Author Archives: Jeff

Feb 19

Enrollment analysis 2018-19: The trends continue

When the Iowa Department of Education released enrollment numbers for the 2018-19 school year, it announced: “For the eighth year in a row, the number of students attending Iowa’s public schools increased.” Strictly speaking, that’s true. But as long-time blog … Continue reading

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Feb 18

Olin to set up whole-grade sharing with Midland

In what I believe is the fifth such arrangement of its kind, the Olin school district is going to give students in grades 7-12 their choice of school to attend. The Anamosa Journal-Eureka reports that the Olin board was to … Continue reading

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Feb 15

Gladbrook wants to preserve decade-old fitness center

Back in April, the news wasn’t good for the Gladbrook school complex. News came that everything was going to be torn down, including the fitness center that opened 11 years ago March 2. But last month, the Waterloo Courier reported, … Continue reading

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Feb 14

In which I think way way way too hard about something that doesn’t affect me

The “Unicode Consortium” has approved 230 new emojis for inclusion in Unicode this year. Yes, there’s a cabal official organization dedicated to such things. Many of the new symbols support people with disabilities. But is it up to me to … Continue reading

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Feb 13

Grundy Center fights back against three-laning

I don’t know if the Iowa DOT is attempting to impose or merely strongly suggesting that small cities get their main thoroughfares changed from four lanes (two in each direction) to three (one in each direction with a center turn … Continue reading

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Feb 12

Ankeny, Waukee think about third high schools

Ankeny is preparing to add a third high school in the early 2030s, the Des Moines Register reported last month — and Waukee may not be far behind. The two districts in Iowa that, between them, seem to be opening at … Continue reading

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Feb 11

Retail apocalypse comes to Tama County

The news of Shopko closures that happened earlier this year has gotten worse. Ten Iowa cities already found out their store was closing. But Feb. 6, that list was expanded to the point that 24 of Iowa’s 36 Shopko/Shopko Hometown stores … Continue reading

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Feb 08

Tower Terrace Road meeting moved to Feb. 28

The Iowa DOT meeting on upgrading I-380 to six lanes on the north side of the Cedar Rapids metro, including an interchange at Tower Terrace Road and rebuilt interchange at Boyson Road, is now Feb. 28 after a weather postponement. … Continue reading

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Feb 07

The final countdown

TFW you think about how your favorite pep band songs were more than a decade, and some MUCH more than a decade, old…two decades ago.

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Feb 06

Essex school district could be in trouble

Essex, Iowa’s fourth-smallest district operating a high school, is telling parents it faces a “challenging dilemma.” KMA reported on a Jan. 26 meeting where Superintendent Paul Croghan said it was time to start looking at whole-grade-sharing options with neighboring districts. All … Continue reading

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