Anoka High School

Anoka High School
Address
Map
3939 Seventh Avenue North

,
55303

Coordinates45°13′27″N 93°23′01″W / 45.2242239°N 93.3834886°W / 45.2242239; -93.3834886
Information
TypePublic
Established1880
School districtAnoka-Hennepin School District 11
PrincipalMike Farley
Teaching staff123.58 (FTE)[1]
Grades912
Enrollment2,353 (2023–2024)[1]
Student to teacher ratio19.04[1]
Color(s)Maroon & White   
Athletics conferenceNorthwest Suburban Conference
NicknameTornadoes
WebsiteSchool website
[2]

Anoka High School is a four-year public high school located in Anoka, Minnesota, United States. It serves grades 912 for the Anoka-Hennepin School District 11.

History

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The first Anoka High School opened in 1904. Classes initially took place at the Commercial Hotel until the building was completed in January 1905. Construction cost $30,000, and the school could accommodate 200 students. Enrollment at the time was 183.[3]

By 1913, temporary structures were added to address overcrowding, as enrollment continued to grow. By 1925, the school served 425 students, though there was no cafeteria, so students either brought lunch or went home.[3]

In 1929, voters approved replacing the temporary structures with a new wing, which opened in 1930 alongside renovations to the original building. The addition included a gymnasium and auditorium.[3]

In 1939, a second addition was built, adding classrooms and offices, and the older sections underwent repairs. Enrollment reached 699 students that year. In June of 1939, a tornado struck much of Main Street in Anoka but narrowly missed the school. A reporter dubbed one of the school teams the “Tornadoes,” a nickname that eventually became the school mascot.[3]

The second Anoka High School opened in 1955, a few blocks southeast of downtown Anoka, on a 12-acre site donated by Dr. George and Pearl Ghostley. The original high school building became Sandburg Middle School. Designed for 1,000 students, the new school opened with an enrollment of 848. A major addition in 1959 expanded capacity to 1,800 students. Despite the opening of Coon Rapids High School in 1963, enrollment at Anoka High continued to rise, reaching 2,082 students by 1971.[3]

In 1970, construction began on the current Anoka High School building, which opened in 1972 at its present location on 7th Avenue.[3] The previous high school building became Fred Moore Junior High School (later Fred Moore Middle School, and now Anoka Middle School for the Arts). Anoka High School is one of the oldest and largest high schools in Minnesota.

From the formation of the Anoka-Hennepin School District 11 in 1920 until the opening of Coon Rapids High School in 1963, all district students attended high school in Anoka.

Athletics

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Anoka competes in the Northwest Suburban Conference in the Minnesota State High School League. The school mascot is the Tornadoes.[4]

State Championships
Sport Number of Championships Years
Soccer, Girls 1 1989
Soccer, Boys 3 2007, 2014, 2015
Football 5 1915, 1944, 1964, 1990, 1994
Wrestling 6 1949, 1950, 1955, 1961, 1977, 1978
Hockey, Boys 1 2003
Basketball, Boys 3 1973, 1981, 1992
Track and field, Girls 3 1981, 1982, 2000
Baseball 1 1945
Golf, Boys 2 1950, 1951
Total 25

Notable alumni

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References

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  1. ^ a b c "Anoka High School". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved January 10, 2025.
  2. ^ U.S. Geological Survey Geographic Names Information System: Anoka High School
  3. ^ a b c d e f "About our school / History of Anoka High School". www.ahschools.us. Archived from the original on October 10, 2018. Retrieved January 25, 2025.
  4. ^ "Welcome to the Northwest Suburban Conference!". Retrieved March 29, 2013.
  5. ^ "1989 Miss America named new chair of Miss America Organization". The Guardian. Associated Press. January 1, 2018. Retrieved March 17, 2021.
  6. ^ "Jake Deitchler". Team USA. Archived from the original on June 2, 2023.
  7. ^ Evans, John. "Anoka County History: Anna Gaylord Hedgeman: Activist for civil rights". Hometown Source (ABC Newspapers). Retrieved November 19, 2020.
  8. ^ Brown, Curt. "Minnesota history: Koryne Horbal's path to feminist powerhouse". Startribune. Startribune. Retrieved May 5, 2020.
  9. ^ Keillor, Garrison (April 15, 2010). "Post to the Host: 7th Grade Report". A Prairie Home Companion. Archived from the original on September 21, 2010. Retrieved September 5, 2010.
  10. ^ Ruane, Blake (May 8, 2019). "Minnesota Football Recruiting: In-state LB Cody Lindenberg commits to the Gophers". The Daily Gopher. Retrieved December 5, 2024.
  11. ^ Bishop, Greg (July 11, 2008). "A Wrestling Match That Was Meant to Be". The New York Times.
  12. ^ "Legendary goalie Briana Scurry on World Cup and U.S. women's soccer". PBS NewsHour. July 2, 2019. Retrieved March 17, 2021.
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