Education

Northeast Iowa Area Agency on Aging (NEI3A) is offering Tai Chi for Arthritis and Fall Prevention classes starting January 8. Tai Chi is an ancient Chinese exercise program that promotes strength, flexibility and balance. This is a low-impact, relaxing form of exercise that is ideal for older individuals.

Tai Chi focuses on the mental and spiritual aspects of Chinese martial arts integrated into movement. Individuals will learn warm-up, cool down and 12 introductory forms. Modifications can be made for those who need to remain seated for all or most of the class.

Tai Chi for Arthritis and Fall Prevention will be held at Meehan Memorial Lansing Library, located at 515 Main Street, Lansing, starting January 8. Classes will be held each Tuesday and Thursday from 2-3 p.m.

Five Allamakee County 4-H’ers traveled to Iowa’s Dairy Center in Calmar December 6 to visit with “Frosty,” a life-size calving simulator from the Iowa State University (ISU) Veterinary School clinical skills lab with a fully articulated 70-pound calf and working udder. This hands-on opportunity taught youth about the process of calving and how to manage cows during the calving season. ISU Veterinarians were available to teach about the process of calving, calving challenges and provided the opportunity to practice delivering calves from “Frosty” (examples of all of those learning activities pictured in the surrounding photos). For more information about the Allamakee County 4-H Program, contact the Allamakee County Extension Office at 563-568-6345. Submitted photos.
 

The Northeast Iowa Community College Board of Trustees has selected Dubuque firm Straka Johnson Architects, P.C. to lead design, construction and renovations for projects funded by the passage of a $39 million bond levy in September. The Board of Trustees selected the architectural firm at its meeting December 17 based on the recommendations of the College, a nine-member search committee and the Request for Proposals (RFPs) formally submitted to NICC for consideration.

Straka Johnson Architects serves clients in the Dubuque tri-state area, and the firm has worked on a wide range of project types including religious institutions, educational facilities, health care facilities, industrial facilities, recreational facilities, commercial institutions, transportation terminals and facilities, restaurants, multi-family residential and single family residential projects.

The Waukon High School Music Department is seeking donations for new high school marching band and concert band uniforms through an “Adopt a Uniform” campaign. The current marching band uniforms were purchased in 1997 and are in need of replacement following years of usage and alterations.

The Allamakee Community School District and the Allamakee Music Boosters will each be providing one-third of the funding for the uniform replacement project, leaving a final third of the total cost to be raised through the “Adopt-a-Uniform” donation drive. Donation levels for specific pieces of the uniforms being sought are listed below in the accompanying donation form below, but any donation amount would be welcome.

by Brianne Eilers

The Allamakee Community School District’s (ACSD) board of directors met Monday evening, December 17 for its regular monthly meeting. Under the consent agenda in personnel matters, staff for after school programming was approved, as was Gary Egan for a substitute/activity bus driver. The board also approved the Mediacom Contract Renewal and the annual eighth grade trip to Des Moines, where students will be able to visit the State Capitol, John Deere Des Moines Works and either the Iowa Hall of Pride or Terrace Hill.

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, December 17. The meeting was called to order by Heather Schulte, Board President. The following members were present: Bobbie Goetzinger, Kelli Mudderman, Bruce Palmborg, Melanie Mauss and Heather Schulte. Also present were Dr. Dale Crozier, Superintendent; Mary Hogan, Kee High and Middle School Principal; Chad Steckel, New Albin Elementary School Principal and Janet Heiderscheit, Board Secretary.

After the agenda was adopted, the board asked for audience comments but there were none. The board next approved the authorizations for the December consent items, the minutes of the November meeting, the bills for December, the secretary’s financial statement and the activity and food service report.

The Waukon High School Music Department is seeking donations for new high school marching band and concert band uniforms through an “Adopt a Uniform” campaign. The current marching band uniforms were purchased in 1997 and are in need of replacement following years of usage and alterations.

The Allamakee Community School District and the Allamakee Music Boosters will each be providing one-third of the funding for the uniform replacement project, leaving a final third of the total cost to be raised through the “Adopt-a-Uniform” donation drive. Donation levels for specific pieces of the uniforms being sought are listed below in the accompanying donation form below, but any donation amount would be welcome.

submitted through the
cooperative efforts of
Waukon Economic
Development Corporation and the Allamakee
Community School District

Driving west on old Highway 9 one cannot help but notice the housing development taking place on Twelfth Street NW just south of the Wellness Center. As one looks closer, it appears that high school students are the carpenters building a new house.
That observation would be correct as the students are part of the Allamakee Community School District (ACSD) Career and Technical Education program. The students are completing high school course work and at the same time are earning transferable credits from Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) in their construction trades classes.

Thanks to the help of parents and teachers, the recent P.S.S.T. Ball Fundraiser was a success. With funds from the equipment sales event and P.S.S.T. funds, 29 new, high quality balls were able to be purchased and then donated to East (pictured below) and West (pictured above) Elementary schools in Waukon for use by students during recess and in the schools’ Physical Education classes.

P.S.S.T., Parents Supporting Students and Teachers, is the parent organization that helps support the elementary schools in the Allamakee Community School District. The P.S.S.T. volunteers put on several family events each year and work to support the excellence of the schools’ students and staff. Submitted photos.
 

Over the past nine weeks, Waukon Middle School students in Ms. Milewsky’s eighth grade Language Arts class have been participating in a global blogging challenge organized by Edublogs. Each week students are given a challenge to complete and share with challenge participants and commentators to receive feedback. The challenges (some of which are pictured in the photos above) have included discussing digital citizenship with proper commenting guidelines, writing stories using emojis, A-Z science poems, surveying others’ interests and creating “all about me” pages, all while being engaged in writing for an authentic audience.