theVoice rockfordchamber.com
February 2014
An RVC student made an app for that! Rock Valley College is pleased to announce the first app developed and successfully published by a current RVC student! The app, Midwest Fishing Adventures, was developed by RVC student Josh Glovinsky for people who love to fish. It was published to the Apple App Store in early January, 2014 and now is ready to download for free to the iPhone, iPad or iTouch. It provides United States Geological Survey (USGS) water data, fishing maps and fishing how-to videos. Glovinsky developed the app while taking the fall 2013 Mobile App Development course at Rock Valley College. The course offered
each semester by Professor Chuck Konkol requires all students to create an iPhone/iPad app they would one day want to publish to the Apple App Store. Students learn the skills not only to design and program apps, but also the steps to publish it to the Apple App Store. Professor Konkol says another app very close to reaching the Apple App Store is called Bubble Baller, an underwater basketball game developed by three RVC students who took the course in spring 2013. For more information on the Mobile App Development course, visit iosatrvc.us or email Professor Konkol at c.konkol@rockvalleycollege.edu.
Issues to Watch LEGISLATIVE teacher education programs also must pass the basic skills test prior to starting their student teaching or starting the final semester of their internship, unless it is required earlier by the institution.
coMMUNITY coLLEGES
New Laws for 2014 More than 200 new state laws took effect in Illinois on Jan. 1, including those affecting schools.
GANGS IN ScHooLS (HB 2768/PA 98-0059) Principals must call law enforcement when the safety and welfare of students and teachers is threatened by the illegal use or possession of weapons and illegal gang activity. Prior to this, principals in school districts outside of Chicago only had to call on law enforcement when safety and welfare was threatened by illegal use of drugs and alcohol. The new law also states that a public school principal must be informed when a student is detained for illegal gang activity.
STUdENT oNLINE PRIVAcY (HB 64/PA 98-0129) Post-secondary schools cannot request or require a student (or his parent/guardian) to provide any account information, including passwords, to his or her social networking sites. This does not apply when the school has cause to believe that a student’s account on a social networking website contains evidence of violating a school disciplinary rule or policy. Students and their parents must be informed in the disciplinary rules, policies or handbook that the school has the ability to request or require account information, including passwords, to social networking sites, for reasonable cause.
TEAcHER BASIc SkILLS (HB 490/PA 98-0361) Requires applicants for a Professional Educator License to pass a test of basic skills. All applicants completing Illinois
(HB 3067/PA 98-0269) Adds an exemption to the lowest responsible bidder requirement for community colleges for contracts for the purchase of perishable foods and perishable beverages. This will bring the community colleges in line with public universities and K-12.
BRING PARENTS To ScHooL dAY (HB 129/PA 98-0304) Creates a “Bring Your Parents to School Day” on the first Monday in October of each year. Allows a school board to permit the parents or guardians of students to attend class with their children and meet with teachers and administrators during the school day.
SEx EdUcATIoN (HB 2675/PA 98-0441) Requires all school districts that provide sex education courses to use an approved curriculum chosen by the State Board of Education. School districts have the option to not offer sex education, but if they do, it must be “comprehensive” and approved by the state.
TRAINING To IdENTIfY MENTAL ILLNESS (HB 3070/PA 98-0471) Requires that school guidance counselors, teachers, school social workers and other school personnel who work with pupils in grades 7 through 12 be trained to identify the warning signs of mental illness and suicidal behavior (instead of just suicidal behavior).
BAcTERIAL MENINGITIS IMMUNIZATIoN (HB 3190/PA 98-0480) Requires DPH to adopt a rule requiring students to receive a bacterial meningitis immunization upon entrance of 6th and 12th grade.
focUS oN EdUcATIoNAL SERVIcES
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