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Backpack Online - May 12, 2023
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May 12, 2023
Anoka-Hennepin Schools celebrates 29 Wallin Scholars
Congratulations to the 29 students from Anoka-Hennepin Schools who were named Wallin Scholars. Funded by the Wallin Education Partners, the competitive scholarship provides up to $16,000 over four years in support of higher education pursuits.
Wallin Scholars at Blaine High School were surprised by Wallin Education Partners with the news of their selection. Watch their reaction video, then read more about all the 2023 Wallin Scholars from the district.
The class of 2023 adds to a long-list of Anoka-Hennepin students and families that have benefited through the support provided by Wallin. In 31 years of awarding scholarships, Wallin Education Partners has named nearly 550 Anoka-Hennepin students as Wallin Scholars, which equates to more than $12 million of aid.
Two high school seniors recognized as National Merit Scholars
Andover senior Eleanor Fredine and Coon Rapids senior Jesse Co named National Merit Scholars
Andover High School (AndHS) senior Eleanor Fredine and Coon Rapids High School - Center for Biomedical Sciences and Engineering (CRHS) senior Jesse Co have earned one of the top honors for graduating seniors, being named National Merit Scholars on May 10 by the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC®).
With this distinction, Fredine and Co were awarded a $2,500 scholarship. The 2,500 Merit Scholar designees were chosen from a talent pool of more than 15,000 finalists in the 2023 National Merit Scholarship Program. Fredine and Co are two of 44 students from Minnesota to earn this recognition.
Blaine High School senior Adhithya Anandaraj and Champlin Park High School senior Maura Wahl were also finalists and still have the opportunity to be named a college-sponsored Merit Scholarship recipient.
Parent Attitude and Satisfaction Survey available online until June 16
The input of parents and guardians is valuable in helping improve the district’s service to students and families. Parents and guardians of students in Anoka-Hennepin have the opportunity to provide opinions on the schools their children attend in the annual Parent Attitude and Satisfaction Survey. To gather this information, the district is administering a brief 5-to-10-minute survey online between May 15 and June 16. All answers to survey questions will remain confidential.
How to provide feedback
A letter with a login code was sent to families through U.S. mail on May 12. If families did not receive a copy, please call Jeanne Sorsen at 763-506-1116 for the code.
If families are unable to complete this survey online, a paper copy may be requested by calling their child’s school. Paper surveys are available in English, Spanish, Somali, Arabic, Hmong, Oromo, and Vietnamese. Families will receive the survey and an envelope in which to seal the completed survey so the answers remain private. Paper surveys must also be completed and returned to the child’s school by June 16.
Please complete a survey for each school where families have children enrolled. Listed below are the survey links by level. If families have two children in the same school, base responses on the oldest child. Survey results will be summarized for each school and for the district as a whole. Schools will use the results in school improvement planning.
Random phone surveys
In addition to providing an opportunity to participate in the online survey, the district will also be conducting a phone survey of randomly selected families. The families this year will be from select elementary schools. The phone survey is also brief, generally taking five to 10 minutes. All phone responses are also confidential. Families are encouraged to participate in the phone survey if contacted, in addition to completing the online survey.
District Indian Education program honors graduating seniors
The Anoka-Hennepin Indian Education program recognized 74 graduating seniors at its annual senior honoring banquet on May 11 at the Educational Service Center in Anoka.
The evening began with a performance by the Little Earth Singers Drum Group and a welcome from program coordinator Mindy Meyers, Waapishki Kiisis Ikwe. Indian Education Parent Committee Officer Tony Drews also shared a message with families before introducing keynote speaker James Vukelich, Kaagegaabaw.
Vukelich, who has been recognized as a leading voice in Native American language, was the keynote speaker. View photos from this year’s Indian Education senior honoring banquet. Read more about this year's Indian Education senior honoring banquet.
CRHS junior Natalie Berg campaigns for children's literacy and Miss America Teen
Berg currently holds the title of Miss Minnesota Teen
(05/10/2023) Natalie Berg, a junior at Coon Rapids High School - Center for Biomedical Sciences and Engineering (CRHS), has been on the go since she was five years old. She began competing in princess pageants and now she has her sights set on becoming Miss America Teen.
In March of 2023, Berg earned the title of Miss Minnesota Teen and will spend the next eight months building her resume for the ultimate title at the Miss America Teen pageant in January of 2024, where she will be one of 50 contestants for the honor.
As she builds her campaign, Berg shared that her real passion is for promoting children’s literacy. She has collected and donated over 1,500 books and has partnered with Books for Better Minnesota with the mission of getting as many books in the hands of children as possible. Learn more about Berg's story and her goal to win the crown of Miss America Teen.
AMSA students perform stories written by Lincoln fourth graders
Fourth grade students from Lincoln Elementary School for the Arts took a walking field trip across 5th Avenue to Anoka Middle School for the Arts (AMSA) on Wednesday, May 10 to see their narrative fiction stories come to life.
Lincoln Elementary students were provided with pictures and prompts to create a story and the finished products, which ranged from three sentences to three pages, were handed over to seventh and eighth graders in the Theater Arts III class at AMSA. Middle school students had about three hours of class time to read the stories, write scripts, and decide on costumes and props to adapt the story to the stage. Read more about the collaboration.
2022-23 spring sports and activities round-up
With the spring sports and activities season wrapping up, here’s a look at who’s heading to state, and how they fared when they performed and played. Also included is information about post-season awards gathered by student-athletes and coaches.
Adapted bowling
The Minnesota State High School League adapted Bowling tournaments for autism spectrum, cognitive impairment and physical impairment divisions is being held May 12 at Bowlero in Brooklyn Park.
Speech
The Minnesota State High School League Class AA speech state tournament took place April 28 at Eastview High School in Apple Valley, Minn. A total of 12 students from three high schools participated in the tournament. Visit the district website for individual results from this year's state speech competition.
Robotics
The Minnesota State High School League robotic state tournament took place May 6 at Williams Arena on the campus of the University of Minnesota. The Blaine High School GEARS represented Anoka-Hennepin with their robot Cube-rt.
Families gather for Celebration of Learning Night at Wilson Elementary
Students, staff and families gathered at Wilson Elementary School May 11 for a Celebration of Learning Night.
At the event, students shared information about their culture by setting up displays that included pictures, books, clothing, games and food. The displays were set up in a hallway for families to explore as they made their way to an art project where students and families could create a positive message or symbol on a rock to add to Wilson’s rock garden.
The evening also featured a storytelling session with master storyteller, author and educator Danielle Daniel. Additionally, recordings of class performances were played in the music room and a 3rd grade classroom. View photos from the Celebration of Learning Night.
Tech protect: Enrollment for the 2023-24 school year is now open
If the student qualifies for free or reduced-price school meals in the 2022-23 school year, the cost will be reduced to $0
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. 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.
Secondary students at some grade levels will get to keep their Chromebook over the summer months, and families can enroll in the device protection plan for the upcoming school year (2023-24), now. Families can opt-in to the Device Protection Plan by logging into A-HConnect, and selecting "My Student Information," and "Fees." Parents must select or decline coverage under the Device Protection Plan.
The plan cost is $20 per student or $60 per family per school year.
If the student qualifies for free or reduced-price school meals in the 2022-23 school year, the cost of the Protection Plan will be reduced to $0.
- Repairs with the Protection Plan are subject to a $15 deductible.
Visit ahschools.us/techprotect for details.
Additional District News
- Action of the School Board, May 8, 2023.
- Parent Engage 360 Podcast Episode 32 Part 1: School Resource Officers working in partnership with Anoka-Hennepin schools.
- Universal School Meals program to begin in fall 2023.
- New $224 substitute teacher rate at select sites and on Fridays now in effect through the end of the school year.
- School Board votes to amend 2022-23 school year calendar.
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This e-newsletter is published by Anoka-Hennepin Schools. It's sent to Anoka-Hennepin families and community members who subscribe on a weekly basis during the school year, excluding breaks (and periodically during the summer). Questions, comments or concerns about the Backpack Online e-newsletter? Contact us.