Update on Facilities Master Plan
West Willow Elementary School and Maple Grove Elementary School….two new schools and a lot of future opportunities for our school district.

The original Facilities Master Plan that was approved by the Board of Directors in 2018 has been underway: building two new elementary schools, considering a re-purpose of Truman Elementary, conducting a boundary study for those schools, and conducting a “pause” phase or an assessment/reflection phase of the implementation of the plan. A community focus group defined avenues and ways to continually get input. See prior communications from January 22, 2021, and February 5, 2021.
The initial plan was kicked off just prior to the historical COVID-19 pandemic and derecho natural disaster recovery occurring in 2020 and throughout the first part of 2021. While CRCSD was focused on crisis initiatives during this time period, the first two components of the Facility Master Plan still proceeded. The elementary schools at the Coolidge and Jackson sites broke ground, with West Willow opening August 2021 and Jackson (Maple Grove) set to open in fall 2022.

It has been a busy few years! Our Buildings and Grounds team has been absolutely instrumental in supporting all of this. We are grateful for all their efforts.

Please be watching for updates to the original plan as CRCSD and the community regroup after the pandemic and derecho events. If you would like to be considered for the new Facilities Master Plan committee, please sign-up here. The new committee will be formed to review the original plan and timeline and present any new data and initiatives as we stand committed to future-ready facility development.

Noreen Bush
Superintendent
Important Reminders
Monday, Oct. 11: 5:30 p.m.

Monday, Oct. 11-Thursday, Oct. 21

Monday, Oct. 25: 5:30 p.m.
CRCSD Happenings
A trio of student teachers at Viola Gibson

One student teacher isn’t unusual in an elementary school, but three in a specific grade level at a single school is rare.

At Viola Gibson Elementary School this fall, three student teachers—Morgan Sietsema from the University of Northern Iowa, Karly Raus from the University of Iowa, and Mady Fink from Coe College—have joined the third grade classrooms of Lillian Hankemeier, Kris Eells, and Ashlee Rush.

Read more about the student teachers' experience in the link below.
Kicking off National Principals Month

October is National Principals Month, and we recognize the essential work that our principals put in each day to make a school a wonderful place.

Linda Reysack has been a K-12 administrator for 31 years, 12 of those with CRCSD. As a former Harding Charger, she is proud to be the principal of Harding Middle School.

Mrs. Reysack says the people around her are the keys to success: "It is the relationships I have developed with the staff, students, and families that makes this the best job."

Thank you and all of our administrators for your hard work and dedication.
Tree planting at Cedar River Academy

Cedar River Academy at Taylor Elementary School students received a lesson on planting and caring for trees last week from the Girl Scouts. Students planted six trees to make up for those lost in the 2020 derecho.

Thank you to Clark McLeod and the Monarch Research Project for the donation of three trees.

View more photos in the link below.
The Week in Photos
Kindergarteners Release Butterflies

Since the beginning of the school year, kindergarteners across CRCSD studied the metamorphosis of chrysalises turning into butterflies. Last week, they released their butterflies. View more photos on our Flickr page.
Garfield Wildcats Tour
Wickiup Hill Learning Center

This week, three classes of Garfield Elementary fourth and fifth graders took a field trip to Wickiup Hill Learning Center. Students learned about animals that lived on the prairie, wetland environments, and aspects of hunting. View more photos on our Flickr page.
Useful Resources
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October 8, 2021