At their latest meeting, the Mount Pleasant Community School District Board of Education reviewed results from a community-wide survey regarding facility needs and potential upgrades. Jerry Gallagher of Donovan Group, a communications firm specializing in public schools, presented the findings.
The survey, conducted between April 7 and April 20, gathered over 1,000 responses — a strong turnout for a community of Mount Pleasant’s size. The survey gauged community familiarity with the district’s facility challenges, opinions on proposed solutions, and support for a potential bond referendum.
Key highlights from the survey included:
- Awareness: 92% of respondents said they were familiar or somewhat familiar with the district’s facility issues.
- Urgency: About 58% agreed or strongly agreed that facility needs should be addressed now.
- Bond Support: Only 30% indicated they would “definitely” or “probably” support a bond referendum in November.
- Concerns: High levels of concern were expressed regarding tax impacts, overall costs, and trust in district leadership.
Participants were also asked about the potential consolidation of elementary schools into centralized locations. Results showed strong resistance:
- 68% opposed consolidating all Pre-K through 5th-grade students into two attendance centers.
- 67% opposed closing Salem Elementary, 60% opposed closing Harlan, and 59% opposed closing Lincoln.
Open-ended responses further highlighted community dissatisfaction with the “grade-alike” model, skepticism about the district’s purchase of the former Iowa Wesleyan University campus, and concerns about fiscal responsibility and community engagement.