Dear Rivermont Community,

Well, here it is.  The last HEADlines of the school year.  It has been an exciting year with so many accomplishments and firsts.  Once again the students and faculty of Rivermont have demonstrated that Excellence comes first, Character is expected, and Creativity can be found in every corner!  Please be sure to join us on Wednesday and Friday of next week as we celebrate these accomplishments, hear what our seniors learned about themselves and their chosen field in the Senior Projects, and  graduate our 125th class of seniors!  These students join the ranks of an exceptional group of leaders, philanthropists, professionals and engaged citizens who make up our ALUMNI!

This weekend marks the commemoration of those who have sacrificed for our freedoms and prosperity.

Memorial Day was officially proclaimed on 5 May 1868 by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic, in his General Order No. 11, and was first observed on 30 May 1868, when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery.  (http://www.usmemorialday.org/backgrnd.html#1)

In honor of the day we reprint the poem that inspired the tradition of poppies to remember.

In Flanders Fields

In Flanders fields the poppies blow

Take up our quarrel with the foe:

In Flanders fields.

Have a safe and restful long weekend, 

Rick St. Laurent

Headmaster

The Class of 2012

Matt Newsome University of Pennsylvania

Meghana Yerrapothu University of Illinois at Chicago

Joann Weeks Benedictine University

Pavane Gorrepati Yale University

Meghana Pagadala California Institute of Technology

Christine Mbakwe Washington University in St. Louis

Ramya Prabhu University of Illinois at Chicago

PELLA, (05/24/2012)(readMedia)-- The following local students graduated from Central College Saturday, May 12. The ceremony was held at H.S. Kuyper Fieldhouse in Pella, Iowa. There were 323 graduates from 16 states and four foreign countries.

Ryan Allison, of Rock Island, graduated with a major in exercise science

Katelyn Baker, of Davenport, graduated with a major in business management

Melissa Blanchard, of Davenport, graduated with a major in Spanish

Kelsey Howard, of Davenport, graduated with a major in religion

Melanie Louis, of Davenport, graduated with a major in biology

Alison Miller, of Davenport, graduated with a major in exercise science

Victoria Turley, of Eldridge, graduated with a major in English

Michael Furlong, of Davenport, graduated with a major in exercise science

Central College is a private, four-year, residential liberal arts college in Pella, Iowa. Central's academic program offers 39 majors leading to a bachelor's degree, along with pre-professional programs and advising. Central was recognized in the 2011 U.S. News & World Report's annual rankings of the best liberal arts colleges in the nation.

More information about Central College is available at www.central.edu or by calling 877-462-3687.

Simon welcomes new JALC president, calls for budget reform to protect education funding

CARTERVILLE - May 24, 2012. Lt. Governor Sheila Simon welcomed incoming John A. Logan College President Mike Dreith on Thursday and urged lawmakers to make pension and Medicaid reforms that will protect higher education funding.

Without major changes, health care for the poor and retirement benefits for public employees will continue to eat up more of the state's general revenue dollars, squeezing out funding for education, law enforcement and other expenses, Simon said prior to a public reception for Dreith alongside retiring JALC President Bob Mees.

"Runaway Medicaid and pension costs could squeeze out education funding if major reforms are not enacted this spring," said Simon, who serves as Governor Quinn's point person on education reform. "When President Dreith takes over on July 1, we want John A. Logan College to know its state dollars will be paid on time and in full so its students receive the best education possible."

Fast-growing public pension and Medicaid costs could eat up 50 percent of state general revenue spending in FY2014 without major reforms. That could limit the state's ability to fund education and public safety, threaten the state's credit rating and hurt the long-term sustainability of the health care and retirement systems, Simon said. On Monday, legislation supported by Governor Quinn was filed to restructure Illinois' Medicaid system.

"The state's budget crisis must be resolved, with input from educators across the state, to maintain and improve the quality of higher education in Illinois," said Mees, who will retire from the JALC presidency on June 30.

Students who qualify for state tuition assistance, whether they pay to study microbiology or welding, could also feel the squeeze, Simon said. In the past decade, the buying power of the state's Monetary Award Program (MAP) has fallen from covering the full tuition and fees at public community colleges and universities, to covering about half. For every student who received partial assistance from MAP this year, another qualified applicant was denied due to lack of funds.

"We need to invest in students and schools if we expect to reach our state's big goal: 60 percent of our working-age adults holding a degree or certificate by 2025," Simon said.  "It's time to put politics aside and work together on budget reforms that will put Illinois on solid financial footing for years to come."