Pekin Community School District Explained

41.1573°N -92.1654°W

Pekin Community School District
Type:Local school district
Grades:K-12
Location:1062 Birch Avenue,
Pekin, Iowa (Packwood address), 52580
Region:Jefferson, Keokuk, Wapello, and Washington counties
Country:United States
Coordinates:41.157307, -92.165419
Superintendent:Derek Philips
Schools:2
Budget:$11,755,000 (2020-21)[1]
Us Nces District Id:1922440
Students:642 (2022-23)
Teachers:51.18
Staff:73.10 FTE
Ratio:12.54
Conference:Southeast Iowa Superconference
Colors:Black, White and Red
Mascot:Panthers

Pekin Community School District is a rural public school district headquartered in Pekin, an unincorporated area in Jefferson County, Iowa, near Packwood.[2]

It serves the following incorporated communities in Jefferson, Keokuk, Wapello, and Washington counties: Packwood, Hedrick, Martinsburg, Ollie, and Richland.[3] Unincorporated areas served by Pekin schools, aside from Pekin, include Abington, Highland Center, and Rubio.[4]

History

The school facilities were built on a former runway that was once used to train pilots.[5]

In 1986 there was a proposal to merge the Pekin district and the Hedrick Community School District. By 1990 Iowa law allowed students to attend schools in other school districts, but at the time students had to pay tuition there. Hedrick sued the Pekin district over accepting students for free that should have been counted as out of district, as they lived with Pekin district-resident family members or friends of their family but not with their primary caregivers. A jury decided that the Hedrick district was damaged by this. The law was later modified so that a student can attend another school district for free.[6]

In 1991, the district incorporated territory from the former Hedrick district after that district closed. The expected enrollment for all Pekin schools combined for fall 1991 was 800 students.[7] A draft of a state proposal to merge much of Hedrick into Pekin anticipated that Pekin would take in about 85% of the Hedrick students.[8]

In 2016, the district agreed to begin a superintendent-sharing arrangement with the Sigourney Community School District.[9]

The district proposed a $55 million bond in 2017.[10]

Schools

The district operates two schools in a single facility near Pekin:[1]

Pekin Community High School

Athletics

The Panthers compete in the Southeast Iowa Superconference in the following sports:[11]

Student body

In early 1991 the district had about 576 students.[16] Early that year 32 children who lived in the boundaries of the Hedrick school district attended school in the Pekin school district, prior to the absorbing of much of the Hedrick district.[8]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Pekin Comm School District . . June 19, 2024.
  2. https://www.pekincsd.org/ Home
  3. "PEKIN ." Iowa Department of Education. Retrieved on June 18, 2018. Also see the Iowa Secretary of State map: General Map
  4. "Welcome from the Superintendent of Schools, Mr. David Harper." Pekin Community Schools. Retrieved on June 20, 2018.
  5. "Home." Pekin Community School District. April 13, 2008. Retrieved on June 20, 2018.
  6. News: Jones. Delora. Jury rules on Pekin, Hedrick tuition dispute. The Des Moines Register. Des Moines, Iowa. 1990-01-18. 2A. - Clipping from Newspapers.com.
  7. News: Vobejda, Barbara. MAIN STREET FACES 'ECONOMIC TRIAGE'. Washington Post. 1991-03-25. 2018-06-19.
  8. News: Clifford. George III. Pekin district would take most Hedrick students. The Des Moines Register. Des Moines, Iowa. 1991-02-07. 2. - Clipping from Newspapers.com.
  9. Web site: Pekin and Sigourney Community School District To Share Superintendent. Sigourney News-Review. 2016-02-17. 2018-07-13.
  10. Web site: Wilson, Alexandria. Pekin asking for $5.5 million bond for facility renovations. KTVO. 2017-01-10. 2019-11-05.
  11. Web site: Southeast Iowa Superconference. Southeast Iowa Superconference. 2020-09-02.
  12. Web site: 2020 IHSAA Cross Country Stat Book. Iowa High School Athletic Association. 2019-12-16. 2020-09-02.
  13. Web site: Pekin. Iowa High School Sports. 2020-09-02.
  14. Web site: Record Book Football 2020 Complete Edition. Iowa High School Athletic Association. 2020-06-09. 2020-09-02.
  15. Web site: 2020 IHSAA Track & Field Stat Book. Iowa High School Athletic Association. 2019-12-16. 2020-09-02.
  16. News: Boshart. Rob. Gosch. Dave. State sends Hedrick students to Pekin. Cedar Rapids Gazette. Cedar Rapids, Iowa. 1991-03-16. 109. 66. 1A, 7A. - Clipping of first and of second page from Newspapers.com.