One of University of Illinois Extension’s Small Farms Winter Webinars will explain how mulch acts as an insulator, keeping the soil from freezing. Webinars will be offered in March for free.

DEKALB 

NIU showcasing artwork of area college faculty, students 

Northern Illinois University School of Art and Design’s exhibition of artwork from almost 20 Illinois community colleges continues through Feb. 24. The show features the professional artwork of community college art faculty and a juried competition of community college student artwork at the Holmes Student Center main floor gallery at 340 Carroll Ave., daily from 7 a.m. to 11 p.m. Admission is free. For more information, contact Anna-Marie Zurlinden at azurlinden1@niu.edu.

SYCAMORE  

Vote is expected on school staffing cuts 

Sycamore School District 427’s three-year budget reduction plan including the elimination of approximately about 35 positions next school year may be approved at the School Board’s Feb. 28 meeting. The district’s goal is to reach a balanced budget by the end of the 2017-18 school year.

The personnel reductions are part of the district’s strategy to reduce the budget by $2.3 million in fiscal 2018. The reductions would eliminate roughly 17 teaching positions, including five full-time high school teachers, four reading teachers, three special education teachers, 3.2 teachers in library, physical education, technology or art, and 1.6 teachers of elective classes. The plan would also cut social worker and school counselor hours and one school nurse. Support staff cuts could include five special education assistants, three other classroom assistants, one math interventionist, five reading interventionists, one part-time reading interventionist and one clerical position.

If the board approves the staff reductions at its next meeting, the district would take final action on certified staff positions March 14 and the educational support staff positions in April.

Indian Creek students can apply for scholarship 

The Bernice Kirkus Scholarship Foundation at First Midwest Bank, Sycamore, is offering scholarships for the 2017-2018 academic year. Graduates of Indian Creek High School who are accepted for enrollment or currently enrolled full-time in a four-year college or university, and who major in an undergraduate degree in education, are eligible to apply for a scholarship.

More information about the foundation and application forms are available through the Guidance Counselors Department of the Indian Creek High School or at the bank’s website, firstmidwest.com/wm_scholarships. Students also can write: The Bernice Kirkus Scholarship Foundation c/o First Midwest Bank, 230 W. State St., Sycamore, 60178. All application materials must be received by First Midwest Bank no later than April 1 prior to the academic year in which aid is being requested.

MALTA 

Kishwaukee College enrollment continues to decline 

Spring enrollment numbers show that overall enrollment at Kishwaukee College is down about 6.7 percent compared with the previous spring semester, continuing a downward trend that can be contributed in part to a lack of state funding, officials said. The college now has 3,130 students enrolled, according to data provided by the college. This is a decrease of 225 students from the 3,355 students enrolled in the spring 2016 semester.

Signup continues for advanced math, science classes for high school juniors 

The Kishwaukee College EMSA Program is accepting applications for the 2017-2018 academic year through March 1. Students who are high school juniors currently enrolled in or have already completed pre-calculus and general chemistry at their high schools are eligible to apply.

EMSA is a program designed for students who will be high school seniors in the fall of 2017. EMSA has two academic tracks available: Track One for students interested in pursuing a degree in engineering or physics and Track Two for students interested in pursuing a “pre-professional” major in college, for example, veterinary sciences, medicine, pharmacy, or physical therapy. All of these fields – engineering, hard sciences, computer science and pre-professional – have a math and science base that is more in-depth than other career paths.

During the fall and spring semesters, students will attend classes at Kishwaukee College at 7:30 a.m. and return to their high school at 10 a.m. to attend their senior year classes there as well as participate in extracurricular activities. Taking these classes allows seniors to jumpstart on their college career by fulfilling science and math course requirements for a fraction of the cost of university tuition. For more information on applying to the 2017-2018 program, contact Kathy Mershon at (81) 825-9307 or kathy.mershon@kishwaukeecollege.edu.

GENOA 

Baked potato bar event proceeds to help youth program  

Faith United Methodist Church, 325 S. Stott St., Genoa, will host a baked potato bar youth fundraiser from 4:30-7 p.m. Feb. 25. The public is invited. The menu will include all the fixings, salad bar, drink and dessert. A free-will donation will be taken to help support the Youth Group Mission trip to Detroit. Call (815) 784-5143 for more information.

STATE 

Webinars offer farming tips during winter 

University of Illinois Extension continues its Small Farms Winter Webinar Series in March, featuring practical lunch-hour presentations on small farm enterprises and strategies.

Each webinar will be presented by an Extension educator, timed to fit within the lunch hour, and recorded for future viewing for those who have to miss the live session. Registration for the Small Farms Winter Webinars is free. Sign up for as many as you want at go.aces.illinois.edu/winterwebinars2017. The topics are:

• March 2 – Growing Your Hobby Farm into a Business, Andy Larson, U of I Extension local food systems and small farms educator
• March 9 – Do Your Bees Have PMS (Parasitic Mite Syndrome), Doug Gucker, U of I Extension local food systems and small farms educator
• March 16 – Maximizing Windbreaks on Your Farm, David Shiley, U of I Extension local food systems and small farms educator
• March 23 – Benefits of Mulching Vegetables, James Theuri, U of I Extension local food systems and small farms educator
• March 30 – Soil Management for High Tunnels, Nathan Johanning, U of I Extension local food systems and small farms educator