Dr. Mandy Ross, superintendent of Webster City Schools, said the pandemic has been a learning experience for school districts. Teachers and administrators have had to develop remote learning plans, then create plans for safely returning to the classroom. Ross applauded the staff of the district for its creativity and resilience as the pandemic guidance seemed to change from week to week — and sometimes, from day to day.

This year, the students are back in the classroom full-time. Ross said some of the plans developed during the pandemic will likely remain in place as the district continues to move forward with in-person learning.

“One thing we learned when we were closed down, we made some adjustments to how we got to know families and how we got to know the kids,” she said.

At the beginning of the school year, the district implemented one-to-one conferences with families and the student’s teacher. Gone were the large, open-house style gatherings with hundreds of parents and youths attending. The pandemic guidelines prevented those gatherings.

“Based on feedback, I would expect that the one-to-one conferences will continue moving forward as a matter of routine,” she said. “Investing in those relationships and getting to know the classroom teacher, getting to know the families and getting to know the students on a different level was a benefit to everybody.”

This year, the district also welcomed some new administrators.

Richard Hutchinson — or “Hutch” as he is known in the halls of Webster City High School — joined the district as the new high school principal last fall.

“He comes to us from the Ottumwa School District. He’s an administrator with experience in both small and larger districts,” said Ross. “His experience and knowledge are really what enamored him with the staff involved in the interview process.”

Ross credited Hutchinson with helping to build relationships with students, families and staff.

“I think he’s just hitting it out of the park in all of those areas,” she added. “I think he’s developed a rapport with the kids and that’s something that is valued at our high school.”

Pleasant View Elementary School also has new administrators this year.

Tiffany McConnelee was hired as the new principal of the elementary school. Because of some medical issues, McConnelee is helping the district with preschool programming and an interim administrator was brought on to assist this year.

“The preschool programming is something that’s needed some attention for some time and it’s typically assigned to the principal,” Ross said. “But we also have an interim person in there to help out and we’ve kind of split up the principal responsibilities a bit.”

Darcy Cosens, the interim principal at Pleasant View, started in November. She has experience as a special education director and a preschool director both in the Perry and Ames school districts. She had recently retired from her duties with the Ames School District.

“She was gracious enough to accept the position when we reached out to her and she’s been quickly getting to know the Pleasant View students, staff, families and program,” she said.

Pleasant View and Sunset Heights elementary schools are both in the midst of heating, air conditioning and ventilation projects. Supply chain problems with materials and equipment have delayed the projects, which the district had hoped to see wrapped up in the spring. The district hopes to see the renovations completed next fall.

“The Pleasant View and Sunset project actually took a step forward in the process because some of the equipment we had been waiting on actually came in recently,” she said. “That should help expedite the process.”

In the next few years, Ross said the district will be looking at building a new high school facility.

Determining how to fund the project and how to retire other debts the district owns will be the first priority, she said.

“I’m meeting with our financial consultant next month to help lay out a financial game plan so that we can back into details of how we work with the architect. But the money has to be the factor,” she said. “We’re still paying off the middle school, the competition gym, and some work done at Pleasant View and Sunset several years ago.

“We want to get all these things paid off so the taxpayers won’t see a substantial burden,” she said. “I think it will help when we have to look at passing a bond referendum down the road.”