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Wednesday, May 28, 2014
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Newton, Iowa
TAG teachers break down ‘clustering’
OBITUARIES Inez Armstrong, 80 WyJean Chumbley, 92 Veda M. Holloway, 84 Michael D. Hubler, 66 Robert J. Stolz, 64 G. Townsend Stubbs, 85 Richard Carl Teed, 69 INSIDE TODAY
By Ty Rushing Daily News Senior Staff Writer
of three to six students, who have been identified as gifted and are usually in the top five percent in ability in their grade level, into a mixed-ability classroom. In this setting, the teacher would have training on how differentiate curriculum for those students and in the case of Newton, they would receive support from the district’s TAG (talented and gifted) teachers. TAG teachers, Cori Latcham and Sara VanManen, explained why
The buzz about “clustering” had been building up among education professionals and parents within the Newton Community School District the last several weeks, and at Tuesday’s Newton Community School Board of Education meeting a lot of questions and concerns were answered. Cluster grouping is defined as placing a group
the district is starting to move forward with this type of model. “One reason that we are here is the frustrations, the continual frustrations, that we have every year that crop up,” Latcham said. “Every year, we try to optimize the (TAG) program and so the problems that we keep coming up with are that there is one of me, on one side of town, and TAG See Page 7A
Local
Ty Rushing/Daily News Newton Community School District Talented and Gifted teachers Cori Latcham and Sara VanManen explained what “clustering” is and why the district is implementing the model in its 4-6 buildings next year. Clustering has become a hot topic among parents and educators in Newton in recent weeks.
Sheriff’s office to get three new deputies
Chamber Golf Outing 2014 Page 2A
By Ty Rushing Senior Staff Writer
Religion
CCC debt-free building plan Page 8A
Zach Johnson/Daily News U.S Rep. Dave Loebsack answers questions from Megan Frehse’s third-grade class at Thomas Jefferson Elementary School on Friday. The class interviewed Loebsack for their class newspaper, the TJ Times.
Students learn about life of a congressman during Loebsack visit
Sports
Cards capture 4A regional golf title Page 1B
By Zach Johnson Daily News Staff Writer
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On Friday, U.S. Rep. Dave Loebsack launched his “Our Schools, Our Future” tour across his congressional district. His first stop was at Thomas Jefferson Elementary School, where he sat down with Megan Frehse’s third-grade class for an interview with the TJ Times, the class newspaper. The students asked him a range of questions, from his favorite things to who he wants to run against in the upcoming election. Loebsack made an emphasis on learning by teaching the class about being a congressman. “The main reason that I like my job is because I get to learn so much in my job,” Loebsack said. “I have often said that my wife, Terry, could teach without learning first. I couldn’t teach at Cornell College for 24 years without learning. I can’t represent people
Thursday
High 81 Low 61
Friday
High 83 Low 63 Weather Almanac
Tues., May 27
in my district if I don’t learn about my district first. I get to learn a lot everyday while going around the 24 counties that represent my congressional district. “I love my job. In fact, I will say when I started my job I had about 98 percent job satisfaction. That means that I liked my job about 98 percent of the time,” Loebsack continued. “Maybe it has gone down to the low 90s, but that is still a very good job satisfaction.” The students also asked some questions that covered the challenges of being a congressman, asking about Loebsack’s busy schedule and how he handles questions from the press. Loebsack answered the questions and described what goes on in Washington, D.C. TJ TIMES See Page 7A
High 82 Low 62 .17 inch of rain
Loebsack focuses on schools in ‘Our Schools, Our Future’ Tour
Also: Classifieds Page 4B
By Zach Johnson Daily News Staff Writer
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After his interview with the Thomas Jefferson Elementary School’s TJ Times on Friday, U.S. Rep. Dave Loebsack focused on the school portion of his “Our Schools, Out Future” Tour with a roundtable discussion with several members of the Newton Community School District. “I’m getting around the district to talk with folks specifically about education,” Loebsack said. “I am now the highest ranking Democrat on the sub-committee of the
educational workforce committee and the sub-committee on early childhood, elementary and secondary education, which that means I will have more of a seat at the table than I would if I weren’t a ranking member.” Loebsack made it clear that no new education items are guaranteed for this year but assured those attending the roundtable discussion that things are getting done regarding education in Washington, D.C. “We are getting things done in that larger committee to hopefully get the work-
force investment act reauthorized,” Loebsack said. “There’s going to be some good educational components with some things that I am doing, in particular with community colleges and workforce development, that sort of thing. Even though I am in the minority, I still have very significant portions that I want to do in that.” Loebsack shared his history, saying he was what most would consider an at-risk student in today’s school system. LOEBSACK See Page 5A
Last week, Jasper County Sheriff John Halferty formally requested the hiring of three new deputies, and the Jasper County Board of Supervisors approved a resolution Tuesday to expand the sheriff office’s manpower. “I think we pretty well covered the discussion (last week),” board chair Joe Brock said. “We had no choice on two positions, and there was some pretty convincing data on the fact that you are understaffed.” The added deputies will help the sheriff ’s office secure the Jasper County Courthouse and make additional bodies available for dispatch. Halferty explained last week that Judge Arthur Gamble, the chief justice of the 5th District of Iowa, had made it a protocol for all courthouses in the district to up security after recent incidents within the district — which Jasper County is part of. COUNTY See Page 7A
A lot of public input for school board By Ty Rushing Daily News Senior Staff Writer Teachers and private citizens alike shared their concerns to the Newton Community School District Board of Education during the public comments portion of Tuesday’s meeting. Rich Bates expressed concern with the district’s “business” model, Berg Middle School teacher Deb Rose questioned some of next year’s proposed staffing models for BMS and Thomas Jefferson Transitional kindergarten teacher Diane Babcock spoke on the consequences for possible grade level changes. “I continually hear, within the community, that we’re going to run this district as a business,” Bates said. “When you run a business, you have customers that I see as external and internal and those external customers in this case are children. Internal customers are your taxpayers and members of the community. BOARD See Page 8A
Ty Rushing/Daily News Rich Bates was one of several citizens, parents and educators to publicly speak during Tuesday night’s Newton school board meeting. Bates expressed concern with the district’s “business” model and practices.