Congress Urged to Include Legislation as Part of Elementary & Secondary Education Act (ESEA)

(Silver Spring - June 1, 2011) - The National Association of School Nurses (NASN) applauds U.S. Representative David Loebsack (D-IA) on the reintroduction of the Reducing Barriers to Learning Act. This legislation would provide the leadership to ensure every student receives the critical supports necessary for school success.

"We have to give every student the opportunity to succeed, and for some children that means providing services to address their safety, health, and wellbeing in addition to meeting academic needs. This legislation will help schools and teachers better serve their students and comprehensively address their needs," said bill sponsor Loebsack.

The bill (H.R. 1995) will enable the U.S. Department of Education to establish the Office of Specialized Instructional Support to provide leadership, guidance, and technical assistance to State education agencies and local school districts in providing specialized instructional support services in schools. This effort will also improve cross-agency coordination of services and programs supporting students who face barriers to learning.

"School nurses see firsthand the need for state agencies to have a vehicle which can build their capacity to recruit and retain coordinators of specialized instructional supports at the local and state levels," said NASN President Sandra Delack.  "In addition, leadership at the federal level would greatly assist state and local levels enhance and streamline health and other services needed to help students meet academic and behavioral challenges."

NASN
The National Association of School Nurses is a non-profit specialty nursing organization, organized in 1968 and incorporated in 1977, representing school nurses exclusively. NASN has over 15,000 members and 51 affiliates, including the District of Columbia and overseas.  The mission of the NASN is to improve the health and educational success of children and youth by developing and providing leadership to advance the school nursing practice.  To learn more about NASN, please visit us on the Web at www.nasn.org or call 866-627-6767.

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Downing Architects Receives Honorable Mention Award and National Recognition for Innovative Educational Facility Design

Alexandria, VA - April 22, 2011 - Downing Architects (Bettendorf, IA) has received an Honorable Mention Award for outstanding educational facility design in the 20th Anniversary Spring 2011 edition of LEARNING BY DESIGN, the premier biannual guide that showcases innovative school and university design and construction projects. Recognized for the innovative design of Culinary Arts and Hospitality Management at Scott Community College (Bettendorf, IA), Downing Architects is one of only seven firms to receive an Honorable Mention Award in the Spring 2011 design competition.

LEARNING BY DESIGN judges recognized Downing Architects for designing an authentic culinary classroom for future food service professionals in a modest-sized space, all while staying on budget.

Judges praised the attractive, well-proportioned massing of the 10,400-square-foot facility's brick-and-metal exterior. Inside, they commended the very economical plan, which combines instructional space for the college's growing culinary arts and hospitality management programs. Included are instructional labs, hot cooking and baking labs, a hotel-style lobby lounge and bedroom suite, supportive utilities such as a laundry room, and a multipurpose classroom space that can be opened up to seat 80 diners.

This $2.6 million project exemplifies the idea that "you could do a great design on a small budget and a small scale," said the judges. "To be able to provide that level of design in such a small package is impressive."

 LEARNING BY DESIGN, published in the Spring and Fall each year, circulates to more than 65,000+ leaders and decision makers at all levels of education?from early childhood and elementary schools to career-technical, college, and university-level institutions. For details and to access the magazine's digital edition, visit www.learningbydesign.biz.

 In October, LEARNING BY DESIGN will publish its Fall 2011 edition, part of LEARNING BY DESIGN's 20^th Anniversary celebration. This commemorative issue will showcase educational design excellence in pre-K to 12 and college/universities with special focuses on renovations, adaptive reuse, sustainability and more. Go to www.learningbydesign.biz for details.

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ABOUT LEARNING BY DESIGN: LEARNING BY DESIGN is published twice annually by Stratton Publishing & Marketing Inc. and the National School Boards Association, with support from the American Institute of Architects (AIA), APPA?Leadership in Educational Facilities, Council of Educational Facility Planners International (CEFPI), and the National Clearinghouse for Educational Facilities.

Congratulations to Rivermont Collegiate junior Pavane Gorrepati, who has received the Herbert Hoover Uncommon Student Award!  This prestigious award is a project-based scholarship for Iowa high school juniors and is unique in the fact that grades, test scores, essays, and financial need are NOT evaluated.  Students are selected on the basis of submitted project proposals of their own choosing and design.  Pavane's outstanding proposal, Sending Seeds Overseas, has earned her a chance at a $5,000 scholarship.  Pavane will complete her project before October, when she will present it at the Herbert Hoover Presidential Library-Museum in West Branch, IA along with 14 other student finalists.  At that time, each finalist will receive $1,000 for participating in the program and a committee of accomplished Iowans will choose three students to win $5,000 college scholarships.

The award honors Iowa native and 31^st president Herbert Hoover - the name is taken from his "On the Uncommon Man" speech.  As part of the program, Pavane will spend a weekend in West Branch in June learning about President and Mrs. Herbert Hoover, including special tours of the Hoover Presidential Library-Museum and the Hoover National Historic Site.  This weekend offers finalists a framework to understand the inspiration for the award and to meet other student finalists.

In addition to being an Uncommon Student, Pavane was a Senior Champion at the 2010 Eastern Iowa Science & Engineering Fair (EISEF) for her project Warning about Warming: A Global Problem with a Fuel Cell Solution and presented fuel cell projects at the Intel International Science & Engineering Fair (ISEF) in both 2009 and 2010.  She is a recipient of a Borlaug-Ruan International Internship, which will take her to the China National Hybrid Rice Research & Development Center this summer to conduct research.  In addition, Pavane will travel to the National History Day Competition in Washington, D.C. in June as part of a group performance with fellow Rivermont juniors Joann Weeks, Meghana Pagadala, and Christine Mbakwe.

Though Pavane is the recipient of many honors, the Uncommon Student is unique in that it encourages young Iowans to invest their talents in their schools, communities, and beyond - to display the skills and talents that Herbert Hoover demonstrated to spot a problem, devise a solution, and make changes when needed.  In the words of a parent of an Uncommon Student, "The Herbert Hoover Uncommon Student project pushed my daughter out of her comfort zone and challenged her to pursue a project she could get excited about.  The Hoover project required her to test her passion and commitment, and to share it with strangers."  In the words of a past Uncommon Student, "This scholarship does not grade you on your grades, test scores, or essays - just the ability to put your mind to completing something.  Explore your interests or seek what needs change.  The project can be anything you are interested in.  Think big!"

Rivermont Collegiate, located in Bettendorf, is the Quad Cities' only private, independent college-prep school for students in preschool through twelfth grade.  For additional information on Rivermont Collegiate, contact Cindy Murray, Director of Admissions, at (563) 359-1366 ext. 302 or murray@rvmt.org.  Visit us online at www.rvmt.org!

For additional information on the Herbert Hoover Uncommon Student Award, visit www.hooverassociation.org

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Local student graduates from Beloit College:

William A. Hawkinson, Davenport, son/Mr. & Mrs. Eugene Hawkinson, Bachelor of Arts, Economics.

Concordia University Wisconsin, Mequon, graduated a record 875 students during commencement exercises on May 13 and 14 including:

Rachel K Karsten of Moline with a BA in Instrument Music K-12 Ed.