Say “Ahh”

The following scholarships were announced recently by the Iowa Dental Foundation.
Dental Scholarships ($2,000 each)

Scott Anderson of Cedar Rapids, attending the University of Iowa College of Dentistry.
Ashley Charmichael of Iowa City, attending the University of Iowa College of Dentistry.
Chad Hines of Iowa City, attending the University of Iowa College of Dentistry.
Carrie Teahen of Iowa City, attending the [...]

Federal Grant to Streamline State Data

DES MOINES — The Iowa Department of Education will receive an $8.8 million Statewide Longitudinal Data System (SLDS) Grant from the U.S. Department of Education’s Institute of Education Sciences.
The federal Statewide Longitudinal Data System Grant program is designed to help state education agencies develop and implement longitudinal data systems. These systems are intended to enhance [...]

Good-Bye Deep River-Millersburg

I spent the day in Millersburg, a small town of less than 200 people in Iowa County. On Tuesday, it seemed like all of them were at Deep River-Millersburg Elementary School.
The school had its final last day of school Tuesday. The Deep River-Millersburg school district will cease to exist June 30. Community members voted in September [...]

Lemme Leopards Lick Challenge

IOWA CITY — “Leopards, ready the bubbles.”
Excited chatter greeted Principal John Bacon’s statement. Hundreds of Lemme Elementary School students opened bottles of bubbles. With a dramatic flourish, Bacon uncovered the bronze statue everyone was anxious to see.
Applause and cheers met Iowa City artist John Coyne’s creation — a 6-foot bronze leopard cub.
“It’s pretty cool,” fourth [...]

Marion Graduation Song Bites the Dust

MARION — Marion High School Principal Greg Thomas pulled Queen’s “Bohemian Rhapsody” from the May 31 commencement exercises after receiving complaints from the public.
Thomas said he received “several” calls last week from people in the community to objected to the song.
“The song references suicide, murder and thing such as that,” Thomas said.
The callers didn’t think [...]

Cedar Rapids District Pursues Separate Recovery Process

CEDAR RAPIDS — Cedar Rapids school board members on Monday unanimously agreed to continue its flood recovery process with a consultant, separate from the city.
Board members approved the administration’s recommendation to enter a contract with OPN Architects of Cedar Rapids to lead the process for the district’s flood-affected facilities recovery.
“I just think this option gives [...]

Team “Dead Weight” Right On

WEST BRANCH — West Branch Middle School seventh graders Jathan Kron, Justin Roth and Brennan Nelson, along with their teacher, Hector Ibarra, are the grand prize winners in the first-ever Siemens We Can Change the World Challenge.
The students’ project, “Dead Weight,” raises awareness about the dangers of lead wheel weights in vehicles. The students support [...]

Upcoming Ceremony Showcases Alternative Power

Linn County Rural Electric Cooperative (REC) and the Linn-Mar school district will hold a ribbon cutting ceremony May 27 to unveil its renewable demonstration project.
Linn County REC installed two solar arrays at Oak Ridge Middle School in Marion to promote alternative energy sources to students and the public. The arrays, with 10 solar panels each, [...]

Linn Co. Students Participate in Agriculture Field Trip

CENTRAL CITY — Students crowded the table, peeking inside the containers of snakes and turtles. Some pressed closer for a better look, others backed away, waving their hands in frenzied terror.
“Touch it! Touch it!”
“No!”
Elise Skelton, 7, showed no fear.
“I touched all of them,” the Central City Elementary School first grader said proudly.
Snakes were just some [...]

Monday = Meetings

The Cedar Rapids school board will have a special meeting Monday at 4:30 p.m. at the Educational Service Center @ Kingston, Building 305. On the agenda is the district’s facilities recovery process. Board members will vote on the direction they want to take — a partnership with the city; a partnership with a consultant; or a [...]