| Number of Schools Managed |
4 |
3 |
| Number of Students Managed |
1,325 students |
766 students |
| District Total Revenue |
$11,146,000 |
$7,976,000 |
| District Expenditure |
$11,459,000 |
$8,268,000 |
| District Revenue / Student |
$8,412 |
$10,413 |
| District Expenditure / Student |
$8,648 |
$10,794 |
| District Graduation Rates |
89% |
92% |
|
- Aitkin High School (AHS) is a public high school in Aitkin, Minnesota. The school serves students in grades 7-12. As of 2009, it had 600 students.
- The school is a member of Minnesota's Independent School District 1 (Aitkin School District), and is affiliated with the Minnesota State High School League (MSHSL). The school is a member of the Great River Conference. The AHS mascot is the Gobbler.
- History
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Aitkin High School was established in the year 1901 and many additions have been added to the school since. When the school was first built, many children that lived outside the city of Aitkin attended local country schools, and then attended AHS after they had graduated from 8th grade. In 1928, the school received an addition. Several modifications took place during the following decades, including a new cafeteria, band area, and auditorium. The most major change after 1928 took place in 1976, when the school was remodeled and the old school building was demolished. Not many major modifications took place after that until the year 2000, when a new band area was established. In 2005, a new weight room was built. The school was modified once again in 2006 with a newly added commons area and a new 7th grade locker area built on the second floor of the school, along with an LED sign in the front of the building. In 2007, a more advanced security system was installed and a speed limit regulation was implemented around the school. In 2008, a wall was removed in the cafeteria which will enable more students to have lunch in one lunch period, and signs were posted on all entrances of the school. Flora and fauna were added in the school lately and paintings by students were placed on the walls to give it a more friendly atmosphere.
- The School
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In 2009, AHS had 600 students.
- The Aitkin School District's Superintendent is Bernie Novak. The new principal starting in July 2009 is Chad Peterson who was from the Twin Cities area. The dean of students and athletic director is Dan Stifter.
- Curriculum and Scheduling
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Aitkin High School currently uses a trimester format for its school schedule. Each trimester lasts 12 weeks. Classes vary in length from 1 to 3 trimesters. Class periods are currently 54 minutes in length with 4 minutes passing time in between classes. There are penalties for those who fail to come to the assigned class at the designated time. Some classes, such as the ones in the Industrial Arts field takes place in multiple periods. A seven period daily schedule is used and lunch periods are mixed grades instead of a grade level procedure that was used years prior to 2007. Additionally, middle school and high school students now share the same time schedule. From the years 1998-2007, the school used a block schedule, where classes were 84 minutes long. In 2007, the block schedule method was scrapped and the classic trimester schedule was reinstated as previously used at AHS during the 1960s and the 1970s. In 2007, independent study periods were added and the school goes on a 7 day rotation basis, in which each hour gets an independent study on that particular. (eg. Day 1 is 1st hour, Day 2 is second hour, etc.) Modular scheduling is used partially. It is not used as the standard scheduling features but it is used more or less for effective lesson planning by teachers and for school assemblies and independent study periods.
- Independent study periods enable students to have some time to finish class assignments, get help from another teacher, attend meetings and school assemblies, and much more. Various problems in the school might end IS or have IS suspended for a certain period of time.
- Students have lunch in either 4th or 5th period. In 2007, 3rd period lunch was included, but it was too early for the food service to prepare food and for students to eat lunch, so 3rd period is now a standard class period. Middle school ate lunch in 3rd and 4th period. 7th grade ate in the second part of 3rd period and 8th grade ate the first part of 4th period. Currently, middle school will eat lunch at the same time as the high school. 7th grade will eat in fourth period and 8th grade will eat in 5th period.
- Planning room is used instead of the standard beginning of school day announcement and attendance. Students are automatically chosen a planning room. usually based on the person's position of the alphabet, and they are required to report to that room when the day begins. Special education students, peer helpers, and student council members are placed in different planning rooms. During this short time, students could have questions answered from their teachers, attendance is taken, announcements are read, passes are administered, and many other housekeeping activities. In 2008, the will receive credit for attending planning rooms.
- More than 110 classes are offered. This includes subjects in agriculture, business, media arts, computer science and information technology, English, family and consumer science, art, music, physical education, industrial technology, mathematics, science, social studies, and World Languages.
- Although AHS does not offer any AP or IB classes, it offers college credit for advanced classes with a program called College in the Schools through the University of Minnesota, Central Lakes Community College, Mesabi Community College, and Vermilion Community College and the option of PSEO..
- Homecoming Parade
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Aitkin High School had hosted a homecoming parade for many years. Under some circumstances in the early 1990s, the homecoming parade was bypassed. But in 2008, a homecoming parade will return in honor of students that are graduating in 2009 and beyond. The first Homecoming parade since the middle 1990s took place on September 26, 2008. The parade includes a float for each class, marching band, homecoming candidates, and floats for various businesses in Aitkin. A homecoming parade will still be the tradition after this.
- Facilities
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The school features a newly added commons area, two gyms, a band area, an auditorium, a weight room, a choir area, and three floors of classrooms for all subjects of required courses and interest.
- Extracurricular Activities
- Business Professionals of America (BPA)
- Jazz Band
- Knowledge Bowl
- Madrigal
- National Honor Society
- One Act Play
- Peer Helpers
- Pep Band (required for excellece in the band curriculum)
- Spanish Club
- Speech
- Student Council
- Yearbook Production (used as an elective course for 9-12)
- Construction Occupation - 11th-12th grade student build and auction a small house as an elective course. This course currently does not exist.
- Occupational Foods (used as an elective course for 10-12). This course does not currently exist.
- Musical (as part of the Concert Choir curriculum)
- Band (used as a class elective for 7-12)
- Choir (used as a class elective for 7-12)
- Pep club
- Astronomy club
- FFA
- German Club
- Athletics
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Athletic teams include:
- Fall
- Football
- Girl's Tennis
- Volleyball
Winter
- Boy's Basketball
- Girl's Basketball
- Wrestling
- Dance Team
- Hockey (with Crosby-Ironton)
Spring
- Boy's Tennis
- Softball
- Baseball
- Golf
- Track and Field
- See also
- List of high schools in Minnesota
- Notes
- External links
- AHS website
- schooltree
- Source: Wikipedia; it is used under the GNU Free Documentation License. You may redistribute it, verbatim or modified, providing that you comply with the terms of the GFDL.
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