News and events
October 20, 2024
Upcoming events
October 21st - Late Start 8:30 am
October 28th - Late Start with Advisory 8:30 am
November 4th - Regular Start
November 5th - No School for Students - Professional Development
November 12th - Lifetouch Picture Retake Day
Academic Letter 2023-2024 School Year
Congratulations to students who earned an Academic Letter in the 2023-2024 school year.
Recipients will be invited to a celebration of this accomplishment to be held during advisory on October 28th.
The criteria for earning an academic letter is as follows:
• 3.90 weighted cumulative GPA for freshmen (presented fall of grade 10).
• 3.85 weighted cumulative GPA for sophomores (presented fall of grade 11).
• 3.80 weighted cumulative GPA for juniors (presented fall of grade 12).
• 3.75 weighted cumulative GPA for seniors at the end of trimester 2 of their senior year.
We are really proud of you. Well done!
Career Center
Seniors: Apply for Free at many MN colleges in October
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.
Upcoming College Fairs:
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 - through October
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.
Military Opportunities:
University of Minnesota ROTC and West Point Admissions Session, Mon, Oct 21, 6-7:30pm
At these sessions, we'll provide valuable insights into:
The United States Military Academy at West Point offers unique educational opportunities and leadership development.
How a West Point education can empower students to become leaders of character, equipped with the skills and values to excel in any field.
The application process and critical factors for student success.
The support is available to ensure students' academic and personal growth.
This is an excellent opportunity to learn more about West Point's commitment to academic excellence, character development, and service to our nation.
Event Details:
Date: Monday, October 21, 2024
Time: 6:00PM-7:30PM Central Time
Venue: Golden Gopher Armory, 15 Church St. SE, Minneapolis, MN 55455-0137
RSVP: https://apply.westpoint.edu/register/MinneapolisAIM2024
Career Events
Latine Youth with Stethoscopes Youth Summit: Sat, Nov 23, 9:30AM-3:00PM
Youth ages 12 to 18 interested in learning about how to become a doctor, dentist, nurse, physician assistant, or one of many other health care roles are invited for a day of information and fun.
Meet with Latine health professionals working in this field, and get a chance to do a simulated blood draw, learn how to use your own stethoscope, practice delivering a baby, using an ultrasound and more!
Location: Hennepin Healthcare Clinic & Specialty Center, 715 S 8th St, Minneapolis, MN 55404
Trades Day Field Trip (picture below)
Students from Blaine High School were able to participate in a Trades Day event to highlight these in-demand careers and pathways. They were able to go to various stages of home construction and speak with electrical, hvac, plumbing, concrete, and carpentry experts. Students also spent time at nVent Hoffman manufacturing to learn about careers in welding, machining, and more. And they capped off their day at the Anoka Chamber of Commerce testing the Big Ideas trailer, using the VR oculus labs, and chatting with technical colleges and local employers about opportunities to pursue their interests. Thanks to our amazing community and wonderful students for this day!
New Staff
Dianne Peterson - Reading Teacher
Hello! My name is Dianne Peterson and I am really excited to join the BHS Team as a Reading Teacher for the 2024-25 school year.
I have been an educator in the Anoka-Hennepin District for over 15 years, most recently at Sandburg Regional and Anoka High Schools. During that time, I have had the privilege of working alongside the most dedicated and committed colleagues. The absolute best part of these years has been the journey of learning through the lives of my students. What a gift that has been!
My husband and I just moved to Cambridge after 30 years in Andover where we raised our four kids. We love spending time up north as a family - boating, golfing and playing games. We are really excited to have all of our kids closer to home!
This is going to be a GREAT year!!
Jake McNallan - Health Teacher
My name is Jake McNallan and I am pumped to join Bengal Nation as a Health teacher this year. I grew up down the road in Andover and played college hoops at Bemidji State. The last few years have been spent in Big Lake teaching PE and coaching hoops. I do construction in the summer, go camping every free weekend and spend time with my beautiful wife, dog and soon to be baby girl (Early October due date). Life is an adventure!
Student Anti-Bullying Survey
a sample of grades 4, 6, 8, and 10 classrooms between October 8th and November 15th. Our
school will be conducting the survey on Monday, October 28th.
The survey asks students about bullying behaviors they may have experienced or witnessed at
school. The results help identify and address areas of concern to make the school
environment safe and welcoming for all students.
AP Test Sign-up
AP Classes are now in full swing. Students have joined their AP classrooms and signed up to take their AP exams in May. The last and final step of preparation for the exams is payment. Parents should pay for their students' exams online in the ParentVue app. The payment will be completed through your online shopping cart in SchoolPay. For help logging into ParentVue, please call 763-506-HELP(4357). Linked are the directions for SchoolPay.
Payment Window is open and will be open through the end of the school day on 10/31.
Please email with any questions rachel.luber@ahschools.us
Business Professionals of America (BPA)
Don't Wait! Donate Your Coats Today—Drive Extended to Nov. 2!
The Blaine High School (BHS) chapter of Business Professionals of America (BPA) is excited to announce that its 31st annual Coats for Kids drive has been extended to November 2. We invite students, staff, and community members to donate new or gently used coats at the BHS main entrance during school hours. If you cannot make it to BHS, bring your donations to any of the 27 Pilgrim Dry Cleaners locations or any Davanni’s Pizza locations throughout the Twin Cities metro area.
We are thrilled to announce that we have surpassed our goal of 600 coats, but the drive needs more donations. Due to the unusually nice weather, contributions are down. As Senior Co-Chair Teni Adeogun encourages, “Why wait, donate your coats today!”
Last year, BHS proudly collected over 800 coats, and 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 about 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 through November 2. For more information or to schedule a drop-off, please contact Holly Boisjolie, BPA Advisor, at 763.506.6540 or holly.boisjolie@ahschools.us.
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.
Volunteers Needed for Fall Performances
Our performing arts students are in need of adult volunteers for choir, orchestra, and theater performances this fall. Are you interested in handing out programs, scanning tickets, assisting with safety and security, concession sales, or 50/50 raffle sales? Please check out these opportunities and click on the links to sign up!
October 24 - Fall Orchestra Concert
November 14 - Fall Choir Concert
November 22-24 - “Space Pirates” Fall Musical
December 6 - Northdale Middle School Choir Concert
December 17 - December Orchestra Concert
Year-Round: Cafeteria Servers
If you would like to help our child nutrition staff with light kitchen duties, please contact paula.miller@ahschools.us to get connected.
Attention Booster Clubs:
Here is a helpful guide explaining the Purpose and Function of Booster Clubs.
Here are helpful resources for Booster Clubs from Anoka-Hennepin Parent Involvement.
Anoka-Hennepin Parent Involvement is offering free training workshops this fall and a fundraising vendor fair this winter! The next workshop is on Thursday, October 24.
Click here to register for workshops, and here is the flyer explaining more.
Parent Involvement has also created a Guide to Vendors and Resources.
Many Thanks!
Thank you to our volunteers who donated food, beverages, and/or time to the Fall Conference grab-and-go spread for the teachers! It was delicious and much appreciated.
BHS Volunteer Services Coordinator (VSC): Paula Miller
763-506-6530
World Language Proficiency Certificate or Bilingual/Multilingual Seal
Testing opportunities for students to earn a World Language Proficiency Certificate or Bilingual/Multilingual Seal
Does your student speak two or more languages? Want to earn college credit?
Anoka-Hennepin students in grades 10-12 with a mastery of world languages can use that knowledge to earn special recognitions – World Language Proficiency Certificates or Bilingual/Multilingual Seals.
Additionally, college credit can be awarded to these students who attend or transfer to Minnesota State Colleges and Universities and select other post-secondary institutions within three years of graduation from Anoka-Hennepin.
What to know:
The test date is Saturday, November 16 from 12-4 p.m. at Champlin Park High School. The registration deadline is Thursday, October 31 at 4 p.m. The cost of the AAPPL exam is $30 per assessment ($10 if a student receives free or reduced-price meals).
AAPPL Test Languages: Arabic, Chinese (Mandarin), English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Portuguese, Russian, and Spanish.
Hybrid Format Exams are available in: Swahili, Ukrainian, Tamil, Dari, and Pashto. These tests will incur a fee of $30 ($10 for students on free and reduced meals).
NEW: There is no fee for students taking the Extempore Exam for the 2024-2025 school year due to a grant that the Minnesota Department of Education received from the Securian Financial Foundation. Extempore Test Languages: Amharic, Dakota/Lakota, Hmong, Karen, Ojibwe, Somali, and Vietnamese.
Dig deeper: To learn more about this opportunity, see the languages currently available, and register to take an exam, visit ahschools.us/bilingualseal.
Future Secondary Biology and U.S. History curriculum materials
Review and provide input on future secondary Biology and U.S. History curriculum materials
As the district reviews and adopts new course materials, it involves staff, students, parents, and the community as part of a comprehensive 41-step process.
This fall, the district is hosting open houses for community members and families to have the opportunity to provide feedback on the future of both elementary and secondary curriculum materials during an open house event at the Anoka-Hennepin Schools Educational Service Center (2727 N. Ferry Street, Anoka) on Wednesday, Oct. 23 from 4:30 - 6:30 p.m.
Youth Services
The Bengals in Action Youth Service Club is holding a drive for fellow Blaine students. All donations stay in the building and will be distributed to “Bengals in Need” by the school social workers. If you have any questions, please contact Robin.Chambers@ahschools.us. Thank you!
If your student is interested in joining Bengals in Action, please have them join our Google Classroom - xad575e. We accept new members at any time throughout the school year.
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