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Student's Belongings May Be Covered
Under Homeowners Coverage
Jefferson City, Missouri. – When checking off items for college, the Missouri Department of Insurance is encouraging families to review their insurance policies to see what is covered while students are away at college.
"It’s important that students and parents discuss their insurance coverage now" said John M. Huff, director of the Department of Insurance. "You don’t want to wait until you need to file a claim to find out whether you have insurance coverage.”
Huff says insurance needs and coverage may change when a student leaves for college. He offers these tips for families to make sure their college-bound students are properly covered:
• Auto insurance: If your child is taking a car to college, check with your insurance agent. The price and coverage of your policy may change based on the city and state where your child will live. In addition, see if your insurance company offers a discount for a student’s good grades. The department has a new auto insurance guide and video that provides basic information on car insurance. The video and guide are located on the department’s website at http://insurance.mo.gov/consumers/auto/auto.php.
• Homeowners and renters insurance: Ask your agent if your child's possessions will be covered under your homeowners policy. Some policies cover a student's possessions if they live on campus. For students living off campus, consider renters insurance, which costs about $8-21 per month. A landlord’s policy will only cover the building, not the tenant’s possessions. The department has a new new video that highlights basic renters insurance on its website insurance.mo.gov.
• Health insurance: Most young adults can stay on their parents' health insurance up to age 26, regardless of marital status, financial dependency, residence or enrollment in school. Students should take copies of their insurance cards and check their parents' health insurance plans to know which physicians and hospitals are in their network while away at school.
The department also encourages college students, as well as all consumers, to complete a home inventory, which is an itemized checklist of all possessions. A home inventory can make the process of filing a claim much more efficient in the event of fire, storm damage or theft.
An easy-to-use home inventory checklist is available for free on the department's website, along with free smartphone apps. The address for the download link is http://insurance.mo.gov/consumers/home/homeinventorychecklist.php.
Students and parents with insurance questions can contact the department's Insurance Consumer Hotline at 800-726-7390 or visit insurance.mo.gov.
Dee Loflin, SMT Manager/Writer
The event will take place on Friday, August 16th from 7:00 p.m. - 10:00 p.m. on their first day back to school after the summer break.
All Dexter High School students, grades 9 - 12 and faculty are invited to attend.
MJ's Auto Sales donated the car for the students and teachers "to bash"! Laser tag, music, food, games and air jumpers will also be part of the entertainment. Come out and enjoy the fun!
With school starting the hustle and bustle of students traveling the roadways will increase and so will the scheduling of all the activities. Fall is a very busy time of the school year.
Next Friday evening the annual Football Jamboree will be held in Kennett, Missouri with the game starting at 6:00 p.m. Come out and cheer for Dexter as they start another exciting year of Bearcat Football!
Written by
Beth Farrah, SMT Writer
Essex, Missouri - Today was the first official school day of the 2013-2014 school year for the Richland Rebels. Aside from the freshly waxed floors, newly painted bathrooms, a brand new security and alarm system, and a handful of new teachers and students, there are many other changes that are happening behind the doors of Richland High School and Junior High.
The high school faculty recently adopted a new program to the school called Bring Your Own Device (BYOD). The idea of the program is to get kids adapted to the fast pace world that they live in. The world the teenagers live in is already fast paced but it is only getting faster. Their lives revolve around Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, and other social media websites and apps. Even more so, texting and emailing also eat up a lot of their time.
But teenagers are not the only ones who let the media and technology take over parts of their lives. The business world is consumed with emails, video calls, and other quick and easy ways of communication. Adults are now adapting to the world that involves iPads, Tablets, and laptops.
The Richland faculty recently did some research by visiting other high schools in both Mississippi and Indiana who accepted the Bring Your Own Device Program. The program has been researched by high schools, colleges, and is starting to grow in junior high schools.
The program is really simple: it is teaching students how to use technology. Of course, most teenagers already know, so it makes the process easier. The students are able to use their cell phones, iPads, Tablets, laptops, computers, and whatever else they might have at home at school. There are many restrictions to the devices, since the program is to be used in a positive and educational way.
The high school now has a guest wifi system so that the students are able to log on to the school wifi and use it for their very own educational purpose. Tests, quizzes, and class alerts can be distributed to the students through the cell phone they hold in their hands. Teachers use the BYOD for projects, papers, and homework assignments.
Since it is faster and easier to type rather than to hand write things, seniors and other students who are enrolled in college classes take through Three Rivers Community College are able to use their iPads and laptops to take notes, start writing papers in class, and take tests or quizzes.
The junior high students are quickly adapting to the new teaching style. They are able to play learning games on the iPads that the school provides for them and they will soon be able to bring their own. Using the BYOD program makes projects simpler and easier since everything is connected through emails that the students and teachers both have. Google Drives and Google Docs makes Richland a giant web, where students can exchange homework assignments with their teachers, take quizzes at home, and work on projects both at home and at school.
Since the BYOD Program was such a great hit and the students are now able to use their phone, the cell phone policy has been adjusted. Each classroom has their own set of individual rules made by the teachers on the cell phone and electronics policy, but students are now able to use iPods and phones in between classes and during their lunch hour.
The step into the technological age has finally been taken by the Rebels and they are looking forward to a great year with a great new program that is spreading quickly across schools all over America.
Written by
Beth Farrah, SMT Writer
Hey, high school seniors! The old saying is true, the early bird really does get the worm. Colleges are now accepting your applications. With school about to start, it would be a great idea to narrow down your top choice schools and start sending out those long-awaited letters. It is never too early to apply for scholarships or to your favorite schools.
Although summer is over, a lot of the universities will be holding fall campus tours too, so be sure to get online, sign up, and mark your calendars.
Meet Mizzou Days will take place in both September and November. If you are looking forward to being a Tiger next year, this would be a great opportunity for you and your family to visit Columbia! On both Saturday, September 14th and Saturday, November 9th, you can take a tour of the University of Missouri. Meet Mizzou Day will include: the Mizzou overview, financial aid and scholarship information, residential life and dining overview, the campus tour, an academic fair, and departmental tours.
The Missouri State University Showcase will be held on Saturday, November 2nd. The Showcase is a popular open house opportunity for high school juniors and seniors interested in attending MSU. If you plan on being a Bear in your near future, this would be the place to start! During the Showcase, you will be able to extend your exploration of the campus, meet the students and faculty, tour the residence halls, visit with the leaders of nearly 300 different clubs and organizations, learn about admissions, financial aid, and housing, and enjoy the dining halls.
If you are interested in becoming a Red Hawk, SEMO has two different dates for their annual Show Me Days. The first one will be held on Saturday, October 5th and the second one will be on Saturday, November 16th. Show Me Day gives you and your family the opportunity to tour the campus, eat in the dining facilities, meet with students, see the residence halls and talk to professors. You can register by contacting the Office of Admissions at (573) 651-2590 or visit the online website.
There are hundreds of more tours that are being offered at surrounding universities and colleges. Fall visiting days are very important for the schools as well as seniors wanting to attend them. Now that you are excited about seeing the campuses, it’s time to talk about other important dates that will soon be coming up.
First off: the winter ACT test. The ACT will be administered in September as well as December, just like it is every year. To register for the ACT, you can get on ACTstudent.org. The deadline for the test on September 21st will be on August 23rd, so be sure to sign up! If you miss the deadline or would rather take it later in the year when you are adjusted to your school schedule and classes, you can just register for it in November and take it in December.
The second important date to remember is New Years! Since you will most likely be staying up until midnight anyway to celebrate your graduation year, you might as well apply for FAFSA. Financial aid is crucial for families who have children wanting to go to college. FAFSA can help you get there! Applications will be accepted on January 1st, 2014. So, be sure that you are prepared to apply when the time finally rolls around to do so.
Aside from FAFSA, when you figure out what college you want to go to, make sure you apply for scholarships there! But until you figure it out, you can talk to your high school counselor about local scholarships that you are eligible to apply for.
Have a great school year!
