Crimson Newsletter - Aug. 19, 2024
August 19, 2024
Gearing up for school!
**Please see the next item below for updated and strengthened expectations regarding students' personal electronic devices (primarily cell phones) at school.
The start of fall activities at Maple Grove marks the school year beginning. As hundreds of Crimson students arrived at school or their off-site locations in the early morning hours on Monday, August 12, it hit home that a new school year is upon us. It has been great to see returning and new Crimson students as they head to and from their respective practices!
The next big event is Student Orientation this Wednesday, August 21; a postcard invitation should have arrived by now. We look forward to welcoming the new Crimson Class of 2028 and all returning students at their respective times (see article below for more information).
Our new Crimson staff members will also report this week for in-service and professional development. They bring great skill sets and attributes, and we expect them to blend right in with our veteran Crimson staff to serve our fantastic students.
A couple quick items:
- If your student(s) plan on driving during first trimester, please head over to EduTrak to purchase the parking permit.
- A great bargain for students planning on attending home regular season games throughout the year: Student activity passes are available on EduTrak are for $30. Buy now and save for the future!
- Please see our student/family handbook for information about anything and everything Maple Grove Senior High.
As previously shared, we want every Crimson student to be involved in Maple Grove with something bigger than themselves! Each student will have every opportunity to engage in our school beyond their academic journey from which they can harness in their passions through student groups, clubs, sports and fine arts programs:
Click here for the full list of extra and co-curricular activities (as of the conclusion of the 2023-24 school year). **Is there something missing? Students can form new groups! They can contact our Activities Office for more information.
Click here for the Crimson Activities website which includes information for all athletics throughout the school year.
Communication is a top priority, so I strongly encourage you to connect to our school outlets:
X (formerly Twitter)
I invite you to connect with me, as well. I do my best to regularly post the highlights of our Crimson Family as well as important information for students and families:
I can't wait to welcome everybody to Crimson Orientation and the first day of school on Tuesday, September 3! We're set to have a fantastic school year at Maple Grove, and I am honored to partner with you for the success of our students!
Feel free to reach out with any questions: beckerb@district279.org
On we go!
Yours very respectfully,
Bart Becker, Principal
Stronger expectations to support learning and instruction
The 2024-25 school year will begin with stronger expectations of students and staff for the learning and teaching environment. Students' personal electronic devices – most notably cell phones, but also ear buds, headphones, etc. – will be expected to be powered off and put away, out of sight, during instructional time. We are joining an increasing number of metro high schools implementing similar expectations.
Acknowledging the role cell phones play in our daily lives for communication and personal entertainment, the patterns of distraction to the learning environment are undeniable. And with each passing year those distractions seem to grow. The time has come to raise our expectations to foster a stronger and more focused classroom and learning environment at Maple Grove.
Students may still use their personal devices during passing times and lunch, but when the bell rings to begin class, everything must be powered off and put away. This building-wide expectation will support student engagement and teacher instruction to foster richer learning experiences of inquiry, collaboration, and discovery.
What if families need to contact your student during the school day? We request families call the main number, (763) 391-8700, and our office staff will promptly see that any important messages are delivered to students. Schools operated this way for ages, and we can do it again. Remember, too, students will be permitted to use their cell phones during passing times and lunch – added together, this amounts to 55 total minutes each day! They’ll be just fine.
I will lead off the school year by announcing over the PA these expectations to students. If a student chooses to use their cell phone or personal device during instructional time anywhere in the building, it may be confiscated by staff members and brought to our main office for collection at the end of the school day. Families will receive a notification by email, text, or phone call. Please see page 16 of our student/family handbook for more information.
Thank you for your continued collaboration and partnership to strengthen our learning and teaching experiences at Maple Grove. We're very proud of our school and culture, and we always strive to improve. This is one part of the larger effort to better serve our Crimson students and families.
Crimson students are invited to Back to School Orientation at Maple Grove Senior High on Wednesday, August 21.
- Tentative student schedules will be viewable
- Eligible students will be able to pick-up their first trimester parking permits (must have valid driver's license)
- Learn about athletics, fine arts, and student groups
- School pictures will be taken with Kemmetmueller Photography; photos are required for all students to receive a valid 2024-2025 school ID.
Freshman attend from 8:00 a.m. to 12:00 p.m., hosted by our Crimson Link Crew! Families drop off students at the main entrance (Door A), and we'll take it from there.
Sophomores, juniors, and seniors attend on a drop-in basis during the hours listed below.
- 10th Grade – 12:00 p.m. to 1:00 p.m.
- 11th Grade – 1:00 p.m. to 2:00 p.m.
- 12th Grade – 2:00 p.m. to 3:00 p.m.
If your student is unable to attend Crimson Orientation, have no worries! We will have Link Leaders and school staff readily available to assist on the first days of school to help every student find their way across the school.
A common question for incoming 9th graders is regarding school supplies. There is no supply list for high school; encourage your student to bring the basics and teachers will communicate accordingly if anything further is needed for class.
Mark your calendars for Tuesday, September 10, as Maple Grove Senior High will be hosting our annual Learning Conference from 4:00 p.m. – 7:00 p.m.
A welcoming meeting will begin in the auditorium at 4:00 p.m., and then families will attend class sessions according to their student’s daily schedule. Families can expect to experience the following:
- meeting teachers and Crimson staff members,
- learning about course standards, class expectations, assessments, and
- experiencing the school and classroom environments in which their student learns.
We hope to see you there!
- August 21: Crimson Student Orientation
- August 26: Licensed staff reports
- September 3: First day of school
- September 10: Learning conferences
- September 16: Picture make-up day
- September 23-27: Homecoming week
- September 28: Homecoming dance
- October 8 and 14: Mid-trimester conferences
- October 11: Picture retake day
- October 17-18: No school (MEA weekend)
