South metro school briefs

Edward Neill Elementary turns 40 Edward Neill Elementary will celebrate its 40th birthday Thursday, and the school is inviting current and former students, parents, neighbors and staff members to come to the party.

The Burnsville school will host an ice cream social and learning fair from 5:30 p.m. to 7 p.m., with a program in the gym at 7 p.m.

The school opened in 1968 on the site of the old Hays farm and was named after the Minnesota Territory's first school superintendent.

The school is located at 13409 Upton Av. S.

Friends of Education will be honored The Lakeville School District will honor five 2009 "Friends of Education" at a reception today at Century Middle School.

The honorees are: Paul Leidner, for distinguished service; Pamela Stoltenberg, for business partnership; Sandy Hinding, for education; Ann Brucciani Lyon, for volunteer service; and Libby Wolkow, for volunteer service.

New school tip line in place The Prior Lake-Savage School District has a new tip line, giving students and parents an extra way to warn authorities about safety problems.

The tip line, which went up this month, wasn't the result of any particular incident, but is in line with a crisis plan adopted several years ago, said district spokeswoman Kristi Mussman.

Bike-a-thon this weekend The Prior Lake Rotary Club will hold its annul DARE Bike-a-thon on Saturday at Lakefront Park. The event, a fundraiser for Drug Abuse Resistance Education, also includes a one-mile fun run, food, prizes and entertainment.

Registration runs from 8:15 a.m. to 9:15 a.m., with the run at 9 a.m. and the bike ride at 9:30 a.m.

The bike-a-thon, suitable for all ages, follows a five-mile course in local neighborhoods.

2-mile walk/ride is Saturday Red Pine Elementary will hold its annual Three-City Bike/Walk from 9 a.m. to noon on Saturday.

It's free, but participants can make a donation or buy a healthy snack at the event to benefit the American Diabetes Association.

The school is located at 530 Red Pine Lane, Eagan.

Woodland third-graders excel at state contest A team of third-graders from Eagan's Woodland Elementary finished second at the Destination ImagiNation state contest in Chaska this month, earning a berth at the global finals in Knoxville.

Team members Drew Agard, Chase Beyer, Ethan Estrem, Lauren Moy, Francine Perry, Maxwell Schwartz and Jacob Zuzek won second in the elementary division of the Operation Cooperation contest.