West school briefs

Author to speak on college preparation Parents of middle and high school students are invited to attend author Jeannie Burlowski's presentation focusing on what parents need to do now to successfully launch their child into college.

Burlowski will speak from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. next Wednesday, Sept. 15, at Olson Middle School, 4551 W. 102nd St. in Bloomington. Tickets cost $3 and can be reserved at omsptsa217@gmail.com.

Members of the Olson Middle School PTSA may attend for free, but reservations are required.

Burlowski has worked as a consultant in St. Paul since 1992, coaching aspiring college students on how to successfully navigate the college application process. Her book, "6 Things You Absolutely Must Do to be Brilliant in College," will be released in February 2011.

Vehicle fair for kids is Friday at family center Hopkins children and their families are invited to attend a free event Friday to introduce kids to police, fire and other city vehicles that many children find fascinating.

The Vehicle Fair, organized by the Hopkins school district's early childhood education program, also will feature face-painting, classroom activities and refreshments from Cold Stone Creamery, Caribou Coffee, Great Harvest, Cub Foods and McDonalds.

The fair is scheduled for 5:30 to 7 p.m. Friday at Harley Hopkins Family Center, 125 Monroe Av. S. in Hopkins.

Holy Angels president to retire next year Jill Reilly, the longest serving president of the Academy of Holy Angels in the school's history, has decided to step down.

At a recent meeting, the academy's board of trustees accepted her request to retire at the end of the 2010-11 school year.

The board then named Reilly to a new position --president emeritus -- starting on July 1, 2011.

Holy Angels is a Catholic college preparatory high school in Richfield.

During Reilly's tenure at Holy Angels, the school has undergone significant changes. They include the construction of StarDome, the first domed high school athletic facility in the area; the opening of a new 70,000-square-foot convocation center and classroom addition in 2003; and the launch of Project Laptop to provide students with laptop computers in 2007.

"It has been one of the greatest privileges of my lifetime to serve the Academy of Holy Angels as president," Reilly said in a news release. "The school is, and will be forever more, a deep and abiding personal passion."

The board of trustees is in the process of beginning a search for Reilly's successor.