Ottumwa Schools will host a Parent Meeting on January 25 at 6:00 PM at Liberty Elementary. This meeting will discuss the proposal for transitioning sixth-grade students to Liberty for the 2023-24 school year.
Ottumwa Schools has heard and listened to the voices of our families. After the Be the Best Initiative kickoff, our district knew that reconfiguring the grades was a top priority. Ottumwa Schools strives to have personalized learning environments that will fit the needs of our students. The school district would like to update the community on the current timeline and a proposal for our current fifth graders.
To better meet the needs of our students:
NEW Gateway High School Center - Scheduled to open in March 2023
Douma Campus Addition (Bids will go out at the end of January)
Opening August 2024
Grade Reconfiguration Timeline
Douma Campus Addition - Grades 3-5 - August 2024
Liberty - Grades 6-7 - August 2024***
Evans - Grades 8-9 - August 2024
OHS - Grades 10-12 - August 2024
***The new proposal that we have communicated with staff and families would have current fifth graders go to Liberty Elementary School next school year (2023-24). This proposal would be one year ahead of schedule for our grade reconfiguration. We believe the benefits of this transition would be:
This proposal eliminates multiple building transitions for our current fifth graders.
Liberty Elementary currently has the capacity to accommodate this proposal.
Continued elementary “feel” for 6th-grade students.
Improved climate/culture at Evans MS (*COMMUNITY SURVEY INDICATED DECREASING THE NUMBER OF STUDENTS AT EVANS AS A TOP PRIORITY).
