21 Dec 2015

Grassley, Ernst Recognize 150th Anniversary of the University of Iowa College of Law

By Grassley Press
WASHINGTON - The U.S. Senate today recognized the 150th anniversary of the University of Iowa College of Law by passing a resolution commemorating some of the school's achievements.  The resolution was introduced by Iowa's two U.S. senators Chuck Grassley and Joni Ernst.

The University of Iowa College of Law is the first law school in continuous operation west of the Mississippi to reach the 150 year milestone.

The resolution notes several significant achievements of the College of Law, including the graduation of what is believed to be the first female law student and one of the first African-American law students.  The College of Law also graduated the first United States Attorney of American Indian ancestry.

"The University of Iowa College of law is the oldest continuous law school west of the Mississippi River and has produced generations of attorneys that have been dedicated to improving and enhancing the practice of law in Iowa and throughout the nation. Currently, Iowa Law has more than 10,000 living alumni who practice in Iowa and across the world.  This is a well-deserved recognition," Grassley said.

"I'm proud to recognize the significant milestone reached by the University of Iowa's College of Law and celebrate their time honored tradition of providing an exceptional education to folks from Iowa and across the country," said Ernst. "I congratulate the College of Law on this achievement and look forward to celebrating what I'm sure will be many more achievements in the years to come."

21 Dec 2015

Jess Jacobsen named to Troy University Provost's List

By Andy Ellis

TROY, AL (12/18/2015)-- Jess Jacobsen of Bettendorf, IA, has been named to the Provost's List at Troy University for the fall semester/Term 2 of the 2015/2016 academic year.

The Provost's List honors full-time undergraduate students who are registered for at least 12 semester hours and who have a grade point average of at least 3.65.

The fall semester includes students at the Troy, Ala., campus. Term 2 includes students at TROY's campuses in Dothan, Phenix City and Montgomery, Ala., and Global Campus, which consists of teaching sites outside of Alabama and online.

About Troy University

Troy University is a public, historic, international university with more than 145,000 alumni. Students choose TROY for its quality academic programs, reasonable costs and availability of financial aid, outstanding faculty, and flexible in-class and online class offerings. Students on the Troy, Ala. campus enjoy a traditional college experience, while working adult students are the centers of attention at campuses in Dothan, Montgomery and Phenix City, Ala., as well as at locations around the world and online.

18 Dec 2015

Belmont University Students Perform in Nationally Televised 'Christmas at Belmont' Concert

By Hope Buckner

NASHVILLE, TN (12/17/2015)-- Belmont students performed recently in the "Christmas at Belmont" concert at Nashville's Schermerhorn Symphony Center, a performance which was taped live and will air nationally this holiday season on PBS. Participating students include :

Kellen Moss, Music Education major of Eldridge, IA

Nicholas Boyd, Commercial Music major of Rock Island, IL

Hosted by two-time Grammy winner Kathy Mattea, more than 700 student musicians joined the Belmont School of Music faculty and the Nashville Children's Choir for the taping of "Christmas at Belmont." The annual production of traditional carols, classical masterworks, world music and light-hearted seasonal favorites, produced by Nashville Public Television (NPT), will premiere on PBS on Mon., Dec. 21 at 9 p.m. central with an encore broadcast Christmas Eve at 8 p.m. central. This is the 13th consecutive year "Christmas at Belmont" has been seen by a national audience on PBS (check local listings for dates and times in your area).

This year's edition of "Christmas at Belmont" features the University Symphony Orchestra, Belmont Strings, University Singers, Belmont Chorale, Percussion Ensemble, Musical Theatre, Jazz Band, Jazzmin, Southbound and Company, as well as mass choirs. The performance includes both classic holiday music such as "Carol of the Bells" and "Little Drummer Boy," and festive seasonal songs such as "Do You Want to Build a Snowman?," "I'll Be Home for Christmas" and "Deck the Halls," to name a few.

"'Christmas at Belmont' is an amazing opportunity to showcase the tremendous talent of our faculty and students," said Belmont University President Dr. Bob Fisher. "We're incredibly grateful for our partnership with NPT that brings that talent to a broader audience, and we're delighted to have an artist of Kathy Mattea's caliber at the helm this year."

"NPT is excited to once again partner with Belmont University to bring one of Nashville's great holiday traditions to the entire nation on PBS," said Beth Curley, president and CEO of NPT, which has won 46 Midsouth Emmy Awards since 2001. "I am always amazed at the depth and range of talent Belmont's School of Music is nurturing--truly making a mark on Nashville's music and performance scenes. With 2015's all-new production of 'Christmas at Belmont,' we continue a vital part of NPT's mission, which is to share these unique talents with a national audience."

Ranked No. 5 in the Regional Universities South category and named as a "Most Innovative" university by U.S. News & World Report, Belmont University is celebrating its 125th anniversary in academic year 2015-16. Founded in 1890, the University consists of more than 7,400 students who come from every state and more than 25 countries. Committed to being a leader among teaching universities, Belmont brings together the best of liberal arts and professional education in a Christian community of learning and service. The University's purpose is to help students explore their passions and develop their talents to meet the world's needs. With more than 80 areas of undergraduate study, 22 master's programs and five doctoral degrees, there is no limit to the ways Belmont University can expand an individual's horizon. For more information, visit www.belmont.edu.

17 Dec 2015

Last Chance to Complete 529 Tutorial and Win a $1,000 College Savings Iowa Account!

By Karen Austin

DES MOINES, IA (12/17/2015)(readMedia)-- State Treasurer Michael L. Fitzgerald wants to remind Iowans it is their last chance to complete the College Savings Iowa InFocus tutorial and be registered to win a $1,000 College Savings Iowa account. "I encourage everyone to complete the 529 tutorial before December 31," Fitzgerald said. "This interactive learning experience explains the benefits of saving for a loved one's higher education, while also registering families for a chance to win a $1,000 College Savings Iowa account!" Visit Iowa529InFocus.com to complete the tutorial and see official rules.

Iowa families are encouraged to open a College Savings Iowa account for a special child in their lives. "The first 500 people who complete the tutorial and open a College Savings Iowa account will receive an additional $10 contribution to their account," Fitzgerald added. "This is a great way to begin and potentially boost your child's college savings!" The newly established accounts must have a minimum $25 contribution and be opened within the first seven days of tutorial completion to be eligible for the $10 contribution.

College Savings Iowa offers families a tax advantaged way to save money for their children's higher education. It only takes $25 to open an account, and anyone - parents, grandparents, friends and relatives - can invest in College Savings Iowa on behalf of a child. Iowa taxpayers have the additional benefit of being able to deduct contributions up to $3,163 per beneficiary account from their 2015 Iowa adjusted gross income.*

Investors do not need to be a state resident and can withdraw their investment federally tax-free to pay for qualified higher education expenses, which includes tuition, books, supplies and certain room and board costs at any eligible college, university, community college or technical training school in the United States or abroad.**

. For more information about future giveaways and events find College Savings Iowa on Facebook and Twitter (@Iowa529Plan).

*Adjusted annually for inflation. If withdrawals are not qualified, the deductions must be added back to Iowa taxable income.

**Earnings on nonqualified withdrawals may be subject to federal income tax and a 10% federal penalty tax, as well as state and local income taxes. The availability of tax or other benefits may be contingent on meeting other requirements.

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Investment returns are not guaranteed and you could lose money by investing in the plan. Participants assume all investment risks as well as the responsibility for any federal and state tax consequences. If you are not an Iowa taxpayer, consider before investing whether your or the designated beneficiary's home state offers any state tax or other benefits that are only available for investments in such state's qualified tuition program.

For more information about the College Savings Iowa 529 Plan, call 1-888-672-9116, or visit CollegeSavingsIowa.com to obtain a Program Description. Investment objectives, risks, charges, expenses, and other important information are included in the Program Description; read and consider it carefully before investing. Vanguard Marketing Corporation, Distributor.

15 Dec 2015

Marcus Gillmor graduates from Coastal Carolina University

By Mona Prufer

CONWAY 28528, SC (12/14/2015)-- Marcus Gillmor, of Bettendorf, IA, was one of 592 candidates for graduation at Coastal Carolina University at ceremonies on Dec. 11 and 12 at the HTC Center. South Carolina State Superintendent of Education Molly Spearman was the speaker and received an honorary degree, Doctor of Public Service. She advised the Class of 2015 not to forget their roots as they go forward in their lives and careers.

"Your journey in life may never take you back there to live again," said Spearman, "but you need to do what you can to support and uplift the people who have made you what you are today. Don't forget them. So whether you become a teacher, a scientist, a CEO of a company, a health care professional -- in later years when you are reminiscing, the relationships you had with the people along the way will be what matters the most."

Gillmor graduated with a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration in management

Coastal Carolina University is a dynamic, public comprehensive liberal arts institution located in Conway, just minutes from the resort area of Myrtle Beach, S.C. The University offers 70 areas of study toward the baccalaureate degree, and 17 master's degree programs, plus two educational specialist degrees. The University began offering its first doctoral program - the Ph.D. in marine science: coastal and marine systems science - in Fall 2014. View the full list of Academic Programs.

More than 10,000 students from across the country and the world interact with a world-class faculty, and enjoy a nationally competitive NCAA I athletic program, an inspiring cultural calendar, and a tradition of community interaction that is fueled by more than 180 student clubs and organizations.

Coastal Carolina University was founded in 1954 as Coastal Carolina Junior College and became an independent state university in 1993.

Learn more: http://www.coastal.edu/

15 Dec 2015

UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN-MILWAUKEE HOLDS COMMENCMENT CEREMONY IN DECEMBER

By Sandra Humes

MILWAUKEE, Wis. (December 14, 2015) - The following individuals from your area are among the more than 1,900 prospective candidates for degree attending University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee commencement exercises Sunday, December 20, 2015 in Milwaukee. Among those receiving their degrees are:

Rhiannon M Seneli of Davenport, from the College of Health Sciences, receiving Doctor of Philosophy

UWM is the second largest university in the State of Wisconsin, with more than 27,000 undergraduate and graduate students.

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14 Dec 2015

Smiddy-Backed Measure Expanding Opportunities for High School Degree Passes House

By Paul Ferrero
SPRINGFIELD, Ill. - To help give students every opportunity to receive a high school diploma, state Rep. Mike Smiddy, D-Hillsdale, voted to pass legislation extending eligibility for completing high school from 21 to 23.
"In today's economy, it's very difficult to be competitive without at least a high school diploma," Smiddy said. "Without a completing school, young adult have reduced earning power and few options for their future, and we should let students who are committed to completing high school the chance to do so."
Currently, students who drop out of school can return to finish until they turn 21. Smiddy supported House Bill 3687, which increases this age to 23, allowing student additional time to overcome the developmental, environmental and social obstacles they face to complete their studies. Returning students over the age of 21 would not be able to go back to regular classrooms with traditional-aged high school students. Instead, they can utilize Truant Alternative and Optional Education Programs and the Illinois Hope and Opportunity Pathways through Education program to achieve a diploma instead of a General Educational Development (GED) certificate, as current law provides.
"Many intelligent, hard-working young adults still carry the stigma of not having a diploma when searching for a job," Smiddy said. "This measure will help young adults who want to improve themselves an opportunity to access the tools they need to finish school."
House Bill 3687 received bipartisan support to pass the Illinois House and now awaits a vote in the Senate.
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11 Dec 2015

Q&A: New K-12 Education Law With U.S. Senator Chuck Grassley

By Grassley Press

Q: What is the Every Student Succeeds Act?

 

A: In the first rewrite of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) since 2001, the Republican-led Congress restored a much greater degree of local control and decision-making authority to parents, teachers and local school board members in December with bipartisan passage of the Every Student Succeeds Act. It replaces the troubled No Child Left Behind Act. President Bush's proposal for that law called for greater local control over teaching in return for more accountability in terms of student achievement outcomes, but the degree of local freedom many had hoped for didn't materialize. What we did get was a detailed one-size-fits-all assessment and accountability system that prescribed interventions for schools not making progress toward all students being proficient in reading and math by 2014. That date has now passed so schools across Iowa face increasingly onerous top-down interventions. Since the No Child Left Behind Act was supposed to last only until 2007, there should have been plenty of time to adjust the goal, but until now, Congress has not been able to come up with a replacement.

The Every Student Succeeds Act was a bipartisan compromise, which was necessary to pass the Senate. It does not go as far as I would like in reducing federal involvement in local schools, but it is a big improvement over the status quo. Schools serve as the lifeblood of neighborhoods across the country. It makes sense that parents, taxpayers, elected school board members and educators living and working in these neighborhoods are best able to identify problems, solve challenges and remove learning barriers in the classrooms where students are attending the schools in their communities.  I believe that our local schools can do more when the Washington bureaucracy does less and this new law will allow key decisions to be made closer to the parents and students they affect.

Q: What provisions did you secure in the new education law?

 

A:  As founder and co-chair of the Senate Caucus on Foster Youth, I work to give a voice to foster kids at the policymaking tables in Washington. Too many foster youth face a lifetime of uncertainty and interminable transition. Many times, schools are their only lifeline to stability and haven for a sense of belonging. That's why I worked to strengthen connections between child welfare agencies and state and local education institutions so that foster youth aren't allowed to fall behind or face an endless cycle of being shuffled from one school to the next.  Also included were key parts of a bill I introduced to fix federal incentives that were preventing gifted and talented students from disadvantaged backgrounds reaching their fullest potential. Beyond that, I worked on provisions to ensure states are free from federal coercion in setting content standards and I ensured that a civic education grant program the bill's authors included kept a focus on teaching the history and principles of the Constitution. These founding principles have guided America's prosperity for more than 200 years. It makes sense that younger generations develop a keen understanding and appreciation for the bedrock values of liberty, freedom and justice.
11 Dec 2015

Iowa Department of Education announces 97 school districts added to Iowa's teacher leadership system

By Rick Martin

(DES MOINES) - Iowa Department of Education Director Ryan Wise today announced the next group of school districts chosen to launch local teacher leadership plans through Iowa's Teacher Leadership and Compensation System.  Ninety-seven school districts have been added to the state system, bringing the total number of districts in the teacher leadership system to 295 (88 percent of Iowa districts).

"This system is about supporting teachers to do their best work so that our students can do their best work," Wise said. "Students and schools today face higher expectations, and we must support the critical and complex work of teaching in order to improve instruction. We're doing that through Iowa's teacher leadership system, and it's exciting that so many school districts share this commitment."

Iowa's teacher leadership system, which taps into the expertise of top teachers to improve classroom instruction and raise student achievement, is the centerpiece of Gov. Branstad and Lt. Gov. Reynolds' landmark education reform package passed by the Legislature in 2013. It is the nation's most comprehensive teacher leadership system. About 25 percent of Iowa teachers will be in leadership roles when the system is fully phased in.

As of this fall, all 336 Iowa school districts had applied to join the teacher leadership system. The 97 newly accepted districts will implement their teacher leadership plans in the 2016-17 school year. The remaining 40 school districts will have an opportunity to refine and re-submit their plans for approval in the next two months. Wise said he is hopeful that all of Iowa's school districts will join the teacher leadership system by the 2016-17 school year.

School districts in the teacher leadership system are at varying stages. Some are in their second year, while others are gearing up for participation.

A recent report on the first year of Iowa's teacher leadership system found progress has been made toward each of the system's five goals, including attracting new teachers, retaining effective teachers, promoting collaboration, rewarding professional growth and effective teaching, and improving student achievement. In addition, students in the first 39 participating school districts saw a jump in proficiency rates on state math and reading tests.

School districts are chosen for the system based on recommendations of the Commission on Educator Leadership and Compensation, which evaluates applications.

The teacher leadership system cost nearly $50 million in fiscal year 2015. That amount is expected to grow to about $150 million annually by fiscal year 2017, which would enable all districts to participate.

The 97 newly accepted districts are:

AGWSR

Albert City-Truesdale

Algona

Anamosa

Ar-We-Va

Ballard

Bedford

Boyden-Hull

Boyer Valley

Brooklyn-Guernsey-Malcom

Central Lee

Central Springs

Charles City

Cherokee

Clarion-Goldfield-Dows

Clarksville

Clear Lake

Colfax-Mingo

Coon Rapids-Bayard

Corning

Denison

Easton Valley

Eddyville-Blakesburg- Fremont

Eldora-New Providence

Estherville Lincoln Central

Exira-Elk Horn-Kimballton

Forest City

Fort Madison

Garner-Hayfield

Gladbrook-Reinbeck

Glidden-Ralston

Graettinger-Terril

Griswold

Grundy Center

Harris-Lake Park

Hartley-Melvin-Sanborn

Howard-Winneshiek

IKM-Manning

Interstate 35

Jesup

Lamoni

Laurens-Marathon

Logan-Magnolia

Louisa-Muscatine

LuVerne

Lynnville-Sully

Madrid

Martensdale-St Marys

Mediapolis

Missouri Valley

Montezuma

Morning Sun

Moulton-Udell

Mount Ayr

Nashua-Plainfield

Newell-Fonda

Newton

North Butler

North Iowa

North Tama County

North Union

North Winneshiek

Osage

Paton-Churdan

PCM

Perry

Pocahontas Area

Postville

Prairie Valley

River Valley

Riverside

Ruthven-Ayrshire

Sergeant Bluff-Luton

Shenandoah

Sibley-Ocheyedan

Sidney

Sigourney

Sioux Center

South Central Calhoun

South Hamilton

South O'Brien

South Page

South Tama County

Southeast Webster Grand

Spirit Lake

Storm Lake

Treynor

Tri-Center

Twin Cedars

Villisca

Walnut

West Bend-Mallard

West Burlington

West Fork

West Harrison

Woodbine

Woodward-Granger

 

 

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09 Dec 2015

Stefanini Hosts Facility Tour for Local High School Students

By Carla Ferber

Students from Moline High School received an inside look at Stefanini's Davenport facility and learned about how Stefanini helps its customers achieve its business goals

Davenport, IA December, 2015  - Stefanini ? recognized by IAOP as a Global Top Outsourcing Company, and a $1B global provider of IT outsourcing, applications management & consulting, and strategic staffing services, hosted a tour of its Davenport facility for 14 students from Moline High School. Students from Moline High school, one of the top schools in the region, toured Stefanini's facility in Davenport, IA on December 1st to see a "real" service desk in action, learn about a mature IT service organization, and gain insight into a career in IT.

During the outing, Stefanini representatives from each program provided an overview of their day-to-day regimen and educated students on the various career opportunities in the IT field. "Along with serving as an inside look at a mature IT service organization, the tour touched upon what skills recruiters look for when hiring IT resources and informed students of key topics regarding the IT industry such as the difference between insourcing vs. outsourcing," said Sean Nelson, Global Program Executive of Stefanini's Davenport facility.

The Moline High School students provide help desk services for their school as part of their Student Technology Integration class. On the Moline High School Help Desk website, students and teachers are given the option to open a ticket to request assistance for issues relating to hardware repair, WiFi, and log-in information. To obtain a position as a part of Moline's help desk staff, students must first go through an interview process and are expected to be knowledgeable in various operating systems.

The tour was an excellent opportunity for Stefanini to engage with the neighboring community of Moline and recruit qualified candidates from the area once they have graduated from school.

About Stefanini

Stefanini is a global IT outsourcing services company with locations in 35 countries across the Americas, Europe, Australia, and Asia. Since 1987, Stefanini has been providing onshore, nearshore and offshore IT services, including application development services, IT infrastructure outsourcing (help desk support and desktop services), systems integration, consulting, and strategic staffing to Fortune 1000 enterprises around the world. Clients benefit from Stefanini's financial stability, sustained year-over-year growth, and zero net debt. The corporate global headquarters is located in Sao Paulo, Brazil with European headquarters in Brussels and North American headquarters in metropolitan Detroit. Further information is available at the company's website, www.stefanini.com.

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