Education

by Christine Hensley, Iowa Student Loan Liquidity Corporation Board member

As a new school year begins, you and your middle or high school student might be thinking about what happens after high school. Before embarking on one of the most expensive journeys of a lifetime, your student should understand the complete cost to obtain the education needed for a specific career.

Northeast Iowa Community Action Corporation (NEICAC) is accepting applications for the Head Start program for the 2023-2024 school year and the year-round Early Head Start program. Head Start is an all-day free three- and four-year-old preschool program that meets five days per week and serves breakfast, lunch and snacks daily at no cost to families.

Qualified teachers use the Creative Curriculum to help children learn and provide the academic and social skills to be successful when they reach kindergarten. Free before and after school care may be available for working parents and full-time students. All families with children three to four years old by September 15 are encouraged to apply for Head Start.

Iowa Legal Aid will host an educational event for older Iowans and caregivers to learn about free assistance with critical legal issues Tuesday, August 29 at 11 a.m. at the Meehan Memorial Lansing Public Library, located at 515 Main Street in Lansing. The event is free and open to the public. No registration is required to attend.

Case Manager Michaela Dohleman from Iowa Legal Aid’s Dubuque office will provide a brief history of Iowa Legal Aid and will discuss services available to older Iowans and caregivers through its Hotline for Older Iowans, the Rural Justice Project for Older Iowans, and the Disaster Project. With 10 regional offices, Iowa Legal Aid is the only statewide provider of free civil legal services to low income and other vulnerable Iowans. Learn more about Iowa Legal Aid at www.iowalegalaid.org.

The Allamakee County 4-H Council sponsored a School Supplies Drive to benefit the Allamakee County Relief Office during the 2023 Allamakee County Fair. Supplies such as notebooks, crayons, glue sticks, book bags and more were collected through the duration of the fair. Through the efforts and generosity of this year’s donors to the drive, over 250 items were donated to the Allamakee County Relief Office this year.

The Allamakee County 4-H Council would like to extend a special thank you to all who donated to the drive this year. For further information about the School Supplies Drive and Allamakee County 4-H Program, contact Marissa Foels, Allamakee County Youth Coordinator at the Allamakee County Extension and Outreach Office in Waukon at 563-568-6345.
 

The Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) Waukon Center will offer High School Drivers Education for Allamakee Community School District (ACSD) students.

Students may register for one of these sessions:
• Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, August 21-September 25, from 5-7 p.m. (#91763)
• Monday and Wednesday, October 2-November 2, from 5-7 p.m. (#91764)

To satisfy the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) requirements, students must attend 30 hours of classroom instruction and six hours of Behind the Wheel (BTW) driving experience. Attendance is required at all sessions. Students must have an Iowa driver’s permit before the first class.

The deadline for paid registration is one week before each class start date (for free and reduced lunch, students should contact the school office). To register, call the NICC Waukon Center at 844-642-2338, ext. 6700.
 

Over 90% of teachers spend their own money on school supplies and other items their students need to succeed in the classroom. FreedomBank invites the communities it serves to donate tools and materials to support local teachers in the Central Elkader, MFL/MarMac, Postville, Allamakee and St. Patrick Catholic (Waukon) school districts as they prepare for the upcoming academic year.

A donation of school supplies will provide students with the necessary tools to excel throughout the school year while alleviating some of the financial burdens on teachers who often spend their own money on supplies. FreedomBank has been working closely with teachers in its market area to identify the specific items they need for the 2023-2024 school year.

Iowa Legal Aid will host an educational event for older Iowans and caregivers to learn about free assistance with critical legal issues Tuesday, August 29 at 11 a.m. at the Meehan Memorial Lansing Public Library, located at 515 Main Street in Lansing. The event is free and open to the public. No registration is required to attend.

Case Manager Michaela Dohleman from Iowa Legal Aid’s Dubuque office will provide a brief history of Iowa Legal Aid and will discuss services available to older Iowans and caregivers through its Hotline for Older Iowans, the Rural Justice Project for Older Iowans, and the Disaster Project. With 10 regional offices, Iowa Legal Aid is the only statewide provider of free civil legal services to low income and other vulnerable Iowans. Learn more about Iowa Legal Aid at www.iowalegalaid.org.

Robey Memorial Library and The Oneota Valley Literary Foundation have partnered to host Main Street Story Walk in Waukon during August featuring the children’s story, “Don’t eat bees: life lessons from Chip the dog” by Dev Petty. During the month of August, families are encouraged to read this story as they stroll the downtown area.

Six selected businesses have a portion of the story posted in the front window of their establishment for viewing from the sidewalk. Each stop along the Story Walk will direct readers to the next location. Selected businesses for the month of August are located on Rossville Road, Spring Avenue and East Main Street at the following locations numbered and labeled in the map image at right: 1. Gregg Jones Muscular Therapy; 2. Erbal Ink Tattoos; 3. Cook’s Agency; 4. Paws Up Pet Supplies; 5. Broker Leather; 6. Fiesta Vallarta Mexican Restaurant. Submitted image.
 

Thursday Night Book Club is held the third Thursday monthly at 6 p.m. at Robey Memorial Library. All are welcome to attend. Book Club meets in person. Those who would like to join the book discussion virtually should contact Robey Memorial Library at 563-568-4424 for participation information.

The next Thursday Book Club discussion at Robey Memorial Library is scheduled for Thursday, August 17. The topic of discussion for the Book Club will be a book written by Marie Benedict
 

As summer rolls toward the new school year, Northeast Iowa Community Action Corporation (NEICAC) has announced it is now accepting applications for the Head Start program for the 2023-2024 school year and the year-round Early Head Start program. Head Start is an all-day free three- and four-year-old preschool program that meets five days per week and serves breakfast, lunch and snacks daily at no cost to families.

Qualified teachers use the Creative Curriculum to help children learn and provide the academic and social skills to be successful when they reach kindergarten. Free before and after school care may be available for working parents and full-time students. All families with children three to four years old by September 15 are encouraged to apply for Head Start.