DES MOINES - Thirty-five Iowa high schools, including Davenport Central, will partner with the Iowa Department of Education to work on solutions to eliminate barriers to learning, including bullying and substance abuse.

Iowa is one of 11 states to be chosen for the prestigious federal grant to participate in the Safe and Supportive program. Nearly $14 million will be spent in Iowa over the next four years to support efforts that will measure and improve statewide conditions for learning, which include school safety, student engagement in school, and the overall school environment.

This spring, the Iowa Department of Education will ask students, parents and faculty at the high schools to simply fill out a confidential survey.  The survey will focus on issues ranging from student safety, to student relationships with other students and adults and to whether students have adequate resources in their schools.

"We look forward to embarking on this new, groundbreaking program," said Iowa Department of Education Director Jason Glass.  "For the first time, we will measure conditions for learning by surveying the real experts - students, parents and faculty."

After the initial survey is taken, 80% of the grant funding will be used for direct support of the schools that show the greatest opportunity for improvement.  The Iowa Department of Education will provide resources and work with those schools to implement activities that improve conditions for learning.

Information will be gathered each year for four years.  By the fourth year, the final survey will show the nation how much progress Iowa has made in improving conditions for learning.

"It's our responsibility to offer Iowa students our support and give them the best environment we can for them to learn and succeed," continued Director Glass.  "In doing so, we will once again reclaim our status as the national leader in education."

High schools were randomly selected across the state and have agreed to participate in this important program. Attached below is a list of the participating schools across the state.

To receive online updates, find us on our social networks:

• Facebook:  http://on.fb.me/SafeSupportiveSchoolsIowa

• Twitter:  http://twitter.com/SafeSupportIowa

Washington, D.C. - March 25, 2011 - Senator Tom Harkin (D-IA) today announced that the U.S. Department of Education's had awarded Iowa $2.9 million through the School Improvement Grants (SIG) program to turn around its persistently lowest achieving schools. Harkin is the Chairman of the Senate panel that funds education initiatives and the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee.

"Investing in our children's future means directing resources where they are needed most.  When schools consistently have low graduation rates, it is important we focus our attention there," Harkin said.  "Today's funding is a step in the right direction.  It will help districts take the necessary steps to improve their weakest schools.   And, it could not have come at a better time for districts that are already struggling with tough budgeting decisions."

The $2.9 million made available to Iowa is being distributed by formula to the state and will then be competed out by the state to school districts. Iowa's application, which includes its list of persistently lowest-achieving schools, as defined by the state, can be found here.

School districts will apply to the state for the funds this spring.  When school districts apply, they must indicate that they will implement reforms to the lowest achieving schools.

Once schools receive SIG funds, they will be able to begin to spend them immediately to turn around schools this fall.  Iowa may apply to the Education Department for a waiver to allow them to spend funds over a three-year period.

Keep young minds sharp over the summer with educational programs at Rivermont Collegiate! Rivermont is offering an assortment of Summer Adventures for children from preschool age and up.  Programs cover a wide variety of interests - from cooking to poetry - to French and microbiology. Children from any school may register. Sessions run for one week from 8:30 - 11:30 a.m. or from 12:00 - 3:00 p.m.; each session cost $110 and some require an additional $25 lab fee. Students attending two classes per day need to bring a sack lunch. Lunch time will be from 11:30 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. Rivermont strives to prepare students who are grounded in the basics, yet able to think analytically and creatively, to confidently meet the challenges of the 21st century.  Check out full class descriptions and obtain a registration form at www.rvmt.org.

Preschool - Junior Kindergarten - Kindergarten

June 20-24          Mad Science! (8:30 - 11:30 a.m.)

June 20-24          Stories & More (12:00 - 3:00 p.m.)

June 27-July 1     Cooking Class     (8:30 - 11:30 a.m.)

July 18-22            Take Me Out to the Ballgame (8:30 - 11:30 a.m.)

Grades K - 2

July 18-22        Dig Into Dinosaurs (8:30 - 11:30 a.m.)

Grades 1 - 5

June 20-24        Bits, Bytes and Hopefully NO Bugs! (8:30 - 11:30 a.m.)

June 27-July 1     Poetry, The Symphony of Words (8:30 - 11:30 a.m.)

June 27-July 1     Got Game? (12:00 - 3:00 p.m.)

Grades 3 - 12

June 27-July 1     Une Semaine à Paris! (8:30 - 11:30 a.m.)

July 18-22            Scrapadoodle (8:30 - 11:30 a.m.)

Grades 8 - 10

July 18-22            Seeing the Unseen: Basic Microbiology Techniques (8:30 - 11:30 a.m.)

July 25-30            Plagues & Poxes & Pestilence - Oh, My! (8:30 - 11:30 a.m.)

For enrollment information on Rivermont Collegiate contact Cindy Murray at 563-359-1366 ext. 302 or murray@rvmt.org.

For additional information on Summer Adventures at Rivermont Collegiate contact Tammi Burrell at 563-359-1366 ext. 337 or burrell@rvmt.org.

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Rivermont Collegiate is the Quad Cities' only independent, non-sectarian, PS-12 college preparatory school, ranked #1 on Iowa's AP Index.

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Learn about the Role of the Visual Arts in Education

The Figge Art Museum presents the program "Why Art History Matters" in conjunction with the new exhibition Celebrating Ideas: Bridging Communities with Augustana's Liberal Arts through the AGES from 4-5:30 pm Tuesday, March 29. The program will be presented by Dr. Catherine Goebel, Paul A. Anderson Chair for the Arts and Chair of the Art History Department at Augustana College. She is also co-curator of the exhibition, which runs through May 29. Dr. Goebel will explain how the visual arts are a resource for teaching critical thinking, comparative analysis, and chronological developments while highlighting several works in the exhibition. The program is also open to the public. Light refreshments will be served from 3:30-4:00 pm. Reservations are appreciated; please call 563.326.7804 x2045.

Admission to the museum and program is $5. Admission is free to Figge members, college professors and students.