Program for September 30, 2013: Blue Zone News with Sara Fitzer Huston

Invocation by: Tom Ward

Guests: 3.0 Seniors Katie Friederichs, Anna Brooks and Senior Counselor Karey Hawkins. Betty Collins, Scott Fisher and Lucas Jacobs, Exchange Student.

Happy News: Carlin Lawhead happy that the Hawkeyes won. Paul Kraushaar is happy to have survived his wife's 40th high school reunion. Judi Holdorf told us of the Community Foundation's Pie Event on October 6th and of course invited us all!! Pam Collins put in $5 to let us know that the Musser Public Library is now open on Friday evenings until 8 PM beginning October 4th. Mike Ruby is pleased he and Joann will be on a Friendship Exchange in Australia for 5 weeks next Spring and yes Jessica Wittman is happy her boyfriend Kip is back to our meetings!

Rotary Program: Jerry Riibe and Michael McGrory were introduced by Dawn Sturms Dodds as the new Muscatine Schools Superintendent and MHS High School Principal. Both have been on the job since July 1!  Jerry has 36 years of great experiences as a teacher, coach, high school principal, superintendent and as a parent. He is excited to approach the challenges leading to all students being successful.  One practice does not fit all.  Muscatine is a great community, warm, engaging and great supporters of the school district! He has a strong board with a lot of diverse strengths!!  The teachers are committed and he knows the parents are sending the best kids they have.

Michael McGrory has 24 years in education with his last school being one of 2800 students. He too is a parent!

Jerry mentioned when asked that the Annual Progress Breakfast will be on November 12th at the school board admin center(2900 Mulberry) featured speakers will be the new Department of Education Director and the Director of the Board of Educational Examiners. He thanked Brenda Garcia Van Auken for making the connection!!

Jerry and Mike are collecting data to assess our decline in student achievement. Some of the issue may be gaps in the curriculum which must be more rigorous and better aligned.  That said about 1/3rd of the students coming to kindergarten are 30% below where they should be.  Jerry is a proponent of encouraging teachers to be instructional entrepreneurs to enable them to assess and provide the personal instruction needed.  He quipped that education and swim suits do not come in one size fitting all!!

He also noted that our ACT scores are not what they might be and that only 63% of our high school graduates go on to postsecondary.  And we don't know how many of those actually complete and get a degree!!

When asked how the community and parents can help he said:  Be supportive, tell kids how important school is to their future. At school and in the community notice kids. He said kids notice people being supportive and they notice when no one is watching.  Having great community mentors is also important!!  So put on that purple and gold and attend those football games, cross country meets or enjoy a musical performance or an upcoming play!!  You will be noticed and appreciated !!