Andover High School News & Events
July 12th, 2022
October 1, 2022
September - Student of the Month
Art - Grace Landry
Business - Jackson Froslee
English - Adeel Fultang
ESL - Esau Alejandro Cruz
FACS - Samuel Roskop
Health - Grace Quigley
Math - Antoine Ziegler
Music - Natalie Mattson
Phy Ed - Lawrence Kerkula
Reading - Alyssah Evans
Science - Elsja Byers
Social Studies - Sophia Halverson
Support Services - Trever Gerhardson
Tech Ed - Ryan Sanders
Vocational - Valeria Rigo
World Language - Nha-anh Nguyen
Jefferson Award - Alexander Noraker
Important Calendar Dates
You can also view a District Calendar here.
Trimester 1 Parent/Teacher Conferences
Tri 1 Conference Sign Ups on Monday, October 3rd
Thursday, October 13th from 2:50 PM - 8:00 PM
Tuesday, October 18th from 2:50 PM - 5:25 PM
The process to schedule a time to meet with your student’s teacher is the same utilizing MyConferenceTime starting Monday, October 3rd. You have the option of meeting in person or virtually with the link that is provided in the confirmation email you receive after you sign up. Please SAVE the confirmation e-mail you receive. It will be the only communication that contains the link to meet with the teacher virtually.
Please note that some of our staff have limited availability (adjusted in MyConferenceTime) and may not be available to meet during these dates and times. Staff are always available through email for any questions for concerns you may have at any time throughout the school year. No need to wait for conferences. If you have any questions, please call 763-506-8402.
Practice ACT on Monday, October 10th
All 11 grade students will be taking the Practice ACT
Report to Andover High School by 7:40 to your assigned classroom for testing. (posted in the hallway across from the counseling office)
Students may leave when dismissed by the test room supervisor once all students have completed their tests.
11th grade students who are eligible for transportation home will remain at school in a supervised area until 2:20pm if they do not have a ride once the test is completed.
Lunch is available for purchase to 11th grade students who remain at school following the test as is a Grab and Go breakfast before school.
Students in grades 9, 10 and 12
Students in grades 9, 10 and 12 will be provided assignments through Google Classroom to complete remotely at home
Andover High School will provide a learning location at school for students who choose to come to school.
Students that choose to come to school to work independently and complete google classroom coursework will be supervised in the cafeteria or auditorium in a quiet learning environment.
Transportation
Morning and afternoon buses will run at their normal times.
Husky Athletic Events
We are excited to welcome everyone to our all of our Husky athletic events. In order to provide a positive and safe environment for everyone we wanted to highlight a couple of policies regarding student entrance into district contests below. The below PDF will provide more detailed information and policies.
Technology Protection Plan for Families
New: Families have the option to enroll in the Device Protection Plan.
Technology Protection Plan is now available for all families. Enrollment is available through October 31, 2022.
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 are 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.
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:
Log into A-HConnect.
Select “My Student Information,” and then select “Fees.”
Parents must select or decline coverage under the Device Protection Plan.
If you forget your login and password, call 763-506-HELP (4357) or email 506help@ahschools.us.
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 ($30 for families).
If the student qualifies for free school meals, the cost will be reduced to zero.
Important Phone Numbers
24-Hour Attendance Line:
763-506-8406
Health Services Office:
763-506-8504 or 763-506-8404
Parents/guardians are encouraged to submit absences or early dismissals online in A-HConnect or in the ParentVUE mobile application. Refer to these step-by-step directions for more information. Absences and early dismissals can also be reported to our 24-hour Attendance Line at 763-506-8406.
Student Services Advisory Committee (SSAC)
Anoka-Hennepin School District Student Services Advisory Committee (SSAC) is a group of students, parents, teachers, school administrators and specialists charged with advising the district regarding how best to provide equitable educational opportunities for all students. SSAC works to address and close persistent gaps in student achievement, including academic performance and graduation rates. The group meets on the first Tuesday of each month from 4:30-6:00 PM. 1-2 parents from each secondary school. Specifically, this group will focus on the following:
SSAC will develop outreach strategies to parents and families to build awareness around and gain feedback regarding the district’s educational equity efforts;
SSAC will gather and review student outcome and system data to identify progress and areas for improvement related to equity and inclusion;
SSAC will provide recommendations to SSLT regarding strategies, policies, and procedures related to equity practices and systems including the Equity Achievement Plan;
Serve as a two-way conduit of information to AHS families and community members. Members also serve as family and community connectors to the public, communicating the committee's recommendations and progress.
If you’re interested in joining please reach out to Mr. Feine ASAP at tim.feine@ahschools.us.
Before and After School Traffic
Message to students and parents regarding traffic before and after school
Anoka County has seen an increase in traffic-related fatalities and crashes this year, as a response to this The Anoka County Sheriff’s Office is taking a proactive approach to traffic enforcement. We will be conducting enforcement in school zones out of concern for students' safety and to reduce the number of crashes that are typically seen at the beginning of the school year. Please be mindful to follow the speed limits within school zones as posted on the signs with flashing yellow lights. The specific concern is the area of Crosstown from Andover Blvd to Nightingale St NW. In this area, Deputies have observed vehicles following too close and not yielding to traffic or pedestrians when exiting the school lot onto Crosstown. The Sheriff’s Office will be conducting enforcement, but we ask that you speak with your student(s) about the above-mentioned driving behaviors and be mindful of these issues when driving in this area.
Thank you in advance for helping us with these issues. As always, I am available to answer any questions and talk about any traffic concerns around Andover High School.
Deputy Justin Weller, Anoka County Sheriff’s Office, and Andover High School SRO
(763)506-8429
Counseling Office Info
Counselors at Andover High School are divided by alphabet for grades 9 through 12. Students will most likely have the same counselor all four years of high school. Counselors provide many more services than just a schedule change! They also provide such services as academic and career counseling, college planning, personal and social counseling, individual planning and guidance, letters of recommendation and more. If you have questions or would like to meet with your counselor, please stop into the counseling office, located on the first floor next to the IMC. You can also connect with your Counselor here.
National Merit Scholarship Semifinalist and Commended Scholar
Andover High School Senior, Eleanor Fredine, has been named as a National Merit Scholarship semifinalist. She is in the running to earn one of the 7,500 scholarships of up to $2,500 for college.
Eleanor joins approximately 16,000 semifinalists nationally who have the opportunity to become National Merit Scholars. To become a semifinalist, high school juniors entered the National Merit Scholarship program by taking the 2020 Preliminary SAT test, which served as an initial screen of program entrants. The nationwide pool of semifinalists, representing less than one percent of U.S. high school seniors, includes the highest-scoring entrants in each state.
Next, semifinalists submit a detailed scholarship application, in which they provide information about their academic record, participation in school and community activities, demonstrated leadership abilities, employment, honors and awards received, among other requirements.
National Merit Scholarship winners of 2022 will be announced in four nationwide news releases beginning in April and concluding in July. Every finalist will compete for one 2,500 National Merit Scholarship and about 1,000 corporate-sponsored scholarships will be provided in addition to some 4000 college-sponsored Merit Scholarship awards who attend a sponsor institution.
Andover High School Senior, Gregory Rucks, has been named as a National Merit Commended Scholars.
Commended students are generally the top 3-5% of scorers on the PSAT/NMSQT. This means about 35,000 students will receive commended status. This is a worthy accomplishment, indicating an overall strong PSAT score, and recognized students receive Letters of Commendation from the NMSC to mark their achievement. Commended Students are named based on a nationally applied Selection Index score that may vary from year to year and is typically below the level required for participants to be named Semifinalists in their respective states.
Congratulations Eleanor and Gregory!
National Hispanic Recognition Award
Congratulations to Daniel Vera-Rodriguez and Sophia Mota who received the National Hispanic Recognition Award from last year's PSAT exam. This National program awards recognition based on academic achievement and outstanding performance on PSAT/NMSQT, PSAT 10 or AP Exams. Congratulations Daniel and Sophia!
Attention PSEO Students!
Student Notice of Registration forms are available for Spring Semester PSEO. You will need this completed each semester for the college to allow you to register.
Please complete the top portion of the below PDF and turn it in to your counselor. These are only for students currently attending PSEO. We also have some forms in the Guidance Office if you need one.
Andover High School will offer the PSAT to interested Juniors on Wednesday, October 12th
Andover High School will offer the PSAT to interested Juniors on Wednesday, October 12th.This is a regular school day and students will be responsible for the work they'll miss in classes.
Although we primarily focus on the ACT in MN, the PSAT is an option for 11th grade students who want to prepare for the SAT.
Another main reason students test is to qualify for the National Merit Scholarship program. National Merit recognizes students who test in the top 1% in their state. We would suggest students in the top 5% of the junior class consider testing if they want a chance to be a National Merit Scholar.
60 spots are reserved for interested Andover High School students. Students will need to Register from their email (it will not work for a parent to register). Registration is required and spots are given on a first come, first served basis.
PSAT/NMSQT
Who: 11th graders
Where: Andover High School Media Center
When: Wednesday, October 12th, 2022 7:40-11:15 am
Cost: $18
-The PSAT is 2 hours and 45 minutes in length and is a multiple choice test.
-Registration is open September 26th – Oct 7th Bring exact cash or check made out to Andover HS and submit payment in the Andover HS Counseling Office. *Registration must be done through student login/email.
Back on Track
Need to make up a class? See your counselor to register for credit recovery. You can see details here.
Are your Student-Athletes Ready to Play?
See below pdf to check out this NCAA Student-Athlete guide if you're considering pursuing athletics in college.
Career Center News
These newsletters/updates come from the Andover High School College and Career Center. This resource is here for students and families to help guide all things “life after high school”. To learn more about the services provided by our College and Career Center, click here.
Advanced Placement Exam Update #2
The payment window for students currently enrolled in an AP course that are planning on taking the exam is now open (October 1 - November 1). Students in AP classes that start trimester 2 will have a later payment window opportunity.
As a reminder, all students must have registered for their AP exam by joining the My AP classroom using the directions previously shared here. Students must complete both steps (joining the My AP classroom and paying for the exam) in order to test.
For directions on how to pay, click here.
The AP exam schedule can be found here.
News from the Youth Services Coordinator
The Andover Leos
Is your student looking for a way to get involved at Andover High School? The Andover Leo Club is a student led volunteer group that works to respond to needs within the community by volunteering their time. The group meets every other Thursday after school at 2:30, and welcomes new members anytime! For more information, please join the Leos’ Google Classroom. For meeting dates, please see our club calendar. This year, the students have chosen to focus on sustainability - more details to come!
Is your student looking for volunteer hours?
Join the Youth Service Google Classroom to see a list of volunteer opportunities that range from going out into the community, to service you can do from your home. Questions? Feel free to contact me at tammy.peterson@ahschools.us
Has your student completed a lot of volunteer hours?
The President’s award is given for hours completed in the calendar year. Any service from January 1, 2021 through December 31, 2021 is considered for the award. Just return your Verification of Hours form to document the hours you’ve spent volunteering.
Jefferson Award winner for September - Alexander Noraker
The Students in Action Multiplying Good Award for Public Service is a national recognition system honoring community and public volunteerism. Each month we recognize one student who has taken effective action, and created a meaningful impact while improving our community and making the world a better place. For the month of September, we want to recognize and celebrate Alexander Noraker. Alexander volunteered over 200 hours of his time over the summer with Trout Lake Camp!
News from the Volunteer Coordinator
Upcoming Volunteer Opportunities:
Conference snack food needed
Conferences are approaching, Oct 13th is the first evening, which means a very long day for our teachers and support staff. I have to put together a sign up for food donations to provide the staff with a pick me up snack to make it through the long day.
It's an easy way to help out. You can access the sign up here.
Thank you for considering this opportunity.
Chaperone needed
We are looking for one additional parent volunteer to help chaperone a field trip to Second Harvest Heartland in Brooklyn Park. The field trip will take place on Tuesday, November 1st and will go from 8:30 AM - 3:00 PM. The purpose of this field trip is to expose freshmen students to service, and help fulfill their service requirement. One staff will be attending this field trip along with 25 civics students, and their teacher (Beth Holgrimson). Second Harvest requests that we have 1 chaperone per 10 kids so we are in need of another adult chaperone. Please email cory.knapp@ahschools.us if you are interested.
Apply for educational benefits for the 2022-23 school year
All Anoka-Hennepin families are encouraged to apply for the educational benefits program for the upcoming school year. A new application must be submitted each school year.
By completing this application, students may receive free or reduced fees for transportation, meals, academic, and co-curricular activities. Please visit ahschools.us/freereduced to set up, or log in to your SchoolCafe account and complete an application for free or reduced-price meal and other benefits. The educational benefits program not only ensures that students have access to nutritious meals, it also provides critical federal funding for schools.
As a reminder, the federal subsidy to provide free school meals for every student will no longer be available this school year. Only one application is needed per household. Please contact the child nutrition department with any questions or assistance at 763-506-1240 or staff.CnpEnrollment@ahschools.us.
You can also view the video https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MrqpGg8g5rU for more information.
Parents Needed for Special Education Advisory Council
Join the district’s Special Education Advisory Council (SEAC) for the 2022-23 and 2023-24 school year. A broad range of parents/guardians are needed, from those representing early childhood, all the way to elementary, middle school, high school, and transition-aged students - with a full continuum of student disabilities.
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 October 10. Learn more about SEAC and what it means to be involved.
This e-newsletter is published by Andover High School. Questions, comment or concerns about the school e-newsletter? Contact us.