South metro school briefs

High school to host career fair Burnsville High School will hold its 14th annual career fair, giving students and families a chance to learn about a variety of jobs.

More than 100 professionals, from pilots to musicians, will be available to answer questions about their work. The fair will run from 6 p.m. to 8 p.m. on Monday at the high school, located at 600 E. Hwy. 13.

Word whiz aces contest A fifth-grade student in Inver Grove Heights was one of only 24 students out of more than 8,000 nationwide to earn a perfect score in a language arts competition last month.

Sid Ramesh, who goes to the Atheneum program at Salem Hills Elementary, received highest honors on the first of three WordMasters Challenge meets that will be held this year, according to a news release from the school district.

The contest challenged students to complete analogies using a given set of words.

District seeks feedback on budget cuts Lakeville school leaders have to cut $6 million from the district's budget next year, and they want to hear from the community before they do it.

The district will hold a public conversation about the budget cuts from 6 p.m. to 6:45 p.m. on Tuesday at the district office, located at 8670 W. 210th St. It will also host the second of two open houses about the cuts from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Feb. 3 at Lakeville South High School.

District leaders also say they will have to slice another $3.8 million from the 2010-2011 budget. Those reductions could include closing an as-yet unidentified elementary school, as well as eliminating the high school Early Bird and elementary band programs.

The school board plans to consider approving cuts for next year on Feb. 10. For more details about the budget process, go to www.isd194.k12.mn.us.

Lakeville schools win honors Two Lakeville schools were among 23 in the state to receive awards from the Minnesota Academic Excellence Foundation. McGuire Middle School and Oak Hills Elementary received the nonprofit foundation's 2008 School Spotlight Award, which honors student success and academics.

Talk will focus on underachievement Lakeville parents can learn about why students underachieve in school at a talk next week sponsored by the local Council for Gifted and Talented.

Teresa Boatman will give a presentation called "Underachievement: Why Isn't My Child Reaching His/Her Potential?" Boatman is a psychologist specializing in gifted children and past president of the Minnesota Council for Gifted and Talented.