en-us https://www.intensedebate.com/users/543486 Comments by oriolefan http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/Hempstead-Cheerleaders-Fight-to-Compete-at-Nationals-113251929.html#IDComment120804680 Very Astute. Why do school boards hide behind the "we can't comment" directive that they copy from the less than truthful IASB? Why wasn't the item place on the agenda as an action item, instead of lumped into "Open Forum? Why was there mention of personnel issues? Where was the coach when this was mentioned? Why do our school boards and administrators feel they can say or go whatever they want, and silence us? Take back the power, people. Take it back now. Wed, 12 Jan 2011 01:33:02 +0000 http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/Hempstead-Cheerleaders-Fight-to-Compete-at-Nationals-113251929.html#IDComment120804680 http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/Hempstead-Cheerleaders-Fight-to-Compete-at-Nationals-113251929.html#IDComment120752524 There are many questions and issues in this particular event, and I doubt we all know everything...but it doesn't so anyone any good to have mis-information floating around. The fees (non-refundable) were required to have been paid by January 6th...so if they did pay, and now are being told they can't go...I could see why some parents would be mad. However, The IGHSAU DOES exercise authority over what student athletes may or may not participate in, EVEN if it falls outside the school sponsorship...so if those girls participate in any other school sorts, they might want to make sure they are not breaking any elegibility rules. Tue, 11 Jan 2011 19:17:05 +0000 http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/Hempstead-Cheerleaders-Fight-to-Compete-at-Nationals-113251929.html#IDComment120752524 http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/Hempstead-Cheerleaders-Fight-to-Compete-at-Nationals-113251929.html#IDComment120752457 Not arguing that point. Just reminding everyone that there is a difference between paying an entry fee, winning (or qualifying) and moving on is not the same thing as paying to play, persay. If you read the literature, it clearly states that only squads who qualified for the National competition in an eraly regional are elegible to compete. You can't just throw together a squad, pay the fee, and be in Nationals, as some are alluding. Further, MANY iowa schools DO sponser in some way, the Club Volleyball squads that compete. Our school provedes transportation from time to time, to certain camps and tournaments, even though it is "not school sponsored" and the teams get considerable recognition by the schools. Tue, 11 Jan 2011 19:16:41 +0000 http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/Hempstead-Cheerleaders-Fight-to-Compete-at-Nationals-113251929.html#IDComment120752457 http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/Hempstead-Cheerleaders-Fight-to-Compete-at-Nationals-113251929.html#IDComment120746104 Club Volleyball, anyone? Tue, 11 Jan 2011 18:32:03 +0000 http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/Hempstead-Cheerleaders-Fight-to-Compete-at-Nationals-113251929.html#IDComment120746104 http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/Hempstead-Cheerleaders-Fight-to-Compete-at-Nationals-113251929.html#IDComment120740674 That is not necessarily true. All "sanctioned" competitions in Speech, marching and instrumental band, and vocal or Jazz competitions require that entry fees be paid by all participants. Most volleyball & basketball tournaments have entry fees. Some track meets have entry fees. THe fees charged by whoever is sponsoring the tournament go to help offset the costs, but you can be sure the intent is to raise at least a little money for the sponsoring party. That does not negate the competition, or make the winners any less deserving of moving on to the next round. If ANY squad from anywhere can pay a fee and compete, then the "qualification" is questionable. If ONLY the squads who qualify by achieving a high enoug score in a preliminary competition can compete, it's NOT pay for play. Tue, 11 Jan 2011 18:07:36 +0000 http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/Hempstead-Cheerleaders-Fight-to-Compete-at-Nationals-113251929.html#IDComment120740674 http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/Waterloo-School-Officials-Will-Rewrite-Dress-Code-Following-Judges-Ruling-105739938.html#IDComment106168050 Hey kids....Can we say "Stepford Children"... Tue, 26 Oct 2010 14:36:05 +0000 http://www.kcrg.com/news/local/Waterloo-School-Officials-Will-Rewrite-Dress-Code-Following-Judges-Ruling-105739938.html#IDComment106168050 http://oldgo.gazlab.com.php5-15.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/local-news/public-safety/2010/08/24/springville-family-takes-extra-medical-break-after-mold-cleanup#IDComment95205071 Springville is my home, I CARE about the school, SUPPORT IT in every way I can, and want to see it be a successful and awesome place to be, with great arts, sports, and academia. I don't like negative publicity surrounding it. But I also care about my community and the kids who are growing up here, and I don't think we should pretend it's all good if it isn't, or that it's okay to hide our heads in the sand until we are forced to deal with such things. There is more shame in actively ignoring a problem than there is in having one. Just own up, fix it right, and move on. Wed, 25 Aug 2010 22:42:55 +0000 http://oldgo.gazlab.com.php5-15.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/local-news/public-safety/2010/08/24/springville-family-takes-extra-medical-break-after-mold-cleanup#IDComment95205071 http://oldgo.gazlab.com.php5-15.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/local-news/public-safety/2010/08/24/springville-family-takes-extra-medical-break-after-mold-cleanup#IDComment95201658 No, I don't work there, but my child IS one of the student athletes who got a text asking for help in cleaning up moldy sports equipment a full week and a half before school started. Mold on the equpipment was a clear indication that there was mold in the building, and not just a little bit, either. this was significant black mold. I also know what a mold allergy is like, and I've yet to find a remedy that is really effective, other than getting away from the source of the problem. I can tell you this...I would not use students to clean it up. Wed, 25 Aug 2010 22:11:23 +0000 http://oldgo.gazlab.com.php5-15.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/local-news/public-safety/2010/08/24/springville-family-takes-extra-medical-break-after-mold-cleanup#IDComment95201658 http://oldgo.gazlab.com.php5-15.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/local-news/public-safety/2010/08/24/springville-family-takes-extra-medical-break-after-mold-cleanup#IDComment95184042 Every house may or may not have mold somewhere...that's not an argument I'd hang my hat on...because you can't prove or disprove it, and it's not relevant. This isn't a little mold in a closet. The issue here is that there is visible black mold, which causes a severe reaction in people who are allergic, and causes reactions in people who don't even realize that's whats making their throat and eyes itch. They have yet to acknowledge it in the High School, and the problem was known to school officials well before school started, so perhaps addressing it earlier would have made it look less like a cover-up. Hopefully it's getting properly cleaned now. Wed, 25 Aug 2010 19:30:22 +0000 http://oldgo.gazlab.com.php5-15.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/local-news/public-safety/2010/08/24/springville-family-takes-extra-medical-break-after-mold-cleanup#IDComment95184042 http://oldgo.gazlab.com.php5-15.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/local-news/public-safety/2010/08/24/springville-family-takes-extra-medical-break-after-mold-cleanup#IDComment95179293 Just a quick question here...are all of you who suggest that this is "normal" and the kids should just "deal with it" suggesting that you would live in your home with mold (and or mildew) growing on whatever surfaces it could find, without cleaning it up properly? Wed, 25 Aug 2010 18:54:11 +0000 http://oldgo.gazlab.com.php5-15.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/local-news/public-safety/2010/08/24/springville-family-takes-extra-medical-break-after-mold-cleanup#IDComment95179293 http://gazetteonline.com/local-news/2010/08/20/springville-dismisses-early-due-to-mold#IDComment94362333 They will have to be made up, so they basically either lengthen the school year or take away vacation days. It's a wash either way. Fri, 20 Aug 2010 14:31:08 +0000 http://gazetteonline.com/local-news/2010/08/20/springville-dismisses-early-due-to-mold#IDComment94362333 http://gazetteonline.com/local-news/2010/08/20/springville-dismisses-early-due-to-mold#IDComment94360439 It's not ignorance. If it were just a closet or two with a little mold, normal for any building in Iowa in August, there would be no reason to do anything other than clean it up and move on...but the abundance of it in the buildings IS cause for action, because when there is enough of of it, even people who otherwise might not be affected are bothered by it. My family has severe mold allergies...and there is very little in the form of "medication" that controls it. Walking into a room with a significant amount of mold causes uncontrollable itching of the eyes, your throat burns,you develop an almost instant headache, and it's diffcult to breath easily. It's more than a minor runny nose. Fri, 20 Aug 2010 14:14:49 +0000 http://gazetteonline.com/local-news/2010/08/20/springville-dismisses-early-due-to-mold#IDComment94360439 http://gazetteonline.com/local-news/2010/08/20/springville-dismisses-early-due-to-mold#IDComment94359210 Cont...When you open the door to a classroom and the smell of mildew assails you, there is a problem that needs to be addressed. When your locker rooms and storage areas have visible black mold on them, you have a problem that needs to be addressed. When you find it in classrooms that house young children, who often sit on the floor and touch everything, it needs to be addressed. In a perfect world, this issue would have been noticed and cleaned up before school started...but with "budget constraints" eliminating a full time head custodian, and with so much construction going on at the school, I suppose it was overlooked. I'm glad they are closing down and cleaning up. Better to acknowlegde it now and deal with it than have unhealthy kids walking the halls for months. Fri, 20 Aug 2010 14:04:14 +0000 http://gazetteonline.com/local-news/2010/08/20/springville-dismisses-early-due-to-mold#IDComment94359210 http://gazetteonline.com/local-news/education/2010/08/19/mold-cleared-from-iowa-city-regina-classrooms-special-deals-offered-for-students#IDComment94207365 And...? Thu, 19 Aug 2010 18:03:53 +0000 http://gazetteonline.com/local-news/education/2010/08/19/mold-cleared-from-iowa-city-regina-classrooms-special-deals-offered-for-students#IDComment94207365 http://oldgo.gazlab.com.php5-15.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/local-news/education/education-feature/2010/08/18/228-million-eggs-from-iowa-farm-recalled-after-salmonella-outbreak#IDComment93977395 Why are all the comments from the story about schools starting early showing up in this story? Wed, 18 Aug 2010 23:51:14 +0000 http://oldgo.gazlab.com.php5-15.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/local-news/education/education-feature/2010/08/18/228-million-eggs-from-iowa-farm-recalled-after-salmonella-outbreak#IDComment93977395 http://oldgo.gazlab.com.php5-15.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/local-news/education/education-feature/2010/08/18/228-million-eggs-from-iowa-farm-recalled-after-salmonella-outbreak#IDComment93916493 HorseHockey...Our local school boards haven't had true control over things for more than three decades...and neither have we. Wed, 18 Aug 2010 17:28:40 +0000 http://oldgo.gazlab.com.php5-15.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/local-news/education/education-feature/2010/08/18/228-million-eggs-from-iowa-farm-recalled-after-salmonella-outbreak#IDComment93916493 http://oldgo.gazlab.com.php5-15.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/local-news/education/education-feature/2010/08/18/iowas-act-scores-still-high-but-college-readiness-a-problem#IDComment93915756 Teaching to the test instead of teaching to learn... Wed, 18 Aug 2010 17:23:44 +0000 http://oldgo.gazlab.com.php5-15.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/local-news/education/education-feature/2010/08/18/iowas-act-scores-still-high-but-college-readiness-a-problem#IDComment93915756 http://oldgo.gazlab.com.php5-15.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/local-news/education/education-feature/2010/08/18/228-million-eggs-from-iowa-farm-recalled-after-salmonella-outbreak#IDComment93900293 Yes, the state DOES mandate the number of instructional hours, and all the "Professional Development" stuff. The teachers don't make those rules...they just have to comply. That doesn't make it any more sensible though. But hey...we're all about "Racing To The Top" and giving up even MORE of the already limited control of our own school districts. Wed, 18 Aug 2010 15:40:31 +0000 http://oldgo.gazlab.com.php5-15.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/local-news/education/education-feature/2010/08/18/228-million-eggs-from-iowa-farm-recalled-after-salmonella-outbreak#IDComment93900293 http://oldgo.gazlab.com.php5-15.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/local-news/education/education-feature/2010/08/18/228-million-eggs-from-iowa-farm-recalled-after-salmonella-outbreak#IDComment93891865 Money? There is no *bonus* money for starting or ending school early. It's about fitting in spring break, and all the stupid teacher inservice days, ending the semester before the holiday, and still getting in the full 180 days (or however many hours) of instruction time without running over into the end of June. If they could eliminate about half those "Professional Development" days, we could start at least a week later. Eliminate Spring break, which is a waste of time anyway, and we could start two weeks later. And how about NOT having your LAST day be half a day the day AFTER Memorial Day...sheesh. Wed, 18 Aug 2010 14:31:57 +0000 http://oldgo.gazlab.com.php5-15.dfw1-1.websitetestlink.com/local-news/education/education-feature/2010/08/18/228-million-eggs-from-iowa-farm-recalled-after-salmonella-outbreak#IDComment93891865 http://gazetteonline.com/local-news/education/2010/08/16/mold-will-delay-start-of-school-year-at-iowa-city-regina#IDComment93485102 They aren't the only school with mold issues.... Good to see they are being proactive about the health of their students...other schools should follow that example! Mon, 16 Aug 2010 17:52:50 +0000 http://gazetteonline.com/local-news/education/2010/08/16/mold-will-delay-start-of-school-year-at-iowa-city-regina#IDComment93485102