A road trip to see an incredible learning center

By Jeff Orvis

This week, there have been several Facebook photos of kids getting ready for their first day of school. Most of these pictures have been posted by proud parents who are probably also silently breathing a little sigh of relief that they don't have to find something for their youngsters to do five days a week, at least until the first school holiday.

It's been a few decades since my two took those early steps off to school. I suppose this would be an opportunity to get all teary-eyed with melancholy, wondering where all the years went. But with more than 35 years in the community news profession, I was privileged to live these days over and over again with members of the community in which I lived.

For more than 17 years, my first stop away from home was in the progressive town of Independence, IA. When I moved there, we had a discount store (not Wal-Mart), a fast food place, a couple of grocery stores and a thriving downtown. I had to drive 15 miles north to Oelwein to get a taco, but that was no big problem.

The town also had four public school buildings, with another elementary school located seven miles south in the town of Rowley. It was also home to a smaller, but wonderful Catholic school for grades K-12.

All four of the public school buildings in town appeared to be in good condition. They were well kept and at least sufficient for the students. In the first few years I was there, the district built a stand alone administration building on the campus of an elementary and middle school.

In the subsequent years, it became apparent that the high school was in definite need of improvement. Because of a lack of undeveloped property, there was little room for expansion. The track team, for example, had to go across town to run on the cinder track. The football field was on the high school campus, but no room for a track. Classroom space was at a premium and there were already a couple of portable classrooms being used when I arrived in 1977.

The district's patrons came to realize that something had to be done. I was happy to serve on one facilities committee. We took a couple of trips to high schools in Eastern Iowa looking at how they improved their buildings. Indee had no theater, for example. So we considered how we might renovate the gym to make it a theater, since there was already a stage at one end of the room.

I left that city in 1997 and the high school problem had not yet been resolved. In the following few years, an attempt was made to pass a bond issue for a new high school. It failed, then failed again and again and again. Finally, after at least five tries, it passed. And that leads to where I spent a recent afternoon.

Since it has been several years since I lived there, I realized that some of the teachers I remembered were retired and unfortunately, a few have passed away. One of my good friends is Loren Pink, who is the districts juvenile court liaison officer. That means he is paid through a combination of district and court funds and is in charge with steering wayward students back onto the right path. I knew I wanted to stop by and at least leave him a message if he was busy. As luck would have it, I arrived just as the students were dismissing and he met me at the front door, which shocked both of us. He became a very good guide.

It had been at least two or three years since I had last traveled to Independence. The last time I was there, the city had a new Fareway grocery store, new Wal-Mart on the south side of town and a new movie theater. But the same high school was in full use.

The school board was able to obtain several acres of land on the southwest edge of town, near the Mental Health Institute and near the Middle School campus. After more than $22 million later, the district is in its second year in a magnificent building that includes classroom wings for the junior high and high school students, a big commons area, a towering glass-enclosed entrance atrium with enough space to make one wonder how soon a Starbucks stand would be included. The gym, actually it's more like a field house, has room for three full basketball courts and seats 2,000. The weight room would make many small colleges envious and the wrestling room is one of the biggest I've ever seen, room enough for three full-size competition mats side by side. The community finally has a professional quality theater, which seats 700. The district also received a federal grant of more than $700,000 to include safe rooms to provide safe shelter in the event of bad weather. Pink said in a recent drill, the entire student body was able to find room in the safe room area, with room to spare.

While the building was completed a year ago, crews just recently completed work on the field turf installation on the football field, which is surrounded by an all-weather track. Makes me wish Coach Lyle Leinbaugh, former athletic director, track coach and football coach, was still alive to see these improvements. One of the best features of the new complex is its location. Pink pointed out that there is plenty of room for future expansion in at least two directions.

As students prepare for a new school year, unfortunately there are still many in this state and around the country who will be going back to antiquated buildings, with poor heating and cooling systems, crumbling walls and some with steps that would be very challenging to physically challenged students. The school I attended, Pleasant Valley, is a growing district that is so far keeping up with technology and educational standards. Independence has made a definite commitment with its new facility, after years of uncertainty. 

And in the past five years, Belle Plaine has addressed facility issues with wonderful improvements to its two attendance centers.

Rural Iowa is an aging population. With a tough economy, the thought of any tax increase for new school facilities can be a tough sell. I am nearing retirement age and with no immediate hope of school-aged grandchildren, it might be logical that I would also be hesitant to favor school improvements. But I've spent so many years in so many schools that I am aware of just how important it is to make comfortable, functional centers for learning.

Congratulations to the folks in Independence for finally allowing for the construction of this wonderful new building. If you ever visit the school, take a few moments to stop and look at a large plaque near the front entrance where dozens of contributors are listed. It takes a village to raise a child. That kid going through the front doors of the school today might be your heart surgeon in the future!