Education

The Waukon Music Department will be hosting the 16th annual Pops Concert Friday, February 28 at the Waukon Middle School gymnasium. Doors will open at 6 p.m. with concert performances to begin at 7 p.m.
The Pops Concert is an annual fundraising event sponsored by the Allamakee Music Boosters, and it features high energy musical numbers from the 1950s through today. Groups performing will include the high school and middle school choirs, high school and middle school jazz bands, drumline, middle school rock band, featured soloists, song and dance skits, and emcees. The local rock band Eeka Malla, consisting of five high schoolers, will be performing during the Pop’s Concert again this year. The Pops Concert continues to feature new musical talents each year and has become a must-see event for the Waukon community.

The three students pictured at right from New Albin Elementary School were recently honored as high-end placewinners in the VFW Auxiliary 9th District level of competition in the annual Elementary Essay Contest sponsored locally by the Lansing VFW Auxiliary Post #5981 and the New Albin VFW Auxiliary Post #5603.The 9th District consists of Auxiliaries from the northeast Iowa communities of Waterloo, Cedar Falls, Waverly, Tripoli, Readlyn, Alta Vista, Nashua, Cresco, Decorah, Oelwein, Waukon, New Albin, and Lansing.

Pictured above, left to right, are Kira Fink, Fourth Grade District Runner-Up; Collin Mathis, Fourth Grade District Winner; and Emma Mauss, 3rd Grade District Runner-Up. The VFW Auxiliaries appreciate the efforts and guidance of Eastern Allamakee Community School District Pre-Kindergarten-12th Grade Principal Donna Thomas, third grade teacher Jessica Kurth and fourth grade teacher Jennifer Mohn. Submitted photo.
 

Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) Business and Community Solutions is offering a Create Your Own Dragon Egg class Tuesday, February 25. The youth class will run from 3:45-4:45 p.m. at the NICC Waukon Center, 1220 3rd Avenue NW.

Kids will learn the art of creating dragon eggs using a variety of materials. From sculpting clay to painting and decorating, children will unleash their creativity. All materials will be provided, but children are encouraged to bring an apron or smock to protect their clothes.

The deadline for paid registration is February 18. To register online visit www.nicc.edu/waukon or call NICC Waukon center at 844-642-2338, ext. 6700.
 

Northeast Iowa Community Action Corporation (NEICAC) has announced the dates for its Head Start Preschool Open Houses and Registration Nights to apply for the 2025-2026 school year. Head Start Preschool is a free, all-day, five days a week, three- and four-year-old preschool program.

The Open House and Registration Night for the Waukon Head Start Classroom is scheduled for Tuesday, February 25 from 4:30-6:30 p.m. The Waukon Head Start Classroom is located at 955 3rd Avenue NW in Waukon, with its entrance located behind the West Elementary School.

Nutritious breakfast, lunch and snacks are served daily at no cost to families. Qualified teachers use the Creative Curriculum to help children learn and provide the academic and social skills they need to succeed in Kindergarten. Free before and after school child care may be available for working parents and full-time students.

by Susan Cantine-Maxson

The Board of Directors of the Eastern Allamakee Community School District (EACSD) met at Kee High School Room in Lansing Monday, January 13. Board members present included Bobbie Goetzinger, Joe Manning, Melanie Mauss and Arla Wagner, with Heather Lutz absent. Also in at attendance were EACSD Superintendent Nick Trenkamp, PK-12 Principal Donna Thomas, and Board Secretary Michele Martin.

After President Goetzinger called the meeting to order, the board approved the agenda and authorized the January consent items, minutes of the December meeting, bills for January, Secretary’s Financial Report for December, and the Student Activity and Food Service December Reports. In personnel matters, the Board approved the retirement resignation of Susanne Herman at the end of the 2024-2025 school year and the Classified Early Retirement Package for the 2024-2025 school year.

by Brianne Grimstad

The Allamakee Community School District (ACSD) Board of Directors met for its regular monthly meeting Tuesday evening, January 21. The reason for the change in the meeting date was the observance of Martin Luther King Day Monday, January 20, which would have been the board’s regular meeting day.

The February regular monthly meeting will be held at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday, February 18, instead of the regular Monday meeting night, due to observance of the Presidents Day holiday. Board member Kelly Deeney was absent from the January 21meeting.

Under the Consent Agenda, the following personnel were hired, pending a satisfactory background check: Robert Johanningmeier, Middle School Paraprofessional; Brianna Meyer, Elementary Night Custodian; Emma Hatlan, Part-Time Elementary Paraprofessional; and Ella Dehli, Part-Time Elementary Paraprofessional. The resignation of John Lawrence from the Elementary Night Custodian position was approved.

Starting in January, cybersecurity students in the Allamakee Community School District (ACSD) have begun learning from a line-up of industry professionals coordinated by the Iowa Communications Network (ICN) on the topics of technology, coding, cybersecurity, and careers.

It’s a spin-off to ICN’s Statewide Youth Broadband Advisory Council (SYBAC) program. Allamakee Community School District Curriculum Director Kelli Olson will have her entire cybersecurity class interact directly with industry professionals.

The virtual line-up of experts will meet monthly with the students, who include  representatives of the ICN, ProCircular, Fortinet, the Waterloo Career Center, and more.

“ICN is fortunate to have great relationships within the technology industry that understand the importance of sharing first-hand knowledge with students interested in technology and cyber fields,” said Lori Larsen, ICN’s Public Information Officer.

Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 4117 and its Auxiliary sponsored the local level of competition for the annual VFW Youth Essay Scholarship Contest. Pictured above are the top entries from Waukon High School in the Voice of Democracy Essay Contest for high school students: Left to right - Kallie Troester, Second Place, and Ella Homewood, First Place. Local winners advanced on to the District level of competition but neither local entry ended up being selected among this year’s District winners. Submitted photo.
 

Veterans of Foreign Wars (VFW) Post 4117 and its Auxiliary sponsored the local level of competition for the annual VFW Youth Scholarship Essay Contest. Pictured above and below are the top entries from Waukon Middle School in the Patriot’s Pen Essay Contest for middle school students. Pictured above, left to right, are the top sixth grade entries in the local Patriot’s Pen Essay Contest: Teron Curtin, First Place; Charlee Corwin, Second Place; and Ellsy Koenig, Third Place.

Pictured in the photo below, left to right, are the top seventh grade entries in the local Patriot’s Pen Essay Contest: Samantha Troester, First Place; Dylan O’Neill, Second Place; and Sloan Lonning, Third Place. Local winners advanced on to the combined District level of competition, where Teron Curtin placed First, Dylan O’Neill finished Second and Charlee Corwin claimed Third. Submitted photos.
 

To help address a critical shortage of rural veterinarians identified by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), the Iowa Farm Bureau Federation (IFBF) has established a Rural Veterinarian Loan Repayment Incentive Program to attract and retain veterinarians in rural Iowa.

The Iowa Farm Bureau Rural Veterinarian Loan Repayment Incentive Program will award four individuals who practice, or will practice, veterinary medicine in Iowa up to $25,000 in loan repayment incentives. IFBF will begin accepting applications in March 2025.

In 2020, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds signed a bill into law to create the Rural Iowa Veterinarian Loan Repayment Program to address the critical veterinarian shortages in rural Iowa communities. IFBF was one of several partners who led the push for that piece of legislation.