Education

The Keystone Area Education Agency (AEA) Board of Directors has announced that Stan Rheingans has been selected as its next administrator.

Current administrator, Pat Heiderscheit, announced his retirement in May of this year and will complete his tenure at the end of this current school year. “Pat will be greatly missed,” reflected Nancy Bradley, who serves as a board member for Keystone AEA as well as the Dubuque Community School District.

“After 11 years as Keystone’s leader, it is an understatement to say that his will be hard shoes to fill.”

The board engaged Grundmeyer Leader Services (GLS) to facilitate the search process. Staff members, superintendents and school leadership teams provided input through meetings and a stakeholder survey facilitated by GLS.

“At the core of our search were the leadership attributes of being humble, innovative, strategic, curious, collaborative and communicative,” noted Sue Updegraff, Keystone AEA Board member.

Area school boards recently elected members to the Keystone Area Education Agency (AEA) Board of Directors. Among those elected board members were a pair of area residents re-elected to positions they have held for multiple terms.

Bill Withers, M.D. of Waukon will begin his 44th year of service as the director in Director District 3 covering the Allamakee, Clayton Ridge, Eastern Allamakee and MFL MarMac Community School Districts.

Jan Kreitzer of Cresco was elected as the director in Director District 1, including the Howard-Winneshiek, Turkey Valley, and Riceville Community School Districts, and a portion of the Decorah and New Hampton Community School Districts. Kreitzer will begin her third term on the Keystone AEA Board.

The board will elect officers at an organizational meeting scheduled for December 20 at the Keystone Area Education Agency Administration Building in Elkader.
 

This is the 17th year for the Alumni Scholarship instituted by the Allamakee Scholarship Fund (ASF), Inc. Board of Directors. The award is made to a Waukon High School graduate who participated in ASF, Inc. while in high school and received an award as a graduating senior. The scholarship is available to college sophomores through graduate level students.

The ASF, Inc. Board feels it is important to continue the encouragement to Allamakee Community School District graduates as they continue their education, not just as they start their post-high school program. The group wishes to encourage participation in community service and college activities that are part of their educational growth and preparation for career and community life. Scholarship criteria include academic achievement, student participation in college activities, especially in their field of study, and community service.

by Susan Cantine-Maxson

The Eastern Allamakee Community School District (EACSD) Board of Directors met Monday, November 15 for its annual meeting. Board President Heather Schulte called the meeting to order. Board members Tony Becker, Bobbie Goetzinger, Melanie Mauss, Kelli Mudderman and Heather Schulte were present. Also present were Superintendent Dr. Dale Crozier, Board Secretary Michele Martin, Technology Coordinator Dave Ellefson and newly-elected board member Arla Wagner. Middle and High School Principal Dr. Sarah Updegraff joined the meeting at 7:45 p.m. Visitors included Liz Hill and Brea Baxter.

A program offering $2,000 scholarships is now open to Iowa high school seniors. Students not only have a chance at much-needed funds for college but can also learn ways to reduce college loan debt through the program.

Iowa high school seniors may register for the Iowa Financial Know-How Challenge: Senior Scholarship at www.IowaStudentLoan.org/Know-How between now and March 11. Once registered, students will receive instructions via email on completing two online modules and a related assessment.

Scholarships will be awarded to the students who score highest on the assessment or are determined through a tie-breaker. The two modules, Student Loan Game Plan and the Return on College Investment tool, are designed to help students and families determine maximum recommended levels of student loan debt and find ways to minimize the debt they need to repay.

Waukon High School student was last year’s winner

Calling all student artists in kindergarten through twelfth grade. The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is now accepting entries for the 2022 Iowa Federal Junior Duck Stamp (JDS) art contest. While entering the JDS contest, students have the opportunity to learn about waterfowl and their habitat, and then create an image of an eligible North American waterfowl species. School groups and informal groups can enter this contest, or the student may enter individually.

Iowa entries for the 2022 Contest must be postmarked by March 15, 2022 and mailed to: DeSoto National Wildlife Refuge; ATTN: Junior Duck Stamp; 1434 316th Lane; Missouri Valley, IA 51555.

All information needed to participate can be found on the website: www.fws.gov/juniorduck.

by Natalie Byrnes,
Little Switzerland FFA Chapter Reporter

During the week of October 25, 14 FFA members from the Little Switzerland chapter at Waukon High School traveled to Indianapolis, IN to attend the 94th Annual FFA Convention and Expo. Throughout the week, members were able to network with like-minded high school students from across the country and discuss agriculture.

Students participated in interactive leadership workshops where they learned many new skills that they were able to bring back to the local chapter. The chapter toured Ball State University in Muncie, IN where they were able to experience their large orchid greenhouse, learn about the night sky in their planetarium and tour the college’s state of the art glass blowing studio.

Equity Cooperative Livestock Sales Association is offering ten $1,250 scholarships for the 2022 academic year to college students pursuing careers, as well as two $1,000 scholarships for students earning degrees from technical colleges/short courses.

“Equity Livestock is proud to help students further their educational endeavors by offering scholarships,” says Curt Larson, president/CEO. “Education can make a difference, and the expense to attend college can be a challenge. Offering scholarships can help make it affordable, and we believe in investing in our future leaders.”

To be eligible, applicants must be a member or the son or daughter of an Equity Cooperative Livestock producer pursuing higher education from an accredited college, university, or technical school. Scholarship winners are selected based on their scholastic achievements, extracurricular activities, application essay response and letter of reference.

The sixth grade students at St. Patrick School in Waukon had the privilege of learning and researching information about many saints during their Religion class. The students were able to share their information about a specific saint at the Monday, November 1 All Saints Day Mass, which honors and commemorates the saints in heaven. As pictured above during the Mass, students displayed and presented their knowledge about different saints to their fellow students and parishioners at St. Patrick Catholic Church. Submitted photo.
 

by Brianne Eilers

The Allamakee Community School District (ACSD) Board of Directors met for its regular monthly meeting Monday night, November 15, which included an organizational meeting. Board President Al Rissman opened the meeting with a moment of silence for ACSD Success Coordinator DJ Scholtes, who passed away last week.

During the Communications time of the meeting, a Fine Arts presentation was given. Teachers involved in visual arts, choral music and band explained to the board and those present what kind of curriculum they use and some of the activities that students participate in. Students were also surveyed to find out how they feel about the arts and what they think their level of being an artist or musician is.