By Seth Boyes,
Decorah Superintendent Tim Cronin answered questions from the public during an Aug. 21 tour of John Cline Elementary. The school district is proposing a bond of up to $38 million to construct a new building for students in pre-K through second grade. The proposed building would replace John Cline, which opened in 1964, and West Side Elementary, which was built in 1939. (Photos by Seth Boyes)
Voters within the Decorah Community School District gave school officials the green light in 2024 for the construction of a new elementary building.
The public approved a $38 million bond measure for the project during 2024’s general election. The ballot measure saw more than 7,500 votes returned — more than 5,000 were in favor of the bond, providing approximately 7 percent more support than the 60 percent required for the measure to pass.
School officials plan to construct the new elementary just west of the current John Cline Elementary building, which will be demolished once the new elementary is ready to welcome students. A community survey was conducted in April of 2024 to gauge public sentiment regarding the future of John Cline Elementary and West Side Elementary, which currently houses the district’s pre-K classes. The survey found more than 76 percent of respondents favored replacing the buildings with new structures.
A facilities assessment of the John Cline building had been conducted in 2013 and identified a number of issues with the aging building. John Cline first opened its classrooms in 1964, shortly after the state of Iowa eliminated its rural schoolhouses. School officials previously said it was possible John Cline was constructed in greater haste than some of the older school structures in Decorah. The 1990s saw additional construction at John Cline, as newer spaces began to surround the already decades-old structure.
Decorah Superintendent Tim Cronin said during public tours of John Cline in August of 2024 that the building does not meet many current standards, and other school representatives said inadequate classroom space is a common issue for educators at John Cline — the building has a certified enrollment of approximately 300 students, according to information from the school district.
Teachers at John Cline often find themselves at odds with Mother Nature. The building lacks central air conditioning — Decorah Bank and Trust helped the school cover the cost of purchasing window air conditioning units for each classroom, but school officials noted the units are only capable of reducing a room’s temperature by about 10 degrees, which they noted isn’t much relief for young students on a 90-degree day. Staff at John Cline also said water has been known to enter their classrooms through the building’s roof during heavy rainfall or to seep in when water begins to build up behind an exterior wall.
Cronin, who was hired by Decorah Schools in 2022, indicated previous school officials may have deferred on certain maintenance issues — such as the school’s roof — for years, believing a new building was likely to be constructed in the near future. He at one point said replacing the 62-year-old elementary’s roof was estimated to cost $500,000, which he said would a reasonable price for the work but not necessarily a responsible use of taxpayer funds in the long run.
The Decorah School District purchased a nearby softball field and tennis courts west of John Cline from the city of Decorah in October of 2023 for $1.97 million, and the new elementary is expected to be built on a portion of that property.
General plans for a two-story structure were presented to the public in September of 2024, and school staff initially estimated a more specific design phase for the new building could last approximately 10 months. Cronin told the Decorah School Board in December that Nick Hildebrandt with Emergent Architecture had met with administrators to discuss what he called big picture items as the schematic design phase continued. Hildebrandt said the design development phase will likely span from January to April and include meetings with specific small groups within the district.
Preliminary plans for the new elementary call for a two-story structure capable of bringing the district’s pre-K classes under the same roof as Decorah’s kindergarten, first grade and second grade classes. School officials have also factored for the potential growth of the student body, pencilling in what was described as flex spaces — instruction areas which can serve as additional classrooms if and when an incoming grade level is particularly large.
Security would also be improved at the new elementary, according to officials. Preliminary plans show a secure entry vestibule on the building’s northeast corner. The proposed elementary would also feature a separate 600-800 seat gym and a 55,000 square-foot commons area. Currently, John Cline’s gymnasium also serves as the building’s lunch room, which Cronin said limits scheduling of certain classes and can present additional challenges if Mother Nature demands students stay inside during the recess period.
The school district expects to potentially call for contractor bids for the new elementary in September of 2025. Construction would then be slated to start in March of 2026, and the building could potentially be complete by the fall of 2027. The district has yet to make a formal decision as to the future use of West Side Elementary after Decorah’s pre-K students move into the new elementary, but Cronin previously indicated maintaining ownership of the building isn’t likely to be a cost effective option for Decorah Schools.
School officials indicated the average home in Decorah will see an increase of about $7.96 in their monthly property taxes — or $95.47 each year — until the bond for the new elementary is paid off. Cronin said the $38 million bond is expected to be paid over a 20-year period at 5 percent interest, which the superintendent said may come down, and he noted Decorah Schools has been able to pay off previous bonds ahead of schedule.
The Decorah Leader reviews the top ten news stories of 2024 in the January 2 Decorah Leader, read it here.
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