The Obama Administration today announced a shorter, simpler, and more user friendly Free Application for Federal Student Aid that will make it easier to apply for college financial aid. The changes — some of which are already in place while others will be phased in over the next few months — are designed to increase postsecondary enrollment, particularly among low- and middle-income students.

Ridgewater College students at the school’s Hutchinson and Willmar
campuses would see their basic tuition rise from $4,093 to to $4,216
under a plan recommended this week by Minnesota State Colleges and
Universities Chancellor James H. McCormick.

Minnesota Department of Education Commissioner Alice Seagren presented the Scholars of Distinction awards during a May 16 ceremony. The program nurtures and recognizes distinguished achievement by highly motivated students. To earn this recognition, students must complete required work in the Minnesota K-12 Academic Standards, demonstrate mastery of complex subject matter, and apply their knowledge and skills on challenging projects.

The Litchfield High School Jazz Band heated up Lake Ripley on May 22 during the "Jazz at Lake Ripley" concert. The jazz band performed on the new deck at Memorial Park, accompanied by special guests Kelsey Eisenmann, the LMS band director, and Brian Pearson, a professional trumpet player from New London.

Further investigation by the Minnesota Department of Health has determined that two of Minnesota’s cases of probable H1N1 novel influenza virus are in persons in two schools. As a result, school officials have decided to close the schools beginning Monday as a precaution. One of the individuals is in Orono High School, which is on a campus with two elementary schools and a middle school, all of which will close Monday. The other probable case is a person at Emerson Spanish Immersion School in Minneapolis.