| School board discusses non-proficient students, district accountability
The Spencer Community Schools Board of Education attempted to dissect some unfavorable data Monday night when it received a comprehensive update on student achievement data submitted in Spencer's 2006-07 Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) report for the district's accountability status under No Child Left Behind. The report's data has placed Spencer in a "watch year" this year as well as a school "in need of assistance" for having not met reading comprehension goals at the third-through-fifth grade and middle school levels respectively. Both identifications were based on students' non-proficient scores in the special education subgroups. "This does give us some red flags. But, I think we can use this data to help us make some things that we can do better," said Assistant Superintendent Kathy Elliott.
Around Westland
Flu shots The Village of Westland will again offer flu shots to seniors age 65 and older 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, Oct. 4, at the senior community, 32001 Cherry Hill, west of Merriman, in Westland, Call (734) 762-8926 to schedule an appointment. .
Guiteras boosters hit high note Sunday
BRISTOL - A day of music, games, food and, fortunately, mostly dry skies paid off for Guiteras School boosters Sunday, when they raised about $2,000 for a new playground at the school during an afternoon fund-raiser. "Playin' for Playgrounds," a four-hour music festival featuring 2nd Nature, the Patrick McAloon and headliners Pat McGee Band, was a huge success, said parent organizer Lane Sparkman. Several hundred people turned out for the party, plunking down $5 each in an effort to raise $80,000 for a new playground at the Washington Street school. "It went wonderfully," said Mrs. Sparkman of the Guiteras Community Group. "We had a great turnout; a couple of little sprinkles but otherwise it was great." This was the first large fund-raiser held on the playground's behalf.
Cubs soar behind LSU duo
Boxers like to claim they are the best "pound-for-pound." In the case of two former LSU Fighting Tigers, they should market themselves as the best pound-for-pound and dollar-for-dollar.
Playing for Major League Baseball's minimum salary (roughly $390,000), south Louisianans Ryan Theriot and Mike Fontenot have captivated the city of Chicago and its Cubs fans.
Diminutive in stature, the longtime friends and teammates have played gigantic roles in what has been a special season in the Windy City. Can a pair of Cajuns help the Midwest's beloved baseball team exorcise the jinx that's plagued it for nearly 100 years?
"It's something that's extremely rare and unique in the game � especially nowadays," Baton Rouge's Theriot told The Times on Monday here at Minute Maid Park.
Candidates call for war on cancer
Cedar Rapids, Ia. - Democratic presidential candidates vowed Monday to renew the "War on Cancer" that President Richard Nixon declared in 1971.
New York Sen. Hillary Clinton, former North Carolina Sen. John Edwards, New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson and U.S. Rep. Dennis Kucinich of Ohio headlined the first-of-its-kind forum, organized by the Lance Armstrong Foundation.
Armstrong, the cancer survivor and former bicycle racing superstar, helped question the candidates, who wore his group's yellow "Livestrong" bracelets.
The U.S. Cellular Center event drew about 2,000 people, including many wearing the trademark yellow of cancer survivors. They watched as the Democratic candidates attacked the Bush administration for cutting research money to the National Cancer Institute.
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