Education

by Brianne Grimstad

The Allamakee Community School District Board of Directors met for a special meeting Friday morning, June 6. The agenda included several personnel matters.

Pending a satisfactory background check, the board approved the following personnel hiring recommendations for the 2025-2026 school year: Morgan Johnson, 2nd grade teacher; Nicole Decker, preschool teacher; Kevin Johnson, head girls varsity wrestling coach; Kelli Olson, TLC Instructional Coach; and Lauren Drew, 2nd grade PLC Teacher Leader.

The end of the school year does not come easily to the members of the Waukon High School Band. The band participated in the Iowa High School Music Association (IHSMA) State Solo and Ensemble Festival March 29 and the State Large Group Concert Band Festival May 9.
While these two events have approximately five weeks between them, Band Director Jo Ann Sherman points out that the month of April can be a very busy month at the high school with Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress (ISASP) testing and the Easter break breaking up the band’s rehearsal schedule.

At the Solo and Ensemble Festival, the band had 14 soloists and 13 ensembles perform. Each event performed for a single judge who critiqued their performance and gave them a rating. The band received 11 Division I ratings, 15 Division II ratings and one Division III rating on the day.

Each year the Waukon Middle School staff votes on and acknowledges a boy and girl student from each of the sixth, seventh and eighth grades for the Middle School Citizenship Award. These students demonstrate the following attributes:
Attitude - The student is goal-oriented, enthusiastic, and respectful of school policies and procedures.
Academics - The student maintains an appropriate grade point average. This might not be straight A’s but the student works hard for the grades they get.
Character - The student performs random acts of kindness, maintains a friendly rapport with peers and faculty, and is a positive role model to classmates as well as fellow middle school students.
School Spirit: The student participates in extracurricular activities and clubs. The student exhibits pride in being part of the Waukon Middle School.
Community Involvement: The student volunteers their time and services to members of the community.

“This, by no means, should be interpreted as a movement towards consolidation of these two districts.” ~ Jay Mathis

ACSD Board approves sharing agreement with EACSD for Superintendent, addresses other personnel matters during May 28 special session

by Brianne Grimstad

The Allamakee Community School District (ACSD) Board of Directors met for a special meeting Wednesday, May 28. The main item on the special meeting agenda was a revised Superintendent Contract and an Operational Sharing Agreement with Eastern Allamakee Community School District (EACSD) for the 2025-2026 school year. The sharing agreement would allow the role of ACSD Superintendent Jay Mathis to be shared between ACSD and EACSD, to which the board gave unanimous approval.

A group of students at Waukon High School wrapped up their first-year diving into cybersecurity. The Iowa Communications Network (ICN) assisted by introducing a line-up of industry specialists to the students. Plus, ICN provided free resources that were used all semester long.

Kelli Olson, Curriculum Director in the Allamakee Community School District, shares that the collaboration opened doors to industry experts and training, making lessons more meaningful. From January to May, ICN lined up virtual speakers each month to offer insights and career tips for the students.

ICN’s Cyber Lead kicked off the sessions by sharing his thoughts on career options, cybersecurity, and what his daily routine looked like. The highlight was explaining how to keep up with the latest information and trends. Knowing how a system works in normal situations helps people standout.

by Susan Cantine-Maxson

Following a work session at 6 p.m. Monday, May 12 to discuss budgets and staffing, the Eastern Allamakee Community School District (EACSD) Board of Directors held its regular meeting at 7 p.m. at Kee High School in Lansing. Board President Bobbie Goetzinger called the meeting to order, with all board members present, including Heather Lutz, Joe Manning, Melanie Mauss, and Arla Wagner. Also in attendance were Interim Superintendent Patrick Heiderscheit, PK-12 Principal Donna Thomas, Intervention/Prevention Specialist Chad Winters, School Business Official Kris Smith, and Board Secretary Michele Martin. Visitor Shari Lubahn was also present.

The Eastern Allamakee Community School District is participating in the Summer Food Service Program. Meals will be provided to all children under the age of 18 without charge and are the same for all children regardless of race, color, national origin, sex (including gender identity and sexual orientation), age or disability, and there will be no discrimination during the meal service.

Meals will be provided, on a first come, first serve basis from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., at both Kee High School, 569 Center Street in Lansing, and New Albin Elementary School, 401 Locust Street NE in New Albin, Tuesday-Friday each week, June 3-August 22, with no service Friday, July 4. Both locations will have on-site lunch service with “to-go” breakfast intended for consumption the next day served Tuesday-Thursday, with lunch and a “Weekend Box” featuring both breakfast and lunch for Saturday through Monday served each Friday.

LCpl Landyn J. Lewey recently graduated from the Aviation Communication Systems Technician course at Air Control Training Squadron, MCCES, Twentynine Palms, CA. He will be stationed for at least three years with the 3rd Division Marine Littoral Anti-Air Battalion at Marine Corps Base-Hawaii, starting this month.

LCpl Lewey is a 2024 graduate of Iowa Falls-Alden High School, and the son of Bryan and Rachel Lewey of Iowa Falls. He is the grandson of James and Kathy Stammeyer of Oelwein, and Richard and Jean Lewey of Waukon. He is also the great-grandson of Irene Lewey of Waukon.
 

by Brianne Grimstad

The Allamakee Community School District (ACSD) school board met for its regular monthly meeting Monday, May 19. Under the Consent Agenda items, the following personnel recommendations were accepted (pending a satisfactory background check): Ben Pline, Social Studies PLC Leader; Randy Nordheim, JJV Volleyball Coach; John Papp, Volunteer Baseball Coach; Samantha Weigert, Elementary ELL/TAG Teacher; Megan Wise, Elementary General Music Teacher; Dani Bucknell, Assistant FBLA Adviser; Julie Lenth, English Language Arts PLC Teacher Leader; and Payton Dietzenbach, Middle School Year Book Advisor.

A pair of local high school students were recently recognized by Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds and Lt. Governor Chris Cournoyer for outstanding academic achievement at the 23rd Annual Governor’s Scholar Recognition Ceremony held April 27 at the Iowa Events Center in Des Moines. Waukon High School senior Taylor Kiel is pictured at right in the photo at right with Governor Reynolds during the recognition ceremony.

Kee High School senior Addyson Rankin was not able to attend the event. The statewide program, sponsored by the Iowa Governor’s Office, the Iowa High School Athletic Association (IHSAA) and its title sponsor the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation (IFBF), honored 424 Iowa high school seniors.