Education

by Brianne Eilers

The Allamakee Community School District (ACSD) Board of Directors met Tuesday, April 26 at 8:30 a.m. for a special session. Several personnel matters were decided, among them hiring a replacement for retiring Board Secretary/Business Manager Janice Rea.

After conducting its regular business and prior to adjournment, the Board entered a series of closed sessions to conduct interviews with Angela Carlson, Tina Cooper and Jaime Curtin for the School Board Secretary/Business Manager position. The recommendation to hire Jaime Curtin as the School Board Secretary/Business Manager at an annual salary of $65,000 was approved when the Board reconvened in open session and reviewed all information and references for each applicant.

Waukon Good Fellas Riding Club contributed a very large donation to Community Connections West Elementary Kids Club, East Elementary Kids Club and the Waukon Middle School afterschool programs. Members of the Riding Club presented the check to Virginia Kurth, West Elementary Site Coordinator, Thursday, April 7 at the program's Family Night during the Iowa Department of Education visit. The Riding Club members shared their children’s past and present connection to the afterschool programs. The club has been involved in the Allamakee afterschool programs for many years. The students and staff of the afterschool programs are very grateful for this generous donation. The continuous support of the program from many individuals, families, churches, businesses and organizations in the community is much appreciated. Submitted photo.
 

Luther College President Paula Carlson announced the election of four new regents to the college's Board of Regents: Jeffrey Anderson, Sandee Joppa, Michael Osterholm and James N. Young.

"We are so pleased to welcome Regents Anderson, Joppa, Osterholm and Young to the Board of Regents," said President Carlson. "They bring years of professional experience in financial management, human resources, health and higher education to the Board, along with a deep commitment to Luther College. As Luther alumni and parents, they understand the value of a Luther education, and their service as regents will strengthen the college for generations to come."

Recently, Community Connections elementary school sites within the Allamakee Community School District, also known as Kids Club, had their evaluation visit from State of Iowa education officials. The local program received an "Exceptional" rating following the State of Iowa visit.

Vic Jaras from the Iowa Department of Education/21st Century Learning Center said, "I talked with dozens of parents who all had glowing praise for the program. Parents felt students improved because of the program. Students loved this program."

by Brianne Eilers

The Allamakee Community School District (ACSD) Board of Directors held a pair of meetings this past week to address a variety of issues.

APRIL 14 SESSION
The Board held a special meeting Thursday morning, April 14 to hold two public hearings and take action on a handful of agenda items. Public Hearings on the proposed budget for 2016-2017 and on amending the 2015-2016 budget were held, with no written or oral objections received.

by Susan Cantine-Maxson

The Eastern Allamakee School Board held its regular board of directors meeting Monday, April 18. President Heather Schulte called the meeting to order and Board members in attendance were Bobbie Goetzinger, Melanie Mauss, Bruce Palmborg  and Kelli Mudderman. In addition, school district personnel included  Superintendent  Dale Crozier, New Albin Elementary Principal Chad Steckel, Kee High School Principal Mary Hogan and  Board Secretary Janet Heiderscheit.

Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) is creating industry sector boards to serve counties in northeast Iowa by bringing together higher education, local high schools, employers, economic development officials and workforce agencies.

The local sector boards employ a collaborative team approach to find solutions to workforce challenges, identify skilled workforce needs and boost local economies. New members of the Waukon Sector Board first met February 19 to discuss objectives of the group, workforce concerns and potential solutions.

The development of sector boards and its focus on teamwork and dialogue is the key to addressing the short-term and ongoing, long-term needs of industries in Allamakee County, according to Wendy Mihm-Herold, Ph.D., NICC Vice President of Business and Community Solutions.

The Waukon High School Drama Department will be presenting the production of "Arsenic and Old Lace," written by Joseph Kesselring, this Friday and Saturday, April 15 and 16 at the Waukon High School Auditorium, beginning at 7:30 p.m. each evening. Tickets will be sold at the door the evening of each performance. See the advertisement in the Events & Entertainment section on Page 2A of this week's issue of The Standard for additional information.

Members of the cast and crew for this year's production include the following:

Over 200 graduating Seniors from Postville, Kee, MFL/MarMac and Waukon High Schools attended Reality 101 at the Waukon High School Wednesday, April 6.  Over 80 individuals and businesses volunteered their time to create a real life financial scenario for all of these students preparing for graduation.

Each student chose a career and researched monthly income based on average northeast Iowa wages in the classroom setting prior to the activity. The day of Reality 101, the students were provided with a life scenario which may include a spouse, children and possibly even child support situations including information provided on their chosen career and college plans.

Plans continue to progress for the Waterville All-School Reunion, which is open to anyone who ever attended or was affiliated with the school, June 25-26.

In 1960, when the Waterville High School closed with students going to Waukon, the student census at the Waterville School for kindergarten through 12th grade was 323. Today the town of Waterville has a population of 143, but one can imagine that Saturday, June 25, when all roads lead to Waterville for reunion activities, that population will be bursting at the seams.

Activities will begin at 10 a.m. when the school, library, city hall, fire station and former Lutheran Church will be open for visitors to “remember when.” Perhaps reunion-goers were baptized, confirmed, married or attended church and Bible School at the church on the hill. City Hall and the library, whose sites connect, are home to the graduation class pictures. The City Hall will also be hosting a display of “old days in Waterville.”