The
IOLA REGISTER Wednesday, August 14, 2013
Locally owned since 1867
Teachers experience poverty firsthand
CROSS COUNTRY ACC plans scrimmage, party See B1
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County Commission
Budget up $2.4 million By BOB JOHNSON bob@iolaregister.com
Register/Kayla Banzet
Pam Riebel, IMS science teacher, center, plays the role of a truant seven-year-old now in the hands of police officer David Shelby, left, and Selina Wallace and Gena Clounch of interfaith services.
Walking in their shoes By KAYLA BANZET kayla@iolaregister.com
Families affected by poverty face many daily challenges. With limited funds they must prioritize life decisions. Should they purchase school supplies for their children or pay the water bill? Should they miss a day of work to stay home with a sick child or pay for childcare? Iola Middle School teachers took a walk in their shoes Tuesday afternoon by being placed in similar scenarios. Jack Stanley, IMS principal, and Sean Ozbun of the Southeast Kansas Community Action Program (SEKCAP), provided a poverty simulation for teachers. Stanley said poverty is an issue within the community and school system. The 2013 poverty level for a family of four in the U.S. is $23,550, according to the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services. In Allen County, 15.4 percent of individuals live below the federal poverty standards. “I wanted to bring an understanding of what people of poverty go through,” Stanley said. “The southeast Kansas area is really affected by it.” He heard about the simulation from other schools in the area and proceeded to reach out to Ozbun. “We have done simulations at Coffeyville High School, Coffeyville Community College, Pittsburg State, Neodesha Elementary and we will do one in Fort Scott later this
Allen County’s expenditures in 2014 are forecast at just a touch over $14 million, or about $2.4 million more than this year’s $11.6 million. Specific things have caused net expenditures to rise. Financial considerations for maintenance of Allen County Hospital during the new year is one. The county’s new hospital on North Kentucky will open this fall, and commissioners want to ensure that the older one, even while abandoned as a healthcare facility, remains in good condition for whatever may become of it. Consequently, they set aside $150,000 in the 2014 See BUDGET | Page A5
County Commission
Co. cool to student loan idea By BOB JOHNSON bob@iolaregister.com
Allen County commissioners were receptive — in theory — to participating in a program to entice college graduates to locate to Allen County, but said they would not commit tax dollars to the program. Barbara Anderson, Kansas Department of Commerce representative, encouraged county commissioners to enroll in DOC’s Rural Opportunity Zone program for student loan forgiveness, which requires the county to have matching money in hand. Anderson explained that matching funds have to come through the county, from county coffers or another source, before state money would be forthcom-
See POVERTY | Page A5
Middle, Jean Johns, a gifted education facilitator, plays the role of a teenager. Johns stayed home from school to babysit her “little sister” who was ill. At right, Superintendent Jack Koehn, passes out pencils to students. He played the role of a school teacher in the simulation Tuesday afternoon.
See LOANS | Page A3
ACC Board of Trustees
College bites bullet on software upgrade By STEVEN SCHWARTZ steven@iolaregister.com
Allen Community College Board members approved an upgrade to the college’s administrative software, while taking advantage of $75,000 in savings. The software, Jenzabar CX, will ultimately need to be upgraded to Jenzabar JX in the future — the company is offering a total of $75,000 in savings for organizations that sign the contract before Sept. 30. “We are going to have to pay now, or later,” Board Chairman Neal Barclay said. The total cost will range anywhere from $171,536 to $321,036. The discrepency in cost, according to Vice President for Finance and Operations Steve Troxel, comes from shared costs between
colleges during the installation and training process. If more than one college is upgrading the software, costs could be split for training and on-campus work. THE UNIVERSITY of Kansas will be partnering with ACC for the fall semester for alcohol and substance abuse counseling through KU Medical Center. The program is funded through a KU grant geared toward rural colleges, and will provide “tele-medicine” for students who need help or advice with alcohol or drug use. Essentially through video conference counseling, students will have access to licensed psychiatrists and psychologists. “It’s just another resource we will have for our students,” Regina Aye, dean for online learning, said See ACC | Page A3
Vol. 115, No.205
Register/Bob Johnson
The old Gas School, closed by USD 257, may become Gas City Hall and a community center.
Gas City Council
School purchase on hold By BOB JOHNSON bob@iolaregister.com
GAS — Gas Council members Tuesday evening discussed purchase of the old Gas School, abandoned by vote of the USD 257 board Monday night. The district offered the school to Gas for $1, provided Gas paid closing costs, which
Albertini said should be about $500. Council members deferred taking action on the board’s offer until the city receives a formal offer, noting Tuesday night their only information was “what we read in the Register” from a report of the district board meeting. 75 Cents
Purchase of the school cropped up earlier when Mayor Darrel Catron, also a school board member, mentioned it likely would become available. Discussion then centered on moving City Hall to the school, making it a community center and building a large commuSee SCHOOL | Page A3
Iola, KS