I will begin this article with what could have been more tragic than it was concerning the school bus that was in an accident on Thursday (October 20) morning on its way to school. The school bus was on an East-West bound road with no stop signs while the North-South roads had stop signs.
A 61 year old male from Hospers was driving a semi that ran the stop sign. As the school bus entered the intersection, the bus struck the right side of the semi that caused both vehicles to partially enter the ditch northwest of the intersection.
I have included (in another article) what was posted by the MMCRU Royals page on Facebook and have given Credit to their page in the article.
Monday night was the MMC School Board meeting. I did not get a book ahead of time so when we arrived and found parking to be not much, we found out that there was a Volleyball Regional Tournament going on as well as Football on the field. We knew we were not meeting in the Commons Area as that was for Volleyball people to get food. We finally found we were to be in Mr. Wimmers’ room that was on the front of the book that I didn’t get until we were in his room! It was a rather quick meeting as we temporarily were without a Board Secretary (Chelsea Ruden will be the new one starting Oct. 24.)
Climate change has to have something to do with the weather. It was on October 18 that a town in Kentucky received 13.3 inches of snow in a day’s time! They were not ready for this!
I see where the Library is having a program on Thursday, Oct. 24. Wouldn’t you know it, this is the same time the MMCRU High School Chorus and Band Concert is. I cannot be two places at one time but would sure like to!
In area news, VIBE Academy, Sioux City’s new online school, ranks in the bottom 5% of schools in Iowa, according to a new state report. The Iowa School Performance Profile gives each school a rating based on factors that include standardized test scores, attendance, staff retention, expulsion and suspension rates.
Schools receive a score of up to 100 and are placed in one of six rating categories: exceptional, high performing, commendable, acceptable, needs improvement and priority. The average school score is 54.65.
VIBE Academy received a priority rating and a score of 33.41. With an enrollment of 490 K-12 students, the academy’s test scores showed below average English language and mathematics scores. VIBE’s math proficiency score was 28.66%, compared to the state average of 64.97%. The percentage of VIBE students proficient in language arts as 45.87%, compared to the state average of 70.84%.
The Virtual Institute for Brighter Education (VIBE), Sioux City’s virtual school, was approved by the Department of Education in February of 2021 during the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2021-2022 school year was the first full year of operation.
Many other virtual schools in Iowa ranked at the bottom 5%, including Cedar Rapids, Des Moines, Marshalltown, Mason City, Oelwein, Oskaloosa and Ottumwa. Sioux City superintendent did not specifically address VIBE’s ratings, but noted that nine of the district’s 20 schools need NO additional support. Most of the district’s schools fall into the acceptable and needs improvement categories. So—if your child was in VIBE and you found out how low it ranked according to other schools, would you find another school for your child? (I suppose parents are paying high tuition to get their kid in this school.) Parents have a right to find out how the school their child is going to ranks as far as other schools. If your child is not getting learning what he/she should be, maybe it is time to move the child. Don’t wait until it is too late.
I see where the Cherokee School Board approved a policy change that will allow teachers to carry firearms on school property. The Board voted 5-0 to amend a broad-based ban on firearms and other dangerous weapons. The new policy reads: “Weapons under the control of law enforcement officials and staff approved by an administrative team are exempt.” The previous policy only exempted law enforcement.
Supt. Kim Lingenfelter stated at the meeting that no one wants guns I school, but we want a killer less. There was a crowd of about 40 people that attended this meeting. Interested staff members must undergo “extensive training and screening with experts, who will determine if each individual is competent to carry and act in a crisis situation.”
Well, there is open enrollment for Medicare until Dec. 7. It was Dec. 7, 2021 that it was to end, but it has continued all year. Besides those ads, there are last minute people running for office trying to get your vote. I really think this election will be the muddiest one we have experienced. They don’t care how they run down their opponent. If they were a little kid, they would get their mouth washed out with soap!
I have received calls from Lu Verne, Iowa as well as from Eagle Grove just this last week in addition to several with “no listing”. I haven’t answered any of them. Friday I received a call from Columbus Junction. One of Leonard Juhl’s kids live there. I had someone check on the number given and found it was not a ‘Juhl’ number at all. I don’t know where they get all of our numbers and never leave a message.
I ran across an article by John Rosemond, family psychologist where he states you shouldn’t high-five a child. He states that the high-five is a gesture of familiarity, to be exchanged between equals. He, himself, will not slap the upraised palm of a person who is not his peer, and a peer is someone over age 21, emancipated, employed and paying their own way.
The high-five is NOT appropriate between doctor and patient, judge and defendant, employer and employee, parent and child, grandparent and grandchild. Respect for adults is important to a child’s character development, and the high-five is not compatible with respect. It is to be reserved for individuals of equal, or fairly equal, status. It is good for children to view responsible adults as people who exist in a higher plane. That “looking up” causes children to aspire to become adults, which seems to be in short supply these days. The child who is allowed to high-five an adult has tacit permission to talk to said adult as if they are peers. Do not wonder why, if you high-five your child, he often talks to you, as if you are his equal. (By the way, a child does not ever think of an adult as an equal. He either thinks the adult is his superior or his subordinate. In a child’s mind, there is no middle ground.)
He goes on to say—Boundaries in relationships are essential to their proper functioning. Children should not call their parents (or any other adults) by their first names. They should not sleep with their parents. They should not have free access to their parents’ money (yes, I am saying children should NOT have credit cards). They should not be allowed to view certain movies their parents view. That’s the short list.
Children should know their place as well as adults should know their place. Why should a child obey an adult who high-fives him? And make no mistake, the happiest kids are also the most obedient. The research says so, as does one’s common sense. He signs off—Sincerely, the Grinch.
So the next time you are ready to high-five a child, think of the aforementioned!
Remember in your thoughts and prayers those who have lost loved ones to death, have had their lives changed, are experiencing health problems with some being terminal, are trying to make ends meet even though they have a job, encourage those who are jobless to find a job, be with those who are still trying to shorten the distance between friends/family by building a bridge instead of a wall.
I will leave you with this quote from Blaise Pascal (1623-1662) French philosopher: “Kind words do not cost much. Yet they accomplish much.”