South school briefs: Burnsville High School has most College in Schools participation in state

High school has most College in Schools participation in stateBurnsville High School is once again the state leader in the number of students participating in the College in the Schools program of the University of Minnesota.

Last year, Burnsville students earned 2,669 credits at the university, translating into more than $1 million in college tuition savings for families, according to the university.

Students take college courses in high schools and the credits earned apply to the U or transfer to other colleges and universities.

The university said Burnsville students earned $1,195,926 in tuition savings. The courses the students took included American History, government, economics, literature, writing, calculus, public speaking and Spanish.

Thirteen teachers in District 191 have received training from the University of Minnesota to teach CIS courses. High school students taking CIS courses are held to the same academic standards as students on the U campus.

"CIS is a tremendous opportunity for our students," said Superintendent Randy Clegg. "By taking CIS classes, students experience the rigor and increased pace of a college class while still in the comfortable support of Burnsville High School. This is a wonderful way for our students to make a smooth transition to college."

Also in Burnsville, a financial audit of the 2011-2012 year has led to the school district receiving a "clean, unqualified" stamp of approval from the firm that did the audit.

Leadership roles for student, teachersYesica Mercado Munoz, a sixth-grader at Inver Grove Heights Middle School, has been selected as Children's Hospital's diabetic ambassador on its Youth Advisory Council. She is the youngest member on the council, which includes students from the Twin Cites area. Yesica will visit Washington, D.C., in January to speak to lawmakers about school and funding issues relating to diabetes. Children's Hospital will send Yesica to Washington to speak to Congress every year until she is 18.

Also in Inver Grove Heights, two teachers from Salem Hills Elementary have been selected by the National Youth Leadership Council to make presentation on water at a conference in March. Jean White and Barb Burch, along with H2O for Life founder Patty Hall, will discuss what Salem Hills staff and students have done to educate the public about the global water crisis. The trio will provide an overview of the crisis, provide a model service learning program that other schools can replicate, provide six STEM-related action activities focused on water, and provide a connection for U.S. schools with a school in a developing country.