January 2015

The Teacher Leadership and Compensation program is off to a successful start in its first year in the Humboldt and Twin Rivers School districts. The new initiative allows teachers to work in greater collaboration with colleagues and school administrators to improve instruction and increase student achievement. Humboldt and TR are among 39 schools selected statewide to implement the program for the 2014-15 school year. A total of 146 school districts out of 346 applied for funding to begin the program. Teacher Leadership and Compensation (TLC) is the centerpiece of Iowa’s historic 2013 education reform package designed to create higher expectations for all students. Humboldt and TR will receive $421,378.71 this year to fund the program. “We’re really pleased with how well it has been going,” Tamela Johnson, director of curriculum, instruction and assessment and preschool director in Humboldt, said.

Humboldt's varsity girl-boy basketball teams divided two games at Hampton Friday night (Jan. 23) with the girls falling 64-58 in a hard-fought contest and the boys finishing the night with a 67-45 victory. The Wildcats return home to host Clarion-Goldfield-Dows on Tuesday, Jan. 27.For full story, click the link above to begin your subscription today for full access to the digital and print editions of the Independent.

The big Super Bowl XLIX is just around the corner. If you and your friends are football enthusiasts you will probably be getting together to watch the big game between the Seattle Seahawks and the New England Patriots being held on Feb. 1, at 6:30 p.m. ET. If you are lucky enough to actually be at the game you will be enjoying lovely Arizona weather in Phoenix because the Bowl is being held at the University of Phoenix Stadium. I’m not a football fan, nor do I really enjoy many other sports (except I love watching the Olympics and skating!) but I do know lots of ideas of snacks to serve for the big party before and during the game! This is where I can help out. I’ve gathered up a few of my favorite snacks and found a few new ones online. I go online a lot lately even just to check out foods when I am cooking something special.