Education

by Susan Cantine-Maxson

The monthly meeting of the Board of Directors of the Eastern Allamakee Community School District (EACSD) was held at Kee High School in Lansing Monday, October 21. Board members Bruce Palmborg and Melanie Mauss  were absent.

Audience comments included remarks from Julietta Castillo-Ocampo, Kee High School’s new Spanish teacher. She introduced herself to the board and provided some background information. She was born and raised in Mexico City, Mexico. She was a lawyer and also spent several years in the Army. She married an Iowan and moved to the United States. Since she could not practice law in the United States without attending law school again, she became a teacher, and she has taught for 17 years. This is her first year in Lansing.

May 24 of this year, the students and staff at St. Patrick School in Waukon celebrated the life of Richard “Dick” Schilling with a mass honoring his memory. Gratitude was expressed for the legacy he gifted to St. Patrick School, with his generous gift of $132,000 assisting St. Patrick School in continuing its mission and ministry for years to come.

In recognition of Iowa Archaeology Month and International Archaeology Day, Luther College in Decorah will be presenting a lecture surrounding the ongoing research conducted on Iowa’s effigy mounds by Colin Betts, Luther archaeologist and professor of anthropology, and his students. The lecture will take place at 7 p.m. Thursday, October 17 in Olin Building, room 102 on the Luther College campus. This presentation is open to the public with no charge for admission.

A rich part of northeast Iowa’s cultural heritage and landscape, Effigy Mounds National Monument offers a collection of prehistoric earthen constructions in the shape of animals. Set in Allamakee and Clayton counties, they are rare, geographical elements that carry an air of mystery. Though there has been more than a century worth of research around them, the meaning and purpose of their indigenous architects remain an open case.

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Allamakee County office will offer the Mosquito/Public Health Pest Management Continuing Instruction Course (CIC) for commercial pesticide applicators Thursday, October 24. The program provided by the ISU Extension and Outreach Pesticide Safety Education Program (PSEP) can be seen at locations across Iowa.

The local attendance site for the October 24 CIC is the Allamakee County Extension Office, Waukon. Registration begins at 8:30 a.m. followed by sessions from 9-11:30 a.m. The registration fee increases after October 17. To register or to obtain additional information about the CIC, contact the ISU Extension and Outreach Allamakee County office at 563-568-6345.

Celebrating Constitution Week, observed September 17-23 each year, the Hannah Lee Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution (DAR) donated Constitution posters and booklets to classes teaching the Constitution within area schools. With the Constitution being the cornerstone of the government of the United States and having worked for so long, the local DAR chapter wanted the students to have their own copy of the Constitution. Pictured above, left to right, Waukon High School Principal Jennifer Garin, DAR member Mona Day, and Waukon High School U.S. Government and Social Studies teacher Jerry Keenan are shown with the booklets and a poster. Pictured below are members of the fifth grade class at St. Patrick School in Waukon with posters. Their teacher, Mrs. Dacia Sommer, accepted the booklets. Submitted photos.
 

Three Waukon-based Clover Kids meetings were hosted in September by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach, such as the group pictured below. Clover Kids is a fun 4-H program specifically designed for children in kindergarten through third grade. The overall purpose of the Iowa 4-H Clover Kids program is to foster the development of life skills that are essential for the cognitive, social, emotional and physical maturation of kindergarten through third graders by providing a unique, age-appropriate educational opportunity.

Every two years Farm Credit Services of America donates to Waukon High School agriculture classes and its Little Switzerland FFA Chapter new FFA manuals and student handbooks. This year they donated 45 student handbooks and 10 FFA manuals used by students and members to explore opportunities in FFA, learn about the history of FFA, and much more. Waukon High School’s Ag One classes use these books almost daily, which causes some quick wear and tear, and these books are needed to not only help freshmen and younger students learn more about FFA and all it has to offer, but also so FFA members can keep up on new events in the program’s history and learn more about contests, SAEs and more.

The resignation of New Albin Elementary School Principal Chad Steckel was approved by the Eastern Allamakee Community School District (EACSD) Board of Directors in a late afternoon special session Friday, September 20. Steckel has served as principal of New Albin Elementary School for the past several years, and EACSD Board members voted unanimously in that special session to accept his resignation from that position, as well as all of his other coaching and teaching positions he held within the EACSD.

EACSD Superintendent Dr. Dale Crozier stated that Steckel’s letter of resignation that was presented to the board stated he was resigning “for personal reasons.” Steckel reaffirmed that reasoning in follow-up correspondence with The Standard, stating, “I will simply say the same.”

Forests and woodlands may not be among the first things that come to mind when people think about what grows in Iowa. But according to Billy Beck, newly-named assistant professor and extension forestry specialist at Iowa State University, forests hold more value and potential than Iowans often realize.

“Forests are important for many reasons, including water quality improvement, wildlife, timber and aesthetics, and we need to be promoting them more,” Beck said.

Beck began his new role in August, after completing his Ph.D. at Iowa State in 2018. He previously held forestry-related jobs in Michigan, Illinois and Kansas, and is excited about the opportunity to grow and promote the value of Iowa’s forestry.

“I really want Iowans to realize that these woodlands are valuable to their property, and they’re a value to their farming enterprise,” he said.

The Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) Waukon Center is offering a Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) Workshop Tuesday, October 15 from 3:30-6:30 p.m. The NICC Waukon Center is located at 1220 Third Avenue NW.

This event is open to the public and is designed to help students complete their FAFSA. NICC Waukon Center staff members will be available to answer any questions. Students and parents are encouraged to attend.

To make a 30-minute appointment or for more information about the workshop, contact DeKote’ Blake at 563-538-6575 (call or text) or curtind@nicc.edu.

To prepare for the FAFSA workshop, visit https://studentaid.ed.gov/npas/index.htm to create a FSA ID for both parent and student; that will be needed to complete the form. Bring a copy of the parents’ and student’s 2018 taxes, W-2s and FSA ID login information to the appointment.