Education

The Iowa Department of Education, Bureau of Nutrition and Health Services has announced its policy for free and reduced price meals for children unable to pay the full price of meals served under the National School Lunch Program, School Breakfast Program and the Afterschool Care Snack Program.

State and Local school officials have adopted the family size and income criteria viewable in the chart accompanying this article for determining eligibility.

Households may be eligible for free or reduced price meal benefits one of four ways listed below.

Youth from Lansing (pictured in group photo above) and Waukon (pictured in group photo below) explored the wonderful world of worms in June. They received hands-on learning with roughly 1,000 composting worms. The youth started off with a worm questionnaire to test their knowledge and learned some surprising new facts, such as worms hatch from cocoons, they don’t have eyes or teeth, and they breathe through their skin. They were able to compare composting worms to nightcrawlers and get a better look at each with magnifying glasses. Youth learned more about worms while completing experiments which included testing if worms liked wet or dry surfaces, rough or smooth surfaces, if they preferred the light or dark, and also if worms had a preference for smells. Before leaving, youth made their own composting bins with newspaper, learning how much to add and how wet it should be.

It’s a plane. It’s a helicopter. No, it’s a drone! Youth in third through fifth grades became more familiar with drones as they learned the different parts, terminology and rules and regulations of flying a drone. They first learned of the endless possibilities that law enforcement/fire departments use a drone for, such as locating missing people, reaching remote locations to observe damage, checking buildings for hot spots after a fire, dropping aid and many more. Youth learned about rotary wing and fixed wing aircrafts when experimenting with prop-copters and Styrofoam gliders. Some new terminology for the youth included words like roll, pitch and yaw, which are three dynamics that help create a flight path for planes and drones. Colin Brennan from Lansing brought his drone and explained to the youth some of the rules and regulations that he was to follow in order to use his drone for business, capturing photos and video.

This summer, area teenagers will meet monthly at Robey Memorial Library in Waukon to discuss books as part of the library's Teen Summer Book Club. Snacks will be provided, and any area teenagers are welcome to attend any of the scheduled sessions which are slated for the second Wednesday of each month. Monthly selections to be discussed include the following:

August 9 at 10:30 a.m.: Read "We were liars" by E. Lockhart. Attend either or both of the previous two book club sessions (June or July) to receive a copy of this title free, sponsored by the Robey Memorial Library Foundation. For additional information contact Robey Memorial Library at www.waukon.lib.ia.us or 563-568-4424.
 

by Susan Cantine-Maxson

The regular monthly meeting of the Eastern Allamakee Community School District (EACSD) Board of Directors was held Monday, July 17 at Kee High School. Board Member/Vice President Bobbie Goetzinger called the meeting to order. Bruce Palmborg and Kelli Mudderman were present along with Board Secretary/Business Manager Marian Verdon, Superintendent Dr. Dale Crozier and Principals Mary Hogan and Chad Steckel. Board member Melanie Mauss and board president Heather Schulte were absent.

by Brianne Eilers

The Allamakee Community School District (ACSD) Board of Directors met for its regular monthly meeting Monday, July 17. Board member Scott Melcher was absent.

During the Secretary's Report, Board Secretary Jaime Curtin noted that her office has been busy working on the fiscal year-end reports and state reports. ACSD Superintendent Dave Herold gave the school lunch report, noting that at this time of the year there is money going out but not a lot coming in because of school not being in session. However, he said the balance is "very healthy overall."

Vivian Khan, age 13, of Waukon has been accepted and is attending Interlochen Arts Camp this summer in northern Michigan, the world’s premier summer arts program for aspiring artists in grades three through 12. She is the daughter of Gary and Peggy Khan of Waukon and is studying in the piano program at the camp.

Khan currently studies piano under the guidance of Dr. Du Huang at Luther College in Decorah. She participated at the Dorian Keyboard Festival hosted by Luther College last fall and was selected to perform in the evening concert. She also plays occasionally for the congregation at Old East Paint Creek Church in rural Waterville.

This summer, area teenagers will meet monthly at Robey Memorial Library in Waukon to discuss books as part of the library's Teen Summer Book Club. Snacks will be provided, and any area teenagers are welcome to attend any of the scheduled sessions which are slated for the second Wednesday of each month. Monthly selections to be discussed include the following:

July 12 at 10:30 a.m.: Read any title - fiction or non-fiction - based only on the cover.

August 9 at 10:30 a.m.: Read "We were liars" by E. Lockhart. Attend either or both of the previous two book club sessions (June or July) to receive a copy of this title free, sponsored by the Robey Memorial Library Foundation. For additional information contact Robey Memorial Library at www.waukon.lib.ia.us or 563-568-4424.
 

Elections for four members of the Board of Directors of the Keystone Area Education Agency (AEA) will be conducted in September. The board positions are four-year terms that expire in October 2021.

The elections are conducted in accordance with Section 273 of the Code of Iowa. Nominations may be submitted by filing a “Statement of Candidacy” form with the board secretary of the Keystone AEA on or before August 15, 2017.

Director District 1 includes the Howard-Winneshiek, North Winneshiek, Riceville and Turkey Valley Community School Districts and the following precincts in the New Hampton Community School District: Chickasaw, Dayton-Richland, Deerfield-Washington, Jacksonville-Utica, New Hampton 1, 2, 3 and 4, and Washington.

Director District 3 includes the Allamakee, Clayton Ridge, Eastern Allamakee, and MFL/MarMac Community School Districts.

Eight youth who attended the June 20 Bike Camp hosted by Iowa State University Extension and Outreach now know how to change a flat bike tire and also know proper bike riding etiquette. Iowa State University Extension and Outreach partnered with Troy Carter, Safe Routes to School Director, and Ashley Christensen, Regional Safe Routes to School Coordinator, to host Bike Camp for youth in third through fifth grade. They spent the morning learning about riding etiquette, rules of the road, hand signals and the ABCs of riding. While getting their bikes ready to ride, youth had to check the air in their tires to make sure they were at the appropriate pressure, checked the brakes to see if they were hooked up and working, and looked at the chain to make sure it was in place and oiled. Once the youth had their bikes fitted correctly, they were ready to hit the trail.