'I love the design': East Mills welcomes all kids to single, renovated campus

East Mills Community School District started this year with a new building and all students on the same Malvern campus for the first time. As the community grows, they hope the renovated campus and a planned childcare center in town will keep more students in the district. Currently, many students open-enroll into districts closer to their parents' city jobs.

• The previous elementary school was about a 10-mile drive from the junior-senior high, which was an extra burden for parents transporting kids to both buildings.
• The principals say having all their students in the same place makes it easier for staff to collaborate. Students also benefit from the interaction between older and younger kids.
• Loycee Palmer, a junior, says assisting in a fourth-grade classroom is the best part of her day: "They always put a smile on our face so it's great to be able to see them all the time."
  

BROADCAST TRANSCRIPT:

Improved school security, a greater sense of community and a fancy new gym: I'm Southwest Iowa neighborhood reporter Katrina Markel in Malvern. I'm here because East Mills schools just opened its new building and, for the first time ever, has all its students on the same campus.

"The newness of everything has been fun for the kids and the staff," said elementary principal, Melissa Nielsen.

I met Nielsen in May on the last day of school. Her building was 10 miles to the east of the junior-senior high in rural Hastings. The distance meant more driving for parents with kids of different ages. Not to mention for teachers and the school resource officer who serve all grade levels.

"Parents don't have to worry about going back and forth between the buildings,” said Nielsen. “Collaboration among the teachers is much better now."

As the community grows, they hope the renovated campus and a planned childcare center will keep more students in the district.

Currently, many students open-enroll into districts closer to their parents' city jobs.

The district added on to the junior-senior high and moved all grade levels to the Malvern campus. Fifth-graders, Conner and Mara, like the change.

"I love the design," Conner Harms said.

"It kinda looks more modern and stuff," said Mara Grindle.

Junior-Senior High Principal Dale Scott says having all the kids under one roof builds community.

"There's a ton of opportunities for collaboration such as older kids going down and working with younger kids," he said.

Loycee Palmer, a junior, says assisting in a fourth-grade classroom is the best part of her day.

"They always put a smile on our face so it's great to be able to see them all the time," she said.

"It just gives everyone a better bond, I think," said Conner.

Administrators say they have about 20 more kids this year than last and they hope that number will continue to grow.