Farming is done far differently than even 25 years ago. Businesses have to continually evolve and adapt to their customers and the changing economy. Schools are no different.

Educational methods have evolved from when most people went to school. The days of sitting in rows of desks, listening to a teacher lecture, and regurgitating back the information you’ve memorized is no longer the best way to prepare students for the jobs in today’s workforce. There are jobs available to 2024 graduates that didn’t exist when they were in kindergarten. Today’s employers seek applicants with skills such as:

• • Collaboration 

  • Creative Problem Solving

  • Communication

  • Critical Thinking

To teach these skills, teachers today focus more on groups working together, in small or large groups, to achieve growth. This requires more room, having space for students to spread out with their laptops and tablets to work in a collaborative setting.

More programming is offered to students than in the past, which requires additional room, including:

• Title I: 

  • • Title I is designed to provide instructional support in reading (and possibly math) by highly qualified teachers during the school day. Students participate in one-on-one or small group instruction with a Title 1 teacher or classroom teacher. Title 1 teachers and classroom teachers work together to coordinate the literacy or math instruction provided in the classroom and in the group setting.

• Students of all abilities, including those with disabilities who were at one time removed largely from the traditional educational setting, are also engaged in the learning within those spaces.  Having adequate space ensures a high-quality learning environment for ALL students and provides for equity in learning opportunities and outcomes. 

The district’s bond capacity, set by the State of Iowa, is not large enough to afford building a new school or add a gym to the current referendum. Districts are not permitted to spend beyond their bond capacity. Construction inflation is outpacing the district’s bond capacity, which makes it important to make improvements sooner rather than later. 

Updating the Smith gym was discussed by both the school board and community advisory team and was included in the community-wide survey. Updating the Smith gym or building a new gym were the two lowest rated priorities on the community-wide survey. Additionally, the state of Iowa limits how much Glidden Ralston Schools can ask voters to spend based its bond capacity, so we are not able to address every potential upgrade in our building. 

This referendum is focusing on the survey and community advisory team’s highest rated priorities, including a safe/secure entrance, updating bathrooms, and adding classroom space.

The Glidden-Ralston district and school board have approached this process deliberately over 12 months beginning in the fall of 2022. It was a priority to gather all of the necessary information, including engineering reports, facility improvement options and costs, and tax implications before any decision was made. The district also wanted to make ensure that there was feedback from district staff, the Community Advisory Committee, and a community wide survey in order to determine community support and the best long term plan for the district.

• Timeline:

  • September 2022: 

    • • Comprehensive Facilities Assessment conducted by SitelogIQ to assess physical, educational, and functional needs.

  • October - November 2022:

    • • Facility Assessment Review is presented to the school board and District administration.

      • Board comprehensive review including prioritizations, project scenarios, potential costs.

  • March - May 2023:

    • • Community Advisory Committee meets 5 times over 12.5 hours to review school finance, facility assessments.

      • Community-wide survey begins.

  • May 2023:

    • • Community Advisory Committee reports their findings to the School Board.

      • School Board reviews results of the community survey.

  • August 2023:

    • • The School Board passes a resolution committing to move forward with a bond referendum.

  • November 2023:

    • • November 7, 2023 Bond Referendum vote.

The Iowa Legislature recently passed a law that no longer allows spring referendums, districts are now only allowed the option to have school referendums once a year in November. The board and the community group overwhelming agreed that 2023 was a better year than 2024 to vote on facility needs.

• • With construction inflation going up 10%-15% per year, the financially responsible path is 2023.

  • It would be difficult for the referendum details to be properly communicated during the 2024 presidential election.

  • 100% of the community group members voted to recommend that the board move forward on a referendum in 2023.

Yes, Glidden-Ralston teachers and staff will have the opportunity to weigh in on the final planning decisions.

Feel free to contact Superintendent Kreg Lensch by clicking HERE, speak to a board member, or contact one of the 25 people that participated in the community focus group meetings. The most important thing is to get your questions answered from someone who can give an accurate response. It’s important to know the facts so that you can make an informed vote on November 7.