South metro school briefs: New Shakopee assistant superintendent hired

New assistant superintendent hiredJohn Bezek, the principal at Tartan High School in Oakdale, has been hired as the new assistant superintendent with the Shakopee school district.

Bezek has been at Tartan for nine years as principal. He will assume his new job on July 1, the district said in a news release. He was selected from among 75 applicants.

Bezek was named the 2012 high school principal of the year by the Minnesota Association of Secondary School Principals.

"I look forward to helping enhance the great reputation the district already has," Bezek said. "I have been so impressed by the positive buzz in the district."

Career center could open at SibleyThe West St. Paul school district is considering converting a portion of the third floor at Henry Sibley High School into a multipurpose center to help students with college and career planning as well as for use with hybrid learning.

The post-secondary success center, as it is labeled, also would provide meeting space for students to work individually or in groups, Robin Percival, the principal at Sibley, told the district school board last week.

The space would also provide an area for companies and colleges to come onto campus to meet students. The proposed center also would be made available for community meetings and community education programs.

At that meeting, the school board also is likely to vote on a proposal to add a student representative to the school board.

If approved, the student would attend some meetings this spring and be in place to be a full participant by the next school year.

A chance to offer budget inputThe Rosemount school district is looking for volunteers to serve three-year terms on the budget advisory committee.

The district will take applications through April 30. There are four positions open on the committee, which provides community input to the district and school board about the budget.

The committee meets four to six times a year and includes nine residents, three district officials and district staff.

District has pair of Athena winnersTwo high school students from Lakeville will be among those honored in April at the St. Paul Athena Awards, given for outstanding performances by female student-athletes.

The Athena awards, which began in 1995, are given for outstanding athletic and academic achievement.

Among this year's winners are Madison Solheid from Lakeville North High School and McKell Anderson from Lakeville South High. Solheid participated in hockey, soccer, cross country and track. Anderson played volleyball and ran track.

The 2012 awards banquet will be April 18 at the Prom Center in Oakdale.