Shakopee

District expands preschool options

Shakopee is offering new preschool classes — all day, five days a week — for 4-year-old students during the 2015-2016 school year.

The students who enroll in the Full Day Fours program will also be eligible for a pilot program with the YMCA that provides daycare before and after school in the classroom. Mike Savage, principal at Central Family Center, said the program is similar to what is offered in elementary schools and could be expanded if successful.

Traditional preschool options will continue to be available in the Shakopee district, with half days and evening sessions multiple times per week. For more information on preschool and enrollment, call 952-496-5013.

Burnsville

Geography teacher wins national award

The National Council for Geographic Education chose Sharon Shelerud, a social studies teacher at Metcalf Junior High, to receive the 2015 K-12 Distinguished Teaching Award.

Shelerud teaches honors global studies and Advanced Placement human geography, a course she helped develop. She has also served in leadership positions within the Burnsville-Eagan-Savage district and the Minnesota Alliance for Geographic Education.

Criteria for choosing award winners includes leadership, teaching ability, involvement in student activities and development of innovative teaching strategies. She will be recognized at the National Conference on Geography Education in Washington D.C. in August.

Fassler

South St. Paul

Teacher wins grant to buy model skeletons

There are more model skeletons headed for South St. Paul Secondary School classrooms.

Seventh-grade science teacher David Fassler received a $500 grant from the Association of American Educators Foundation to purchase eight model skeletons for the school. Until now, the school had only one skeleton model, which was old, missing parts and in-demand for biology and life science classes.

Fassler said the models are used in physical education to show how the body moves and for first aid lessons. They can also be used to teach about the senses, the spinal column, disease diagnosis and immunity and the production of red and white blood cells.

The foundation is the charitable arm of the Association of American Educators, a professional organization for teachers. The foundation holds a National Scholarships and Grants competition in the fall and spring each year. For more information, to go www.aaeteachers.org.

Staff Reports