Sioux City’s Loess Hills Elementary School is one of seven Iowa schools to receive a 50-thousand dollar state grant this summer for programs to boost the computer skills of elementary students.
Governor Kim Reynolds says the I-T professionals of tomorrow are sitting in classrooms across the state today, so it’s critical kids learn computer science early:
OC……..later on. :09
Educators at the Loess Hills School will serve as consultants for the other schools which are yet to be chosen, and the school’s computer science curriculum will be used as a prototype for other schools.
Reynolds visited Loess Hills a couple of years ago:
OC………….all the other disciplines. ;22
The six other “Computer Science Is Elementary” grants will be awarded on a regional basis to schools considered to be in high poverty districts.
Any Iowa school with at least 40 percent of its students qualified for the government’s free or reduced price lunch program is eligible to apply for the 50-thousand dollar award.
Gary Scholten is the executive vice president and chief digital and information officer for Principal Financial and says there’s already a shortage of workers with I-T skills in the state:
OC……as well. ;22
Scholten was in charge of raising money from Iowa businesses to finance the six grants.
