West metro school briefs

Teachers honored for technology effortsMany west-metro teachers were recognized recently for using technology to better engage students in the classroom.

They were among the 79 teachers from Minnesota 39 districts to receive recognition as exceptional teachers at the TIES 2010 Education Technology Conference in Minneapolis this month.

The recipients include: Bloomington teachers Greg Erbisch and Laura George; Hopkins teachers Ben Fiesen and Robb Trendal; Osseo teachers Kristin Campea and Mary Litwinczuk; Buffalo-Hanover-Montrose teachers Paul Anderson and Tim Murray; Eden Prairie teachers Kirsten Bromaghim and Crystal Thompson; Edina teachers Mark Wallace and Kathleen West; ISD 287 teachers AnnMarie Bailey, Diane Gerads-Schmidt and Barb Skelly; Orono teachers Kelly Jeremiason and Connie Priesz; Richfield teachers Matt Brown and Kirstin Gulland; Westonka teachers Michelle Hempel and Nicole Ketcher; St. Louis Park teachers William Stenross and Nate Tangen; and West Metro Education Program teachers Erin Aulik and Todd Boyd from the FAIR School.

TIES is an education technology consortium of 41 Minnesota school districts.

School funds books for at-risk studentsBloomington's Normandale Hills Elementary School recently raised $1,000 to give more than 400 books to at-risk students. The effort aims to improve reading proficiency in students.

Half of the donation came from the school's business partner, United Educator's Credit Union, which was then matched by the school's Parent Teacher Association. The school's goal was to raise $2,000, and organizers plan to appeal to additional businesses to help meet that goal.

High school receives grant for programsRobbinsdale Cooper High School has received a $2,000 grant from the Engelsma Family Foundation to support its business and marketing programs.

It will help the school subsidize field trip costs for students, substitute teacher expenses and on-site financial literacy education.

The grant was made possible with the assistance of the Seven Dreams Education Foundation, an independent, non-profit fund founded by community members, parents and education professionals of the Robbinsdale School District.

High school info, registration nights are scheduledThe Robbinsdale School District will hold high school registration and information nights for eighth-grade students and families the first week of January: At 7 p.m. Jan. 3 at Armstrong High School, 10635 36th Av. N., Plymouth; and at 7 p.m. Jan. 6 at Cooper High School, 8230 47th Av. N., New Hope.

Guidance counselors will be on hand to answer questions, and families can get information about courses, activities and special programs. For more information, go to www.rdale.org and click on Enrollment.

KELLY SMITH