Category Archives: Schools

Feb 02

A different kind of drive-thru

Posted on Wednesday, February 2, 2022, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

The Essex school district wants to buy a bank. KMA reports that Essex and Bank Iowa are discussing a land swap that would put the bank building under the school’s control. Essex wants to develop its culinary arts program, the … Continue reading →

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Jan 24

North Tama continues look at infrastructure

Posted on Monday, January 24, 2022, at 11:00 AM by Jeff

Earlier this month, the North Tama school board had another work session to discuss long-term plans for the school complex, reports the North Tama Telegraph. A “hefty packet” of information about construction possibilities and, more importantly, funding options was offered … Continue reading →

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Jan 17

South Tama bond issue vote March 1

Posted on Monday, January 17, 2022, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

There will be a vote on a $26.8 million middle school bond referendum in South Tama on March 1, reports the Tama-Toledo News-Chronicle. The proposal the school board decided on was renovations at the Iowa Juvenile Home site. If the … Continue reading →

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Jan 14

Old schools in Miles, Preston gone

Posted on Friday, January 14, 2022, at 10:10 AM by Jeff

June 14, 2011: The 192X Preston school — exact year unknown because the cornerstone is cut off by the 1950 building to its right — and the capstone for Miles school. The Easton Valley school district, the easternmost in Iowa, … Continue reading →

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Dec 17

Geneseo school’s 100th anniversary

Posted on Friday, December 17, 2021, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

September 23, 2011: The 1920 Geneseo Township school building was featured in a Des Moines Register article on Barb and Dave Else’s book, For All The Small Schools, cataloging Iowa’s abandoned schools. It’s in the small percentage built alone on … Continue reading →

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Dec 15

Dinsdale school’s 100th anniversary

Posted on Wednesday, December 15, 2021, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

The Dinsdale Consolidated School District was approved by voters in January 1920, and construction on a new school began shortly thereafter. The above is a picture of the new consolidated school building at Dinsdale. The building is modern in every … Continue reading →

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Dec 06

School timeline mega-update: IDOE building databases

Posted on Monday, December 6, 2021, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

October 1, 2015: The Pisgah school building, now a community center, was once part of the West Harrison district. Besides newspaper archives, there is another, more time-consuming method to find closures. The Iowa Department of Education has a yearly breakdown of … Continue reading →

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Dec 01

School timeline mega-update: 1960-65, in fragments

Posted on Wednesday, December 1, 2021, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

In the early 1960s, my school timeline categories show some cracks. Here is the world of donut-hole schools and rump districts. Reorganization proposals get cobbled together, advanced or shot down by county boards of education (sometimes up to four of … Continue reading →

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Nov 03

North Tama volleyball in state semifinals

Posted on Wednesday, November 3, 2021, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

The North Tama volleyball team lost multiple small leads in their state quarterfinal sets Tuesday against Le Mars Gehlen, but pulled it out in the fifth set to win the match and advance to the state semifinals. It was a … Continue reading →

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Nov 01

Elk Horn-Kimballton…minus Kimballton

Posted on Monday, November 1, 2021, at 10:00 AM by Jeff

Iowa Department of Education map A finger of the Audubon school district touches the city of Kimballton. More than half a century ago, that finger tied two K-12 school districts, multiple county school boards, and the Iowa Supreme Court up … Continue reading →

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