Gov. Mark Parkinson has reappointed Martin Melia, Goodland, to the Northwest Kansas Regional Library System. The library system is one of seven regional library systems in Kansas that provides cooperative support to all types of libraries in sparsely populated regions of Kansas. There are 10 counties in the Northwest Kansas Regional Library System that participate: Cheyenne, Decatur, Gove, Logan, Norton, Sheridan, Sherman, Thomas, Trego and Wallace.

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Fort Hays State University's Raymond Wilson, interim chairman of the department of history, has published a paperback edition of his book on Native Americans, "The A to Z of Native American Movements." The book co-author is Todd Leahy, former chairman of the department and FHSU faculty.

The book contains hundreds of cross-referenced entries on important people, places, events and institutions. It is a reference on topics dealing with key movements, organizations, leadership strategies and the main issues American Indians have confronted.

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Fort Hays State Univeristy has received a $29,986 grant from the National Space Grant Foundation for the "Exploring the Solar System" project. The program is an eight-week blended course (face-to-face and virtual) for middle and high school teachers. Applicants for the grant through FHSU's Science and Mathematics education institute are Paul Adams, Anschutz professor of education and professor of physics; John Ross, Forsyth Library director; and Carol Borchers, teacher education instructor.

"Exploring the Solar System" is designed to provide teachers with tools to increase the interest of middle and high school students in space exploration and other science, mathematics, engineering and technology disciplines.

Teachers who complete the course will receive four graduate credit hours from FHSU, plus NXT 2 Robotics kits for use in their schools and during the spring 2011 robotics competition. They will learn about the Mariner 10, Magellan, Viking, Sojourner, Spirit, Opportunity, Cassini-Huygens, Galileo and Stardust space exploration missions.

The workshop will be delivered by a member of the Aerospace Education Services Project and by FHSU faculty. It will supplement the online course and provide an opportunity for teachers to learn the basics of using the robotics kits, interfacing Vernier probes for data collection and planning a solar system robotic mission.

To register, visit www.fhsu.edu/smei. The course is limited to the first 18 applicants.

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Kansas Foundation for Agriculture in the Classroom is offering graduate-level summer courses through Kansas State University. KFAC summer graduate courses are designed to re-energize Kansas educators and introduce them to delivery methods and resource materials that can be used to incorporate agriculture into the curriculum.

Three courses are offered through KFAC's partnership with the KSU graduate program: Connecting your Classroom to Kansas Agriculture (three credit hours), Plants have a Place in the Classroom (one credit hour), and What you can Learn from a Tomato (one credit hour).

All KFAC courses are offered through Kansas State University Division of Continuing Education, the College of Education and the College of Agriculture, and participants earn KSU graduate credit. Each course is approved for continuing education hours required of teachers for license renewal and salary advancement.

Applications are available at www.ksaglcassroom.org. The application deadline is May 1. To learn more about KFAC summer graduate courses, contact Cathy Musick at (785) 532-7946.