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Iowa Braille and Sight Saving School Superintendent Patrick Clancy said it’s fair and expected that state legislators would look for efficiencies at the school during tough budget times. But the idea of closing the residential program at school’s Vinton campus is something Clancy doesn’t see happening in the near future, though he concedes that the residential aspect may “not be doable long term.” Clancy, also administrator of the Statewide System for Vision Services, said Braille school officials and vision system leaders are ...

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This time of year, it’s great to be a student in the Cedar Rapids school district. Cedar Rapids students take the whole week off for Thanksgiving break. Thanksgiving break for students from College Community, Iowa City, Linn-Mar and Marion begins Wednesday, although Marion students have an early recess time on Tuesday. “It is very typical that the Cedar Rapids school district has a full week off for Thanksgiving,” said Laurel Day, the district’s assistant to the superintendent and calendar committee chairwoman. Winter break tells ...

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The Iowa Braille and Sight Saving School in Vinton has nine students and costs the state more than $3 million dollars a year. “I think we’re going to have to look at that,” state Sen. Rob Hogg, D-Cedar Rapids, said last night at a City PTA Council state legislative forum. The school was home to 12 students last year. Shrinking on-campus enrollment is part of the transition to a statewide system for vision services. “We urged them to kind of recreate what they ...

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Anyone attending tonight's legislative forum hoping for good news left disappointed. School districts already coping with a 10 percent loss in state funding will face more cuts. “Education spending and human services make up approximately 75 to 80 percent of the state’s budget,” said Rep. Tyler Olson, D-Cedar Rapids. “Because those two areas make up such a large chunk, there’s going to have to be cuts.” The annual forum, sponsored by the Cedar Rapids City PTA, was attended by state Reps. Todd ...

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Iowa's three regent universities might do well to boost recruiting efforts in California. The University of California Board of Regents today approved a plan to raise undergraduate fees — the equivalent of tuition — 32 percent by next fall, to help make up for steep cuts in state funding, according to an article in the New York Times. The state allocation for California's 10-campus system was cut $813 million, or 20 percent, this year, leading to a hiring freeze, furloughs ...

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Iowa educators should expect scaled-back budgets for the foreseeable future with little hope of increased tax revenue, Gov. Chet Culver said Thursday. Speaking at the annual convention of the Iowa Association of School Boards, Culver said he would push lawmakers to approve a law forcing local school districts to dip into cash reserves before seeking more in property taxes. "I want to do all I can to avoid a tax increase on hard-working Iowans," Culver said at the convention. Culver has ordered a ...

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When my daughter stayed home from school last month because of flu-like symptoms, the first thing she said was "There goes my perfect attendance." This year's threat from H1N1 has caused a lot of people to re-think going anywhere sick. If you don't feel well and have a slight fever, no one wants you around. Has this caused schools to re-think their traditional year-end perfect attendance awards? If you know of a school that rewards students for perfect attendance, e-mail me at ...

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Jeanne Simmons has been a school crossing guard for more than 20 years, but yesterday was the first time she’s had formal training. “It’s nice to see that people take it seriously,” said Simmons, a crossing guard for the Linn-Mar school district. The Iowa Bicycle Coalition’s Safe Routes to Schools program launched its free training program for Iowa school crossing guards Tuesday. The program is designed to increase safety for students and crossing guards, and to bring increased awareness to drivers. “Our situation ...

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Iowans for Tax Relief, a Muscatine-based lobbying organization, says Iowa should combine its regent universities under one administrative umbrella. Iowa could follow Wisconsin's state university system model in creating a new Iowa University System, Iowans for Tax Relief President Ed Failor Jr. said today.  It's not a suggestion to close the University of Iowa, Iowa State University or the University of Northern Iowa, he said, but rather to combine the administrative systems of the three so they operate under one administrative ...

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The struggling economy may have a silver lining for Iowa: Slowing the brain drain of Iowa’s colleges and universities. While the numbers for the 2008-09 school year haven’t been fully compiled, career services offices at the three state universities see no evidence that the recession has worsened the state’s perennial brain drain and mounting evidence that the leak is slowing. “This certainly isn’t driving graduates out of state,” said Mark Peterson, director of career services at the Iowa State University Business Graduate ...

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While wearing a shirt that reads “still here,” 74-year-old Jo Conroy spoke to four UI students about what matters in life. As part of a semester long project for a UI aging and leisure study course, she is among a group of around 25 senior citizens were partnered up with around the same amount of UI students to teach them personal experiences and tips about successful aging. “It’s a wonderful exchange,” said UI Instructor David Gould, who said the project is about ...

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Sixth Judicial District Judge Douglas Russell said Friday he will issue a written ruling as soon as possible on a motion to dismiss a wrongful termination lawsuit by fired University of Iowa vice president Phillip Jones. Russell heard arguments from both sides Friday in Johnson County District Court. Jones, former dean of students and vice president for student services, charges he was wrongfully fired and the UI did not follow due process and that UI President Sally Mason made false and defamatory ...

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He shuffles into the health clinic, a note clutched in his hand. “Doesn’t feel well,” it reads. Diane Rehak takes the note and the student’s temperature. It’s slightly higher than 100 degrees. Time to call Mom or Dad; he’s going home. “Sometimes you just know when they aren’t well. You don’t even need to take their temperature,” said Rehak, school nurse for Grant Wood, Harrison and Viola Gibson elementary schools. From playground accidents to upset stomachs, Rehak’s goal is to keep students healthy — ...

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A survey of high school students suggests bullying and harassment of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender students remains common in Iowa schools. The survey of 203 students by the Iowa Pride Network was the first completed since the Iowa Legislature passed the Safe Schools Law in 2007. The law requires schools to have anti-bullying and anti-harassment policies in place to protect all students, including those who are gay. Ryan Roemerman, executive director of the Iowa Pride Network, said Wednesday that while harassment ...

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A second animal rights and green activist from Minnesota has been called to testify before a grand jury in Davenport, Iowa, according to a group support blog for the two. Scott DeMuth has been subpoenaed to the federal grand jury in Davenport for Nov. 17. DeMuth said on the blog at www.davenportgrandjury.wordpress.com/ that he plans to resist the grand jury and refuse to testify. He was subpoened on Nov. 9 while leaving his house in Minneapolis. DeMuth and a previously subpoened activist, ...

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New boundaries in the Iowa City school district should more evenly distribute low-income students than the current boundaries do, the school board decided last night. Student demographics were one of four priorities the board set for a committee that will develop boundary proposals. The others were: consideration of operational costs, maintaining neighborhood schools and consideration of enrollment projections/using buildings efficiently. The priorities now go to a committee of about 30 people that will work with consultant RSP and Associates on redrawing boundaries, ...

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Linn County Public Health officials are investigating the death of a 21-year-old Cedar Rapids man on Monday as a probable case of bacterial meningitis. Director Curtis Dickson said reports had not confirmed meningitis, “but we’re fairly certain that’s the situation.” Ten people in close contact with the man have been reached and were being given preventive antibiotic treatment, he said. Meningitis, an infection of the fluid in the spinal cord and fluid that surrounds the brain, can be caused by a viral or ...

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(AP) — Des Moines police say two men have been cited for hazing in connection with the hospitalization of a Drake University student because of alcohol poisoning. In a statement Tuesday, police Sgt. Lori Lavorato says 20-year-old Skylar Otto and 19-year-old Joseph Hatchett will be charged and released on their own recognizance. A Phi Delta Theta member identified by Des Moines police as 19-year-old Nathan Cody Erickson was hospitalized Sunday with a blood-alcohol content of nearly .50. He was later released. The Phi ...

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The Cedar Rapids school district’s support and administrative service facilities will have a new address. Board members on Monday unanimously approved Superintendent Dave Benson’s recommendation to build new facilities to replace those damaged by the June 2008 flood. The facilities will be built at 2933 Ellis Rd. NW, next to the district’s transportation center. The district bought the land in April for $145,000. Last night’s decision came after months of discussion and open houses to gather public input on the process. No one ...

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Two of the four finalists to become the University of Iowa's new vice president for strategic communications have been announced. The finalists are visiting campus this week, with one-day visits through Thursday. The first two finalists to visit are Sandra Conn, chief creative officer and vice president for external affairs at the University of Alberta, and Paul Allvin, associate vice president for communications at the University of Arizona. UI President Sally Mason is adding the new vice president to her ...

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A South East Junior High student was taken to the Linn County Juvenile Detention Center Friday after allegedly lighting a girl’s hair on fire. Charles Riley, 13, walked behind a girl and lit her hair on fire with a lighter, but then put out the fire, Iowa City Police Sgt. Troy Kelsay said. The girl was not injured, he said. Riley was charged with reckless use of fire and assault to inflict serious injury. Principal Deb Wretman said the school is following school procedure ...

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Cedar Rapids School Superintendent Dave Benson will recommend at tonight’s school board meeting that the Cedar Rapids school district build new support service facilities to replace those damaged in the flood. If approved, the facility would be built on land the district owns at 2933 Ellis Rd. NW, adjacent to the district’s transportation center. A petition to rezone the land from single-family residence to public zone district was filed Oct. 26 with the city. Five district buildings were damaged in the June ...

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CEDAR RAPIDS — A program to reduce energy use in Iowa’s schools that was introduced last April in Cedar Rapids still hasn’t been adopted by a single school because of budgetary concerns. Schools for Energy Efficiency has reaped annual energy savings averaging 13 percent at Minnesota public schools that pioneered it. But the program requires an upfront investment of $5,000 per building, plus the expense of hiring or designating someone with expertise to oversee the program at the district level. Unlike many ...

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IOWA CITY (AP) — Two legislators are criticizing University of Iowa officials over plans to spent $130,000 to send 35 hospital workers to Orlando, Fla., for several days of training offered at a center connected with Disney World. Reps. Jeff Kaufmann and Pat Grassley question spending money on the trip and training at a time when the University of Iowa Hospitals and Clinics are dealing with severe budget problems. Gordon Williams, the university health care’s chief of operations, says plans call for ...

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Home-schooled children who want an Iowa City school district diploma would have to attend a district school full time their junior and senior years under a proposal before the school board. The new policy is intended to stop the “growing problem” of home-schooled students enrolling in the district during the final trimester of their senior years in order to get a district diploma, Superintendent Lane Plugge said. Graduating from the school district should mean a student has gone through the district’s educational ...

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