A Message from Blaine High School
September 4, 2023
A message from Blaine High School
Blaine High School Families:
Welcome to the 2023-24 school year. Here are some final reminders for you as we prepare for the school year to begin this week!
Freshmen Only First Day
All Anoka-Hennepin high schools will begin the school year on Tuesday, September 5th, at 7:40 AM with freshmen only. Freshmen (9th grade) students will participate in several activities that will allow them to get familiar with the school, the staff, and the daily schedule at Blaine High School. Sophomore, junior, and senior students will start on Wednesday, September 6th.
Here is a visual of our first week of school.
New Students (10th, 11th, and 12th Grade)
Students new to Blaine High School should know that there will be additional support provided for them from BHS staff when they start on Wednesday, September 6th.
School begins daily at 7:40 AM and ends at 2:20 PM. However, please note that starting on Monday, September 18th, and continuing throughout the school year, students’ first-period classes will not start until 8:30 AM on most Mondays. From 7:10 until 8:20, Anoka-Hennepin high school teachers will meet in their collaborative teams to prepare curriculum, assessments, and develop student interventions. Busses will maintain their standard schedule on these days. Students able to provide their own transportation may arrive in time for the 8:30 start time.
Student Arrival/Dismissal
Doors will open for students to enter the building at 7:00 AM. Students may only enter the building through door 1 and door 19.
All students are expected to leave the building at the end of the school day, 2:20 PM, except for students enrolled in activities. All school clubs and academic support are offered on Mondays and Wednesdays immediately after school. Late buses are provided only on Mondays and Wednesdays at 4:45 PM.
Student Drop Off and Parking Permits
We have a limited number of parking permits still available. Students can purchase a trimester one parking permit for $35 online through "SchoolPay." Permits are available for pickup in the Activity Center (fieldhouse) concession stand before and after school (7:00-7:30 AM and 2:20-3:00 PM) on September 7th-9th. Beginning September 12th, if students have not yet picked up their permits, they will be in the Activities Office.
Student Pictures/Yearbook
Student pictures will be taken all day on Thursday, September 21st, for students who did not attend the picture day on August 22nd. Lifetouch will take pictures for grades 9 through 11, and David Bank Studios will be taking yearbook pictures for 12th-grade students during all lunches. Please visit the Lifetouch website for more information and order forms. If you are interested in purchasing a ‘23-24 yearbook, please access this link. Prices increase throughout the year. If you are interested in receiving yearbook information specifically related to seniors (senior portraits, ads for grads, photo submissions, etc.), please fill out this form to join our mailing list.
Student Schedules
Students may access their schedules by logging into StudentVUE available on both iPhone and Android devices. It may be helpful to take a screenshot of their schedule as there can sometimes be lag time with the system. Any students who are new to Anoka-Hennepin may see their attendance office professional in the main office on their first day of school for a printout of their schedule.
Student Lunches
The Minnesota Free School Meals Program allows one free breakfast and lunch for all students. Students will need to use the barcode on their student ID card or the Student Vue app on their phone to access breakfast/lunch and to purchase a la carte items at additional cost. To add money to your student’s lunch account to purchase a la carte items, log in with your A-H Connect password and choose “My Meal Account”.
Many Anoka-Hennepin students qualify for more than just free meals. Please click here for more information and to fill out the Free and Reduced Application. A new application needs to be filled out each year. If you have any questions, please call the Child Nutrition Program at 763-506-1240.
Cell Phones
Per the district communication shared with families, Blaine High School understands the impact student cell phone use has on their learning. Please encourage your student to turn off or silence their phone during class periods to help ensure focus and engagement.
Anoka-Hennepin High School Statement on Cell Phone Use:
The digital well-being of our students is critical to their success in high school. All of our high schools thrive on creating a healthier, more effective and engaging learning environment in our classrooms by limiting the use of cell phones. The impact of cell phones on student’s developing brains and their educational success is well researched; the negatives of using cell phones in the classroom far outweighs the positives. Each of our schools have developed a cell phone policy that is in alignment to our District handbook pg. 45. All our high schools expect that students will turn their cell phones off or put them in airplane mode during class time and store them in their backpack unless the teacher has given permission. Removing cell phone use from the classroom will increase student engagement and learning, and limit the negative impacts of social media.
During passing time and at lunch students are welcome to use their phones. If a student needs to access Google Classroom, check their grades or email, they can use their Chromebook to do so. If a parent/guardian has an emergency and needs to contact a student right away, they can email the student at their school email account or call the main office and a message will be sent right away to the classroom to have the student step out and call home.
All of our high schools will be reviewing cell phone expectations with students in class the first week of school and we greatly appreciate your support.
Thank you for sharing your students with us. We look forward to an excellent school year.
Thank you,
Blaine High School Administrative Team
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