Fit for the Future Task Force
PREPARING STUDENTS FOR LIFE PAGE 2
What steps can parents and guardians take to prevent substance use by their teenagers ? What ’ s happening in the world of teenage and young adult substance abuse ?
Get the answers to those questions , along with the latest information on the topic during a chemical awareness series the Anoka-Hennepin School District is hosting this year .
Three free-of-charge events remain , offering an opportunity for parents and guardians to make connections with staff and community resources , providing information , and offer steps to protect students from drug and alcohol abuse .
The series events will be offered in two formats — one a traditional panel format , and the other will offer a film with facilitated discussions after .
At the panel events , attendees will hear from substance-use prevention experts , hear the first-hand accounts of drug and alcohol use from former Anoka-Hennepin students and see local data on drug and alcohol use .
At the film events , attendees will watch “ Chasing the Dragon ,” an FBIproduced film , which explores opioid painkiller addiction , and then have a panel discussion with experts and local leaders .
Anoka-Hennepin to host drug and alcohol information series aimed at substance use by teens
The events :
Presentation event : Thursday , Jan . 19 , 7 to 9 p . m ., at Coon Rapids High School , located at 2340 Northdale Blvd . NW , in Coon Rapids .
Film event : Wednesday , Feb . 1 , 7 to 9 p . m ., at Anoka High School , located at 3939 Seventh Ave . N , in Anoka .
Presentation event : Wednesday , April 19 , 7 to 9 p . m ., at Andover High School , located at 2115 Andover Blvd . NW , in Andover .
Resource tables will be available at 6:30 p . m . prior to each event , and until 9:30 p . m . after , for attendees who wish to speak with experts or pick up information .
For more information , visit anoka . k12 . mn . us / chemicalseries , or contact Linda Anderson , director of student services , at linda . anderson @ ahschools . us , or 763-506-1017 . ■
Fit for the Future Task Force
cont . from page 1
needs are consuming more and more classroom space as a result .
In addition , the use of portable classrooms across the district , including the 41 portables at the high schools , is a growing concern , not only for district leaders , but also by law enforcement and city leaders due to security concerns associated with them .
At the Jan . 23 School Board meeting , the task force will present its findings and recommendations to the board . Using the recommendations of the community task force as a guide , the School Board will then make decisions on how to address the space challenges .
The Fit for the Future Task Force was formed at the request of the School Board last school year with the news that some schools have begun to see space challenges due to a boom in housing construction , especially in Blaine , Ramsey and Dayton .
Meeting agendas , minutes and reports on the task force are available on the district website at anoka . k12 . mn . us / fff . ■
Jackson Middle School student saves family from house fire using lessons learned in elementary school
Ruth Nyaberi blushes when she ’ s called a hero , but local fire officials said the sixth grader definitely acted heroically on the night there was a fire in her home .
Not only is she credited with saving her family , but maybe the house , too , according to Brooklyn Park Fire Chief Ken Prillaman , who recognized Ruth ’ s actions with an award on Oct . 12 at her school , Jackson Middle School .
“ Getting an award is nice ,” Ruth said , “ but at the time it was scary . And I didn ’ t know if my family could do anything , so I tried .”
The scary situation started around 8 p . m . on Sept . 28 . Everything was normal — so normal that Ruth doesn ’ t remember what she was doing when her sister suddenly called out to her .
“ There ’ s a fire in the kitchen ,” Ruth remembers her sister yelling .
It turns out the chicken their grandma was making for dinner had started on fire in the stove .
That ’ s when Ruth says the things she learned in school , when she was a student at Champlin-Brooklyn Park Academy , popped into her head .
At first her sister wondered if they could just put water on the flames , but Ruth knew better . “ There was oil , so I remembered water would be bad ,” she said .
Instead , she called 9-1-1 to report the fire , and then evacuated her family outside .
“ It ’ s what we learned in school ,” she said , recalling a few times when firefighters came to her classes when she was an elementary school student at Champlin- Brooklyn Park Academy .
Hearing Ruth recount how she used lessons from fire prevention visits at school were validating for Chief Prillaman and Mark Lynde , Brooklyn Park ’ s fire prevention coordinator .
“ I can ’ t begin tell you how impressive her actions were ,” Prillaman said . “ It ’ s really the ultimate payback — that our efforts work in trying to educate our youth .”
“ We got our victory ,” Lynde said .
But Ruth ’ s heroic actions didn ’ t stop at calling 9-1-1 or evacuating her family until the fire department came . Her family also had a small , up-to-date fire extinguisher inside the house . Once her family was evacuated , Ruth said she quickly read the instructions on the side of the can , and tried to put the fire out .
Jackson Middle School sixth-grader Ruth Nyaberi was recognized Oct . 12 for her quick thinking when a fire started in her house . From left , Jackson Middle School sixth grade Assistant Principal Tim Sukalski , Nyaberi , Brooklyn Park Fire Chief Ken Prillaman , and Brooklyn Park Fire Prevention Coordinator Mark Lynde .
“ When we got to the house , the front door was open but there wasn ’ t any smoke , which I thought was odd ,” Lynde said . “ When we got inside , there was a coating ( of fire extinguisher suppressant ) all over the kitchen and stove . She definitely put the fire out .”
“ She probably saved the house ,” Prillaman said .
When asked about getting the award for her actions , Ruth acknowledged it was “ pretty neat ,” but then got emotional .
“ I ’ m just happy my family is ok ,” she said . “ What you did was amazing ,” Prillaman said , comforting her with a hug . ■
Nov . 12 • 9 to 10:30 a . m . Caribou Coffee 12417 Ulysses St . NE Blaine
Have coffee with the superintendent
Superintendent David Law ’ s popular coffee events are a laid back and fun opportunity for him to engage with the community , and the 2016-17 meet-and-greets are set .
Over the past two years , Law has met with hundreds of community members , parents , students and staff in local bakeries and coffee shops , discussing what ’ s happening around town . For more information , visit anoka . k12 . mn . us . ■
Other coffee dates this year :
• Coon Rapids : Feb . 25 • 9 to 10:30 a . m . Dunn Brothers 401 Northdale Blvd . NW .
• Champlin : April 1 • 9 to 10:30 a . m . Caribou Coffee 11468 Jefferson Ct .
• Andover : April 22 • 9 to 10:30 a . m . Brio 15190 Bluebird St . NW , Suite 100 .