22 Jan 2013

Governor Quinn Convenes School Safety Summit

By Ryan C. Woods

More than 50 Education, Public Safety, Mental Health and Law Enforcement Officials Meet to Seek Ways to Further Safeguard Illinois Schools

 

SPRINGFIELD - January 22, 2013. Governor Pat Quinn today convened top experts from across the state for a summit to develop short and long-term actions to further safeguard schools in Illinois. The governor brought together the group of more than 50 representatives from the fields of education, public safety, mental health and law enforcement following last month's deadly school shooting in Newtown, Connecticut. Today's meeting is part of the governor's ongoing commitment to ensuring safe schools in Illinois.

"Every parent should feel that their child is safe in school," Governor Quinn said. "Today we brought together teachers, school administrators, mental health experts, law enforcement and public safety officials to discuss ways to further safeguard our schools. We must continue to take every step possible to ensure our children are protected."

During the meeting at the State Emergency Operations Center in Springfield, participants discussed crisis prevention, school and community planning and coordination and facility protection and security. Additional meetings of the full group or smaller working groups will be scheduled to address specific problems and develop solutions.

Today's meeting followed an initial conference call on the subject on Dec. 21, 2012, one week after the tragic shooting in Connecticut.

Organizations represented at today's summit included:

·         Governor Quinn's Office

·         Illinois Emergency Management Agency

·         Illinois Terrorism Task Force

·         Illinois State Police

·         Illinois State Board of Education Illinois Department of Human Services

·         Illinois Department of Public Health

·         Office of the Illinois Attorney General

·         Office of Senator Dick Durbin

·         Illinois Principals Association

·         Illinois Association of School Administrators

·         Illinois Education Association

·         Chicago Teachers Union

·         Illinois Federation of Teachers

·         Illinois Law Enforcement Alarm System

·         Illinois Association of School Boards

·         Illinois Association of Chiefs of Police

·         Association of Community Mental Health Authorities of Illinois

·         American Association of Architects

·         U.S. Attorney's Office

·         University of Illinois-Springfield Center for Public Safety and Justice

·         Illinois Association of Rehabilitation Facilities

·         American Red Cross

·         Chicago Office of Emergency Management and Communications

·         Cook County Homeland Security and Emergency Management

·         DuPage County Sheriff's Office

·         Madison County Sheriff's Office

·         Ball-Chatham School Board and School District

·         Sangamon County Regional Office of Education

·         Illinois Math and Science Academy

In addition, the School and Campus Security Training Program, a cooperative effort of the Illinois State Board of Education, Illinois Terrorism Task Force and the Illinois Law Enforcement Alarm System, recently rolled out a School Safety Drill Video and Computer-Based Training tutorial, which reflect best practices based on lessons learned from real life emergency events. The videos are free and currently available for distribution to public and private schools. The videos detail specific actions for administrators, teachers and support staff for each drill, based on post-incident reports and de-briefings from real school events.

Since 2009, schools in Illinois have been required to perform an emergency drill at least once per year. In addition, schools must have emergency and crisis plans in place and review them annually. Since 2005, the School and Campus Security Training Program provided more than 250 K-12 school safety planning courses attended by more than 8,600 participants representing 817 public school districts and 545 non-public schools. In 2012 the program delivered 55 preparedness training courses for both K-12 and higher education institutions, which were attended by 1,486 participants, to update emergency operations plans and increase their capacity to respond to and recover from all hazards, including active shooters. Currently, there are 11 courses scheduled from January through March of 2013.

For more information, please visit www.ready.illinois.gov and www.isbe.net/safety.

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21 Jan 2013

KIRKWOOD COMMUNITY COLLEGE FALL DEAN'S LIST

By Angela Parenteau

[Cedar Rapids, Iowa] --Kirkwood Community College has released its Dean's List for the Fall 2012 Semester. These students have achieved a 3.3 grade point average or higher after completing 12 or more credit hours with the college. Kirkwood students from the Quad City area earning this distinction are: 

  • Tony Bakeris of Davenport, Liberal Arts - AA

  • Cara Bergman of Bettendorf, Nursing - AAS

  • Brent Cribbs of Davenport, Landscape Construction and Design - AAS

  • Abrian Edwards-Williams of Davenport, Liberal Arts - AA

  • Matthew Gasser of Bettendorf, Liberal Arts - AA

  • Thomas McNair of Bettendorf, Liberal Arts

  • Ashley Stichter of Davenport, Administrative Assistant - AAS

  • Elizabeth Teichler of Davenport, Respiratory Therapist - AAS?

21 Jan 2013

MOUNT MERCY UNIV FALL DEAN'S LIST

By Mount Mercy University

CEDAR RAPIDS, Iowa (January 18, 2013) - Dana Ewan of Bettendorf, Iowa, has been named to the fall 2012 Dean's List at Mount Mercy University.

Taylor Eaker of Moline, Illinois, has been named to the fall 2012 Dean's List at Mount Mercy University. Eaker is studying Nursing at Mount Mercy.

Students with a semester grade point average of 3.60 or better, and who are graded (letter grade, not pass/fail) for six or more semester hours, are eligible for inclusion on the Dean's List.

Founded in 1928, Mount Mercy University offers students a personal, practical and faith-inspired education that distinctly blends professional career preparation and liberal arts with a strong curriculum grounded in leadership and service. Located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Mount Mercy University is sponsored by the Sisters of Mercy and a member of the Conference for Mercy Higher Education (CMHE).

In more than 80 years, Mount Mercy has grown in size and reputation, adapting to meet the changing educational needs of the Cedar Rapids community. Mount Mercy offers baccalaureate and graduate education to more than 1,800 traditional, transfer, adult and graduate students. Popular undergraduate majors include business, nursing, criminal justice, education and social work. Graduate programs are offered in business, education, nursing, and marriage and family therapy. For more information on Mount Mercy, visit www.mtmercy.edu.

Located in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, Mount Mercy University is the regional Catholic, Mercy University that promises students of diverse backgrounds, ages and faiths a challenging, practical education that inspires them to discover knowledge, build community and lead courageous lives. Mount Mercy offers baccalaureate and graduate education to more than 1,800 enrolled students and uniquely blends liberal arts education with professional preparation.

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21 Jan 2013

School Officials Reject Request for Accommodation, Kick Andrea Hernandez Out of Magnet School Over Religious Objections to RFID Tracking Program

By The Rutherford Institute

SAN ANTONIO, Texas ? In a phone call delivered near the end of the day before a long holiday weekend, school officials at John Jay High School informed Andrea Hernandez that they would not be granting her request to stay at the magnet school. Effective today, Hernandez has been withdrawn from the school and will be expected to report to another area school on Tuesday.

In keeping with a court order to provide school officials with a written decision as to whether or not she will agree to wear an RFID tracking badge to school, Andrea Hernandez had asked school officials at John Jay High School to allow her to continue her "education uninterrupted" by permitting her to use her old ID badge which "does not signify participation in a program which I believe conflicts with my religious beliefs." The new badges, part of John Jay High School's "Student Locator Project," include tiny chips that produce a radio signal, enabling school officials to track students' location on school property.

Hernandez, who was threatened with expulsion for refusing to wear a chipless RFID tracking badge based on her sincere religious beliefs that it represents the "mark of the Beast," had her request for a preliminary injunction denied by the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals and the Western District of Texas. In coming to Andrea's defense, Rutherford Institute attorneys alleged that the school's attempts to penalize, discriminate and retaliate against Andrea violate her rights under the First and Fourteenth Amendments to the U.S. Constitution.

"It's obvious that John Jay High School has no interest in putting their students first, which is a sad reflection on our educational system," said John W. Whitehead, president of The Rutherford Institute. "For our part, we hope that Andrea Hernandez will not be discouraged in her pursuit of justice. She's a courageous young woman with strong principles, and we commend her for standing up for what she believes in. The case will definitely move forward now, and hopefully, we will eventually find justice in the courts."

The Northside Independent School District in San Antonio, Texas, has launched a program, the "Student Locator Project," aimed ostensibly at increasing public funding for the district by increasing student attendance rates. As part of the pilot program, roughly 4,200 students at Jay High School and Jones Middle School are being required to wear "SmartID" card badges embedded with an RFID tracking chip which will make it possible for school officials to track students' whereabouts on campus at all times. School officials hope that by expanding the program to the district's 112 schools, they can secure up to $1.7 million in funding from the state government.

Fifteen-year-old Andrea Hernandez has been penalized, discriminated against, and retaliated against by school officials for objecting to being forced to participate in the RFID program. For Hernandez, a Christian, the badges pose a significant religious freedom concern in addition to the obvious privacy issues. Andrea's religious objection derives from biblical teachings that equate accepting a personalized code?as a sign of submission to government authority and as a means of obtaining certain privileges from a secular ruling authority?with a form of idolatry or submission to a false god.

Hernandez was informed that "there will be consequences for refusal to wear an ID card." For example, students who refuse to take part in the ID program won't be able to access essential services like the cafeteria and library, nor will they be able to purchase tickets to extracurricular activities. According to Hernandez, teachers are even requiring students to wear the IDs to use the bathroom. School officials offered to quietly remove the tracking chip from Andrea's card if the sophomore would agree to wear the new badge without the embedded RFID chip so as to give the appearance of participation in the Student Locator Project. Andrea refused the offer, believing that to wear the "mark" of the program would still compromise her religious beliefs. Affiliate attorneys Anand Agneshwar and Anna Thompson of Arnold & Porter and private practitioner Jerri Lynn Ward are assisting The Rutherford Institute with Andrea's defense

This Press Release is also available at www.rutherford.org
21 Jan 2013

THE MOLINE FOUNDATION ANNOUNCES SCHOLARSHIP APPLICATION DEADLINES

By Linda Martin

Nine scholarships are now offered through the Moline Foundation. The followingis a list of scholarships, criteria and deadlines:

1. Srikanth Yerra Scholarship - Due Friday, March 1, 2013 $500 non-renewableMust live within Moline School District No. 40 boundariesGraduate of Class of 2013 or Community College studentpreparing to transfer to a 4 year collegeMinimum 3.5 grade pointBased on financial need, potential for future personal achievementSubmit: Transcript, 3 letters of reference, brief essay about yourself (200 words)

2. Lee McAllister Scholarship - Due Friday, March 1, 2013 $1,000 non-renewableGraduate from Moline High School Class of 2013, plan to major ineducationMinimum 2.75 grade pointBased on financial need, potential for future personal achievement, abilities,school & community activities and strong academic recordSubmit: Transcript, 3 letters of reference, brief essay (200 wordson "Why are you entering the field of education?")

3. Moline High School Class of '59 Scholarship - Due Friday, March 1, 2013 Amount and number of awards determined annuallyGraduate from Moline High School Class of 2013Minimum 2.8 grade pointBased on service-oriented activity in place of worship, school, orcommunitySubmit: Transcript, brief statement (1-2 paragraphs) "What do youanticipate your life to be like in 50 years?"

4. Clement T. Hanson/Butterworth Center Arts Scholarship ** - Due Friday, March 1,2013 Three $1,500 four year scholarships renewable based on continued financial needand scholastic achievement (Total: $6,000) Two $2,000 four year scholarships renewable based on continued financial needand scholastic achievement (Total: $8,000) Must live within Moline School District No. 40 boundaries Graduate from Class of 2013 or Community College studentpreparing to transfer to 4 year universityMinimum 2.5 grade point Based on financial need, potential for future personal achievement,and personal interviewSubmit: Transcript, 3 letters of reference, brief essay about yourself (200 words orless)

** Two scholarships share same application. Emphasize arts and music involvement ifyou wish to be considered for the Butterworth Center Arts Scholarship.

5. Dolores A. Hulse-DiIulio Scholarship - Due Friday, March 1, 2013 $1,000 renewable (eligible to reapply annually and compete withincoming freshmen candidates and other previous scholarship recipients)Must be a female and graduate of Class of 2013 at Moline High SchoolMust intend to pursue a bachelor's degree on a full-time basis in thefields of chemistry, physics, engineering, or pre-medicine.Must attend a public university or college located in IllinoisApplicant must be in upper one-fourth of classBased on desire to achieve, abilities, strong academic record, potential for futurepersonal achievement, and letters of referenceSubmit: Transcript, 3 letters of reference, brief essay (200 wordsor less) "Why are you entering your chosen field of study?"

6. Maggie Webb Scholarship - Due Friday, March 1, 2013 Amount and number of awards to be determined annuallyMust be graduating senior from Moline High School Class of 2013Minimum 2.8 grade pointBased on community involvement (with at least one service orientedactivity in place of worship, school or community) and essaySubmit: Transcript, Essay (2-3 pages long, double spaced) "If you were to leavethis earth tomorrow, what would be your legacy?"

7. Lee Womack Scholarship - Due Friday, March 1, 2013 Amount and number of awards to be determined annuallyMust be graduating senior from Moline High School Class of 2013 with plannedmajor in Education. Special preference will be given to applicants planning tomajor in Special EducationMinimum 3.0 grade pointBased on community involvement (with at least one service-orientedactivity in place of worship, school or community), and letterSubmit: Transcript, Letter (state why you want to obtain anEducation degree and your goals and how you feel this wouldbe an asset to you and the community), three letters of recommendation

8. Stan Woods Scholarship - Due Friday, March 1, 2013 $1,000 scholarship annually non-renewableMust be graduating senior from Moline High School Class of 2013Minimum 3.0 grade pointBased on community involvement and leadership, academic achievement andessay ("Explain what you have done to make your community a better place tolive and give an example or one or more of specific projects that havebenefited from your involvement.")Submit: Transcript, essay, and three letters of recommendation.

9. D.A.R.E. Scholarship - Due Friday, March 1, 2013 Three $1,000 scholarships will be awarded in 2013Must be graduating senior and living in the boundaries of MolineSchool District No. 40Applicant must be a former student of the Drug Abuse Resistance Education(D.A.R.E.) ProgramMinimum 3.0 grade pointBased on academic merit, good citizenship, attendance, active involvement inschool and community, and essay (300 words or less) "About good choicesyou have made in your life. Choose an activity you have been involved in anddescribe how it has impacted your life."Submit: Transcript, essay, and three letters of recommendation

All application are online on the Moline Foundation website. Please check theMoline Foundation website: www.molinefoundation.org or contact Linda Daily at (309)764-4193 if you have further questions.

The Moline Foundation, founded in 1953, is a community foundation whichprovides grants to health, human services, education, community development, thearts and other charitable organizations which benefit the citizens of Moline and thesurrounding area. The Moline Foundation receives and administers charitable gifts forall citizens in a seven county region including Rock Island, Henry, Mercer, Warren,Henderson and McDonough in Illinois and Scott County in Iowa.

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21 Jan 2013

Culver-Stockton College announces fall 2012 honors lists

By CSC Communications Office

CANTON, MO. (01/18/2013)(readMedia)-- Culver-Stockton College is proud to announce its President's List, Dean's List and Honor Roll for the fall 2012 semester. To be named to an honors list, students must meet high academic standards established by Culver-Stockton.

James Lee Granack, a junior Sport Management major, from East Moline, Ill., was named to the Honor Roll.

Maribeth Kristy Hartmann, a sophomore Psychology major, from East Moline, Ill., was named to the President's List.

Sara Marie Allen , a sophomore Elementary Education major, from Rock Island, Ill., was named to the Dean's List.

President's List students have earned a 4.0 GPA and were enrolled in a minimum of 12 hours. Dean's List students have earned between a 3.5 and 3.99 GPA and were enrolled in a minimum of 12 hours, with no grade lower than a C. Honor Roll students have earned between a 3.2 and 3.49 and were enrolled in a minimum of 12 hours, with no grade lower than a C.

Culver-Stockton College is a private, liberal arts college located in Canton, Mo.

18 Jan 2013

Rivermont Collegiate 2nd Quarter Honor Roll

By Brittany Marietta

Middle School (Grades 6-8)

High Honors

(All grades B+ or higher; B or higher for courses designated as Upper School level)

Genevieve Solange Bolger

Elizabeth Decker

Clayton Douglas

Faith Douglas

Giavanna Eckhardt

Shivani Ganesh

Andrea Gamble

Olivia Gamble

Mahum Haque

Azariah Hughes

Megan Lindle

Naina Ninan

Benjamin Nordick

Manasa Pagadala

Elizabeth Paxton

Emilia Porubcin

Maryam Rasheed

Collin Smith

Natalie Springborn

 

Honors

(All grades B- or higher; C+ or higher for courses designated as Upper School level)

Spencer Brown

Adam Chamberlain

Hema Chimpidi

Jessica Elliott

Kenton Fee

Aislinn Geedey

Mary Aisling McDowell

Carly Miller

Bhavana Purighalla

Lauren Schroeder

Timothy Jacob Vaughn

Nikhil Wagher

Jack Westphal

 

Upper School (Grade 9-12)

Headmaster's List - GPA 3.85-4.00

Adam Dada

Victoria Mbakwe

Michal Porubcin

Shravya Pothula

Kelsey Qu

Suhas Seshadri

Alexander Skillin

Loring Telleen

 

Distinction - GPA 3.50-3.84

Vishal Bobba

Rebecca Cupp

Christian Elliott

Summer Lawrence

Amanda McVey

Nathan McVey

Alejandra Martinez

Tejasvi Kotte

Margaret Martens

Darsani Reddy

Ashish Tadepalli

MingSui Tang

 

Merit - GPA 3.00-3.49

Anastasia Eganova

Ryan Howell

Hayley Moran

Nell Meier
18 Jan 2013

Governor Quinn Appoints Former U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald to University of Illinois Board of Trustees

By Erin Wilson

Joins Other Appointees to Boards of Trustees at University of Illinois and Northern Illinois University

CHICAGO - January 18, 2013. Governor Pat Quinn today announced several appointments to the boards of two of Illinois' top universities. Among today's appointees is former U.S. Attorney Patrick Fitzgerald, whose work prosecuting governmental corruption has protected the public interest. The governor also re-appointed several members to both the University of Illinois and Northern Illinois University boards of trustees. Today's announcement is part of the governor's commitment to strengthen higher education in Illinois.

"Patrick Fitzgerald has served the people of Illinois well and he will be an outstanding member of our outstanding leadership team at Illinois' flagship university," Governor Quinn said. "Today's appointees are talented, accomplished individuals who believe in the power of education. Together, they will help guide our universities to continued excellence."

Fitzgerald served as United States Attorney for the Northern District of Illinois. For his bio, click here. Fitzgerald has received numerous honors for his more than 20 years in public service including the Justice John Paul Stevens Award from the Chicago Bar Association. He was previously named "Lawyer of the Year" by The National Law Journal. A graduate of Amherst College, he holds a J.D. from Harvard Law School and currently works as partner in the Chicago office of the Skadden, Arps, Slate, Meagher and Flom law firm.

Governor Quinn re-appointed Dr. Timothy N. Koritz and James Montgomery to the University of Illinois Board of Trustees. Koritz is a United States Air Force Veteran and serves as staff anesthesiologist at Rockford Memorial Hospital. Koritz was previously appointed to the board in 2009. Montgomery is a long-time Chicago attorney and has served on the board since 2007. Both are University of Illinois alumni.

The governor also announced three reappointments to the Northern Illinois University Board of Trustees: businessman Robert Boey, who has served on the board since 1996; Dr. John Butler, a Chicago-area business consultant who is a NIU alumnus and has served on the board since 2007; and Wheeler Coleman, vice president and chief technology officer at Heath Care Service Corporation and former vice-president of the NIU Alumni Association, who was previously appointed by Governor Quinn in 2011.

For more information about Illinois' boards and commissions or to apply for a position, visit appointments.illinois.gov.

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17 Jan 2013

Devin Lundy Named to Dean's List at Beloit College

By Hilary Dickinson

BELOIT, WI (01/17/2013)(readMedia)-- Devin Lundy, of Davenport, IA, has been named to Beloit College's Dean's List for the 2012 fall semester. Lundy is a junior.

To be eligible for the Dean's List, a student must carry a semester GPA of 3.4 or higher and take a minimum of 3 letter-graded units for the term.

Beloit College is a residential, liberal arts college offering 40 majors to its 1,250 students. Located 90 miles northwest of Chicago, Beloit is one of the nation's most international colleges, drawing students from 41 nations as well as 48 states.

17 Jan 2013

UW-MADISON FALL DEAN'S LIST

By John Lucas

The University of Wisconsin-Madison has recognized students named to the Dean's List for the fall semester of the 2012-2013 academic year.

Students who achieve at a high level academically are recognized by the dean at the close of each semester. To be eligible for the Dean's List, students must complete a minimum of 12 graded degree credits in that semester. Each university school or college sets its own GPA requirements for students to be eligible to receive the honor.

Adam Vesole, Bettendorf, School of Business, Dean's List

Mehmet Badur, Moline, College of Engineering, Dean's Honor List

Andrew Hoogerwerf, Rock Island, College of Engineering, Dean's Honor List

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