Linn-Mar Community School District

Linn-Mar Community School District
Type and location
Type	Public
District Info
Superintendent	Katie Mulholland, Ed. D.
Schools	9
Budget	$119 million (2010-11)
Students and staff
Students	6,371
Staff	885
Athletic Conference	Mississippi Valley Conference
Other information
Website	http://www.linnmar.k12.ia.us/default.asp

Linn-Mar Community School District in Iowa encompasses 64 square miles (170 km²), which includes the northern part of the city of Marion, an area in Cedar Rapids, part of the city of Robins and rural areas in Linn County, both south and north of the city of Marion.

Schools

• Linn-Mar High School (9-12)
• Excelsior Middle School (6-8)
• Oak Ridge (6-8)
• Bowman Woods (PK-5)
• Echo Hill (K-5)
• Indian Creek (K-5)
• Linn Grove (K-5)
• Novak (K-5)
• Westfield (PK-5)
• Wilkins (PK-5)

The Linn-Mar Community School District was formed in 1948 when 17 one-room rural schools joined together to build the Marion Rural Independent Grade School (now the Learning Resource Center). The Linn-Mar District now serves more than 6,700 students in ten buildings.

Over the last sixty years, Linn-Mar patrons have demonstrated pride in their schools by supporting financial, curricular and extra curricular projects and activities.

In 1997, District patrons passed a $25 million bond levy for the construction of a new elementary building (Westfield Elementary) and extensive expansion and/or renovation projects in virtually all of the other buildings in the district, including a new auditorium and a new gymnasium for the High School.

Construction and renovation of District buildings include: High School (1959); Indian Creek Elementary (1961); junior high school (1963); Wilkins Elementary (1966); Bowman Woods Elementary (1968); Educational Services Center and Buildings and Grounds, additions to the junior/senior high (1975); additions to the junior/senior high (1980); new media centers and remodeling at Indian Creek and Bowman Woods Elementary, 14-room addition to junior/senior high, Linn-Mar Intermediate School (1995); Westfield Elementary, new gymnasiums and classroom additions to Wilkins and Indian Creek Elementary and a two-story addition to the Intermediate School to change to a middle school (August, 1999); new gymnasium at the High School (November, 1999); new High School auditorium (March, 2000); Oak Ridge School (August, 2003).

In 1999, the district changed from a K-4, 5-6, 7-8, 9-12 grade configuration to a K-5 elementary level, 6-8 middle school, and 9-12 high school.

In March, 2001, district residents passed a $12 million bond issue to construct a K-8 building, Oak Ridge, on the west side of the district. This was a new concept for the district and a solution to overflow in those grade levels. When a new elementary school is needed, Oak Ridge will become a second middle school. The K-8 Oak Ridge School opened in August of 2003, is now Oak Ridge Middle School, grades 6-8.

Having received voter approval of over 75% in January 2006, the District constructed two new elementary schools and make renovations to the High School and Novak Elementary. Linn Grove Elementary, at 2301 50th Street, opened in the Fall of 2007. Echo Hill Elementary opened the following year and north of Oak Ridge Middle School. The January 2006 bond referendum was for $27.5 million.

Voters in Linn County approved a 10 year School Infrastructure Local Option (SILO) Sales Tax on February 13, 2007. SILO tax revenues are distributed across all school districts in Linn County for the first five years of the tax. In 2008, the Iowa Legislature passed SAVE legislation which extended the penny sales tax for schools to 2029 and created an average per student allocation for school districts across the state. The increase in the sales and use tax from 5% to 6% was intended to replace the 1% SILO tax that had been in effect. The average per student allocation in FY 2011 was $800.20.

To date, SILO revenue has allowed the district to build the new Novak Elementary school (Completed June 2010), air condition five schools (Westfield and Novak completed Fall 2009) (Bowman Woods, Indian Creek and Wilkins completed Fall 2010), construct a 6,000 seat multipurpose stadium, install additional high school parking (Completed Spring 2011), purchase property to relocate Transportation and Operations & Maintenance (Completed Fall 2010), relocate the baseball and softball fields to the Oak Ridge property. (Anticipated completion Spring 2013) The Board is forward focused, anticipating growth, and has purchased nearly 100 acres in anticipation of a new secondary school buildings sometime in the next decade.

In February 2011, Linn-Mar voters approved to extend the Physical Plant & Equipment Levy to June 30, 2015. PPEL is the main revenue source for maintenance of infrastructure investments. It is a property tax that allows local schools to support infrastructure and equipment needs. Roofs, windows, heating and cooling equipment, flooring, plumbing and parking lot upgrades and repairs are funded through this levy. The District is committed to energy efficient buildings and is continually evaluating efficiencies.

Extra Information

The Linn-Mar school mascot is the lion. The Linn-Mar Lions compete in athletics and other extra-curricular activities) within the largest class of schools in Iowa, and are members of the Mississippi Valley athletic conference (other schools in Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, Waterloo and Dubuque). In 2004, the boys basketball team won the state championship in class 4A. In 2005, they finished second, in 2006 they finished 4th and 3rd in 2010. In 1986, 1989 and 1990, the football team captured the state crown. The girls basketball team won the first ever five on five Iowa State Championship in 1985 and again in 2010. The girls team also qualified for the Iowa State Tournament in 2006. Numerous state championship were won by the girls gymnastics team in the 1980s, including the last ever girls gymnastics title in 1988. Other past champions numerous individual sport champions (wrestling, swimming).

Facts and figures

Enrollment

Year	District-wide	High school	Middle schools	Elementary schools	Other programs & adjustments
2003-2004	5,369	1,485	1,251	2,588	45
2002-2003	5,107	1,395	1,165	2,515	32
2001-2002	5,021	1,427	1,098	2,464	32
2000-2001	4,756	1,381	971	2,376	28

External links

• Linn-Mar Community School District
• Files, maps, construction updates
• Daily updates of construction at the high school
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