Grace King

A surge in student hunger — brought on by the suspension of a federal food assistance program beginning Saturday — will manifest as crisis in classrooms, decreased academic performance and increased behavioral challenges, Iowa school leaders say.

A new school district support team is reviewing instances of student physical aggression, office referrals, academic performance and other data in an effort to more closely monitor trends and provide support for schools in the Iowa City Community School District.

The College Community School District is the latest Iowa school to contract with ZeroEyes, a security service that uses AI technology to detect weapons.

Also in this week’s Government Notes, the Iowa City school board on Tuesday will discuss the district’s ‘continuum of services’

Seven candidates are vying for three seats on the Cedar Rapids school board

Johnson STEAM Academy arts integration coordinator Christina Farrell is guiding educators at the Cedar Rapids elementary school in infusing art into their lessons daily.

At Kennedy High School in Cedar Rapids, the kitchen is a “maze” said Dana Visek, one of the kitchen managers at the school. More preparation space is needed, and meals are served on single-use plates because the high school does not have a dishwasher. All dishes used for cooking and serving are washed by hand in a three hole sink.

In its first year, Cedar Rapids Prep has enrolled 255 students in sixth through eighth grade, with 25 students on a waiting list. The new charter school’s students are “owning and driving their learning” in “orderly classrooms where there’s not chaos and disruptions,” says Cedar Rapids Prep Principal Justin Blietz.

A $117 million school bond referendum — created with more than a year of community input — is headed to voters in the Cedar Rapids school district Nov. 4.

Here’s what the four people running for Linn-Mar school board shared in answers to The Gazette’s questions.

Five candidates are vying for three seats on the Iowa City school board in next month’s election. The Gazette asked the candidates about their priorities, support of the district’s facility plan, and student and teacher safety.

Also in this week’s Government Notes roundup, the League of Women Voters of Linn County will host a Cedar Rapids school board candidate forum this week.

The Gazette asked candidates for Cedar Rapids school board why they’e running for office, their thoughts on College & Career Pathways, and how they will be responsive to the public if they’re elected in November.

Grant Wood catalogue raisonné at University of Iowa creating database of all the ‘American Gothic’ painters artwork.

In-person absentee voting — sometimes called “early voting” — begins Wednesday in both Linn and Johnson counties and will run through Monday, Nov. 3. Ballots will include a host of city and school elections across the area, as well as multiple bond issues.