By Mollee Francisco

Maintaining his innocence despite a guilty plea, a somber Phil Link appeared in Carver County Court Wednesday morning to receive his sentence for stealing from the school district.

The former Chaska High School football coach and administrative dean faced two charges of theft by swindle (one a felony and one a misdemeanor) for double-dipping while he ran summer football camps in 2009.

After pleading guilty to felony theft in September, former Chaska High School football coach Phil Link was in Carver County Court Wednesday morning where he was sentenced to two years probation, 50 hours of community service and fined $100.

Judge Richard Perkins acknowledged that the sentence was light, but explained that he was taking into account Link's current employment and family situation.

"I'm not giving you much of a sentence, I realize that," he said, noting that he thought it was reasonable and fair.

By Chuck Friedbauer

District 112 student enrollment is up slightly this year, but the increase is less than last year’s growth.

District 112 had an overall enrollment of 8,934 students, only 52 more than last year at the same time. School districts submit enrollment to the state by Oct. 1.

While growth may be slowing, several schools are over capacity. Clover Ridge Elementary, East Union Elementary, Victoria Elementary and Pioneer Ridge are over their building capacity, as they were last year.

About 50 students and scholars from the metro area who have been awarded Fulbright scholarships to study and teach abroad. They are among 72 recipients statewide, according to a press release from Sen. Al Franken’s office.

The scholars include Donald Scheese, of Chaska, a professor of English and environmental studies at Gustavus Adolphus College, who will teach in the Ukraine.

By Chuck Friedbauer

School officials will say helping children, not winning awards, is the reason they do what they do.

“But getting a little positive notoriety is fine too,” said East Union elementary school Principal Greg Lange.

“It means we’re not just this scrappy little school in the southwest corner of the district.”That small school setting went a long way toward East Union recently receiving a 2010-11 School of Excellence award from the Minnesota Elementary School Principals’ Association.

By Chuck Friedbauer

William Deffaa, a first-grader at Victoria Elementary School, was asked recently why he chose an apple with his lunch.

“I like to eat apples,” said Deffaa.

As often is the case, choices are simple for children. What William did not know is that apple came from a local Minnesota farmer because District 112 has been providing more locally grown foods in its school lunches this year.

By Chuck Friedbauer

Class sizes across District 112 are slightly lower this year on average, compared to last October.

The average class size decrease, across all grade levels, is primarily due to the absence of the state funding confusion the district experienced before the 2009-10 school year.

By Chuck Friedbauer

There have been numerous local sightings of youth with spray cans tagging personal property. Do local police need to make more graffiti patrols?

In this case, no. The “graffiti” is the Chaska High School Hawk logo; the youth are high school students; and homeowners are paying them to paint logos on driveways.

The “Paint the Town” fundraiser is just one of the ways the Chaska High School Booster Club is seeking to raise money this year.