“The passing of the bond issue, being in the top two to three in the state among district overall growth, and the Dodger Stadium project completion have many individuals in the district and community excited,” he said.

Porter and the district’s continuing charge to get students into the classroom received a shot in the arm with a recent Iowa Association of School Districts report.

“It covers many areas,” he said. “Attendance and academics are two of the main ones. Our composite grew 24 points from last year, and we are up one category.

“It includes the sharp focus on literacy and math,” he added. “We still want to see even more improvement in both. Special education is also an important category, as we look to improve what we have in place.”

-Messenger photo by Eric Pratt
The new concessions area, locker rooms and restrooms at Dodger Stadium in Fort Dodge are shown here, just to the east of the main entrance.

Facility-wise, a state-of-the-art upgrade to venerable Dodger Stadium has drawn compliments from around the community.

“It’s huge not only in what we want to do, but it also assists St. Edmond’s and Iowa Central,” Porter said.

Facilities work continues in the near future, with the recent bond issue helping to upgrade the high school.

“It was the second-highest passing bond referendum in the state at 74.86 percent,” he said. “That shows such a strong relationship between the district and community, which is a big deal.

“We will also look at some improvements at Butler and Feelhaver elementary buildings, which have some needs,” he added. “Those discussions are part of a 20-year plan we will talk about after the first of the year. It addresses all district facilities, as there are still things to be done.”

-Messenger photo by Eric Pratt
A red border glow is on display in the new locker room area when the main lights are out.

The bond referendum work begins with a canopy and multipurpose room.

“It can be difficult to figure out where to begin after a bond passage, as we realize there is need everywhere,” Porter said. “The aim is to complete the entire upgrade by 2029.”

A key to concentrating on those elements is firm staffing and a board of directors with strong continuity.

“Our staff situation has gotten a lot better over the last three years,” Porter said. “We know there will be retirees and changes from time to time, but we manage to have good candidates when this occurs.

“I really enjoy working with the board,” he said. “It’s a young group for the most part, but even in that, there is a veteran-based mindset with Diane Pratt, Keenan Schnurr, and Brian Peterson, who have experience to guide us. (New board president) Molly (Nelson) is open to any ideas, too.

“It’s all about what is best for the students,” said Porter. “We want to continue to grow and accomplish big things.”