Education

by Brianne Eilers

The Allamakee Community School District (ACSD) Board of Directors met for its regular monthly meeting Monday night, September 17. Under personnel matters, the board approved staff for the After School Program, Anne Wuebker was approved as the seventh grade girls basketball coach, Cortney Ryan was approved as a paraprofessional and Kirk Snitker was approved as a substitute bus driver.

During the Iowa State University Department of Architecture’s annual kick-off celebration, Architecture Premiere, held Friday, September 7 in Ames, a total of $120,000 in awards and scholarships were presented to students. Among those awardees was Elizabeth Mahr, a 2014 graduate of Waukon High School who received the James H. and M. Suanne Stange Architecture Award, a scholarship given to fourth-year students. Mahr is pictured at left in the above photo with Deborah Hauptmann, Chairperson of Iowa State University’s Department of Architecture and Design Administration. Submitted photo.
 

Learning disorders, also known as learning disabilities, affect a person’s ability to acquire and use academic skills, such as reading and calculating.

“Learning disorders aren’t the same as mental or physical disabilities and don’t reflect a child’s intelligence,” says Elizabeth Leschensky, family nurse practitioner at Mayo Clinic Health System - Franciscan Healthcare in Waukon. “They can affect a child’s ability to complete a task, use certain skills and can also affect a child’s self-esteem and motivation.”

A number of factors can influence the development of learning disorders including medical conditions, genetics and environmental exposure. Although identification can be difficult, a child may have a learning disorder if he or she:

by Brianne Eilers

The Allamakee Community School District (ACSD) school board members met at East Elementary School in Waukon Monday evening, September 10 for a work session with representatives from Shive Hattery to discuss some of the issues the firm addressed in its recent study of the East Elementary building. The initial reason for the study of the building was to investigate the issues with the pipe system involved with the heating of the building.

The report was presented to the school board members and then explained by the representatives from Shive Hattery, who presented the board members with several options as well as other things noticed that could be added to the project if the board chooses to. The baseline fix is that all piping would have to be replaced, but it was pointed out that the overall system would still be outdated.

The Allamakee Community School District (ACSD) is once again partnering with the Northeast Iowa Food Bank to offer the BackPack Program to students in order to provide meals for kids when school meals aren’t available. Any student, 18 years old and younger, who qualifies for the free and reduced lunch program in the school district may participate in the BackPack Program.

Parents and guardians of ACSD students may apply for the free and reduced lunch program at any time throughout the school year. The applications are available through the school secretaries. Families are encouraged to apply for assistance if they are in need.

Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) Business and Community Solutions is offering “Find Your Inner Artist: A Guided Painting Experience” Tuesday, September 25 from 6-9 p.m. at the NICC Waukon Center, located at 1220 Third Avenue NW.

Even if students have never painted before, they will find their inner artist as they follow the step-by-step instruction. By the end of the evening, class attendees will have created a 11”x14” canvas masterpiece and perhaps even made some new friends. There is a supply fee due to the instructor the night of class.

To register online for “Find Your Inner Artist: A Guided Painting Experience” (#65812) or for more information, visit www.nicc.edu/solutions or call NICC Business and Community Solutions at 800-728-2256, ext. 399 (Calmar campus) or the NICC Waukon Center at 563-568-3060. Registration deadline is this Friday, September 14.
 

Carmen Wille (second from the right in the front row of the above photo), a 2017 graduate of Waukon High School now majoring in Agricultural and Life Sciences Education at Iowa State University in Ames, recently participated in the annual Ag Media Summit and Association of Communications Excellence in Agriculture, Natural Resources, and Life and Human Sciences (ACE) meeting in Scottsdale, AZ. This national event, held in August, allowed students to attend workshops tailored to communications, meet alumni and network with communication professionals from agriculture-related industries. At the summit, the Iowa State Agricultural Communicators of Tomorrow (ACT) Club received six awards from 26 submissions. There were a total of nearly 800 entries from 14 ACT chapters around the country. As a chapter, the group was recognized for a substantial increase in contest submissions.

Northeast Iowa and southeast Minnesota high school students and their parents will have an opportunity to talk with representatives from nearly 60 higher education institutions Monday, September 10 at Luther College in Decorah. The event is open to the public with no charge for admission.

College Night will be held from 6-7:30 p.m. in Luther’s Sports and Recreation Center at the college’s Regents Center, located on the lower campus. The college invites all students and families interested in information about post-high school education options to attend.

Representatives of private colleges, public and private universities, community colleges, vocational schools and branches of the military will have booths at the College Night event. Students and parents will be able to talk about academic programs and educational opportunities with representatives from each institution.

Financial aid information sessions will be held at 6:15 p.m. and 7 p.m.

The Allamakee County Conservation Board will be hosting a Hunter Education course September 20, from 6-9 p.m., and September 22, from 8 a.m.-4 p.m. at the The Allamakee County Sportsmen’s Club in rural Waukon. Attendance on both days of the class is required for successful completion.

Hunter Education is required for anyone 12 years of age or older and born after January 1, 1972 to obtain a hunting license in the state of Iowa. Participants who are 11 years of age at the time of the class may participate in the class, however, they will not will not receive a certificate of certificate until their 12th birthday.

Upper Iowa University (UIU) President Dr. William R. Duffy and Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) President Dr. Liang Chee Wee officially opened the “Bridge to Success” and welcomed the program’s first cohort of students to UIU’s Fayette Campus Thursday, August 23.

Through the unique program, first-year students who have not met entrance requirements for UIU will enroll in the Bridge to Success program as NICC students. Participating students attend classes at UIU’s Fayette campus, completing general education requirements, enhancing their college-ready skills and completing college credits that fully transfer to UIU. Students in the cohort will live on the University’s Fayette campus, receive academic and advising services from both institutions, and attend classes taught by visiting NICC faculty.