Linn-Mar Community School District

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Linn-Mar Community School District in Iowa encompasses 64 square miles, which includes the northern part of the city of Marion, an area in Cedar Rapids, part of the city of Robins and rural areas in Linn County, both south and north of the city of Marion.

1 Schools
2 History
3 Future
4 Extra Information
5 Facts and figures
- 5.1 Enrollment
6 References
7 External links

[edit] Schools

Linn-Mar High School (9-12)
Excelsior Middle School (6-8)
Oak Ridge (PK-8)
Bowman Woods (K-5)
Echo Hill (K-5) (Opens Fall 2008)
Indian Creek (K-5)
Linn Grove (K-5)
Novak (K-5)
Westfield (PK-5)
Wilkins (PK-5)

[edit] History

The Linn-Mar Community School District was formed in 1948 when 17 rural one-room schools joined together to build Marion Rural Independent School (now Novak Elementary School). The Linn-Mar District now serves more than 5,000 students in eight buildings.

District patrons passed a $25 million bond levy in 1997 for the construction of a new elementary building (Westfield Elementary) and extensive expansion and/or renovation projects in virtually all of the other buildings in the district, including a new auditorium and a new gym for the High School.

Construction and renovation of District buildings include: High School (1959); Indian Creek Elementary (1961); junior high school (1963); Wilkins Elementary (1966); Bowman Woods Elementary (1968); Educational Services Center and Buildings and Grounds, additions to the junior/senior high (1975); additions to the junior/senior high (1980); new media centers and remodeling at Indian Creek and Bowman Woods Elementary, 14-room addition to junior/senior high, Linn-Mar Intermediate School (1995); Westfield Elementary, new gymnasiums and classroom additions to Wilkins and Indian Creek Elementary and a two-story addition to the Intermediate School to change to a middle school (August, 1999); new gymnasium at the High School (November, 1999); new High School auditorium (March, 2000); Oak Ridge School (August, 2003); Linn Grove Elementary (August, 2007).

In 1999, the district changed from a K-4, 5-6, 7-8, 9-12 grade configuration to a K-5 elementary level, 6-8 middle school, and 9-12 high school.

In March, 2001, district residents passed a $12 million bond issue to construct a K-8 building, Oak Ridge, on the west side of the district. This was a new concept for the district and a solution to overflow in those grade levels. When a new elementary school is needed, Oak Ridge will become a second middle school. The K-8 Oak Ridge school opened in August of 2003.

[edit] Future

In January 2006, district voters approved a $27 million bond issue to create additional classroom space at all grade levels. The district anticipates future enrollment growth, and the need to increase capacity for such growth.

[edit] Extra Information

The Linn-Mar school mascot is the lion. The Linn-Mar Lions compete in athletics and other extra-curricular activities) within the largest class of schools in Iowa, and are members of the Mississippi Valley athletic conference (other schools in Cedar Rapids, Iowa City, Waterloo and Dubuque). In 2004, the boys basketball team won the state championship in class 4A. In 2005, they finished second, and in 2006 they finished 4th. Jason "J-Bo" Bohannon was the star player for the 2006 team. Bohannon was the 2006 Mr. Basketball in the state of Iowa and is now playing at the University of Wisconsin in Madison. Jason Bohannon holds the Cedar Rapids Metro area all time scoring record with over 1,700 points. In 2007, the Lions won the boys basketball state tournament again, this time lead by Jordan Printy, Grant Gibbs,Nate Hutchison,and Zach Bohannon. In 1986, 1989 and 1990, the football team captured the state crown. The girls basketball team won the first ever five on five Iowa State Championship in 1985. The girls team also qualified for the Iowa State Tournament in 2006. The 2006 girls team was lead by Jamie Printy who signed a scholarship with the University of Iowa as a freshman. The University of Iowa women's basketball coach Lisa Bluder is an alumni of Linn-Mar High School. Numerous state championship were won by the girls gymnastics team in the 1980s. Other past champions numerous individual sport champions (wrestling, swimming). Linn-Mar soccer has made two appearances in state tournament play. In 2004 and 2005 both losing in the first round of play. The Linn-Mar baseball team has had recent success as well, getting a berth in the 2006 State Tournament in Des Moines.