West metro school briefs: Online schools taking students for 2013-14

West Metro

Minnesota Virtual Academy, Insight School of Minnesota and iQ Academy Minnesota are now accepting applications for the 2013-14 school year.

Parents and students are invited to attend one of the numerous face-to-face and online information sessions scheduled across the state this spring and summer to learn more about online education.

Each school is available to Minnesota students statewide and offers curriculums from K-12. Families will have the opportunity to learn about:

• Minnesota Virtual Academy (MNVA): An online public school associated with Houston Public Schools, Minnesota Virtual Academy (www.k12.com/mnva) is the largest online K-12 school in Minnesota and has delivered more than 75,000 courses since its inception in 2002. MNVA, through its K-12 curriculum, prepares students for vocational, technical and four-year colleges.

• Insight School of Minnesota (ISMN): Insight School of Minnesota (www.insightmn.net) offers students an alternative to traditional public schools. Insight is a full-time online public school chartered through the Brooklyn Center School District through which students are able to complete their studies at their own pace. Insight School of Minnesota recently received approval to serve students in grades 6-8 for the upcoming school year, making it a comprehensive middle and high school program.

• iQ Academy of Minnesota (IQMN): As an accredited public school program of Independent School District 544, iQ Academy Minnesota (www.iqacademymn.org) offers Minnesota students in grades K–12 an innovative, high-quality alternative to the traditional learning experience utilizing a unique Flipped Classroom Model.

Native American people from a variety of backgrounds, experiences and careers will speak at Blake's 21st annual Diversity Symposium at 7 p.m. April 23 at the Upper School.

The panel discussion will focus on the opportunities and challenges of creating a historically accurate view of the local native community.

The panel guests include:

• Joe Horse Capture, an author and associate curator of Native American Art at the Minneapolis Institute of Arts (MIA);

• Sasha Houston Brown, a graduate of Carleton College and the Blake School who currently leads the American Indian Success Program at Minneapolis Community and Technical College;

• Roy Taylor, Blake parent and community leader.

For more information, contact Blake's director of the Office of Equity and Community Engagement, Scott Flemming, at sflemming@blake school.org or Blake's director of communications, Cathy McLane, at cmclane@blake school.org.

The event is free and open to the public.

Benilde-St. Margaret's School will host an open house for all prospective students and their parents on April 18, from 8:30-10:30 a.m.

Guests will be welcomed in the library, where coffee will be available from 8:30 to 9 a.m. A school tour will follow from 9 to 10 a.m. Then from 10 to 10:30 a.m., families can get questions answered. This morning open house time allows interested families to get a glimpse of a typical BSM school day.

If you are unable to attend the open house, tours are also available. To schedule one, e-mail admissions@BSMschool.org.

For directions or more information on admissions procedures, contact the BSM Admissions Office at 952-915-4345 or admissions@BSMschool.org or visit www.BSMschool.org.

Hopkins Community Education is hosting an open house on Saturday to showcase its new summer youth program, Camp Royal.

This is an opportunity for parents to learn about Camp Royal, get questions answered about summer youth programs, and learn about full-day or half-day summer camp options. The open house will be held from 11 a.m. to noon at the Eisenhower Community Center, 1001 Hwy. 7 in Hopkins. The event is free and open to the public.

To learn more about Camp Royal, contact Mike Bowman, Youth Programs Supervisor, at 952-988-4078 or mike.bowman@hopkins schools.org.

The event features keynote addresses from John Schultz, superintendent of Hopkins Public Schools, Bill Morris of Decision Resources, and a presentation by Light Rail Transit.

The Community Showcase will be held at Hopkins High School, 2400 Lindbergh Drive in Minnetonka. The event starts at 8:30 a.m. with a continental breakfast and student entertainment.

Realtors who attend this event will earn three continuing education credits. The cost is $15 and space is limited. Register at www.mplsrealtor.com or 952-908-2602.

Chanhassen High School invites the community to a free screening of the film "Race To Nowhere" on Thursday, April 11.

The 2009 documentary challenges the definitions of success that predominate our lives, especially in education and college preparation. The screening is at 7 p.m. at Chanhassen High School Theater, 2200 Lyman Blvd., Chanhassen.

Parents and students are invited to learn more about the First Lego League and First Tech Challenge at an informational meeting on April 18 at 7 p.m. at Central Middle School.

The First Lego League, for 4th-, 5th- and 6th-graders, and the First Tech Challenge, for 7th- and 8th-graders, are designed to introduce science, engineering and technology skills by creating robots using Lego Mindstorms and Tetrix building systems.

For more information, call Community Education at 952-975-6958.

A 5th-grader at Plymouth Creek Elementary School won second place in the state 2012 Fire Prevention Poster Contest for her category.

Sammie Corning won grand prize in Plymouth's annual contest in November, sending the poster on to the Minnesota State Fire Chief Association's Fire Prevention Poster Contest, where it won second place among the 4th- and 5th-grade tier.