Category Archives: Schools

Nov 01

Fayette lost its school

Previously, I explored how the northeast Iowa town of Fayette appeared to be the only town in the country that had a graduate degree program but not a high school. But as of last year, Fayette joined Peru, Nebraska, as … Continue reading

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Oct 16

East Marshall bond issue would close Gilman

There is a steadily decreasing number of rural school districts with three sites. East Marshall currently is one of those, but that status is the subject of this November’s bond issue vote. (Schools now can have bond issue votes on … Continue reading

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Oct 11

Goldfield school demolished

On my way to the Okoboji Writers’ Retreat I passed by Goldfield to check the status of the school’s demolition. Nothing looked changed on the outside save for the two pine trees out front being gone. Inside, the doors were … Continue reading

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Sep 12

Advice for the Class of 2025

I made the Iowa Capital Dispatch last week with my Substack piece from the previous week about being old obsolete washed-up 25 years removed from my senior year of high school.

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Aug 23

Hills school to be demolished

July 2, 2024: Hills Elementary is just off US 218 … but not for long. Hills Elementary School, which was closed at the end of the 2023-24 school year, will be demolished after just short of 60 years in existence. … Continue reading

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Aug 02

Orient-Macksburg can’t dissolve next year

The below is what happens when you sit on a post too long and it gets overtaken by events. — Ed. The dissolution (not “dissolvement”) of the Orient-Macksburg school district is proceeding mostly as I expected, with a catch that … Continue reading

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Jun 28

CR sells schools right before new law takes effect

A case earlier this school year where a public school district refused to sell a closed building to a private school led to a bill late in the first part of the Iowa legislative session. That bill mandated that if … Continue reading

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Jun 25

Last walk through Goldfield school

My Substack piece looks at the history of the Goldfield school building and neighboring Boone Valley school district. It takes in the building’s current state as an alumna tours the building. Of course Mom recorded everything.

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Jun 14

Orient-Macksburg to dissolve

The Orient-Macksburg school district in southwest Iowa will cease to exist at the end of the 2024-25 school year. The district made the decision Monday. WOI, KCCI, and Iowa Starting Line all have stories. The last goes into the most detail. … Continue reading

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May 28

South Page to resume sending students to Clarinda

South Page will be sending students in grades 7-12 to Clarinda in the fall. According to both an article on KMA and Clarinda’s report of a March 19 work session, South Page will “tuition out” its upper grades to Clarinda. … Continue reading

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