The Iowa City Community School District (ICCSD) received a second two-week waiver on Friday, allowing schools to offer keep offering less than 50 percent in-person instruction. District schools are currently holding all their classes online due to the spike of COVID-19 cases in Johnson County. Following recommendations from district staff, the ICCSD Board of Directors […]
ICCSD
Posted inCommunity/News
Iowa City school board votes to start the year fully online amid COVID-19 spike in Johnson County
The Iowa City Community School District Board of Directors voted unanimously on Saturday to start the school year with two weeks of all online instruction. The decision was made possible by a waiver freeing the district from the 50 percent in-person instruction minimum Gov. Reynolds has mandated every school district in Iowa — except for […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Iowa City schools granted waiver by state to start classes all online as Johnson County COVID-19 cases soar
The Iowa City Community School District has received a waiver from the Iowa Department of Education (DOE) that will allow it to begin the year with two weeks of all online instruction. The district had applied to DOE for a waiver to exempt its schools from the 50 percent in-person instruction standard Gov. Kim Reynolds […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Hearing date set for ICCSD, educators’ lawsuit against Gov. Reynolds’ school mandate
A hearing has been scheduled for the lawsuit challenging Gov. Kim Reynolds’ authority to order schools to have 50 percent in-person instruction even if local school boards believe COVID-19 conditions make that too dangerous. The Iowa City Community School District (ICCSD) and the Iowa State Education Association (ISEA), which represents more than 30,000 educators in […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Iowa City Community School District joins lawsuit against Reynolds’ school reopening orders
Gov. Kim Reynolds’ order requiring schools to offer at least 50 percent in-person instruction even if a school board decides the spread of COVID-19 in its community makes it unsafe to do so is unconstitutional, according to the attorney for the Iowa State Education Association (ISEA). ISEA General Counsel Jay Hammond said during a news […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Gov. Reynolds: School district ‘did exactly what they needed to do’ by moving first-grade class online after positive COVID-19 test
Gov. Kim Reynolds had planned to have the superintendent of the Indianola Community School District speak at her press conference on Tuesday, so he could explain what the district has done since its Irving Elementary School confirmed a case of COVID-19 four days after starting classes, but postponed the superintendent’s appearance to have more time […]
Posted inCommunity/News
COVID-19: School districts push back against Gov. Reynolds’ reopening plans; three more deaths reported in Johnson County
Saturday, Aug. 8 marks five months since the first cases of COVID-19 were confirmed in Iowa, and on Friday Gov. Kim Reynolds’ office published an open letter from the governor about the pandemic, in which she said “we’re all working toward the same goal.” “Now is not the time to let our guard down,” Reynolds […]
Posted inCommunity/News
State denies Iowa City school district’s request to start all classes online; Iowa’s COVID-19 death toll surpasses 900
On Thursday, the Iowa Department of Education (DOE) rejected a request from the Iowa City Community School District to allow its schools to start the new school year with two weeks of all online instruction. In its application, ICCSD said it was concerned about the health and safety of students and staff if it began […]
Posted inCommunity/News
United Way holding pop-up events to help people facing challenges due to COVID-19
The United Way of Johnson & Washington Counties will be holding three pop-up events during the last week of July to help people connect with resources that can help them navigate the challenges many are facing due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “United Way will provide our neighbors with connections to financial help, resources, information, and […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Face masks, temp checks and a new way of serving lunch: More details about reopening schools in Iowa City
Interim Iowa City Community School District Superintendent Matt Degner and members of the district’s Return to Learn Plan team offered more details on how schools will reopen in the fall, during the ICCSD Board of Directors’ special meeting this week. The biggest decisions regarding reopening, however, have not yet been made. The district will provide […]
Posted inCommunity/News
Iowa City schools will require face coverings as part of its reopening plan
The Iowa City Community School District Board of Directors reviewed options for the district to resume classes in the fall during a special board meeting on Tuesday night. Matt Degner, who is transitioning from assistant superintendent to interim superintendent, provided the board with the current details of the district’s Return to Learn Plan. Degner said […]
Posted inCommunity/News
School board will meet with Iowa Freedom Riders to discuss their demands for change in Iowa City schools
The Iowa City Community School District Board of Directors will hold a work session on Wednesday with leaders of the Iowa Freedom Riders, dedicated to a discussion of IFR’s demands for changes in Iowa City schools. Some members of the board have already met with IFR representatives, but during its June 23 meeting, the board […]
