![page background](https://cdn.smore.com/u/backgrounds/custom_bg-62e01166324b435de8e2b90c-815d40d16db7.jpg)
News and events
![News and events](https://cdn.smore.com/u/thumbs/8b35/thumb-24ce03f3208a0128ec8985e458c1c3ba.jpeg)
September 17, 2023
Upcoming events
9/21 - Picture Day
9/25 - Homecoming Week
9/26 - Homecoming Varsity Girls/Boys Soccer
9/29 - Homecoming Varsity Football vs Maple Grove
9/30 - Homecoming Dance
10/4 - Conferences - Sign up will be available September 22nd. You will be receiving an email with a specific link to sign up. If you are in need of an interpreter for conferences please contact Deidre.Hoffman@ahschools.us by to September 25th.
A message from Blaine High School Administration
Blaine High School Families:
We hope your student has had a successful start to the school year. Below you will find some helpful information as we continue to team with you to provide the best possible learning experience for all of our students.
Monday Late Start Schedule
On Monday, we will have our first adjusted start time of the year. Classes will start at 8:30 AM. From 7:10 until 8:20, Anoka-Hennepin high school teachers will meet in their collaborative teams to prepare curriculum, assessments, and develop student interventions. Busses will maintain their standard schedule on these days. Students able to provide their own transportation may arrive in time for the 8:30 start time. Click here for a visual to help you plan for the trimester.
Student Drop Off and Pick Up
Please follow this map as you drive through our parking lot and frontage road while dropping off or picking up your student. Due to our large student population, navigating our parking lot can be challenging. Plan accordingly by arriving early and driving cautiously. Thank you for understanding.
Student Pictures
Student pictures will be taken all day on Thursday, September 21st, for students who did not attend the picture day on August 22nd. Lifetouch will take pictures for grades 9 through 11. Please visit the Lifetouch website for more information and order forms.
David Bank Studios will take senior yearbook pictures for 12th-grade students during all lunches on September 21st if your student missed the senior picture day in July.
Homecoming Dance Information
Homecoming week is on the horizon which means we have a dance on September 30th. BHS dance attendance is a privilege which means students must be in good standing, with all detentions served, fines paid, and positive academic performance. Please review this information on ParentVUE and/or StudentVUE so your student is prepared when tickets go on sale.
Safety and Security Protocols for Families and Visitors
Anoka-Hennepin Schools are committed to maintaining a safe and welcoming learning environment for our students. Enhanced protocols are intended to support this commitment.
Secure Entry System Requirements:
Parents, guardians, and any guests who have an appointment will continue to be required to have a driver's license/valid identification (ID) to enter using our secure entry identification system.
Parents/guardians listed in Parent Vue will be permitted to enter.
Anyone who visits a school location and has a warning indicator in the district’s system will be denied entry.
Meetings by appointment only:
Meetings with staff members must be arranged in advance. Contact the school office via phone or email.
Anyone who visits a school location without a pre-arranged appointment will be denied entry.
Dropping off items for your student:
Parents/guardians who need to drop off items for their student will need to complete a form and leave the item at the entrance vestibule by door 1 for pickup.
Further access into the school for parents/guardians to drop off items will not be allowed.
Picking up a student:
Please arrange in advance for any student pickup during the school day by calling your students' attendance office professional. You can report the absence in ParentVue by entering the time they are leaving in the notes section.
Your student will meet you outside.
To set-up an appointment:
Student Expectations
Messaging was shared with students last Friday regarding behavior expectations at Blaine High School and what it means to Be A Bengal. It also included an introduction to our Behavior Intervention staff. The presentation can be found here.
Thank you for your continued partnership.
Blaine High School Administrative Team
Lifetouch Pictures / David Bank Senior Yearbook Picture
Lifetouch will be taking 9th-11th grade pictures, as well as new-to-BHS seniors all day in the auditorium. We will be making announcements for last names ranges throughout the day.
David Bank will be here ONLY DURING LUNCH to take the senior pictures on the Field House Balcony. There are no proofs sent to the school for these pictures.
Online Ticketing at Athletic & Music Events
Business Professionals of America (BPA)
Bengal Den
Welcome to the 2023-2024 school year! We will be open for select sporting events held in the
Athletic Center (Fieldhouse) as well as a table setup at some outdoor sporting events. Follow the
Bengal Den on Instagram for promotions and dates for when we are open in the fieldhouse.
We will have a table setup at the following football games:
- September 15 vs Anoka
- September 29 vs Maple Grove
We will have tables set up at the Soccer the game on September 21 when we play the
Andover Huskies. Stop by to support Blaine as we take on our rival!
Make sure to follow us on Instagram and stay up to date with the Bengal Den!
Coats for Kids Drive at BHS
Business Professionals of America (BPA) members will be conducting its 30th annual Coats for Kids drive from September 18 – October 21. Students, staff, and community residents are invited to drop off new or used coats at BHS throughout the school day at the main entrance.
Last year BHS collected over 800 coats for this great cause and this year they have a goal of 600 coats. Blaine BPA has collected close to 14,000 coats for children over the 29 years they have participated in this wonderful cause.
Coats for Kids was founded in 1986 to ensure that local community children in need would have access to warm coats each winter. Since then, they have collected and donated more than 463,500 coats to help keep children warm.
Clean out those closets this weekend and drop off your no longer used coats at BHS beginning September 18. If you would like to arrange a drop off please contact Holly Boisjolie, BPA Advisor, at 763.506.6540 or holly.boisjolie@ahschools.us.
Career/College News
Welcome to the 2023-2024 school year! There are many great things happening this year and this Career & College newsletter is your source to get the latest information on upcoming events and other important news.
Volunteer news
Welcome back to a new year! We have had a few volunteer opportunities already and have had some awesome volunteers coming into the building to help out! If you are one of those volunteers, thank you so much! If you are interested in learning more about what volunteer opportunities we have available, click here to fill out an online application. Once you have done that, you will hear about the opportunities as they arise.
Technology Department
Initial Chromebook Care
The Tech Support office in the IMC distributed school-issued devices to incoming 9th graders and current 11th grade students. If you remember back to Spring ‘23, only classes of 2025 and 2023 returned devices. Eventually, the goal will be to have students use the same device from grades 9-12.
Unfortunately, Tech Support will not be able to send out loaner Chromebooks or cords due to limited supplies of Chromebooks. For now, we highly recommend that students set an alarm reminder to both charge and bring their device. Adding a simple alarm to a phone or mobile device will be helpful. We often see students loaning chargers to each other in a pinch also.
I also write with 2 additional recommendations to protect your Blaine HS Chromebook:
Help control costs when damages happen by purchasing the district’s technology protection plan. For only $20 you can protect your device for the school year. With deductibles of just $15 per covered incident, this helps keep costs predictable for families. Considering that screen replacement alone costs families up to $150, Anoka-Hennepin School Tech Protection makes sense. Learn more by exploring the link below. Parents & guardians enroll into the plan the same way they pay for fees and activities via School Pay.
https://www.ahschools.us/techprotectConsider purchasing a laptop sleeve when placing the device in a backpack. Since backpacks fall and sometimes get tossed into vehicles, etc. it’s a great idea to purchase a protection sleeve. Many sell for less than $15 at local office supply stores and online vendors.
I’m always looking for feedback and topics to explore and share in this newsletter connected to parenting, academic technology, and digital safety. Help me keep content relevant by emailing suggestions to daryl.boeckers@ahschools.us.
Best,
Daryl Boeckers
Blaine HS Technology Coordinator & Learning Technologies Coach
(763) 506-6559
New Staff Highlights
Kevin Hagen - Spanish
My name is Kevin Hagen and I am the new Spanish teacher here at Blaine High School. Although I am new to the building, I’m neither new to teaching nor new to the district. This will be my 14th year of teaching overall and 6th in the district, having taught the previous five years at Coon Rapids High School. I’m excited to join Blaine High School, especially since I’ve lived in Blaine since 2016. This year I will be teaching Spanish levels 1, 2, and 3. Outside of school, I enjoy spending time with friends and family, watching/playing/coaching sports, as well as relaxing with some TV and video games. I’m looking forward to getting this new school year started!
Whitney Tinjum
My name is Whitney Tinjum and I am happy to join the Business team for the 2023-2024 school year. This is my first year teaching and I couldn’t be more excited to start my career at Blaine High School. I have 7 years experience in the business industry and look forward to sharing my knowledge and passion with my students. When not in school, I enjoy exploring the great outdoors with my 1 year old daughter, dog,and husband. I enjoy reading, hiking, camping, and spending time with the people in my life who make me smile.
Theatre
Blaine High School Theatre proudly presents its first production of the year: We Are Monsters. This is a short children's musical, suitable for all ages.
Performances are October 13 and 14 at 6:00pm, and October 14 and 15 at 2:00pm.
NEW THIS YEAR: We are going cashless. Tickets must be purchased online. Preorder yours here, and enter promo code BENGAL to receive a staff member comp: https://bhstheatre.booktix.net/
This e-newsletter is published by Blaine High School. Questions, comments or concerns about the school e-newsletter? Contact us.