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(09/09/13 3:51am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Monroe County Community School Corporation now offers a program for elementary students where a day off can be a day of learning and fun.The Break Days program, a collaboration between MCCSC and the Bloomington Parks and Recreation Department, allows kids to spend days when school isn’t in session at Rogers-Binford Elementary, where they can participate in a wide variety of activities.“Several places offer programs for kids,” said Tim Pritchett, school age care director for MCCSC. “With our schedule changed and more breaks introduced in the school year, we wanted quality programming for the kids.“The Parks Department has been running programs for years, and we’ve had a two-decade partnership with them,” Pritchett said. “This is just an extension of that partnership.”Paula McDevitt, recreation services director at the Parks Department, said Break Days is a new take on an old program.“We’ve offered Break Days for many years,” McDevitt said. “It’s modeled after our Kid City summer camp, but now it’s for the school year. What’s different is that we’re running it at Binford Elementary.”The program runs throughout the school year. Days start at 7:30 a.m. and pick-up is 5:30 p.m. The first of 16 break days was on the Friday of Labor Day weekend. Twenty-seven students showed up, participating in arts, crafts and games, as well as taking a field trip to McCormick’s Creek State Park.“We want to get kids out into the community to places they haven’t been before,” McDevitt said.Amy Shrake, inclusive recreation coordinator for the Parks Department, said the activities vary widely.“They are different each time,” Shrake said. “We take the kids on field trips, we have guests come in and other typical day camp activities.”Both McDevitt and Pritchett expressed the value of working together on the program.“Parks and Rec runs the programming, and we assist in promoting it,” Pritchett said. “We direct emailed parents, and we put the word out on Facebook and Twitter.”McDevitt said there are many benefits to operating the program out of MCCSC. “There’s definitely been an increase in participation from when we ran it out of our own facilities,” McDevitt said. “We’re estimating participation to increase further.”Each day costs $35 for a student to participate, which includes the cost of snacks, field trips and other activities. Shrake said first-time participants have to register at the Parks Department main office.“After they have a health form on file, parents can call in and register for certain days,” she said.The next Break Day will be Friday, Oct. 11, with registration required a week in advance. Shrake said the first Break Day went well, and that’s the goal.“Hopefully the program will help parents with child care issues when they aren’t in school,” she said.McDevitt said she hopes Break Days is an option parents look to on days off school.“Our goal is to provide an alternative, programmed, structured day for kids,” she said. “We want Break Days to be an easy, accessible choice for parents when their kids are out of school.”
(09/04/13 4:47am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Monroe County schools started a week earlier this year, Aug. 7. Next year they will start three days earlier than that. Beverly Smith, director of school and community services for the Monroe County Community School Corporation, explained the schools’ shifting calendar.“We still have a traditional school year,” Smith said. “We did change our calendars and started a week earlier this year.”The traditional school year includes a fall through spring year, with a long, ten-week summer break. Janice Bergeson, MCCSC director of Secondary Education, said the number of days in a school year is 180, no matter what.“Everyone uses 180 days,” Bergeson said. “I don’t know of any school that could financially afford longer.”However, some schools have started moving away from the traditional school year in favor of a year-round school year with more frequent, shorter breaks.“It is something to watch,” Bergeson said. “Others have done so in other states. It’s been popular out east, but not really in Indiana.”Bergeson said favorable research and opinions can be found for both options.“Some research says kids lose academic understanding with longer breaks, but some says otherwise,” Bergeson said. “Parents are on both sides too. We shortened summer by a week this year, but we get a week off for Thanksgiving. Some like it, some don’t. It just depends on who you talk to.”Bergeson said this school year’s schedule was decided last fall, during a 4-month period where a committee determined what the best course of action would be.“The committee worked through what other schools had done, research, and opinions of parents and teachers, and determined the calendar,” she said.Bergeson said the new school year was determined in part by IU’s calendar.“We try to align our schedule with IU, some parents like that,” she said. “They tend to give more breaks throughout the year.”After the four months, the committee decided on a three-year plan for MCCSC’s calendar.“Parents were tired of the one-year plans that were used,” Bergeson said. “They want to know what it’s like for multiple years. That way they can plan their vacations, because some families do plan that far in advance ... Like it or not, it’s stable,” she added.Smith said the main goal of the school calendar is to maximize benefits for students.“You want kids to get the best education possible,” she said.While options are out there, Bergeson said MCCSC would stick to its current schedule for now.“There are no discussions for change now,” she said. “Our next look will be in three years, when the schedule runs out. That’s the plan.”
(09/04/13 4:20am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Two Fairview Elementary School students have reported two similar attempted abductions in the past two months.The students, a boy and a girl, both 11 years old, reported that a man in his 50s or 60s, balding, with a beard, pulled up to them in a van and asked them if they wanted some candy. It was an attempt to get them into his vehicle.The boy said the man was driving a white van during the incident two months ago. The girl said he was driving a green minivan with silver hubcaps during the Aug. 26 incident. The students reported the incidents to their school’s social worker Aug. 27.Bloomington Police Department Lt. Steve Kellams said the cliched scenario, with the candy and the van, isn’t one which happens frequently in the real world. “Anecdotally, this doesn’t happen very often,” Kellams said. “It is serious when it does happen, but that’s not often.”Beverly Smith, director of school and community services for the Monroe County Community School Corporation, also said this incident is rare for the school system.“In my time here, I haven’t seen a lot of incidents like this,” Smith said.However, in this real scenario, Smith said the students did the right thing by contacting their school’s social worker and telling her what happened.“The students reported what they saw, and then we went to the Bloomington Police Department,” she said.Smith said in such situations, MCCSC is committed to keeping students secure.“We are hypersensitive to safety,” she said. “We are very vigilant.”Kellams said school procedures are focused on maximizing student safety.“Schools do a pretty good job in these situations,” he said. “They lock down their doors, they follow their lockdown routines and there are various shelters in place. They monitor bus drivers and have teachers watching outside. They also set up bus routes so that there are very few drop-off locations, to increase safety.”However, Kellams said, there are holes in every security plan.“Our biggest concern is kids walking, the times before and after school,” he said.In response, Kellams said the BPD has increased its presence around the school.“We’re covering these times with extra patrols around the area,” he said.The BPD is actively pursuing this case, particularly by pulling video footage from nearby Crestmont Apartments.“We’re pulling cameras,” Kellams said. “We’re working with the Sex Offender Registry, contacting parole. We’re taking steps.”Smith said the combination of security and instruction is vital to MCCSC.“We reach out to local law enforcement and follow security protocol so that we can keep kids’ attention on what they should be focused on, which is school,” Smith said. As for the students involved in the incidents, Smith said they are doing okay.“To my knowledge everyone is well,” she said.
(08/29/13 3:46am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>FROM IDS REPORTS Duke Energy awarded $25,000 to the Monroe County Community School Corporation’s Afterschool EdVentures program, providing funding for after-school programs for students in the school district’s six Title I elementary schools. “We are thrilled to be the recipient of such a generous and timely grant, Tim Pritchett, MCCSC director of school age care, said in a press release. “Our programs are committed to afterschool enrichment, particularly in the areas of Science, Technology, Engineering and Math as well as academic support in all areas of the school curriculum. Duke Energy’s gift will enable us to continue offering high-quality, innovative programs in our afterschool settings.”Bruce Calloway, south central district manager for Duke Energy, said some hours after school can be critical, especially for low-income working families looking for a safe, free place for their children to stay. “EdVentures makes those hours count with quality math, science and technology programming that engages students,” Calloway said in the release. “We’re proud to support it.”— Matt Stefanski
(08/28/13 4:07am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>While touring colleges in the northeast, President Obama announced his plan to make going to school a better deal for Americans.The president unveiled his mission to “combat rising college costs and make college affordable for American families,” according to a White House press release.His plan includes the creation of a grading scale that will rate colleges in areas such as access, affordability and graduation rates,and ultimately derive the federal financial aid they receive from these grades.Mark Land, associate vice president of University Communications at IU, said he believes this system will benefit the University.“In its broad view, what the president is trying to accomplish are things that we agree with,” Land said. “Keeping graduation up, staying on track to graduate on time and getting financial aid to students are all important.”A key part of this new grading system is tying federal aid to college performance instead of enrollment.Land said though there is room for improvement, he feels the University is headed in that direction.“Indiana already bases some aid on performance,” he said. “IU’s four- to six-year graduation rates are the best of the Indiana public schools, and above the national average.”The grading system also focuses on creating a greater amount of hybrid classes, including online courses and other technologies for student participation. Land said the University has already pursued these initiatives.“Last year we announced IU Online, that’s goal is comprehensive online offerings,” he said. “We’re trying to be thoughtful with technology, increasing attention and resources for it.”Obama announced he wishes for the U.S. Department of Education to have the system developed and colleges rated by 2015, with colleges awarded federal aid based on these ratings by 2018.Land said though he is hopeful for the system, it could prove tricky to develop.“The devil is in the details,” Land said. “The challenge is going to be coming up with a system that rates similar schools with similar missions.”He said rating comparable schools is essential, or the system won’t work. Otherwise, aid could disproportionally allocate to schools with more resources.“You can’t compare apples and oranges,” Land said.He also stressed the importance of the government receiving aid in developing the system.“I think the federal government seeking input from universities for the grading system is crucial,” Land said. “It’s what we do for a living.”Although Land said the University is looking forward to the system’s development, forming an opinion now would be premature.“It’s too early to see if we would like any particular plan,” he said. “We just like all the ideas.”Land didn’t say what grade the University would receive.“I’m not big on speculation,” Land said. “Until everyone sees how the system works, we can’t really tell.”However, students were more willing to assess their school.“I’d give it a B,” Beach said. “No college is perfect. Costs are still high, but they try to do what they can.”
(08/26/13 2:48am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Indiana Academy of Science has recently announced the availability of Junior Research Grants for Indiana students in grades 9-12. The grants will be used to support students who are designing, conducting and evaluating independent research endeavors. Students can be awarded up to $300. According to a press release, “The Academy is proud to nurture the promise of high school students expressing an interest in the sciences, and encourage all Indiana high school students to apply.” Interested students must sumbit their application by Oct. 25, and decisions will be made by mid-December. More information and applications can be found at indianaacademyofscience.org.— Sydney Murray
(08/20/13 9:27pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>With the fall semester about to start, students fill stores, shopping for all their back-to-school essentials. For some, the most costly trip is the one to the bookstore, where they might spend hundreds of dollars on course-required materials.“The book industry is essentially an oligopoly,” IU Economics Senior Lecturer Paul Graf said. “It is dominated by a few large firms.”Graf said the textbook industry doesn’t have the consumers — the students — choosing the product. This gives the book publishers more power to set prices high.“In the classroom, instructors select the books,” Graf said. “Publishers know this, and they can charge higher prices. The goal for the consumers is how to find a substitute.” T.I.S. College Bookstore is one of the bookstores where IU students can pick up textbooks. “Often, students can spend $300 for a semester,” T.I.S. Textbook Manager Tim Lloyd said. “For science-heavy courses, it can run $600 to $700, pre-med students can spend up to $1,000.”Lloyd said T.I.S. does as much as it can to reduce costs for students. From offering textbook rentals to buying back old editions and selling them at reduced prices, there are many options.“Our favorite source for books is students,” Lloyd said. “We hate having to push a book back across the counter and not buy it.”However, some think book prices still remain high at bookstores. Jay Kincaid bought books at T.I.S. for his high school daughter who is taking a class at IU. After purchasing two small paperback books, he walked out of the store, while talking to other patrons. “Look at this. How much do you think this costs?” he said. “Seventy dollars for this used book, another $70 for this new one.”“It’s just ridiculous that I spent $140 for two paperback English composition books,” Kincaid said.Graf said publishers go to great lengths to make sure even purchasing used books is a challenge.“Publishers want to minimize the used book market,” Graf said. “They provide insulary material to maintain their pricing power through more than the book,” he said. Graf said textbooks will update problem sets, therefore new editions should be bought. Some books also require electronic materials, which can only be used once. As a result, old textbooks lose value.However, Graf said there are ways to take the power back from the publishers.“Over time, instructors have become more sensitive to book prices,” he said. “Many try to find alternatives to textbooks, or choose cheaper ones if they teach similar overall content.” However, Graf said others might be reluctant to change. “If teachers teach a certain way, switching books can be additional work on their part,” he said.Students also have options to lower costs, especially with the advent of greater technology.“Before, students just went to the bookstore,” Graf said. “Now the internet has lowered the cost of finding substitute goods.” Students can purchase books online for reduced prices, try and obtain international copies or even sell books to each other directly.Graf said the game has always been a “cat and mouse” competition between publishers and students.For now, prices at stores remain high, and students must find alternatives if they want to save on textbooks.“I think it’s heading toward long run equilibrium,” Graf said. “Content standardization, lowering prices and customization of materials raising it.”— Stephen Kroll
(07/21/13 11:01pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Ivy Tech Community College of Bloomington was approved for a $24 million project to build an addition to the existing building on the Bloomington Ivy Tech Community College campus.Approval for the $24-million project came during the committee’s July 10 meeting in Indianapolis, State Rep. Matt Pierce (D-Bloomington) praised the State Budget Committee for its approval. The original funding was approved during the 2009 Special Session. However, afterwards, the Mitch Daniels administration decided to hold off on the project.“I want to commend the State Budget Committee for approving this essential project,” Pierce said. For years, taxpayers’ money was being spent on rent for buildings scattered throughout Bloomington for the Ivy Tech campus. “Fortunately, Ivy Tech will now pay less for the bond to construct the new addition, than it has been spending on rental costs,” Pierce said. “I appreciate the new administration and the State Budget Committee for ending the penny-wise, pound-foolish policy of the previous administration by finally getting the project underway before construction costs rise any higher.”Pierce worked with former State Senator Vi Simpson and former State Representative Peggy Welch to appropriate money for the expansion in the 2009 budget. The appropriated money could not be spent until the project received State Budget Committee approval, which came this summer.Pierce noted the delay cost the state significant savings when it failed to build the addition during the recession when construction companies, desperate for work, were bidding projects at 25- to 30-percent below previous bids and interest rates were at all-time lows.“They passed up an opportunity to get a bargain from construction companies,” Pierce said.The addition to the current building will allow for more classrooms, science labs, open computer labs, an auditorium, a wellness center, faculty offices, a student gathering area and additional support space. The expansion will help Ivy Tech satisfy the needs of increased enrollment as well as the growth of its programs.— Samantha Felix
(06/30/13 10:18pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Indiana Department of Education announced preliminary damages it will seek from CTB McGraw-Hill related to ISTEP+ interruptions experienced by schools throughout the state this spring.The preliminary damages amount sought will be no less than $613,600 and could reasonably go into the millions for the two days of interruptions related to computer glitches. These amounts are not final. They are subject to grow as results are reviewed by a third party and additional information is gained.That amount includes $400,000 in liquidated damages that would be provided for as stated in the contract between the Department of Education and CTB.It also includes $53,600 that the Department will spend to have a third party conduct an analysis of the scores of the students that had their testing sessions interrupted and at least $160,000 for other related costs.In addition to the preliminary damages, additional damages may be sought after further investigation. Those potential damages include, but are not limited to reimbursement to Indiana schools for additional costs incurred to administer ISTEP+ during the extended testing window as well as reimbursement to the Indiana Department of Education for additional costs incurred because of ISTEP+ testing interruptions.“I have worked close with the CTB throughout the ISTEP+ testing process,” Superintendent Glenda Ritz said in a press release. “The consequences of CTB’s server failures were real and significant for Indiana schools. As Superintendent, I will work to ensure that schools are made whole while continuing to negotiate with CTB in good faith.”— Samantha Felix
(06/23/13 9:50pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>During the school year, more than 1 million Indiana children receive the benefit of the National School Lunch Program, a federal program that provides children living in a low-income family free or reduced lunch.The United States Department of Agriculture’s Summer Food Service Program ensures that low-income children continue to receive nutritious meals even when school is not in session. “The Summer Food Service Program provides needed support in order for us to offer safe and nutritious meals during the summer months,” Agency Director for Catholic Charities in Terre Haute John C. Etling said in a press release. “Through this program we are able to supplement our children’s summer meals with much needed food items such as milk, vegetables and fresh fruit.” Feeding Indiana’s Hungry is the statewide association of Feeding America affiliated food banks. It has 11 member food banks that serve more than 1,700 agencies in all 92 counties, providing emergency food assistance to Hoosiers in need. This includes Bloomington’s own Hoosier Hills Food Bank. Julio Alonso, director of Hoosier Hills, said the food bank provides food to other non-profit agencies that have feeding programs, such as the Community Kitchen in Monroe County that directly serves children through their summer breakfast program.“It is possible that they are using a combination of food received from us, food received directly from their other donors and food they purchase specifically with the Department of Education funding in order to serve the children,” Alonso said in an email. The USDA program allows schools, parks and recreation departments and private non-profits, such as the YMCA and Boys and Girls Club, to provide meals and snacks in areas where 50 percent or more of children are eligible for free or school meals at a reduced price.These sites can also be located at low-income housing complexes, parks, churches and other places where children come together during the summer. Various community sites provide free meals and snacks to children younger than 18. For those cases, there are no enrollment requirements.Nationally, only one in seven children who receive free or reduced-price meals during the school year continue to receive meals during the summer months. “Feeding programs are vital to education,” Superintendent of Public Instruction Glenda Ritz said in a press release. “Hungry kids cannot learn or retain knowledge effectively.”
(06/05/13 9:09pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Starter pistols fired blanks June 4 inside Jackson Creek Middle School as announcements came over the intercom to signal a school lockdown as part of a mass shooting drill.Students and volunteers were ushered into classrooms by teachers and other officials where they were told to turn off the lights, lock the doors, and move to areas in the room where they would be less visible from the door. As they waited for instructions from police officers to exit the building, first responders and police officers roamed the hallways, securing all the classrooms while tending to the “injured.”Katie Cox, special education teacher and member of the Crisis Management Team at Jackson Creek Middle School, assisted in moving students and volunteers to the outside of the building where they would wait for transportation.The active shooter training was funded by the Readiness and Emergency Management for Schools grant given to the Monroe County School Corporation. Educators have very specialized roles during an active shooter event. This course reviews various active shooter incidents from schools throughout the country, the roles of school personnel, the duties of law enforcement, the RAIN acronym model for those with a “duty to protect’ and the ESCAPE model for those with no legal obligation, such as students and volunteers.John Matthews, author of “Mass Shootings: Six Steps to Survival” and highly-decorated 30-year law enforcement veteran, was invited to lead and develop with first responders the proper plan to demonstrate the mass shooting scenario. “The teachers have been trained in the RAIN model and students in the ESCAPE model,” he said. “We’ve practiced and now we are going to do all six steps.” During the drill, student groups were placed in three different locations around Jackson Creek, two inside the building and one outside. Nadia Sabry, a seventh grader at Jackson Creek, was outside of the building with other students simulating gym class. “We didn’t hear any gun shots or any announcements over the speaker,” Sabry said. “Other than police officers arriving, we wouldn’t have known anything was wrong.”John Carter, director of planning for the MCCSC, said there were only a few errors during the drill, one being a failure of the outside speakers to broadcast the lockdown announcement and the other being a radio malfunction that kept him from notifying transportation.After students exited the building on police officers’ command, buses were alerted to come and transport the students to Batchelor Middle School.“Something that people don’t realize, when dealing with a school scenario, is what to do with students afterwards,” Cox said. “That’s as important as anything else, maintaining safety and security of the students in the chaos that can ensue after a shoot scenario like this.”Once all the students and volunteers were transported to Batchelor, they began the unification process, where students reconnected with their parents or guardians. Three parents volunteered to be a part of this process. Elizabeth Gately, Sabry’s mother, was one of them.Gately said the parents were fully informed of what was going to happen with the drill so they knew what to expect. She also stated that some parents she talked to felt they could not participate in the drill because it was too emotional.“I had a lot of friends say they could not do it because it would upset them too much,” Gately said. “But unfortunately it’s a reality these days and we have to deal with it. As parents, we do need to educate our children on what to do, not just at school, but at any public place like the theater, the mall or the grocery store. We need to ask them ‘what would you do if something like this happened?’ and schools are a great place to start the education.”Upon arrival to Batchelor, students were placed in a safe area where no one could reach them until their parents arrived to pick them up. Once parents met with school officials, they had to fill out forms stating who their child was, what grade they were in, and what time the parent came to pick them up. Also, parents had to present a form of identification to verify that they were the student’s guardian or relative. Matthews instructed people that parents, grandparents, uncles and aunts would all show up to retrieve the students once they heard about the proposed shooting.“If there are 500 kids in a school, 1,500 people will show up at the designated location to pick up their child. This is a three-to-one ratio,” Matthews said. “Administration is responsible for knowing the exact time that the child was picked up and who they were released to.”He explained that a police officer would stand by to provide security because in high-pressure situations parents can become upset when their child isn’t immediately released to them.The drill took roughly an hour to complete, from the start of the announcements until the reunification of the children with their parents.After the drill, the students, first responders and MCCSC staff from around Monroe County met to discuss how the situation went.Carter said everything seemed to go well, despite the two minor errors and that everything was well-scripted to ensure that the drill was a success. Matthews explained that situations will always vary and that procedural changes can occur, but that’s not the important factor in these demonstrations. “The more important thing is everybody learned something," he said. "It’s beneficial from my perspective that everything went as we planned it, but truly it’s invaluable to the school that they practice drills like these that can save lives.”
(06/02/13 11:06pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Ivy Tech Community College is partaking in a national effort designed to address the dwindling number of skilled workers in the aviation industry, which is supposed to decline by 40 percent by 2014. Ivy Tech specifically its campuses in Indianapolis and Fort Wayne, is one of five colleges to receive the U.S. Department of Labor grant and will create a 12-16 week program to train workers in the aviation field.“Ivy Tech was selected by a national group to apply for the grant,” National Aviation Consortium Project Coordinator Christine Garrett said. “Each college prepared information for the grant application for programs to be provided at each school.”The National Aviation Consortium group has targeted 2,505 people to participate, with five colleges in the corsortium, they hope to average at least 501 per school.The U.S. aviation and aerospace industry is threatened with an impending shortage of skilled workers resulting in a lack of competitiveness in the field according to a National Aviation Consortium press release. The National Association of Manufacturers’ Manufacturing Institute estimates the aviation industry will lose nearly 40 percent of its employees by 2014. “Also, 82 percent of manufacturers say that they can’t find the skilled workers that they need,” Garrett said. “Nearly 60,000 jobs go unfilled said Jennifer McNelly, President of the Manufacturing Institute.” The Commission on the Future of the U.S. Aerospace Industry has recommended that the nation immediately work towards reversing the decline of workers, and that they promote the growth of a trained U.S. aviation and aerospace workforce. All these efforts are to avoid a threat to national security and U.S. capability as a world leader according to the press release.The National Aviation Consortium is a partnership designed to address the gap of skilled workers in aviation industry. With funding from the U.S. Department of Labor, NAC has partnered with community colleges in Kansas, Indiana, North Carolina, Oklahoma, and Washington. They chose these colleges in the hopes of providing manufacturers with well-trained, entry-level workers who can think critically and immediately enter the workplace. “The Manufacturing Institute reports that although 86 percent of respondents say that America’s manufacturing base is important or very important to their standards of living, only 33 percent of the same respondents say that they would encourage their children to go into manufacturing,” Garrett said.During the 12 to 16 week program, participating students will earn nationally portable, industry-driven certifications including the National Career Readiness Certification, the Manufacturing Skills Standard Council Certification, which is essentially a health, safety and quality certificate, and an aviation technical credential. “Everyone who completes the program will get a certificate in basic skills, basic blueprint reading, and other important manufacturing focal points,” Garrett said. “The participants will then go into the area of their speciality, which, initially at least, will consist of either sheet metal or electrical assembly.”The sheet metal assembly certificate will focus on learning how to use the tools associated with sheet metal. The students will have to complete a number of lab projects using rivets and guns and other specialized tools. “One of the key skills taught is how to precisely build a part based only upon blueprints,” Garrett said. “This will give our students the ability to work on sheet metal in either manufacturing or repair station settings.”The electrical assembly certificate will focus on learning how to use the tools associated with aviation electronics. They will learn the skills that will allow them to be effective in installing wiring for new aircraft or aircraft modifications.The goal of the program is for students to obtain employment working with aviation related businesses which can include airlines as well as Maintenance, Repair, and Overhaul (MROs), Fixed Based Operators (FBO), manufacturers providing products for aviation businesses.“Examples can be as sheet metal technicians or system technicians for employers rebuilding aircraft,” Garrett said. This program is working on providing careers for students participating in the program as well as bridging the gap in the aviation industry.Garrett said that the meetings regarding this program were very much supported by the community and that employers are excited about the program.“Employers are willing to assist in making it successful,” Garrett said.
(05/12/13 11:54pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>On May 7, Governor Mike Pence signed a bill allowing undocumented students who were already pursuing their college degrees to complete their education at the resident tuition rate. “Hoosiers believe in the rule of law and in compassion,” Pence said. “The legislation I signed today gives a handful of young women and men who have already enrolled in college the opportunity to finish what they started.”Senate Enrolled Act 207 will allow approximately 200-300 undocumented students who have enrolled in an Indiana state college or university prior to July 1, 2011 to pay in-state tuition rates. “Last year there was a change in the law that said if students were undocumented they had to pay out-of-state tuition rates,” said Christy Denault, communications director for Governor Pence.Under this law, those students are now exempt from provisions governing in-state tuition rates in Public Law 171-2011, passed during the legislative session in 2011. SEA 207 passed the Senate with a vote of 35-15 and the House with a vote of 70-30.“Indiana University opposed the original bill when it was enacted, but we support this one,” said Mark Land, assistant Vice President for University Communications. “Some schools saw a lot of students being forced to drop out because the old law nearly tripled their tuition rates.”For IU, Land said it was unclear exactly how many students stayed at the University after the first bill passed. The law also affected students’ abilities to receive scholarship money. In Fall 2011, the University had fewer than 1,000 undocumented students. “This is a basic issue of fairness and the University has made a good faith effort to ensure support for those wishing to finish their degrees,” Land said.Senators Jean Leising (R), Carlin Yoder (R) and Earline Rogers (D) authored the legislation. Frank Mrvan (D), Greg Taylor (D), John Broden (D) and Lonnie Randolph (D) co-authored it. Representatives Rebecca Kubacki (R) and Mara Candelaria-Reardon (D) co-sponsored the legislation.
(05/09/13 12:26am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>On Wednesday, May 8, Teresa Lubbers, Indiana Commissioner for Higher Education, recognized 26 Indiana counties for working to increase the percentage of Hoosiers with an education beyond high school. These counties, which promoted improving college access and success in higher education, are members of a statewide network called Indiana’s College Success Coalition.Monroe County was ranked number 15 out of the 26 total that were honored. “We are so proud of the many local leaders, from K-12, higher education, business, government and community organizations, who have come together to increase education opportunity and student success in Indiana,” Lubbers said. “Creating a culture of college access and success can only happen when the vision is shared by the entire community.” Through the Learn More Indiana outreach initiative, the Indiana Commission for Higher Education has supported the development of College Success Coalitions in 50 counties since 2010. Overall, the various counties recognized have recruited nearly 1,400 member organizations and implemented almost 2,000 targeted activities designed to increase college access and success across Indiana according to a press release from the Indiana Commission for High Education. The 26 counties honored at the Indiana Statehouse during the ceremony consisted of the first two allies of a growing statewide effort by local organizations focused on increasing college readiness as well as access and completion in a state currently ranked 40th nationally in education attainment. In order to earn the Indiana College Success County award, the various counties had “to create data-driven plans designed to increase the percentage of the region’s recent high school graduates and returning adults who earn postsecondary credentials,” according to the press release. Each of the 26 counties will receive a road sign proclaiming it an Indiana College Success County to be displayed on major roads entering the counties as recognition of their ongoing efforts.Nearly 20 Indiana counties will be inducted into the College Success Coalition each year on a competitive basis until all 92 counties across the state have a local coalition. The state will be accepting applications in the fall for local organizations interested in forming a county coalition for the 2013-14 school year. Allen was ranked number one, followed by Clark and Clinton counties. — Samantha Felix
(05/03/13 1:44am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Indiana students resumed Indiana Statewide Testing for Educational Progress (ISTEP) with limited interruption Wednesday after experiencing technical difficulties the past two days, according to a press release from the Indiana Department of Education.More than 400,000 tests were completed at the end of the day Wednesday, roughly 16 percent of total sessions completed. Superintendent, Glenda Ritz, said in a press release, “Our first goal is to ensure all students have an opportunity to complete testing.”Schools were asked by the IDOE to decrease their daily test load to 50 percent of normal levels until otherwise notified in order to prevent further interruptions. They were instructed to test one grade level at a time instead of two as originally planned or to utilize only half of the computers available to them.With ISTEP testing delayed two days in a row, the allotted time available for testing has been extended by three days to May 15. Many schools will have to make changes to schedules in order to complete all rounds of testing and further extensions may have to be implemented. Though the validity of the test results has been questioned by teachers and staff, CTB/McGraw-Hill reassured the IDOE that numerous measures have been taken to ensure accuracy. CTB/McGraw-Hill also stated in its press release Wednesday that students “will resume tests where they left off and no data has been lost.” CTB/McGraw-Hill determined that insufficient memory led to the technical problems that were being experienced on Monday. Again though, Indiana school districts were forced to suspend testing on Tuesday after experiencing server problems. ISTEP exams are a high-stakes test for Indiana schools’ accountability, as well as staff performance evaluation and compensation. “After testing is complete, the IDOE will be identifying any factors that may affect these areas and determine what action might be needed,” Superintendent Ritz said.The CTB/McGraw-Hill company said it is doing everything possible to correct the issues so that the remainder of the assessments can be administered without interruption.
(05/02/13 8:13pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Indiana students resumed Indiana Statewide Testing for Educational Progress (ISTEP) without interruption Wednesday after experiencing technical difficulties the past two days, according to a press release from the Indiana Department of Education. More than 400,000 tests were completed at the end of the day Wednesday and about 16 percent of total sessions completed. “Our first goal is to ensure all students have an opportunity to complete testing," said Glenda Ritz, superintendent of Public Instruction, in a press release. The IDOE asked schools to decrease their daily test load to 50 percent of normal levels until otherwise notified to prevent further interruptions. They were instructed to test one grade level at a time instead of two as originally planned or to use only half of the computers available to them.With ISTEP testing delayed two days in a row, the allotted time available for testing has been extended by three days to May 15. Many schools will have to make changes to schedules in order to complete all rounds of testing and more extensions may have to be implemented. Though the validity of the test results has been questioned by teachers and staff, CTB/McGraw-Hill reassured the IDOE that numerous measures have been taken to ensure accuracy. CTB/McGraw-Hill also stated in its press release Wednesday that students “will resume tests where they left off and no data has been lost.”CTB/McGraw-Hill determined that insufficient memory led to the technical problems on Monday. Again though, Indiana school districts were forced to suspend testing on Tuesday after experiencing server problems. ISTEP exams are a high-stakes test for Indiana schools’ accountability, as well as staff performance evaluation and compensation. “After testing is complete, the IDOE will be identifying any factors that may affect these areas and determine what action might be needed,” Ritz said.The CTB/McGraw-Hill company said it is doing everything possible to correct the issues so that the remainder of the assessments can be administered without interruption.
(05/01/13 1:46pm)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Indiana students will resume ISTEP testing today, according to a press release from the Indiana Department of Education. Many testing locations have been experiencing technical difficulties.“Based upon assurances made by CTB/McGraw-Hill,” the DOE decided Tuesday night to reopen ISTEP testing for Wednesday morning, but with some restrictions.The DOE is asking that schools decrease their daily test loadto 50 percent their normal levels until notified otherwise in order to prevent further interruptions.Tuesday marked the second day that Indiana schools districts had to postpone testing due to server crashes, after being forced to abandon plans on Monday to administer the ISTEP exam. Similar computer glitches were reported in Oklahoma on Tuesday, where CTB/McGraw-Hill is also the test service provider.This is the third straight year that Indiana has experienced computer problems when administering the ISTEP exam.— Samantha Felix
(04/29/13 4:27am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>A bill that would expand the existing voucher program, and become the nation’s largest voucher expansion, is moving to the desk of Gov. Mike Pence to be signed into law. Indiana House Bill 1003 received a 55-44 vote in the House following with 27-23 in the Senate at Friday’s legislative session. HB 1003 has been met with much contestation, not receiving the approval of Superintendent of Public Instruction Glenda Ritz. A rally was also organized at the Statehouse in March to express opposition to HB 1003, with various educators and legislators speaking out against expansion of the program. According to the bill, HB 1003 “specifies eligibility standards for choice scholarships and makes various administrative changes to the choice scholarship program.”The new bill allows students to be eligible to receive vouchers if they have a sibling who received a scholarship of at least $1,000 in the past. A child can receive money if they have special education needs and are enrolled in an individualized education program. Students who live within the district of certain low-performing schools can also receive vouchers. Students who meet this requirement are not required to attend the public school before receiving the scholarship. In each of the instances, the families must meet certain income requirements. The bill is authored by Rep. Robert Behning, R-Indianapolis, and Rep. Todd Huston, R-Fishers, and sponsored in the Senate by Senators Dennis Kruse, R-Auburn, Carlin Yoder, R-Middlebury, Jean Leising, R-Oldenburg, and Doug Eckerty, R-Yorktown. — Sydney Murray
(04/25/13 12:12am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>Senate Bill 409 has moved through the Legislature and will now go to the desk of Gov. Mike Pence. This bill would set forth the Commission on Education Legislative Study Committee to help evaluate teacher education schools, departments and programs. The bill is authored by Senators Jim Banks, R-Columbia City; Carlin Yoder, R-Middleburry; and Dennis Kruse, R-Auburn, co-authored by Sen. Earline Rogers, D-Gary, and sponsored in the house by Rep. Robert Behning, R-Indianapolis. Education programs will now be required to submit certain information to the committee such as completion rates of candidates and the types of teaching positions participants receive.The committee will also collect pass rates of candidates taking education licensing exams. The department will inspect education programs and work with them to ensure participants can achieve the highest professional standards. Dean Gerardo Gonzalez of the IU School of Education said he welcomes the new evaluation program. The School of Education, he said, is already collecting some of their own data, such as graduation and retention rates. “These are all things we generally do anyway,” he said. Gonzalez said he believes this new committee will help keep programs responsible to their students and to the Indiana education system as a whole. “We would welcome that kind of accountability,” he said. He said the School of Education has received positive feedback from graduates and employers. The 2011 and 2012 Indiana teachers of the year were both School of Education graduates. He said the collection of reliable data would help keep people from making incorrect assumptions about the state of education and, if done correctly, will help advance the way teachers are evaluated. “The data suggest we are doing a very good job,” he said. —Sydney Murray
(04/24/13 4:30am)
____simple_html_dom__voku__html_wrapper____>The Monroe County Community School Corporation Information Services team is working to increase the number of iPads at schools, as well as the amount of time students spend engaging with technology. IS officials presented updates and general information about the eCitizen curriculum that will be implemented this coming school year.Schools in the corporation currently have more than 6,500 computers, 4,500 iPads and 150 white boards. Terry Daugherty, coordinator for Instructional Technology, said the corporation is working to help students interpret their roles in a technological world. “We want to make sure they understand their responsibility,” he said. The IS team designated a website, help.mccsc.edu, to help teachers and other administrators with technology in classrooms. Each school building has its own technicians to troubleshoot problems. The Digital Learning Team was created last year to support teachers in the classroom. The team consists of five individuals, two involved with elementary schools, one with middle schools and two with high schools.The team is aiding teachers and students in utilizing instructional tools such as My Big Campus, Google Apps for Education, Google Drive, Splashtop Interactive Whiteboard and AirServer/AppleTV. Jason Taylor, director of IS, said the team is working to provide students the opportunity to bring their own electronic devices to school as well as “MCCSC-on-the-go,” which would enable students and staff to access MCCSC resources from any device.The corporation wants to implement the Digital Citizen Curriculum throughout the school year and work using feedback from schools. “eCitizen is a digital literacy and citizenship curriculum to help educators empower their students and their school communities to be safe, responsible, and savvy as they navigate with 21st century skills in this fast-paced digital world” was stated in the presentation. “It makes sense that we really start putting digital citizenship in place as a norm,” Daugherty said. There are four standards the team wants to achieve: digital citizenship, media literacy, cyber ethics and personal safety. Daugherty said each of these standards can be broken down to be more age-specific. Some of the board members expressed concerns and asked questions.Sue Wanzer expressed the problem that parents might think students are only spending time on computers and iPads. Daugherty said although technology will always be important in today’s world no-one is going to convince science teachers to give up test tubes. Board President Keith Klein asked how the corporation would be able to convince people of the need of technology in classrooms. Taylor said it is necessary to find employment keep employment, for no matter what profession one is in, they will interact with technology. Taylor was congratulated by the board for the progress his team has made during his two and a half years on the job.