Dixon school board OKs hirings, resignations, retirement
New hires
* Natalee Boone, special education teacher at Jefferson School
* Angel Doyle, pre-K for all preschool teacher at Washington School
* Ashley Henegar, assistant principal at Reagan Middle School
* Stefanie Jordan, social worker at Washington School
* Alexis Point, third-grade teacher at Jefferson School
* Abby Risner, choir teacher at Dixon High School
* Molly Stitzel, fifth-grade special education resource teacher at Madison School
* Kaile Valdez, paraprofessional at Dixon High School
* Amy Wilcox, paraprofessional at Dixon High School
Change in status
* Kayla Ankney, from paraprofessional at Washington School to paraprofessional at Reagan Middle School
* Sydney Bittner, from office assistant at Reagan Middle School to building secretary at Dixon High School, effective July 1
* Brenda Quaco, from paraprofessional at Washington School to paraprofessional at Dempsey Therapeutic School
Resignations
* Danielle DeWitt, special education teacher at Washington School, effective at the end of the 2024-25 school year
* Jon Kingry, crossing guard at Jefferson School, effective at the end of the 2024-25 school year
* Melissa Palacio, lunchroom attendant at Madison School, effective May 1
* Annah Rosenbaum, paraprofessional at Jefferson School, effective at the end of the 2024-25 school year
* Katrina Shirley, music teacher at Jefferson School, effective at the end of the 2024-25 school year
* Elizabeth Stamm, Title I teacher at Jefferson School, effective at the end of the 2024-25 school year
Retirements
* Dorraine Kingry, Title I teacher at Jefferson School, effective at the end of the 2024-25 school year
Dismissals
* Esmeralda Rangel, custodian at Dixon High School, effective May 21
* Melissa Stowell, paraprofessional at Dempsey Therapeutic Day School, effective May 21
New facilitator
* Maggie Curry, physical education facilitator at Dixon High School
Facilitator resignation
* Jennifer Kuehl, third-grade facilitator, effective at the end of the 2024-25 school year
2024-25 Dixon High School coaches/activities
* Jesse Arjes, JV softball, 1/2 stipend, effective for the 2024-25 school year
* Rick Shroyer, JV softball, 1/2 stipend, effective for the 2024-25 school year
* Denise Ewers, accompanist, effective for the 2024-25 school year
* Richard Dingraudo, accompanist, effective for the 2024-25 school year
* Zack Heitz, head summer strength, effective for the 2024-25 school year
* Brad Winterland, assistant summer strength, effective for the 2024-25 school year
* Tyler Matteson, assistant summer strength, 1/2 stipend, effective for the 2024-25 school year
2024-25 coaching/activities resignations
* Eric Fergusion, RMS assistant Scholastic Bowl coach, effective May 21
* Candance Lind, RMS Scholastic Bowl coach, effective at the end of the 2024-25 school year
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Yahoo
7 minutes ago
- Yahoo
Record A-level results but concerns raised about ‘entrenched' regional divides
A-level grades have exposed stark divides in results between regions, prompting fears about 'entrenched' inequalities across England. While the overall proportion of entries awarded top grades rose again this year – remaining above pre-pandemic highs – a breakdown shows attainment gaps are widening across some areas of the country. North-east England saw just 22.9% of entries awarded an A or A* grade this year, a record 9.2 percentage points behind London (32.1%), and the only region to see a lower figure than in the pre-pandemic year of 2019. The Education Secretary called the 'entrenched divide' in outcomes and the lack of progress for white working-class children 'concerning'. Education experts suggested that differences in A-level results, which are having an impact on university access, are a symptom of poverty and problems outside the school gates, which mean children's life chances are being determined 'more by their postcode than their potential'. Overall, 28.3% of UK entries were awarded an A or A* grade, up by 0.5 percentage points on last year, when 27.8% achieved the top grades. This was higher than in 2019, the last year that summer exams were taken before the pandemic, when 25.4% of entries were awarded A or A* grades. It is the highest proportion of entries scoring top grades outside the pandemic-affected years of 2020-22, according to the figures from the Joint Council for Qualifications (JCQ) for England, Wales and Northern Ireland. Boys outperformed girls in terms of top A-level grades for the first time in seven years. As results were published, separate Ucas figures showed the number of applicants accepted on to UK degree courses has risen to a record high. The higher education admissions service said 82% of UK 18-year-old applicants awaiting a decision on results day secured their first choice. But Ucas data showed regional disparities remain in university access, with the gap between north-east England and London at the highest on record. Overall, 24.9% of 18-year-olds from north-east England secured a university place on results day, compared with 43.4% of 18-year-olds from London. The gap is now 18.5 percentage points, up from 17.3 percentage points last year and 11.9 percentage points in 2019. At A-level, the A*-A gap between the highest performing region, London, and the lowest, north-east England, is now at its widest since the current system of grading was introduced, according to figures from England's exams regulator Ofqual. Some 32.1% of entries in the capital were awarded A or A* this year, the highest for any region in England and up from 31.3% in 2024. North-east England had the lowest regional percentage this year at 22.9%, down from 23.9% in 2024. It means the gap between these two regions now stands at 9.2 percentage points, up from 7.4 points last year and the largest since the present system of grading began in 2010, according to analysis by the PA news agency. North-east England is one of just two regions to see a year-on-year drop in entries receiving top grades, the other is West Midlands (down from 24.8% to 24.2%). Bridget Phillipson said: 'Every single young person collecting their results today should have the opportunity to pursue their dreams, whether that starts with further study, university, an apprenticeship or the world of work, but too often, opportunities depend on background rather than talent. 'The entrenched divide in outcomes seen over the last few years and the lack of progress for children from white working-class backgrounds is particularly concerning.' On A-level results day, Ms Phillipson said Government education reforms will ensure that all young people are 'truly ready for life and work'. Lee Elliot Major, professor of social mobility at the University of Exeter, said: 'In too many parts of the country, children are arriving at school hungry, anxious and facing the grinding effects of poverty outside the school gates— poor housing, insecure work, a lack of local services. 'Inside the school gates, overstretched schools struggle to meet rising needs. 'Until we tackle these inequities both inside and outside the classroom, we will continue to see children's life chances determined more by their postcode than their potential.' He added: 'These results expose an education system of entrenched regional divides. 'It is a stark reminder that where you grow up still shapes your life chances.' Mr Elliot Major called for a 'region-first approach' to tackling divides that invests in schools and colleges outside London, addresses poverty in places where it 'hits most', and attracts and retains teachers in 'struggling areas'. Chris Zarraga, director of Schools North East, said: 'North East students have done brilliantly again this year, but the structural gap between our region and London has grown yet again. This is not about school quality. 'Every August, our students prove their talent and determination. But we cannot keep pretending the North East–London gap is about standards. It is about deep-rooted structural inequalities that no government has seriously addressed. 'Without urgent, sustained action to tackle them, the gap will keep widening and it will not be because our students or teachers are any less capable.' Paul Whiteman, general secretary of school leaders' union NAHT, said the widening gap needs closer investigation. He said: 'This regional disparity has grown over the past decade, and the reasons need to be properly understood if they are to be tackled. 'This could range from differences in the impact of Covid and the cost-of-living crisis, to specific areas of poverty and varying investment into education, health, social care and other support services and infrastructure in the London and the South compared to the North.' Mr Whiteman added that similar data needed to be collected for vocational technical qualifications (VTQs) 'to build a complete picture of the situation'. JCQ's figures for England, Wales and Northern Ireland show overall pass rate – the proportion of entries graded A* to E – has also risen to 97.5% this year, which is up on last year (97.2%) and the pre-pandemic year of 2019 (97.6%). Sir Ian Bauckham, chief regulator of Ofqual, told the PA news agency that the standard of work required to achieve grades has 'held constant' since 2023. He said any changes were because a 'smaller, smarter cohort' of students had sat their A-level exams this year compared to previous years. The Covid-19 pandemic led to an increase in top grades in 2020 and 2021, with results based on teacher assessments instead of exams. This cohort of school and college leavers received their GCSE results in 2023, the first year that grading was returned to pre-pandemic levels in England. In Wales and Northern Ireland, exam regulators returned to pre-pandemic grading in 2024, a year later than in England. More than 250,000 Level 3 VTQ results have also been awarded to UK students by the JCQ this year. In England, 11,909 students received their T-level results in the fourth year that the qualification has been awarded, and 91.4% achieved at least a pass. Scotland has a different qualification system and students received their results on Tuesday last week.
CNET
9 minutes ago
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Chefs Advise: Don't Waste Your Money on These 20 Pointless Kitchen Tools
Kitchen gadgets come in all shapes and sizes but that doesn't mean all of them are actually useful. While essential kitchen utensils get used constantly and can speed up your cooking process, some options are just going to take up space and end up collecting dust. Choosing versatile options like a quality knife, or kitchen shears, means that you'll build skills and ensure those tools get used on a regular basis. Instead of chasing every buzzy new appliance, it pays to stick with gear that's functional, reliable and actually makes your life easier. To help you sort the essentials from the excess, we asked chefs and kitchen pros which gadgets are worth the hype -- and which ones are better left behind. When decluttering your kitchen, knowing what not to buy is just as important as knowing what to keep. Don't miss any of CNET's unbiased tech content and lab-based reviews. Add us as a preferred Google source on Chrome. These career cooks are the ultimate authority on which kitchen gadgets should get the boot -- especially when cupboard, counter and drawer space is limited. Each one listed their least favorite kitchen tools and offered their preferred method or tool for completing the cooking task that they're meant to do. Masaharu Morimoto Celebrity chef, restaurateur Masaharu Morimoto shared his pick for the most overrated kitchen tool.1. Mandolin Chef Morimoto encourages beefing up your knife skills to make thin and uniform vegetable slices. Milk Street Why: "While it brings good slices, mastering proper knife skills gives you more control, precision and safety in the long run. Mandolins can be bulky, hard to clean and risky if you're not extremely careful. Relying too much on a mandolin, or tools like a two-in-one apple cutter or a tomato corer can hold you back from developing real technique. Taking the time to learn how to handle a sharp chef's knife or Japanese blade will help you in almost every recipe." What to try instead: Mac 8-inch Japanese chef knife. Lead chef-instructor Institute of Culinary Education, Los Angeles Culinary instructor Eric Rowse knows a gimmicky kitchen tool when he sees one. Institute of Culinary Education 2. Onion holders Why: "These look like a weapon for Wolverine wannabes; it's meant to help you hold a whole onion and "chop" it. Instead, cut the onion in half to create a flat surface so it won't roll away. If you're trying to cut rings, save the $14 and stick a fork in the root and hold the fork." What to try instead: Learn to properly slice an onion the old-fashioned way. 3. Onion goggles Save your money -- and some dignity -- and skip the onion goggles. Rubberball/Why: "A waste of money, as they don't form a great seal around the eyes to prevent the sulfur compounds from getting to your eyes and making you cry. Keep your knife sharp and open a window or turn on a fan instead." What to try instead: CNET's Peter Butler shares tips for cutting onions without crying. 4. Metal, glass, stone and acrylic cutting boards Glass, stone and metal boards are OK for serving but when slicing and dicing, wood is the way to go. David Watsky/CNET Why: "Cutting on hard surfaces is bad for your knives; instead, go for wood or poly." What to try instead: Our list of the best cutting boards features plenty of knife-safe options. 5. Chicken shredder Why: "I can't think of anyone needing a tool devoted to shredding chicken outside a restaurant and even restaurants don't use it. This item only has one purpose so I'd skip it." What to try instead: Two forks. 6. Herb stripper Why: "I love thyme but hate stripping it. When I was young I got suckered into believing this tool would help me … It's been sitting in my cupboard, laughing at me for almost a decade now." What to try instead: For heartier herbs like rosemary and thyme, just use your fingers to slide down the stem, opposite to how the leaves grow. 7. Bluetooth wireless probe thermometer Instant read meat probes work fast and don't require a fussy Bluetooth connection. Chris Wedel/CNET Why: "These are a great tool but can be very expensive. I can see myself losing, breaking, dropping, accidentally throwing away or dropping it in the coals." What to try instead: ThermoPro's Lightning Instant Read Thermometer Cookbook author and lifestyle expert Cookbook author Peter Som didn't hold back when asked about his least favorite kitchen tools. Peter Som 8. Electric can opener A manual can opener is cheaper, works great and is less likely to break. Nelson Aguilar/CNET Why: "Most of us grew up with an electric can opener permanently stationed on the kitchen counter, like it was a vital appliance. But truthfully, they're more nostalgia than necessity. They take up space, can be a hassle to clean and often struggle with irregularly sized cans. A good manual opener is compact, reliable and gets the job done without needing an outlet or a user manual." What to try instead: Oxo's soft-handled can opener. Richard Ingraham Personal chef to Dwyane Wade and Gabrielle Union and author of Love: My Love Expressed Through Food Richard Ingraham avoids certain kitchen tools when cooking for celebs like Dwayne Wade and Gabrielle Union.9. Avocado slicer Why: "A knife and spoon do the job just as easily and the specialized tool rarely fits all avocado sizes properly. It's a one-trick pony that clutters drawers." What to try instead: A good paring knife like this $35 Wusthof 10. Egg separator Separating an egg by hand isn't so difficult that it requires hardware. Yipengge/Getty Images Why: "A tool just for separating yolks is unnecessary for most home cooks." The only exception may be this one, and even that is just for yolks. Err, I mean yucks. What to try instead: Cracking an egg and using the shell halves or your fingers works just as well. 11. Garlic peeler tube Why: "Rolling garlic cloves in a silicone tube may work but requires storing a single-purpose gadget." What to try instead: Smashing garlic cloves with a chef knife is quicker and more reliable. 12. Pizza scissors Chef Ingraham says skip the scissors on pizza night. Zoranm/Getty Images Why: "A pizza cutter or knife works better and faster. These scissors are gimmicky, awkward to clean and take up more space than they're worth." What to try instead: KitchenAid's stainless-steel pizza wheel. 13. Herb scissors Why: "They're hard to clean and don't offer a huge advantage over a sharp chef's knife. Plus, they tend to crush delicate herbs more than slice them." What to try instead: Made In's 8-inch Chef Knife. 14. Electric egg cooker Why: "Boiling eggs in a pot is straightforward and flexible. The electric version just adds clutter unless you boil eggs constantly and hate using a stove." What to try instead: This 1-minute hack for making poached eggs in the microwave. 15. Butter cutter and dispenser A good butter knife works just as well and requires less space and maintenance. Williams Sonoma Why: "It slices sticks of butter into pats … but why? A knife works instantly and you don't have to load and clean a plastic gadget for it." What to try instead: Williams Sonoma breakfast butter blade. 16. Pasta measurer Why: "It's a plastic disc with holes to tell you how much spaghetti to cook. Just eyeball it or learn the rough weight by experience. It's not worth the drawer space." What to try instead: A kitchen scale for precise measurements. 17. Oil mister Why: "Often clogs, sprays unevenly and requires constant cleaning. A small spoon or brush does the job with less frustration." What to try instead: World Market's olive oil cruet. 18. Electric potato peeler A sharp vegetable peeler is all you need to skin a batch of potatoes. Capelle.r/Getty Images Why: "Takes up a surprising amount of space and peels slower than a regular peeler. Plus, it's overkill unless you're peeling dozens of potatoes at once." What to try instead: Oxo's Swivel peeler. 19. Bagel guillotine Why: "Sold as a safer way to slice bagels but takes up a ton of space and is awkward to clean. A serrated knife does the job just fine." What to try instead: Opinel's 8-inch bread knife. Jackie Carnesi Executive chef, Kellogg's Diner Jackie Carnesi StarChefs 20. Oven mitts There's a reason pro chefs don't use oven mitts. Webstaurant Why: "Oven mitts are the most useless item in a home kitchen. A sturdy kitchen towel does the same job, and odds are, it's more likely to be washed regularly. I don't know many people who wash their oven mitts frequently enough ... it seems many have deemed it an item that doesn't warrant regular cleaning. It does." What to try instead: Stock a plethora of kitchen towels.
Forbes
10 minutes ago
- Forbes
Pricing My Magic: The Gathering Mono Red Deck From 1994
I don't have many regrets in life, most of them being food related, but one that persists to this day is selling my Magic: The Gathering mono red deck constructed in the early 1990s at the advent of Magic cards. This collection of 60 cards, at the time, didn't carry the thought of investment. But after one of my friends told me he recently sold his entire collection from that era to purchase a house, I figured I may as well finally endure the pain of pricing out what I sold for a mere $600. And yes, $600 back then was a lot of money to a 17 year-old looking to escape the confines of Florida. That money enabled me to go on a cross-country journey for a year and discover that I still didn't know what I wanted to do. Still don't. Regardless, those were all the Magic cards I had left at the time, my mono red deck that brought me endless wins, after selling the rest earlier to friends. This deck I sold to a dealer, someone who surely knew what their value would become. I hope he's enjoying the Maserati I inadvertently bought him. I've forgotten a lot of things over the years, but I haven't forgotten the majority of the cards that made up my mono red deck from 1994. These cards came from the Limited Edition Alpha and Limited Edition Beta, but not the Unlimited Edition. And while Revised Edition came out in 1994, I had already built my deck by then, starting as soon as the cards hit shelves in the comic book store that I basically lived in during those early high school years. And while I've rebuilt that original mono red deck with reprints, it's not the same. The only point of contention as it concerns my memory is whether some of the cards I had were Alpha or Beta. Unlimited cards had a white border, and I know my deck was all black borders, which was a trait of both Alpha and Beta. MTG: Mono Red Deck circa 1994 So let's break down the cards in this deck that I swear existed in my possession, with pricing from TCGPlayer. I'll use Beta as the baseline, swapping Alpha when my brain is almost sure the card came from that release. As far as condition, let's assume if I had kept these cards, they'd be heavily played but not damaged. Prices can tend to be all over the place, so I'll do my best. There's going to be some estimation and averages. And I'm using listing prices, not the market price because the listing price is more based in actual reality as far as sales. FEATURED | Frase ByForbes™ Unscramble The Anagram To Reveal The Phrase Pinpoint By Linkedin Guess The Category Queens By Linkedin Crown Each Region Crossclimb By Linkedin Unlock A Trivia Ladder No, I did not have a Volcanic Island. I wasn't savvy enough back then to play dual-color decks. All I had was basic land, mountains, 20 of them. Current price for a mountain from the Beta set is about $10 for a heavily played card. So that's $200 right there just for lands. 40 cards to go. Lightning Bolt (4): I don't know if these were from the Alpha or Beta sets, so with the price for a heavily played Alpha Lightning Bolt around $300 and a Beta one sitting around $140, let's go with the average of $220 each. Total value of $880. Of course, this card isn't legal in a lot of formats anymore, but back then, we didn't care. We played in the mall. Remember malls? Fork (1): What a great card. Want your Lightning Bolt to be more effective? Play it with a Fork. Double the damage, double the fun. Beta edition value of $445. Shivan Dragon (1): Starting at the top, with the big beast of the deck and most expensive creature as far as mana cost back then. I have a reprint in my mono red dragon Commander deck now, but I sure do wish I had this card today, as it averages around $2,550 between Alpha and Beta on the open market. Rock Hydra (2): Average price $330 each. Dragon Whelp (4): If you had a mono red deck in 1994, you had a bunch of Dragon Whelps. There weren't a ton of creatures yet, so you filled your deck with what you had. And these were certainly from Alpha. They go for about $200 each now. Roc of Kher Ridges (1): I can't really remember if I had two of these or two of the next card because of the similar name. The Beta edition values are about the same at about $160 so it's kind of a wash. Roc Hydra (2): While the Alpha edition is worth a bit more, chances are I had the Beta verison so we'll stick with the $160 here. Hurloon Minotaur (2): This card isn't worth much nowadays, oddly enough. The Alpha edition version is sitting at around $11. Sedge Troll (1): I distinctly remember the horrid little creature on the face of this card. Beta version is a whopping $525. There are no Alpha versions on the market at all, so I probably didn't have that version. Dwarven Warriors (2): Beta edition goes for about $3, even less than the Minotaur. But I'm certain I had a few of these little fellers in my deck. Mon's Goblin Raiders (1): Priced around $17, this was one of those cards I stuffed into my deck because I wanted to have all possible creatures represented, even though at this time, sorcery and instants were much more powerful. Creatures were just cool to look at sitting useless on the food court table, as I pounder my opponents with Lightning Bolts. Fire Elemental (1): Finally, a Fire Elemental rounded out my creatures. This card would sell for around $18 currently, though I'd probably price it at $17 because I'm cool like that. Fireball (4): Aside from Lightning Bolt, this was the best player damage card in the deck. Forget about attacking creatures, one mana plus X means I'm coming after you. These average around $44 on the open market nowadays, not a huge price tag after 31 years, but not too shabby for a single very used card. Earthquake (2): Another X sorcery card, this one does both player and creature damage at the same time. The Beta version, heavily played, is selling for around $260. Stone Rain (2): Did you like that land? How about if I destroy it with this $11 card? Wheel of Fortune (1): Yes, that Wheel of Fortune card. While not a board wipe card, it did shake things up, especially if you waited until you had one card (this one) and your opponent still had a handful. Totally worth it. And totally worth about $2,597 in aggregate between Alpha and Beta. Disintegrate (2): An exile card before exile was a thing. The language on these early cards was very descriptive. 'Disintegrate does X damage to one target. If target dies this turn, it is removed from game entirely and cannot be regenerated. Return target to its owner's deck only when game is over.' It's worth about $6. Mana Flare (1): I didn't have a lot of Enchantments in my early decks, not like my Commander decks now that are packed full of them. But I know I had this one and the next two. And even though this $360 (average) card helped the other player, it also enabled me to punish them with even stronger Fireballs. Earthbind (1): There weren't a ton of flying creatures, but if you had one and I pulled this card, it wasn't flying anymore. Only worth around $15 nowadays, but this card spawned so many anti-flying cards. Burrowing (1): To be clear, I owned other Enchantments at some point, such as Power Surge and Firebreathing, but once I built my deck and started winning (loser had to buy Sbarro's) I usually traded my cards for comics or a few loose cigarettes. This card sells for around $5, but in my opinion at least, that artwork is iconic. Sol Ring (1): Yeah, of course I had an original Sol Ring. A mainstay in almost every Commander deck these days, this card was a must-have in a deck with numerous X mana cards. Needed that extra mana. $645 average value now. Glasses of Urza (1): You may be asking if I had a Black Lotus, surely one of the most sought after and expensive Magic: The Gathering cards in existence. I did not. But I had these glasses that sell for about $30. I'm going to look at your hand and there's nothing you can do about it. Mox Ruby (1): I may not have had a Black Lotus in this deck, but I sure did have a Mox Ruby. One of the vaulted Mox cards, since it could be played as an interrupt (early word for instant), it was extremely helpful for throwing a Lightning Bolt when you are otherwise tapped. Current aggregate between Alpha and Beta puts a heavily played version of this card around $4,750. Chaos Orb (1): This $1,800 card (Beta) was so much fun. Here, let me throw a card and hope it lands on one of your creatures. Could you imagine this mechanic in today's game? It's totally banned in modern formats, but if you are just playing with an Alpha/Beta deck (because you're rich apparently) then it's allowed. Lands: $200 Instants: $1325 Creatures: $5077 Sorcery: $3327 Enchantments: $380 Artifacts: $7,225 Total estimated deck value if I had just kept these cards: $17,154. I sold them all in 1996 for $600. No regrets, because it was a heck of a lot of fun playing Magic: The Gathering in the food court back in the day. Selling my Magic: The Gathering mono red deck was a lesson Not everything you purchase as a fan or collector has to be saved as an investment, but so many from our generation (Gen-X) had something when they were a kid that is worth a lot now. And while it's hard to predict what that might be, that thinking has influenced the current state of the resale market and why many of us buy one box of Magic: The Gathering cards to play with, and one to sell. Invest wisely; but be sure to have fun along the way so even if you have regret, at least you had a good experience along with it.
