Category Archives: Schools

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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Oct 16

Sharing stories of closed high schools

Author James Kenyon came to Traer to talk about his book full of stories about closed high schools. I wrote on my Substack about it Friday. I used the link without the background this time because the photo was cropped … Continue reading

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Oct 09

Clay Central-Everly still had homecoming

There are only 63 students in grades K-6 at Clay Central-Everly, and there’s no high school anymore, but that didn’t stop the school from having a homecoming week this year. KTIV was there to cover the parade. The Sioux Central … Continue reading

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Oct 04

West Sioux bond would replace 1961 Ireton addition

There’s apparently a 1921 school hiding somewhere in Ireton. It’s not readily visible, but something from that year would get renovations, according to West Sioux’s plans for a bond referendum. Aerial photos show that a building that was there in … Continue reading

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