Professional Setting

I work at a seventh and eighth grade Middle School in Glenwood Iowa. Glenwood is located in the Southwest corner of Iowa. The school district serves the city of Glenwood, population of around 5,000, and the rural community surrounding it. Glenwood is located 20 miles south of the Omaha, Council Bluffs area, this has an impact on the district. We have a diverse economical student population with the low-income families in the out laying rural area and the high-income commuter families building new homes in the hills around Glenwood.

In the past ten years Glenwood‘s role as a bedroom community has expanded. This is affecting our district by increasing our student population yet our tax base remains one of the lowest in Iowa due to lack of business and industry. The district’s student enrollment in the 1994 – 95 school year was 2009, current enrollment is 2136, showing fast growth in our elementary grades. The student population at the middle school is 339.

I currently teach two courses. I teach Art six sections a day and one section of seventh exploratory art. All classes meet on an every other day rotation, allowing me to work with about 270 students over the course of two days. My class sizes will range from 16 to 24 students in a classroom that is large enough to handle those numbers. I have an equally large storage area and an adequate budget to supply my students’ materials for projects free of charge.

My classroom is located in the basement of a three-story building that is located on the campus of the Glenwood Resource Center for the mentally retarded. This is a unique set up. I know of no other public school located on such a site. Twelve years ago, after an unsuccessful bond issue to build a new middle level school, the district worked together with the State of Iowa to occupy a regular school building on their campus. This building was no longer being used by the state due to off campus placement of many Resource Center residents. The building was large enough for two grades and has an auditorium and gym attached. We have since out-grown this building and in 2 years will move to the current high school as the district has undertaken the building of a new high school.

Being on this site has worked out wonderfully and is the one item that has the largest impact on our student population. The campus is located away from the town on a scenic hillside. This peaceful setting is perfect for middle level students. Being near the residents of the Resource Center and having interactions with them at numerous functions teaches our students important life lessons. When we move this atmosphere will be missed.

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