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Backpack Online - November 10, 2023
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November 10, 2023
Schools across the district recognize Veterans Day
Schools across Anoka-Hennepin recognized Veterans Day with events and/or educational opportunities aimed at learning about and honoring those who have served or who are serving in the military. It is a proud tradition in Anoka-Hennepin to host veterans and their families.
School Board election results
New members will fill three seats on the Anoka-Hennepin School Board beginning January 1, 2024. School board seats were up for election this year in Districts one, two and five.
Results obtained on election night are unofficial until approved by the Canvassing Board. The Canvassing Board meeting for the Anoka-Hennepin School District is scheduled for Monday, November 13 at 6:30 p.m. at Sandburg Education Center, 1902 Second Ave., Anoka.
District staff cast votes in the annual kindness poster contest
On Nov. 7, Anoka-Hennepin staff at the Educational Service Center (ESC) in Anoka had the opportunity to vote on outstanding artwork created by district students.
ESC staff were the official judges of this year’s kindness poster contest which featured artwork from most grade levels and schools across the district.
📸 Photos: View photos from this year’s kindness poster contest voting day.
The big picture: The annual kindness poster contest helps create a safe and welcoming environment for students by promoting kindness and anti-bullying messaging. The 20th annual event promotes kindness as a positive call to action to counteract the negative impact of bullying, and Anoka-Hennepin’s core values of respect, responsibility, appreciation of diversity, integrity, and compassion are the basis of kindness.
What they’re saying: “The kindness poster contest is always one of the most rewarding projects of the year,” said Britt Olean, the district school social worker who oversees and organizes the poster contest. “Once again the students outdid themselves by submitting hundreds of posters featuring their outstanding talents. These posters will continue to spread kindness in our schools throughout the year.”
About the contest: This year’s theme was Make Kindness Your Purpose. Students were encouraged to create a poster with that message in mind and delivered a variety of themes to spread kindness in their schools. Nearly 150 posters representing each school’s winning submissions advanced to the final balloting at the ESC on Nov. 7. Voters were asked to select the best poster for each grade level and were able to submit their votes electronically.
What’s next: The winners of the kindness poster contest will be announced at a later date and recognized at a regular School Board meeting in January. Winning posters will also be displayed on the district website and printed for use in schools across the district.
Courage retreat inspires culture of belonging and respect
Seventh-grade students at Northdale Middle School (NMS) participated in a student retreat focused on Courage in late October - led by Youth Frontiers, an organization with a mission to provide experiences that inspire character and respect.
The “Courage Retreat” is a day-long event that encourages students to do the right thing and make responsible decisions with the goal of making the school a better place. The retreat includes presentations, high-energy activities in the gym as a large group, small group opportunities to share stories and follow-up materials to extend the retreat’s impact.
The big picture: Becky Brodeur, associate superintendent of middle schools and student services, said that the retreats have been a strategy to support the social-emotional and behavioral needs of students with the goal of improving culture and respect in school communities.
🗞️ Learn more about the impact at NMS.
📷 View photos from Northdale Middle School’s Courage Retreat.
🔍 Learn more about Youth Frontiers.
Parent Education Series
District to host three Parent Engage 360 events in 2023-24
Join parents and guardians from the Anoka-Hennepin Schools community for information and resources to support the needs of students today.
The big picture: Anoka-Hennepin is hosting three Parent Engage 360 community and parent education events during the 2023-24 school year. These events aim to provide resources for parents and guardians to support their students and others in the community. Topics range from mental health, chemical health, internet safety, and more. Parent Engage 360 forum events are offered both in-person and in virtual formats and are free and open to the public.
What to expect: The first Parent Engage 360 event will be held on Tuesday, Dec. 5 at 6:30 p.m. at the Coon Rapids High School auditorium and will feature author and co-founder of TILL360 Joe Beckman. Over the last 20 years, Beckman has spoken all over the world with one mission, to reclaim human connection.
Beckman is an engaging and dynamic speaker who combines humor, authenticity, heart, and soul that will help attendees find self-worth, resilience, confidence, joy, and human connection. Beckman is the author of Just Look Up: Five Life-Saving Phrases Every Kid Human Needs to Hear. Attendees at this event have the chance to win one of four free copies of Beckman’s book.
Register for this event (registration is not required, but helps with planning).
District student-athletes sign letters of intent to continue athletic careers
Student-athletes from Anoka-Hennepin high schools (Andover, Anoka, Blaine, Champlin Park and Coon Rapids) participated in signing events Nov. 8 to mark the start of the NCAA early signing period. At the events, student-athletes signed letters of intent from colleges and universities across the country to continue their academic and athletic careers.
2023-24 fall sports and activities round-up
With the fall 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.
Football
The MSHSL Class AAAAA State Football Tournament will begin Nov. 9 and run through the Prep Bowl Nov. 24-25. The Class AAAAA quarterfinals will be played at neutral sites on Nov. 11 while the semifinals (Nov. 17-18) and championship (Nov. 25) will be held at U.S. Bank Stadium in Minneapolis.
The Andover High School football team won the Section 7AAAAA Championship on Nov. 3, defeating Elk River High School 65-32 on its turf at Husky Stadium. Andover (9-1) will be making its seventh state tournament appearance in school history, making the state tournament field for the first time since 2021.
The Huskies will face Robbinsdale Armstong in the quarterfinals of the state tournament on Saturday, Nov. 11 at Osseo High School. Kickoff for the state tournament opener is set for noon. All tickets for state tournament games must be purchased online. Visit the MSHSL tournament website for more information.
Andover enters the state tournament winners of eight straight, with its only loss coming back on Sept. 8. The match-up with Robbinsdale Armstrong will be the second meeting between the two teams this season. The Huskies defeated the Falcons 42-7 in the regular season finale on Oct. 18.
🏈 Dig deeper: Take a deeper look into the Andover High School football team.
Volleyball
The MSHSL Class AAAA Girls State Volleyball Tournament is being conducted Nov. 8-11 at Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul. After winning the Section 7AAAA championship, Anoka High School (AHS) advanced to the state tournament for the first time since 2012 and the first time as a Class AAAA school.
AHS earned the No. 5 seed in the Class AAAA state tournament bracket and defeated No. 4 seed Eagan High School in a five-set thriller Nov. 8 in the quarterfinal round. Logan Brent totaled 28 kills and Hayden Reeder added 24 kills. Carmen Shimek dished out 55 assists and led the team with 25 digs. Anoka won the first two sets 29-27 and 28-26, before falling in sets three and four by the score of 26-28. AHS dominated the decisive fifth set by the score of 15-4.
The Tornadoes ran into No. 1 seed and undefeated Wayzata High School in the semifinal round and fell by the score of 3-0. Reeder had eight kills and a team-high 10 digs.
AHS will play Stillwater Area High School Nov. 11 at 5 p.m. in the third place game. Visit the MSHSL website for information on the volleyball state tournament.
The Tornadoes own a 27-4 record. During the season, AHS swept their opponent on 23 occasions.
Boys Cross Country
The MSHSL Class AAA Boys Cross Country Running State Meet was Nov. 4 at Les Bolstad Golf Course on the campus of the University of Minnesota. Six individuals and one team from Anoka-Hennepin high schools qualified.
- Andover High School won the Section 7AAA Championship to earn a bid to the state tournament. The Huskies placed 10th as a team with a score of 246 and an average time of 16:34.
- Members of the Huskies (in place order): Tyler Flippen (17th), Aidan Gomes (33rd), Jack Jendro (50th), Brandon Board (137th), Carter Stevens (138th), Johnny Downs (149th) and Eli Ahlstrom (160th). Joseph Beuning and Blake Hinderks were also members of the team this season.
- Andover High School head coach Scott Clark was named the Section 7AAA coach of the year and assistant coach Jennifer Birkmeier was named the Section 7AAA assistant coach of the year.
- River Santiago, the Section 7AAA champion, led the three members of Blaine High School who qualified and placed 20th. Connor Bialka was 55th and David Meberg finished 62nd.
- Champlin Park High School’s Charlie Hibbs finished 73rd and Salman Mohamed placed 79th.
- Lachlan Demmer of Coon Rapids High School qualified for the state meet and finished 139th.
Girls Cross Country
The MSHSL Class AAA Girls Cross Country Running State Meet was Nov. 4 at Les Bolstad Golf Course on the campus of the University of Minnesota. Four individuals from Anoka-Hennepin high schools qualified.
- Eighth grader Julia Strobel of the Andover High School girls cross country team finished 95th.
- Making her sixth appearance at the state meet, Anoka High School’s Kaelyn Nelson placed 34th.
- Brynlee Wegener, one of six seventh graders in the field, of the Blaine High School girls cross country team finished 106th.
- From Champlin Park High School, Abigail Hibbs placed 50th.
Four specialty and magnet high schools hosting open house events
Anoka-Hennepin offers four specialty and magnet schools at the high school level that are designed to provide families with additional choices at no cost. Students in kindergarten - grade 12 who live within the Anoka-Hennepin boundaries may apply to enroll at any of the specialty or magnet schools as an opportunity to explore interest areas in depth.
The specialty and magnet programs provide in-demand educational options such as the arts, science, technology, math, engineering and biomedical sciences (STEM/STEAM), as well as International Baccalaureate (IB). The magnet school application window is open for the 2024-25 school year and closes Dec. 31, 2023. Applications for the specialty schools are accepted between Dec. 1, 2023 and Jan. 15, 2024 for priority consideration.
The specialty and magnet schools are hosting information nights/open houses for families to learn more about the programs offered:
- Nov. 13 - 5:30 p.m. - Blaine High School - CEMS Tours
- Nov. 15 - 6:30-8 p.m. - Anoka High School - Open House/Showcase - Atrium
- Dec. 12 - 6-7 p.m. - Champlin Park High School - South Lecture Hall
- Dec. 13 - 6:30 p.m. - Coon Rapids High School - Incoming 9th Grade Registration Night - Auditorium
- Dec. 13 - 6:30-8 p.m. - Anoka High School - Information Night - LMC/Makerspace
- Jan. 4 - 6-7 p.m. - Champlin Park High School - South Lecture Hall
AHS student finds success horsing around after school
🐎 Brionie Wakooli, a junior at Anoka High School, placed first in the 1500M Harvest Horse Show last month at the Minnesota State Fairgrounds. Wakooli was the only amateur competitor in this event. Riding her horse, Unique Gold (Zeus), she was the only competitor who cleared all jumps in the time allotment. Wakooli is unique in that she trains her horse herself, instead of hiring a professional trainer. Zeus was bred for competitive track racing, but transitioned seamlessly to jumping. Wakooli has fostered a relationship with this one of a kind horse for three years and feels their close relationship attributes to their success. Her goal is to travel to Florida to compete in prestigious National Events.
Celebrating National Community Education Day
Governor Tim Walz proclaimed November 9, 2023, as Community Education Day in Minnesota to coincide with National Community Education Day, celebrated on the second Thursday in November.
Community Education plays an important role in our schools and our communities. For more than 50 years, people of all ages have enjoyed and benefited from classes, programs and activities that inspire, teach, entertain, and engage.
Anoka-Hennepin Community Education reaches more than half a million people every year by offering hundreds of exciting and useful lifelong learning opportunities. Programs include adult enrichment, recreation and athletics, aquatics, parent involvement, Project Power for adults with disabilities, youth classes and activities, preschool, early childhood family education (ECFE), school-age care, and more!
Visit www.discovercommunityed.com to see all that Anoka-Hennepin Community Education has to offer.
Additional district news
- School Board meeting set for Monday, November 13.
- First early snowfall serves as reminder to review winter weather plans.
- Providing clarity regarding temporary postponing of some student activities.
- Special Education Advisory Council resource information night set for Nov. 16.
- Curriculum open house provides parent input opportunity.
- Bid now: Student-built luxury playhouse up for auction.
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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.