Did you know that around 34,000 Anoka-Hennepin students ride a bus to and from school each day? The district transportation services department works closely with partners to safely transport students using approximately 380 vehicles traveling more than six million miles annually. 

The district services more than 8,000 bus stops traveling to and from more than 60 school sites daily. 

In the latest Parent Engage 360 Podcast episode, host Liz Burgard is joined by transportation director B.J. Ison and transportation safety coordinator Jeff Mueller to learn more about what goes into safely planning a school bus route, where bus stops are located and much more. In this episode you will also learn about the annual school bus safety poster contest and how students learn about bus safety throughout the school year. 

Sportsmanship is everybody’s business, and Anoka-Hennepin Schools and the Northwest Suburban Conference (NWSC) are committed to providing a safe and welcoming environment for all at athletics and activities events. 

Earlier this year, around 100 students from all five district high schools and NWSC member schools participated in a sportsmanship seminar titled “Stay Above the Line,” an initiative to promote positive spectator behavior and expectations. 

In the latest Parent Engage 360 Podcast episode, host Liz Burgard is joined by two high school seniors to learn more about the “Stay Above the Line” initiative. Coon Rapids High School senior Eleanor Defoe and Blaine High School senior Kendall Stadden both represent their schools as Bleacher Captains. 

Bleacher Captains will be visible at all NWSC-sponsored activities to help promote a positive environment and respectful behavior and cheers for all players, fans, opponents and game personnel.

In this episode, both Defoe and Stadden share insights into what it is like at a high school sporting event both from the spectator and student-athlete perspectives.

Bullying is a topic that often arises, and is not always easy to discuss as a parent or guardian. Parents may be wondering how to support their child, what questions to ask, or who to talk to at school to help. 

In the latest episode of the Parent Engage 360 Podcast, host Liz Burgard, Anoka-Hennepin parent involvement coordinator, is joined by Britt Olean, district school social worker, and Mary Kling, assistant principal of the Compass program overseeing elementary student conduct and discipline, to share information on how Anoka-Hennepin defines bullying and how parents can help support their children if they suspect bullying is happening. 

Also in this episode, Olean shares the role of school social workers in the district and how they support students in a variety of ways.

Parents and guardians may have recently been invited to sign up for the first round of parent/teacher conferences for this school year, and they may be wondering what to expect or how to prepare for conferences with your child’s teacher or teachers. 

In the latest episode of the Parent Engage 360 Podcast, host Liz Burgard, Anoka-Hennepin parent involvement coordinator; Nikole Wodash, Sunrise Elementary School assistant principal; and Jill Alton, Coon Rapids High School assistant principal, hope to answer what parents can expect from conferences, how to prepare, and ways that parents/guardians can work with their child’s teacher(s) in partnership to support success in the classroom.

It is officially back-to-school season! In the latest episode of the Parent Engage 360 Podcast, Interim Superintendent Dr. Kate Maguire joined host Liz Burgard, Anoka-Hennepin parent involvement coordinator, to discuss all things back to school.

Maguire began serving as interim superintendent in July and shares in this podcast what she has learned in just two short months at Anoka-Hennepin. With nearly 40 years of experience in education, Maguire provides tips and recommendations for parents and guardians to help their children have a successful start to the school year while also sharing about the district’s theme this school year, Live Well, Lead Well, Learn Well.

As the 2022-23 school year approaches, some parents/guardians may be gearing up for their first school year as caregivers or sending their youngest to kindergarten. Whether sending your child to school for the first time or for the first time in a few years, you may have some questions about how it all works or what to expect. 

We’ve got you covered! Tune in to the latest Parent Engage 360 Podcast episode titled “Welcome to kindergarten” to hear from two district kindergarten teachers on what you can expect, from orientation to the first day of school and beyond, as well as some tips and ideas to consider as you prepare to send your child to kindergarten. 

Andover Elementary School kindergarten teacher Nicole Huttner and Johnsville Elementary School teacher Abby Hawes bring over 20 years of combined experience to the conversation. Learn what a typical day looks like in kindergarten, how you can help your student prepare for the upcoming school year, how to communicate with your teacher and more.

The Parent Engage 360 Podcast aims to provide parents and guardians with knowledge from experts in chemical health, mental health, internet safety and more, as well as the tools needed to support their children. Anoka-Hennepin hopes that providing timely and helpful information through the Parent Engage 360 podcast series will strengthen the bond between school and home with resources parents and guardians can use and share with others.

Summer is a fun-filled time for many that includes a variety of outdoor activities like swimming and biking, to name a few. While summer is a time to enjoy as many of those activities as possible, it is also important to think about how to enjoy all of those activities safely. 

In Episode 24 of the Parent Engage 360 Podcast, host Liz Burgard, Anoka-Hennepin parent involvement coordinator, was joined by Robin Chambers, Anoka-Hennepin Community Schools Specialist, and Danielle Forsman, a patrol officer with the Coon Rapids Police Department, to learn more about summer safety for youth. 

Forsman is also the chair of Safe Kids Anoka County, which provides dedicated and caring staff, operation support and other resources to assist in achieving their common goal: keeping kids safe. Safe Kids provides support based on the needs of the community and can include programs such as car-seat checkups, safety workshops and sports clinics that help parents and caregivers prevent childhood injuries.

Anoka-Hennepin offers 12 schools that provide in-demand educational options such as the arts; science, technology, math, engineering and biomedical sciences (STEM/STEAM), as well as International Baccalaureate (IB).

Specialty and magnet schools are public schools available to all students at no additional cost. These schools, which are at the elementary, middle and high school levels, are designed to provide family choice. 

In Episode 23 of the Parent Engage 360 Podcast, host Liz Burgard, Anoka-Hennepin parent involvement coordinator, visited with three curriculum integrators from across the district to learn more about the specialty and magnet programming offered in the district. 

Kate Watson, University Avenue Elementary School - Aerospace, Children’s Engineering and Science (ACES), Jolanda Dranchak, Anoka Middle School for the Arts (AMSA) and Lana Rice, Coon Rapids High School - Center for Biomedical Sciences and Engineering (CRHS) joined Burgard to discuss programming at their schools and in Anoka-Hennepin.

Money management is an important topic for teens to think about and learn about as they start thinking about that first job or even starting a savings account for college or getting a head start on personal finances. Join Liz Burgard, Anoka-Hennepin parent involvement coordinator, as she discusses how money management is taught and what is offered to students in the district with Blaine High School (BHS) business teacher and Business Professionals of America (BPA) advisor Holly Boisjolie and senior Elijah Johnson. 

In this episode, Boisjolie explains what types of courses and extracurricular activities are available to students in Anoka-Hennepin to learn more about the topic and explore future options. Johnson, who is the National President of BPA and will attend Harvard University next year, discusses how he approached learning about personal money management and explored it even further and gained many great experiences and opportunities as a member of the BPA team at BHS.

Do you have a student moving from elementary school to middle school, or middle to high school? Have you wondered what that transition might look like? Join Liz Burgard, Anoka-Hennepin parent involvement coordinator, as she sits down with Coon Rapids High School (CRHS) principal John Peña and senior Lilah Gilyard to learn more about what a day looks like for an Anoka-Hennepin student and what to expect when transitioning.

Gilyard is a multi-sport athlete at CRHS, competing in cross country, cross country skiing and lacrosse while also juggling her classes while preparing for graduation. Peña is in his first year as the principal at CRHS after spending 15 years as a middle school assistant principal. He also got his start in education as a kindergarten teacher and has a lot of good advice for students and parents/guardians as students experience transitions.

The Parent Engage 360 Podcast aims to provide parents and guardians with knowledge from experts in chemical health, mental health, internet safety and more, as well as the tools needed to support their children. Anoka-Hennepin hopes that providing timely and helpful information through the Parent Engage 360 podcast series will strengthen the bond between school and home with resources parents and guardians can use and share with others.

Join Liz Burgard, Anoka-Hennepin parent involvement coordinator, as she discusses how to get mental health support for your student with PrairieCare child and adolescent psychiatrist Dr. Joshua Stein and Anoka-Hennepin school social worker Julie Beaufeaux. 

Dr. Stein outlines the programming offered by PrairieCare and how to go about getting a mental health assessment for your child(ren). Beaufeaux talks about the role of a school social worker in Anoka-Hennepin and how they can help facilitate connections to resources such as PrairieCare. 

The Parent Engage 360 Podcast aims to provide parents and guardians with knowledge from experts in chemical health, mental health, internet safety and more, as well as the tools needed to support their children. Anoka-Hennepin hopes that providing timely and helpful information through the Parent Engage 360 podcast series will strengthen the bond between school and home with resources parents and guardians can use and share with others.

Join Liz Burgard, Anoka-Hennepin parent involvement coordinator, as she discusses all things Community Education in the latest episode of the Parent Engage 360 Podcast. 

In this episode, Burgard is joined by Michelle Trelstad, Anoka-Hennepin’s director of community education, and Jamie Law, community education coordinator at Northdale Middle School to discuss all things community education. 

Anoka-Hennepin Community Education reaches more than half a million people every year - through classes, services, tours, programs, outreach activities and athletics. Community Education is provided by the Anoka-Hennepin School District as an efficient and effective way to offer residents of all ages the opportunity for lifelong learning. 

Tune in to the latest episode to learn more about the community education program and how the programming is weaved into and an important part of the school district and school community. In this episode, Trelstad and Law share information about community education and how the program has been a part of both of their lives both personally and professionally.

To learn more about the community education program, visit ahschools.us/communityeducation.

Several of the Parent Engage 360 Podcast episodes over the past two years have discussed and provided resources on the topic of mental health. A topic that has been weaved into that conversation is suicide. Suicide can be a topic that is difficult to discuss, and at times, there can be a stigma, and often, we don’t know how to start the conversation on such an emotional topic. 

In the latest episode of the Parent Engage 360 Podcast, host Liz Burgard, Anoka-Hennepin parent involvement coordinator, sits down with Janet Casperson, an Anoka-Hennepin parent, and Julia Messenger, the district’s school social worker, social emotional learning teacher on special assignment, to provide additional awareness around the topic of suicide. 

You will hear one mother’s story and how through the loss of her son, Sam, she has become an amazing advocate and resource in our school community. 

For those who need immediate support, you are not alone. 24-hour support is available by phone by calling the National Suicide Prevention Line 1-800-273-8255. Please note, this number will transition to a new three-number 988, starting on July 16, 2022. By text message, contact the crisis text line by texting MN to 741741. 

Both services are always available to support the mental health needs of persons in crisis and are offered at no cost.

To learn more about Thumbs Up, a non-profit organization that embraces all those who are struggling and breaking the stigma around mental health, visit thumbsupformentalhealth.org.

Join Liz Burgard, Anoka-Hennepin parent involvement coordinator, as she discusses growth mindset with Blaine High School (BHS) achievement coach Kevin Bross.

In this episode, Bross discusses his role at BHS as an achievement coach and how he teaches the concept of growth mindset to fellow teachers. Bross shared his own experience implementing growth mindset into this daily routine both personally and professionally and why a growth mindset can be beneficial for students and adults alike.

Join Liz Burgard, Anoka-Hennepin parent involvement coordinator, as she discusses mental health, specifically anxiety.

In this episode, Burgard is joined by Sue Abderholden from the National Alliance on Mental Illness (NAMI) to discuss mental health, specifically anxiety and the upcoming Parent Engage 360 event that will be held Dec. 9. Abderholden shares information about anxiety, and the difference between anxiety and depression, including some tips for young adults and parents on managing anxiety.

Join Liz Burgard, Anoka-Hennepin parent involvement coordinator, as she talks about internet safety and cyberbullying in the latest episode of the Parent Engage 360 Podcast.

In this episode, Burgard sits down with Blaine High School (BHS) technology coordinator and learning technologies coach Daryl Boeckers and senior Heba Hussein, a member of the BHS Bengal Bytes club, to discuss internet safety and cyberbullying. Boeckers provides insight both as a teacher and parent of teenagers while Hussein provides a student perspective and how she and other students at BHS are taking action against cyberbullying.

Voters in Anoka-Hennepin communities will have the opportunity to weigh in on three ballot questions on or before Nov. 2, considering a renewal of two levies for learning and investing in a new operating levy providing support for all students. Referendum 2021 includes two questions to renew levies to fund operations and technology that would not increase taxes but would extend current funding while supporting student learning. Planning and research obtained from community surveys over the past year demonstrated community understanding regarding the services this funding provides. By asking the community to weigh in now, the school district may be able to avoid cutting resources beginning in the summer of 2022 if the community decides that the questions on the ballot are still priorities in the school system.

In this episode of the Parent Engage 360 Podcast, Liz Burgard, parent involvement coordinator for Anoka-Hennepin, is joined by Superintendent David Law to learn more about the upcoming Referendum 2021. Learn more about the upcoming referendum by visiting ahschools.us/vote2021. Have a specific question? Call the Referendum 2021 hotline at 763-506-7777 or email Referendum2021@ahschools.us.

The Parent Engage 360 Podcast aims to provide parents and guardians with knowledge from experts in chemical health, mental health, internet safety and more, as well as the tools needed to support their children. Anoka-Hennepin Schools realize the importance of parent engagement in maximizing student success. We hope that providing timely and helpful information through the Parent Engage 360 podcast series will strengthen that bond between school and home with resources parents and guardians can use and share with others.

Following an unprecedented school year filled with non-traditional learning structures, it is important to acknowledge that some students may have a difficult time transitioning back into the traditional in-person learning model - especially those going from elementary to middle school, and middle school to high school.

Join Liz Burgard, Parent Involvement Coordinator, Tom Shaw, Principal of Coon Rapids Middle School, and Mike George, Principal of Champlin Park High School, as they discuss ways to make both students and parents/guardians comfortable as they head back to full-time in-person learning. Hear about how the middle school experience differs from elementary school, the high school experience differs from middle school, and how to prepare your students for those changes. Additionally, you will be provided with knowledge on school supports for all students and resources for parents/guardians to stay involved with their student's education.

ParentVUE resource: https://tinyurl.com/CRHSParentVUE

AH-Connect, ParentVue, login assistance, student information, etc.: 763-506-HELP (763-506-4357).

For back-to-school information, school supply lists, open house, etc.: https://www.ahschools.us/bts

With graduation parties and summer upon us, it is important to be aware of our students' choices surrounding alcohol and alcohol consumption.

Join Liz Burgard, Anoka-Hennepin Parent Involvement Coordinator, as she talks about the effects of alcohol, how kids gain access, and what parameters can be set to prioritize our students' safety and wellbeing. Additionally, learn about what a social host ordinance citation is and how it can impact you as the adult. Liz is joined by Colleen O'Neil, Anoka-Hennepin Schools Chemical Health Prevention Specialist, and Cindy Doth, Youth and School Outreach Manager from Hazelden Betty Ford.

Discussions about race are crucial to raising awareness, creating change, and ultimately eradicating racism in society as a whole. These conversations can be uncomfortable, however they are necessary.

Join Liz Burgard, Anoka-Hennepin Parent Involvement Coordinator, as she discusses the best ways to approach talking about race with your children. For this episode, Liz has partnered up with Barbie Smith, Q-Comp peer evaluator, and Peace Mitchell, student achievement advisor at Northdale Middle School, to get their take on navigating these important conversations.

Join Liz Burgard, Anoka-Hennepin Parent Involvement Coordinator, as she discusses career readiness with Eric Feigum, career and college specialist at Andover High School, and Jes Lipa, director of STEP and technical education.

Learn about the unique opportunities high school students in Anoka-Hennepin Schools have to learn about and explore varying career paths. Get information on STEP and hear from our guests about common questions they receive and resources available for students interested in starting a career following high school.

Join Liz Burgard, Anoka-Hennepin Parent Involvement Coordinator, as she discusses all aspects of community, technical, public and private college readiness with Colleen Neary, career specialist at Anoka High School, and Mai Nhia Xiong-Chan, vice president of enrollment at Hamline University.

Tune in as they walk listeners through the processes of pre-college courses, testing, applications and admissions, financial aid, and more. Learn about the resources available from Anoka-Hennepin Schools, as well as other outlets and help prepare your student for their future.

Join Liz Burgard, Anoka-Hennepin Parent Involvement Coordinator, as she discusses parenting during a pandemic with Tina Tamura, Andover High School Assistant Principal, and Dr. Ben Flannery, pediatrician.

Parent Resource Center

Join Liz Burgard, Anoka-Hennepin Parent Involvement Coordinator, as she learns about the topic of substance use from Colleen O'Neil, Anoka-Hennepin Schools Chemical Health Prevention Specialist, and Cindy Doth, Hazelden Betty Ford Foundation School and Youth Outreach Manager.

As parents, schools, and communities, understanding what is happening socially and developmentally, and how it may intersect with substance use is crucial in early intervention and prevention. Join us as we help parents gain knowledge about teen substance use and how to set the stage for open communication with their teen(s).

https://hazeldenbettyford.org

https://www.ahschools.us/studentsupport

https://www.ahschools.us/chemicalhealth

Did you know that there are over 650 students in the Anoka-Hennepin School District that are currently homeless, and 13,000 students facing food insecurity?

Tune in to this month’s Parent Engage 360 episode as we interview Jessica Jasurda, homeless liaison for Anoka-Hennepin Schools, and Rob Williams, founder of Every Meal.

Every Meal is a Minnesota-based non-profit on a mission to fight child hunger and supply kids with food that is nutritious and delicious. Every Meal has been a great partner of Anoka-Hennepin for many years, but even more so during the pandemic. From March 2020 to Sept. 2020, meals have increased by 400% due to the impact of COVID-19.

National Hunger and Homelessness week begins Monday, Nov. 15 and community members are encouraged to help share the message and spread awareness on some of the hardships students are facing.

If you’re looking for a way to give back to the community this holiday season, Every Meal, a 100% community-funded organization, provides the opportunity to volunteer your time at their warehouse or donate to their organization at everymeal.org. Additionally, if you’re interested in working directly with the district, you can donate to Anoka-Hennepin Educational Foundation’s Agility Fund at ahef.us or contact your local school directly to inquire about needs.

Join Liz Burgard, Anoka-Hennepin parent involvement coordinator, on this month's Parent Engage 360 podcast, as she discusses internet safety with Merve Lapus, vice president of outreach and national partnerships for Common Sense Education. Hear about the difference between passive and active screen time, ways to use technology as an extension of learning and various protective factors within the realm of internet safety. Is what you are posting purposeful and appropriate? Are there technology topics you should be addressing with your children? Are there components that you as a parent should brush up on? For all these answers, tune in to this episode of the Parent Engage 360 podcast.

Links:

Common Sense Media researches, rates and reviews everything kids want to watch, read or play so all families can feel confident about their media and technology choices.

Common Sense Education supports K-12 schools with lesson plans, edtech reviews and everything else educators need to empower a generation of digital citizens.

Common Sense Kids Action advocates for all families to have access to quality, safe media and for technology that benefits all communities.

What does it mean to be a digital citizen?

Join Liz Burgard, Anoka-Hennepin Parent Involvement Coordinator, as she dives deep into the world of school supports. Sam Hicks, school counselor at Champlin Park High School, and Liz Mihalchick, elementary mental health therapist, take us through their roles in schools and give insight on the various opportunities students have for support - both education and health-related.

See what supports are offered at your student's school.

For more information on Headway and Anoka-Hennepin's partnership: www.headway.org

Join Liz Burgard, Anoka-Hennepin Parent Involvement Coordinator, as she discusses the return of the school year with Ross Giles, Anoka-Hennepin Student Achievement Advisor and Gene Roehlkepartain, Senior Scholar at Search Institute. Get equipped with tips on how to get your student(s) re-acclimated after ending the last school year in a distance learning setting and topics to discuss with your student(s) as we enter another atypical school year.

Search Institute is a national nonprofit organization that partners with schools and other organizations to conduct and apply research that promotes positive youth development and advances equity.

Resource Ad link: KeepConnected.info

Join Liz Burgard, Anoka-Hennepin Parent Involvement Coordinator, as she discusses chemical health topics and parenting tips with Colleen O'Neil, Anoka-Hennepin Schools Chemical Health Prevention Specialist, and Kjirsten Anderson, Regional Alcohol Tobacco and Other Drugs Prevention Coordinator.

Discover what parents need to know about chemical health, especially during COVID-19, i.e. warning signs, conversation starters, resources and ways to support their child.

https://www.ahschools.us/studentsupport

https://www.ahschools.us/chemicalhealth

Join Liz Burgard, Anoka-Hennepin Parent Involvement Coordinator, as she discusses mental health topics and parenting tips with Sue Abderholden, Executive Director of NAMI Minnesota, and Megan Lagasse, Anoka-Hennepin School Social Worker.

Discover what parents need to know about mental health, especially during COVID-19, i.e. warning signs, conversation starters, resources and ways to support their child.

https://namimn.org/

https://www.ahschools.us/mentalhealth