Twin Cities south metro school briefs: Prom dress drive at 4 high schools

The AVID programs at four district high schools — Rosemount, Apple Valley, Eagan and Eastview — are hosting a Dress Drive and Prom Dress Resale/Expo.

The programs will collect dress donations from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. this Saturday, Jan. 25, as well as on Feb. 1 and Feb. 15. There will be a donation area set up near the entrance of each school. Anyone who donates a dress will receive discounts on a new dress and hair or nail services from area businesses. The goal is to collect 300 dresses that will be sold at affordable prices.

Donated dresses will be available for purchase on March 8 at Eastview High School. Proceeds will go to AVID programs, and unsold dresses will be donated to Operation Glass Slipper. For questions, contact Jodi Hanson at jodi.hanson@district196.org or 952-431-8920.

The Burnsville-Eagan-Savage school board recently passed a resolution to create a new Student Performance and Achievement Committee.

The committee's formation is in keeping with the board's priorities and will provide a formal way for board members to discuss student achievement issues, said Jim Schmid, board chairman. "This board is most concerned with student achievement. It is our number one priority," he said.

The Burnsville-Eagan-Savage school board unanimously selected Jim Schmid to serve as its chairman for 2014 during its annual election of board officers on Jan. 9. Schmid will succeed Sandy Sweep, who held the position in 2013.

In addition, board member Bob VandenBoom was chosen as vice chairman, DeeDee Currier was elected as clerk and Abigail Alt was chosen as treasurer.

Lakeville North was named the best 3A marching band overall, taking first place in four categories — outstanding music, outstanding marching, outstanding general effects and outstanding drum majors — in the parade portion of the contest.

The band also took first place overall in the field show competition, capturing first place in the music, marching, general effect and percussion categories. Finally, on Jan. 3, it was named the featured band at the "Celebrate a Dream Come True" parade at Walt Disney World in Orlando. The band is directed by Nathan Earp.

If the Lakeville school board's officers look familiar in 2014, it's because all four will be continuing in the same roles as last year. At last week's meeting, the board re-elected Roz Peterson as chairman and Jim Skelly as vice chairman. Michelle Volk and Bob Erickson were re-elected as clerk and treasurer, respectively.

Beginning in 2014-15, parents and students at the district's elementary schools will receive a new kind of report card.

Last month, the school board unanimously approved a standards-based grading and reporting system. Report cards will show whether a student is exceeding, meeting or below a certain standard, rather than using the current number-based grading system (1, 2, 3 or 4). The system will report a student's mastery of specific academic skills within each subject area. It also will indicate how a student is doing on behavior and social skills.