28 Feb 2012

Report Shows Charter Schools Have Lasting and Positive Impact in Rural Areas

By Stephanie Grisham

The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools Highlights the Portability of the Charter Model

Washington, D.C. - The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools is today announcing the release of its most recent Issue Brief, "Beyond City Limits: Expanding Public Charter Schools in Rural America." As lawmakers in states with predominately rural areas grapple with the idea of enacting charter school laws, this brief is meant to be used as a guide for policymakers, charter support organizations, and communities that want to offer high-quality options that can meet the educational needs of rural students.

The Issue Brief dissects common challenges faced in rural public education, the current landscape of rural charter schools, and key hurdles that must be overcome in order to launch a successful public charter school in a rural community. Additionally, innovative approaches that charter schools have used to achieve success in rural areas are highlighted, which offer real-life examples and yield policy recommendations for achieving charter school success in rural communities.

"Rural students comprise a vital segment of the American public education system; however, their educational needs are not always being met," said Ursula Wright, interim president & CEO.  "One in four students, which equates to over 11 million children, attend rural public schools, and one in five of the nation's lowest performing schools are in rural areas.  Rural schools must meet the academic needs of their students, and charter schools can help by providing high-quality options."

In 2009-10, there were 785 rural charter schools in operation, comprising 16 percent of all charter schools nationwide, enrolling more than a quarter-million students. In addition to citing examples of successful charter schools located in rural areas, the report highlights the common challenges faced by all rural public schools - charter and traditional - including budget constraints, course offerings, recruitment, special education resources, and transportation.

An example of a successful charter school in a rural area can be found in Paradox Valley, Colorado.  The community saw its local district school close in 1999 as a result of declining population, forcing students to travel three hours to attend the nearest public school. In response, the local community founded the Paradox Valley Charter School to not only address logistical issues, but also take a stance toward preserving its distinctive rural culture. During the 2010-2011 school year, Paradox served 54 students ranging from pre-K to eighth grade.  The school consistently reaches its adequate yearly progress accountability benchmarks.

There are a number of ways that policymakers and charter support organizations can help expand high-quality charter schools in rural communities. For policymakers, laws allowing for public charter schools and equitable funding of those schools must be at the forefront. State charter support organizations are instrumental in making sure that rural communities are well-informed on the potential benefits of charter schools.

The Rural Issue Brief can be found online at http://www.publiccharters.org/publication/?id=693 and national and statewide public charter school data can be found on the Public Charter School Dashboard: http://www.publiccharters.org/dashboard.

About the National Alliance
The National Alliance for Public Charter Schools is the leading national nonprofit organization committed to advancing the charter school movement. Our mission is to lead public education to unprecedented levels of academic achievement by fostering a strong charter sector.  For more information, please visit our website at www.publiccharters.org

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28 Feb 2012

Schilling Announces Upcoming Mobile Office Hours

By Andie Pivarunas

Washington, DC – Congressman Bobby Schilling (IL-17) has announced the schedule of upcoming mobile office hours. His staff will travel throughout the 17th Congressional District to meet with constituents and address any questions or concerns they may have. No appointments are necessary. A field representative will be available in the following locations at the following times:

 

March 7, 2012
Monmouth City Hall- Council Chambers
100 East Broadway
Monmouth, IL 61462
9:00am - 12:00pm

Albany City Hall
102 S Main St.
Albany, IL 61230
1:00pm - 4:00pm

March 21, 2012
Oquawka Village Hall 
507 Schuyler St.
Oquawka, IL 61469
9:00am - 12:00pm

Aledo City Hall - Council Chambers
120 North College Ave
Aledo, IL 61231
9:00am - 1:00pm

March 28, 2012
Kewanee City Hall
401 East Third Street
Kewanee, IL  61443
9:00am - 4:00pm

Rep. Schilling's staff will work to maintain the best constituent service possible in holding mobile office hours, however sometimes weather does not cooperate with our intentions.  In the event of inclement weather (heavy snow, sleet, icy rain, etc.), we may be forced to reschedule mobile hours rather than put constituents at risk.  If in doubt, please call (309) 757-7630 to verify that hours are still in effect.

Constituents are also encouraged to visit the Moline, Galesburg, Canton, and Rock Falls offices during normal office hours: 

Moline District Office
Hours: Monday through Friday 8:00am to 5:00pm
3000 41st St., Suite B
Moline, IL 61265
P: (309) 757-7630

Galesburg District Office
Hours: Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays 8:30am to 5:00pm
Galesburg Area Chamber of Commerce
185 South Kellogg St.
Galesburg, IL 61401
P: (309) 343-2220

Canton District Office
Hours: Tuesdays and Thursdays 8:30am - 5:00pm
8 South Main St., Suite 200
Canton, IL 61520
P: (309) 649-3307

Rock Falls District Office
Hours: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays 9:00am - 4:00pm
1600 First Ave., Suite A
Rock Falls, IL 61071
P: (815) 548-9440

# # #

28 Feb 2012

Socialist Presidential Candidate to Speak Tuesday at Six O'Clock at Champaign Public Library

By Randy Stalsberg
Jerome White to Speak in Champaign, Illinois


Jerome White, the Socialist Equality Party candidate for US president in the 2012 elections, will hold a press conference near the main entrance of the Champaign public library at 6pm Tuesday, February 28. White will issue a statement supporting a socialist program and urging broader community mobilization.


White has written extensively on workers struggles, most recently on the Cooper Tire lock-out in Ohio, and has interviewed many workers as a reporter for the World Socialist Web Site. (See http://bit.ly/A7zKeI).


White announced his candidacy for president as a member of the SEP last Monday. His campaign calls for a political movement of the working class in opposition to both Democrats and Republicans. The SEP also advocates rank-and-file committees independent of the trade unions, including the AFL-CIO, Illinois Federation of Public Employees, the USW, UAW, SEIU and UNITE HERE.

After issuing a statement, White will take questions from the media. A map of the approximate location of the press conference can be found here: http://bit.ly/wKqDiD

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28 Feb 2012

" Enfolded: An Ordinary Story of God's Love"

By Rick Martin
March 1st. 2012
Independent Scholars' Evenings is reserved for:
" Enfolded: An Ordinary Story of God's Love"
An original short story written and presented
by
Roger Farinha
At
The Independent Scholars' Evenings
7.00 pm
The Moline Commercial Club
1530 Fifth Avenue.
2nd floor.
A spiritual short story chronicling the journey of an ordinary, "unfortunate" man through life; and how the Love of God overtook him, and all his family.
Roger Farinha was born in British Guyana in 1971 and immigrated with his family to the US at the age of 9 years. He became a naturalized citizen in New York at the age of 16, and went on to earn a Bachelors in the History of Modern philosophy, and a masters of Liberal Studies through Fordham University. Most recently, Farinha spent six years as a big-rig trucker, talking to his fellow Americans as a part of his book writing project, the manuscript of which is entitled The New Walden; and the conclusion of which heralded an economic justice message which flowered into his most recent organizing activities in the Quad Cities in the Occupy Wall Street spirit.
Follow his social entrepreneurial movement at www.newamericanspring.org.
Please attend.  Please feel free to forward this email to your network.
These Independent Scholars' Evenings are sponsored by
The Institute for Cultural and Healing Traditions, Ltd. a 501(c) 3 at State and Federal levels since 1996.
Please visit our website www.qcinstitute.org
Looking forward to meeting you at the ISE
Independent Scholars' Evenings  are free and open to the public.
Doors open at 6.30 pm.
Light snacks, wine and beverages are provided.
28 Feb 2012

QC Federation of Labor is hosting a Chili Supper for Mike Smiddy

By Brian Kramer

On behalf of the Quad City Federation of Labor,

You are invited to attend a Chili Supper for

 

Candidate for State Representative

Mike Smiddy

Featuring Special Guests

Rock Island Sherriff Jeff Boyd

IL AFL-CIO Secretary Treasurer Tim Drea

 

Thursday, March 1st,  5:00 PM - 7:00 PM

 

Laborer's Hall, 2835 7th Avenue, Rock Island

 

 

Suggested Contribution:

Individual: $10

Family: $15

Sponsor: $100

Host: $250

 

 

Please make your check payable to:

Mike Smiddy for State Rep.
PO Box 171
Hillsdale, IL 61257

 

Please RSVP to Brian at (563) 210-8979 or at brian@mikesmiddy.com


28 Feb 2012

The Voice Auditions - Casting Now

By NBC The Voice Casting
"The Voice" on NBC is the number one new series of the season, featuring the country's best unknown artists and four of the biggest names in music as coaches: Adam Levine, Blake Shelton, Cee Lo Green and Christina Aguilera.

Open Call Auditions for "The Voice" will be sweeping the nation beginning March 2012!
Audition Cities:
Chicago, IL - March 3, 2012
New York, NY - March 10-11, 2012
Atlanta, GA - March 17, 2012
Los Angeles, CA - March 31-April 1, 2012
To register, go to: www.nbcthevoice.com
Once you register and confirm your email address, you'll be able to login to your Artist Account and select your audition city, date & time!

If you already have an Artist Account, simply login with the email address and password you used to originally create your account.
Audition Details:
The Casting Process & Audition Locations
Audition Tips
Frequently Asked Questions
Video Submissions
Eligibility Requirements
28 Feb 2012

Braley Salutes Service of Longtime District Director

By Jeff Giertz

Pete De Kock stepping down at month's end

Washington, DC - Rep. Bruce Braley (IA-01) announced today that Pete De Kock, who has served as Braley's District Director since he was first sworn-in to the US House in 2007, is stepping down at the end of the month to pursue new opportunities.  De Kock is based in Braley's Davenport district office.

Braley said, "Pete has done truly outstanding work on behalf of the people of Iowa and has become in many ways a fixture of the communities he's served in.  I was saddened when he told me the time had come for him to pursue new opportunities, but I know that Pete and his wife Jen have bright futures ahead.  I wish Pete and his family the best.  He will always be a friend of mine and a friend of the people of Iowa."

De Kock said, "My wife and I live in the Quad Cities, and with redistricting moving Scott County out of the First District, we decided now was the right time to pursue new opportunities for our family.  I am honored and blessed to have spent the last five years helping Iowans on Bruce's behalf.  This is a bittersweet moment for me.  I will miss working with Bruce and his team, but I'm looking forward to new opportunities.  I'd like to thank Bruce, my colleagues, and community partners for their friendship and commitment to listening, working hard, and getting things done for our country."

De Kock is stepping down effective next Wednesday, February 29th.  At Braley's request, De Kock has agreed to continue working in an advisory capacity until April 30th.

# # #
28 Feb 2012

Area residents named to dean's list at Olivet

By Laura Warfel

BOURBONNAIS, IL (02/24/2012)(readMedia)-- Olivet Nazarene University recently released the dean's list for the fall 2011 semester. To qualify for inclusion on the dean's list, a student must have been enrolled as a full-time undergraduate student and must have attained a semester grade point average of 3.50 or higher on a 4.00 grading scale. Area residents named to the dean's list are:

Abby Boardman of Hillsdale

Rebekah Harrison of East Moline

Hannah Rowen of East Moline

Olivet Nazarene University is an accredited Christian, liberal arts university offering more than 100 areas of undergraduate and graduate study, including the Doctor of Education in ethical leadership. Olivet has one main campus in Bourbonnais, Ill. - just 50 miles south of Chicago; three sites: Rolling Meadows and Oak Brook, Ill., and Hong Kong; and more than 100 School of Graduate and Continuing Studies learning locations throughout Chicagoland and the Midwest. From Oxford to Tokyo, hundreds of Olivet students also experience the global classroom each year, whether through study abroad opportunities or worldwide mission trips.

28 Feb 2012

Iowa Legislative Update

By Peggy Huppert

Nearly 100 advocates - staff and volunteers -- from across the state gathered in Des Moines this week for our annual Day at the Capitol.  Attendees, you blew me away with your energy and commitment to learning and interacting with legislators!

We were especially glad to have the Above & Beyond Cancer folks (the mountain climbers!) join us with their red jackets and passion for fighting cancer.  Members were honored with a resolution and recognition on the floor of the Iowa Senate, thanks to Sen. Pat Ward, R-West Des Moines. Thanks to Dr. Dick Deming and Charlie Wittmack for organizing the group!

The big draw for the day was our keynote speaker, Dr. Otis Brawley, chief medical officer for the Society.  Dr. Brawley did not disappoint, offering frank and eye-opening data and stories during his presentation. He then went to the Capitol and visited with legislative leaders and the governor and did media interviews.  Radio Iowa and the Des Moines Register both had great stories.  Dr. Brawley also headlined a breakfast event that raised nearly $2,000 for ACS CAN.

Also presenting at DAC was Anne Kinzel, who helped attendees understand a crucial ACS legislative priority with her talk titled "What is a health care exchange and why should I care?"

I think it's safe to say that everyone finished the day with a better understanding of our priority issues and an increased commitment to advocacy. If you weren't able to join us this year, be sure to put it on your radar for 2013.

It was a very busy week at the Capitol, the busiest so far this year, because today was the first funnel deadline of the session. Legislators were in subcommittee and committee meetings, trying to get bills passed out of committee to beat the deadline.

The bad news is two of our priority bills - radon and casino smoking -- did not pass this hurdle, so are dead for the session.

The good news is most of our issues live on because of the chance to get them considered through amendments to other bills or because they are still eligible for consideration.  That is true for casino smoking, K-12 tobacco-free property and the health insurance exchange bills. You will continue to hear from us about opportunities to get these issues considered and possibly passed.

The Legislature will be in session until early to mid-April. We have many miles to go. As always, feel free to contact me directly with any questions or concerns - peggy.huppert@cancer.org.

28 Feb 2012

Pertussis (Whooping Cough) on the rise in Scott County

By Lenore Alonso

There has been a noticeable increase in the number of Pertussis (Whooping Cough) cases reported in area schools, and the numbers continues to grow in Scott County.

During a Pertussis Outbreak, anyone who has had the following symptoms is considered to be a case of Pertussis and needs to see their doctor for testing and treatment:

prolonged cough (more than a normal cold) coughing "spells or fits", or a whoop with their cough

vomiting after coughing

Pertussis is easily spread to others when someone who has it coughs germs into the air and other people breathe them in. School age children and healthy adults who have Pertussis may not look very sick, but can still spread the disease to other people when they cough.

It is very important for people who have Pertussis to stay at home until they have completed at least five days of the course of treatment prescribed. That means no school, no work, no grocery shopping, no church, etc. Pertussis can cause babies, people with weak immune systems and older people to get very sick or even die.

For more information call the Scott County Health Department at 563-326-8618 or visit www.scottcountyiowa.com/health.

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