South school briefs

High school to hold college fair Farmington High School will host a college fair featuring 17 colleges and universities from 3 to 5 p.m. on April 29.

For more information, call the high school's career and college coordinator, Amy Olson, at 651-252-2852.

Cherry View principal to retire The principal of Cherry View Elementary School will retire this summer.

The Lakeville school board accepted John Beal's resignation, which is effective July 1, at a meeting last week.

District administrators hope to recommend a new principal at the board's May 25 meeting, said Superintendent Gary Amoroso.

School board approves budget cuts The Prior Lake-Savage school board last week approved a plan to fill a $3.7 million budget gap for 2010-11.

Cuts include a 5 percent reduction in the district's teaching staff, or the equivalent of about 22 teachers. The district is also trimming spending on a range of other expenses, from travel and supplies to administration and clerical support.

Students will notice the cuts in a variety of ways. Seventh- and eighth-graders in band, for example, will play in a larger ensemble than they do now, and gifted students at Prior Lake High School will meet with counselors instead of a gifted specialist for career planning and other needs.

Committee to review challenged books A district committee will meet next week to consider a resident's request to remove a book series from elementary school libraries.

According to the district, the Apple Valley resident has objected to the "Bone" series by Jeff Smith, arguing that they contain age-inappropriate sexual innuendos and references to drinking and smoking.

The committee meeting, which is open to the public, will start at 4:15 p.m. on Tuesday at the district office in Rosemount.

Twelve of the district's 18 libraries own at least one of the challenged books. Students may check them out, but they're not used in classroom lessons, according to the district.

District policy allows any resident, parent or employee to challenge books available in school libraries. If the person wants the use of a title to change for students other than his or her own children, the request is reviewed by a district committee that includes teachers, parents and media specialists.

Magnuson elected to national board Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan school board member Jackie Magnuson was elected this month to a position on the National School Boards Association's board of directors.

The board has 25 members, with three, including Magnuson, representing the nine-state Central Region.

Magnuson is also president of the Minnesota School Boards Association.

Board approves new rules for chaperones In Shakopee, the rules for school chaperones just got stricter.

The school board voted unanimously last week to approve policy changes that explicitly ban chaperones and staff members from drinking on extended trips.

The changes were drafted this winter after four Shakopee hockey coaches were suspended for drinking on an overnight team trip. The coaches had gone to a bar with some parents who were along for the trip, according to the school district.

The new rules require staff and chaperones who go on school trips to sign an agreement spelling out their responsibilities. Use of alcohol and tobacco are both prohibited, and chaperones will be told that they must be ready to supervise students at all times.

Guests and others who are part of a school's official traveling group are also expected to abstain.

Chaperones and staff members who drink or break the law will be removed from their duties and barred from group activities for the rest of the trip. Chaperones who break the rules also will be barred from supervising future school trips, while staff members will be subject to further disciplinary action from the district.

SARAH LEMAGIE