Government Notes: Cedar Rapids schools implement new emergency protocols

The Cedar Rapids Community School District is implementing three updated safety protocols — Hold, Secure and Lockdown — this school year.

The protocols are designed to ensure the safety of students and staff in emergency situations, according to a news release from the district.

The district’s Safe and Secure Learning Environment administrator, Police Pals, and school resource officers will be discussing the protocols with students in the coming weeks.

The “hold” protocol is used when hallways need to be kept clear because of an issue inside the building that is not an immediate threat. This could include a medical emergency or any situation where movement in the halls would be disruptive.

During a hold, hallways will be cleared, classroom doors will be shut and locked, and all students and staff will remain in their classrooms. Learning and activities will continue as usual inside the classroom until an “all clear” is given.

Families may not notice a hold protocol has been initiated unless they are at the school during the incident. Communication about the hold likely will not be sent out afterward unless warranted.

The “secure” protocol is used when there is a potential threat outside the school building, such as police activity in the surrounding neighborhood. The goal is to keep students safe inside the building while limiting access to the building.

During the secure protocol, all exterior doors and windows are closed and locked, and no one is allowed to enter or exit the building. Inside the building, classes continue uninterrupted.

If a secure protocol is enacted, no one will be allowed into or out of the school building until the threat is resolved. Families will receive communication from the school or district regarding the situation after the “all clear” is given.

A “lockdown” is used when an immediate threat is inside or near the school. This protocol is designed to protect students and staff from harm.

During a lockdown, all interior and exterior doors and windows will be locked. Students and staff are instructed to initiate their “run, hide, fight” plan. They can “run” to escape, if possible. If escape is not possible, they can “hide” in a safe place away from view. As a last resort, they can “fight” if they come into direct contact with the threat.

During a lockdown, no one is allowed to move around the school until law enforcement or school administration lifts the lockdown.

In the event of a lockdown, it is critical families stay away from the school. Law enforcement will handle the situation, and no one will be allowed into the building until the threat is gone. The district will communicate with families as soon as it is safe to do so.

In any of these situations, a family’s first instinct may be to want immediate information or to pick up their child. It is essential for everyone’s safety that parents refrain from calling or going to the school when safety protocols are initiated, district officials said.

During a crisis, school staff and emergency responders must focus on student safety, and unnecessary calls make it harder for staff to respond to the threat or communicate with emergency personnel.

Open house at new Marion Public Works

A ribbon-cutting will be held Sept. 24 at Marion’s new $28 million Public Works facility.

City leaders and Marion Chamber of Commerce ambassadors will cut the ribbon at 4 p.m. at the facility, 202 44th St. An open house and tours will follow until 6 p.m.

The 144,000-square-foot structure includes space for expanded equipment storage, fleet maintenance and fabrication facilities, according to a city new release.

The building has a 3,000-square-foot FEMA-certified safe room and a front office with precast wall and ceiling concrete components to withstand severe weather events.

The building also incorporates a geothermal system to provide long-term energy savings.

Other features include 61 parking bays for vehicle and equipment storage, six equipment wash bays, eight vehicle service bays, five vehicle lifts, overhead crane systems, a 1-megawatt backup electric generation system, training facilities and administrative offices.

Conlon Construction served as the building’s general contractor and Shive Hattery provided architectural services.

The facility was financed through the city’s special revenue and road-use tax funds and the solid waste, sanitary sewer and stormwater enterprise funds.

The department’s recycling and yard waste drop-off facilities will remain at 195 35th Street for the foreseeable future, the news release stated.

Sept. 18 job fair set in Hiawatha

A job fair is planned Sept. 18 at Hiawatha City Hall, 101 Emmons St., from 1 to 3 p.m.

Sponsors said the job fair should be of particular interest to low- and moderate-income people wishing to learn about local jobs and resources.

The fair’s sponsors are Kirkwood Community College, Linn County LIFTS and the city of Hiawatha.

Cedar Rapids road closures

Beginning Tuesday, 76th Avenue SW will be closed between Edgewood Road and Cherry Valley Road so the street can be seal-coated. Work is expected to take until week’s end.

Also, 16th Avenue SE, between Second and Third streets SE, will be closed to traffic for approximately two months for pavement improvements. Pedestrian traffic will be maintained to all businesses in the NewBo area.

Clear Creek Amana seeks roundtable volunteers

The Clear Creek Amana Community School District is seeking representatives from the community for a Superintendent Roundtable to discuss school district needs and make recommendations to the school board.

Applications to join the roundtable can be found online at ccaschools.org/news-and-announcements/~board/news-and-announcements/post/superintendent-roundtable-application. The application deadline is Tuesday, Sept. 17. Those chosen for the roundtable will be notified by email by Sept. 20.

The roundtable will meet monthly, October to April, with Superintendent Corey Seymour from 5:30 to 6:45 p.m. at Clear Creek Amana High School, 551 W. Marengo Rd., Tiffin.

The roundtable will aim to have balanced representation with regard to race, gender, national origin and disability and balanced representation from the district’s attendance centers.

Coralville’s 1st Avenue/I-80 interchange

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Beginning today — Monday Sept. 16 — Coralville’s First Avenue and Interstate 80 interchange (exit 242) will experience intermittent lane closures throughout the fall so final work can be completed on the interchange.

Any lane closures will be removed during Iowa home football games.

Northbound and southbound First Avenue through the interchange will be reduced from three lanes to two.

Northbound First Avenue, approaching East Ninth Street, will be reduced to one lane to allow for sidewalk improvements.

The outer lane of northbound First Avenue will be used as a right-turn lane onto East Ninth Street.

Pedestrians and bicyclists will be redirected onto nearby sidewalks.

Iowa City launches banner design contest

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Iowa City, in partnership with the Iowa City Downtown District, is sponsoring a banner design contest.

Winning designs will be displayed horizontally on 66-by-132-inch fabric banners at the city’s 21 S. Linn Street lot while the area in under construction.

The city recently put out a request for proposal for the property, asking for a mixed-use building with commercial on the first floor (retail, entertainment, dining, etc.). On the upper floors, the proposal asks for uses such as a hotel, residential, entertainment, office space or other commercial uses.

Artists can submit banner design ideas around the theme of “Iowa City Arts & Culture.” Submissions can include “photography, digital art, collage, painting, illustration, or printmaking.” Artists are encouraged to create “bold, eye-catching designs that can be easily viewed from a distance, with minimal text and no commercial content.”

Applications can be submitted at https://downtowniowacity.com/21-s-linn-banner-contest/.

Eleven designs will be selected, with each artist receiving a $200 stipend per banner design.

The deadline to apply is midnight Sept. 30. Selected designs will be announced Oct. 3.

Government Notes is published Mondays and contains updates from area governmental bodies. Gazette reporters Grace King and Megan Woolard contributed.