Cedar Rapids prepares first magnet school for middle-schoolers

CEDAR RAPIDS — Students in Lindsay Micek's classroom tap through lessons on computer tablets, collaborate with each other on projects and learn at their own pace.

It's part of Roosevelt Middle School's 'Option' program, and more than 40 students are on a waiting list to enroll in one of the non-traditional classrooms.

'You have more freedom here,' Ellen Ampem, 14, said one afternoon as she finished her work.

Every classroom at Roosevelt, 300 13th St NW, soon will resemble Micek's, officials said, as the school becomes the Cedar Rapids district's first magnet school for middle-schoolers.

'It's really exciting for us because we've done a lot of work the last three years to get it to this point,' said Micek, who developed Option. 'We're pretty stoked.'

When the school becomes Roosevelt Creative Corridor Business Academy next fall, it will focus on developing students' skills to better prepare them for their careers, said Trace Pickering, the district's associate superintendent of innovation, school improvement and technology.

As a magnet school, it will accept students living outside its geographical attendance boundaries through a lottery system.

'Having a business academy makes sense to try to get kids to understand all the economic and business opportunities in the community,' Pickering said. 'Then we're able to take the business theme and offer opportunities for STEAM (science, technology, engineering, art and math) and leadership and global systems.'

Those content areas will serve as the school's three curricular focuses, Principal Autumn Pino said. Two of them are in line with the district's other magnet schools, both elementaries — Johnson STEAM Academy, 355 18th St SE, and Kenwood Leadership Academy, 3700 E Ave. NE.

'Global systems,' Pino said, 'gets at the heart of who we are as the most diverse middle school in Cedar Rapids.'

The district's magnet schools all are in neighborhoods 'we're trying to revitalize,' Pickering said, in addition to having the space for additional students and a strong administrative staff.

Pino, who was recognized last month by the National Association of Secondary School Principals, said she and her staff are 'honored to be the first middle school in the district to take on this challenge.'

Staff are working to build relationships with local businesses and organizations, which Pino said should benefit both parties.

'I think adults have a lot to learn from middle-schoolers,' she said. 'As a principal, I can safely say they challenge me to be a better leader every day.'

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