The Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) announced it will participate in a three-year, $75-million public-private partnership with five other states to develop long-term reform strategies for their lowest-performing schools. Illinois was selected to join the initiative, along with Colorado, Delaware, Louisiana, Massachusetts and New York by Mass Insight Education and Research Institute, a Boston-based non-profit education organization focused on closing achievement gaps.
"We’re excited to work with these states and Mass Insight to identify and implement new strategies to turn around struggling schools," said State Superintendent of Education Christopher A. Koch. "This initiative, funded by an unprecedented amount of federal dollars and private donations, calls for dramatic broad-scale interventions."
Sponsored by the Jacksonville Symphony and Orchestra and Chorale, 'The Talent Among Us' competition will be held Saturday, February 27th at 7 pm at Rammelkamp Chapel on the campus of Illinois College. An annual event, the Jacksonville Symphony fundraiser will include everyone's favorite 'People's Choice Award'. Auditions will be held Saturday, January 30th, 2010. Performers chosen will be notified on February 8th and must be able to compete in 'The Talent Among Us' competition on the 27th, under the direction of Garrett Allman. Please submit application below by January 9, 2010, with $25 non-refundable entry fee made payable to the Jacksonville Symphony. Come celebrate 'The Talent Among Us' with the Jacksonville Symphony Orchestra and Chorale!
The Jacksonville Theatre Guild presents "High School Musical 2" Thursday through Sunday, February 18, 19, 20 with matinees on February 20 & 21st, 2010 at the Sophie Leschin Theatre. “High School Musical 2” continues where the first popular Disney musical, “High School Musical,” left off, with our favorite East High students leaving school for summer break. The Wildcats get summer jobs working together at the exclusive Lava Springs Country Club, only to find out the parents of scheming Sharpay Evans own the resort. She wields her remarkable power in an attempt to win Troy away from Gabriella. The rivals unite in a show-stopping musical finale you won't want to miss! Thursday, Friday, Saturday performances begin at 7:30 pm while the Sunday matinée curtain time is 2 pm. Adult tickets are $15 while children (12 and younger) are admitted for $8. Come share the fun!
Identity theft is on the rise, as approximately 10 million Americans fell victim last year. While nothing can guarantee you won't become a victim yourself, there are many ways to minimize risk. "No matter if you're shopping, drawing money from the bank, or simply taking out your trash, it's important to take precautionary actions," says Dr. Nelson Ludlow, CEO of Intellicheck Mobilisa, a developer of wireless security and identity systems for the government, military and commercial markets. Ludlow's Defense ID System has scanned millions of IDs, identifying over ten thousand criminals and suspects with zero false positives. "Remember, people aren't always who they say they are, both online and in the physical world," he adds, noting identity fraud more often occurs in person than online. With this in mind here are some tips from the experts at Intellicheck Mobilisa on safeguarding your identity:
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