Category Archives: Schools

Apr 05

North Tama, South Tama to share superintendents

Due to their wide disparity in enrollment, the North Tama and South Tama school districts don’t interact much. That’s going to change a bit. The North Tama Telegraph reports that the two districts will be sharing a superintendent. South Tama’s … Continue reading

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Apr 01

Hills Elementary to close

It was pretty much guaranteed to happen as soon as it was announced: The Iowa City school district is shutting down Hills Elementary. Stories: Gazette, Daily Iowan, KCRG (autoplay), KWWL (video only), Iowa Starting Line has a copy of the packet … Continue reading

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Mar 01

Hills could lose its school

The school building in Hills was constructed in 1965, just before the town was attached to the Iowa City school district. Six decades later, that school is in danger of closing. Iowa City has put Hills Elementary on the chopping … Continue reading

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Feb 22

Who has the right to choose school sales?

A column by Iowa Writers’ Collaborative member Cheryl Tevis has some photos of schools in her area: Boxholm, Pilot Mound, and Paton (the last just some bricks forming a monument to itself). The column covers many school-related bills still active in … Continue reading

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Feb 08

I dig in to school enrollment for 2023-24

My Substack piece this week is about the 2023-24 Iowa school enrollment numbers, with a map and two graphics. One of those graphics looks at Waterloo’s stagnant enrollment vs. Waukee’s astronomical growth. The Des Moines Register, in its evaluation of … Continue reading

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Dec 26

Old Rockford school burns down

The school building in Rockford that was built in 1899-1900 to replace one destroyed in a fire burned down itself on Dec. 22. This building in the center of town had been abandoned for some time. The “new addition” next … Continue reading

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Nov 17

Southeast Warren to close Lacona school

One of the few small districts in Iowa still maintaining buildings in three different communities is closing one of them. Southeast Warren’s intermediate school in Lacona, which holds grades 4-6, will close at the end of this school year. KCCI … Continue reading

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Nov 09

North Tama bond issue passes

August 14, 2010: Cornerstone of Traer School built after the 1917 fire. It took a second try and a satellite voting station, but nearly two-thirds of North Tama voters approved a $14.85 million bond issue “to provide funds to build, furnish, … Continue reading

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Nov 06

North Tama bond issue up for second try

In Tuesday’s combined city/school elections, North Tama voters will decide for a second time on a bond referendum. The referendum is for the same construction plan that failed by six votes in March. What has changed, due to inflation, is … Continue reading

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Oct 27

BCLUW bond issue would close Union school

The BCLUW school district is seeking approval of an $8.8 million bond Nov. 7 for additions to its elementary and high school sites in Conrad. The plan would result in closure of the building in Union, which currently serves grades … Continue reading

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