116 3rd St SE
Cedar Rapids, Iowa 52401
Government notes: Cedar Rapids schools’ holding teacher career fair
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CEDAR RAPIDS — The Cedar Rapids Community School District is holding a career fair for teacher candidates interested in joining the district for the 2025-26 school year.
The career fair is from 3-6 p.m. March 13, at the Educational Leadership and Support Center, 2500 Edgewood Rd. NW in Cedar Rapids.
Candidates can participate in on-site interviews with district administrators, learn more about the district’s pay scale and employee benefits, discover additional opportunities like coaching sports, clubs and substitute teaching and learn about the Cedar Rapids Education Association Teacher’s Union.
Marion Scout makes musical instruments accessible
Brynlie Peery from Marion earned the Gold Award — the highest award a Girl Scout can earn — for collaborating with the Hiawatha Public Library to make musical instruments accessible to all kids, regardless of their ability to pay for instruments or lessons.
Peery, a senior at Linn-Mar High School, created 14 kits with instruments and activities for children from age 1 and older. The kits for younger children include a musical instrument and storybook. For older kids and teens, the kits include a musical instrument and matching instruction book.
The instrument kits went into circulation in November and are available to be checked out with a library card.
Peery said that learning an instrument helps kids develop crucial skills that can benefit their mental and physical health.
“Not many people have extra money to spend on an instrument or musical workbook for their young children to help with their growth and development,” Peery said in a news release from the Girl Scouts of Eastern Iowa and Western Illinois.
There are instruments available from around the world, coming from Egypt, Chile, South Africa, China and England.
The Gold Award is the highest achievement a Girl Scout can earn, and it is available to girls in high school who create sustainable change on a community or world issue. Gold Award Girl Scouts address the root cause of a problem, plan and implement innovative solutions to drive change, and lead a team of people to success.
Gilbert Street Bridge now open
IOWA CITY — Gilbert Street bridge opened to all vehicular traffic last week after $4.4 million of improvements.
The bridge, originally built in 1972, was identified as having structural deficiencies before the Iowa City Council approved the project in 2023.
The upgrades included stream bank stabilization, water main improvements, new storm sewers, as well as new 6-foot sidewalks with rails for pedestrian safety.
All transit routes that use the bridge have resumed and temporary stops have been removed.
Robert A. Lee Rec Center pool reopens
The Robert A. Lee Recreation Center pool has reopened after being closed since Dec. 13, 2024. Routine maintenance, including painting and cleaning, was performed on the pool.
During the winter, the pool, at 220 S. Gilbert St. in Iowa City, is open from 6:15 a.m. to 1 p.m. Monday through Thursday. On Friday, the pool is open from 6:15 a.m. to 1 p.m. and also 5-8 p.m. Saturday hours are from 6:15 a.m. to 3 p.m. and on Sunday from 5-8 p.m.
Government Notes is published Mondays and contains updates from area governmental bodies. Grace King and Megan Woolard contributed.
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