When IC schools board focuses on money, Hills Elementary becomes irrelevant

With a bit less than 1,000 residents, Hill is a small Iowa city. I am saddened by the ICCSD’s vote to shutter the doors of this Blue Ribbon school (a national program that recognizes public and private elementary, middle, and high schools based on their overall academic excellence or their progress in closing achievement gaps among student subgroups.) Closing this school is a cruel blow to Hills, a tight-knit community where its students face more barriers than any other school in the ICCSD -- 81% of Hills students get free or reduced-price lunch; 66% are non-white or multiracial, 40% are English language learners, 9% are homeless.

The discussion, focused solely on money, amounted to the school board saying, “the students will be OK in their new schools,” as if being upended from a comfort zone provided by teachers, friends and community is secondary to money. School board members say the children will be fine, but when did these folks become child psychologists? I know children are resilient, but they need their community.

it has been the board’s intention for a number of years to close Hills, but they have not been transparent about it, hiding behind meaningless excuses that kept Hills from getting the resources necessary for the school to grow as the community grows.

The greater community did little to advocate for Hills. Once they got everything they wanted with the $191.5 million bond referendum, Hills was relegated to the dustbin of irrelevancy.

Carol deProsse

Iowa City