Crowd of many hundreds flocks to see new multi-purpose building at west edge of Monticello
It was standing room only Thursday afternoon, Oct. 15 as educators, donors, parents and others came to see the new Kirkwood Community College Jones Regional Education Center. The grand opening event formally dedicated the new 32,000 square foot facility in Monticello and served up public kudos to the many boosters and donors that made the facility possible.
What began as a conceptual partnership less than three years ago is now a working model for sharing high school courses and innovative programs to a group of schools sharing instructors and resources with Kirkwood. The center also is the hub for Kirkwood college credit and lifelong learning classes for Monticello and the wider community.
Kirkwood Executive Director of Secondary Programs Dave Bunting was a key planner for the partnership project. The Jones County native called the shared work and the center concept “an incredible collaboration” and praised the many people and schools involved.
“To get eight school districts to share teachers, students and common goals is truly incredible. I have to believe this is the future of rural education in Iowa,” Bunting added.
Kirkwood President Mick Starcevich spoke of the “simply amazing” level of cooperation among the eight partner school districts that form the heart of the center’s operations. “The great community, family and corporate response to our call for assistance is unbelievable. Our school and city partners greeted our idea with a clear answer: ‘What can we do to help?’”
Jones Regional Center Director Kristy Black and Board of Trustees Chair Lois Bartelme also addressed the crowd that spilled out the doors and down the halls of the facility. The new center welcomes students from eight districts in five counties, coming to the new building at the west edge of Monticello to participate in college credit transfer courses and college credit Career Edge Academy programs, plus upper-level high school courses.
Students spend just under three hours at the Jones Regional facility, with the rest of their school day spent at their home high school with other courses and co-curricular activities. The eight schools have pledged a total of 200 students for the program over a ten-year period.
“That commitment from our partner schools is what made our plans—and this center—possible,” Mick said.
As public buildings go, the $6.5 million facility was built on a notably swift schedule. The two-story structure at the west edge of Monticello had a formal ground-breaking Oct. 22, 2008, with initial ground work already in progress. The completed center was open for fall high school and college classes in mid-August. Local businessman Lloyd Welter and his family donated eight acres of land set strategically near Highway 151, which prompted Kirkwood and area schools to discuss the possibilities of shared goals and resources.
Officials and administrations of eight eastern Iowa school districts signed agreements to send their students to the center for higher-level classes and career academy programs: Monticello, Anamosa, Central City, Western Dubuque/Cascade, Springville, Olin, Maquoketa Valley and Midland Community.
Cooperation from the City of Monticello, Alliant Energy and other entities further fueled the center’s development. Kirkwood officials thanked those partners and many other donors and boosters during the Oct. 15 program. Starcevich announced that donations and in-kind support had totaled more than $680,000 to complete the center, with more possible.
Kristy Black said the center is abuzz with activity throughout a typical day. “We are here greeting students at about 7 a.m. and classes can go until 9 or 10 at night. Plus we offer Saturday morning classes as well. The volume of activity just speaks to how much the community needed this place and these services,” she remarked.
“I think everyone can recognize how the community has supported this project so generously,” Bartelme added. “We know this new center will truly be a learning hub for many hundreds of people a year. We look forward to hundreds of our young people growing in their scholarship as they strengthen their bridges to higher education and career training. We want them to learn about the many opportunities to be found right here in eastern Iowa.”
Further information on the Jones Regional Education Center is available from Kristy Black at (319) 465-2303, or via the Kirkwood Web site:
http://www.kirkwood.edu/jrec