Prairie center addresses ‘critical year’ of 9th grade

CEDAR RAPIDS — A school dedicated solely to the education of high school freshman opened this year in the College Community School District, completing the district’s 10-year facility plan and ensuring there is room to grow in the future.

The 9th Grade Center is a space dedicated to those students in their first year of high school. With the opening of this building at 380 South Prairie Rd. SW in Cedar Rapids, the College Community district can grow in every grade level K-12 by 30 percent before it reaches capacity again.

Until this school year, ninth-graders attended Prairie Point Middle School with seventh- and eighth-graders. The new center takes the ninth-graders out of the middle school setting and puts them in closer proximity to the high school — which is just a long hallway away, called “the link” — making it clear that the ninth-graders are now high school students.

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There are about 450 students at the 9th Grade Center.

Emeri Hill, 14, a freshman at the 9th Grade Center, said she’s exploring her career interests through the classes she’s taking this year. In addition to Language Arts, algebra and science, Hill is taking classes in financial literacy, business and family consumer science, where she’s learning about interior design right now.

“I feel more like a high schooler now,” Emeri said.

Brodie Hentges, 14 and a freshman at the center, is taking an engineering class, which is dual-credit — meaning he earns both high school and college credit. Engineering is one of the many career paths he’s exploring.

At the 9th Grade Center, “You can really feel that this matters. This kind of decides my future,” Brodie said. “I’m enjoying school a lot.”

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Housed within the 9th Grade Center also is Prairie Delta, a program for 10th-12th graders who want a smaller, more individualized learning environment. There are about 70 students in the program.

For years, Prairie Delta was located on the campus of Kirkwood Community College, which neighbors the school district’s campus. The program has its own entrance and cafeteria at the 9th Grade Center.

Kane Thompson, principal of Prairie Delta, said being on the district’s campus gives students more of a “sense of belonging” and “connection.”

Some Prairie Delta students are enrolled in career pathway programs at the larger high school, Thompson said. One student, for example, is earning her Certified Nursing Assistant license through the district’s medical pathway.

Thompson said one of the goals of Prairie Delta is ensuring students “have the skills” for postsecondary success, whether this means pursuing a four-year or two-year college degree, apprenticeships or entering the workforce.

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The renovations to make the building into the 9th Grade Center were part of a $54 million bond issue that was overwhelmingly approved by College Community district voters in March 2020.

Also funded by the bond was a new building for fifth- and sixth-graders called Prairie Creek Intermediate School, 401 76th Ave. SW, in Cedar Rapids, that opened last year. This moved Prairie Creek out of what is now the 9th Grade Center and gave the district one year to renovate the space.

Superintendent Doug Wheeler said ninth grade is a “critical year” for students and a school dedicated to them ensures they have the resources they need to succeed.

Holly Palmersheim, principal of the 9th Grade Center, said that since teachers there have only one year to connect with students, it’s important to be intentional. One way teachers do this at the beginning of the school year is having a seating chart with students’ pictures, to connect names with faces, Palmersheim said.

“It’s a challenge we are very mindful of. We don’t want it to feel like a forgotten year. We want it to be really important, foundational,” Palmersheim said.

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Palmersheim said ninth grade prepares students for the rest of high school. If they do well early, they’re able to access more opportunities like exploring careers through pathways like agriculture, health care or culinary.

“Students might not be able to think that far ahead because their brain is not fully developed, but we’re trying to help. We want them to be able to choose their classes, pathway and ultimately their profession,” she said.

The school is looking to add programs that are “sustainable” long-term, Palmersheim said. For example, there is a classroom at the center designed specifically to house an agriculture program for freshmen.

The district launched its agriculture program and National FFA Organization chapter during the 2020-21 school year. The Prairie AG Center — across from the high school — opened in fall 2022.

Rachel Combs, an instructional coach for the 9th Grade Center and Prairie Delta, said it’s a “fresh start” for students and a smaller transition before moving into the larger high school.

As an instructional coach, Combs works with teachers to refine their instructional practices and works with students on skills they’re struggling with in the classroom.

Lisa Cox, ninth grade school counselor, supports the social and emotional needs of students and helps them explore career opportunities.

“I’m really excited about this year,” Cox said. “At the other building with seventh and eighth-graders, I think they still saw themselves as middle schoolers. Now, we’re in our own building and that focus gets to be on them in ninth grade. They’re more mature and focused academically.”

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