South metro school briefs: 225 Farmington students will be changing schools

The Farmington school board approved new attendance areas, or boundaries, for its elementary and middle schools last week.

The changes will take effect next year and will impact 225 students. Boundary adjustments were needed to balance out current enrollments and to accommodate projected growth resulting from new housing developments.

The main changes include:

• Moving students in the Autumn Meadows neighborhood in Lakeville from their current school, North Trail Elementary, to Meadowview Elementary.

• Transferring the Dakota Estates neighborhood from Akin Road Elementary to Meadowview Elementary.

• Shifting students in two areas — the Camden Path, Camden Court and Camden Circle neighborhoods, along with an area west of the railroad tracks and north of Maple Street in downtown Farmington — from Farmington Elementary to Riverview.

• Balancing middle school boundaries by moving four neighborhoods — Autumn Meadows, Dakota Estates, Parkview Ponds and Mystic Meadows — from Dodge Middle School to Boeckman Middle School.

Since 2007, 900 students in the district have been able to play an instrument through the District 196 Band for All program because they have access to a donated instrument. That number includes 400 students this year.

This year, the district needs about 150 additional instruments; flutes and clarinets are always in demand. If residents have an instrument they are not using, they can bring it with their name, address and phone number to Oak Ridge Elementary School, 4350 Johnny Cake Ridge Road, Eagan.

Donations are tax deductible, and those making a donation will receive a gift letter for tax purposes. For more information, send an e-mail to band forall@district196.org.

A group of seniors at the Burnsville Senior Center keeps busy all year long by knitting hats, mittens and scarves. And each fall, they give them to Community Education Director Tom Umhoefer, who distributes them to principals in District 191. The principals then distribute them to needy students.

New knitters are welcome. For more information, contact the Burnsville Senior Center at 952-707-4120.

Miya Wawracz-Harms, a Burnsville High School student, is raising money for a domestic violence organization in honor of her former math tutor, Anarae Schunk.

Schunk, a University of Minnesota student and Burnsville High School graduate, was killed in September; her ex-boyfriend is a suspect.

To raise the money, Wawracz-Harms is organizing a bowling fundraiser, "Purple Bowling," and has set up a Web page, www.gofundme.com/5nzwwk, where people can purchase tickets by making a donation. Proceeds will benefit Cornerstone, an organization that works to prevent domestic violence.

The bowling event will take place from 1 to 3 p.m. on Dec. 22 at Cedarvale Lanes, 3883 Cedar Grove Parkway, Eagan. Space is limited and a recent posting on the fundraiser's website said there were about 100 spots left.

Tickets to bowl must be purchased ahead of time via the website. The minimum donation is $10.