Hinton Schools Incorporate Hybrid Learning System
(Hinton) — More and more schools across the state are encountering a high rate of absenteeism which has prompted some schools to convert to a hybrid learning, or even an on-line education system. Hinton Community Schools as of last Friday has switched from having all students attend in-person classes
to now a hybrid system. Hinton Community School Interim Superintendent, Kathy Rhodes explains.
Rhodes wouldn’t comment on the rate or percentage of students that have been absent from the Hinton school district. She would only say Hinton school saw a sudden spike in the absenteeism numbers, which lead to the decision for the hybrid learning system. Rhodes explains how the hybrid education system will
operate.
Rhodes says the faculty at Hinton schools have planned for such scenarios, and should be able to keep both separated groups together for their education learning process. She says they don’t anticipate any long-term effects of the system, and emphasized this would only be a temporary process until the
absenteeism rate drops. The interim superintendent was asked about students that may not have access to the internet at home, as to how would they complete the on-line lessons?
As for extra curricular activities such as sports, arts, and music, Rhodes says they haven’t had any interruptions as of yet.
Rhodes says they hope to return to all students attending in-person classes as soon as possible, noting when the student absenteeism rate drops, they will resume the in-person classes. If the rate continues to climb, Rhodes says Hinton School will appeal to the Iowa Department of Education for on-line remote learning.
MMCRU To Start A Hybrid Learning System
(Marcus) — In a facebook posting, the MMC-RU school district has announced it too will be implementing a hybrid learning plan due to the COVID-19 exposure. MMC-RU will hold regular in-person classes today, Wednesday, with the hybrid system beginning on Thursday, September 3rd.
Le Mars Community Announces Having Two Students With COVID
(Le Mars) — Le Mars Community School Superintendent Dr. Steven Webner says after the first week of school, things are proceeding the way they had expected.
Webner says there are two students identified as being infected with the COVID-19 virus.
Webner says when a student is positive with COVID-19, the school has to perform what is known as contact tracing to determine if the infected student has been within six feet for 15 minutes or more with other students, faculty, or staff. He says there are some students that have been placed in quarantine.
Webner says having the two positive cases doesn’t yet warrant going to remote, or on-line learning models. He says school officials will continue to monitor the situation.
The Le Mars Community School Superintendent says students, faculty, staff and administrators will continue wearing face coverings or masks.
Le Mars Community To Limit Number Of Spectators At Football Game
(Le Mars) — Le Mars Community School has issued a statement regarding the upcoming game scheduled for Friday against Sioux City East. In order to limit COVID-19 exposure among fans and Le Mars students, Le Mars Community Schools will be limiting spectators for this Friday’s varsity football game vs. Sioux City East. Each school’s players, coaches, and cheerleaders will submit four names with a max of four names per family. Names will be placed on a pass list. The list allows you into the game with an activity pass or $5. Sioux City fans will need to enter the Northwest Gate (nearest to the scoreboard). Le Mars fans will need to enter the Northeast Gate. Masks are required for all spectators at all times. The purpose of required masks and limited spectators is to decrease the amount of infection and exposure that is affecting our students and community. Keeping our students in school and participating in activities is our goal. Please help us meet this goal. We ask that people please not congregate outside the fencing areas as well.
Orange City Asking Residents And Businesses To Limit Water Usage
(Orange City) — Due to the dry conditions, along with last week’s hot temperatures, the people in Orange City have been asked to cut down on their water usage, especially when it comes to irrigating their lawns. Earl Woudsta serves as the city administrator for Orange City, and says the request went out last week for people to voluntarily reduce their water usage
especially during the peak hours.
Woudstra says the city has noticed a reduction in water usage since the community request was made.
The Orange City Administrator says the voluntary reduction does not yet apply to the usage of car washes.
Woudstra anticipates that after Labor Day, temperatures may be cooler and the need for watering lawns may go down, and the voluntary reduction can be lifted.
Crops Reaching Maturity Earlier Due In Part To Dry Conditions
(Le Mars) — Dry conditions may advance the starting date for this year’s harvest, and according to one agronomist farmers may see a wide range of yields even within the same field. Joel DeJong serves as the crops specialist for northwest Iowa through the Iowa State University Extension and Outreach program. He says there are several area soybean and corn fields
that have begun turning color, and showing signs of drying.
He says area corn fields are showing similar signs of early maturity.
DeJong says much of the area’s silage has already been harvested which was earlier than for normal years. The I-S-U Extension crops specialist says rainfall amounts during this growing season were spotty and inconsistent.
DeJong says He says he never had a good rain at his home in Le Mars.
DeJong says the rains varied across the county from some locations getting an average rainfall to other parts way below average.
The Iowa State University crops specialist says the only saving grace to this year’s yield is that we began the season with adequate amounts of subsoil moisture. However, he says corn roots have gone down seven to ten feet below the surface to find moisture. He says next year could be even worse than
this year, if we don’t get plenty of rains during the autumn.
Ten More Counties Approved For Individual Assistance From FEMA
(Washington, DC) — Ten more Iowa counties hit by last month’s derecho have been approved for individual assistance from the Federal Emergency Management Agency. Renters, homeowners, and businesses in Benton, Boone, Cedar, Jasper,
Marshall, Polk, Poweshiek, Scott, Story, and Tama Counties counties can now apply for federal help in covering housing expenses, personal property losses, and medical bills. Linn County was previously approved for individual assistance. The original request from Governor Kim Reynolds asked for federal
individual assistance for residents in 27 counties overall. A statement from the governor’s office says the assessments in those counties indicated the level of destruction from the derecho was not significant enough to meet FEMA’s thresholds.
Woodbury County Won’t Appeal Ballot Ruling
(Sioux City, IA) — The Woodbury County Board of Supervisors will not appeal a judge’s ruling that nullified absentee ballot request forms mailed County Auditor Pat Gill. The forms Gill sent included voter I-D numbers. A judge ruled in favor of the Republican Party and President Donald Trump’s campaign
after they argued the ballots violated a state order that all forms mailed by county auditors had to be blank. Woodbury County Supervisor Justin Wright said Gill should have discussed the mailing with the supervisors before the forms were sent. Wright said he’ll oppose using taxpayer money to finance another mailing of absentee ballot request forms to Woodbury County voters.
Marty Pottebaum was the only Woodbury County Supervisor who voted to appeal the judge’s ruling.
Creighton University Economic Survey Shows Iowa Improvement
(Undated) — Creighton University’s August survey of supply managers and business leaders across the nine-state midwest region finds the financial situation slowly improving. Creighton economist Ernie Goss says the survey’s Business Conditions Index, a leading economic indicator for the region, climbed on the zero-to-100 scale, where 50 is growth neutral. He says it
was at its highest level in two years at 60 — up from July’s 57-point-four. Iowa’s Business Conditions Index continued inching above growth neutral for the month. The reading climbed to 56-point-four in August from 50-point-9 in July. Goss says the survey found manufacturing is steadily picking up, but still hasn’t fully recovered from the downturn caused by the coronavirus pandemic.
Iowa Among Schools That Voting Against Big Ten Football Shutdown
(Lincoln, NE) — The lawsuit filed this week in a Nebraska court argues that Big Ten Conference football players are losing a chance for development with the delay of the 2020 season. Eight Cornhusker players are asking a Lancaster County District judge to reinstate the season. The court filing has revealed the vote to put it out was 11-to-three. An anonymous insider tells the Associated Press that Iowa, Nebraska, and Ohio State voted against postponing the fall season. The players who are suing argue the conference’s decision-making process with “flawed and ambiguous.”
