“This is really exciting for us,” Bruder said. “This building really hasn’t been touched in many years. In 1995 when I got here, they were putting the roof on.”

The expansion, which will include an all new media center, is to be added on to the middle of the school’s U-shaped building.

The addition is part of a 15-year facility plan for the Humboldt Community School District, according to Greg Darling, superintendent.

“The 15-year facility plan means we had engineers and architects come and let us know what we need for today, tomorrow and in the future,” Darling said.

-Messenger photo by Chad Thompson Taft Elementary students gather outside for recess in the middle of the U-shaped school recently. Plans for an addition to the school would encompass the area where these students are playing.

The Taft addition will be approximately 7,000 square feet.

It will include a 21st century media center, art and music room.

Grades one through four are housed at Taft.

There are about 21 students per classroom, Darling reported.

Taft students and staff are currently walking across the street to the former middle school building for music and art classes, Bruder said.

-Messenger photo by Chad Thompson Dylan Frideres, 9, left, and his buddy Gabe Thumma, 9, were happy to get some fresh air outside at Taft Elementary School recently.

“That’s probably one of the biggest reasons for the addition,” Bruder said. “We just need more space at this school.”

Bruder said having the students and staff walk across the street hasn’t been all bad, though.

“A lot of times, walking over there in the mornings, the students and teachers say it wakes them up,” Bruder said.

Still, the new area will be a welcome addition.

“We want to make sure we meet the needs of our students,” Darling said.

A science and technology room will also be part of the upgrades.

“We just need more space for our STEM classes,” Bruder said.

It’s the first year the school is 100 percent STEM.

“Every day our students are exposed to a part of that acronym or parts of it — science, technology, engineering, math,” Bruder said.

Part of the focus is to carry over what students learn in one class to another.

“What they are doing in math is related to what they did in STEM that day,” Bruder said. “It might be 9:30 am for STEM, but the carryover may not be until 2 p.m., depending on the schedule.”

Staff will also benefit from the expansion efforts.

The size of the main office will be increased and a conference room will be added.

“We won’t know what to do,” Bruder said.

The front entrance to the school will also undergo a change.

Rather than being outside to buzz in to the school, people will be able to enter the lobby first before being buzzed in, Bruder said.

The bidding process for the Taft expansion will begin in the coming weeks, Darling reported.

“We are hoping to have construction begin this summer and be done in 2018,” he said.

Performance

Humboldt schools continue to perform well academically, according to Darling.

According to the Iowa Department of Education’s School Report Card, Humboldt High School was rated as commendable, Humboldt Middle School was rated as acceptable and Taft Elementary was rated as commendable.

Those ratings are from 2016.

The ratings are formulated based on eight different categories: proficiency, college and career ready growth, annual expected growth, closing achievement gap, college and career readiness, graduation rate, attendance and staff retention.

“We were one of the top school districts for the State Report Card,” Darling said. “We did really well this year and are one of the top districts when you compare the academic component.”

In 2015, Humboldt High School was rated as high-performing, Humboldt Middle School was rated as acceptable, and Taft Elementary was rated as commendable.

In 2015, Humboldt High School was the only high school in the Prairie Lakes Area Education Agency to receive a high-performing mark.

Part of that success is attributed to the number of students who participate in multiple activities, Darling said.

During the 2015-16 school year, 83 percent of the population of the high school participated in one or more activities.

“Our activities are very successful,” Darling said. “From plays, speech, band, athletics and other activities, we get a lot of participation.”

High school students are also prepared for college when they leave Humboldt.

Students currently average more than 14 college credits when they graduate high school, according to Darling.

He also credited a supporting staff and community for student success.

“From the staff, students, school board, administrators and the community — this community is very supporting, and we want our students to succeed and have high aspirations for success,” Darling said.

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