Schools

Year In Review: School Ties In Woodbury

New principals, same school board, superintendent leaving, success in schools… it was a busy 2011 for District 833.

The past year has seen plenty of action for Woodbury schools.

From the to the , the education system in Woodbury is at once static and fluid.

Several in Woodbury schools, as well as in District 833.

Find out what's happening in Woodburywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Meanwhile, were approved and one high school suffered through the loss of two of its students, and .

There was also an abundance of good news coming out of local schools—from the softball team to students at .

Find out what's happening in Woodburywith free, real-time updates from Patch.

Leadership

In November, voters opted to return all three incumbents to office. The odd-year race didn’t attract as much steam as an even-year election would, but Patch was there along the way, profiling the candidates and on Election Day, with several candidates chiming in.

Superintendent Mark Porter, however, will not be back with South Washington County Schools after the spring. He has led the district since 2009 and said he was disappointed with how things turned out. One school board member told Patch it was the worst decision this school board has ever made.

Like many districts across the state, South Washington County Schools , to the tune of $5.1 million.

While the bulk of that money was saved through the elimination of a $2.5 million contribution to the district’s internal service fund and $500,000 from and early-retirement incentive, the district has tough decisions ahead. In May, the school board .

The district’s existing operating levy expires during the 2013-14 school year, and with lingering questions about state funding, the school board will have to determine what residents are willing to pay for.

Programmed For Success

While the end of last year saw the district delay its plans to further expand the Spanish immersion program, South Washington County Schools is still looking toward the future of the program and deciding as they hit high school.

The school board also , cutting several that were thought to no longer fit with the district’s curriculum. Some classes were added, however.

At and high schools, both . The advanced course offerings are growing at both schools, and give students the chance to earn college credits.

While plans for a , a black box theater will still be built at the school. The Merrill Community Arts Center will be spread across two sites in Woodbury, the other at 380 Rivertown Drive.

Classroom Claps

With so much going on in Woodbury schools, it was easy for Patch to find fun programs and events involving area students.

Here’s a rundown of some of our coverage:

  • (Blog post)
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