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Features
School-Home Links launched in four Lincoln elementary schools [OCT. 8, 2001] Four Lincoln elementary schools are among 170 Illinois schools now benefiting from a new reading tool recently launched by Gov. George Ryan.
Kindergarten through third-grade students at Chester-East Lincoln, Jefferson, Washington-Monroe and Northwest Elementary schools are now bringing School-Home Links home to complete with their parents. All four schools are using the links as part of Solid Foundation, a comprehensive kindergarten through fifth-grade program developed and administered by the Lincoln-based Illinois Family Education Center. Teachers can assign the grade-appropriate School-Home Link as often as three times a week. Both parents and children are asked to work together to complete the reading activities, which will be kept by the teacher in the student’s portfolio. "With School-Home Links, we can be sure that what is taught in the classroom is being reinforced at home," Gov. Ryan said. "These activities will help children make learning a part of their lives, both in and outside of the classroom." The School-Home Links were originally developed by Boston-area elementary schools in cooperation with the Boston Annenberg Challenge and the U.S. Department of Education. The Department of Education then asked the Illinois Family Education Center to field-test the links in 32 East St. Louis schools during the 1999-2000 school year. [to top of second column in this article]	"The School-Home Links provide regular communication between teachers and parents about what a child is learning, prompt parent-child interaction at home, and extend learning time to build children’s reading skills," says IFEC Executive Director Sam Redding. IFEC is delivering School-Home Links to Illinois schools in a boxed form that eliminates the need for teachers to make copies. Illinois is the only state to use this system. The School-Home Links represent an integral part of IFEC’s Solid Foundation program, which assists 170 Illinois schools in engaging parents to encourage their child to build strong reading skills, consistent study habits, and to develop a sense of respect and responsibility for self and others. The Illinois Family Education Center is the parent information and resource center for the state of Illinois. IFEC is supported by the Illinois State Board of Education, U.S. Department of Education and the governor’s office. In addition to its Lincoln headquarters, IFEC also maintains regional offices in East St. Louis, Chicago Heights, Galesburg, Charleston, Vienna, Des Plaines and Rockford. [IFEC news release]

LCHS homecoming royalty announced [OCT. 5, 2001]
Rachel Slayton, homecoming queen Jared Brown, homecoming king Callie Davison, senior attendant Adam Schonauer, senior escort Kari McFadden, junior attendant Ty Sank, junior escort Lindsay Dirks, sophomore attendant Brad Reinhart, sophomore escort Lauren Perring, freshman attendant George Vanos, freshman escort

ISAT test scores go up in District 27 [SEPT. 20, 2001] The 2001 ISAT test scores brought encouraging news to Lincoln Elementary District 27 schools recently, and especially to Jefferson and Northwest.
Students at all schools have improved in almost every area of the Illinois Standards Assessment Tests, and those in Jefferson and Northwest have improved "significantly," according to Superintendent Robert Kidd. This means that Jefferson and Northwest are no longer in danger of being placed on the Academic Early Warning List. Test scores are divided into four categories: exceeds expectations, meets expectations, below standards and academic warning. If 50 percent or more of the students in a school are on the below-expectations and warning lists for two years running, a school is placed on the State Board of Education’s Academic Early Warning List. In 2000, more than 50 percent of Jefferson and Northwest students were on the below-expectations warning list. However, the Illinois State Board of Education had recently changed from the Illinois Goal Assessment Program to the new ISAT test, and it takes some time for both teachers and students to learn what is required for success on the new test, Kidd said. Also, for state assessment purposes, special education students’ scores are averaged into the scores of all students. A small school with a number of special education students may thus have test results skewed toward the lower end of the scale. Both Jefferson, a small school, and Northwest have special education students, Kidd said. For the 2001 school year, averaging in all special education students, Jefferson had 54.7 percent of its students that met or exceeded standards, and Northwest had 57.3 percent. Central had 60.5 percent; Washington-Monroe had 75.6 percent; and Lincoln Junior High had 58.1 percent. The district total for meeting or exceeding expectations, counting special education students, was 61.7 percent. Tabulating scores without adding in scores of special education students brings totals significantly higher. With this scoring, at Jefferson, 68.3 percent met or exceeded expectations, and at Northwest 66.9 percent met or exceeded expectations. At Central, 71.4 percent met or exceeded, at Washington-Monroe 77.7 percent, and at Lincoln Junior High 65.1 percent. District totals for all non-special education students meeting or exceeding expectations was 69.4 percent. Each year third-grade students take tests in reading, math and writing. Fourth-graders are tested in science and social science. Fifth-graders are again tested in reading, math and writing, and seventh-graders are tested again in science and social science. In eighth grade, students are tested once more in reading, math and writing. Kidd said that even though the state is raising the standards students have to meet, overall scores in District 27 show improvement. Comparing the 2001 scores to the 2000 scores, third-graders improved in all areas, most significantly in writing. The year 2000 was the first year for new scoring on the writing test. In science, fourth-graders also improved significantly, Kidd said. It was the second year the science test was given, so teachers and students knew better how it was organized. The district had also changed the science curriculum by 2001. Fifth-graders showed improvement in all three test areas. The highlight was that 84 percent of students not in special education met or exceeded goals for reading. [to top of second column in this article]	An area of disappointment this year was seventh grade, where scores for science and social science both dropped, he said. Eighth-graders not in special education increased math scores significantly, from 49 percent in 2000 to 62 percent meeting or exceeding expectations in 2001, while 72 percent met or exceeded reading standards and 77 percent met or exceeded writing standards. "I am happy with the improvements in the scores. We should be proud of what was accomplished," Kidd said. "Although the board and the administration can be cheerleaders, it was the teachers and the students who did all the work." Kidd also reported that the district will receive a Closing the Gap technology grant of a little less than $56,000 from the Illinois State Board of Education. The district must match that with a little less than $21,000, but the district had already planned to spend that amount on technology, he said. The grant will help get Adams and Jefferson schools connected to the Internet, giving all district schools Internet access, according to Kidd. However, he added, it will then be time to consider upgrading computers in schools already online. Kidd also reported a drop in enrollment this year, from 1,241 students in 2000 to 1,188 this year. The biggest drop is in kindergarten enrollment, which dropped from 141 in 2000-2001 to 114 for 2001-2002. However, there is an increase in the number of special education students, from 90 last year to 111 this year. The board passed the fiscal year 2002 budget of $10,442,826. The district will end the year in the black by $245,178, Kidd said. The bad news, however, is the low rates of interest on CDs and other district investments, generally under 4 percent. Architect Dave Leonatti and Bill Ahal of the construction management firm of S.M. Wilson gave the board a brief update on plans for the new Central School. Leonatti said a computer virus had kept him from printing off detailed copies of documents for the meeting. He said he is "a little behind," but he still intends to have bid documents ready by the October board meeting. Both Leonatti and Ahal said the slowdown in the economy caused by the World Trade Center disaster and other factors will not hurt the Central building project. In fact, they believe contractors will be eager to have work, and costs of supplies might also be down. Ahal said he was getting about six calls a week from contractors interested in bidding on the project, and Leonatti said he also has a portfolio of interested contractors. Leonatti, whose firm is also the architect for the Lincoln College building project, said bids will be let for the Central School construction before they are ready for the college’s new Lincoln Center, which will include athletic facilities, new quarters for the Lincoln College museum and administration offices. [Joan Crabb]

Honors & Awards
H-E grads are awarded Behrends Scholarship at LC [SEPT. 28, 2001] Nitashia Brown, Jean Cross, Beth Guy, Amber Eyrse, Larry Jones Jr. and Jim Sherwood are this year’s recipients of the Anna K. and Bernard E. Behrends Scholarship at Lincoln College in Lincoln. All are freshman and graduates of Hartsburg-Emden High School.
Nitashia, the daughter of Patricia Brown of Hartsburg, is studying veterinary medicine. Jean, daughter of Barbara Cross of Emden, is studying elementary education. Beth, daughter of Tom Guy of Hartsburg, is active with the LC volleyball team and is studying fashion merchandising. [to top of second column in this article]	Amber, daughter of Sandra Eyrse of Hartsburg, is studying law enforcement. Larry, son of Susan Jones of Hartsburg, is studying theatre. Jim (picture unavailable), son of Connie and Jeff Sherwood of Hartsburg, is studying physical education. The Anna K. and Bernard E. Behrends Scholarship is awarded to students who have graduated with good academic standing from surrounding county high schools. [News release]

Announcements
Notice to participants in the current GED program [SEPT. 21, 2001] You are urged to pass all five sections of the present GED exam by Dec. 31. In January 2002, a new GED test will be given and it will be necessary to start over from the beginning. Make your plans now to finish all five sections and get your GED. For orientation dates and registration information, call Heartland Community College, 735-1731.

Menus
Lincoln District 27 schools Mount Pulaski Grade School

Lincoln District 27 schools
Breakfasts (Milk served with all meals) Monday, Oct. 22 — Cereal, cinnamon toast, juice Tuesday, Oct. 23 — Silver dollar pancakes with syrup, sausage patty, fruit Wednesday, Oct. 24 — Cereal, graham crackers, juice Thursday, Oct. 25 — Trix yogurt, peanut butter and jelly sandwich, banana Friday, Oct. 26 — Cereal, toast with apple butter, juice Monday, Oct. 29 — Cereal, pop tart, juice Tuesday, Oct. 30 — Iced pastry or fruit pie, fruit or toast Wednesday, Oct. 31 — Cereal, toast with jelly, juice Thursday, Nov. 1 — Oatmeal, fruit Friday, Nov. 2 — Cereal, cinnamon toast, juice [to top of second column in this section]	Lunches (Milk served with all meals) Monday, Oct. 22 — Hamburger on bun with cheese, pork and beans, carrot sticks, applesauce Tuesday, Oct. 23 — Spaghetti with meat sauce, lettuce salad, garlic toast, peaches Wednesday, Oct. 24 — Nacho cheese sticks with sauce, green beans, jello, pears Thursday, Oct. 25 — Shrimp shapes with sauce, mashed potatoes, bread and butter, corn Friday, Oct. 26 — Chili with crackers, peanut butter sandwich, fruit cocktail, pumpkin bars Monday, Oct. 29 — Hot dog on bun, french fries, rice krispy treat, green beans Tuesday, Oct. 30 — Salisbury steak, broccoli and cauliflower with cheese sauce, bread and butter, fruit cocktail Wednesday, Oct. 31 — Sausage pizza, corn, pudding, pears Thursday, Nov. 1 — Barbecued chicken on bun, hash brown, celery with peanut butter, applesauce Friday, Nov. 2 — Turkey roast, mashed potatoes, bread and butter, peaches

Mount Pulaski Grade School
October lunch menu Milk and condiments are served with all meals. Monday, Oct. 22 — Hamburger, bun, cheese, pickle, tri tators, applesauce, vanilla wafer Tuesday, Oct. 23 — Ham, mixed vegetables, 5 cup salad, fruit-nut trail mix, bread, oleo Wednesday, Oct. 24 — Chicken legs, corn, banana, jello, bread, oleo Thursday, Oct. 25 — Hot dog, bun, tri tators, green beans, pears, cake Friday, Oct. 26 — Cheese pizza, lettuce salad, peas, pumpkin bars, ice cream [to top of second column in this section]	Monday, Oct. 29 — Meatballs, pasta salad, corn, apple, bread, oleo Tuesday, Oct. 30 — Spaghetti, meat sauce, lettuce, green beans, peaches, bread, oleo Wednesday, Oct. 31 — Early out, 11:24 Students in grades three through eight may choose hot dog and bun or peanut butter and jelly sandwich in place of main entree. Students in grades six, seven and eight may choose salad bar in place of main menu.
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