Happy Fall!

AHS Parents/Guardians and Students,

As we move past the first month of school and settle into the year, I want to take a moment to share a few important reminders with students and families.

Closed Lunch Policy
Aitkin High School has a closed lunch policy, which means students are expected to remain on campus during lunch. We ask that parents/guardians only call their student out during lunch when they have a scheduled appointment or another necessary reason to leave school.

Thank you for helping us maintain a safe and consistent school environment for all students.

Connecting at AHS
One of our focuses this year is making connections—with students, families, and one another. I would love the opportunity to get to know our students and families better. Parents and guardians, please feel welcome to send me an email introducing yourself and sharing a little about your student(s) at AHS. I look forward to connecting with you!

YouTube Parental Consent
Google now requires parental consent for users under 18 to access YouTube, which is one of the Google services we use at Aitkin High School.

If you do not want your student to have access to YouTube through their school Google account, please let us know. We will work with you to address your request. Please email ldemars@isd1.org or helpdesk@isd1.org.

Cell Phone Reminders

• Grades 7–8: Cell phones are not permitted from 8:20 a.m.–3:20 p.m.
• Grades 9–12: Cell phones are not permitted during class time.

Thank you for your continued partnership and support. We are grateful to have you as part of the Aitkin High School community!

Happy fall! 🌰 🍂

Mrs. DeMars

Congratulations!

Left to Right: Eliot Christensen, Gavin Fanjoy, Parker Fulton, Jack Jacobson, Nolan Dotzler (King), Atlanta Hagman (Queen), Kinleigh Ukutegbe, Kacie Kaiser, Gabriella Price, Grace Hunter

Junior Royalty: Jamie Tetrick & Annika Carlson

Juniors have the option to take two different assessments to help with college and/or career planning.

The PSAT is held on October 21st

The ASVAB is held on October 27th

If you are interested in taking one or both of these assessments, Contact Mrs. Sander to sign up. msander@isd1.org

Middle School Student Council (MSSC) applications are available in the School Counseling Office. The mission of MSSC is to create fun, engaging experiences for the middle school student body in order to foster school pride and a positive school climate. Also, to provide leadership and service learning opportunities for the student council members. MSSC is composed of approximately 10-14 middle school students and meets twice a month during 4th hour. Full details of MSSC expectations/responsibilities and the application process are listed on the yellow Information Sheet attached to each MSSC application. The deadline for students to turn in completed MSSC applications into the School Counseling Office is 3:30pm on Wednesday, October 14th. Please contact MS Student Council advisor, Mrs. Croatt, with any questions.

On September 12 & 13 the Minnesota Bass Nation High School State Championship took place on Leech Lake with teams launching out of Walker. Two teams from the Aitkin Anglers were part of the 80 boats that qualified, They were Lenny and Noah Hughes and Colton Weimer and Noah Moss. Congratulations to Weimer and Moss for taking 2nd place and the Hughes boys for 8th place!

In accordance to state law students are allowed 10 days of excused parent absences in a school year. After 10 excused parent absences the school will need a doctor's note to excuse additional absences. A note, phone call or an email to excuse a student's absence is required or it will be an unexcused absence. After 7 unexcused absences the school is required by law to file truancy.

If you have any questions or need support, please reach out to Tharcia Foss at tfoss@isd1.org, Mrs. DeMars at ldemars@isd1.org or Mr. Henrickson at jhenrickson@isd1.org

Minnesota families may be eligible for state tax credits and tax relief programs. With the help of the Minnesota Department of Revenue, we are here to make the process simple, so you can feel confident getting the support your family deserves.

Child Tax Credit

• Families may qualify for a Child Tax Credit of $1,800 per qualifying child with no limit on the number of children claimed. They can receive a refund even if they do not owe tax.
• For more information, visit Child Tax Credit.

K-12 Education Subtraction and Credit

• Minnesota has two tax relief programs for families with children in kindergarten through 12th grade: the K-12 Education Subtraction and K-12 Education Credit. Both programs help lower taxes and may provide a larger refund.
• For more information, visit K-12 Education Subtraction and Credit.

Free Tax Preparation

• Families may qualify for free tax preparation through the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) or AARP Tax-Aide programs. These programs prepare federal and state income tax and Property Tax Refund returns.
• To learn more about eligibility and find a free tax site near you, visit Free Tax Preparation Sites.

Promotional Materials

• Find videos, handouts, newsletter articles, and social media examples to promote Minnesota tax credits on Revenue’s Promotional Materials webpage.
• We offer printable materials in English, Spanish, Hmong, and Karen

We are excited to continue our new tradition at Aitkin High School—Staff Member of the Month!

This recognition was started by our 11th and 12th grade homeroom representatives last year as a way to highlight and celebrate the amazing staff members who make a difference in the lives of our students each day.

Once a month, students in grades 7–12 have the opportunity to nominate and vote for a staff member they feel deserves to be recognized. Along with their vote, students are asked to share why they believe that staff member should be selected.

The 11th and 12th grade homeroom representatives then come together to read through the student comments and determine the Staff Member of the Month. This gives students an opportunity to recognize the positive relationships, support, encouragement, and leadership they experience from our staff.

Congratulations to Our September Staff Member of the Month!

Mr. Sanford

Mr. Sanford was selected as our September Staff Member of the Month. This is what AHS students had to say about him:

“He was helpful.”

“Has been a very good addition to Aitkin.”

“He's great to talk to in the halls and he's a leader to the students.”

“He is a kind and hardworking man.”

“He is a good dude in a bad world.”

“He's awesome.”

“He's nice.”

“Cause he is nice and we usually see him before school and talk to him.”

These comments highlight something that matters greatly at AHS—relationships.

Congratulations, Mr. Sanford, and thank you for making a positive difference at Aitkin High School!

We look forward to continuing this tradition throughout the school year and celebrating the many staff members who help make AHS a great place to learn and grow.