Iowa’s Blueprint for Education / Education for the Innovation Age

I wanted to bring to your attention two education initiatives that you might be interested in, Iowa’s Blueprint for Education and Education for the Innovation Age.

 

Iowa’s Blue Print for Education:  Governor Branstad and Iowa’s Education Director recently unveiled a plan to dramatically overhaul the public school system.  Entitled Iowa’s Blueprint for Education, the governor hopes that the plan will give Iowa the best schools in the nation, and possibly the world.  The proposal will be presented to the lawmakers when they begin debating reforms in January.  In the near future Governor Branstad will go on tour, taking his new education plan to various spots around the state.  Branstad will take feedback from his tour then present the plan to the legislature.

 You can view an introductory video regarding the plan by clicking on the attached video.

Video:  Iowa Rising to Greatness – An Imperative for Improving Iowa‘s Schools

 The entire Iowa’s Blue Print for Education can be found at this link:   Iowa Ed Blueprint

I recently attended a presentation by Dr. Jason Glass, Iowa’s Director of Education, regarding the pending education reform efforts for Iowa Schools.  The general concepts presented by Dr. Glass would seem to guide Iowa toward the goal of being a World-Class School System.  As an educational community I wanted to share this information.

 

 Education for the Innovation Age:  A group of area superintendents met over the summer of 2011 to craft a white paper outlining an approach to educational transformation. In September 2011, the superintendents shared their work with their colleagues and on October 5, 2011, the Eastern Iowa Compact was publicly introduced to local school boards and business and community leaders. The Compact is designed to gather school board, business, community, teacher, parent, and student signatures from across Eastern Iowa as a public declaration of permission and support for schools to forge ahead in creating the schools our children need and deserve. The white paper and Compact clarifies the outcomes, but DOES NOT dictate the means with which schools use to produce those outcomes. Collaboration, choice, and joint accountability are the cornerstones of the work.

 If you are interested, please look at the web site www.commitandact4kids.org, read the Compact and if interested you can voice your support for the white paper.

 Student Voice Video Contest:  I also wanted to bring to your attention, a contest that is available for our students in grades 9-12.  It gives students the opportunity to make a video showing our community from a student perspective of what they wish school was like.  Details can be found at this link:  http://iowatransformed.com/student-voice-video-contest/.  Hopefully there will be several CPU high school students who consider submitting a video.

Volleyball Opens New Gym

September 13 was the third 3rd annual Pink Game for volleyball. It was also the first game in the new Center Point-Urbana gym. There was a phenomenal turnout and tremendous support for the breast cancer cause. 270 t-shirts and 50 dedication volleyballs were sold. A silent auction was held for two pictures of the team in their pink uniforms. Final numbers are not in yet, but the team will be able to donate over $1300.00 to the American Cancer Society for breast cancer research and awareness. This game is always a high point for the season; the girls design the t-shirts and work hard to promote the game. CPU is a wonderfully supportive community. The team would like to thank everyone. Even though they lost a hard fought battle to Benton Community in five games, it is still considered the victory.

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Open House and Dedication Well Attended

Several hundred people attended the dedication ceremony and open house for the new Center Point-Urbana High School on Sunday, September 11.

 Following a moment of silence in honor of the victims of 9/11, and the singing of National Anthem by senior Kate Costigan, Board President Scott Millikin welcomed those in attendance.

Kevin Monson, President of Neumann Monson Architects, and CPU Student Body President Trent Kuhn also addressed the crowd.  Trent was instrumental in helping the district move into its fourth building by volunteering his time and resources.

 The opening of the new high school building is a significant moment in our school’s history.   District officials were pleased with the great turnout and the number of people that were able to attend as noted in the slideshow below.

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Finally!

The bleachers for the new gymnasium have arrived and are being installed.  They are schedule to be completed by Saturday, just in time for the dedication / open house on Sunday, September 11.  You will note from the photos below that the 1,350 seat bleacher installation is not complete, but well under way.  

Please feel welcome to attend our dedication/open house whether you are a student, a parent, a former student, a parent of former students, a community member, or anyone from the surrounding communities.  The ceremony is scheduled to start at 2:00 pm on Sunday, September 11^th. 

The ceremony will start in the front of the building with the “Pledge of Allegiance” led by our girls and boys state attendees.  A ribbon cutting ceremony will be held outside, followed by a brief ceremony held in the gymnasium.  Current high school students will be available to lead tours of the new high school.

Hope to see you on Sunday, September 11 at 2:00 pm.

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Dedication and Open House Set

Center Point-Urbana residents are invited to tour the new High School on Sunday, September 11 from 2:00 pm. – 4:00 pm. Students will be available to serve as guides through the facility, offer information on some of the various features and answer questions. Please note – our new facility is ADA compliant with an elevator to the 2^nd floor.

A ribbon cutting ceremony will be held at 2:00 pm, followed by a brief program in the gymnasium.

The newly completed Iowa Street is now open, so access is available from either the north, off of Green Street, or from the south. Ample parking is available on the south of the building.

IT’S A GO!

The new high school and the intermediate school were both cleared for occupancy today by the state fire marshal and a state building inspector.  School will start on Tuesday, August 23 for all students as scheduled!

 Dedication / Open House:  An announcement regarding the open house and dedication ceremony is forth coming.  The only area of the building that is not ready for foot traffic is the gymnasium.  The flooring crew is putting down a coat of finish today and another coat on Saturday.  Foot traffic will need to stay off approximately 7 days.  The district wants to make sure that patrons can walk through this area before scheduling the open house.

 High School Students:  The high school will run a two hour orientation on the 23^rd from 8:25-10:25.  When students arrive, the 10-12 grade students will report to their home rooms and the 9^th grade students will report to the band room.  Staff and student ambassadors will be available to direct students where they need to go.  High School classes start at 8:25 with no student entry until 7:45 a.m.

 Parking:  The farthest east and west parking lot row is reserved for staff.  Student parking will be in the middle banks, there is no reserved parking for senior students.  Traffic can only enter the high school from the north off of Green Street, Iowa Street will be closed until September 2.

 High School Phone System:  There are still a few problems with a portion of the high school phone system.  Feel free to email Mr. Libolt at rlibot@cpuschools.org if you can not reach anyone via the phone.

Friday Night Event – Sports Booster Club Fall Kickoff!

CPU ALL-SPORTS BOOSTER CLUB

Fall Kick-Off

August 19^th at 5:30 at Roger’s Field

(If there is rain, we will hold a volleyball scrimmage in the middle school gym in Center Point starting at 5:30)

All 7-12 fall sports will be introduced.  They are to meet at the west end of the track at 5:45.  7^th and 8^th graders had a sign-up last spring.  If they did not get signed-up, you can see Mr. Winterhof at the west end of the track at 5:45. 

The Pointer Shop will be open as well as the concession stand! 

Come and enjoy the evening!!!

 

  Join the

Center Point-Urbana Sports Booster Club 

The CPU Sports Booster Club will be hosting a membership drive on:

Friday, August 19, at the Fall Sports Kickoff on Rogers’ Field.  Our purpose is to assist the CPU Athletic Department (grades 7-12) in providing our students with the best possible athletic programs.  We cordially invite you to join the Booster Club and would greatly appreciate your time and talents to better assist the youth in our district.

 To help kickoff the 2011-2012-membership drive we’d like to invite you to a tailgating party, which will start at 5:30 PM with hamburgers, pop and chips being served. At this time you will be able to sign up for different membership clubs that may benefit your family during the 2011-2012 sport seasons. With your membership, you and your family will be given hamburger, pop and chips free.

 You will also get an opportunity to see the fall 2011-2012 CPU coaches and squads. The football scrimmages will begin at 5:30 PM between the freshman and sophomores and at 6:30 PM Varsity. Introductions of the Middle and High School: Cheerleaders, Cross-country, Football, Marching Band and Volleyball teams will be in between the practices.

 Thank you for your support as a member of:

Ultimate Stormin’ Pointer Club         $1000

• 6 All season Athletic Passes
• Two Shirts with “Ultimate Pointer Club” insignia
• 2-$25 vouchers for CPU apparel
• Advertisement on all “2011-2012” Sports Program

Platinum Stormin’ Pointer Club    $500

• 4 All Season Athletic Passes
• Two Shirts with “Platinum Pointer Club” insignia
• 2-$25 vouchers for CPU apparel
• Advertisement on all “2011-2012” Sports Programs

Diamond Stormin’ Pointer Club         $250

• 2-All season Athletic Passes
• 2-$25 vouchers for CPU apparel
• Advertisement on all “2011-2012” Sports Program

Gold Stormin’ Pointer Club               $150

• 1- All season Athletic Pass
• 1-$10 voucher for CPU apparel
• Advertisement on all “2011-2012” Sports Program

Silver Stormin’ Pointer Club    $50

• 1-$10 voucher for CPU apparel
• Advertisement on all “2011-2012” Sports Program

Bronze Stormin’ Pointer Club  $25

• Booster Club Membership “2011-2012”

 

Thursday Update

CPU High School

The final above-ceiling inspection on Monday went well and workers are finishing the drop-ceiling tile on the second floor.  There are still a few miscellaneous areas of flooring being finished, touch up painting and completion of the punch list items in the areas that have already been reviewed.  After the gym court is down and dried, they will install the bleachers.  The workers are also performing the final cleaning this week, as well.   Around September 1, they will begin working the landscape, seeding and planting trees.

Urbana Intermediate School

The workers dropped ceiling tile in the two east classrooms on Wednesday and will be ready for occupancy on Thursday.  Ceiling grid is being dropped in the corridor and flooring should be installed there on Thursday, as well.  Installation of ceiling grid, lights and diffusers in the two west classrooms was completed on Wednesday.  The plan is to have the above ceiling inspection done in the west classrooms on Thursday, and ceiling tile and flooring installed on Friday for access by the end of the day.  There may be some final touches in the west classrooms on Monday, but we hope the teachers will be able to work around this at the same time.

 Some of the items to be completed are tight, but our staff has stayed positive towards making everything work.

Facility Update – Dedication Postponed

New High School Dedication/Open House Postponed:  The Dedication/Open House originally scheduled for Sunday, August 21 has been postponed and a new date is to be arranged as soon as possible.  There are some finishing touches that need to be completed before the Open House can be held, along with a final fire marshal and state inspection scheduled for August 19.  It is anticipated that the building will be approved for occupancy after this inspection.

 The new building is still on track to open on Tuesday, August 23.

 High School Meet and Greet:  Meet & Greet scheduled for the high school on Thursday, August 18 has been cancelled.  Meet & Greet for PS – 8, will still go on as scheduled for the other three buildings.

 Building Update:  The new high school is very close to completion.  There are still a few flooring areas that need to be completed; the science room cabinetry needs to be completed, painting touch up is needed in a few areas, the outside landscaping needs to be completed; the gym floor is being sealed and painted, and the bleachers are scheduled to start installation on August 23.

The gym will be the main area that will not be ready for use until August 31.

 The Intermediate building in Urbana is close to being returned to normal after the storm damage from earlier this summer.  The district will know by early next week the completion date of the remaining four 3^rd grade classrooms.  It is anticipated that they will be cleared for occupancy by the first day of school.  If not, Mr. Hasleiet will communicate an alternate plan by August 18.

Iowa Street:  Iowa Street, which runs in front of the new high school, will be closed until September 2.  All traffic to the new high school will need to enter from the north off of Green Street.

The concrete for Iowa Street has been poured; the remaining dirt work, sidewalks and other remaining work is underway. 

 It has been a very busy, but productive summer.  When all the construction work is completed, we will have some really nice facilities that have been worth the wait for our students.

CPU High School English Department Receives Donation

Larson Family Makes Generous Donation

Our high school language arts teacher, Beth Larson, and her husband, Nick, have made a $4,000 donation to CPU for new furniture.  These funds, matched by Nick’s employer, Rockwell Collins, will be earmarked for the English Department and provide $8,000 towards the purchase of bookcases, tables, chairs and computer tables.

 The Larson’s commitment to the District and the needs of our learners is exceptional!  On behalf of the students and staff, we sincerely thank the Larson family for their generosity!