Backpack Online - April 1, 2024
April 1, 2024
High school graduation rates increase, outperform state average for 2023
Graduation rates for students in the Anoka-Hennepin School District increased for 2023 and continue to outperform the state average, graduating 86.7% of all seniors in four years.
📈 Outpacing the state: Anoka-Hennepin continues to outpace the state graduation average overall by 3.4% and outperforms the state in all but one student group. Student demographics in the Anoka-Hennepin School District closely mirror averages across the state of Minnesota.
🎓 Reaching higher: The 2023 overall district graduation rate increased 0.7% from last year, 2% less than the district’s all-time highest district graduation rate in 2021, resulting in the second highest rate in history.
- Graduation rates increased for 12 of the 15 measured student groups.
- Four of the five traditional high schools achieved graduation rates over 90%.
📚 Why it matters: Graduation rates are one of the five main data points used to measure student performance in the World's Best Workforce monitoring system, developed by the Minnesota Department of Education to ensure schools enhance student achievement through teaching and learning support. Other key performance indicators include kindergarten readiness, reducing performance gaps between student groups, and college and career readiness.
In the news: Superintendent Cory McIntyre discusses graduation rates on KARE 11
Annual elementary art fair runs April 2-11 at Northtown Mall
Anoka-Hennepin’s annual elementary art fair will be on display at Northtown Mall in Blaine starting April 2-11 during mall hours.
🎨 Art teachers across the district have selected works for display that can be viewed in the rotunda near the Becker Furniture store. Northtown Mall is open from 11 a.m. to 8 p.m. Monday through Saturday and 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Sundays.
The top 10% of artwork from throughout this school year was selected for display at the art fair, showcasing work that exceeded the expectations of the project guidelines. Students whose artwork was selected received a letter and certificate and can see their work on display.
Register now for summer classes and activities
It’s time to gear up for a season filled with excitement and enrichment! Anoka-Hennepin Community Education offers classes and activities for youth from preschool to grade eight, providing a perfect blend of learning and fun.
Whether your child is passionate about sports, arts, sciences, or simply looking to explore new interests, it’s covered! Summer programming is designed to foster personal growth, creativity, and social interaction.
- 🔍 View the summer flyer and follow the links to register.
- 👩🏻💻 Browse the classes online.
Adults: Community Education offers something for you also. See what exciting adult classes are being offered this spring!
SROs: School/police partnership returns following state law update
School Resources Officers are returning to Anoka-Hennepin Schools following a state law update that suspended the program in most schools from the start of the 2023-24 school year.
At the School Board meeting Monday, March 25, chief operations officer Greg Cole; and manager of security and emergency operations Tim Fournier; provided an update to the community regarding the status of School Resource Officers (SRO) in schools. View the presentation.
What’s happening now: SROs returned to school sites without SRO coverage quickly following the law update in alignment with the School Board legislative priority. Officers from the City of Coon Rapids remained in service in the four schools covered in that city. Work with area law enforcement partners on revised agreements continues with consideration from governing bodies expected over the next several weeks.
Anoka-Hennepin Schools partners with six local law enforcement agencies to provide 12 SROs, providing service to schools across the district:
- Anoka Police Department
- Anoka County Sheriff’s Office
- Blaine Police Department
- Brooklyn Park Police Department
- Champlin Police Department
- Coon Rapids Police Department
Safe and welcoming schools: The SRO program supports Anoka-Hennepin’s strategic priority to ensure schools are safe and welcoming. The district utilizes a multi-layered approach to protect the safety of students and staff. School culture and climate and safety benefit from the SRO partnership that works in coordination with structural and physical systems, controlled single-point entries, visitor management systems, staff training and more.
Parent Engage 360 event
Join parents and guardians from the Anoka-Hennepin Schools community for information and resources to support the needs of students today.
What to expect: The last Parent Engage 360 event of the 2023-24 school year will be held on Monday, April 1 at 6:30 p.m. at the Andover High School auditorium. The featured guest speaker will be Gabby Fitzgerald, Director of Education with myHealth for Teens and Young Adults. Anoka-Hennepin Chemical Health Prevention Specialists Josh VanHeuveln and Abigail Rice will also participate in the event to share resources and information with parents and guardians about tobacco and vaping prevention.
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.
To learn more and register to attend this event, please visit ahschools.us/parentengage360.
Learn more about Parent Engage 360: Parent Engage 360 events aim to provide resources to parents and guardians to support their students and others in the community. Anoka-Hennepin Schools realize the importance of parent engagement in maximizing student success.
🎙️Tune in for more: For more resources, tune in to the award-winning Parent Engage 360 Podcast which is available on Podbean, Apple Podcasts, Amazon Music/Audible, Spotify, iHeartRadio and Samsung Podcasts.
District American Indian Education program to host powwow on April 13
The Anoka-Hennepin American Indian Education program will co-host a powwow at Champlin Park High School on Saturday, April 13. The event begins at 11 a.m. and is free and open to the public.
Anoka-Hennepin is co-hosting the event with American Indian Education programs from Elk River Area Schools, Fridley Public Schools, Roseville Area Schools and St. Michal-Albertville Schools.
Activities will include special exhibitions, Native vendors, breakout sessions, a Grand Entry at 1, and a fest at 5 p.m.
Bear Runner will serve as the host drums while Little Earth Singers, Hoka Hey and Southern Boyz will perform as invite drums. Zack Red Bear will be the head male dancer and Holly Henning the head female dancer.
District staff recognized for going Above & Beyond
Anoka-Hennepin Schools has a tradition of involving students, families, community members and staff members in recognizing and honoring employees that consistently go that extra mile so students can be successful. During the next three weeks, the 2024 Above & Beyond Awards recipients will be featured. Learn more about the Above & Beyond awards.
📅 The 2024 Above & Beyond Awards ceremony honoring 15 recipients will take place April 3 at the Educational Service Center (ESC). Stay tuned to the Anoka-Hennepin School District website to watch the live stream or archive of the event.
Sheila A. Joslin
“Sheila is the glue that holds this school together! She goes above and beyond every single day in hundreds of ways. She is the go-to person at our school and always seems to know the answer and what to do.” - Patricia Clark, teacher at Oxbow Creek Elementary.
School office supervisor Sheila Joslin has been with Anoka-Hennepin for 34 years, with the past 25 of them being at Oxbow Creek Elementary School. She’s often the first point of contact for new families enrolling at Oxbow Creek, or a friendly face for families and students with questions or concerns. Read more about Sheila A. Joslin.
Mindy Meyers, Waapishki Kiisis Ikwe
“Mindy is driven by a deep care for her students, families and community. Her unique combination of warmth, engagement and thoughtful advocacy, as well as her ‘lead by example’ approach to her work, inspires others around her to be better to support the good and essential work she leads.” - Nate Manaen, Anoka-Hennepin Director of Student Services.
Over the last 11 years, Mindy Meyers, Waapishki Kiisis Ikwe has used her value in service to the community as a tool to help grow and support students in Anoka-Hennepin’s American Indian Education program.
She works closely with community members and elders outside of her workday to stay present and connected to the local Indigenous community and continues to advocate for things that matter to families, including language instruction, cultural instruction, discipline reduction and academic success for American Indian students. Read more about Mindy Meyers.
Bich Lieu Nguyen
“Bich consistently goes above and beyond her job duties by actively seeking opportunities to enhance efficiency and customer service. Her dedication to improving workflows demonstrates a commitment to exceeding expectations and creating a positive impact within the organization.” - Tiffany Audette, Anoka-Hennepin Director of Purchasing.
Bich Lieu Nguyen, instructional technology facilitator at the Educational Service Center (ESC), is a role model for staff at the Anoka-Hennepin School District. Nguyen serves as a lead mentor for the teachers of color mentorship program, where she helps to organize events, provides resources and supports teachers in any way she can. Read more about Bich Lieu Nguyen.
Corinna C Nunnery
“She consistently goes the extra mile to not only exceed her duties as site coordinator, but also to offer extra support to Adventure’s Plus staff and students.” - Kacey Joslin, Anoka-Hennepin staff member.
Supervising 18 staff members and more than 200 students outside of regular school hours is a big job, but Corinna Nunnery, a site coordinator with the Adventures Plus school-age child care program at Oxbow Creek Elementary, is dedicated to providing students and staff with the support they need to be successful. Read more about Corinna C Nunnery.
Ray Richardson
“Leading by example, he has significantly elevated morale and transformed the culture within his team and the broader district community. Ray's unparalleled knowledge and skillset, combined with his willingness to teach, coach and mentor make him an invaluable asset.” - Ben Martinson, director, buildings & grounds.
With a selfless attitude and a smile on his face, Ray Richardson, a maintenance manager in the buildings & grounds department, has created a positive working environment and made important connections with community partners. Read more about Ray Richardson.
Eighth-graders learn from their peers at the annual district choir festival
🎶 Around 250 students attended the Anoka-Hennepin Eighth Grade Choir Festival March 28 and participated in a workshop session where they rehearsed with guest clinician Amy Johnson, the choir teacher at Coon Rapids High School, to sing two songs together, I Dream a World and Give us Hope.
After performing two songs as a collective, each school had the opportunity to perform a song in front of their peers. The goal of the festival is to build a sense of why singing is important and how singing in a choir is beneficial to students.
“The opportunity to listen to singers from other schools and hear they are working on the same things is really beneficial,” Johnson said. “To hear that their peers are doing that work is such a huge boom to their confidence and to their belief that they’re capable – which is the primary driver of success for a developing voice.”
Special Education Advisory Council Resource Information Night set for April 4
The Anoka-Hennepin Schools Special Education Advisory Council (SEAC) is hosting a resource information night on Thursday, April 4 for families of students with special needs to learn about resources available in the community.. Vendors for sports, camps, community service, and a post-secondary college program will be in attendance.
- When: Thursday, April 4 from 6-7:30 p.m.
- Where: Educational Service Center, 2727 N Ferry St., Anoka.
- Enter through Door 7
- Rooms 112 and 113
- Families will be able to speak with various vendors at stations that will be set up in the rooms.
The big picture: The SEAC intends to provide tools and resources to help guardians of children receiving special education services and collaborate with the district to promote continuous growth of special education services to best meet the needs of students.
Who’s making a difference: The council is a partnership between parents/guardians and the school district and meets four times (three in person and one virtual) during the school year. Members serve as representatives of district learners with disabilities from birth through age 22. SEAC strives to promote, educate and share resources between families, schools, and communities.
Recap: Winter weather decisions are a comprehensive, team effort
The decision to cancel school is a serious one and the district utilizes a variety of information sources to guide these decisions. Please understand that it is always the first choice of the district to hold school. When school is canceled, the district aims to provide staff and families as much time as possible to plan for child care or transportation needs they may have as a result.
The big picture: Due to the size and complexity of the district’s transportation system and the variety and range of weather that can be experienced across the district, many factors contribute to making a decision about school operations when weather events occur.
Additional district news
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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.