K-12 Education

New superintendent hopes to find ways to maintain the growing district’s ‘small-town’ feel

Union Community School District is one of 15 Iowa school districts that have contracts with ZeroEyes, a company that uses artificial intelligence in school cameras to detect brandished weapons within seconds.

Arts programs in the Cedar Rapids Community School District are on “life support” after years of under funding, Carl Rowles, Jefferson High School band director, told the Cedar Rapids school board Monday. Rowles was one of dozens of people turned up at the meeting wearing school attire and advocating for the arts.

Iowa students will be more engaged in their learning and with their peers as they head back to school this fall under new policies restricting the use of cellphones and other personal electronic devices during the school day, educators say.

A letter of intent has been signed for the Cedar Rapids school district to purchase a property adjacent to Van Buren Elementary School, allowing the district to relocate an access road that will be built to service the new school building planned for the site.

The Cedar Rapids school board did not approve a personnel report in a 4-3 vote Monday, so that it can further consider proposed changes in central office staff “responsibilities and pay.”

The Cedar Rapids school board unanimously approved the new contract with Superintendent Tawana Grover effective July 1, and ending June 30, 2028. Grover requested no salary increase as part of the extension.

Neighbors Monday voiced their concerns about how new schools replacing Hoover and Van Buren will encroach on their properties and alter the natural environment surrounding the current school facilities.

Tanager’s Bridge to the Future scholarships — launched in 2019 thanks to an anonymous $1 million donation — have helped 44 young adults pursue their dreams. This year, the nonprofit surpassed $350,000 in gifts, and it’s still going strong.

Some Iowa school boards have approved removing “gender identity” from antibullying and harassment policies to align with Iowa law. Others — like Linn-Mar in Marion — have voted down removing “gender identity” from their policies, saying removing it is not required by the law at this time.

Here’s how Cedar Rapids’ West Willow Elementary School teacher Sara Yedlik, chosen for a highly competitive national program for teachers, will bring back to her classroom what she learned.

This voter guide includes information about who is running for re-election to Cedar Rapids and Iowa City school boards. The Gazette will be speaking with candidates about their campaigns and priorities in future stories.