TON-12-09-2016

Page 1

1 Front Volume 143 No. 1

Friday, December 9, 2016

Single Copy Cost 50¢

Tonica School gets its report card Illinois State Board of Education releases information on local schools By Dave Cook

news@tonicanews.com

TONICA — The Illinois Report Card recently released by the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) allows schools and districts an easy way to monitor performance and averages from year to year, identifying opportunities to improve and to also collaborate with other districts. The information can be used to identify concerns and also begin conversations about how to improve public education in the state for the advantage of all students. Tonica Principal Chuck Schneider said of this year’s findings, “The new report card provides a lot of information about the district to help assist us to better serve students and the community. Assessment scores are another metric to determine where we can improve instruction, increase student college

and career readiness and better develop professional development.” The following information on Tonica Grade School (TGS) can also be found on www.illinoisreportcard.com:

Academic progress

• The Partnership for Assessment of Readiness for College and Careers (PARCC) results indicate 25 percent of TGS students, as compared to the state’s average of 34 percent, have met or exceeded expectations. This is a 7 percent decrease from the 2015 results for Tonica and a 1 percent increase for the state. • 63.6 percent of TGS eighth-graders, compared to the state’s 71.6 percent, have not taken or not passed Algebra I.

Report card Page 2

IVCC Holiday Craft Fair showcases 30 vendors

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Magnolia’s Kathi Brooker tried on jewelry made from vintage silverware at the ninth annual IVCC Holiday Craft Fair on Nov. 30. The fair featured items from more than 30 vendors.

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Tonica News photo/Dave Cook

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Easing the pressure

Surviving the elements

Agricultural easement programs combined By Dave Cook

news@putnamcountyrecord.com

The USDA recently announced program changes which will assist farmers with conservation easement options. When agricultural land is threatened by community development or is marginal acreage which frequently floods, a conservation easement might be an appealing solution. Dave Hyatt, state easement coordinator for the Natural Resources Conservation Service (NRCS), said there were multiple easement programs in the 2008 Farm Bill which have now been combined under one program as part of the 2014 Farm Bill. The Agriculture Conservation Easement Program (ACEP) has replaced the Wetlands Vol. 143 No. 1 One Section - 8 Pages

Reserve Program (WRP), the Farm and Ranchland Protection Program (FRPP) and the Grassland Reserve Program (GRP). ACEP has two parts — working Agricultural Land Easements (ALE) and Wetlands Reserve Easements (WRE). Hyatt said, “The WRE is very similar to the previous WRP. Under the WRE we purchase an easement on what typically is marginal crop land that is wet and floods frequently and is generally not an economically-viable farming option. We’re purchasing a handful of rights on the property, mainly to cease production and restore it back to wetland.” The wetlands help meet the goals of the Nutrient Loss Reduction Strategy which aims

Easing the pressure Page 2

HEATING & PLUMBING, INC.

© The Tonica News

The key to a safe winter is preparedness By Shannon Serpette news@tonicanews.com

Whether people love it or hate it, there’s no stopping it — winter is on its way. Although people can’t control the weather, they can prepare for it. And being prepared can make the difference between life and death in some instances. On the state of Illinois website, https://www.illinois.gov/, residents can access a winter weather preparedness guide, which was created by the Illinois Emergency Management Agency and the National Weather Service. It offers a number of tips meant to protect citizens and their families during the cold winter

months. Traveling during the winter can be one of the biggest dangers associated with the season. Drivers should ideally begin their trips with a full tank of gas. Those who do slide off the road should stay with the vehicle until help arrives. Those who do run their engines to stay warm after an accident should first make sure the exhaust pipe is not covered by snow in order to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning. Stuffing the trunk with emergency supplies can give people a better chance of surviving being stranded for hours or potentially overnight during a snow-

Be prepared Page 2

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