ANOKA - HENNEPIN SCHOOL DISTRICT

FALL 2023

Classrooms at Sandburg Education Center were updated to welcome students back to the building .

On Tuesday , Sept . 5 , students stepped off buses and walked into Sandburg Educational Center , the new home of Sandburg Regional High School , marking the return of students to the historic school for the first time since 2010 .

Sandburg Regional , which serves around 230 students from all around the district , made the move last summer from a leased site and changed the name from Anoka-Hennepin Regional High School . The school adopted the nickname ‘ Sabers ,’ which was previously used by Sandburg Middle School .

The building , located at 1902 2nd Avenue in downtown Anoka , was built in 1904 and started as a new site for Anoka High School . In 1954 the building became Anoka Junior High School and in the fall of 1976 became Sandburg Middle School until 2010 when it closed as a school site .

Administrative office spaces , classrooms and the cafeteria were retrofitted to serve students again . The previous site didn ’ t have a gymnasium or a cafeteria large enough for all the students . Now the

Students are bussed to Sandburg Regional High School from the five traditional high schools in the district .

SANDBURG REGIONAL

HIG H S C H O O L school has the ability to hold all-student assemblies , which happened during the first two weeks of school , and all gather together for lunch . These new amenities help reach the goal of improving the student experience to lead to better academic outcomes .

Sandburg Regional provides an opportunity for students who feel a traditional large high school isn ’ t the best fit for them . The school focuses on the individual student while still providing a rigorous diploma program using the Anoka-Hennepin School District ’ s high school curriculum .

Visit ahschools . us / srhs for more information . n

Anoka-Hennepin conducts an annual scientifically valid survey of community members and parents to monitor performance and guide decision making .

of parents think teachers and staff care about their children and that their child ’ s school is safe say all or most of their child ’ s learning needs are met

Community members rated top benefits :

• Good programs , broad curriculum .

• High-quality education .

• Good teachers .

Community members rated this newsletter , the FOCUS , their primary source of school district news and information .

Visit ahschools . us / communitysurvey for a summary of the data .

By Superintendent Cory McIntyre

The start of the school year is a time of excitement and optimism for students and families alike . Our schools are off to a strong start with a commitment to providing the best learning opportunities and experiences possible .

I began service as your superintendent in July after serving the last four years as Superintendent for neighboring Osseo Area Schools . I ’ ve spent the last several months reacclimating and reconnecting with people from all over the district . Keep in mind I served as Associate Superintendent in Anoka- Hennepin prior to my time in Osseo , which has eased the transition and helped build momentum for the school year .

This school year we are asking our employees to reflect on a simple , yet important aspect of their service - their “ why .” What is your personal motivation ? Why do you work in education ? continued on page 3