In the Know - May 13, 2024
The Move to Medica: Pharmacy benefits
Starting Sept. 1, 2024, Medica will be the provider for Anoka-Hennepin health insurance benefits. Open enrollment will run from May 28 through June 12.
The Medica plan covers a variety of prescription drugs and includes options for filling your prescriptions. If you take prescription drugs, you will want to review how your current drugs will be covered under the new plan to avoid any delays in filling prescriptions when the new plan starts on Sept. 1.
Anoka-Hennepin School’s pharmacy benefit remains a three-tier benefit with:
- Generic per prescription unit at a $10 copay
- Preferred brand per prescription unit at a $25 copay
- Non-preferred brand per prescription unit at a $50 copay
Learn more about prescription drug coverage with the Medica plan.
More resources on Pharmacy benefits are available on the pre-enrollment website at ahschools.welcometomedica.com.
District receives Excellence in Financial Reporting Award for 22nd straight year
🏅The Association of School Business Officials International (ASBO) awarded Anoka-Hennepin Schools the Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting (COE). The school district earned the Certificate of Excellence for its Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) for the fiscal year ending June 30, 2023.
Why it matters: ASBO International’s COE recognizes districts that have met the program’s high standards for financial reporting and transparency.
Consistency is key: 🔑 This marks the 22nd straight year of earning the recognition.
Background: To be considered for the award, school districts must submit their Annual Comprehensive Financial Report (ACFR) for review by a team of financial professionals who provide feedback to improve future documents. Districts whose ACFR complies with all key program criteria are eligible for the award. Anoka-Hennepin Schools posts its ACFR annually on the district website with annual reports and evaluations.
Live coverage for upcoming high school graduation ceremonies
🎓 Anoka-Hennepin will hold graduation ceremonies for Andover, Blaine, Champlin Park and Coon Rapids high schools on Sunday, June 2 at 3M Arena at Mariucci on the University of Minnesota campus. Anoka High School will hold its graduation ceremony Monday, June 3, at Goodrich Field.
Graduation times on June 2:
- Andover High School - 10 a.m.
- Champlin Park High School - 1 p.m.
- Coon Rapids High School - 4 p.m.
- Blaine High School - 7 p.m.
Graduation time on June 3:
- Anoka High School - 7 p.m.
District staff and faith community leaders celebrate partnership
🤝 Leaders from the local faith community joined Anoka-Hennepin administrators and staff at the Educational Service Center (ESC) on May 10 to celebrate the district’s Faith Community Partnership (FCP). Visitors were welcomed by Superintendent Cory McIntyre and Director of Student Services Nate Manaen before a morning of activities led by the FCP Steering Committee.
The FCP: The Faith Community Partnership is a collaborative effort of the Anoka-Hennepin School District and faith-based organizations, connecting schools and communities.
Teamwork: The event provided an opportunity for Anoka-Hennepin to celebrate the incredible support it receives across the district from the faith community partners to help meet the needs of students. View photos from the FCP celebration.
Participants and organizers used the opportunity to connect and discuss ways to strengthen and build upon the support systems that have been put in place by the partnership.
📸 View photos from the 2023-24 Faith Community Partnership celebration.
CRHS biomedical sciences and engineering students explore careers at Medtronic
Each year, students enrolled in the Center for Biomedical Sciences and Engineering programs at Coon Rapids High School (CRHS) complete their time in each program with senior capstone projects.
Collaboration with industry leaders: CRHS seniors in both the biomedical and engineering programs will present their final projects on May 20, but on May 6, students had the opportunity to present their work to employees at Medtronic during a half-day learning experience at the worldwide medical device company’s Mounds View campus.
What they're saying: “In the biomedical program at CRHS, we highlight the importance of teamwork and being innovative in our experiments,” Kaylee Smith, a senior at CRHS said. “Being able to share our work with Medtronic employees was really beneficial to see how they viewed our project and to see how it relates to the work they do.”
💻 Read more about the experience at Medtronic and hear more about Kaylee Smith's exciting opportunity.
Students participate in spring transportation safety drills
🚌 Between May 7 and May 9 students who rode a bus to and from school in Anoka-Hennepin participated in regularly scheduled spring safety drills.
🛞 Students participated in front-door evacuation drills and reviewed all available exits on a bus led by bus drivers and paraeducators. This was a great opportunity for students to review the operation of the roof hatches, emergency equipment, radio, windshield and side window exits.
Throughout the school year, there are multiple learning activities surrounding bus safety, including the winter when students learn about being safe near buses on slippery roads and how to properly enter and exit the bus to prevent slips and falls.
During the fall of this school year, students participated in safety drills, reviewing the rear door evacuation procedures
District’s continued partnerships help place social work interns into school buildings
On April 29, the district school social workers hosted an internship fair to recruit interns for the 2024-25 school year.
Why it matters: Anoka-Hennepin employs school social workers across the district to provide evidence-based emotional/behavioral interventions and mental health services to students as well as consultation to staff and administration.
School social workers help bridge connections between home, school, and community to support students’ success at school.
About the program: An important piece of that puzzle throughout the years has been the addition of the internship program. The program provides a dual benefit, helping college students complete hours for degree completion and also providing district students with more support.
Another benefit of the program is that interns become accustomed to working as a school social worker in Anoka-Hennepin and become candidates for full-time positions within the district. For next school year, five current interns have been hired as full-time school social workers.
Partnerships: The district has also established two partnerships that continue to provide internship opportunities, one within the Anoka-Hennepin Community Education Adventures Plus program and another with Augsburg University.
Hats off to Adult Basic Education (ABE) graduates!
🎓Metro North Adult Basic Education (ABE) recently hosted a heartwarming graduation ceremony, marking a significant milestone for several adult learners who received their adult diplomas or GEDs. The event was attended by numerous family members and friends who came together to celebrate the remarkable achievements of these dedicated individuals.
The ceremony was a culmination of hard work, perseverance, and determination exhibited by the graduates throughout their academic journey. For many, obtaining an adult diploma or GED represents more than just an educational accomplishment; it signifies a gateway to new opportunities, personal growth, and enhanced prospects for the future.
Amidst cheers and applause, each graduate walked across the room to receive their well-deserved recognition. Special guests included Julie Jeppson, Anoka County Commissioner; Cory McIntyre, Anoka-Hennepin Schools Superintendent; School board members, Jeff Simon and Kacy Deschene; Michelle Trelstad, Executive Director of Community Education and Government Relations; and Tracy Knighton, Community Education Director.
The significance of the Metro North ABE graduation ceremony extends beyond the conferral of diplomas; it symbolizes the transformative power of education and the unwavering support of a community dedicated to uplifting individuals of any age towards success.
