Next, Off to Tri-County Community Schools

After an early morning in Oskaloosa, UniServ Director Carol and I were off to Tri-County Community Schools located in Thornburg. Tri-County Schools is made up of students from Keokuk, Mahaska, and Poweshiek counties. Here we connected with Tri-CountyEA president Mrs. Jamie Maxwell. Jamie is pictured here (on the right) working with one of her Reading Recovery students. Jamie shared with us just some of the activities she and her colleagues are involved in, one being "Dollars for Scholars". Jamie also shared how proud the community is of their 8 man football team--the District 8 Champs! Twenty-two young men are out for football and nine of them are seniors!


The first classroom I had a chance to share a read aloud in was Kathy Fisch's 1st grade homeroom. Kathy (standing on the left) is pictured here with her class and teacher associate Amber Pollack (standing at right).


A school volunteer that Carol reconnected with was Mrs. Opal Dennis (pictured with Carol). Mrs. Dennis and her family farmed just down the road from Carol's family when Carol grew up in the area. Carol also graduated from Tri-County Community Schools! Mrs. Dennis told us that she volunteers once each week in classrooms here.


We were next off to the classroom of Miss Jen Cooper. Jen teaches Kindergarten at Tri-County. Miss Cooper shared with us that 4 of her 15 homeroom students were absent today. How lucky these children are to have so few students in their classroom. Just think of the great things they can learn!


I next read aloud to Paula Kirkpatrick's 4th grade. Mrs. Kirkpatrick and her 4th graders are pictured here on the right. Paula has 19 4th graders in her homeroom. It is always a treat to be back in the 4th grade classroom!


The final elementary class I read aloud a favorite book to was in Marcia Bair's 2nd grade classroom. Marcia and her 2nd graders are pictured on the left. She has 24 students in her homeroom.


The last stop at Tri-County Schools was in the combined classroom of Chrystal Headley's Senior Economics and Sonja Anderson's Senior Government classes. I was able to take Sonja's (pictured on the right) picture as the students were dismissed.



Finally, I had the chance to meet school superintendent Mr. Bill Cox. Here I am pictured with Superintendent Cox (on the left).

Thanks Jamie Maxwell for your leadership and to all the members of the Tri-County EA for all you do every day for Iowa's students!