Greene County and Paton-Churdan students could have added access to college courses if Iowa Central Community College is able to expand its regional academies.
Neil Adams, director of business development at Iowa Central, explained the regional academy concept at the Greene County school board meeting Nov. 21. Iowa Central currently has one regional academy up and running in Eagle Grove to serve five school districts. Students attend the academy for a half-day every school day and can earn 13-18 college credits in a school year.
The goal is to have a regional academy within 30 miles of every district served in the 18-county Iowa Central service area. Greene County would be in the southwest region and would serve students at Southeast Valley, East Sac County, South Central Calhoun and Manson Northwest Webster.
Greene County school superintendent Tim Christensen has previously explored the possibility of the middle school in Jefferson being the location for the academy, but according to Adams, Lohrville would be the desired location to meet the 30-mile requirement of all districts.
There is no cost to students to attend the academy. Funding comes from the school districts as they “purchase” seats at the academy. In purchasing the seats, a district commits to funding regardless of whether students attend classes there. It becomes incumbent on the district to fill the seats. Should more students want to attend than the district has purchased seats for, unused seats can be purchased from another district.
Adams did not provide a per seat cost. Iowa Central will move forward with the southwest regional academy only if voters approve a $29.5 million bond referendum in a special election Dec. 6.
“The overall goal is not to supplant any curriculum or any classes the high schools are already offering. We’re simply looking to supplement what is already being offered,” Adams said. He said many schools, particularly in rural Iowa, find it very expensive to offer many career and technical programs; the regional academy can fill that need.
The Eagle Grove academy offers six different programs, ranging from core technical programs, like building trades, to liberal arts classes. “It’s an expansion of opportunities for students,” Adams said.
Greene County is ahead of several districts in what it offers already. “Greene County is very fortunate in the opportunities you give your students. Not everyone around our area is as fortunate,” he said.
The regional academies require collaboration between all the school districts. Adams said the academy in Eagle Grove was under discussion for five years before all concerns were answered. Paton-Churdan superintendent Kreg Lensch said discussion of the regional academy has been limited, but he expects they “will go into over drive” if the bond referendum passes.
Should the bond referendum pass, the southwest academy could be open for the 2018-19 school year.
