Hamburg Community School District

40.615796°N 95.652751°W / 40.615796; -95.652751

Hamburg Community School District
Location
Hamburg, Iowa
Fremont County
United States
Coordinates40.615796, -95.652751
District information
TypeLocal school district
GradesPK–8 (PK–12 prior to 2011, PK-6 in 2015-2016)
Established1924
SuperintendentDr. Mike Wells
Schools2
Budget$3,889,000 (2015–16)
NCES District ID1913440[1]
Students and staff
Students162 (2018–19)[1]
Teachers13.8 FTE[1]
Staff20.03 FTE[1]
Student–teacher ratio11.74[1]
District mascotWildcats
ColorsBlue and white
   
Other information
Websitewww.hamburgcsd.org

Hamburg Community School District (HCSD) is a school district headquartered in Hamburg, Iowa.

Its schools are Marnie Simons Elementary School, which was known for a period as Nishnabotna Elementary School,[2] serving preschool through fifth grade, and Hamburg Middle School, serving grades 6–8.[3] High school students resident in the district may attend high schools in other districts, with the Hamburg district paying the cost of tuition. Possible choices include Shenandoah and Sidney high schools.[4]

History

The Hamburg school opened in 1924.[5]

By the 2010s, the Hamburg district agreed to a grade-sharing arrangement with the Farragut Community School District, which was facing financial issues.[6] In 2011 Hamburg high school closed.[7] Nishnabotna High School in Farragut became the community high school for both Farragut and Hamburg.[6] Initially both districts were to operate their own elementary schools; middle school students were to attend Hamburg while high school students were to go to Farragut. By March 2015, the districts agreed to change their grade sharing arrangement in which all elementary school students went to school in Hamburg while all secondary students went to Farragut. Farragut and Hamburg attempted to voluntarily consolidate with one another.[5]

Prior to early 2014, the Hamburg school district shared a superintendent, Jay Lutt, with the Farragut school district.[8] On February 3, 2014, the Hamburg school board voted to stop using the Farragut superintendent with three board members voting to stop, Steve Senzel voting to keep using the Farragut superintendent, and Susan Harris abstaining from this vote.[9]

By mid-2014, the leaderships of both districts were trying to consolidate both districts into a Nishnabotna Community School District as both districts continued to face financial difficulty.[10] By the end of June that year, the projected budget shortfall for Hamburg was $299,948.17.[11] Voters in the Farragut district approved the consolidation, but voters in Hamburg turned it down, with seven more votes against rather than for.[5] The Hamburg voters wished to retain their middle school.[12] Terry Kenealy, the superintendent of the Hamburg district, stated that there was a sentiment against Farragut in the Hamburg community. Tom Hinrichs, the superintendent of the Farragut district, cited disputes over the school grade configurations.[13] The districts decided to continue grade sharing, with Hamburg having elementary grades and Farragut having secondary grades.[12]

The State of Iowa forced the Farragut district to close,[14] effective July 1, 2016. The Hamburg district, which took territory from the former Farragut district,[15] became a PreK–8 district and paid other school districts to take its high school students.[16]

In 2017, the district sold its former high school building for $30,000, with $25,000 for the building and the remainder for a walk-in freezer, to a couple from Plattsmouth, Nebraska, John and Melanie Conner.[17]

See also

References
  1. "Hamburg Comm School District". National Center for Education Statistics. Retrieved July 14, 2020.
  2. Home. Nishnabotna High School. August 2, 2016. Retrieved on June 18, 2018.
  3. "2018-2019 School Year Information ." Hamburg Community School District. Retrieved on January 14, 2019.
  4. Stewart, Scott (October 29, 2015). "Future appears dire for Farragut, Iowa, school district". Omaha World-Herald. Retrieved June 18, 2018. Should the Farragut district be shut down, however, Hamburg would seek to create a K-8 district and send its high school students to Shenandoah and Sidney, which Wells said have already been approached by Hamburg.
  5. Ryan, Mackenzie (March 26, 2015). "Two districts to close schools to keep accreditation". Des Moines-Register. Retrieved June 18, 2018.
  6. Álvarez, Brenda (April 11, 2017). "How a Community Copes When a School Shuts its Doors". NEA Today. National Education Association. Retrieved June 18, 2018.
  7. "OWA DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION (Cite as 26 D.o.E. App. Dec. 197)." Iowa Department of Education. p. 1/5. Retrieved on June 18, 2018.
  8. Gray, Kristan (February 7, 2014). "Hamburg, Iowa, votes for new school leadership". Omaha World-Herald. Retrieved January 14, 2019.
  9. Gray, Kristan (February 10, 2014). "Hamburg, Iowa, parents oppose board vote on sharing superintendent". Omaha World Herald. Retrieved January 14, 2019.
  10. Stewart, Scott (August 1, 2014). "Merger considered as a solution for spending woes at Hamburg, Farragut school districts in Iowa". Omaha World-Herald. Retrieved June 18, 2018.
  11. Parmenter, Sandy (July 23, 2014). "Hamburg schools could face $300K shortfall". Nebraska City News-Press. Retrieved June 18, 2018.
  12. Leary, Patrick (March 11, 2015). "Rural schools study risk, reward of sharing whole grades". Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. Retrieved July 15, 2018.
  13. "Failed reorganization vote leaves fate of Hamburg and Farragut school districts unknown". Radio Iowa. December 3, 2014. Retrieved June 18, 2018.
  14. "Farragut Community School District has dissolved". Des Moines Register. Associated Press. July 1, 2016. Retrieved June 18, 2018.
  15. "REORGANIZATION & DISSOLUTION ACTIONS SINCE 1965-66 Archived 2019-02-09 at the Wayback Machine." Iowa Department of Education. Retrieved on January 14, 2019.
  16. "SCHOOL FEATURE: Enrollment for Sidney High School stands at 140". Hamburg Reporter. December 9, 2015. Retrieved June 18, 2018.
  17. Peterson, Mike (December 1, 2017). "Hamburg board accepts old high school building offer". KMA Land. Retrieved June 18, 2018. - KMA Land is for 960 AM and 99.1 FM.

Further reading
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