Educators, public to testify on district efficiency, effectiveness

CARTERVILLE - Lt. Governor Sheila Simon's Classrooms First Commission will hold the first of several public hearings tomorrow in Carterville. The hearing will give parents, educators and taxpayers in Southern Illinois the opportunity to provide suggestions on making school districts more efficient and effective.

The hearing will feature testimony from Steve Webb, president of the Illinois Association of Rural and Small Schools and superintendent of the Goreville Community Unit School District 1; Richard Towers, superintendent of Christopher Unit School District 99; and George Wilkerson, superintendent of Ziegler-Royalton Community Unit School District 188.

Webb will discuss the need for commission members to focus on educational quality in their deliberations so that every student receives the education they deserve. Towers and Wilkerson will provide an update on the proposed consolidation of their two districts, which should allow their schools to provide a richer curriculum.

Members of the public will also have the opportunity to testify and can provide both oral and written testimony. Time will be allotted on a first-come first-serve basis.

Those who are unavailable to attend can watch streaming live video of the hearing at www.ltgov.il.gov. Individuals can also submit their ideas on how to improve school district efficiency using a new online survey at the same web address.

The Classrooms First Commission is a 20-member panel that will examine spending that is far removed from the classroom with the goal of cutting bureaucracy and redirecting tax dollars toward students.

DATE: Thursday, Oct. 13

TIME: 11:30 a.m.

PLACE: O'Neal Auditorium, John A. Logan College, 700 Logan College Road, Carterville

At-risk students walk to highlight the importance of increasing Iowa's high school graduation rate

DES MOINES, Iowa - Oct. 10, 2011 - Dozens of at-risk students will lead their communities in the Walk Across Iowa event Tuesday, Oct. 11. The purpose of the walk is to increase awareness for Iowa Jobs for America's Graduates, a program that helps students graduate from high school.

iJAG helps students at the highest risk of dropping out to stay in school, graduate, and ultimately increase graduation rates in communities across the state. Since iJAG began in Iowa 12 years ago, the program has helped more than 7,000 students graduate, with an average 93% graduation rate, compared to Iowa's 89% statewide average. Approximately one-sixth of iJAG students are the first in their family to graduate.

"The iJAG program is an amazing resource for high school students in danger of dropping out of school," said Sue Cheek, iJAG board member and director of talent management for MidAmerican Energy Company. "MidAmerican Energy has been a sponsor of the program for several years. We value the continuous economic impact iJAG has on the state, not only today, but for years to come. The program truly changes lives."

The iJAG program partners with 13 Iowa communities to support 26 iJAG in-school programs. iJAG programs allow specialists to work with students during the school year and summer months on academics, career skills, leadership and career guidance. The program helps students to graduate and provides assistance one year after high school as they transition to college or enter the job market. More than 43% of iJAG graduates have continued on to college.

Concluding the Walk Across Iowa event, students and business leaders will join Lt. Gov. Kim Reynolds, iJAG Board Chair, at 3 p.m., Tuesday, Oct. 11, on the west steps of the Iowa State Capitol. The students will present signatures collected from communities supporting iJAG to Gov. Terry Branstad and Lt. Gov. Reynolds. The Governor will sign a proclamation in support of the students' efforts and iJAG's mission. A Student Success Reception will follow at the State Historical Building, 600 E. Locust St., from 4 to 6 p.m.

More than 1,000 students are expected to take part in the iJAG walk. In each community, iJAG students tell their success stories to local business owners, legislators and community leaders along the walking route. To learn more about iJAG, visit www.ijag.org.

Schools with iJAG programs:

Cedar Rapids Jefferson

Cedar Rapids Washington

Council Bluffs Abraham Lincoln

Council Bluffs Thomas Jefferson

Council Bluffs Wilson

Creston

Davenport Central

Davenport Kimberly Center

Davenport North

Davenport West

Des Moines East

Des Moines Hoover

Des Moines Lincoln

Des Moines North

Dubuque Hempstead

Dubuque Senior

DMACC

East Moline United Township

Keokuk

Marshalltown

Ottumwa

Perry

Sioux City North High School

Sioux City North Middle School

MOUNT VERNON, IA (10/06/2011)(readMedia)-- This year's class of new students at Cornell College is among the most geographically and ethnically diverse in the history of Cornell, with students from 42 states and 10 countries and 25 percent domestic students of color. They are academic achievers, with 14 valedictorians, six salutatorians and 57 students who held a 4.0 or better GPA, and they are involved in co-curricular activities, as well. Sixteen percent were class or organization presidents, 15 percent were captains of a sport, 32 percent were varsity athletes, 34 percent were musicians, and 19 percent were involved in theatre.

With a total enrollment of 1,197 students, Cornell College set a record for the second year in a row.

Among the students enrolled at Cornell are:

Irene Herzig of Davenport

Katherine Jessen of Davenport

Bryce Lightner of Davenport

"Cornell received 3,600 applications for admission this past year," said Jonathan Stroud, vice president for enrollment. "This volume of interest enables the college to make offers of admission based upon a careful assessment of the academic and personal fit of a student with the level of academic challenge and quality of community here at Cornell. We are excited about the talents and interests of our incoming class. They have already demonstrated an extraordinary capacity for and commitment to learning, intellectual curiosity, a taste for adventure and exploration, and a desire to make a difference in their communities and beyond."

Featured in Colleges That Change Lives, Cornell College in Mount Vernon, Iowa, is a national liberal arts college with a distinctive One Course At A Time (OCAAT), or block, academic calendar. The OCAAT provides students with intellectual immersion, academic focus, and unique freedom to shed the confines of the traditional classroom to study off-campus, pursue research, or accept an internship-all without missing out on other classes. Cornell's excellent faculty, majors and pre-professional programs, and engaging residential life all combine to offer numerous extraordinary opportunities in the classroom, on campus, and around the world. Founded in 1853, the college's entire hilltop campus is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

"We're pleased to welcome some of the best students from Iowa, 41 other states and around the world this fall," said Cornell President Jonathan Brand. "Cornell's academic rigor, creative teaching and flexible One Course At A Time calendar help ensure that we draw students to campus, once again, in record numbers. This puts us in an excellent position as we continue to work to strengthen Cornell further and increase enrollment."

Davenport, Iowa - October 2011 - The Figge Art Museum will host an informational meeting about the Brand Boeshaar Scholarship at 6 pm Thursday, October 6. The Brand Boeshaar Foundation awards four scholarships annually to graduating high school seniors who wish to earn a degree in Fine Art, Graphic Design or Art Education. Students enrolled in schools in the museum's service area in eastern Iowa and western Illinois are eligible. Each scholarship award is $12,000. Since the establishment of this scholarship in 2000, the Brand Boeshaar Foundation has awarded $576,000 in scholarship money to 48 students. The Figge Art Museum manages the scholarship program, and the scholarship is administered by the Community Foundation of the Great River Bend. The scholarship was established by Lillian L. Brand in honor of her nephew William Brand Boeshaar, who studied art at St. Ambrose University.

At 7 pm, artist James Bray will show animated film shorts. Mr. Bray is a recent graduate of the Kansas City Art Institute and one of the 2007 Brand Boeshaar Scholarship recipients. Both the scholarship meeting and the film presentation is free to high school students and their parents, and high school teachers.

For a 2012 Brand Boeshaar Scholarship application and a list of eligible schools, please visit www.figgeartmuseum.org. For information, please contact Ann Marie Hayes-Hawkinson at 563.326.7804 x7887.

The Figge Art Museum is located on the riverfront in Downtown Davenport at 225 West Second Street. Hours are from 10 am to 5 pm, Tuesday through Saturday, Sundays noon to 5 pm and Thursdays 10 am to 9 pm.  To contact the museum, please call 563-326-7804, or visit www.figgeartmuseum.org.