HILLS

Iowa State Representative Heather Hora and Iowa State Senator Dawn Driscoll introduced an idea to redraw school districts, allowing the Hills community to join a new school district, on Friday, April 5.

They were joined by Lone Tree Superintendent Tyler Hotz as the initial proposal allowed Hills to join the Lone Tree Community School District.

After discussing the proposal with legislators, the council added a discussion on the topic to their next city council meeting on Monday, April 8.

Here, the council was joined by yet another boisterous Hills crowd who shared thoughts and concerns.

Some residents were adamantly against leaving the Iowa City Community School District.

“We moved to Hills a long time ago because we wanted our children to go to the Iowa City School District. This Iowa City district offers so many more opportunities: several foreign languages, clubs, swimming, that’s just a few, I can go on and on,” one resident said. “I know everyone is upset with the Iowa City School District for closing Hills Elementary, and I am too. But why take that out on our children. I want my grandchildren to go to the number one high school in the state [West High School in Iowa City], not to the 139th, Lone Tree School.”

Others backed this sentiment.

“I know the last couple weeks have created a whirlwind of emotions for the Hills people. I’m also angry, I’m scared, and I’m confused,” one person said. “But who are we all thinking about, the adults selfishly thinking about ourselves? As a parent in Hills, I want you to think about the kids, not your property value, not your taxes, but the actual kids.”

This led to residents asking the council to not act swiftly and to take time to decide.

“Iowa City Community School District moved so fast with closing the elementary school, no one had a chance to digest it. After Friday night’s meeting, I feel as if representatives Driscoll and Hora are on a mission for us to move quickly,” one resident said, with others nodding their heads in approval. “I don’t think that it is in our best interest. I ask that you spend the next several months, maybe a year, looking at all of the possibilities that will continue to draw families into our great community.”

Hills council member Emily Hudachek later spoke in favor of the council slowing down the process.

“I think we should start collecting community feedback in whatever shape that takes. I think we do have the time, there’s nothing that’s urgent on our part,” Hudachek said. “Realistically, whatever school district -- Iowa City, Lone Tree, Highland -- we’re not going to have an elementary school. I realistically don’t see that happening. I think we have the time to make an informed decision and we don’t have to fast-track this.”

Hills Mayor Tim Kemp wants to see what will happen to the Hills Elementary School building before the council makes any decision.

“Things are happening so fast that it’s hard to get a grasp of everything. There’s a lot of possibilities out there. I certainly think we owe it to the community to look at all options and move forward with what the community wants to do,” Kemp said. “To me, we need to figure out what the district’s planning to do with that building, and that dictates going forward.”

Ultimately, if the community did want to leave ICCSD, it would come down to both school boards agreeing or a community vote between Hills and the new district.

What drew the legislators to Hills?

Hotz with Lone Tree was intrigued with the idea of Hills joining the Lone Tree CSD. This led to Hora and Driscoll talking out the logistics before introducing the idea to the Hills City Council.

Since the drive is short between Hills and Lone Tree, Hora thought they could still have an elementary in Hills for both Lone Tree and Hills students.

Another thing Hora is working on is “revitalizing rural Iowa” by keeping schools in small communities like Hills.

“[Iowa City closing Hills Elementary] is going contrary to what we’re trying to accomplish. So, if there’s a unique way that we can still have an elementary in the city of Hills, this may be a way to do that,” Hora said. “And we have a school board, a school district that’s interested in combining with the City of Hills.”

Hotz believes the two small town communities would have similar ideals and values, only adding to the chemistry between town students and parents.

Some Hills residents have already prepared to open enroll their children out of ICCSD while others are skeptical of the timeline and want both legislators and the City of Hills to slow the process entirely.

Until ICCSD divulges plans for the soon-to-be empty elementary building, it is unlikely that the Hills council will settle this debate.