School briefs: Eagan boys' basketball coach is on leave

Coach is on leaveKurt Virgin, the longtime coach of the Eagan High School boys basketball team, is on paid leaving while the school district investigates what it termed as a complaint filed against him.

Virgin was placed on leave Nov. 21, according to spokesman Tony Taschner. He said there is no timeline for when the investigation will be completed.

Taschner said the investigation is internal, and Eagan police said they have not been contacted about the situation.

Virgin has been working for the district since 1980, first at Apple Valley and then at Eagan. He is also the soccer coach and supervises drivers' education, Taschner said.

Taschner said the investigation began because a formal complaint was filed against Virgin, but the district and its lawyer refused to classify or identify the nature of the complaint. The district also refused to say if the complaint and investigation stem from his work with the sports teams, educational work or off-campus activities.

Virgin did not return a call seeking comment.

Union members ratify new contractTeachers and nurses in the Rosemount-Apple Valley-Eagan School District have ratified a new contract.

The pact, which w"kurt as presented to the school board on Monday for final approval, is for two years and is retroactive to July 1. It will run through June 30, 2013, the district announced in a news release.

The new contract calls for no salary increases in the first year and a 1 percent increase in the second year for the top step of the pay schedule and for the longevity schedule only.

Spelling bee MondayThe 28th annual spelling championship in Burnsville-Eagan-Savage School District is 7 p.m. on Monday in the Mraz Center at Burnsville High School, 600 E. Hwy. 13.

A total of 31 students will participate, including building co-champions from 13 schools in District 191 and two students from St. John the Baptist School in Savage.

The building co-champions from the 10 elementary schools are: sixth-grader Elayna Thompson and fifth-grader Jaqueline Rojas-Pliego of Sky Oaks; sixth-graders Chris Maina and Noah Gagliano of Vista View; sixth-graders Thomas Whittenburg and Dana Norwood of Sioux Trail; sixth-grader Maddy Imhoff and fifth-grader Jaelyn Baisch of Rahn; sixth-graders Molly Olander and Adrian Livingston-Remmen of Edward Neill; sixth-graders Ridwaan Mohamed and Michelle Dolan of Gideon Pond; sixth-grader Gabbi Day and fifth-grader Maddie Samz of Marion W. Savage; sixth-grader Christian Freed and fifth-grader Joy Bogonko of Hidden Valley; sixth-grader Autumn Prouty and fifth-grader Rahil Modi of Harriet Bishop, and sixth-graders Isaiah Murphy and Katherine Do of William Byrne.

The spelling representatives from Nicollet Junior High are seventh-graders Emma Kaplan and Gabriela Magras and eighth-grader Maren Decker. The Metcalf representatives are eighth-grader Mitchel Fischer, and seventh-graders Erin Williams and Ouafae Chahir. The Eagle Ridge representatives are eighth-grader Keeley Meier and seventh-graders Amanda Jackson and Hibah Hassan.

The event will be recorded and available on the district website at www.isd191.org and also on Channel 18.

New board memberThe Shakopee school board has appointed banker Scott Swanson to fill a vacancy.

Swanson, who works for Wells Fargo Home Mortgage, will fill the seat of Tony Bonsante, who resigned this year.

Swanson, 40, will serve through December 2013. He was appointed at the board's Nov. 30 meeting.

Schools chief's contract extended for one yearThe contract of Jordan Superintendent Kirk Nelson has been extended for one year by the school board on a vote of 5-2.

The extension runs from July 1, 2012 until June 30, 2013.

The board had been evaluating Nelson since August. The board also was to present him with a list of goals he needs to meet. Nelson was hired in 2008.

HERÓN MÁRQUEZ ESTRADA