News and events
September 29, 2024
Upcoming events
September 30th - Late Start - 8:30 am
October 3rd - Conferences 2:50 - 8:35 pm
October 7th - Late Start with Advisory - 8:30 am
October 8th - Blaine Cluster Budget Reduction Meeting 6:00 - 7:00 pm
October 14th - Regular Start
October 17th and 18th - No School - MEA
October 20th - Next Newsletter
November 12th - Lifetouch Picture Retake Day
A message from the administration team
It is important that Blaine High School students be on time for learning. When students are on time for school and class, it positively impacts the school climate by maximizing instructional time, resulting in fewer disruptions and increased learning in our classrooms.
We expect our students to arrive at school on time and to be on time for learning throughout the school day. Students have six minutes of passing time, which is enough time to get to any classroom in the building. The students have several supports to help them get to class on time including countdown clocks in the hallways that tell students exactly how much time is left during passing time, a “warning bell” that alerts students when there are three minutes left in passing time, music that plays indicating they have less than two minutes before class starts, and several staff members in the hall encouraging students to move to class.
Please remind your student of the following:
If your student drives to school, please remind them that they should arrive prior to 7:40, with adequate time to take care of personal business and be in class before 7:40, the time school starts. Drivers with excessive tardies could have their parking permit revoked.
If you have any questions, contact your child's counselor or assistant principal . Thank you in advance for encouraging your student driver to be on time for learning.
Thank you
The Blaine High School Administrative Team
Activities
Winter Activity Registration
WINTER ACTIVITY REGISTRATION – Will Open Monday, October 14th
Registration for winter activities will open on Monday, October 14th in Schoolpay. Click HERE for registration instructions and how to check your sports physical date. Students must be registered in order to participate.
Please see the activity specific websites to find practice/tryout information as well as the start date of the activity for which you are registering.
Your sports physical must be within the last 3 years and valid for the entire season.
If you need to turn in a Sports Physical:
*Please email it to molly.gamble@ahschools.us*
Winter Player- Informational Meetings
WINTER PLAYER INFORMATION MEETINGS – Monday, October 21
If you are interested in joining any of the below winter sports, please attend the informational meeting during the late start time.
Monday, October 21
7:40am – 8:15am
Wrestling – Wrestling Room
Boys Hockey – NE2100
Boys Basketball – Room 156/157
Girls Basketball – SW170
Girls Hockey – Room 123
Boys Swim & Dive – Room 253
Gymnastics – (will meet on 10/23 – from 5:30-6:30pm in room SW170)
Fall PSEO Monday Morning Mini Session
Room SW 170
October 21st
7:30-8:20 am
This optional mini session is for current PSEO students and students wanting to begin PSEO classes in semester 2 of this school year. There will be a brief presentation for students new to PSEO and a Q & A for current PSEO students who need some help with class choices and planning. Notice of Student Registration forms for semester 2 can be found on the BHS PSEO webpage and can be emailed to your specific counselor prior to the end of trimester 1.
Steps for current PSEO students to complete:
Turn in a signed NOSR form to your PSEO college
Choose your classes at your college with your college advisor
Make sure your college schedule works with your trimester 2 & 3 high school schedule
Email your school counselor your college schedule and a list HS courses to be dropped
Career Center
October is College Knowledge Month in Minnesota
The goal of College Knowledge Month is to provide every graduating high school senior with the preparation, opportunity, and support needed to apply to college. This month-long effort each October allows students to apply to many colleges across the state for free. Many colleges are also hosting events on campus to help engage students. Check out specific websites for details. For a list of schools waiving the fee during October, click here.
As always, if the fee is ever a barrier for anything - please reach out for help.
**Many colleges will have Open Houses in October and special visit events on the weekends and during MEA break. Check out college websites to see their visit opportunities.**
Upcoming College Fairs:
Free MN Wild College Fair - Tuesday, October 1, 2024
High School students are invited to attend our inaugural Minnesota Wild College Fair. Guests have the opportunity to attend a short presentation and visit with 40 Colleges/Universities prior to the Wild taking on the Blackhawks for $25 admissions price. MN Wild College Fair - Oct. 1 College Fair Wild game Flyer
Blaine High School College Fairs - Every week in October during all lunches.
All BHS students will have the opportunity to attend a small fair each week during the month of October! Students are encouraged to see the attendees list in advance and have respectful conversations with the expert visitors in our building to learn more about these opportunities!
NACCAP Christian College Fair - October 21, 2024
NACCAP Christian College Fair: 6-8pm at Heritage Christian Academy in Maple Grove. Over 20 Christian Private Colleges will be in attendance. Click here to register.
National College Fair - October 22nd and 23rd
The National College Fair will be at the Minneapolis Convention Center. Admission representatives from schools across the country are all gathered in one place. Their goal: To encourage you to learn more about their institutions, and help you sort through the qualities you’re looking for in a college. National College Fair- Minnesota
Financial Aid Events
Ready, Set, FAFSA - beginning Tuesday, October 1
Join us for virtual college and financial aid events, Tuesday evenings in October. The series - Ready Set FAFSA! - will cover college planning and financial aid basics with professionals and live Q & A. The events are free for MN students and families. Interpreters are available in Hmong, Spanish, Somali. Visit bit.ly/RSFAFSA for more information and to register.
Career Events
Mayo Clinic School of Health Science: Opportunities for students (multiple Oct. - Nov. dates)
Exciting upcoming opportunities for your students at Mayo Clinic School of Health Sciences. These programs provide hands-on learning experiences in various health science fields, ideal for students considering careers in healthcare.
Law Enforcement Career Fair -Wednesday, October 9th from 10:00 am - 2:00 pm
Law Enforcement Career Fair: The Career Fair provides a tremendous opportunity for attendees to meet representatives from law enforcement, criminal justice, corrections and higher education to learn about career and educational opportunities in these professions, and the required training and education. Representatives from local, county, state and federal law enforcement, criminal justice, corrections agencies, and higher education institutions will recruit and provide information on job openings and educational requirements. This event is open and free to the public. The career fair will be held at the Public Safety and Police Science Center - Metro State University located at 9110 Brooklyn Boulevard, Brooklyn Park, MN.
Electrician Field Trip
Students from Anoka-Hennepin high schools had the opportunity to learn about electrical and construction industries through visits at the Minneapolis Electrical JATC - an apprenticeship for electricians and Great River Energy - a not-for-profit wholesale electric power cooperative serving 27 member-owned distribution cooperatives. Thanks for a great day!
Business Professionals of America (BPA)
From Your Closet to a Child's Back: Coats for Kids Drive
The Blaine High School (BHS) chapter of Business Professionals of America (BPA) is excited to announce its 31st annual Coats for Kids drive, running from September 16 through October 19. We invite students, staff, and community members to donate new or gently used coats at the BHS main entrance during school hours.
Last year, BHS proudly collected over 800 coats, and this year, our goal is to gather 600. Over the past 30 years, Blaine BPA has donated more than 14,000 coats to help children in need. Students can reach out to our senior co-chairs Kreem Ibrahim, Sarah Huynh, or Teni Adeogun to learn more on how to donate coats.
Coats for Kids, established in 1986, ensures that children in our community have warm coats during the winter. To date, the organization has distributed over 463,500 coats to local kids.
Now is the perfect time to clean out your closets and contribute to this great cause. Drop off your donations starting September 16 at BHS. For more information or to schedule a drop-off, please contact Holly Boisjolie, BPA Advisor, at 763.506.6540 or holly.boisjolie@ahschools.us.
Bengal Den Team Prepares for a Successful Year
The Bengal Den wouldn’t be where it is today without the hard work and dedication of Senior Managers Justin Sworr, Emily Tran, and Issey Phan. Since mid-August, this outstanding trio has taken on the responsibility of preparing the store to open and ensuring its success. They not only collaborated on store setup, but also created new promotions, trained fellow classmates, developed schedules, brought in new products and organized Homecoming sales at Blaine, Northdale, and Roosevelt Middle Schools. Their commitment to these tasks has been nothing short of impressive.
As a team they shared, “we wanted to focus on broadening our presence on social media to engage a greater audience. We also want to create a fun, energetic, and welcoming environment in the store! We’re excited to help create new products and to show everyone what we’ve been working on! We hope that everyone gets to stop in and check out the Bengal Den this year, it won’t disappoint!”
Be sure to follow the Bengal Den on Instagram to stay updated with the latest news and products!
Health Office
Have information to share with the BHS Health Office Nurses? Please email to bhshealthservices@ahschools.us
New Staff
Celine Herrera - English
My name is Celine Herrera (she/her/hers) and I am so excited to be joining Blaine High School as a 10th grade English teacher and Yearbook co-advisor this year. This is my fourth year working in education and I have previously taught in the states of California and Oregon. I have a Master’s degree in Teaching from Saint Mary’s College of California, a Master’s degree in Digital Audience Strategy from Arizona State University, and a Bachelor’s degree in Broadcast and Electronic Communication Arts with a minor in journalism from San Francisco State University. Outside of school, I love to travel, read, and listen to Taylor Swift.
Kelsey Petersen - Counselor
My name is Kelsey Petersen and I am excited to be joining the BHS community as a counselor. For the past 7 years I have had the opportunity to grow and teach at various international schools in Chiang Mai, Thailand, and Phuket, Thailand. During this time I was able to travel all around Southeast Asia. I spent this summer moving back to Minnesota as well as spending lots of time up north on the lake and the golf course. I spend a lot of my free time with my family, trying out new restaurants, and planning my next travel adventure.
Youth Service
My name is Robin Chambers, and I am Blaine High School’s Youth Service Coordinator. It is my job to connect students with the community and meaningful leadership and service opportunities. Click here to get connected!
Here are ways that your student (9th-12th) can get involved:
Do they need volunteer hours for one of their classes or clubs? Have your student join our BHS Volunteer Services Google Classroom - en3ugdt
Bengals in Action - Are they looking for a club to be a part of? Check out the Bengals in Action Youth Service Club. This is a free club with a flexible schedule. We meet all late starts and one Wednesday after school per month. This club will connect your students to others, provide leadership opportunities, and give them an opportunity to “letter” in an activity. Learn more in the BIA Google Classroom - xad575e
President’s Volunteer Service Award – this award recognizes students for volunteer hours completed within a calendar year. Any volunteer service from January 1 – December 31, 2024, will be considered for this award. There are different levels depending on ages and the amount of hours volunteered. To apply, please fill out and return the form available in the BHS Volunteer Google Classroom or click the link above.
Volunteer Service Transcripts - Students can request their volunteer transcript where any hours completed and turned in will be listed. This will include past Civics, NHS, AVID, and other volunteer hours. They can use this for their portfolio or when applying for scholarships. To request one, please have your student email me at robin.chambers@ahschools.us. They are able to turn in any volunteer hours they have completed during high school (all grade levels and summers count). They should have these verified by the organization, but they can be added any time.
Volunteer news
All volunteers must fill out a BHS Volunteer Application for the 2024-25 school year.
How to Volunteer with Anoka-Hennepin Schools
We are so happy you’re interested in helping our Bengal community!
Please see below for more information on opportunities and sign ups.
October 3 - Conference Snack Donations
Parent-teacher conferences are in just a few days, and our teachers will need healthy, hearty, and delicious snacks to fuel them through the evening. Here is the sign up to donate food, beverages, and/or time: 10/3 Conference Snacks
Year-Round: Cafeteria Servers
If you would like to help our child nutrition staff with light kitchen duties, please contact paula.miller@ahschools.us and I will get you set up!
Attention Booster Clubs:
Anoka-Hennepin Parent Involvement is offering free training workshops this fall and a fundraising vendor fair this winter! Click here to register for workshops and here is a flyer explaining more. Parent Involvement has also created a Guide to Vendors and Resources.
MANY THANKS!
A great big thank you to our volunteers who helped at our August and September events: Open House, P.E. Padlock Distribution, Senior ID Handout, Picture Day, and the Homecoming Dance.
Thank you also to our amazing volunteer fall sports & activities coaches!
We’ve had over 6,400 volunteer hours completed at Blaine High School since July 1. You have made a difference and got our school year off to a great start!
BHS Volunteer Services Coordinator (VSC): Paula Miller
763-506-6530
Yearbook
- Bengals, please make sure you order your Yearbooks as soon as possible. Yearbooks are currently $75 and can be purchased through Jostens. Prices will go up to $80 on October 1st. We sold out last year, so don't wait. Order your Blaine High School yearbook today!
- Attention all Senior Families! Create a heartfelt baby ad to celebrate your student's achievements in the yearbook.The link to purchase an ad can be found HERE. Ads must be submitted by December 20th.
Theatre
Theatre Production of And Then There Were None
Blaine Swim and Dive Craft Fair
Blaine Swim and Dive Craft Fair
Saturday, October 19th
9 am - 3 pm
Blaine High School Activity Center
Senior All-Night Party
Attention 2025 senior parents interested in helping to plan the 2025 Blaine Senior All-Night Party….
The 2024 senior party planning committee would like to meet you in the bar area of Bowlero Blaine on Monday, October 14th at 6:30pm to hand off the planning process for the 2025 Senior All Night Party!
The party is for 2025 Blaine High School graduates, run by the parents of the graduates and is in no way sponsored by or associated with Blaine High School or Anoka-Hennepin ISD 11.
This e-newsletter is published by Blaine High School. Questions, comments or concerns about the school e-newsletter? Contact us.