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Vote yes on Cedar Rapids school bond proposal
Ralph Plagman
Aug. 24, 2025 5:00 am
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The bond issue proposal that Cedar Rapids Community Schools voters will consider at the Nov. 4 election makes sense to me. The proposal, if passed by voters, will raise $117 million to renovate Roosevelt Middle School to accommodate both Roosevelt and Wilson Middle School students, to convert Wilson to an elementary school to house current Grant and Cedar River Academy students, to renovate McKinley Middle School, and to renovate Kennedy High School to accommodate the Freshman Academy.
More than a century ago, on a cold January day in 1920, voters in Cedar Rapids headed to the polls to vote on a $1.5 million bond issue that would pay for the construction of four new junior high schools. The 1920 census shows that 45,566 people lived in Cedar Rapids in 1920, and most of the hardy folks who voted walked to the polls. Only about 20% of Americans owned cars in 1920.
The proposal passed, and construction soon began. By 1922, McKinley and Roosevelt Junior Highs welcomed students. Franklin followed in 1924 and Wilson in 1925.
High school students attended “old” Washington High School on the east side of the city adjacent to Greene Square and Grant Vocational High School on Second Street Southwest. Both high schools closed in 1935, and Franklin, McKinley, Roosevelt, and Wilson became six-year schools including grades 7-12. Old Washington was demolished in 1946, but Grant served as the district’s central office for many years. It has since been converted to apartments.
In 1955, Cedar Rapids voters again went to the polls and approved a bond proposal that funded construction of Washington and Jefferson High Schools. Washington opened on Sept. 3, 1957, and Jefferson on April 17, 1958. Franklin, McKinley, Roosevelt, and Wilson again became 7-9 junior high schools. Following another successful bond election, Kennedy High School opened in August, 1967. In 1987, ninth-graders moved to the high schools, and sixth-graders to the junior highs which became 6-8 middle schools.
If you haven’t seen them recently, drive by the schools that will be impacted by the proposed $117 million bond issue:
McKinley Middle School 10th Street and Eighth Avenue Southeast.
Roosevelt Middle School 300 13th Street Northwest.
Wilson Middle School 2301 J Street Southwest
Kennedy High School 4545 Wenig Road Northeast.
And while on your tour, you might include:
Franklin Middle School 300 20th Street Northeast.
Jefferson High School 1243 20th Street Southwest.
Washington High School 2205 Forest Drive Southeast.
(Spoiler alert: Jeff and Wash are currently undergoing construction projects funded by other sources. It will look a bit messy.)
All seven of those schools are iconic Cedar Rapids buildings. All are sources of deep community pride. All have undergone, over the years, numerous additions, upgrades, and routine maintenance projects including roofs, windows, HVAC , parking lots, etc. In fact, the middle schools had their first additions in the 1930s when they became junior/senior high schools.
That’s why I support the proposed $117 million bond issue which will renovate and upgrade four of those buildings. Professional engineers and architects have drawn up the plans. It is an excellent investment at a reasonable tax increase of $89.60 for a $200,000 home, about $7.47 a month.
One final caution: When you make your decision, do not make the proposal a referendum on the district administration or the school board. Superintendents come and go (I worked for nine of them.) So do board members. Make your decision on what will be best for our students now and well into the future. I will vote “yes.”
Ralph Plagman is a retired educator, having worked as a teacher and administrator in Cedar Rapids Schools for nearly 50 years.
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