LM January 2017

IASA News in Brief

In Memoriam Former school Superintendent Dr. Jesse James passed away December 21, 2016 in Laurie, Missouri. Jesse spent most of his career in education as a public school district administrator. He served as Superintendent at Milton Pope School near Marseilles, Eagle Township near Streator, Odell Central Consolidated School District, Beardstown Community Unit School District, Rock Falls High School and Rogers City Area Schools in Rogers City, Michigan. He was the father-in-law of Riverdale Superintendent Ron Jacobs (Jennifer), who serves as a member of the IASA Board of Directors. Dr. Allen C. McCowan , retired IASA member, passed away on Friday, December 30, 2016. Dr. McCowan was a former administrator in Waterman, Lockport, Edwardsville, and Woodridge and most recently supervised student teachers through Eastern Illinois University. He was a United States Army Veteran.

Illini Bluffs students, faculty and staff participate in Community Christmas Basket Initiative Each year, the students and staff of Illini Bluffs School District 327 join forces with area churches, businesses and organizations to provide canned goods and money for Christmas baskets for families in need. The Illini Bluffs Community Christmas Basket Initiative was started nearly 30 years ago.

Illini Bluffs Superintendent Dr. Roger Alvey said students and staff raised nearly $2,400 and donated more than 8,000 items for the community Christmas baskets in 2016. The effort included students from every K-12 grade level as well as school organizations such as the student council, the wrestling, boys and girls basketball teams, the Drama Club, and the National Honor Society. In the end, the community and school effort provided 204 food baskets, 120 bags of food, 57 fruit baskets and 210 gifts.

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