Education

A former Glenwood Community High School social studies and communications teacher who is suspected of having sex with a student and supplying alcohol to another student at his rural Glenwood home was the subject of an initial investigation by the Glenwood Community School District six months ago.

A facilities study by a Jefferson-based consulting firm could provide the blueprint for the future of the East Mills School District.

The district has contracted with Iowa Schoolhouse Construction and Planning Services to conduct a facilities study of the district’s four buildings between Malvern and Hastings. The district formally approved a contract with Iowa Schoolhouse in January at a cost of $8,500.

Glenwood Community High School Principal Shane Stephens made the difficult decision to step down from the position he has held for less than a year due to declining health issues, he said.

“My goal over the last 15 years has been to be a high school principal in Iowa and I did that,” Stephens said. “When I took over this job I thought it was the right job for me, however, over the course of the last two months there’s a combination of things. But the stress of the job is more than I thought it would be.

 An entomologist from the University of Nebraska was at Glenwood Community High School last Monday creating a buzz about bumblebee research with students in Betsy Maryott’s environmental science classes.

Doug Golick, Ph.D., met with two classes of GCHS students who are doing research on bumblebee nesting habitat.  As part of their project, students are making their own artificial nesting boxes in hopes of attracting bees. Golick and two of his graduate students are working with 40 high schools as part of their research effort.