November 6, 2024

A convergence of factors combined in early 2024 leading to the need to reduce district expenditures by $26 million. Anoka-Hennepin acted quickly in the spring to plan a two-phased budget reduction and realignment process.

The draft budget solution recommendations impact central services before school sites. Two options have been proposed for School Board consideration. At the Nov. 4 work session, the School Board began discussion on possible options, and is expected to approve a budget reduction and reallocation plan for 2025-26 at the School Board meeting scheduled Nov. 25, 2024. This timeline is required ahead of key planning decisions on student registration and staffing decisions prior to the 2025-26 school year.

📰 Read the full update after the School Board work session held Nov. 4.
💻 Visit ahschools.us/budget to find updated progress and plans.

Minnesota weather is shifting gears, and the Anoka-Hennepin School District has plans in place for when extreme winter weather arrives. The safety of all students is the first priority when determining if schools should stay open in adverse weather. If a determination is made to close school or make schedule modifications due to extreme winter weather, the district will alert families in a variety of ways, including text and email messages from #AHSchools (for parents/guardians); district and school websites and social media pages (e.g. Facebook, Instagram and Twitter or X), and media outlets including WCCO, KSTP, FOX 9, KARE 11, CCX Media, WCCO radio and Star Tribune newspaper.

Those responsible for activities scheduled in schools over the weekend will determine if adverse weather conditions necessitate a cancellation. Visit ahschools.us/weather for more information.

Performance spaces across Anoka-Hennepin are filled with talented high school students who are ready to entertain. Show your support by catching a show in early November at a high school near you.

• Anoka High School: Clue, Nov. 7-9
• Andover High School: Almost Maine, Nov. 8-17
• Blaine High School: Space Pirates!, Nov. 22-24
• Champlin Park High School: The Music Man, Nov. 8-16
• Coon Rapids High School: Romeo and Juliet, Nov. 8-16
  
  

Get show details and purchase tickets online. Note: Blaine High School completed their production of “And Then There Were None,” in October.

On Nov. 11, schools across Anoka-Hennepin will hold Veterans Day events or educational opportunities aimed at learning about and honoring those who have served or who are serving in the military.

Veterans Day is always observed officially on Nov. 11, regardless of the day of the week on which it falls, and marks the anniversary of the day World War I formally ended — at the 11th hour of the 11th day of the 11th month of 1918.

The Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) is hosting a virtual informational session on Earning College Credit in High School on Tuesday, Nov. 12 at 7 p.m.

The virtual meeting will be held on Zoom and will share information about opportunities for students to participate in Advanced Placement (AP, International Baccalaureate (IB), Post Secondary Enrollment Options (PSEO) and College in the Schools as high school students. Learn more about how to earn college credit in high school.

The 2024 Minnesota Comprehensive Assessments (MCA) Individual Score Reports for students who took a test during the 2023-24 school year are available for families to access online. Families can access the document by logging into A-HConnect or viewing it on the ParentVUE mobile app.

Students in grades 3-8 and in grades 10 and 11 take MCA tests each year. MCA reports will only be available for students who took an MCA test during the 2023-24 school year. Read more, and get step-by-step instructions for logging in to view your student’s test score.

The Anoka-Hennepin Schools Special Education Advisory Council (SEAC) is hosting a resource information night for families of students with special needs to learn about resources available in the community. Vendors for sports, camps, and community services will be in attendance. Read more about the special education resource night.

• When: Thursday, November 14 from 6-7:30 p.m.

• Where: Educational Service Center, 2727 N Ferry St., Anoka.
  Enter through Door 7 and meet in Erling Johnson rooms C and D.
  

Working with kids is one of the most rewarding jobs you can have! The Anoka-Hennepin Schools Adventures Plus program is looking for compassionate, reliable individuals to join our child care support team. Whether you’re looking for a flexible part-time opportunity or a chance to make a meaningful impact in your community, we’ve got a place for you! Here's a testimonial from one of our current team members.

💻 Hear from Child Care Assistant Wanda Jackson about what she loves most about her role in Anoka-Hennepin.

Anoka-Hennepin Community Education will host a virtual hiring event for Adventures Plus child care positions from 7 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursday, Nov. 7.

✅ The virtual hiring event will be hosted on Indeed. If you are interested in attending the virtual event and interviewing for a position, register to reserve your spot.

💻 Join us to learn more about Child Care Lead Teacher positions and Before and/or after-school Childcare Support Staff positions. Learn more about open positions.

Action of the School Board provides brief summaries of Anoka-Hennepin School Board meetings. View the latest Action of the School Board from the October 28, 2024 meeting.

For agendas, meetings and minutes visit ahschools.us/schoolboard.

🎃 Anoka is known as the “Halloween Capital of the World,” and on the afternoon of Oct. 25, students and staff from Lincoln and Wilson elementary schools in Anoka walked in the city’s the Anoka Halloween Big Parade of Little People. Marching bands from Anoka Middle School for the Arts, as well as Jackson and Oak View middle schools participated, playing music along the parade route. Anoka-Hennepin School Board members and administrators also walked in the parade.

📷 View photos from the event.

🎥 Watch video coverage from the event from QCTV.

First-grade students at Lincoln Elementary School partnered with students from Anoka Middle School for the Arts (AMSA) in a shared art experience that also builds literacy skills. The project began with Lincoln first-graders reading the book “"I Need My Monster," by Amanda Noll. Students then navigated through a design project where they created their own version of a monster on paper. AMSA students in eighth-grade WEB (Where Everyone Belongs) peer leadership group stepped up to bring the partnership to life and the learning came full-circle as over 30 AMSA students hand-delivered the monsters in a special event at Lincoln Elementary.

💻 View the full story.

📸 View photos from the project.

🍎 Every three years, the Anoka-Hennepin School District and its Health, Wellness and Safety Committee conduct a review of Wellness Policy 533.5. The review of the Wellness Policy is required by law and is done to help maintain compliance, assess progress and determine areas in need of improvement.

As part of the review, Anoka-Hennepin is seeking feedback and comments from district stakeholders, including parents/guardians, students, members of the community and staff. If interested in providing feedback or comments regarding the Wellness Policy, the deadline is Jan. 3, 2025. 💻 Visit the district website to learn more and provide feedback on the district Wellness Policy.

With the cutting of the ribbon, Anoka-Hennepin’s most historic school site was formally dedicated to its new use as the Two Rivers Transition Program at Franklin on Thursday, Oct. 10. The program serves 228 students ages 18-22 years of age following the merging of the former Bridges and Pathways program from leased sites in Andover and Coon Rapids. Along with improving their educational options, the move saves $593,000 in taxes for area taxpayers.
📷 View photos from the event.

With the fall sports and activities season wrapping up, here’s a look at who’s heading to state, and how they fared when they performed and played. Also included is information about postseason awards gathered by student-athletes and coaches.

🏐 Anoka-Hennepin will be represented by two teams in this year's girls' state volleyball tournament. Champlin Park High School won the Section 5AAAA Championship over Maple Grove and Anoka High School defeated Centennial for the Section 7AAAA Championship.

🏈 Anoka and Blaine high schools both qualified for the state football tournament both winning section championships on Nov. 1. Anoka defeated Lakeville South 35-34 and Blaine defeated Forest Lake 53-21.

🏃🏻‍♂️🏃🏻‍♀️ Student-athletes competed at the state cross country meet and ⚽ Andover boys soccer placed 4th at state.

🎻From viola to flute or timpani to trombone, there’s little question that orchestra provides a full range of options to meet student interests. Introducing students to those options before their middle school years is facilitated through a districtwide field trip for fifth-grade students to experience the Young People’s Concert Series presented by the Minnesota Orchestra. Anoka-Hennepin students attended sessions on Oct. 23 and 24. 💻 Read more about the annual Orchestra Hall field trip.

👮🏻‍♂️Retired Coon Rapids Police Chief and current Anoka County Sheriff Brad Wise, a 1982 graduate of Coon Rapids High School, continues to impact the community. After 27 years with CRPD, Wise was elected and sworn in as the 18th sheriff of Anoka County on Jan. 3, 2023 and currently leads a team of approximately 300 staff and volunteers serving 21 urban and rural cities with a growing population. 💻 Read more about Wise in the latest Graduate Spotlight.

🚒 Fire Prevention Week was Oct. 6-12, and many district elementary schools partnered with local fire departments offering learning opportunities to discuss fire safety with students.

This year’s Fire Prevention Week theme was Smoke Alarms: Make them work for you! The Coon Rapids Fire Department visited with students at elementary schools throughout Fire Prevention Week.

🧯 Read more about fire prevention week activities. 📺 View the video from CTN.

High school students from across the district took part in a Youth Leadership Conference in Anoka on Wednesday, October 30. More than 75 students from Anoka-Hennepin’s five high schools gathered at the Educational Service Center to take a deep dive into youth service. The students are members of youth service clubs at each high school which are coordinated through Community Education. 💻 Read more about this year's Youth Leadership Conference.

🔬Students and families are invited to attend the 'Young Scientist Roundtable' event on November 12 at Champlin Park High School. The FREE evening event will focus on the importance of dust! Willie Hendrickson, Ph.D. will discuss how dust can be a critical part of our everyday life and explain how it can help solve many of today’s challenges. Registration is encouraged, but walk-ins welcome. ✅ Learn more and register online.

• Monday, Nov. 25 - No students - staff development.
• Monday, Nov. 25 - Regular School Board meeting.
• Tuesday, Nov. 26 - No students - staff planning.
• Wednesday, Nov. 27 - No school - conference conversion day.
• Thursday, Nov. 28 - District closed.
• Friday, Nov. 29 - District closed.

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