Education

Saturday, December 3, three Waukon High School band students under the direction of Jo Ann Knipfer Sherman attended the Northeast Iowa Bandmasters Association (NEIBA) District Honor Band at Oelwein High School. The students rehearsed all day and presented a concert that evening. Those attending are pictured above and include, left to right, Aaron Sherman, Sophie Halverson and Nathan Smith. Submitted photo.
 

by Kelli Boylen
freelance writer

Traditional public schools benefit students, family and communities in many ways, but they are not necessarily a good fit for everyone.

Abby Paul of Waterville was able to address her unique learning needs with Iowa Connections Academy, a tuition-free online school for youth anywhere in Iowa. She graduated last spring from this full-time online school which students attend from home.

Abby has health issues that made it very difficult to thrive in a traditional setting due to the amount of time she had to spend out of the classroom to address her health needs. Her family, Sean and Gretchen Bresnahan, sought a more flexible schedule and learning environment that would allow them to tailor their days around Abby’s doctor’s appointments.

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach (ISUEO) partnered with the 21st Century Community Connections Learning Center (CCLC) Kids Club at East Elementary School in Waukon to offer a LEGO® themed after school program. Eleven third through fifth graders experienced the LEGO® Education kits and helped build a car sweeper to clean up trash. They learned about pulleys and gears and how the size and placement of them mattered. After all cars were built, they were tested out to see whose car cleaned up the most trash. The youth also decided to have their own LEGO® battle and worked together or on their own to make an indestructible vehicle. Using their imaginations and a motor, they were able to create one of a kind projects to battle each other. For more information about joining 4-H, contact Becky Rea, Allamakee County K-12 Program Coordinator, at the Iowa State Extension and Outreach Allamakee County Office at 563-568-6345. Submitted photos.
 

Cindy Thompson
Human Sciences Specialist
cpthom08@iastate.edu
(641) 229-6655

CONSIDER GIVING KIDS LESS STUFF, MORE TIME DURING HOLIDAYS
Although the holidays can be a season of giving, sometimes the focus shifts to a season of getting, or so it may seem from a child’s perspective.

It’s OK to give gifts to our children. We all want to see our children happy, and as parents we give from the goodness of our hearts. However, it’s easy to overdo it, especially around the holidays. This can become a pattern, and before we know it, we’re overindulging our children - giving them too much, too soon and for too long.

Students at all buildings in the Allamakee Community School District participated in a mock presidential election earlier this month. Their results matched the official election outcome, with 58% of the student body voting for Donald Trump. This was an experience for the students to learn about the voting process. Students in the elementary schools were required to have a voter identification card, and they signed in and voted electronically on computers (pictured at right). The students realized how quick and easy the voting process is and the importance of having a voice in selecting leadership for their country. Submitted photos.
 

At the November 21 Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) Board of Trustees meeting, members approved a series of equipment purchases funded by federal grant programs that allow the College to expand its investment in K-12 student learning and business and industry regional training.

A four-year Youth CareerConnect grant from the U.S. Department of Labor is providing the College with the resources needed to purchase a range of new technology and equipment to meet the training needs of students and northeast Iowa’s future workforce.

The Youth CareerConnect grant supports the Northeast Iowa Career Learning Link, a partnership between East Central Intergovernmental Association (ECIA), Upper Explorerland Regional Planning Commission (UERPC) and NICC. Northeast Iowa Career Learning Link employs a success model to work closely with high schools in the College’s district to help students identify career pathways and achieve their educational and employment goals.

The Allamakee Community School District will be hosting a STEAM Night Tuesday, December 6 at East Elementary School in Waukon from 5-7 p.m. STEAM stands for Science, Technology, Engineering, Art & Design, and Math, and the general public is invited to see how these concepts are being used within the school district curriculum.

The event will feature work and activities students in the Allamakee Community School District have been taking part in within the areas of Robots, 3D Printing, Video Editing and Animation, Video Game Design, Snap Circuits, and Planetarium. Cookies and Kool-Aid will also be available compliments of Parents Supporting Students and Teachers (PSST). The theme for the event is "STEAMwork."
 

Shawn Shouse
ISU Extension and Outreach
Agricultural Engineering

PROTECTING WATER FROM FREEZING
One of the challenges of surviving an Iowa winter is keeping the water you use from freezing. A little bit of science and a healthy dose of trial and error have yielded ideas for avoiding the hassles of unwanted ice. Let's look at some advice regarding winter protection for water pipes.

Keeping water thawed is simply a matter of conservation of heat. You need to keep the temperature of the water above freezing. Now, how you do that is a more complicated issue. The three most common methods are adding heat with a heating device, insulating to conserve heat, and adding heat by bringing in warmer water.

The Waukon High School Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) chapter canvassed the Waukon community Thursday, November 10 to collect non-perishable food items and monetary donations for the Allamakee County Food Shelf. Under the direction of advisor Joan Schwartz, the FBLA chapter members collected nearly one ton of food, 1,940.4 pounds, as well as $431 in monetary donations. Submitted photo.