Discover Cedar Valley’s Top-Notch Public Schools

Integrated Studio

Schools in the Cedar Valley, Iowa, combine a rigorous academic menu with career and technical training and extracurricular activities. This educational approach gives students a head start to bright college and career experiences.

Community Connections

The Cedar Falls Community School District started the fall 2024 semester at a new Cedar Falls High School, which promises to be a state-of-the-art educational facility with a significant addition – a community natatorium. The aquatic center is anticipated to open in 2025 and feature a competition pool with spectator seating for 500.

The new space is expected to enhance the school’s curriculum by offering aquatic sports and physical education programs that focus on swimming and water safety. The community will also benefit with public access to the pools and the ability to host both local swim meets and larger conference and regional events.

“The long-term educational goals that Cedar Falls Schools aim to achieve with these new developments and facilities include improving student academic performance and better preparing students for life, whether that includes the military, a job or postsecondary education,” says Janelle Darst, director of communications and community relations for the Cedar Falls Community School District. “By providing modern and well-equipped learning environments, the district aims to foster a culture of innovation and excellence.”

Courtesy of Cedar Falls Community School District

Like in Cedar Falls, the Independence Community School District in Independence, Iowa, understands how sports programs can bring a community together.

“School sports teams can be a source of pride for a community,” says Justin Putz, activities director and football coach for Independence High School. “Our athletic facilities are also a source of pride. They’re the most public-facing facilities and the ones that you’d see as a visitor to that town, so I think sports have a real power to shape what people think not only about your school but about your town as a whole.”

Fielding Life Lessons

Independence High School recently upgraded its napa grass baseball outfield to turf, which opens up the area to additional recreational opportunities, such as soccer practice and youth league sporting events. Putz says sports can also play a critical role in college and career readiness. He says students learn employable skills, such as teamwork, time management and how to handle constructive criticism and difficult conversations.

“It connects them to the school, connects them to the community and provides them space to pursue their passions,” he says. “Then, there are those life lessons they learn just by working hard and competing and being part of something bigger than themselves.”

Courtesy of Cedar Falls Community School District

The Jesup School District has cultivated a rich performing arts program that features music, theater, speech and dance, enabling students to explore and develop their talents across various disciplines. The curriculum is designed to complement academic study by teaching students skills like confidence, collaboration and critical thinking.

Smart Starts

While sports, arts and other extracurricular activities are vital to the well-rounded education the region’s school districts provide, academics and career and technical training play an equally important role. For example, the Waterloo Career Center offers that district’s students access to more than 50 courses in areas such as advanced manufacturing, business and marketing, and culinary arts, and many of those double as college credit at Hawkeye Community College.

Hands-on training at the Cedar Valley Center for Advanced Professional Studies gives students transferable skills that prepare them for local careers. The Hawkeye Community College’s new Challenger Center offers all students hands-on learning experiences in in-demand fields. 

“The center will also provide opportunities for students to earn industry-recognized certifications and college credits, giving them a competitive edge in the job market,” Darst says.

College and career readiness starts early with Waverly-Shell Rock Community Schools. The district recently constructed two new buildings – North Ridge Elementary and Prairie West Elementary – to manage growth and enhance the educational experience for students.

“At Waverly-Shell Rock, we recognize that learning isn’t ‘one size fits all.’ Our new campuses were built to provide ample space for both whole class instruction as well as small groups and 1-to-1 learning and intervention,” says Katie Johnston, director of educational services for the district. “Additionally, classrooms across all grade levels are set up for easy collaboration between teacher teams. This allows our skilled teachers to share insight and ideas about how to best meet the needs of students easily and efficiently, so every student can receive the resources needed to learn and grow.”

The Monarch Club

Nadia Patel is a senior at Cedar Falls High School. Among her many accomplishments is founding a nonprofit organization called the Monarch Club, which tackles the environmental decline of monarch butterflies by strategically planting milkweed flowers to attract the butterflies, so that they will pollinate flowers and plants.

“I’ve always had a love for monarch butterflies and an interest in environmental science, so I started the Monarch Club,” Patel says. “It’s run mostly by fellow students at Cedar Falls High, and we’ve been growing support on our website and Instagram. I have also spoken at local schools, and it’s been nice whenever I see more young girls become interested in science.”

Courtesy of Nadia Patel

Milkweeds have been planted throughout the Cedar Valley, including at Northeast Iowa Food Bank. “Along with milkweeds, we also use recycled pig manure to improve the soil for growing the butterfly habitats,” Patel says. “Iowa is the epicenter of the nation’s hog industry, so any beneficial uses for recycled pig waste is helpful. It helps the soil while keeping the manure from threatening water supplies.”

She adds that pig manure was also used to better prepare the food bank’s garden, resulting in enough produce to serve 10,000 meals. 

Patel has won several accolades for her environmental efforts, including a 2024 U.S. Youth Congressional Award. 

“It took me about two years of hard work to get the Monarch Club off the ground, including visiting hog farms and deciding what food bank to help,” she says. “My goal is to promote environmental sustainability while also supporting the state’s farmers and Iowa’s important agriculture industry.” 

– Kevin Litwin contributed to this article.