Joseph Kramer, Pocahontas Area superintendent, said there were many high points during the year, the first of which was being back in the classroom.

“PAC had in-person instruction during the last year while providing virtual options for students who needed it,” he said.

Pocahontas Area was able to hold an elementary computer science fair to showcase the programming skills of the elementary students. Parents, businesses, and community members were all invited to the event. Students programmed drones and robots to show at the fair.

Pocahontas Area Community School students also had some new extracurriculars to choose from.

The high school added bowling as an official offering.

The school district also collaborated with Diane Olson as the sponsor for the Pocahontas Sharp Shooters Club. Kramer said this is not a school-sponsored program, but the district is collaborating with the group in order to enforce student eligibility standards.

Exciting news for school district staff came with the announcement of a partnership with Buena Vista University in Storm Lake.

The partnership allows for employees of Pocahontas Area, as well as eligible family members of full-time employees, to receive grant funding to lower the overall cost of education while enrolled in classes at Buena Vista’s Storm Lake campus.

Partner grant funding also lowers the cost per credit hour for students enrolled in Buena Vista’s online/hybrid undergraduate programs or the organizational leadership graduate program.

In addition, Buena Vista professors and staff are available for training programs and workshops if those in the Pocahontas Area district are seeking those services and expertise.

“We are excited to partner with BVU, a university that is close to the district, and provide assistance to our employees and their families,” said Kramer. “This partnership represents a mutually beneficial opportunity for our staff and for our community.”

Nearly 125 employees serve more than 700 students from Pocahontas County and parts of Calhoun and Palo Alto counties.

“BVU has helped me immensely, providing the support I needed as an online student and preparing me for my future career,” said Pocahontas Area Business Manager Karen Halder, a 2018 Buena Vista University graduate. “I look forward to this partnership and the ways this opportunity can help others earn their degree.”