Construction Central
For the second time in two years, Superintendent Mike McGrory has presented a vision to transform Ottumwa Schools into the best school district in the state. Last night's board presentation, coined Vision of Excellence, is the second phase of the district's Be The Best Initiative. The board of directors unanimously approved the recommendations. The recommendations are based on the district's need to upgrade existing facilities, expand curricular and extracurricular opportunities, and create more personalized learning environments across all grade levels. To gauge support, the district surveyed students, staff members, and the community in January. After receiving overwhelming support, McGrory's Be The Best Phase II recommendations include:
Starting in August 2022, all south side kindergarten students will attend Pickwick Early Childhood Center.
- For the 2022-23 school year, Douma will become a 1-2 building.
- Construct a new 3-5 elementary school, located on the Douma campus. After construction is complete, south side students in grades 1-5 will attend school at the current Douma location.
- For the 2023-24 school year, OHS will become a 10-12 building, Evans will become an 8-9 building, and Liberty will become a 6-7 building.
- Horace Mann, James, and Wilson - Summer 2022
- Eisenhower - Summer 2023
- Horace Mann, James, and Wilson - Summer 2022
- Eisenhower - Summer 2024
Horace Mann, James, Wilson, and Eisenhower - Summer 2022
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- James - Summer 2022
- Horace Mann and Wilson - Summer 2023
- Eisenhower - Summer 2024
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- Wilson - Summer 2022
- Horace Mann and James - Summer 2023
- Eisenhower - Summer 2024
- Horace Mann and James - Summer 2023
- Eisenhower and Wilson - Summer 2024
Information Coming Soon!
- Horace Mann
- Secure Entrance, HVAC & Playgrounds - Summer 2022
- Exterior Signage, Kitchen Upgrades, Windows & Doors -Summer 2023
- Eisenhower
- Playground - Summer 2022
- Secure Entrance - Summer 2023
- Exterior Signage, Kitchen Upgrades, Windows & Doors, HVAC - Summer 2024
- James
- Secure Entrance, Playground, Exterior Signage, Upgrade HVAC - Summer 2022
- Kitchen Upgrades, Windows & Doors - Summer 2023
- Wilson
- Secure Entrance, Playground, Kitchen Upgrades - Summer 2022
- Exterior Signage, HVAC - Summer 2023
- Windows & Doors - Summer 2024
- Make Ottumwa High School a 10-12 grade building that creates a more personalized learning environment for students.
- This would provide significant investments to Ottumwa High School now versus saving for a possible new high school in the future.
- This can be done through available funds without raising taxes.
- Remodeling OHS to create modern and dynamic learning spaces, exterior and interior upgrades, and improving curricular and extracurricular activities.
- Improvements in parking and lighting will help accentuate the historic building.
OHS becomes 10-12 grades August 2023
Look to open the new Gateway Center in August of 2022 for grades 9-12 which will improve the culture and climate by creating a safe, supportive learning environment that incorporates real, authentic learning experiences that address student needs. Watch for an updated rendering of the center coming soon!
Gateway Center open August 2022
- Evans Middle School will serve students in grades 8th & 9th.
- Serving fewer students will provide more personalized learning while expanding opportunities for Career Technical Education, pre-AP courses, and high school credit offerings.
- Consolidating these grades will promote smaller learning communities, increase student achievement, a smooth transition between grades 8 and 9, and provide greater support for academic and social-emotional learning.
- Combining these grades into one location will result in a variety of extracurricular opportunities for both 8th grade and freshmen.
Evans becomes 8 & 9 August 2023
- Liberty Elementary will become an intermediate learning center for grades 6-7.
- The facility, with wide hallways and a competition gym, will provide the appropriate grade configuration for this age of students.
- The facility and expansive campus will be able to offer more curricular and extracurricular opportunities for students.
- A new disc golf course will complement existing outdoor recreational opportunities for this age group.
- Bussing older students will also decrease traffic congestion at this location.
Liberty becomes 6 & 7 August 2023
- Douma Elementary will be the site of two smaller schools serving grades 1-2 and grades 3-5.
- This will create ideal grade configurations that bring uniformity to elementary schools across the district as well as a small neighborhood-school feel.
- The campus will include two school facilities connected with a walkway to allow shared cafeteria and gym space.
- Teachers will have increased opportunities to collaborate and articulate across grade levels.
- The Douma location also offers several access points and will be designed to provide parents with easy drop-off and pick-up options.
A rendering of the new building will be completed once the committee work is finished. The initial concept, the Douma building footprint, was only used to determine if there was sufficient room on the site for the estimated square footage.
- Douma becomes 1 & 2 August 2022
- 3-5 addition construction begins (on Douma campus) Fall 2022
- New 3-5 building anticipated opening August 2023
How many nurses will serve Douma and the new 3-5 building? There will be one, centrally-located nurse serving all students in grades 1-5.
How many school secretaries will be at Douma? There will be a secretary for the 1-2 center and one for the 3-5.
What about furniture? - Teachers are welcome to bring their furniture - IE - teacher desks, cabinets, file cabinets and bookshelves. We should have enough student desks at Douma for the 2nd grade classrooms since they can be raised. We will look at upgrading furniture on a whole when we start looking at ordering for the new 3-5 building. Teachers in grades 1-2 will be involved in that as well.
- Pickwick Early Childhood Center will become a PK-K facility, serving the district’s youngest learners and all southside kindergarten students. Increased student achievement for preschool students and kindergarten preparedness through project-based learning, student engagement, meeting core standards, and greater teacher collaboration.
- Staggered drop-off and pick-up alleviate wait times and schedules can be worked around parent needs.
- Busing is also an option for these young learners.
Pickwick becomes PK & Southside Kindergarten August 2022
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