Officials hold first Waterloo high school merger meeting

WATERLOO — Attendees at a town hall meeting this week on a proposed merger of East and West high schools brought worries about property taxes going up and how changing to a single building would impact the community.

But Waterloo Community Schools’ officials emphasized during the Wednesday gathering that funding the $165 million project with proceeds of an existing 1% sales tax means that property taxes won’t be affected. And they highlighted the ways that a single 10th- through 12th-grade building could bring the community together while strengthening education in the district.

The meeting at George Washington Carver Academy was the first of seven town halls on the merger topic leading up to the Nov. 5 election. Residents will be able to vote on whether the Waterloo school district should issue $165 million in revenue bonds to be repaid with proceeds from the statewide sales tax.

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The referendum was placed on the ballot at the request of residents who led a petition drive. Otherwise, the Board of Education could have approved the expenditure without a public vote because of the existing sales tax funding. If more than 50% of district residents vote in favor of the referendum, it will pass.

The school would be located in an expansion of the Central Middle School and Waterloo Career Center building on Katoski Drive. Eighth and ninth graders would move to the current high school buildings. The district’s three other middle schools would house all sixth and seventh graders.

Gina Weekly, Waterloo Schools’ director of equity, inclusion and belonging, presented a video that described the benefits of the proposed merger. She encouraged attendees to think about the unity that would be supporting students if the plan goes through.

Board member Lyle Schmitt presented information about the strategic planning process. So far, the district has given a lot of focus to the building’s location and condition of existing buildings. However, he said officials are currently in phase four of the project, which focuses on academic goals.

Officials predict a merged high school and the division of earlier grades into different buildings will help reduce the number of dropouts and curtail the school to prison pipeline within the district. They believe the new facility and other changes will also reduce open enrollment out of the district.

Amy Schmidt, executive director of teaching and learning, presented statistics that Waterloo Schools’ officials are “not proud of.” She shared that, during the 2023-24 academic year, many students had fewer credits than they needed to graduate or advance to the next grade.

She argued that this heightens the importance of the project in terms of making academic improvements.

Schmidt said that having the Waterloo Career Center on the single high school campus would academically benefit students. That includes scheduling efficiencies, zero traveling time and connecting more with peers. East, West and Expo high school students who currently take classes at the career center have said “I don’t want to leave my home building,” according to Schmidt.

Superintendent Jared Smith said students taking classes at the WCC commute 10-16 minutes one way. Driving back and forth between buildings takes 20-40 minutes. Currently 70% of high school students drive themselves to school. New traffic lights to help direct the flow of traffic are part of the plans for the proposed school.

Convenience was another concern for meeting attendees, since the existing high schools are closer to where many students live than the proposed new building. Safety was also a concern for some.

Smith explained that the new building would have programmable doors, bulletproof glazing and other upgrades to meet Americans with Disabilities Act requirements. There are financial and physical constraints to making such improvements in the aging high schools.

“We can’t do this in older buildings,” Smith said.

Addressing concerns about the loss of the existing high school teams, East Athletic Director Tim Moses suggested this project would create a new legacy for Waterloo Schools’ student athletes.

“We cannot stand in the way … it’s time to bring these two together so these kids can create their own legacy,” he said.

He went on to say there would be better facilities and equipment for all levels, it would be easier to find coaches for all programs, and that this would create a level playing field for all student athletes.

“It’s time to be one Waterloo,” he said, echoing the theme of unity.

Board member Krystal Madlock emphasized that theme, as well. She told attendees that it’s time to take action and vote.

“It’s time for change,” she said. “… Our scholars deserve this change.”

Other town hall meeting times and locations are:

• 5-6:30 p.m. Tuesday, Bunger Middle School, 157 S. Roosevelt Road, Evansdale.
• 5-6:30 p.m. Oct. 3, Waterloo Career Center, 1348 Katoski Drive, Waterloo.
• 5-6:30 p.m. Oct 7, Hoover Middle School, 630 Hillcrest Road, Waterloo.
• 6:30-8 p.m. Oct 17, Antioch Baptist Church, 426 Sumner St., Waterloo.
• 6:30-8 p.m. Oct 21, Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, 4031 Lafayette Road, Evansdale.
• 6:30-8 p.m. Oct 28, Hope City Church, 118 High St., Waterloo.

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