About Lamoni Community Schools:

The Community

The city of Lamoni is a healthy community located in south central Iowa, just off I-35. The school community is approximately 89 square miles in size, its boundaries lie within Decatur and Ringgold counties. The community is often referred to as Iowa's Quilt City because of the Mite Society. The Mite Society is the oldest continuous quilting society in the state of Iowa. Lamoni is located in the Heart of Cattle Country. Livestock and farming are equally important to the economic growth of the community. Lamoni, winner of 17+ Community Betterment Awards, has a newly expanded and paved airport, has a new accredited public library next door to the school, and is ranked first in the state for communities over 2,400 in percentage of owner-occupied housing. The educational and cultural health of the community is enhanced not only by the public school but also by Graceland University whose main campus has been located in Lamoni since 1895. Graceland offers 47 undergraduate degree programs and graduate degrees in nursing, education and religion. One out of every ten Graceland students on the Lamoni campus is an international student, bringing a rich diversity to campus life. Lamoni and Graceland students alike enjoy the excitement and enrichment of athletic events, music, theatre and art presentations that the university provides for the community. The physical health of the community is cared for by a new local clinic, two dentists, a podiatric clinic, an optometrist, a chiropractic/fitness center, and a 58-bed county hospital 14 miles away. Small town life is also enriched by the mixture of religious beliefs found within the community's five churches. The community is also proud of its state recognized recreational program which includes summer baseball/softball programs in a renovated city park, a swimming pool, 9-hole golf course and country club, a movie theater, and year-round tennis and handball facilities. Outdoor enthusiasts can also enjoy camping and other outdoor activities at nearby Slip Bluff and Nine Eagles parks, as well as a newly developed walking/bicycle trail that begins in the town of Lamoni.

The School District

The school consists of three centers -- elementary school, middle school, and high school -- and has a current PreK-12 enrollment of 411 students, with 41 teachers and 28 support staff. The administrative team of the district includes a superintendent/ PreK-5 principal and a 6-12 principal. Forty-seven percent of the school's faculty hold advanced degrees, with average years of experience at 10 years. The teacher-pupil ratio in the district is 10:1. The elementary school is a regional and state leader in curriculum development. It was one of the first schools in the state to develop a natural approach to reading and writing instruction. The faculty has also added manipulatives to the math curriculum and adopted cooperative learning across several grade levels. The elementary school is fortunate to also have two preschools. The middle school has a variety of special features including team planning, exploratory courses, and age appropriate social activities. It was selected as one of the 18 schools in the country to be featured in a U.S. Office of Education study of exceptional middle schools due to participating in numerous state, regional, and national presentations at teachers' conventions and in educational journals and newsletters. The high school offers an excellent array of courses on the home campus and through cooperative programs with the North Central Vocational Center in Bethany, Missouri, an alternative school at Mt Ayr Community Schools and Graceland University. The district is a member of the South Central Consortium network team which includes 7 member schools. The Consortium is a result of a grant received from the New Iowa Schools Development Corporation (NISCD) and is an attempt to offer expanded/extended learning opportunities for students through cooperative efforts among member schools. The school enjoys strong community support and an active booster club.