Plans for 3 new elementary schools in Cedar Rapids progress

CEDAR RAPIDS — Hoover Elementary School teachers and families Monday spoke about the dire need for a new facility after plans for construction were temporarily delayed last month when neighbors voiced concerns about the project.

Abby Cornejo, who teaches English Language Learners, recounted how the school’s boiler system causes overheating and leads to the “hallways to smell like feces.”

“No student should have to learn like that,” Cornejo said.

The Cedar Rapids school board Monday approved the bid issuance for Hoover and Van Buren elementary schools following a second public hearing for the projects.

The school board also approved a purchase agreement for land adjacent to Van Buren Elementary School that would allow the district to relocate an access road that will be built to service the new school building planned for the site.

The district is paying $260,000 for the property at 2612 27th St. SW in Cedar Rapids, according to a real estate purchase agreement.

The schools will be constructed adjacent to the current structures — Hoover at 4141 Johnson Ave. NW and Van Buren at 2525 29th St. SW. The existing schools will remain open during construction. The buildings will be demolished after the new schools are completed. The cost of each school is estimated to be $40 million.

The school board also approved the specification and form of contracts for renovations to and construction of an addition at Harrison Elementary School. The total project cost is estimated to be $47.4 million.

All three projects are being funded by SAVE — Secure an Advanced Vision for Education — an existing statewide sales tax allocated to districts based on certified enrollment.

Some homeowners oppose plans

Three homeowners who are neighbors to Hoover Elementary also spoke during public comment, repeating concerns they brought to the board last month.

Neighbors say the height of the new school — 28 feet tall — and proximity to their property lines will disrupt their view and privacy.

They questioned why they were not included in site plans earlier in the process.

Kelly McMahon, a kindergarten teacher at Hoover Elementary, said discussion of a new school on the site began in 2018. The plan to construct two new elementary school buildings on the Hoover and Van Buren school sites was approved by the school board in August 2024, she said.

“We cannot delay this building. It must be done now … Our kids deserve it,” McMahon said during the public hearing.

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Liz Weibel, a rising fifth-grader at Hoover Elementary School, spoke of her love of Hoover Elementary. But, she said, it is disruptive for her to access the special services she needs while learning in a temporary classroom outside the main building. She said she has friends with mobility challenges who struggle to navigate the school.

Stasia Fine, who has two children at Hoover Elementary, talked about the plan for the school to have soccer fields that will replace two baseball fields on the property.

Fine, who is a former soccer coach at the school, said it’s a “global school” where “soccer is the more beloved sport.”

“Baseball is the all-American sport, and it is important. But for this community, soccer is how kids connect with family back home,” Fine said.

“I love the school and personally think it’s the best elementary school in the county,” Fine said. “… This building is in really bad shape.”

During the 2024-25 school year, there were 174 students at Hoover who received English Language Learner services. Almost 60 percent of students speak another language, Cornejo said.

“Our students are resilient, amazing, and they deserve a new building, whatever the cost. We need to do whatever we can to give them a bigger, safer, cleaner building that they can be proud of and learn in … They deserve it now,” Cornejo said.

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