By Margaret Yapp and Maura Channon
Little Hawk Staff Reporters
On May 11th the Iowa City School Board unanimously voted to build a third high school in Iowa City. However, a number of factors, or “trigger points”, including financing, enrollment and academic opportunities are influencing the time frame when this decision will come to have tangible results. .
Before building a third high school the Board has agreed to use all available space at City High and West High, which will involve the controversial moving of some current west-side students to east-side schools.
“A new high school should not be built until the Iowa City Community School District has both the enrollment and the finances to support it,” John Bacon, soon-to-be principal of City High said. “For these reasons, I believe the ICCSD must change boundaries and move students to City High.”
Soon after the May 11th decision to build a new high school, the Board made another decision drastically changing the district’s current boundary lines in hopes of balancing the enrollement between City and West High. Starting next year, Lincoln and Hills Elementary School students will be in the City High School district.
Despite these decisive changes, some members of the redistricting committee are concerned about the possiblity that redistricing will effect the quality of education currently upheld in Iowa City schools.
“Whatever insures the maintenance of two great, vital comprehensive high schools, while meeting the board’s four redistricting criteria, is what should happen,” teacher representative Robin Fields said.
Another big concern of those involved in the redistricting process is time.
“We can’t delay changes that are needed now because we may, or may not, build a new high school in 10 or 15 years,” said PSTO member Julie Eisle.
Elementary school boundary lines are also coming under question, as schools Lemme, Shimek and Longfellow debate whether or not to build additions onto their fast-becoming overcrowded buildings. Building a new elementary school might even be necessary within the next few years.
Other redistricting changes include the transfer of students living in Wickham Elementary’s “flex area” to the new Garner Elementary School district and Twain Elementary’s transitional housing students to different, yet-to-be-decided schools. A portion of the Lincoln Elementary students will be moved to Horn Elementary starting next year, as well.
When the third high school will be built is undecided, as is what exactly the third high school will look like. Options include a ninth or ninth/tenth grade center, a fine arts school, or vocational school.
Superintendent Lane Plugge is currently planning on assigning a team to “explore the third high school options and present them to the board for a decision on the direction for the new school.”
The team will be expected to complete its work by May 31, 2010.
