AHS eNewsletter 2/16/2024
February 16th, 2024
Tornado Forecast of Upcoming Events
February 19th: No School for students- President's Day
February 20th: No School for students - Staff Development Day
February 21st: School resumes - Regular Schedule - Start time is 7:40 am.
February 21st: Deadline to complete the Senior Scholarship Application.
February 26th: 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.
February 26th - March 8th: Schedule Change Window Open for Trimester 3.
February 28th: STEAM Showcase and Professional Review Night
- 6:30pm - 8:00pm at Anoka High School
STEAM Showcase and Professional Review Night is coming up!
Join us for our Tri. 2 STEAM Showcase and Professional Review Night!
All are invited to attend at Anoka High School on Feb. 28th, from 6:30-8pm. We will also be hosting a STEAM Showcase, involving students from a variety of AHS classes who will be presenting their work and looking for attendees to provide them with feedback. Along with STEAM core classes, you can expect to see Physics students running their multi-step engineering machines (think Rube Goldberg), Engineering and Robotics students demoing their robots, Dance students performing student-choreographed numbers, and much more.
We also need volunteers from our local community to serve as valuable providers of feedback and input. STEAM Seniors have launched their Capstone Projects and are currently building their next prototypes. This year's 55+ projects range from highly technical prosthetic arm extensions and fishing lures that can’t get stuck all the way to choreographing dance, recording podcasts, and designing AI-inspired apps. As we strive to create a learning opportunity that is meaningful and relevant, your investment of time as a Professional Reviewer is incredibly impactful for our students, and one of the highlights of their Capstone experience.
After a short orientation at 6:30, Professional Reviewers will meet with individual students to learn about their project concepts, examine their prototype progress, and provide constructive feedback. This invaluable input will guide students as they move forward with their project.
Click here to fill out the Professional Review Night RSVP Form.
Trimester 3 Schedule Changes
If you would like to request a change to your Tri 3 schedule, please click this link to review the criteria and steps to follow. Students must submit all schedule change requests using the Schedule Change Request Form during the February 26 - March 8 window.
If the change can be made, it will show on your class schedule tab in Student Vue. If the change cannot be made, your counselor will email you. Please check both Student Vue and your email for updates after submitting the request form.
Anoka Senior Party Update!
Anoka Senior Sydney West is Star Tribune Athlete of the Week
Way to go Sydney! The Anoka Family is proud of you!
Sam Urbaniak, Charles Gbati, and Malachi Leake earn Section 7AA Spotlight
from Coaches Mackenzie Menden and Nicole Hedman
We would like to recognize our three captains – Sam Urbaniak, Charles Gbati and Malachi Leake – for their strong leadership skills and commitment to make our team better.
They have proven themselves to be dedicated, helpful and team-oriented captains this year, always putting the team before themselves. As coaches we rely on our captains to be role models and leaders, and these three have done exactly that.
We have a fairly young team this year so it is great to be able to rely on Sam, Malachi and Charles to show the younger athletes how to be a positive teammate. We applaud them for their hard work and we will miss them next year!
Boys, we often say you won’t realize the positive impact you’ve had on your teammates until years after you’ve moved on. You’ll get a text from some of hem out of the blue, saying how you helped shaped their lives. It’s the good stuff and it sounds like all three of you are doing the things to help lead and young group of boys into solid young men. Very impressive. Minnesota Swim and Vibe would like to join your coaches in recognizing your efforts for your team and your sport.
Vibe on boys!!
What is new in the Career and College Center?
St. Paul, Minn. — On Jan. 30, the U.S. Department of Education (US DOE) announced that colleges and universities will receive 2024-2025 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) applicant data beginning in the first half of March. Initially, US DOE had announced institutions and state agencies would begin to receive data by the end of January 2024. This new timeline is up to six weeks later and will cause an additional delay for college-bound students and families to receive financial aid offers, which will likely occur in early to mid-April. Read more about the additional delay in the US DOE press release.
We want to acknowledge the stress and anxiety that the current challenges are causing students and families, college access staff, as well as higher education institutions. US DOE is working to ensure that students and families receive all the financial aid they are eligible for.
The State of Minnesota is fortunate to have a filing deadline of June 30 of the school year in question, allowing for more time for students to complete the FAFSA and receive primary sources of federal and state-based aid, specifically the Federal Pell Grant and Minnesota State Grant. For the upcoming 2024-25 academic year, a student has a deadline of June 30th, 2025.
We anticipate that the Minnesota Dream Act Application will be available by mid-February 2024. The filing deadline of the Dream Act aligns with FAFSA, June 30.
This most recent FAFSA data delay means:
- Colleges and universities across the country will not have the information they need to calculate eligibility for need-based federal, state and university-based financial aid until after they receive this information in the first half of March.
- Students will receive financial aid offers much later than anticipated, which compresses the timeframe that students and families can weigh options and make informed decisions with aid offer information.
- The traditional May 1st commitment deadline will need to be flexible. National College Decision Day traditionally lands on the first day of May each year. Students should check the website of the institutions they are interested in, as some deadlines may have shifted.
- Students should still complete the FAFSA or Minnesota Dream Act as soon as possible. More than 3.1 million FAFSA forms have been submitted since the form opened on Dec. 30. US DOE is continuing to work to ensure students and families are able to access and complete the stable and secure form. Use these tips to successfully complete your FAFSA form.
- There continue to be issues for populations of students who are unable to file the 2024-2025 FAFSA. Contributors without a Social Security Number cannot access or complete the FAFSA.
- Corrections to the FAFSA, by the student or the school, will not be able to be made until sometime after the FAFSA data has been sent out.
Need Assistance?
The Federal Student Aid Information Center’s number is 1-800-433-3243 (1-800-4-FED AID) has extended service hours for January through April:
- Monday-Friday 7:00am-9:00pm CT
- Saturday 10:00am-4:00pm CT
- Closed Sundays and Federal Holidays
Additionally, Minnesota Office of Higher Education Financial Aid staff can help answer questions about the application or process. The number to call is 651-642-0567. Select option 2. The line is answered Monday-Friday 8:00am-4:30pm.
Ready, Set, FAFSA! recorded webinars, resources available
If you missed the January 2024 Ready, Set, FAFSA! webinar sessions, visit the Minnesota Goes to College website to view recorded sessions, frequently asked question documents, and more resources. Sessions include: Create Your FSA ID, Apply for Financial Aid: FAFSA OR Minnesota Dream Act, and Understand Your Offer Letter. Additionally, a webinar is available about earning college credit in high school, intended for 8th-11th grade students and their parents/guardians.
FAFSA Checklist!
1. Gather required information by completing the 2024-2025 Financial Aid Application Worksheet (PDF).
2. Create an FSA ID (both the student and one parent/contributor should complete this step, regardless of marital status)
3. Start the 2024-2025 FAFSA and complete the student portion.
4. Parents complete their portion of the 2024-2025 FAFSA.
5. Submit and wait to hear from the colleges you listed on your FAFSA. Remember, you will only receive an award offer from schools that you have applied and been accepted at.
- Contact the specific college financial aid office for any questions or concerns.
- FAFSA Student Aid Index Update
Need Help?
Looking for additional help? Join us at our event on March 20 at Coon Rapids High School. More information can be found here.
AHS Volunteer News!
Fundraising Vendor and Mini-Workshop Fair
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.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Deanna Ollig, Volunteer Services Coordinator at Deanna.Ollig@ahschools.us
Fundraisers for Anoka Students!
Anoka Boys Lacrosse
Andover Pizza Ranch
February 26th
5:00pm-8:00pm
Anoka Girls Hockey
Coon Rapids Cafe Zupas
February 20th
4:00pm-9:00pm
This e-newsletter is published by Anoka High School. Questions, comments or concerns about the school e-newsletter? Contact us.