Today's Feature

Bill Would Expand Virtual Classrooms.

JEFFERSON CITY, MO – New gaming money derived from the passage of Proposition A last November by Missouri voters will go to students in Missouri classrooms as intended thanks to a sweeping education bill the Missouri Senate passed last week. Senate Leader Charlie Shields, R-St. Joseph, sponsored Senate Bill 291 to fix an error in the proposition language. Senators voted to have the gaming funds generated from the removal of loss limits deposited into the Classroom Trust Fund and distributed to school districts through the fund.

"The Classroom Trust Fund is a proven method for making sure gaming funding that is supposed to go to our students in our classrooms gets there," Shields said. "By running the additional money generated by the removal of loss limits through this proven fund, we are ensuring our students will see those dollars as intended by the people when they voted last November."

The measure also expands virtual classrooms for use by Missouri school district students and charter school students for any grade. An amendment to the bill guarantees that private, parochial, and home schools students will be able to participate in virtual courses offered in the school districts where they live. Shields said the bill provides funding for school districts and charter schools to create virtual school programs, building on the state’s current virtual school.

"By funding these virtual classes like normal classes, we give districts, and more importantly, students flexibility," Shields said. "That flexibility means they will be able to take more classes when it is most convenient for them, plus it will mean a wider range of classes will be available for students in small or rural districts."

The Senate also endorsed the bipartisan idea that teachers have performance standards.

"Our students have performance standards and it is important we have quality teachers to make sure Missouri’s future workforce is the most educated in the nation – even the world."

School districts are required to develop the standards by June 30, 2010. The standards should include that teachers use forms of assessment to monitor and manage learning, be prepared and knowledgeable of content, keep students focused, professionally communicate with the community, keep current on instructional knowledge and act as a responsible professional.

The bill now moves to the House for similar consideration. To learn more visit www.senate.mo.gov, "key word" search SB291.

Mornin'

Hopefully small disasters come in threes. That’d mean I’m past the "fix-it" mode for a while anyway.

It started last Friday evenin’ with a hiss under the hood of the old jeep. Water hose. The grandkids were visitin’, so I take them to the parts store with me on Saturday to get the hose. Simple replacement, good as new. I get in the car later that evening and the battery is dead. I take the jeep and when I return home after dark I see the problem, the rear dome light was turned on by one of the two curious minds. The charger goes on, battery is ok next day. Plug in the coffee pot (a real percolator type), the plug flashes and shuts down that project. I replaced the plug and ever’thing is back to pre-weekend normal. I was lookin’ forward to gettin’ back to work.

This is some fact, but mostly,

Just Jake Talkin’.

Weatherstrip Now for Summer

Q: I know that weatherstripping in the winter can keep out cold air and lower my heating bill, but what about summertime? -- Ellen in New York

A: Just as blocking cold air from entering during the winter months can keep you more comfortable and save on heating costs, reducing the amount of cool air that escapes the interior of the home during the hot summer months also can save money.

If your home’s windows and doors are well-sealed against drafts -- either because they are brand-new or because you installed thicker weatherstripping in the fall -- that seal should be enough to keep air-conditioned air inside.

A home’s insulation also works year-round to help maintain comfortable temperatures indoors. It works best when in good shape, so if you haven’t inspected the insulation in a while, check the condition of any that you can access, such as the attic or crawlspaces. The material should not be compressed or matted, and definitely should not be damp or moldy. Replace old or damaged insulation.

And while you’re up in the attic, inspect the vents installed around the space. These should not be blocked or damaged; if they are, unblock them or have them repaired. This is one area where, winter or summer, outside air needs to circulate constantly in order to prevent moisture, excessive heat or cold from damaging the outer envelope of your home. (A home’s "envelope" generally consists of the uninhabited spaces just inside the outer walls and roof. Air flowing through these spaces helps keep the building materials from deteriorating.)

Spring is an excellent time to inspect weatherstripping, insulation and venting around the home, as you can make any repairs in fairly comfortable weather and be ready for the hot season ahead.