Cyclone Chronicles
Big Parade of Little People
October 23 @ 1:15 PM - 2:15 PM
Local school children march through our historic Main Street
Join us in celebrating our elementary students participation in Anoka Halloween’s oldest tradition. Marching bands and costumes for all to enjoy.
2026 Pumpkin Bowl
October 23 @ 7:00 PM $10.00
Anoka vs Centennial
Join the Anoka Halloween Capital of the World Committee and the Anoka Tornado Football Team as we kick off our historic Halloween Festival with a hometown game. Who will take home the pumpkin trophy?
Come to see our Halloween float and stay for the huge tradition football game!
Halftime special appearance will be the Anoka Halloween Candidates, with the announcement of our Community Volunteer and Youth Citizenship Awards!
Reminder to all middle school students attending the football game on Friday: A maximum of two middle school students are allowed per adult, and the adult must be in attendance with the students.
Students are expected to remain in the stands, watch the game, and cheer on our team. Running around, wandering the stadium, or causing disruptions will not be tolerated.
Let’s show our school spirit, be respectful, and make it a great game for everyone!
Grande Day Parade
October 24 @ 1:00 PM - 3:30 PM
The parade starts at 1 pm at the corner of State Street and West Main Street. Route follows Main Street to 5th Avenue and finishes at South Street/ Military Road. The parade length is 1.5 miles long.
Spaces along Main St. and 5th Avenue may be reserved AFTER 4 AM the day of the parade. Chairs/blankets set out prior to this time will be removed by the city.
Calendar Highlights
October 26 - We HAVE school - Elementary has the day off.
November 3 - ELECTION DAY- No School
November 25 - No School, Conference Conversion Day
November 26-27 - No School, Thanksgiving Holiday.
December 4 - No School, Staff Planning and Grading Day
December 7 - No School, Staff Development Day
Library Book Recommendation
Girl in the Lake by India Hill Brown
Celeste knows she should be excited to spend two weeks at her grandparents' lake house with her brother, Owen, and their cousins Capri and Daisy, but she's not. Bugs, bad cell reception, and the dark waters of the lake... no thanks. Soon strange things start happening-the sound of footsteps overhead late at night. A flickering light in the attic window. And Celete's cousins start accusing her of pranking them when she's been nowhere near them! Find this and other scary stories in the library.
Attend to Achieve
Families can support student success, consider the impact of school attendance
Attend to Achieve: Families can support student success, consider the impact of school attendance
Students need to attend school to achieve in school. Anoka-Hennepin Schools aims to share attendance and resources and tips with families to support student success.
Every day counts: Research shows that missing 10 percent of school negatively affects a student’s academic performance. That’s just two days a month! (Attendance Works.) District student services staff and attendance secretaries at each school may reach out to families throughout the school year if your student is at risk of truancy.
Why it matters: The more involved students are in school, the more likely they are to enjoy and want to attend school. Students who attend school 95% of the time are:
More likely to be on track to graduate on time.
Do better in reading and math.
Are less likely to fail a class.
Are more likely to have the credits needed to graduate.
Families can make a difference: We can all work together to support students. Consider how you can help your student attend to achieve!
Teach your child to organize their clothes, lunch and books for school the night before, so they are prepared in the morning.
Encourage your child to participate in before- or after-school activities. Students who are involved at school usually enjoy school more and are more likely to want to attend each day.
Schedule non-emergency health and dental appointments outside of school hours; and schedule vacations for days your children don’t have school.
If you know your child needs to miss school, contact the office as soon as possible to coordinate plans as soon as possible.
Voters to decide Permanent School Fund allocation formula on November 3
Along with casting votes for candidates for office this fall, ballots for voters in Anoka-Hennepin and across Minnesota will include a question that, if approved, would adjust the Minnesota Permanent School Fund to increase revenue for education without increasing property taxes.
What is it? The Permanent School Fund was formed when Minnesota became a state in 1858 as proceeds from land provided from the federal government were directed to fund public education for children as included in the state constitution. A change or amendment in the constitution requires a statewide vote.
Why it matters: The majority of revenue to operate Anoka-Hennepin Schools is provided by taxpayers at the state, national and local level. Permanent School Fund revenue is generated through timber sales, mining, land leases, and other resource activities generated by the 2.5 million acres of land and 1 million acres of mineral rights managed through the fund.
The question: The ballot question would increase the funding allocation from the PSF to 4.5% of proceeds, up from the current 2.5% allocation. For Anoka-Hennepin, this would result in an estimated $33 increase in per-pupil funding or $1.2 million annually. If not approved by voters, the fund would remain at its current allocation level, the land would remain in trust and operations would continue in their current format.
Go deeper: The ballot question was authorized by the Minnesota Legislature following a 134-0 vote in the House of Representatives and strong bi-partisan support in the Minnesota Senate. This action followed a recommendation from a non-partisan task force assigned to study and recommend updates to the allocation formula with the goal of providing a sustainable funding source to support Minnesota’s children in alignment with the original purpose of the fund.
Vote: In order to gain approval for a Minnesota constitutional amendment, a majority of all voters participating in the election would need to vote yes. If a voter leaves the question blank, it counts as a no vote.
Learn more: Detailed information is available at https://www.mnpsfamendment.org/.
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OFFICIAL BALLOT LANGUAGE
“Shall the Minnesota Constitution be amended to increase the funding going to all school districts from the permanent school fund, which is a fund that supports school districts without raising individual income or property taxes, effective July 1, 2027?”
Voters who bypass voting on the ballot measure are considered “no” votes.
Parents/guardians invited to participate in SEAC
Parent/guardian representation is needed at upcoming Special Education Advisory Council (SEAC) meetings for the upcoming school year from families with students of all age levels - including early childhood, elementary, middle school, high school, and transition-aged students - with a full continuum of student disabilities.
What it is: SEAC (pronounced “seek”) is comprised of parents/guardians of students in the district who receive Special Education services.
Why it matters: The intent of SEAC is to advise the school district on parent involvement, current issues, program development and established department priorities. The council serves as a resource and an advisory council for special education programs in the district.
How to get involved: Contact Mary Esch at 763-506-1362 or mary.esch@ahschools.us. Parents/guardians who wish to be part of SEAC are asked to make an effort to attend all meetings.
Meeting details: The focus and work of the group is driven by parents' interest in projects and resources that benefit all families of students served in special education.
Meetings are held in-person from 6-7 p.m. at the Anoka-Hennepin Education Service Center (ESC) located at 2727 N. Ferry Street in Anoka. Meeting dates have been set for the 2026-27 school year:
Oct. 8, 2026 - Pauline Chamberlain
Nov. 10, 2026 - Erling Johnson C and D
Focus on Interventions and multi-tiered systems of support.Dec. 10, 2026 - Erling Johnson C and D
Jan. 14, 2027 - Erling Johnson C and D - Focus on 504 plans and Individualized Education Plans (IEPs), including accommodations and modifications.
Feb. 18, 2027 - George Petty
Mar. 18, 2027 - 5:30 to 7 pm - Joint Special Education Resource Fair with Osseo Area Schools at Brooklyn Park Community Activity Center, 5600 85th Ave N, Brooklyn Park, MN
Apr. 8, 2027 - Erling Johnson C and D (Tentative Speaker)
Topics will be generated ahead of time based on district initiatives, SEAC Co-Chairs’ input, and the focused work of the council.
Learn more information about SEAC.
Read about special education services in the Anoka-Hennepin School District.
New technology tool available for families: GoGuardian Parent
Technology plays an important role in preparing students for life, and Chromebooks are utilized as a daily learning tool in Anoka-Hennepin middle and high school classrooms. Students in grades 6-12 are assigned a Chromebook from the school district to ensure access to technology systems that support classroom learning.
As part of Anoka-Hennepin Schools' commitment to student safety and well-being, an optional technology tool is now available for district families at no charge, “GoGuardian Parent.” This application provides parents with insights into their child’s online activity within their school-managed accounts and devices.
Features include:
Review of browsing history.
Blocking of specific websites during out-of-school hours.
Pause internet access on demand during out-of-school hours.
Scheduled times to pause internet access during out-of-school hours.
Participation in GoGuardian Parent is optional. Anoka-Hennepin Schools respects parental rights and provides this tool as an additional resource for families who wish to utilize it.
Read instructions to get started.
Ski/Snowboard Club - Starts December 11th - This club gives Anoka-Hennepin School District Middle School students the opportunity to ski and snowboard as a group and develop their skills in these exhilarating sports. Ski/Snowboard Club strives to provide a venue for wholesome outdoor activity for our young people during the winter months. The club will visit Wild Mountain and Trollhaugen on scheduled Fridays in the months of December, January and February. Membership is open to Middle School students regardless of their skill level. Lessons and equipment rentals are available at the ski hills. Students will be transported by bus to and from the ski hills.
https://ahschools.arux.app/course/16081/youth-winter-2027/ms-ski-snowboard-club
As a part of district budget reductions last school year, individual Volunteer Service Coordinator (VSC) positions at secondary sites were eliminated. This means there will no longer be a dedicated VSC at each secondary school. We have moved to a centralized model to manage all volunteer needs.
Volunteers are still a very important part of our school community and we will continue to work to support volunteer needs in our buildings and process volunteer applications in accordance with district risk management procedures.
Take a minute and complete Anoka MS for the Arts Volunteer Application for this school year. Send a message to MSVolunteerServicese@ahschools.us if you have general questions about volunteering or need assistance with the volunteer paperwork.
This e-newsletter is published by Anoka Middle School for the Arts, supported by the Anoka-Hennepin communication and public relations department. Questions, comment or concerns about the school e-newsletter? Contact us.