Welcome To The District

Wednesday is a new day — and a new Dave — for the Cedar Rapids school district.
It’s the first day for the district’s new superintendent, Dave Benson. He replaces Dave Markward, who retired Tuesday after five years with the district.
Get to know the new school leader with a Q&A feature in Wednesday’s Gazette. Iowans should be pleased to [...]

Who Said Art Is Priceless?

CEDAR RAPIDS — School hallways are typically adorned with student artwork, but not every school can claim a Grant Wood original.
Grant Wood Elementary School has seven.
The crayon drawings by Wood, illustrations for the book “Farm on the Hill,” were given to the school by Wood’s brother and sister in 1951.
The drawings are worth a combined [...]

Hello, My Name Is …

The Cedar Rapids school district’s new superintendent, David Benson, starts his new job July 1. Benson was one of four candidates considered to replace Dave Markward, who retires June 30.
Benson will finish his fifth year as superintendent in the Ladue School District in St. Louis before taking over in Cedar Rapids. He previously served for [...]

What’s In A Name?

Ever wondered how a school gets it name?
Me, too.
Send me your suggestions of school names (you can e-mail me at meredith.hines-dochterman@gazcomm.com or leave a message in the comments) you’ve puzzled over and I’ll find out how that name came to be.
That’s teamwork.

You Say Good-Bye, I Say Hello

Superintendent Dave Markward resided over his last Cedar Rapids school board meeting Monday night.
Markward retires from education June 30 after 38 years, his last five as superintendent of Cedar Rapids schools.
Markward began the meeting citing a special guest in the audience — Superintendent David Benson. Benson takes the helm as Cedar Rapids superintendent July 1. 
Benson was superintendent of the [...]

Cedar Rapids School Meetings Online

The distance between school board members and the community is shorter, thanks to new technology that bring the meetings to your home or work computer.
Videos of the district’s school board meetings can be accessed through the Board of Education Link at www.cr.k12.ia.us The online catalog begins with the June 8 board meeting.
Other district videos available [...]

Have Art, Will Travel

A traveling art exhibit, featuring work from flood impacted children from Cedar Rapids schools, will be on display throughout the community this summer and early fall. “My Neighborhood Rebuilt” is a colorful display that was developed through the “Crayon Conversations,” the community outreach program at Tanager Place. 
The community will have an opportunity to see the results [...]

Prison Inmates Receive GED

ANAMOSA — Rogelio Gonzalez had permission to remove his blue graduation robe and mortarboard.
 He chose not to.
“I never had such a thing,” said Gonzalez, 27. “I’m keeping mine on.”
Nine of 13 inmates who passed their GED exams graduated Wednesday in the visiting room of the Anamosa State Penitentiary.
The location of the ceremony did not detract [...]

Happy Retirement

Anyone who has attended a Cedar Rapids school board meeting has seen the district’s strategic plan. It’s onscreen during every power point presentation. All decisions made within the district are parallel to its strategic plan.
Superintendent Dave Markward was instrumental in developing a Strategic Planning Process for the district, so it’s only just that at his [...]

Seeking Green Thumbs

It’s time to go back to school — for a day, anyway.
Master Gardeners will be at South East Junior High School, 2501 Bradford Drive in Iowa City, from 8 a.m. to noon Saturday to plant 2,400 plants around the area of new construction. School staff, students and parents have volunteered their time and labor to the project, and [...]