SouthWest Metro Intermediate District 288

SouthWest Metro Intermediate District 288 Page Guidelines: www.swmetro288.org/departments/communications

SouthWest Metro Intermediate District provides services for over a dozen school districts with a focus on special education, career and technical education and alternative education pathways.

🎡 Heading to the Scott County Fair this weekend? Be sure to stop by the Fix-It Trailer!SouthWest Metro FFA students are ...
07/24/2026

🎡 Heading to the Scott County Fair this weekend? Be sure to stop by the Fix-It Trailer!

SouthWest Metro FFA students are hosting fun, hands-on activities and competitions for kids while sharing how our upcoming Fix-It Clinics are helping Scott County residents learn to repair common household tools and small appliances—for free!

This community partnership between Scott County MN - Government, SouthWest Metro, the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the National FFA Organization promotes sustainability, practical skills, and learning together. We hope to see you at the fair!

SouthWest Metro is excited to share that, following finalist interviews and deliberations at a special meeting on July 1...
07/11/2026

SouthWest Metro is excited to share that, following finalist interviews and deliberations at a special meeting on July 10, the Board of Directors unanimously voted to enter contract negotiations with Heidi Nistler to become the district’s next superintendent.

Nistler currently serves as Assistant Superintendent of Specialized Services for Saint Paul Public Schools and brings extensive experience in special education and educational leadership. Board Chair Kristi Peterson shared that Nistler’s collaborative leadership style, commitment to building strong relationships, and dedication to student success make her an excellent fit for SouthWest Metro.

“I am incredibly grateful to have the opportunity to serve SouthWest Metro Intermediate District 288 and its member districts,” said Nistler. “Returning to the SouthWest Metro community is an honor, and I am excited to work with the 288 educators, leaders, Board, and community to continue finding innovative ways to meet the needs of our students and member districts.”

Pending successful contract negotiations and completion of a background check, the Board plans to approve Nistler’s contract on July 21, 2026, with a start date later this summer.

Please join us in welcoming Heidi to the SouthWest Metro community! đź’ś

This is your last chance to register for Credit Recovery! Summer Credit Recovery registration is open through Thursday, ...
06/30/2026

This is your last chance to register for Credit Recovery! Summer Credit Recovery registration is open through Thursday, July 2, at 12 p.m. (noon).

Students in grades 9–12 who are behind in coursework and at risk of not graduating on time are encouraged to register as soon as possible. Complete the interest form here: https://bit.ly/4gOwc7w

Kids 18 and under can receive free meals this summer at certain park and recreation sites, community centers, libraries ...
06/29/2026

Kids 18 and under can receive free meals this summer at certain park and recreation sites, community centers, libraries and schools. No registration is required. Hunger Impact Partner's Free Meals for Kids mobile app will help you locate meal sites and features other resources! Learn more: https://bit.ly/4xPKM4U

SouthWest Metro's Elevate Online program is offering Middle and High School Students the opportunity to get ahead in cre...
06/26/2026

SouthWest Metro's Elevate Online program is offering Middle and High School Students the opportunity to get ahead in credits this summer! This is a great way for students to free up space in their schedule during the school year to add desired electives and college programming opportunities. All courses will be 100% online from July 6 - Aug. 14. Complete an interest form: https://bit.ly/4shCf76

In June, six SWMetro students participated in the International Rescue and Emergency Care Association (IRECA) annual con...
06/24/2026

In June, six SWMetro students participated in the International Rescue and Emergency Care Association (IRECA) annual conference to compete in their six-person rescue challenge. At the conference, the SWMetro team received training from Doug McElmury, Assistant Rescue School Director for CMC Rescue, along with various judges, captains, and other rescuers.

Our SWMetro team captain, Arcturus Hill-McLeod (2024 grad), was awarded Best Captain for the event as the judges agreed that they displayed impressive knowledge and skill in directing their team through each of the scenarios. Overall, the team took 5th place. The rest of the team members were Brayden Diethelm (2024 grad), Caleb Paulsen (2026 grad), Spirit Burnett (2026 grad), Chloe Lee (2026 grad), and Alexis Uchtman (2026 grad).

To prepare for this conference and competition, the students completed evening and weekend Rope Rescue and Confined Space Rescue courses at the awareness, operations and technical skill levels. These courses are specialty content areas of firefighting. The students had weekly night classes November through February. In December, they started meeting at a fire training tower on weekends to do hands-on training. The training was complete in February, but in April and May, they continued meeting on weekends to train for the IRECA competition.

We're proud of our students for their hard work and impressive placement in this competition, which was not a youth conference, but was geared toward professional rescuers. Great job, everyone!

06/20/2026

That’s a Wrap! SouthWest Metro 2026 graduations are complete!

Graduation season wrapped up this week at SouthWest Metro!Caps flew, cameras flashed, and celebrations filled our progra...
06/20/2026

Graduation season wrapped up this week at SouthWest Metro!

Caps flew, cameras flashed, and celebrations filled our programs as we honored the hard work, perseverance, and accomplishments of the Class of 2026.

With 12 graduation ceremonies, this was SouthWest Metro’s largest graduation season ever! Congratulations to all of our graduates! We are proud of all you have achieved and look forward to seeing what comes next.

Families interested in downloading graduation photos can find links in the next edition of the Student Scoop Newsletter coming out June 26.

It’s the last day of school! We’re so proud of all of our learners for the work they’ve put in this year. We’ve seen so ...
05/29/2026

It’s the last day of school! We’re so proud of all of our learners for the work they’ve put in this year. We’ve seen so much growth, opportunity, and love of learning across our programs. Let’s have a great last day!

SouthWest Metro students recently turned their skills into service through a powerful collaboration with the Minnesota A...
05/26/2026

SouthWest Metro students recently turned their skills into service through a powerful collaboration with the Minnesota Assistance Council for Veterans (MACV) when Construction students traveled to Veterans Village in Eagan, a housing development dedicated to veterans and their families.

Students donated and hand-placed four picnic tables they built in class and were able to tour the facilities and meet with veterans, seeing firsthand how their craftsmanship provides a space for families to gather.

The day didn’t end with delivery as students met with site leaders to discuss upcoming projects and identify future on-site building needs, ensuring the partnership between SWMetro and MACV continues to grow.

SWMetro Photography students were also on-site, gaining invaluable in the field experience capturing the moments. Rather than shooting in a controlled studio, they practiced action shots and videography, capturing the delivery, the interactions with veterans, and the story of the day as it unfolded. This real-life experience allowed them to build their portfolios while documenting a meaningful community event!

Address

4601 Dean Lakes Boulevard
Shakopee, MN
55379

Opening Hours

Monday 8am - 4pm
Tuesday 8am - 4pm
Wednesday 8am - 4pm
Thursday 8am - 4pm
Friday 9am - 5pm

Telephone

+19525678100

Website

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