Education

Iowa State University Extension and Outreach Allamakee County office will host an Aquatic, Forest and Right-of-Way Continuing Instruction Course (CIC) for commercial pesticide applicators Wednesday, October 21. 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 Office. Due to social distancing requirements preregistration is required. Walk-ins on the day of the program will only be admitted if room allows. The course runs from 9-11:30 a.m. with an additional showing from 1-3:30 p.m. The registration fee increases after October 14. To register or to obtain additional information about the CIC, contact the ISU Extension and Outreach Allamakee County office at 563-568-6345.

Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) Business and Community Solutions is offering “Freezer Pleasers” Tuesday, October 13 from 6-8 p.m. at the NICC Waukon Center, 1220 Third Avenue NW.

Participants will learn how to prepare five meals (five servings each) to take home, and will also enjoy a meal in class while also learning what freezes and reheats well, with an emphasis on cooking with fresh, whole foods. The next time anyone in the house puzzles over what to eat, they can simply pull one of these dishes out of the freezer, defrost and reheat at their convenience.

To register online for “Freezer Pleasers” (#77401) or for more information, visit www.nicc.edu/solutions/77401, or call the NICC Waukon Center at 844-642-2338, ext. 6700. Registration deadline is October 9.
 

by Susan Cantine-Maxson

The regular monthly meeting of the Board of Directors of the Eastern Allamakee Community School District (EACSD) was held at Kee High School in Lansing Monday, September 21. After the agenda was adopted, the usual authorizations were approved for the September consent items, minutes of the regular August meeting, bills for September, Secretary’s Financial Report for August, Student Activity and Food Service August Reports.

The board  approved the FY20 Annual Transportation Report, the FY20 Special Education Supplement and the Resolution to Request from the State School Budget Review Committee for Modified Supplemental Amount and Supplemental Aid for the 2019-2020  Special Education program  money to cover the deficit for additional allowable growth. This money, as calculated by the Iowa Department of Management, totaled $52,226.81.

Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) Business and Community Solutions is offering High School Drivers Education for Allamakee Community School District (ACSD) and Eastern Allamakee Community School District (EACSD) students starting Monday, October 19 and continuing through November 19. The course will be held Mondays, Wednesdays and Thursdays from 4:30-6:30 p.m. at the NICC Waukon Center, located at 1220 Third Avenue NW.

To satisfy the Iowa Department of Transportation (DOT) requirements, students must attend 30 hours of classroom instruction and six hours of Behind the Wheel (BTW) driving experience. Attendance is required at all sessions. Students must have an Iowa driver’s permit before the first class. Free and reduced lunch students should contact their school office for the actual cost of the class.

Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) Business and Community Solutions is offering “Connecting Virtually with Zoom” Thursday, October 15 from 6-7:30 p.m. at the NICC Waukon Center, 1220 Third Avenue NW.

In this new age of social distancing, Zoom has emerged as one of the easiest tools to help connect virtually with loved ones, friends and co-workers. Whether using a computer, tablet or smart phone, learn how communicating with this free video conferencing app can help connect with anyone, anywhere.

To register online for “Connecting Virtually with Zoom” (#77400) or for more information, visit www.nicc.edu/solutions/77400, or call NICC Waukon Center at 844-642-2338, ext. 6700. Registration deadline is October 9.
 

by Brianne Eilers

The Allamakee Community School District Board of Directors met Monday evening, September 21 for its regular monthly board meeting. Under the consent agenda, the board approved the following personnel items: After School Programming staff, Kirby Jones as a middle school paraprofessional, Cinnamon Blood as a substitute bus driver, and Jaelyn Strong as a West Elementary paraprofessional.

The board approved a Haunted Park clean-up for the Waukon High School Future Business Leaders of America (FBLA) chapter Sunday, October 25, as well as Youth Sports Foundation (YSF) Sunday usage of the high school football field October 11 and 18. Two open enrollments for students enrolling out of the district were approved. An agreement with TASC Transition Service was approved, as was the Keystone Office Rental agreement.

The 2020-2021 Bing-Davis Memorial Gallery schedule opened at Upper Iowa University’s (UIU) Fayette Campus August 31 with the featured works of UIU alumnus Andrew J. Wroble, currently a resident of Harpers Ferry. Wroble’s work will be on display through October 4 and the public is invited to view the exhibit.

A native of Casper, WY, Wroble studied art at Southern Illinois University, University of Minnesota, Ellsworth Community College and the University of Iowa. He earned a Bachelor of Science degree at UIU. Forest forms often highlight the imagery of the now Harpers Ferry artist, who uses ink drawing to express a universal reference for dispersal and connectivity.

The Northeast Iowa Community College (NICC) Waukon Center will be taking appointments to help students and parents with their 2021-2022 Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA) application starting October 1.

To make an appointment call the NICC Waukon Center at 563-568-3060, or email Ellen Brown at brownel@nicc.edu or DeKote’ Blake at blakede@nicc.edu. One-hour appointment slots via in person or Zoom will start at 8 a.m. and be offered through 4 p.m. Contact center staff for FAFSA assistance outside of the scheduled hours.

Due to COVID-19 restrictions, this service will replace the center’s usual FAFSA Workshop Night.
 

A painting project started last March in the Waukon High School art room, prior to the closing of Iowa schools by the COVID-19 pandemic, was resumed this summer and completed in July by Waukon High School now graduated senior Abbie Brainard (pictured above at right) as part of her Advanced Studio art class under the direction of Allamakee Community School District art instructor Carlyn Lechtenberg. The mural painted by Brainard is inspired by international artist Kelsey Montague with black and white doodles that Brainard created by hand. From afar, all of the doodles collectively create the image of a large scissors, glue bottle, paint palette and pencil on the art room wall (as pictured in the top photo at center). “Her dedication to the art program is unlike any other and I’m so glad she could get this project finished for her advanced studio class,” Lechtenberg said of Brainard’s creation.

With many colleges and universities incorporating online learning into their curriculum as COVID-19 concerns continue to grow, those who do not have access to affordable, high-speed internet and want to further their education are often left behind. To help address this issue and increase access to education for adults across the state, online, nonprofit university Western Governors University (WGU) out of St. Louis, MO has announced it will grant high-speed internet access and provide devices to its students who are in need through its Online Access Scholarship program. The scholarship offering is part of a broader WGU initiative aimed at working with policy makers and private industry to close the digital divide by providing more Americans access to reliable internet in their homes.