Crimson Newsletter
Introducing the new Crimson Newsletter!
As part of the ISD 279 operational plan and strategic direction, our system communications team has supported us to improve our connections with our Crimson families and community members. The new e-newsletters will be more accessible and translatable, and they can be easily shared. We hope you enjoy this new format and catching up with the latest Maple Grove Senior High news!
A message from Principal Becker
Summer 2023
Greetings, Crimson Families!
While we're still in the heart of summer, I want to send my very best wishes from our family to yours. This fall, whether you'll have your first high school student entering Maple Grove Senior High, your last, or have multiple students scattered throughout our grades, we are more excited than ever to welcome our Crimson students back to a new year.
We're looking forward to meeting the mighty Class of 2027, along with all returning Crimson students, to Student Orientation on August 23 and communicating with families throughout the year. Relationships are the foundation of our success here at Maple Grove, and I am thrilled to soon have our school once again filled with the best students any principal could hope for. This is a good school and a very special community!
The Becker household has been happy, active and sprouting (they're growing like weeds!). My lovely wife, Olga, and I are very grateful and blessed to have our four kids – Eli (17), Ania (14), Maksim (12), and Evelyn (10). Among them are swimmers, basketball players, cross country runners, Nordic skiers, dancers and gymnasts. It’s hard to keep up with everyone, but it sure is fun. My roots are in the great state of Montana (see our family photo on the shore of Lake McDonald), and my wife is from Ukraine, though Olga’s folks were evacuated in March 2022 and are now safe with family abroad. While Minnesota is proudly our home, there truly is nothing like family and it warms my heart when we have the chance to be together.
On to the 2023-24 school year: This will be my ninth year as principal at Maple Grove, and there's no where I'd rather be. It's a privilege and an honor to work with your kids! We are slated to have nearly 2400 Crimson students (and growing!), and each one is personal to us. Our priority is to strengthen our positive school culture and climate so that each of our students can walk into our building knowing that they are loved, supported, challenged, and driven to achieve their academic potential. The Crimson Way – Motivation, Gratitude, Scholarship, and Honor – is the bedrock of our school, and we purposefully teach, model and reinforce these values for our students.
We want every Crimson student to be involved in Maple Grove and to experience being a part of something bigger than themselves! It's great to be a Crimson! Each student will have every opportunity to engage in our school beyond their academic journey from which they can harness in their passions through student groups, clubs, sports and fine arts programs:
- Click here for the full list of extra and co-curricular activities (as of the conclusion of the 2022-23 school year). Is there something missing? Students can form new groups! Contact our Activities Office for more information.
- Click here for the Crimson Activities website which includes information for all activities throughout the school year.
Communication is a huge priority of our school, so I strongly encourage you to connect to our school social media outlets:
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/MapleGroveSrHS
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/MapleGroveSrHS
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/maplegrovesrhs
- School Website: http://schools.district279.org/mgsh/
I invite you to connect with me, as well. I do my best to regularly post the highlights of our Crimson Family as well as important information for students and families:
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/PrincipalBecker
- Twitter: https://twitter.com/MGSHPrincipal
- Instagram: https://instagram.com/principalbecker/
**A quick note to incoming 9th grade families: There is no school supply list. Students should bring the basics (bag/backpack, notebooks, writing utensils, etc.), and their teachers will communicate if something specific is needed for class. All will be well.
Feel free to contact me with any questions at beckerb@district279.org, and I'll respond as quickly as I can.
To close, thank you for your support of Maple Grove and for sending us such amazing students – they are the heart and soul of the Crimson Family.
Enjoy the rest of your summer, and we'll be in touch as we approach the 2023-24 school year!
Yours very sincerely,
Bart Becker, Principal
Crimson Activities
Fall Activity Meetings: July 26
Interested in your student(s) participating in fall activities? Join us for the Parent/Athlete/Coach Meetings on Wednesday, July 26 at 6:00 p.m.
Please report to the Main Gym by 6:00 p.m. for an introduction by Activities Coordinator, Ricardo Jones, after which students and families will transition to one of the following:
- Football – Main Gym
- Boys' and Girls' Cross Country – Auditorium
- Girls' Volleyball – West Gym
- Girls' Soccer – Media Center
- Boys' Soccer – Cafeteria (Concession Stand)
- Girls' Swim & Dive – North Gym
- Girls' Tennis – Forum Room
- Sideline Cheer – Cafeteria (Academic Wing)
If your student is in need of an updated physical, please see Twin Cities Orthopedics for a free appointment!
Crimson students are encouraged to purchase an Activity Pass for $30, which provides entry to all home athletic contests for the school year (does not include away, section, or state contests). Passes are on sale at Student Orientation!
Upcoming dates and events
- July 26: Fall Activity Meetings
- August 1: Fall Activity Registration Opens (register via SmartSchoolK12)
- August 7: Tri I Parking Permit Sales Open via SmartSchoolK12
- August 14: First Day of Fall Activities
- August 23: Student Orientation
- Grade 9: 8:00 a.m.–12:00 p.m. (arrive at 7:45 a.m.; enter through the A Doors and proceed down to the cafeteria)
- Grades 10-12: Drop-in basis any time between 12:00 p.m.–3:00 p.m.
- Students will learn about The Crimson Way – Motivation, Gratitude, Scholarship, and Honor;
- Have their school pictures taken (dress sharp!);
- Visit our Activities Fair to learn about the many sports, groups, clubs, or fine arts programs;
- View their tentative Tri I schedules;
- Collect Tri I parking permits (for those who purchased – drivers license required);
- Purchase Activity Passes ($30); and
- Drop off forms, medications and/or diabetic supplies to the Nurse.
- September 5: First Day of School
- September 12: Learning Conferences (families follow their students' schedule and meet teachers from 4:00 p.m.–7:00 p.m.)
- October 2: Homecoming Week
- October 10 and October 17: Tri I Academic Conferences
Building a Better Future - Phase II
Building a Better Future – Phase II, is the second phase in improving our schools as determined through a multi-year research process that involved staff, families and community members. Their work revealed critical safety/security needs, teaching and learning needs, and building space needs with regard to programming and current and predicted population growth. A big thank you goes out to everyone who volunteered countless hours to closely analyzing the needs of all our schools.
Phase II, which in addition to addressing critical school building needs, expands on efforts already made in Phase I and continues strategic plan work. The priorities in this portion of the plan are:
Secure learning environments with enhanced safety.
Spaces for math, science and career programs, specialized learning services and growing student populations.
Access to similar learning experiences at all district schools, including program opportunities, class size levels and the functionality of spaces.
It’s been more than 20 years since the community has been asked to reinvest in school building needs. Voters made their voices heard during Phase I of the Building a Better Future plan – education is a priority to our community. Now, voters can make their voices heard again on November 7, 2023, by considering these school building needs. If the ballot question is approved, the tax increase would be less than $7/month for the average-value home in our district ($300,000).
This final phase of Building a Better Future meets the overall needs of our schools for the foreseeable future – equipping students with what they need to succeed both today and many years to come.
Visit district279.org/BetterFuture for additional details, a look at both phases of Building a Better Future and answers to frequently asked questions.
Recent highlights
Congratulations to the Crimson Class of 2023!
Crimson Girls' Golf are State Champions!
Jordyn Borsch named the Minnesota Girls' Track and Field Gatorade Player of the Year!
Adding to her record-breaking career of five individual state championships, Jordyn Borsch was named the Gatorade Player of the Year for Girls' Track and Field!
Translation
To translate this information to another language, please click the "translate" link at the top of the page.