’s meal account, consider completing an application for free or reduced-price meals before this school year ends.
If approved, you would have 30 school days to complete another application for the 2022-23 school year because a new one is needed each school year.
To complete an application online, please visit ahschools.us/freereduced or call the Child Nutrition office at 763-506-1240 to have one mailed to you. Email staff.cnpenrollment@ahschools.us with questions.
Franklin Elementary repurposing under consideration, public info. meeting Aug. 3
Proposals would be implemented 2023-24 school year
The Anoka-Hennepin School District is considering a plan to repurpose the use of Franklin Elementary School in Anoka due to declining enrollment, available classroom space in neighboring schools and to maximize efficient use of taxpayer dollars.
The repurposing plan would maintain Franklin as a school facility that would serve students in the Bridges and Pathways special education programs. These students are currently served from leased spaces in shopping malls in Andover and Coon Rapids. Current Franklin attendance area students would attend neighboring elementary schools as determined through the boundary adjustment process this fall and and also remain in the attendance area for Anoka High School and Anoka Middle School for the Arts. Read more details.
Families and community members are invited to learn more about future possibilities for Franklin Elementary School and provide feedback at a community meeting scheduled on Wednesday, August 3 from 6 to 7 p.m. at the Anoka-Hennepin Schools Educational Service Center, located at 2727 N. Ferry Street in Anoka. Enter at Door 7. A presentation will be shared at 6:10 p.m. If you are unable to attend in person, the meeting will be streamed live on the school website: ahschools.us/franklin.
Upcoming events and important links
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This e-newsletter is published by the Anoka-Hennepin communication and public relations department. It's sent to all Anoka-Hennepin staff on a weekly basis during the school year, excluding breaks (and periodically during the summer). Questions, comment or concerns about the Backpack Online e-newsletter? Contact us.