In the Know - November 4, 2022
A social worker and a summer volunteer gig led 1999 Coon Rapids High School graduate, Todd Archbold, on a career path that would wind through the mental health care field, from school social worker to CEO of PrairieCare - one of the nation’s largest providers of psychiatric services.
Archbold decided to volunteer at a teen center for at-risk youth in Coon Rapids over summer break between his junior and senior year of high school, where an Anoka-Hennepin school social worker, Mike Kochendofer, also volunteered.
“I loved everything he brought to the table: his persona, what he did with kids,” Archbold said of Kochendofer. “He taught me a lot about how to build meaningful connections. So, I ended up going into social work because of him. I wanted to ‘Be Like Mike.’”
The Anoka-Hennepin School Board is committed to collecting community feedback as an essential element to ensure schools are meeting community needs. The district authorizes an annual scientifically valid survey of community members to collect data to monitor key performance indicators.
Community survey key indicators
Anoka-Hennepin conducts an annual community survey using the Morris Leatherman company, a leading Twin Cities based firm. The survey contacts 500 randomly selected residents from all areas of the district via phone and is considered accurate by plus or minus 4.5 percentage points in 95 of 100 cases. Comparison with past surveys helps to ensure accuracy and identify trends for decision makers.
When asked to rate the quality of education provided by the school district, a combined 82% gave an “excellent” or “good” rating. Anoka-Hennepin’s excellence rating of 20% remains well above the state average of 13%. Residents also show strong support for Anoka-Hennepin teachers; 83% voiced favorable ratings of teachers’ job performance, 81% believed Anoka-Hennepin does a good job of involving the community. In total, the survey included 107 questions, including many perception questions asked every year and monitored to identify trends or areas of concern.
View the full article, including details about parent perceptions and the district's pandemic response.
Jackson Middle School - A Specialty School for Math and Science (JMS) hosted six educators from Finland Nov. 3 for a day-long glimpse of the U.S. education system from the Anoka-Hennepin perspective.
The Finnish guests toured Champlin Park High School - International Baccalaureate Programme (CPHS), JMS and Champlin-Brooklyn Park Academy for Math and Science all in one day and have been spending time in the state visiting a variety of schools and districts.
JMS principal Joel Young became connected with the group of educators through a friend, Dr. Sean Wachsmuth, who spent a year teaching at the University of Turku in Finland as a Fulbright Scholar.
Teachers and staff shared their experiences as educators and the guests visited classrooms at each site, seeing all of the great things Anoka-Hennepin has to offer. All three schools have specialty programs, where programming is integrated into the curriculum to provide unique learning experiences.
CPHS activities director Matt Mattson shared how athletics and activities are integrated into the U.S. school system, which was an unusual system for the visitors. In Finland, sports and activities are not offered through school systems, but many people join club sports teams.
View photos of the visit during the JMS portion of the visit.
Minnesota is starting to see an uptick in flu cases, according to new data from the state department of health. Now is the perfect opportunity to remind your students about healthy habits to prevent the spread of germs and illness. Use these conversation tips at home to stay healthy this school year:
Wash hands frequently: Scrub hands and fingers with soap and clean water for at least 20 seconds.
Cover coughs and sneezes: Use an elbow or a tissue.
Avoid touching your face: Germs can enter your body through your eyes, nose and mouth.
Practice healthy eating habits: Food is your body’s fuel. Choosing well-balanced meals boosts energy and health. Avoid sharing food/drinks/utensils with others.
Get plenty of rest: Sleep is important and restores your mind and body.
When to stay home
Ensuring schools are safe and healthy for all students is the first priority for Anoka-Hennepin. If your child does get sick, keep them home from school so they don’t share their illness with others. Reference school district guidelines to help with this decision:
If a student has had a fever of 100 degrees or more, the student must stay home for 24 hours after the temperature returns to normal without fever reducing medication.
If a student has vomited or had diarrhea, the student must stay home until 24 hours after the last episode.
If a student has had any rash that may be disease-related or the cause is unknown, check with your family physician before sending the student to school.
If a student is ill, please call the school daily to report the illness.
For more resources and information contact your school health services office or visit ahschools.us/healthservices.
This e-newsletter is published by Anoka-Hennepin Schools. It's sent to all Anoka-Hennepin staff on a weekly basis during the school year, excluding breaks (and periodically during the summer). Questions, comments or concerns about In the Know e-newsletter? Contact us.