SPRING LAKE PARK

District schools get high grades Spring Lake Park schools got a grade of "A" or "B" from more than 70 percent of respondents in a survey conducted on behalf of the district. The survey was conducted in July by the Center for Community Opinion, which interviewed a cross-section of 400 district voters.

Survey respondents were asked to grade the district based on their satisfaction level. Slightly more than 7 percent of those surveyed gave the district a "D" or "F." According to Spring Lake Park Superintendent Don Helmstetter, the district fared far better than most schools rated in a national survey conducted by Phi Delta Kappa, a professional association of educators. That survey showed only 45 percent of the respondents awarding their schools grades of "A" or "B," while 20 percent graded them with a "D" or "F."

NORMAN DRAPER

Centennial

Superintendent Worner to retire Roger Worner, superintendent of Centennial schools, will retire effective June 30. Worner said his plans involve consulting work, teaching at the university level, and writing.

The Centennial school board plans to conduct interviews for a new superintendent Nov. 10-21, then to fill the position by mid-December. Worner had been Centennial superintendent since 2005. Prior to that, he was superintendent of the Glencoe-Silver Lake School District in rural Minnesota.

NORMAN DRAPER

Roseville DISTRICT

SMART Boards getting wide use Since June 1, the Roseville area schools says it has installed 130 SMART Boards districtwide and has trained more than 100 teachers. Many other districts are reporting similar progress.

A cross between a white board and computer, SMART Boards allow teachers to display a computer screen to the entire classroom, much like a movie screen. Similar to computers, SMART Boards are inter-active, allowing teachers and students to use it to write notes, pull up charts and images, search the Internet, and play videos. Using special pens, students and teachers can write on the SMART Board, just like a poster-sized piece of paper. But rather than having to tape their notes to the wall, they can save them on the computer and visit them another day.

SMART Board backers say they appeal to all learning styles:

• Visual learners can easily see colorful, movable images from any part of the room.

• Hands-on learners can interact and explore by moving letters, numbers, words and pictures with the touch of a finger.

• Auditory learners can be immersed in a complete multimedia experience.

GREGORY A. PATTERSON