Five school board seats are up for election in the South Washington County School District this fall, and to give community members a feel for the job, the district will host a candidate information session on Thursday, Aug. 1.

The meeting comes two days after the candidate filing period opens on Tuesday, July 30, and nearly two weeks before filings close at 5 p.m. on Aug. 13.

Four of the five seats involve four-year terms, and now are filled by members Marsha Adou, Tracy Brunnette, Laurie Johnson and David Kemper.

The fifth seat is for the final two years of a term begun by departed member Leslee Boyd, who left the board in January. At that time, the school board appointed former member Katy McElwee-Stevens to fill the seat until the Nov. 5 election.

The candidate information session begins at 6 p.m. Thursday in the boardroom at the district service center, 7362 East Point Douglas Road S., Cottage Grove. People wishing to file affidavits of candidacy must do so in the office of the school district clerk, which also is in the district service center.

South Washington County is expected to have three funding questions on the November ballot as well.

Other local districts with upcoming elections include the Stillwater Area Public Schools, which is asking voters to approve new per-pupil funding, and the White Bear Lake Area Public Schools, which has four incumbents — Kim Chapman, George Kimball, Janet Newberg and Bob Shevik — seeking re-election on Nov. 5.

The White Bear Lake district, which serves students in Ramsey and Washington counties, closed its candidate filing period on June 4. Also running for the White Bear Lake seats are Christine Morrison and Donald Mullin.

Stillwater

High school students get State Fair duty

Four local members of the National FFA Organization, also known as Future Farmers of America, have been chosen to serve as staff members in the CHS Miracle of Birth Center at the Minnesota State Fair.

The four students, all of whom attend Stillwater Area High School, were among 30 members selected from the more than 10,000 FFA members statewide.

They are seniors Jonathan Kusz, Megan Schultz and Ashley Torkelson, and junior Megan Wallace.

The students will assist in the care of newborn calves, lambs, piglets, chicks and other animals, a Stillwater schools news release said.

Anthony Lonetree