Volume 141 No. 18
Friday, April 10, 2015
Single Copy Cost 50¢
A walk in the PARCC at TGS
By Ken Schroeder news@tonicanews.com
TONICA — Round 1 of the new standardized testing for Illinois students has come and gone, and the Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers
(PARCC) test went off smoothly in Tonica Grade School. “it all went pretty much without a hitch,” Tonica Grade School Superintendent John Suarez said. “I think it went well for us because we have great technical support supervision; we had help from
the ROE (Regional Office of Education), and our teachers really carried the ball.” The PARCC test is the result of several states working together to develop a set of assessments that measure whether students are on track to be successful in
college and their careers. These computer-based kindergarten through 12th-grade assessments in mathematics and English language arts/literacy should give teachers, schools, students and parents information about whether students are on track in their learn-
ing and the likelihood for success after high school. Some say it will also give teachers tools to help customize learning to meet student needs. PARCC is aligned with the new Common Core State Standards (CCSS), the new teaching program that is aimed at making
students better able to succeed in college and the workforce. Although many states have adopted CCSS, there has been a backlash from parents and educators who feel Common Core is not a step in the right direction.
PARCC Page 2
April kicks off tornado season By Ken Schroeder news@tonicanews.com
April is here, and that means warmer temperatures and light showers. It also means tornadoes in Illinois. Of the average 54 tornadoes Illinois receives in a year, 13 of them usually make their appearance in April, according to the National Weather Service. Historically, only May breeds more twisters (an average of 16 per year) in the Land of Lincoln. More tornadoes also means more severe thunderstorms with winds and hail that can also cause damage and injuries to the unwary. More tornadoes also means more severe thunderstorms with winds and hail that can also cause damage and injuries to the unwary. According to Victor Gensini, Assistant Professor of Meteorology at the College of DuPage, this spring is likely to be pretty active.
“Usually by now, we’ve had a dozen of so tornado advisories. So far this year, we’ve had zero, and that has never happened in the history since we started recording tornadoes,” Gensini said. “However, you look at the upcoming forecasts, April looks like it’s going to be a busy month. It usually starts off in Texas and Oklahoma, but by May and June, it should be up to us.” Gensini said usually by the end of March there have been about 250 tornadoes nationwide. The total so far this year is 37; about 18 percent the normal rate. He noted nature has a tendency to correct itself. “Sometimes, in order to get back to average, Mother Nature says, ‘Look at me, I’m going to have an outbreak or two, and I’ll catch up in a snap to the average,’” Gensini said. “Unfortunately, to see those coming, you only have about four or five days
Tornado Page 2
Tonica News photo/Dixie Schroeder
Spring break basketball passes the time Tonica Grade School seventh-grader John Skinner (left) heads for the hoop above his opponent Nathan Zimbelman. The two students enjoyed the school’s annual spring break last week.
White unveils new organ/tissue donation campaign SPRINGFIELD — Secretary of State Jesse White has unveiled a new ad campaign featuring a dying daughter who gave her mother the gift of sight through organ/tissue donation. “Many times people think that if they are suffering from a terminal disease they will be unable to donate,” White said. “In this commercial, we see that even someone with cancer can give the gift Vol. 141 No. 18 One Section - 8 Pages
© The Tonica News
of life. The message is meaningful because now a mother has the ability to literally see through her daughter’s eyes.” The commercial shows how Rosemarie Beedy lost her daughter Krissy to cancer. But in Krissy’s final hours, she chose to donate her cornea to her mother. Rosemarie is now able to see her granddaughter and great-granddaughter through her daughter’s eyes.
April is National Donate Life Month. White will attend events throughout Illinois to encourage donation. Organizations will be working together to promote donor awareness throughout the state. Television and radio ads will air in English and Spanish statewide throughout the month. The spot will also be played on more than 400 movie screens across the state.
Currently, there are more than 5.7 million people registered to become organ/tissue donors in Illinois. However, more than 5,000 are on the waiting list, and about 300 people die each year waiting for an organ transplant. “We encourage Illinoisans to join the Secretary of State’s Organ and Tissue Donor Registry,” said White. “It takes less than a minute, and one person
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can improve the quality of life for up to 25 people.” Illinoisans can register with the Secretary of State Organ/Tissue Donor Program at LifeGoesOn.com, 800-210-2106 or by visiting their local Driver Services facility. During this month, libraries are distributing organ/tissue donor materials and hosting donor drives. Health fairs, schools, colleges and hospitals will also host donor
drives and feature displays statewide. Donate Life Illinois partners include the American Liver Foundation-Illinois, Gift of Hope Organ & Tissue Donor Network; Saving Sight; Illinois Eye-Bank; Illinois Secretary of State Organ/ Tissue Donor Program; LifeSource; Mid-America Transplant Services; Rock River Valley Blood Center; and National Kidney Foundation of Illinois.
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