AHS eNewsletter 12/22/2023
December 22nd, 2023
Tornado Forecast of Upcoming Events
December 25th - January 2nd: No School - Winter Break
January 3rd: School resumes with 7:40 start time
January 4th - 12th: Course Selection for the 2024 - 25 School Year
January 8th: Late Start for students
- School begins for students at 8:30 am.
- Student transportation will operate under normal timelines.
- Students who arrive before 8:20, will be required to stay in the cafeteria, the main lobby, or the library to work on class assignments quietly.
The Anoka High School Wishes You and Yours a Safe and Joyful Winter Break
We would like to thank students and families for a wonderful first trimester. The climate in the building is positive as students, families and staff work together to create a safe, constructive, and engaging academic environment. We appreciate your support of our staff as we work collaboratively to empower students to achieve their personal and educational goals. Please find time to do the things you most enjoy over winter break. We look forward to seeing everyone refreshed and ready for the new year.
Mental Wellness Through the Holiday & Winter Break
As we enter the long winter break, we want to highlight mental wellness and provide contacts for available support 24 hours a day/7 days a week. Our student's social and emotional well being is a top priority and we're thankful to you for partnering with us to be a healthy learning community.
All students heard a supportive message from Mr. Farley reminding students to ask for help if they or someone they know is experiencing a mental health crisis. These slides highlighting mental health tips and resources have been emailed to all students to reference over break. As a reminder, the following resources were shared:
- Anoka County Mobile Crisis Response Service, 763-755-3801.
- Hennepin County Mobile Crisis, Children (up to 18): 612-348-2233, Adults (18+): 612-596-1223
- National Suicide Prevention Lifeline: Call 988 or Chat 988lifeling.org/chat. For Spanish speakers, call: 1-888-628-9454. Tele-Interpreters are available to connect to crisis centers supporting over 240 languages.
- Call 911 if you or someone else is in immediate, physical danger.
Thank you for partnering with us on these critically important matters of mental wellness. We wish you and your loved ones a safe, healthy and happy holiday and winter break.
Preparing for the Selection of Classes for the 2024-2025 School Year
Students, the course selection process for the 2024-2025 school year is upon us. There are 2 steps that you need to take for the process to be meaningful to you with your decisions on what courses to select. Some core courses have already been selected for you based on our Anoka-Hennepin graduation requirements, but many electives have not. It is important that you take some time to see what your interests are and then select those courses that support your interests. You can begin with Step 1 now which will help prepare you for step 2. A brief explanation of each step is provided below.
Step 1: Participate in the Curriculum Exploration Event on January 4th from 2:50 p.m. to 6 p.m. Students and Parents/Guardians will be able to:
Meet with Anoka High School teachers who have taught these courses to ask questions about the course content.
Review the 2024-25 Registration Guide
Step 2: Complete your online course selection for your 2024-2025 classes (January 4-January 12).
**Look for more communication about Step 2 on January 3rd, 2024.
Please contact your current school counselor if you have additional questions.
Current Grades 9 & 11
Ms. Renee Johnson A-J Renee.Johnson@ahschools.us
Ms. Katie Teresi K-U Katie.Teresi@ahschools.us
Ms. Amy Gardner V-Z, all AVID/ML Amy.Gardner@ahschools.us
Mr. Will Erickson STEAM William.Erickson@ahschools.us
Current Grade 10
Ms. Kari Schell A-J Kari.Schell@ahschools.us
Mr. Thomas Hagerty K-U Thomas.Hagerty@ahschools.us
Ms. Amy Gardner V-Z, all AVID/ML Amy.Gardner@ahschools.us
Mr. Will Erickson STEAM William.Erickson@ahschools.us
Grace Morphew and Evan Freking are MSHSL AAA Award recipients!
The Anoka Family is excited to announce Grace Morphew and Evan Freking as Anoka's MSHSL AAA Award recipients; awarded for excellence in the arts, academics and athletics.
Grace has excelled in track and participated in the state tournament in both swimming and speech.
Evan is a valued member of the football, basketball and baseball teams. His artwork has been featured in the STEAM showcase.
Both are enrolled in Anoka's STEAM Program. In addition to serving multiple leadership roles, both Evan and Grace are ranked in the top 10 of their senior class.
Congratulations to these tremendous student-athletes.
Anoka DECA and BPA Food Drive
Anoka DECA and BPA organized a food drive over the last couple of weeks. We worked with Toys for Joy, a local charity working with families in need in Anoka County. In all, over 1,873 food items were collected and will be distributed to families in our community.
Now open: Above & Beyond Awards Nominations accepted through Jan. 22
Do you know an Anoka-Hennepin staff member who goes above and beyond normal job expectations to ensure that students receive a high-quality education in a safe and nurturing environment? Maybe that person is a teacher, a custodian or a para? Maybe a school counselor or principal? Perhaps someone working in the cafeteria, or a nurse or a secretary?
If you know someone who does amazing work for children, you’re strongly encouraged to nominate them for the Above & Beyond Awards. The Above & Beyond Awards involve students, staff, parents and community members in recognizing and honoring Anoka-Hennepin staff who consistently go that extra mile so students can be successful.
Nominations are being accepted through Monday, Jan. 22, 2024.
Visit the Above & Beyond Awards website, ahschools.us/aboveandbeyond, for a nomination form or to read additional information about the awards.
The program is a joint effort of the district and the Anoka-Hennepin Educational Foundation (AHEF). The 2024 Above & Beyond Awards ceremony will take place April 3 at the Educational Service Center (ESC).
AHS Volunteer News
Wishing you a happy Holiday from Anoka High School!
Are you looking for fundraising ideas for your groups or booster clubs? Visit our free event. Connect with fundraising vendors, talk to experts and attend mini-workshop sessions. Network with other parent groups, booster clubs and other nonprofit leaders.
February 28, 2024
4-7 P.M.
Register here.
Thank you for all you do to support Anoka-Hennepin students and schools. Please reach
out with any questions.
Judges /Volunteers Needed!
The Annual Anoka-Hennepin District Science, Technology, Engineering and Math (STEM) Fair
Saturday, February 10, 2024, 8 A.M. – Noon.
Anoka High School
I have put the link to the flier for more information! Please consider this volunteer opportunity.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Deanna Ollig, Volunteer Services Coordinator at Deanna.Ollig@ahschools.us.
This e-newsletter is published by Anoka High School. Questions, comments or concerns about the school e-newsletter? Contact us.