Newsweek: Andover, Blaine, Champlin Park, Coon Rapids high schools among Top 2,000 in country

Four of the Anoka-Hennepin School District’s high schools are among the best 2,000 in the nation according to Newsweek and the Daily Beast. 

Andover, Blaine, Champlin Park and Coon Rapids high schools made the Top 2,000 list—along with just 46 other Minnesota high schools—which ranks schools “that have proven to be the most effective in turning out college-ready grads,” according to Newsweek. 

“Our teachers and principals have been working hard to improve student achievement and have more students graduate who are college ready,” said Associate Superintendent Jeff McGonigal.

Follow us: Facebook | Twitter | e-Newsletter

Principals from each school say they’re excited to be on the list and add it’s a supportive school community—especially among students—that breeds the kind of success necessary to make this kind of list.

“Coon Rapids High School has a strong, supportive and positive culture in its student body—they believe in Cardinal Pride and Cardinal Nation,” Coon Rapids High School Principal Annette Ziegler said.

The educational components are important, too, according to Ziegler, who says the school is active in trying to get more students into advanced learner courses and to take ACT and SAT tests.

For Champlin Park Principal Michael George, the honor helps to solidify all that he says makes the school great.

“This is our second year in a row (on the list), and I am proud of our staff, students, families and our communities,” George said. “We have a faculty that is dedicated to preparing our students for success, providing a high quality educational experience, building positive and supportive relationships and creating a welcoming environment for our students to learn.”

And while there’s plenty of excitement, Blaine High School Principal John Phelps says the work is by no means done.

“We are excited that we made the list but we’re far from satisfied,” he said. “Our instant goal is to move up on that list—to be number one.”

McGonigal agreed each school’s goal is to reach 100 percent graduation rates and have 100 percent proficiency for its students. 

He also noted Anoka High School’s exclusion from the list.

“I know the data at Anoka High Schools compares very favorably with our four schools on this list and I am confident their student performance is very close,” he said. 

The Newsweek/Daily Beast list is based on six components: graduation rate (25 percent), college acceptance rate (25 percent), AP/IB/AICE tests taken per student (25 percent), average SAT/ACT scores (10 percent), average AP/IB/AICE scores (10 percent), and percent of students enrolled in at least one AP/IB/AICE course (5 percent).