The Baxter school district is telling Collins-Maxwell that progress on whole-grade sharing needs to happen by mid-July or Baxter “will begin exploring other sharing options,” reports the Newton Daily News.
Collins-Maxwell is going to be sharing some administrative positions in the fall but with Ballard of Huxley, not Baxter. Among those positions is curriculum director, a position that would better match a district that would engage in future sharing.
The Baxter board’s position is to have the high school in Baxter. Baxter is the largest town of the three, although the district has a smaller enrollment than CM.
On a side note, the construction of an interchange to replace the US 65/IA 330/IA 117 intersection would have a direct effect on daily life in a combined district, more than the athletic sharing already going on. Going between the towns involves crossing the 330/F17 intersection (old IA 223).