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IASA News in Brief
In Memoriam
Former school
Superintendent Dr. Jesse James
passed away December 21, 2016 in Laurie,
Missouri. Jesse spent most of his career in education as a public school district administrator.
He served as Superintendent at Milton Pope School near Marseilles, Eagle Township near
Streator, Odell Central Consolidated School District, Beardstown Community Unit School District,
Rock Falls High School and Rogers City Area Schools in Rogers City, Michigan.
He was the father-in-law of Riverdale Superintendent Ron Jacobs (Jennifer), who serves as a
member of the IASA Board of Directors.
Dr. Allen C. McCowan
, retired IASA member, passed away on Friday, December 30, 2016.
Dr. McCowan was a former administrator in Waterman, Lockport, Edwardsville, and Woodridge
and most recently supervised student teachers through Eastern Illinois University. He was a
United States Army Veteran.
Illini Bluffs students,
faculty and staff
participate in
Community Christmas
Basket Initiative
Each year, the students and staff of
Illini Bluffs School District 327 join
forces with area churches,
businesses and organizations to
provide canned goods and money
for Christmas baskets for families in
need. The Illini Bluffs Community
Christmas Basket Initiative was
started nearly 30 years ago.
Illini Bluffs Superintendent Dr. Roger Alvey said students and staff raised nearly $2,400 and donated
more than 8,000 items for the community Christmas baskets in 2016. The effort included students
from every K-12 grade level as well as school organizations such as the student council, the
wrestling, boys and girls basketball teams, the Drama Club, and the National Honor Society. In the
end, the community and school effort provided 204 food baskets, 120 bags of food, 57 fruit baskets
and 210 gifts.