The Iowa Board of Education has authorized a task force to study how to beef up standards in the state’s teacher preparation programs. The department’s Lawrence Bice says they’re looking at tougher standards for professors in the teacher prep programs, and clearer rules for what student teaching should look like. “We’ve been charged by the state board of education to update the standards, to make sure they are rigorous, and that’s what we’re doing,” Bice says. ” Beefing up teacher prep is a high priority of the state board. ” Bice says state law already mandates what tests prospective teachers have to pass:

“We don’t have the authority to change legislation certainly, that’s what our legislators do. So what we’re doing is we’re lookint at what do we have control over — and we’re trying to, frankly we’re trying to make the requirements more rigorous,” Bice explains. That includes requiring the teacher preparation programs to report on what they’re doing to improve based on their last accreditation review.

(Radio Iowa)

Here is the latest Iowa news from The Associated Press…

WOODWARD, Iowa (AP) — Residents of Woodward in central Iowa were without water after a water main break. The water was shut off yesterday morning. KCCI-TV reports water was restored Monday afternoon, but officials are advising residents to boil their drinking water until testing shows it’s safe.

OTTUMWA, Iowa (AP) — Judith Cabanillas was just 13 when a middle-of-the-night phone call conveyed the shattering news: Her older sister had been found murdered in an Iowa farmhouse. That was in 1974. The slaying went unsolved for years. Now, almost four decades later, her quest could be near an end as authorities put a suspect on trial today in the death of Mary Jayne Jones, a carefree 17-year-old wh worked at a drive-in restaurant. Cabanillas hopes the trial in Ottumwa provides some justice for her family and eases their grief.

DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) — A northeast Iowa man has been sentenced to more than seven years in prison for possession of a homemade bomb. Federal prosecutors in Cedar Rapids say 34-year-old Bjorn Luster of Cresco pleaded guilty in September to one count of possession of a destructive device.

AMES, Iowa (AP) — Naadir Tharpe scored a career-high 23 points, freshman Andrew Wiggins had 17 points and 19 rebounds and Number 15 Kansas beat 8th ranked Iowa State 77-70 last night for its third straight win to open Big 12 play. The Jayhawks handed the Cyclones their second consecutive loss after a 14-0 start.

A program designed to feed children in the Atlantic Community School District over the weekend, has received approval and is expected to begin next month.

ACSD Food Service Director DeeAnn Schriener with one of the Backpack meals for kids.

DeeAnn Schriener, Food Service and Wellness  Coordinator for the School District said during Monday night’s School Board meeting, she was approached about the “Backpack Program” a couple of years ago, but at that time it was the consensus of the district’s principals that the need wasn’t there. That’s not the case now.

She said this year some students had approached her on a Monday morning and said they hadn’t eaten anything all weekend. Their stories moved her to pursue the Backpack Program a little further. Schriener said after much research and phone calls, the program started falling into place. One of the places she contacted was the Food Bank of the Heartland, in Omaha, which has the program. After a conversation, she was moved to the top of their priority list, because Cass County is in what’s called a “Red Zone,” which means it is an “underserved community.” Officials with FBH met with the district’s principals after the Christmas break, and things have been taking off from there.

Schriener said her goal was to start with 15 Backpacks of food, but the count is currently at 144, which will be provided by Food Bank of the Heartland.  She says the food is free to the district and to the kids. Each backpack is a bag which contains 2 breakfast cereals, 2 main dish items, 2 shelf stable milks, 1 juice box and 1 fruit bowl. The main goal of the program she says, is to make sure kids have food in their stomach, which it is hoped will increase their test scores back up and improve their concentration.

Schriener says if she can raise enough money, the Wellness Team will supplement the FBH backpack with 2 main dish items, 1 or 2 juice boxes and 2 snacks. That will cost about two to four-dollars per pack. She says there is a lot of community support behind the project. That includes help from the Atlantic Food Pantry, and Hy-Vee Manager Amy Jordahl, who will work to create and organize a media campaign to explain how the program works. Hy-Vee will also post signs throughout their store that indicate which items are “Friday Friendly.”

When customers purchase those items, they can give them to the cashier who makes sure the school receives those products. The food packs from FBH are expected to arrive next week, with distribution beginning Feb. 1st. Students are referred to the program by District staff and selected by the principals of each building and Schriener. Students DO NOT need to be on the Free and Reduced meal program. Once those students most in need are identified, the food backpack will be placed in the students’ locker and a waiver form will be sent home with their parent, which will give them the option of permitting their student receive future backpacks, or decline the offer.

The Cass County Board of Supervisors are expected to approve an agreement with an Omaha architectural firm Wednesday morning, with regard to the partial renovation of the basement at 707 Poplar Street. The lower level of the building, which was purchased late last year, will be used for the Cass County Communications Center in the near future. The agreement is with Carlson-West-and Povandra Architects.

In other business, the Supervisors will hear a quarterly Conservation Department report, review and possibly take action on the County Compensation Board’s recommendations for a compensation schedule for annual compensation of the auditor, treasurer, recorder, sheriff, county attorney, and supervisors for FY2015, and approve a schedule for the same. They’ll also discuss and act on whether to allow or disallow  family farm credits, and to approve agricultural Land credits in accord with the Code of Iowa.

The Board may also act on making an appointment to fill a vacancy term on the Cass Co. Board of Health. Their meeting begins at 8:30-a.m., Wednesday.