Newsletters 2014-15 Focus newsletter, [1] fall | Page 3

NEW THIS YEAR

PAGE 3

It’s here! Anoka-Hennepin unveils new website
You spoke; we listened. Anoka-Hennepin’s new
website brings students, parents and community
members news and information in a more concise,
consistent fashion. The entire site, including district,
school and teacher pages, debuted early August.
Visitors will find the same look and feel whether
they’re at a district or school site. On the homepage,
the main area showcases photos or videos of school
happenings, along with calendar and news information directly below. The fonts are the same type and
size; and the colors are drawn from a specified set
incorporating each high schools traditional colors. For
instance, Coon Rapids High School is using the colors
“cardinal red” and black.
“This is a great step toward branding AnokaHennepin,” said Mary Olson, director of communication and public relations. “Our new look and feel will
enable families to more easily recognize district and
school information we’re sharing with them.”
The navigation structure is also consistent throughout
the new website. On school pages, the main headers
are About Us, Academics, Activities, Support,
Involvement and Community Ed. Visitors will be able to
find information more quickly and in many cases fewer
clicks, as a result of this setup. A great deal of research
with students, families and community members was
done to ensure the most visited items are prominent.
Here are just a few of the items that can be
quickly accessed:
• News and announcements
• School and activity calendars
• Student information
(schedules, grades, bus routes, etc.)
• Districtwide staff directory
• Lunch menus

Anoka-Hennepin unveiled a new website on Aug. 1, which provides better navigaton, easier to find information, and a cohesive
feel between all district and school sites. Check it out at www.anoka.k12.mn.us.

fact, Anoka-Hennepin is working toward expanding
these e-services as much as possible. New login information was shared by mail the week of July 28. Any
family that hasn’t received this communication can
call 763-506-HELP (4357).

Families still have the ability to check grades, lunch
account balances and register for sports as before. In

Visitors will also notice a responsive design feature
that automatically adjusts content depending on what
machine or device is being used. “The website will
be easily accessible from any technology device –

computers, tablets and smartphones,” said Tom
Skoglund, technology facilitator. “Each view will look
strikingly similar to the computer version.”
A smartphone app for iPhone and Android devices
has also been deployed in conjunction with the new
website. It includes basic district and school information such as school locations, contact information and
lunch menus. Visitors without an iPhone or Android
continued on page 5

StepAhead offering even
Stay up to date with
more class options this fall our smartphone app
Want a quick, handy way to stay up-to-date with all
things Anoka-Hennepin? Download our new smartphone
app for Apple or Android devices. Here’s how easy it is:

Anoka-Hennepin’s new online high school,
StepAhead, just finished its first year starting with
grades 9 and 10. This fall, the school will offer
grade 11 as well as more opportunities thanks to
a few additions in class choices. Next year,
StepAhead will add grade 12.

Get the app from the app store
1. On your Apple or Android device, go the app store
(App Store on iPhones, Google Play on Android devices)
and search for Anoka-Hennepin.

Firefighting is now being offered to students.
Those that participate will learn about the history
of firefighting, fire behavior, safety equipment
and rescue. This year the course is offered to students in grades 10 and 11. In the 2015-16 school
year it will be open to grade 12.

2. Click the “install” button next to the Anoka-Hennepin
icon.
3. If prompted, enter your app store username and/or
password.

Fashion and cosmetology is also being offered.
Participating students will learn all about the
opportunities in this career with hands-on activities, guest speakers and a field trip. This year the
course is being offered to students in grade 11
(grade 12 during the 2015-16 school year).
“Anoka-Hennepin high schools are working
hard to create career pathways for our students,”
said Jeff McGonigal, associate superintendent for
high schools. “These new courses at StepAhead
are a good example - our graduates will be well
trained and ready for their related post-secondary education.”
Room is still available for students interested in
participating in the StepAhead program. Simply
follow the steps under the “registration” page of
the StepAhead website, StepAheadHS.org. At
the site, students can also take a simple eightquestion self-assessment to help determine if
online learning is a good fit for them.

Use the app
1. Click the app called “AH Schools” on your phone’s
home screen.

StepAhead, Anoka-Hennepin’s online high school, is
offering a number of new classes this fall.

StepAhead opened last school year to offer
students in our community and state an opportunity to earn a diploma from Minnesota’s largest
school di