C.R. school board approves new Hoover, Van Buren elementary school buildings

CEDAR RAPIDS — Tears welled in Kenya Kenny’s eyes as the Title 1 teacher — who works with students struggling academically — stood before the Cedar Rapids school board and recounted reaching a near breaking point last year over crowding and poor conditions at Van Buren Elementary School.

Kenny spoke of mold and cockroaches, leaking bathroom plumbing, and of working alongside other Title 1 teachers and aides in one classroom where “at any point, there could be upward (of) 40 to 50 kids in that room trying to learn.”

“We need so much. We need more staff. We need more space,” Kenny told school board members during a special meeting Monday. “We need an autism program. We need a behavior program. We need spaces for kids to de-escalate. … We need spaces for those kids to learn, and instead, we're putting all of those kids into one space, and that's going to be very difficult.”

Other Van Buren staff recounted similar stories and frustration, emphasizing the need for larger classrooms, more equitable distribution of resources across the district and renovations to address safety and capacity issues.

Kristin Wolfe, a Van Buren staff member, said and she others in the building “are so stressed out.”

“And it's just not safe,” Wolfe told board members. “ … You know we are a school who wants to be torn down and rebuilt, so please give us that environment so our students can thrive.”

Minutes later, the group erupted in cheers and applause after the Cedar Rapids school board unanimously approved a resolution to construct two new elementary school buildings on the Hoover Elementary School and Van Buren Elementary School sites.

The schools have seen large increases to their student body in recent years and have exceeded suggested enrollment capacity, even building temporary walls in classrooms and common areas to create more learning spaces.

Hoover currently uses two portable classrooms on site, and the school district will add two more before the new school year begins later this month.

Enrollment at southwest Cedar Rapids’ Van Buren this fall is anticipated to be about 466 students, and northwest Cedar Rapids’ Hoover is expecting 416 students — well above their suggested enrollment caps of 370 students and 320 students, respectively.

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

“You know these growing class sizes impact student outcomes and the well-being of our teachers, and we are here to ensure equitable education opportunities for all,” school board member Kaitlin Byers said during the meeting.

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, district officials have said.

The district anticipates hiring an architect this fall and opening the schools to students in August 2027. The new schools would have capacity for 600 students each.

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.

Responding to emailed questions from The Gazette, the district estimates construction cost of the two buildings — not including other costs to outfit the building — to total approximately $48 million. District officials said they anticipate the cost to be similar to that of three previous elementary schools built: West Willow, Maple Grove and Trailside. Each cost an average of about $24 million to construct, according to the district.

Two new elementary schools open this month

Trailside Elementary School in Cedar Rapids is scheduled to open this month. Students from Garfield and Arthur elementary schools will attend the new elementary, which is located next to Arthur, when the new school year begins on Aug. 23.

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The district approved the sale of the two 100-year-old schools in June, despite protest. Arthur Elementary School will become the next home of the Eastern Iowa Arts Academy, and Garfield Elementary School will be turned into apartments by a local developer.

Maple Grove Elementary opened in August 2022 to replace Jackson Elementary, and West Willow opened in 2021.

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Construction input prices jumped half a percentage point higher in April and have increased 3.5 percent over the first four months of the year, according to an Associated Builders and Contractors’ analysis of U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Producer Price Index data.

District officials did not immediately respond Monday night to a question from The Gazette about its contingency plan should costs exceed estimates.

The district currently has approximately $28.4 million in SAVE reserves, and anticipates an additional $26.4 million in SAVE revenue during the 2025 fiscal year.

“This careful financial planning allows us to confidently move forward with providing attractive, modern facilities that will encourage stable attendance and increased enrollment, key factors in our district’s long-term success,” the school district said in a statement.

The new elementary buildings would be constructed on site with the original buildings staying in use until completion. At that time, the new building would open and the original buildings would be razed, district officials said.

Elementary facility plan was adopted in 2018

Cedar Rapids resident Kevin Wymore, who attended Monday’s meeting, voiced concerns to The Gazette afterward about what he felt was a hasty spending decision, with no discussion during the meeting about estimated construction costs and financing for the projects.

The district adopted a plan to address its aging elementary school buildings in 2018. That facilities plan included building 10 new elementary schools and renovating three over the next 15 to 20 years. The process included the closure and repurposing of eight schools.

The district put a “pause” on the facilities master plan and is now revisiting its options with the help of a task force, which includes members of the community.

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Cedar Rapids schools’ Superintendent Tawana Grover and school board members thanked school staff.

“We know the numbers, but really their daily experiences that they have each and every day in order for us to take care of our students, we have to make sure that we have the environment that we're also taking care of our staff. So everyone is important,” Grover said. “And we also want to make sure that our families continue to choose Cedar Rapids Community School District. That's important, and we want them to know that we have a space for them.”

The Gazette’s Grace King contributed to this report.

Comments: (319) 398-8499; tom.barton@thegazette.com