News and events
January, 2024
January 15 -- No School! (Martin Luther King Jr. Day)
January 18 -- Warm Up with Arts & Culture Event (5:00 - 7:30 pm)
January 23 -- Lion's Night Out @ Cafe Zupas (4:00 - 9:00 pm)
January 25 -- Grades 4 & 5 Band/Orchestra Recital (6:00 pm)
January 30 -- Lion's Night Out @ Urban Air (4:00 - 8:00 pm)
Warm Up with Arts & Culture Family Event
On Thursday, January 18 Lincoln Elementary School for the Arts, along with Lincoln PTO, will be hosting our first ever "Warm Up with Arts & Culture" Event.
The night will kick off with outdoor activities including ice skating and snowshoeing from 5:00-6:00 pm (weather permitting) and then move inside from 6:00-7:30 pm for some Arts & Culture activities. Beginning at 6:00 pm, food will be available for purchase from Acapulco's Taco Stand in the school cafeteria.
For the most up to date event info, including weather, check out- https://facebook.com/events/s/warm-up-with-arts-culture/1051746346130501/
Volunteers Needed! Adult and high school volunteers to help with the event. Please sign up using this link. https://www.signupgenius.com/.../5080D48AFAD23A7F49...
If you have not completed the volunteer forms, click HERE.
Message from Principal Zimmerman
Happy 2024 Lincoln Families!
I hope everyone had a wonderful and restful winter break. We were excited to welcome our students back into the building last week and are looking forward to some special things we have planned for the coming weeks.
January’s school wide focus is perseverance. Students are learning that perseverance is “pushing yourself through challenges and obstacles.” Please talk to your children about what they are learning about perseverance and how they can demonstrate perseverance in their lives!
We are looking forward to welcoming families to our winter conferences in February. While you are at conferences with your student, please check the lost and found for any items that may belong to your student.
Thank you for your partnership!
Michelle Zimmerman
Principal
Winter Conferences
Families can sign up online at myconferencetime.com/lincoln for a time to meet with their child's teacher. Conferences will be held the following days/times:
Tuesday, February 6 and Thursday, February 8
3:45 - 7:45 pm (in person)
7:45 - 8:45 pm (virtual)
Monday, February 12
3:45 - 7:05 pm (in person)
7:05 - 8:05 pm (virtual)
NOTE: Online conference sign ups will close at 4:00 on Thursday, February 1. If you need to sign up after this time, please call Lori at 763-506-3102.
Book Fair is Coming!
WHEN: Each night during conferences
WHERE: Lincoln Gym
Stop by to pick out a book or two and help support the Lincoln PTO!
Office Reminders
PARKING
Please use the visitor parking spots or an available spot in the parking lot when you need to enter school at Door 1. There is no parking along yellow curb in front of school (Door 1) other than for those vehicles assigned to those spots at the end of the school day.
STUDENT PICKUP
The safety and security of the children at Lincoln is our highest priority. As part of our school security system, any individual who arrives to pick up a student from Lincoln must present a valid driver's license or state identification card. Thank you for your cooperation with this requirement.
STUDENT DROP OFF
All student drop offs should be in the car loop in back of school until 9:00 am. If students are going to breakfast, they can enter Door 5. Students should not be dropped off in the office prior to 9:00 am.
Outdoor Recess Guidelines
All students are expected to be outside before school and during recess. With the weather turning colder, please dress your students for the daily weather conditions. During the winter months, students should have warm coats, hats, mittens, snowpants and boots. The district guideline for outdoor play is 0 degrees (-10 degrees windchill).
Above & Beyond Awards
Above & Beyond Awards nominations being accepted now through Jan. 22
If you know an Anoka-Hennepin staff member who does amazing work for children, you’re strongly encouraged to nominate them for the Above & Beyond Awards. The Above & Beyond Awards involve students, staff, parents and community members in recognizing and honoring Anoka-Hennepin staff who consistently go that extra mile so students can be successful.
Nominations are being accepted through Monday, Jan. 22, 2024.
Visit the Above & Beyond Awards website, ahschools.us/aboveandbeyond, for a nomination form or to read additional information about the awards.
The program is a joint effort of the district and the Anoka-Hennepin Educational Foundation (AHEF). The 2024 Above & Beyond Awards ceremony will take place April 3 at the Educational Service Center (ESC).
District Hiring Event
District to host hiring event for non-teaching positions Jan. 25 at Coon Rapids High School
The Anoka-Hennepin School District will host an in-person hiring event for non-teaching positions on Thursday, Jan. 25 from 3:30-6 p.m. at Coon Rapids High School located at 2340 Northdale Blvd. NW.
Attendees should park in the parking lot off Raven St. and enter the activities entrance of the school using Door 16.
Join us to learn about employment opportunities and have a same-day, on-site interview for various positions. View available positions and begin filling out an application at ahschools.us/jobs and come prepared to interview with hiring managers.
Anoka-Hennepin Schools is a great place to live and work. Our communities work together to provide residents with safe and friendly neighborhoods, high-quality schools, a wide range of business and economic opportunities, beautiful parks and abundant recreational activities.
What we offer: Eligible employees may enroll in a comprehensive benefits package.
Health, hospitalization, dental insurance.
Life and supplemental life insurance benefits.
Long-term disability plan.
Opportunities to participate in flexible benefits plans such as health savings and dependent/child care savings accounts.
Professional development opportunities.
Anoka-Hennepin has employment opportunities for any phase of your work life. Full-time, part-time and substitute positions are available, including flexible weekly schedules with hours ranging from early morning, mid-day, late afternoon or evening opportunities.
Everyone plays a role in student achievement; help your community succeed by applying today!
Visit ahschools.us/jobs or call 763-506-JOBS for more information.
Kindergarten News
Happy New Year! We hope you had a restful break!
This month in reading, some topics we will cover include: Time for Work (What do people use to do their jobs?), Meet Your Neighbors (Who are our neighbors?), and Pitch In (How can people help to make our community better?). Kindergarteners continue to work on writing sentences beginning with a capital letter and ending with punctuation. They are working on writing sight words correctly and writing beginning, middle, and end sounds.
In math we will be working on addition and subtraction story problems. We will also continue to look at numbers that can be added together to make 5, 6, and 7. We will compare and measure length and work with 5’s and 1’s using coins.
Please help your child remember to bring winter gear (labeled with their name).
Ms. Johnson, Mrs. Karsnia, Mrs. Ovitt and Mrs. Peterson
First Grade News
Hello First Grade Families!
The start to the new year has been nothing short of amazing! Your students have been busy getting back to work and learning so many new things. In the month of January your students are focusing on many new things such as...
ELA: Reading maps, plant growth, as well as ph, ch, th, sh, wh. We are also diving deeper into the syllable rabbit pattern and the -ng ending! Students have caught on to the new curriculum and are really getting the hang of all the routines!
Math: We are practicing our skills with the number line and we are working on identifying and counting coins (pennies/dimes) We are also focusing on our CoM test skills in our WIN group time! This month we will also switch our learning to penguins! We will be learning about lots of penguins and we will be using them as a math tool to help us explore measuring, counting, adding, subtracting, and of course creating! Keep an eye out for some cool penguin creations.
This month we are off to a great start! Students made some pretty awesome writing creations that we added below!
Stay warm!
Second Grade News
Welcome Back! We hope you all had a wonderful Winter Break! Now that we have a small amount of snow on the ground, please make sure that your student has the appropriate winter clothing to be outside for recess.
During the month of January we will be working on our 3rd Wonders Unit. The big idea for unit 3 is: What have you learned about the world that surprises you?
The skill we will be working on is Asking and Answering Questions about our weekly readings. Our comprehension strategies will be Main Ideas and Key Details. In writing students will be writing an opinion letter and working on the revision process.
In math, during the month of January the focus of instruction will be how inches, feet, and yards are related. We will continue to work on past skills. We will also look more closely at data and what information graphs can show us. Please continue to read at home for 20 minutes each night!
Mrs. Coubal, Mrs. Howman, Mrs. Pitzl, and Mr. Robertson
Third Grade News
Hello Grade 3 Families,
We have a lot of learning planned for the month of January! In ELA, we will be working in unit 3 and focusing on why individual qualities are important. The students will read fun folktales and interesting historical fiction and expository text. Our comprehension skills focus will be on problem and solution, cause and effect, and main idea and details. In math this month, the students will be learning how to tell time, measure distance and length, and learn about fractions.
Mrs. Luongvan, Mrs. Arendt, and Mrs. Olson
Fourth Grade News
Hello Fourth Grade Families,
We hope you had a wonderful winter break. Things are in full swing now that we are back to school. In math, we started Unit 4 which focuses on addition and subtraction. We have been learning many strategies for solving addition and subtraction problems, including the standard algorithm. Unit 4 also focuses on comparing multi-digit numbers and identifying the value of the digits. Starting this unit, you should have all gotten an optional homework packet that went home with your child. Feel free to work through it at home if you find value in it. This packet does not need to be returned to school.
Ms. Carlson and Mrs. Nye
Fifth Grade News
5th grade is excited to host families for winter conferences on 2/6, 2/8, and 2/12. Please be sure to sign up for conferences so we can meet with as many families as possible to share all the great work we are in 5th grade.
In January 5th graders got a visit from AMSA advisors to talk about 6th grade registration. These forms went home the week of the 3rd. Families should send these back to school signed and completed by January 12th.
Mr. Gamache, Mrs. Gaspar, and Mrs. Mercer
Lincoln Arts
Arts & Culture Boxes: We are still collecting artifacts and resources that will help educate our school community about the cultures that are represented by our Lincoln students, families, and community members. If you are interested in being part of this project, I would love to hear from you! Email andrea.whitcomb@ahschools.us or call 763-506-3180 to learn more! Thank you for considering!
A talented group of 4th and 5th graders are participating in Lincoln’s World Drumming Ensemble. They rehearse once a week and will perform with Champlin Park High School’s drum ensemble at the Minnesota Music Educators Association Midwinter Clinic on Feb. 15.
BAND/ORCHESTRA/CHOIR
Come support our musicians!
WHAT: Winter Band & Orchestra Recitals
DATE: Thursday, Jan. 25, 2024
TIMES: Recital #1: 6-6:30pm, Recital #2: 6:45-7:15pm, Recital #3 7:30-8pm
WHERE: Lincoln Elementary School for the Arts Gymnasium
WHAT: Winter Choir Concert
DATE: Thursday, Feb. 1, 2024
TIME: 6:00pm
WHERE: Lincoln Elementary School for the Arts Gymnasium
MCA Score Reports Available Online
Starting this school year, the Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments (MCA) Individual Score Reports for students will be available for families to access online and will no longer be sent through postal mail. The 2023 MCA report is available now for students who took a test during the 2022-23 school year and families can access the document by logging into A-HConnect or viewing it on the ParentVUE mobile app.
Who takes the MCA test? Students in grades 3-8 and in grades 10 and 11 take MCA tests each year. Current MCA reports will only be available for students who took an MCA test during the 2022-23 school year.
In addition to detailed test results, the report also includes a QR code directing families to an individualized video report of the student’s score. Parents, guardians and any person with educational rights to a student will be able to access the student’s MCA report online.
If you need assistance logging in to A-HConnect or forgot your password, call 763-506-HELP (4357) or email 506help@ahschools.us. For questions about the MCA report or for printing accommodations, please contact the main office at your child’s school.
How to view the MCA report from A-HConnect (view detailed instructions):
Login to A-HConnect.
Click on the ‘My Student Information/ParentVUE’ icon.
Select a student from the dropdown menu.
Select ‘Documents.’
Select and view ‘MCA 2023’ from the ‘Documents’ window.
The report will open as a PDF in a new tab where the capabilities to download or print will be available.
View from the ParentVUE app (view detailed instructions):
Go to the AppStore or Google Play and search for the ParentVUE app.
Enter your zip code when prompted, and select “Anoka-Hennepin School District” from the menu options.
Confirm ‘yes’ and select ‘Already Activated,’ if prompted.
Use login/password to login.
Select a student from the student list.
Select ‘Documents.’
Select and view the ‘Assessment MCA 2023’ document.
Click the share button to save or share the PDF.
Lincoln Volunteer Program
Welcome! To date, our 155+ volunteers have given 1,270+ hours of their time to help our students! They worked with our students, completed clerical projects, helped with PTO and parties, etc. Thank you volunteers!
Volunteer Opportunities- Complete Lincoln Volunteer Forms and contact the VSC today!
* K-Skillbuilder
* Gr 1 & 2 Reading [Note: Gr 1 Reading is paused as we look for a new timeslot]
* Enrichment- Challenge Reading / Math Plus
* Mystery Readers
* Helper- Art / Clerical / Lost-n-Found
* PTO Fundraising (Co-Chair, Box Tops) / Events Co-Chair / Events Photographer
* PTO/School Warm Up with Arts/Culture / Book Fair / Staff Appreciation / Carnival
* Arts Jam (Tri 2)
Building emergencies/drills info for volunteers [Info posters are by doors in each room]
* Evacuate/Fire- go to the closest safe exit out of the building
* Shelter/Weather- go to cafe, in basement
* Hold- keep out of hallways
* Lockdown- go to the closest lockable room (classrooms, offices, work rooms)
* Lockout- go about your duties, may not exit or enter the building
You’ll follow and assist the nearest staff and remain w/staff until the “all clear” announcement. If you’re here after school/evening, a building custodian is available.
Guidelines for Volunteering
* Accept direction and supervision from staff/persons in charge, Staff are responsible for decisions on student instruction, safety, and discipline
* Present a positive appearance to our students and community, dress appropriately
* Be dependable, students, staff, & volunteers count on you to be on time and as promised
* Keep good communications w/staff, VSC, and other volunteers
* Maintain confidentiality and respect the privacy of all students, staff and volunteers, never repeat anything you have heard or seen about individuals while volunteering
* Be aware of cultural diversity and work positively with one another
* Work within volunteer assignments and ask if you have questions
* Report your volunteer hours (via sign-in/out clipboard or email for offsite), this assists with job or college applications, tracks how volunteers are utilized, helps plan, and recognizes volunteers' contributions
* Contact students only inside your volunteer assignment and work in a highly visible area as possible
* Never have access to student records, diagnose student needs or achievement, counsel students, nor post photos on social media
* Follow District and School policies such as technology use, bullying/harassment, mandated reporters, and drugs/tobacco/weapons
If you have any questions or need information, please let me know.
Diana Orr / Volunteer Services Coordinator (VSC)
Diana.Orr@ahschools.us / 763-506-3130
Tuesday 8a.m. - 3p.m. / Wednesday and Thursday 8a.m. - 2:45p.m. (schedule may vary)
Volunteer handbook - Manual para voluntarios / Safeguard Privacy / Field Trip Chaperone
PTO News
Thanks to all the Lincoln Families for your continued support of the PTO!
Show your support for Lincoln students by joining the PTO at one of the two upcoming Lion's Night Out opportunities: Cafe Zupas on 1/23 from 4-9pm and Urban Air on 1/30 from 4-8pm. Keep an eye out for a flier with more information in the days to come!
Show the love for your teachers this February by supporting the PTO as they provide Conference Meals on 2/6 and 2/8 for our hardworking staff, sign up links will be coming out shortly. During conferences on the 6th, 8th, and 12th, we will also be hosting our 1st Book Fair on CARTS!! Come and support your students' love of reading with a new book for the new year!
Upcoming Meetings:
January 11th and February 8th from 6:00-7:30 pm in the conference room at Lincoln. Enter on South St (door 6). Childcare available for potty trained children during the meeting. Or join us virtually with the meeting code: https://meet.google.com/uzr-oofz-wgt
Community Education
FEATURED CLASS- 01/10: Basketball Program
Hello from Community Education! We are looking forward to our upcoming classes and would love to see your student enrolled. Register now to ensure a spot for one of our many activities including:
01/10: Basketball Program
01/22: Chess Club
01/22: ArtVentures Club
01/22: Winter Sports Sampler
Questions about Community Ed?
Please contact Tricia Josephs at tricia.josephs@ahschools.us or 763-506-4012
Need help with online registration?
Please contact Erinn Gardiner at 763-506-5144
*Financial assistance available if needed, please call to inquire
Free Online Parenting Workshops
Anoka Hennepin Early Childhood is offering free online workshops for parents. See below for information regarding upcoming workshops in January and February.
Parent/Family Resources
Parent Engage 360 podcast- aims to provide parents/guardians with knowledge from experts and tools needed to support their children. Anoka-Hennepin Schools realize the importance of parent engagement in maximizing student success. We hope that providing timely and helpful information through this series will strengthen that bond between school and home with resources parents/guardians can use and share with others. Tune in via Podbean, Apple Podcasts, District Website, Spotify, Amazon Music/Audible, iHeartRadio, & Samsung Podcasts. Parent Engage 360 Event- Join parents/guardians from the Anoka-Hennepin Schools community for info & resources to support the needs of students. Next Event: You’re the Expert: How to successfully advocate for your child, Beth Lovre, Family Peer Educator, National Alliance on Mental Illness Minnesota, Thurs., Feb 29th, 6:30-7:30p.m., Champlin Park High School auditorium Register here
Parent Involvement [PI] Facebook- has info on what's happening in the district and PI (fundraisers, events, volunteering, PI team activities, etc.). PI Free training workshops- gives parent/teacher organizations, booster clubs & nonprofits a boost as they help support the efforts of Anoka-Hennepin students, schools and community. Next Workshop: Fundraising Vendor and Mini-workshop Fair, connect with vendors, talk to experts, attend sessions and network, Wed., Feb 28th, 4-7p.m., ESC 2727 N. Ferry St., Anoka- enter door 7 Participant Registration and Vendor Registration The Bolster (subscribe)- a newsletter for PTO’s and Booster Clubs that shares resources, ideas, and tips to improve their organization.
Parent Resource Center (PRC)- is located at the AHSD Educational Service Center (ESC) and lends library materials to parents, families, and staff. Families are welcome to browse our library- Online: PRC library/Use Library Name: AHPRC (no password required)/ Visit us on the Web / Follow on Facebook and Instagram Stop-in: Use the self-service check-out and return. Enter Door 1 on the west side of the ESC (2727 N. Ferry St, Anoka, MN 55303) Phone: 763-506-1587 or 763-506-1278 to discuss your resource requests. Selections can be delivered to your school and sent home with your child.
Parental Advisory Committee for Racial and Ethnic Equity (PACREE)- helps create racial and ethnic equity in the Anoka-Hennepin School District by creating successful students with a sense of belonging. This committee empowers parents from racially and ethnically underserved communities to advocate for their students.
Meetings held 5 - 7 p.m., 2nd Tuesday of the month, virtual, Sept-May, (No Dec & March). For more info, contact Darron Sherrill, Assistant Director of Student Services- Diversity, Equity, & Inclusion, 763-506-1151, Darron.Sherrill@ahschools.us.
LINCOLN SPIRIT WEAR
Lincoln spirit wear is available online for all families to purchase. If interested in purchasing spirit wear, please visit our vendor Innovations Plus. Items are available for purchase 24/7 and can be shipped to your home or to the school.
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