[{"_1":2,"_112":-5,"_113":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,76,88,100],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},"mediaId",6667220,"mediaKeyId","2264579-4db07157ae974fb27eaca13cb31b9a3d","parentId",2264579,"title","Former Crescent Elementary repurposed as Innovation and Sports Center with baseball, robotics and golf simulators","audioSeconds",217,"startMs",2582000,"endMs",2799000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=2264579-4db07157ae974fb27eaca13cb31b9a3d&start=2582&end=2799","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2264579-4db07157ae974fb27eaca13cb31b9a3d/thumbnail_2582000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6667220/Iowa/Former-Crescent-Elementary-repurposed-as-Innovation-and-Sports-Center-with-baseball-robotics-and-golf-simulators","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6667220-1441a6ec4a9ac67870e83925c2fb9a7a/orig.mp4?Expires=1770929681&Signature=Zow9fkRCNMRdk~DALWM~BStQtTQOP-XCUK203wTsLdEqUj4e3Hq~nQlRM4F0KdToadx9-jeBIps3MHyP7EPkpTam3D2G-TCO37kZBmvyRLMetJvjrPTUUGHurLoH~IqA-T6KqW4lZwZBFQC3BN0uF0mcYk2wBtqeNGrEARYFpDU24BdvF2VPHDniETd~k8-Z04qw76laC65FHb2cNfJz66dk7mWx3Vk1bgaj2YiABaqYhrWfocJJTIQW-3jPKnrWLQEOa1ATaxvF8shEroxEZn4Hg3P47C21G~PYeqepAH79Y~bar4N6eapeJesoraStL5cqXVnDdfh2zowogvrE2Q__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Council Bluffs Comm School District","date","2025-02-12T02:14:15.11Z","article","The Council Bluffs Community School District showed trustees the newly repurposed Crescent Elementary building on Wednesday, now rebranded as the Innovation and Sports Center and in active use for athletics, robotics and other student programs.

Mr. Hamilton described facilities work converting the former gym into a 34-by-65-foot indoor turf area enclosed with nets, configurable into three pitching or hitting lanes and storage for equipment. Tyler Britsky, identified as the head AL baseball coach, said the space provides a consistent, dedicated home for baseball and softball practices, youth hitting camps and feeder-program development and will save families money by offering free access for feeder programs when the high school teams are not using the facility.

Robotics sponsor Christy Arthur described three tournament-ready robotics fields and flexible classrooms that hosted a league during recent weeks. Arthur said the league gave more than 100 students multiple, local opportunities to practice inspections, document decision-making in engineering notebooks, and advance to state and national qualifiers; the district reported multiple teams qualifying for state and four teams advancing to the U.S. Open competition.

District staff also described golf-simulator installations using flight-tracking software (flight scope) and three simulators planned to be operational soon; staff said the golf simulator room would open around March 1. The district is evaluating adding a middle-school esports league, an eSports room using existing high-school equipment, and a broadcast/media lab using TriCasters and cameras for live events and streamed competitions. Staff noted access controls: badge readers are being added so coaches and sponsors can access spaces when buildings are open and automatic alarm scheduling is configured.

Staff said the board previously approved the facility name change; no new fiscal commitments were requested at the presentation. Board members and staff emphasized the multipurpose nature of the space and its expected benefits for participation, skill development and community partnerships.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Board of Education Meeting - February 11 2025","oneSentenceSummary","District officials showed the board the repurposed Crescent Elementary — renamed the Innovation and Sports Center — featuring an indoor turf hitting/pitching facility, robotics competition space, golf simulators and planned esports/broadcast rooms; coaches and sponsors described youth programming and facility access.","taxTitle","Council Bluffs Comm School District, School Districts, Iowa","taxId",38241,"location","Iowa","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":77,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":78,"_41":79,"_43":80,"_45":81,"_47":82,"_49":83,"_51":84,"_53":85,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":86,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":87,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6667223,"Board tracks bills on preschool funding, per-pupil increases and start-date flexibility",405,1725000,2130000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2264579-4db07157ae974fb27eaca13cb31b9a3d&start=1725&end=2130","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2264579-4db07157ae974fb27eaca13cb31b9a3d/thumbnail_1725000.jpg","/articles/6667223/Iowa/Board-tracks-bills-on-preschool-funding-per-pupil-increases-and-start-date-flexibility","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6667223-190aba7eebf41729fbdde9fc4b223078/orig.mp4?Expires=1770929681&Signature=QyASyKfaezuvAcn4vqH2bsCoABgplu9iQsbFXHzHdibCM0kI5NgBaEd~w8DgLwp5-l0m7B8WQNoHYfYehBbNNlZxBlRYHz0s6OPG0IRZz71j6uCnz6NsVakaPjxPOqIeVZdZe8cRUdIL4pWlAKyA-CxkUy9arq0Wm5BzuW7tpF51b5myRN1zffyQx74yFZGkn56Uc2SA3gbYm7a8dmpyDnZhZ5cQSPNpEajDrPw7Zmx8-eiiASlgtP4E9GK~NF-~arJ6hDGYrs1F-mzsjX~7Y2HSiCvy7Oh9hof13MY2TjErR1ZnX-aqffCewsyAPBl~K9n1SY~Syw-HobpgS2StXg__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Miss Ostrovsky provided a legislative update outlining four board priorities and related bills, and answered board questions about funding formulas and emerging proposals.

On full-day preschool, staff said there are companion bills in the Iowa Senate and House to increase funding; both remained in committee at the time of the update. The governor\u0000referenced early-childhood continuum proposals in the condition-of-the-state address, seeking connections between preschool and childcare to enable wraparound services.

On school funding, staff reported a Senate proposal that moved out of the Senate and to the House would increase state supplementary assistance (SSA) by about 2% from the current level; a House committee approved a related bill with a 2.25% increase. Staff noted the per-pupil funding figure would rise from the current $7,826 to slightly above $8,000 (an increase of roughly $191 per student under the Senate proposal), and that district impacts vary by enrollment and growth. Board members raised concerns about declining birth rates and enrollment statewide, the 1% guarantee in the funding formula, and the additional burden placed on districts with higher percentages of students requiring IEP services or English-learner supports.

On mental health, staff said proposals are moving slowly; some bills would require districts to publish Your Life Iowa resources and others discuss therapeutic classroom resources and training (including a referenced Senate File 102). Funding for mental-health-related supports is expected to appear in later appropriations bills.

On school start dates, staff said Senate File 205 would permit starting on the Monday preceding the last Monday in August (for 2025 that could allow an Aug. 18 start). Board members were told staff will monitor that legislation and return with recalculated calendars if the law changes.

Other topics highlighted: a governor proposal for model policies on student cellphone use; a study bill to provide flexibility on chronic absenteeism notice requirements (which could reduce certified-mail costs); proposals to allow teacher recruitment/retention expenses from the Management Fund; and recurring proposals related to a citizenship test requirement for graduating seniors. Staff reminded the board that the legislative \"first funnel\" is March 3 and that the district is tracking bills through advocacy partners and local events such as chamber coffees at Wilson Middle School.

Board members urged advocacy around funding adequacy and a broader look at how declining enrollment, ESAs and other programmatic shifts affect district finances.","District staff briefed the board on legislative priorities including full-day preschool funding, proposed increases to state supplemental assistance, mental-health resources, and a bill that would allow earlier school start dates; board members discussed funding formula concerns and enrollment declines.",{"_33":89,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":90,"_41":91,"_43":92,"_45":93,"_47":94,"_49":95,"_51":96,"_53":97,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":98,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":99,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6667232,"District reports winter MAP gains; math exceeds stretch growth goal",214,487000,701000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2264579-4db07157ae974fb27eaca13cb31b9a3d&start=487&end=701","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2264579-4db07157ae974fb27eaca13cb31b9a3d/thumbnail_487000.jpg","/articles/6667232/Iowa/District-reports-winter-MAP-gains-math-exceeds-stretch-growth-goal","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6667232-fccc2fe6b8a904b1189cdaf6e997040f/orig.mp4?Expires=1770929681&Signature=coBAhFq~8rKYd-ytlrTk0nNuwsBvPGHdmdiW9L280OTDle-AhnDTpNdxYORDRsKViUNH~RMQP~fDwiJsL4-R831J3xUU5PELKGrexNLnxOHEFioHHcBQ6sFRSekxI6UZXEgvRtkjss0AMDl-FGcl49zE5KFt4c8Vf9lSqi3Yf4UapWv5Bd-Z02GHuoRVPa820dl1pgXkUgi7xuLf7wVPFoEZGwLPqxUCBYmQTD7dCGEaLuYiLYgYf2r113k3xGZwZtXHfG5lnlZZWSv10uT9lMVo7U9wHVcbm7ETe85KvQORUmZ4N78K8vHOHJHzvV9YgnQMAfF4oZk6KTm2PyR1PQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","Dr. Matthews, presenter of the winter NWEA MAP results, told the Council Bluffs Community School District Board on Wednesday that the district recorded growth from fall to winter in math, reading and science and highlighted areas for continued focus.

Dr. Matthews said the district uses the MAP (Measure of Academic Progress) assessment three times a year in math and reading (K-11) and in science (grades 5-11). The district has three strategic metrics tied to MAP: the percentage of students scoring in the top three proficiency bands (district target 65% by year-end), the percentage meeting NWEA individual growth targets (stretch goal 60%), and the percentage of students demonstrating any growth (target 100%). At the winter window, Dr. Matthews reported: math at 60.23% in the top three bands, reading at 58.49% and science at 62.45%; math exceeded the 60% growth-target stretch with 61.85% of students meeting their predicted growth targets, while reading and science were just above 51%.

The presenter noted strong elementary gains: nearly a districtwide 4.93-point increase in math from fall to winter, with double-digit increases in kindergarten, second and third grades. Elementary grade levels were consistently above the district\u0000stretch goal for students meeting growth targets; several secondary grades (notably ninth grade) also stood out for performance. Dr. Matthews cautioned that higher RIT score levels at upper grades produce a smaller margin for measured growth and highlighted that students receiving ELL and IEP services showed the greatest variance in overall attainment, though growth-target attainment by student group was more consistent.

District next steps described by Dr. Matthews include data consults with school leaders, continued administrator professional learning on instructional best practices, leveraging MTSS (multi-tiered systems of support) for targeted interventions, and conducting academic learning walks to identify instructional trends. Board members praised the winter gains and pressed for continued attention to transition grades (second and sixth) and student groups with higher variance.

No formal board action was taken on the presentation; it was provided for information and planning.","District presentation of winter NWEA MAP results showed gains in math, reading and science compared with fall; math exceeded the district\u0000stretch growth target, with elementary grades showing the biggest improvements.",{"_33":101,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":102,"_41":103,"_43":104,"_45":105,"_47":106,"_49":107,"_51":108,"_53":109,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":110,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":111,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":72,"_73":74,"_75":74},6667235,"Board closes public hearing on proposed 2025-26 calendar; agenda and minutes approved",317,15000,332000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=2264579-4db07157ae974fb27eaca13cb31b9a3d&start=15&end=332","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/2264579-4db07157ae974fb27eaca13cb31b9a3d/thumbnail_15000.jpg","/articles/6667235/Iowa/Board-closes-public-hearing-on-proposed-2025-26-calendar-agenda-and-minutes-approved","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6667235-cfcd3a21ab875e3350a412744748fe2e/orig.mp4?Expires=1770929681&Signature=BRfLBo6VnIYEqC0224ZbplVHURvB9nBA8exICt~vmG0PgW96zD77P~uFcNRcjzRUnlV-Xp3DH8bWPxzjklQjrOER7B15rCDwnHOXLUarYZMAr9bGEwkdRshcc4hft8jVhTzz4EFmsN8MeB-g5kzAL-CgAoKANqrlYk8jkhJOPm9LH0Lc1z2ZfRRM5nIMEnCzQr~fc9LsuGq32B01iCVBSlKqvRPnj4-xQkaVjIEPsfb-1qQBGjkRHY37-Z2RTdga4SFtTQh-TWrjFXl0-a7kGKPy-ufIsTR2MnudukWfn4TL06-TJ-G~TRtL-t5hbv1sf-aoKr3lzl2fhhuiMbQhog__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","The Council Bluffs Community School District Board on Wednesday closed a public hearing on the proposed 2025-26 school calendar and voted to approve the meeting agenda and prior meeting minutes.

Board members were presented a calendar option that would begin the school year on Monday, Aug. 25, 2025, include roughly 1,082 instructional hours (about 180 days) and a two-week winter break. Staff told the board the proposal allows for up to five remote learning days under current rules and would leave little margin for additional no-school days — roughly 2.25 hours above the statutory requirement, meaning only a short late-start (about two hours) would be feasible without adjustments.

The district reported it surveyed employees and parents; the option before the board was favored by 61.7% of employees and 61.1% of parents. Board members were also briefed that pending state legislation could change the allowable earliest start date for school years; staff said they would return to the board to reconsider the calendar if the law changes.

The board approved the evening's agenda and the minutes of the Jan. 28, 2025, work session and regular business meeting by voice votes with no roll-call tallies recorded in the public proceeding. The public hearing on the calendar recorded no attendees who wished to speak and was closed by the presiding officer.

The district said next steps include seeking board approval of the calendar at the next meeting, distributing the calendar to families and staff, and developing employee calendars through HR that align with the school calendar.","The Council Bluffs Community School District board held a public hearing on a proposed 2025-26 school calendar and will consider final approval at its next meeting; the board also approved the evening agenda and January minutes by voice vote.","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Former Crescent Elementary repurposed as Innovation and Sports Center with baseball, robotics and golf simulators

Board tracks bills on preschool funding, per-pupil increases and start-date flexibility

District reports winter MAP gains; math exceeds stretch growth goal

Board closes public hearing on proposed 2025-26 calendar; agenda and minutes approved