School briefs

Educators honored by technology group A team of educators from the Osseo School District was named the Technology Leadership Team in a statewide contest, recognizing the district's efforts to use technology to help transform learning.

TIES, an education technology consortium of 38 Minnesota school districts, sponsored the contest and honored the Osseo district team at an awards banquet earlier this month.

Several teachers from the north metro area were among 60 teachers from 32 districts named TIES Exceptional Teachers by their superintendents and also honored this month. They include:

Anoka-Hennepin district

• Jay Huemann, Oxbow Creek Elementary School

• Kathryn Pearce, Coon Rapids High School

Brooklyn Center district

• Cathy Bufis, Earle Brown Elementary School

Centennial district

• Paul Wiehe, Centennial Middle School

• Lori Sullivan, Centerville Elementary School

Columbia Heights district

Fridley district

• Michelle Stefanacci, Fridley High School

Intermediate District 287

• David Nunez, North Vista Education Center

• Ted Bergstrom, District Service Center

• Kim Haugo, Fernbrook Elementary School

• Kai-Michael Walther, Maple Grove Junior High School

High School makes 'America's Best' list St. Anthony Village High School was among 405 schools awarded a silver medal ranking by U.S. News & World Report.

For its 2008 "America's Best High Schools" ratings, the magazine analyzed 18,790 public high schools in 40 states using data from the 2005-2006 school year. The analysis looked at a range of data and proficiency standards to measure how well the schools serve all students, not just those who are college-bound. It also took into account how well schools prepare students for college.

Gold medals went to 100 high schools, and bronze medals went to 1,086. Eleven states, including North Dakota and South Dakota, were not included in the rankings either because they did not provide data or the data were insufficient.