Schools

Off-Ice Discussion Around Maple Grove Hockey Still Heated

The incident was addressed at a recent Osseo School District School Board meeting. The Maple Grove Senior High boys varsity hockey players were also reportedly asked for feedback about coaches.

Discussions continue in the Osseo School District and at Maple Grove Senior High following an incident involving the boys hockey team in December. Reported game suspensions took place in mid-January.

Osseo School Board Chair Dean Henke addressed the situation during a school board report Feb. 5.

Over the past few weeks board members have received messages from residents regarding incidents in which some members of the the Maple Grove Senior High School hockey team violated the Minnesota State High School League code of conduct. It is important for members of the community to know that the board considers it unacceptable for students to engage in any behavior that violates the state high school league rules or school board policy. It’s also important to know that the unacceptable actions of a few do not overshadow the remarkable achievements of thousands of students across our entire district who on a daily basis excel in the classroom, volunteer in the community and demonstrate outstanding leadership both in and outside of school.

We are aware that there are many rumors about what may or may not have happened in that incident. We know it has been frustrating to parents, students, staff and the media that the school district can not confirm or deny even the most far reaching rumors because we are responsible for complying with data privacy laws. We take that responsibility very seriously and we will continue to strictly adhere to the law in this area.

We also want to ensure residents that staff fulfilled the district’s reporting responsibility by immediately reporting the allegation to the police. Our district has excellent working relationships with the police departments serving our communities and we value our ongoing strong partnership with law enforcement. The plan outlined by Maple Grove Senior High School staff calls for a number of actions that will help the hockey program move forward. Our expectation is that students and coaches will work together to ensure compliance with our high standards of conduct. 

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As part of the plan outlined by Maple Grove Senior High staff, school administrators asked for feedback from the school’s boys varsity hockey player last week “on their confidence in the entire coaching team’s ability to continue leading the team for the rest of the season," a spokesperson for the Osseo School District told the Star Tribune on Friday. 

Information obtained from the players will not be released due to data privacy, the Star Tribune reported

Find out what's happening in Maple Grovewith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Patch attempted to contact the local youth hockey association, Osseo Maple Grove Hockey Association (OMGHA), for comment and has not received a response.

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You might also be interested in reading: 

  • Maple Grove Senior High Shares Action Plan Following Boys Hockey Team Incident
  • Updated: 13 Maple Grove Boys Hockey Players Reportedly Suspended for Several Games
  • Update: Maple Grove High School Boys Hockey Coach Reinstated After Administrative Leave
  • Read: Letter to Maple Grove Senior High Parents
  • Twitter: Reaction to Maple Grove Hockey Suspensions


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