Education

Lena Rausch, a seventh grade student at Waukon Middle School and the daughter of Ben and Kris Rausch of Waukon, was recently selected for participation in the 38th annual Opus Honor Choir Festival. Over 2400 students were nominated by their directors for 720 positions in the four Opus Honor Choirs. Selections were made by means of a recorded audition. Rausch is under the direction of Sarah J. Bieber at Waukon Middle/High School.

Guest conductors of the choirs include Jennifer Ghelf, 5th and 6th Grade Honor Choir; John Hayden, 7th and 8th Grade Bass Clef Honor Choir; Rachael Wragge, 7th and 8th Grade Treble Clef Honor Choir; and Meg Byrne, 9th Grade Mixed Honor Choir. The 2024 Opus Honor Choirs performed Thursday, November 21 in C.Y. Stephens Auditorium in the Iowa State Center on the campus of Iowa State University in Ames. The Opus Honor Choir Festival is made possible by the Iowa Choral Directors Association, Inc.
 

by Brianne Grimstad

In early November, the Iowa Department of Education released the results of the new state school performance ratings and federal designations, now called the Iowa School Performance Profiles. Using data from the 2023-2024 school year, this year’s Profiles marked the first time new state school performance ratings and federal designations have been determined using an updated state plan for school accountability and support.

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach staff members were honored in October at the Iowa 4-H YouthFest professional development conference. Award recipients were recognized for their impact on local communities, accomplishments in their field and embodiment of the ISU Extension and Outreach 4-H mission.

The award ceremony was held over two days, October 29-30, in Ames as a part of the annual YouthFest conference, which brings together ISU Extension and Outreach staff from all over the state to celebrate the work they are doing and participate in workshops and educational opportunities in the field of 4-H youth development. The Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Allamakee County office had its County Youth Coordinator and K-12 Program Coordinator recognized at this year’s event.

by Susan Cantine-Maxson

The Board of Directors of the Eastern Allamakee Community School District (EACSD) met at Kee High School in Lansing Monday, November 11. The meeting began with a work session prior to the regular board meeting.

Board members Bobbie Goetzinger, Heather Lutz, Joe Manning, Melanie Mauss and Arla Wagner were all present. Superintendent Nick Trenkamp and Board Secretary Michele Martin were also present.

During the work session, Superintendent Trenkamp gave a presentation that included an overview of certified enrollment, open enrollment history, unspent balance, insurance costs, class size, and current tax rates.

by Brianne Grimstad

Early in the second full week of November, the Iowa Department of Education released the results of the new state school performance ratings and federal designations, called the Iowa School Performance Profiles. Using data from the 2023-2024 school year, this year’s Profiles marked the first time new state school performance ratings and federal designations have been determined using an updated state plan for school accountability and support.

Second grade students at St. Patrick School in Waukon joined all second grade classes from across the state of Iowa this past week in receiving a complimentary copy of the book “Just Like Caitlin,” written by Ally Obermeier about former Iowa Hawkeye women’s basketball star Caitlin Clark. The books were donated to the students by Dickson and Luann Jensen, who are the parents of the author, and Dickson Jensen was one of Caitlin Clark’s former coaches during her time playing youth basketball for the All-Iowa Attack.

Ellec Armstead, a 2020 Waukon High School graduate and current senior at the University of Dubuque, was awarded the Sergeant Jeffrey B. Dodge Scholarship during Homecoming Weekend at the University of Dubuque, held the first weekend in October. The scholarship is named in honor of U.S. Army Sergeant Jeffrey Dodge, who was a 1968 graduate of the University of Dubuque and went on to serve in the Vietnam War, being killed in action two days before he was scheduled to return to the United States.

The Sergeant Jeffrey B. Dodge Veterans Center on the University of Dubuque campus is also named after Sgt. Dodge. As a member of the Iowa Army National Guard and the University of Dubuque Reserve Officers’ Training Corps (ROTC) program, Armstead has contributed a great deal of time to that Center during her academic career at the University of Dubuque.

Drew Adam, a Service Technician at R.W. Pladsen, Inc. in Waukon, recently achieved GM World Class Technician certification through General Motors (GM). The achievement is accomplished through the training and certifications available from the GM Service Technical College (STC) and Automotive Service Excellence (ASE) training programs.

by Brianne Grimstad

The Allamakee Community School District (ACSD) Board of Directors first met Tuesday, October 29 for a special meeting to discuss a pair of agenda items. Board member Scott Melcher was absent.

The board approved specifications for an 84-passenger diesel bus and a 60-passenger propane bus. In October, ACSD was informed it had received a $25,000 grant through the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Clean Bus Rebate, which the propane bus would qualify for. The board approved the specifications, with sealed bids being accepted until November 13, 2024.

The board also approved adding an assistant wresting coach. In an email to the district, Activities Director Brian Hilsabeck noted that 54 individuals had signed up for the 2024-2025 boys wrestling season and the wrestling program requested an assistant coach to help with that. The board approved the addition of an assistant wrestling coach position.

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Allamakee County office will host a Fumigation Continuing Instruction Course (CIC) for commercial and private pesticide applicators Tuesday, November 19. The program provided by the ISU Extension and Outreach Pesticide Safety Education Program (PSEP) can be seen at office locations across Iowa.

The local attendance site is the Allamakee County Extension and Outreach Office, Waukon. The course runs from 9-11 a.m. The registration fee increases after November 12. To register or to obtain additional information about the CIC, contact the ISU Extension and Outreach Allamakee County office at 563-568-6345.