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Students Tell Cedar Rapids School District Leaders Bond Referendum, Cafeteria Time and Safety Are Priorities
Summary
Student representatives in the Cedar Rapids Community School District’s superintendent student cabinet raised construction updates, Kennedy High School cafeteria time and seating, food choices and safety concerns ahead of a Nov. 4 bond referendum vote.
Student representatives from Cedar Rapids high schools raised concerns about building improvements, cafeteria time and seating, food choices and safety during a report summarized by district leaders ahead of a Nov. 4 bond referendum.
The superintendent’s student cabinet, a group of representatives from each high school that includes returning members and new voices, discussed construction updates at Washington and Jefferson high schools and singled out Kennedy High School’s cafeteria as a problem area. The podcast summary said Kennedy’s cafeteria “is one of the four projects on the bond referendum on the ballot on November 4.” Students also asked for more vegan, healthy and culturally diverse meal options and expressed safety and security concerns as a top priority.
School district leadership presented the student cabinet as part of the district’s feedback loop alongside teacher and community cabinets. The transcript notes students compared experiences across high schools and advocated for one another; the district said it will invite the food and nutrition team to future discussions so students and staff can collaborate on meal options.
The superintendent’s remarks, carried on the district’s Future Ready Today podcast, did not record a formal decision or vote by the board of education. The podcast flagged the bond referendum date and identified Kennedy’s cafeteria as one of four projects included on that ballot measure; it did not provide further detail about the other three projects or the referendum’s total dollar amount.
The episode also included routine calendar reminders: there is no school for students on Monday, Oct. 27, 2025, which the podcast described as a staff professional learning day, and a community trunk-or-treat event scheduled Sunday, Oct. 26, at Kingston Stadium from 1 to 3 p.m.
The district’s podcast summary did not quote individual students verbatim in the segment and did not record a formal action by the school board related to the bond referendum. It presented student feedback as advisory input that district staff plan to incorporate into follow-up conversations with food and nutrition staff and facilities teams.
