Update, December 5

To read and sign the petition to keep Hoover open, click here.

The school board will vote this Tuesday, December 10, on whether to adopt the proposed facilities time line. The current proposal would not use Hoover as the transitional space for other schools when they are being renovated—which is a big improvement over the original proposal. (Thank you to the 328 people who signed our petition on the issue!) Under the current proposal, Hoover would continue to serve its own attendance area until 2019, when it would close. The building would then be torn down, apparently to create space for tennis courts or a softball field that might be displaced by the addition to City High (though the superintendent has not ruled out a parking lot). Details of the proposed time line are here.

At the board’s work session last week, it became clear that at least four board members—Marla Swesey, Sally Hoelscher, Jeff McGinness, and Patti Fields—would not support amending the plan to keep Hoover open. Those are the same four board members whose seats come up for re-election in 2015. Board members Tuyet Dorau and Chris Lynch questioned the need to close Hoover. (Further commentary is here and here.)

Over 700 people have now signed the petition to keep Hoover and all of our schools open. (That includes over 300 signatures online and another 400 on the paper copies that have been circulated.) We hope to reach 800 signatures by Tuesday’s meeting. Please consider signing if you haven’t already.

Finally, please continue to make your feelings about the Hoover closure known to the school board. You can email the entire board at board@iccsd.k12.ia.us. A summary of some good reasons to keep Hoover open is here.