South-West Review Schools

The school boards of both South St. Paul Public Schools and Inver Grove Heights Schools have approved putting two questions each on the upcoming November ballot.

South St. Paul

There are six school board seats up for election this year in the South-West coverage area. 

Candidate filing for the seats opens on Tuesday, Aug. 1 and closes Tuesday, Aug. 15.

After having charges filed against her in connection with a Woodbury Walgreens robbery, Melanie Sue Parkin of South St. Paul is facing additional charges for similar robberies involving prescription painkillers.

Two area teachers are on the list of nominees for the 2017 Minnesota Teacher of the Year award.

Several local high school girls are among the recipients of 2016 St. Paul Area Athena Award. 

Discovery Charter will focus on STEM programming

Inver Grove Heights will be home to a new charter school that administrators say will be one of the first of its kind. 

Discovery Charter School STEM Fuse will open in time for the 2016-2017 school year.

Discussions about forming the new independent public school began two years ago, said Dan Hurley, executive director. He explained that Discovery applied for a start-up grant, which it received from the Minnesota Department of Education for $625,000.

South St. Paul Public Schools is planning opportunities for community members to tour the newly renovated South St. Paul Secondary Building.

Great Lakes Higher Education, a national non-profit student loan servicer, is giving back to local communities in more than one way.

Convent of the Visitation School in Mendota Heights announced last week that Rene Gavic has been named head of school, effective July 1, 2016.

Five candidates ran for four open seats for Inver Grove Heights Community Schools' School Board elections Nov. 3.