In the Know - September 2, 2022

September 2, 2022

Staff and students from across the Anoka-Hennepin School District are eager to kick off the new school year. Student reporters gathered for a back-to-school press conference with Interim Superintendent Dr. Kate Maguire, with hard-hitting questions prepared to gather the information needed to have a great year ahead.

Special thanks to CTN Studios and Sportsnight anchors Howie Shapiro and Joe Yund; Champlin Park High School Rebel Reporter, Aubrey Bryant; and student reporters from Sunrise Elementary School, Ramsey Elementary School and University Avenue Elementary School. In addition, staff members representing just a handful of employee groups joined Maguire at the “press conference,” teaming up to effectively educate each of our students for success.

Watch the video.

Whether you are new to Anoka-Hennepin Schools or you are approaching a “first day of school” as a longtime district staff member, it’s important to be aware of the themes and priorities for the upcoming school year. If you would like to circle back and review key messages from Convocation 2022, it’s now available to view on the Staff Intranet. (40 minutes)

With enrollment growth in portions of the district - Blaine, Champlin and Dayton - attendance boundary changes are needed to balance student enrollment to ensure operational efficiencies and quality education for all students. Anoka-Hennepin Schools is coordinating a process for public review and input into draft proposals, which would be approved by the school board in November and put in place for the 2023-24 school year.

Changes are being proposed at the elementary level across the district and at Roosevelt and Northdale Middle Schools in the Blaine High School attendance area. There are no other middle school or any high school attendance boundary changes being proposed.

Community meetings will allow interested persons to review draft proposals, discuss considerations with school and district leaders and provide feedback for the school board as new boundaries are finalized. These meetings will focus on the areas served with the high school boundaries where the meetings are hosted. Meetings begin at 6 p.m. with a brief presentation at the following dates and locations:

• Wed., Sept. 14 at Champlin Park High School.

• Thurs., Sept. 15 at Coon Rapids High School.

• Tues., Sept. 20 at Anoka High School.

• Wed., Sept. 21 at Blaine High School.

• Thurs., Sept. 22 at Andover High School.

View full details about the upcoming community meetings.

It is officially back-to-school season! In the latest episode of the Parent Engage 360 Podcast, Interim Superintendent Dr. Kate Maguire joins host Liz Burgard, Anoka-Hennepin parent involvement coordinator, to discuss all things back to school.

Maguire began serving as interim superintendent in July and shares in this podcast what she has learned in just two short months at Anoka-Hennepin. With nearly 40 years of experience in education, Maguire provides tips and recommendations for parents and guardians to help their children have a successful start to the school year while also sharing about the district’s theme this school year, Live Well, Lead Well, Learn Well.

Tune in to the latest Parent Engage 360 Podcast on Podbean, Apple Podcasts, or at ahschools.us/parentengage360.

Anoka-Hennepin and Allina Health have partnered to provide district teachers and staff with a library of resources to support employee health and mental wellness. Listen to the SupportingYoU podcast to learn how you, an educator, can help support student mental wellness in your classroom.

Listen by visiting our website at ahschools.us/supportingyou.

Anoka-Hennepin Health Services provides self-study resources to teachers and school staff working with students with seizure disorders. These materials cover seizure signs, symptoms, medications and appropriate responses.

To find and utilize these resources, go to ahschools.us/healthservices and navigate to the “Seizure smart schools” section under “Information and requests.” Additionally, health services staff can be utilized for teachers and staff needing additional information and support.

Around 100 students from all five Anoka-Hennepin traditional high schools and Northwest Suburban Conference (NWSC) member schools geared up for the season ahead by participating in a sportsmanship training seminar at Coon Rapids High School (CRHS) Aug. 30.

Each school in the conference designated student Bleacher Captains to participate in a sportsmanship training seminar titled “Stay Above the Line,” an initiative to promote positive spectator behavior and expectations for the upcoming sports and activities season. View photos from the event.

The seminar was led by the activities directors from each of the 14 NWSC schools and included group discussions by students to share their experiences as student-athletes and spectators at events. Bleacher Captains will be visible at all NWSC-sponsored activities and events to help promote a positive environment and respectful behavior and cheers for all players, fans, opponents and game personnel.

When school begins for the 2022-23 school year on Sept. 6, freshmen and new-to-district students at Anoka-Hennepin’s five traditional high schools and the Secondary Technical Education Center (STEP) will participate in a series of activities that aim to ease the transition to high school and build a foundation for academic success. Returning senior, junior and sophomore students are not required to attend school on Tues. Sept 6 and will start school on Wed. Sept. 7.

Learn more about the freshman and new-to-district orientation.

The cost of school meals for adults will increase for the 2022-23 school year. The Minnesota Department of Education recently directed all child nutrition programs to raise the price of an adult lunch to $4.95. Adult school meal pricing includes staff of Anoka-Hennepin Schools and adult visitors who want to eat a meal from the school cafeteria.

School nutrition program funds may not subsidize meals served to adults or other non-program meals, such as second meals. The meal price must cover the full cost of the meal. The 2022-23 adult meal prices are $2.45 for breakfast and $4.95 for lunch.

Anoka-Hennepin Schools is a great place to live, learn and work. As a school district staff member, you play a role in preparing students for life. We are always looking for professionals, parents, volunteers or community members to join us in providing students a future without limit.

Share the new recruitment video with friends and neighbors so they can join our team!

Interested applicants can browse openings and apply online: ahschools.us/jobs.

The Anoka-Hennepin Educational Foundation (AHEF) has opened a second round of grants for the 2022-23 school year (the grant guidelines are here and the grant application is here). Described as “mini-grants” because each grant is capped at $500, this round of grants is in response to teacher and staff feedback about the annual grant process.

Learn more about the grant application process.

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.

• Action of the School Board, August 22.
• Superintendent search.
• ParentEngage360 podcast: Welcome to kindergarten!
• "Putt-ing" Kids First golf tournament September 10.
• 2022-23 calendar published.
• Text messaging alerts for Anoka-Hennepin employees.
• Franklin Elementary School closure, repurposing plan approved, Bridges and Pathways special education programs to relocate.
  

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