ALLIANCE, OH (01/28/2015)(readMedia)-- Courtney Wachal of Bettendorf, IA, was named to the Dean's List for the fall 2014 semester at the University of Mount Union.

To be eligible for Dean's List, students must have completed at least 12 credit hours of traditionally graded coursework while achieving a grade point average of 3.550 or better with no grade below a B.

Literacy Initiative Showcases Statewide Efforts and New Online Resources

DES MOINES, IA - The Iowa Reading Research Center (IRRC) leadership team will visit the State Capitol on Wednesday, January 28th to highlight the extensive work being done to combat literacy issues faced by one-out-of-four children in Iowa. Legislators and members of their staff are invited to learn more about the statewide initiative and the newly launched collection of free literacy resources available at www.IowaReadingResearch.org. The breakfast will be held from 7:30-9:30am in the Legislative Dining Room (G15).

In 2012, Iowa lawmakers adopted an early literacy initiative to help ensure children read by the end of the third grade. That included the formation of the Iowa Reading Research Center. The IRRC collaborates across educational systems to support universal screening assessments to identify children who need help in reading, progress monitoring assessments to ensure they stay on track, and evidenced based interventions and strategies to assist with instruction. With the help of national experts, Iowa's Early Warning System has been created. In collaboration with the Department of Education and Iowa AEAs, the IRRC has been training current and future educators on the system. Over 90% of Iowa's elementary schools use the Formative Assessment System for Teachers (FAST), Individual Growth and Development Indicators (IGDIs) and the Iowa TIER data system. 

Every college and university that has an elementary program has attended statewide trainings - including Iowa's three regent universities. Until now, there has never been this level of cohesive partnership between colleges and universities. The record-setting 100% involvement will go a long way towards fully training Iowa's future educators on the new standards and tools being put into place to improve reading levels amongst our state's pre-kindergarten through elementary students.

IRRC staff will discuss these accomplishments with legislators and outline their collaborative efforts that fall under the following categories:

IOWA'S EARLY WARNING SYSTEM FOR LITERACY - Promoting Best Practices in Literacy
The IRRC promotes best practices in literacy by collaborating across educational systems to support universal screening, progress monitoring and evidence-based interventions and strategies.

INTENSIVE SUMMER READING PROGRAM - Paving The Way For A Bright Future
The IRRC collaborates with statewide and national experts to develop criteria and guidelines educators will use to assist students in becoming proficient readers.

HIGH QUALITY LITERACY RESOURCES - Supporting Students, Families And Educators
IowaReadingResearch.org offers free online literacy resources available to the public for classroom learning and at-home for children ranging in age from birth to 6th grade.

In February, the IRRC will mail an informational package to elementary schools highlighting the organization's efforts and free online offerings. It will include descriptive collateral for PTAs and take-home book marks for children and their families.

IRRC was formed during the 2012 legislative session through an appropriation to build a virtual repository of literacy resources for Iowa. Parent and teacher resources in Iowa were fragmented, inconsistent and not always screened for relevancy and accuracy. The newly unveiled IRRC website utilizes a team of educators, education-based IT staff and literacy staff to lead the collection effort and screening process for this repository. Learn more at www.IowaReadingResearch.org.

STEVENS POINT, Wis. (January 27, 2015) - The University of Wisconsin-Stevens Point honored more than 2,740 undergraduate students for attaining high grade point averages during the fall semester of the 2014-2015 academic year.

Austin Paytash of Moline has received Highest Honors!

Full-time undergraduates who earned grade points of 3.90 to 4.0 (4.0 equals straight A) are given the highest honors designation. High honor citations go to those with grade point averages from 3.75 to 3.89 and honor recognition is accorded to those with grade point averages from 3.50 to 3.74.

Personalized certificates of scholastic achievement are being sent to those who earned highest honors distinction.

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PELLA, IA (01/26/2015)(readMedia)-- The following students were named to the fall 2014 Central College dean's list:

Angela Allgood of Muscatine is the daughter of Jeff and Janet Allgood.

Daniel Dankert of Davenport is the son of Larry and Diane Dankert.

Miranda Ebeling of Muscatine is the daughter of Scott and Carol Ebeling.

Joseph Heath of Taylor Ridge is the son of Ronald and Lynn Heath.

Alicia Huegel of Bettendorf is the daughter of Tony and Debra Huegel.

Melissa Ketcham of Muscatine is the daughter of Raymond Ketcham.

Sydney Lunardi of Bettendorf is the daughter of Bruce and Marlene Lunardi.

Sarah Montgomery of Bettendorf is the daughter of Patrick and Jill Montgomery.

Lauren Parsons of Davenport is the daughter of Jerry Parsons and Lynn Welzenbach.

The honor is awarded to full-time students who achieve a 3.5 grade point average or higher on a 4.0 scale while taking 12 or more graded credit hours for the semester.

Founded in 1853, Central College of Pella, Iowa, is a private, residential four-year liberal arts college known for its academic rigor and strength in global experiential learning, STEM (science, technology, engineering and math), sustainability education, athletics success and tradition, and leadership and service. Central continues to value its long-standing relationship with the Reformed Church in America that began in 1916. The college participates in NCAA Division III athletics and is a member of the Iowa Conference. Central is an active part of the Greater Des Moines region and just two minutes from Lake Red Rock, Iowa's largest lake.