Education

by Susan Cantine-Maxson

The Allamakee Community School District (ACSD) celebrated the start of the annual Live Healthy Iowa 10-Week Wellness Challenge Monday, February 2 with an assembly in the Waukon High School gymnasium. Students were treated to a skit, fun games, and prizes thrown into the crowd. The high school 4-H Food and Fitness Youth team planned the event, along with Youth Coach Stef Perkins, ACSD FoodCorps service member Ashley Turk, and community volunteer Dani Bucknell. The goal of Live Healthy Iowa is to make Iowa the healthiest state in the nation. The 10-Week Wellness Challenge encourages participants to eat fruits and vegetables, drink water, and get plenty of physical activity every day. This year, the Challenge runs from January 26 through April 3. Allamakee County has won the Community Cup portion of the Challenge for each of the past three years for its high rates of participation and is looking to do so again this year.

The Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) Board of Trustees meeting held January highlighted mid-year progress on the College’s FY15 strategic priorities. The four priorities include: increasing student success as measured by retention, completion and transfer rates; increasing enrollment of the 2015 in-district 12th grade class; increasing job placement of certificate, diploma and degree completers; and educating the College community on the financial impact of recruiting and retaining students through a five-year budgeting model. NICC is on pace to meet or exceed target goals in all four areas.

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Waukon High School senior students will be conducting their annual scholarship program Phone-A-Thon fundraiser in early February, but this year phone call recipients will notice a slightly different change in the name of the scholarship program. The former Allamakee Dollars for Scholars, Inc. organization that has been the foundation for the local scholarship program that benefits Waukon High School graduating seniors has changed its affiliation this year and is now named Allamakee Scholarship Fund, Inc.

by Brianne Eilers

by Susan Cantine-Maxson

A program with the focus of helping Waukon High School students "reach for and achieve their educational goals" for the past 20-plus years is undergoing a name change, but will remain true to its commitment and further enhance that mission with a more local approach.

by Susan Cantine-Maxson

by Brianne Eilers

Iowa House of Representatives Democratic Leader Mark Smith of Marshalltown has appointed Representative Patti Ruff of McGregor to Ranking Member of the House Education Committee.
“As a former school board president and a mother of three, Rep. Ruff brings a wealth of experience and knowledge to the Iowa House,” said Smith. “She understands the challenges facing rural Iowa and will be a strong voice for the people of northeast Iowa.”
The House Education committee addresses pre-school and K-12 education issues, including school aid funding, as well as non-budget issues relating to higher education.