Marshalltown, IA, Empowers Students in Education

Marshalltown Community School District

By offering a comprehensive curriculum that goes beyond traditional academics to include hands-on experiences, exposure to emerging technologies, and robust sports and arts programs, the Marshalltown Community School District prepares students for college and a wide range of career pathways.

At the heart of this holistic approach is the district’s “embrace the lead” philosophy, which encourages students to be leaders in and out of the classroom and equips them with skills such as critical thinking, communication and collaboration, which are essential in today’s dynamic workforce.

Marshalltown Community School District

Leading by Example

“Each of our students and staff really embraces the lead by going above and beyond in every way that they approach life. In the classroom, we have many opportunities to help students take better advantage of their future, to become better leaders and better contributors to society and to benefit those around them,” says Theron Schutte, superintendent of the Marshalltown Community School District. “We want all students to aspire for excellence, and in doing so, to be in charge of their own direction. We take great pride in trying to provide a wide variety of career pathways, extracurricular activities and clubs so that hopefully every student can find their niche.”

At the core of the “embrace the lead” philosophy is a commitment to providing an environment that nurtures leadership as early as kindergarten. Schutte says the district boasts one of the state’s most robust junior achievement programs, in which business volunteers come into classrooms and teach mini-lessons on curriculum centered around career readiness, financial literacy and entrepreneurship.

“We also put a lot of emphasis on STEM education,” he says. “From the early grades, our students are exposed to science, technology and math.”

Marshalltown Community School District

Real-World Impact

One of the standout academic initiatives of the district is its incorporation of cutting-edge tools, such as virtual reality (VR) in the classroom. Math teacher Justine Greig says she uses VR as an extension of learning — as an introduction to a unit to show its application to real-world situations, thus using it as a jumping-off point to get students excited for the next unit.

“VR is excellent for career exploration, as it models different STEM jobs and takes students to remote locations,” Greig says. “For example, in an algebra unit, students followed a scientist and marine biologist around the world to measure the water levels of the ocean and used the data they collected to graph an exponential function.”

Greig says this type of interaction helps keep students engaged and enthusiastic about learning.

“VR is also great at keeping pace with students and is very accessible. It allows students to take more time if they need it while also keeping them on track to reach the appropriate learning goals for the concepts,” she says. “I like VR in my classroom because it’s fun. Students enjoy the change of pace, and they really remember the concepts more because of it.”

Marshalltown Community School District

Good Sportsmanship

Marshalltown’s commitment to leadership extends beyond academics. During the 2022-23 school year, for example, Marshalltown Community School District played a key role in forming the new Iowa Alliance Conference.

Through this collaborative effort, the district has been able to offer an annual leadership training event, providing students with valuable opportunities to engage with peers from other schools within the conference and participate in comprehensive leadership development activities.

“Within the athletic and extracurricular realm, our coaching staff places significant emphasis on empowering students to assume leadership roles within their teams and clubs,” says Ryan Isgrig, Marshalltown High School athletic director.

Isgrig says that in addition to leadership, sports teach kids teamwork, resilience and other skills that are vital to successful college and professional careers.

“Sports offer students the opportunity to be successful beyond the classroom. Competing or performing as a Bobcat can offer a sense of achievement and pride for them and our community,” Isgrig says.

*Statistic Sources: Niche.com, Marshalltown Community School District