Eden Prairie

Eagle Heights Spanish Immersion hires principal

Terri Siguenza has been hired as the next principal at Eagle Heights Spanish Immersion.

She has been principal at Eisenhower Elementary and XinXing Academy Chinese Immersion School, which have been housed in the same building in the Hopkins school district, since 2009.

Siguenza has previously held positions with Minneapolis public schools, including executive director of services for English language learners and principal at Bancroft Elementary, a K-5 school, and Emerson, a K-8 dual-language immersion school, and assistant director for the English language learners program. She began her career in education as a bilingual special education resource specialist at the Sunnyside Unified School District in Tucson, Ariz.

Siguenza holds bachelors' degrees in psychology and special education from Minnesota State University-St. Cloud, a master's of bilingual/bicultural education from the University of Arizona, and administration licensure from the University of St. Thomas. As a Fulbright Scholar, she participated in an administrative exchange program in Argentina.

Siguenza participated in a national discussion in Washington, D.C., over the course of two years as part of the American Federation of Teachers Resolution Committee, and has also testified before the Senate Education Committee regarding five-year limits for English language learners funding.

She will start her position July 1.

Bloomington

Kennedy, Jefferson spring musicals win recognition

Bloomington high schools' spring productions of "Aida" and "Legally Blonde" will be recognized at the ninth annual SpotLight Showcase June 8-9 at the Orpheum Theatre in downtown Minneapolis.

Kennedy High School's "Aida" earned outstanding overall production and performance honors, while Victoria Udeh as Aida, DeShawn Cavanaugh as Mereb and Denisha Montgomery as Nehebka will be recognized for outstanding performances. Student performers awarded honorable mentions include Nichole Hanson, Kalie Coyne, Ben Harten and Daniel Adu-Gumfi.

Jefferson High School's "Legally Blonde" earned honorable mention in the overall production, performance and student orchestra categories. Students recognized for outstanding performances are Emilee Hassanzadeh as Elle Woods and Solveig Svendsen as Paulette. Honorable mentions include Eric Millpointer, Amanda Treseler, Kelsey Dornfield, Zach Diedrich, Julia Knight, Morgan Kempton, Rachel Swanton, Allison Bramanti, Ivy Benson and Robert Petrie.

Tickets to the SpotLight Showcase can be purchased at the State Theatre Box Office, 805 Hennepin Av., Minneapolis, or by calling 1-800-982-2787 or online at www.HennepinTheatre Trust.org.

KIM McGUIRE