Rural school districts have had many challenges to face in 2017, including a shortage of substitute teachers to choose from when a teacher comes down with a sudden illness. There are plenty of days when Travis Elliott, West Union Elementary principal, needs to “flex” his staff around to cover a teacher’s classroom when a sub can’t be found. However, Elliott is quick to point out that all the substitute teachers he does have are “incredible.” One of those incredible substitutes, Sally Boie (right), works with West Union Elementary student Jimmy Duffey on a classroom project before the Thanksgiving holiday break.  Chris DeBack photo

Substitute-teacher shortages

By Chris Deback
cdeback@thefayettecountyunion.com

Rural school districts have faced a lot of issues in 2017, from rising transportation costs to declining enrollment and shrinking budgets. 

North Fayette and Valley are no exception. In fact, it’s why the two districts will officially merge on July 1, 2018. 

Another large issue that rural school districts face on a daily basis is a substitute-teacher shortage. It can often be a challenge for local school principals to find a substitute teacher when a sudden illness creeps up on a teacher. 

This article isn’t designed to highlight an issue with teachers coming to work, because that simply isn’t the case. Teachers get sick like the rest of us. Children can carry a lot of germs, spreading them quite rampantly, which undoubtedly leads to other children and the teacher getting sick. 

The article will take a look at what has played into the shortage of substitute teachers in rural areas and how one school, West Union Elementary, handles day-to-day school operations when a substitute can’t be found to cover a teacher's classroom. 

While agreeing to do the interview, Duane Willhite, North Fayette and Valley shared superintendent, and Travis Elliott, West Union Elementary principal, wanted to make one thing quite clear, emphasizing “Parents should know that their child is taken care of, and that is of the utmost importance to us as administrators and educators. When we can’t find a substitute, we cover from within to make it all work. Some days are easier than others and some days are harder than others, but with the flexibility with our staff, we work through and make it happen. We make sure every classroom is taken care of and every child has their educational and health needs met every single day, and that is all that matters.”

Where have the subs gone?

A person can be a substitute teacher by either having any kind of four-year degree and earning the substitute authorization through an Area Education Agency (AEA); by having a valid teaching license, which allows the person to be a long-term substitute; or by being a certified paraprofessional, who can only sub in the classroom in which he or she is already a paraprofessional. 

So, why is there a shortage of substitutes in rural districts?

Interacting with the Filipino people, especially the children, was what Joe Biver's self-determined mission was all about. Here, a little girl raises a peace sign behind him, so Joe had some fun and took a "selfie” with her.

The spirit of giving

Vicki Rowland

Contributing Writer

“Poverty is manmade and, hence, can be unmade.” 

This is a statement on the website of Gawad Kalinga, or GK, a nonprofit community development foundation in the Philippines. It is the mission of GK to end poverty for 5 million families by 2024. 

Its stated vision:  “Gawad Kalinga is building a nation empowered by people with faith and patriotism, a nation made up of caring and sharing communities dedicated to eradicate poverty and restore human dignity.”

One example of manmade poverty is Cebu City in the Philippines. First, it was heavily bombed by the Japanese in WWII. Then it was bombed by the Americans when they retook the island.  After the war, people moved back and the city grew in a totally unorganized fashion and, combined with the constant migration of Filipinos from the rural areas to cities like Cebu City, caused areas of extreme poverty and homelessness.

As part of its mission, GK built a community in Lorega for people who had settled in an old graveyard. Where once they had slept on top of the nitsos, or coffin vaults, they now reside in a three-story blue and white condominium they built themselves, surrounded by a compound wall that is guarded against the crime in the neighboring slums. The structure houses 59 480-square-foot studio-type housing units. An estimated 350-400 people live in the compound.

But it is about much more than housing.  The emphasis is on building a community, on becoming one’s brother’s keeper. People work together to build, maintain and clean their community. They take classes to learn values formation and how to support one another. Having a home gives them an address, which is a matter of dignity, and is essential for receiving mail or obtaining a loan. It is a safe place for them to be able to maintain their possessions and build a life.

All of this is very far away from the lives we know here in Fayette County. But thanks to one adventurous man, we have the opportunity to learn about being our brother’s keeper.  

Joe Biver of West Union, Fayette County GIS (geographic information systems) coordinator, wanted to live his faith by quietly lending a hand to his fellow man. He wanted to go solo, or “blind” — he did not want to be part of a structure or group – and he wanted to help in ways that he felt spirit-moved.

The Kyle and Erin Tieskoetter family of Ossian will be one of four local families to have their home on display for “The Magic of Christmas” home tour Friday, Dec. 1, through Sunday, Dec. 3. Sitting in front of their beautifully decorated fireplace are (l-r) Erin (holding daughter Reese) and Kyle (holding daughter Quinn). (Zakary Kriener photo)

Tieskoetter home part of the 'Magic'

Zakary Kriener

News Writer
zkriener@fayettepublishing.com

“The Magic of Christmas” in Ossian has developed into an annual holiday celebration that brings the community together to help spread holiday cheer. The celebration features beautifully decorated Christmas trees, table settings, collections on display throughout the weekend of Friday, Dec. 1, through Sunday, Dec. 3, as well as a home tour that puts the holiday decorations of four area families on display.

Among the home tours that will be on display this holiday season is that of Kyle and Erin Tieskoetter.

“Being able to see family and friends is one of our favorite parts of the holiday season,” said Erin. “We also enjoy driving around to see all of the decorations around town, so we are really looking forward to not just seeing all of the other beautifully decorated homes around town, but also being able to share our own holiday spirit.”

The young family, including 3-year-old daughter Reese and 1-year-old daughter Quinn, began decorating for “The Magic of Christmas” just after Thanksgiving, turning their Ossian home into a holiday wonderland in less than a week.

Christmas in Calmar ahead

The Christmas season is nearly here! What better way to ring in the holiday season than by partaking in the “Christmas in Calmar” activities from 4 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 7?

The following activities, which are sponsored by the Calmar Community Club, will be available in downtown Calmar:

Santa coming to Ossian

Santa will be in Ossian on Saturday, Dec. 2, at the Wild Woods Event Center’s “Santa Land.”

Events will begin at 10 a.m. with a cookie walk sponsored by DeSales School.  Chicken sandwiches and three kinds of soup will be available from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and Santa is scheduled to arrive at 11 a.m. as well. He will be at “Santa Land” until every child gets a chance to meet him. Be sure to bring cameras for a holiday photo!

A total of 16 vendors will also be at the event offering a wide variety of items for purchase.

Montauk Holiday Open House, Vespers on Sunday

Celebrate the holiday season on Sunday, Dec. 3, with two programs at the Montauk Historic Site and Union Sunday School in Clermont. 

In addition to the programs, this is also an opportunity to meet Montauk’s new site manager, Hannah Frederick!

The programs will kick off Sunday, Dec. 3, with the annual Holiday Open House from 1 p.m. to 4 p.m. at Montauk, where Rebecca White, Clermont Public Library director, will read stories and piano students will perform on the 1915 Mason and Hamlin piano. 

Guests can then take a short ride into Clermont for a traditional Vespers Service at 4:30 p.m. at Union Sunday School (402 Larrabee St.). Guests can also hang ornaments on a community Christmas tree and sing traditional carols.

Hannah Frederick is anxious to start her new role as the site manager of the Montauk Historic Site in Clermont. The young historian is also looking forward to meeting the public during the upcoming Montauk Holiday Open House from 1 to 4 p.m. Sunday, Dec. 3, in Clermont. (Zakary Kriener photo)

Frederick excited to begin at Montauk

Zakary Kriener

News Writer
zkriener@fayettepublishing.com

After settling into her new northeast Iowa home this week, new Montauk Historic Site manager Hannah Frederick is looking forward to beginning her new role at the local grounds.

“I am very anxious to get started here,” said the young historian. “I am most looking forward to meeting the community and hearing from them about what they want to see here at Montauk.”

Frederick, a native of Forest City, and her husband, Justin, moved to Clermont after she spent the past 12 years of her life in Ames.

Don’t let the Grinch (Brandon Torkelson) steal Christmas from his Whoville neighbors (l-r) Mary Schott, Cindy Torkelson, and Tammy Moser this holiday season. Attend “Christmas in Elgin” festivities from 2 to 7 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 7, in downtown Elgin. Local Elgin businesses will have specials all day, and attendees can register for prizes at each business. Torkelson Motors will host vendors and be the location of the Elgin 2019 Homecoming Soup Supper fundraiser from 5 to 7 p.m. Chris DeBack photo

Plenty of Christmas cheer in Elgin this year

By Chris Deback
cdeback@thefayettecountyunion.com

Area residents should mark their calendars as Elgin has plenty of Christmas cheer to spread this holiday season with numerous events taking place during the month of December. 

Christmas in Elgin

“Christmas in Elgin” will be from 2 to 6 p.m. Thursday, Dec. 7, at the businesses in Elgin. 

Sponsored by the Elgin Community Betterment Club, residents will be able to register at any local participating Elgin business for one of four $25 Elgin Buck prizes or one of ten $10 Elgin Buck prizes. Simply fill out a slip of paper with your name, address, and phone number. Residents need not be present for the drawing that will take place at 7 p.m. at Torkelson Motors in Elgin.

While registering for prizes, be sure to check out what each Elgin business has to offer this holiday season during Elgin’s Holiday Open Houses.The local businesses will have specials and refreshments all day long. Also, Torkelson Motors will have different vendors on-site with holiday items for sale. 

“It used to be called ‘Christmas in the Valley,’ and it has been done for a long time,” Cindy Torkelson said. “I remember the turkey drawings at 3 p.m. on all the Saturdays in December. Be sure to come on down and see what the different Elgin businesses have to offer.” 

In conjunction with “Christmas in Elgin,” the Elgin 2019 Homecoming Committee will host a Soup Supper fundraiser from 5 to 7 p.m. at Torkelson Motors. 

Fantz discusses County roads project

By Chris Deback
cdeback@thefayettecountyunion.com

The Fayette County Supervisors met in regular session on Monday, Nov. 27, and Fayette County Engineer Joel Fantz gave his weekly update on the Fayette County Secondary Roads Department. 

The Supervisors signed plan documents for an upcoming striping project in the county. Fantz noted that the County received up to $312,000 from the Highway Safety Improvement Program (HSIP) to grind in the striping on county concrete roads that don’t already have the striping ground in. The County doesn’t have to use local funds to match the federal grant, as the State of Iowa provided the 10 percent match. 

German foreign exchange student Karl Hahn (center) enjoys some dessert with his host parents, Marilyn and Keith Westpfahl (l-r) of Hawkeye. Coming to the tiny town of approximately 416 people was quite a shock for the German teenager, who is from Berlin, which has a population of approximately 3.5 million people. (Chris DeBack photo)

'It's all corn and beans'

By Chris Deback
cdeback@thefayettecountyunion.com

Traveling to a foreign country can be quite intimidating for most people. Can you imagine how intimidating it can be to then decide to live there for an extended period of time?

This is the dilemma that many foreign exchange students must deal with before embarking on a journey to another country. Whether going from America to another country or coming to America from another country, the cultural differences and language barriers can often be difficult to overcome. 

While these may be concerns, for some such as North Fayette Valley foreign exchange student Karl Hahn, it is just about quickly adapting to the circumstances around one.

Hahn, a 16-year-old from Berlin, arrived in New York City on Aug. 16 before making his way to the Eastern Iowa Airport to meet his host family, Keith and Marilyn Westpfahl of Hawkeye, on Aug. 19. Traveling long distances wasn’t an issue for Hahn, as it can be for others. His parents are divorced, so as a young child he learned to ride the bus by himself for the approximately three-hour trip from Berlin, where he lives with his mother, to Hamburg, Germany, where his father resides.