Hoover, Van Buren could be next elementary schools to get new buildings

CEDAR RAPIDS — Van Buren and Hoover elementary schools could be next to be remodeled or rebuilt as the Cedar Rapids school district works to address aging buildings and provide equitable educational experiences to students.

The schools are both at capacity — with Van Buren even turning away incoming students this past May and instead sending them to neighboring Cleveland Elementary School, Principal Amy Evans said.

The schools have seen large increases to their student body in recent years, even building temporary walls in classrooms at both schools to accommodate six English as a Second Language teachers in one room.

“We’re being creative, but we’re running out of space,” Cedar Rapids schools’ Director of Operations Chad Schumacher said during a school board meeting Monday.

Enrollment at southwest Cedar Rapids’ Van Buren this fall is anticipated to be about 466 students, and northwest Cedar Rapid’s Hoover is expecting 416 students.

The school board is expected to vote on the recommendation to remodel or rebuild Van Buren and Hoover elementary schools at its next meeting at 5:30 p.m. Aug. 26 at the Educational Leadership and Support Center, 2500 Edgewood Rd. NW in Cedar Rapids.

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At that meeting, the school board also will hear a new recommendation on the future of Harrison and Madison elementary schools. The plan was taken back to the drawing board after survey results show the initial decision to close Harrison Elementary swayed district voters last fall to say “no” to a multimillion school bond referendum.

If the board votes to move forward with remodeling or rebuilding Van Buren and Hoover elementary schools, an architect could be selected this fall. Construction could start in December 2025, and the schools opened to students for the 2027-28 school year, Schumacher said. The new schools would have capacity for 600 students.

The projects would be funded by SAVE — Secure an Advanced Vision for Education — an existing statewide sales tax allocated to districts based on certified enrollment.

While the district began a plan to address its aging elementary school buildings in 2018, a new future facility plan is being developed that will consider all buildings in the district. This plan possibly could be funded by a school bond referendum taken to voters in November 2025.

The Cedar Rapids Community School District is working with Shive-Hattery Inc. to develop a long-term facilities plan to address all its buildings needs beyond 2040.

Schumacher said it’s “fiscally irresponsible” for the school district to continue to support some of the aging and “antiquated” school buildings in its inventory. Modern infrastructure also is needed to support academic programming for 21st century learning, Schumacher said.

In the meantime at Hoover Community School, portable classrooms are being added this fall to meet the needs of the growing student body.

As a community school, Hoover is able to provide services and support that fits the neighborhood’s needs, created and run by educators, community partners and social services agencies, according to the National Education Association. The model goes above and beyond what traditional schools can offer. Services not only are available to student families but to anyone in the school’s neighborhood.

Hoover Principal Clint Stone said in addition to the growing student population, the needs of students also are growing. About 90 percent of Hoover’s students qualify for free or reduced-price lunch, and nearly half the students are learning English as a second language.

“As we continue to look forward, having a new facility to support our community would address continued growth, students would benefit from an updated, modern learning environment,” Stone said.

In a recording played at the board meeting, Principal Evans said Van Buren’s gymnasium isn’t large enough to fit the entire student body for school assemblies, and the lunch schedule was redone in January to “find eating areas for all our students.”

“I appreciate the creative way the district has helped us re-imagine our learning space,” Evans said in the recording. “One example is our six (English Language Learner) teachers this year will be in one room. Almost 200 students will go through the ELL room each day receiving instruction.”

The areas of Cedar Rapids where the schools are located are projected to continue to see population growth.

Schumacher said the district on average sees about 13.4 kids for every 100 single family units or 10.2 kids for every 100 multifamily units.

This means Hoover could see an additional 24 students — enough to add a class size — in the next few years. In the next 10 years, Van Buren could see an additional 100 students added to its attendance boundary because of planned housing developments, Schumacher said.

The Cedar Rapids school district has had only four new school buildings constructed since the 1970s, with three of those being opened since 2021. Most of the district’s 33 schools were built between 1950 and 1973 to accommodate a large population growth following World War II.

“This presentation shows us that equity is not necessarily being accomplished right now, particularly at Van Buren,” school board President Cindy Garlock said. “I don’t think you need a background in education to understand putting six teachers in one classroom is not the best learning environment. I really want our kids to have the very best, and it seems apparent we need to give some attention to Hoover and Van Buren.”

Comments: (319) 398-8411; grace.king@thegazette.com