Superintendent Dr. Buck on the 2021-2022 School Year

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As the end of the school year approaches, Waukee Community School District Superintendent Dr. Brad Buck reflected on the 2021-2022 school year’s most significant moments and the fate of the expanding district.

Dr. Buck has been an educator for decades, and this is his third year as WCSD superintendent and tenth total year in the district. Dr. Buck held many administrative roles across the state, such as having been superintendent of Cedar Rapids and Saydel Community Schools and serving as the Iowa Department of Education director.

Dr. Brad Buck, Superintendent of the Waukee Community School District in Waukee, Iowa

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WCSD With Neighboring Districts

To Dr. Buck, a phenomenal school district is one with outstanding community members. “When you combine great staff members with a highly supportive community of wonderful students and families, you get an amazing district like Waukee,” he said.   

The WCSD works closely with other school districts across metro Iowa. “We connect on a range of ideas,” Dr. Buck explained. Superintendents hold meetings to amplify each metro district’s voice and frequently invite guest speakers.

Warriors and Wolves

After a century of the Warriors, the WCSD introduced the Wolves this school year. The five years in the making project finally opened its doors to a new facility–Waukee Northwest High School. “We had a really significant turn out for the open house, our community was eager and excited to see [Waukee Northwest],” he said.

“Northwest has done a great job identifying new traditions,” said Dr. Buck. Waukee Northwest hosted a ‘Senior Sunrise’ to kick off the new school year.

Each high school had its athletic teams and school-sponsored activities with few exceptions, such as the joint Waukee swim team. “I am excited about these opportunities and the success of those opportunities,” Dr. Buck said, “Between the two schools we had state championships and other activity titles.” 

The splitting of a school is unpredictable; however, both Waukee schools handled the split reasonably well. “I like how many Warrior and Wolf gear I see,” Dr. Buck exclaimed. 

The most significant success of Waukee Northwest, according to Dr. Buck, was its timely opening. “I was the principal of Prairieview (WCSD’s second junior high school) when it opened in 2004 and we actually had to move the start of the school year due to the building not opening in time,” he commented. 

WCSD looks forward to future projects, such as opening its tenth elementary school facility this fall. Buck explained that he would like to keep the same split process as Waukee Northwest for these oncoming facilities– utilizing ‘staff picks’ in the building or courses they would like to teach and boundary line requirements for students. Two additional elementary school buildings are scheduled to open in 2024 and 2027.

A unique approach will have to be made for students in the upcoming construction of the WCSD’s third middle school. Boundary lines would split North and Waukee Middle school students–Warriors and Wolves– into the new school. “This will be the first time we will have a mixing of Warriors and Wolves,” Dr. Buck said.

Shortages

Shortages hit Waukee and neighboring metropolitan school districts hard this year. A lack of substitutes and bus drivers made difficult times. “It’s an ongoing challenge,” Buck said.

To combat staff absences, substitute pay has increased, and buildings implement other solutions in times of unavailable substitutes. Bus shortages, however, were the fault of Durham Busing, the busing company that the WCSD outsources. The market for bus drivers has fallen dramatically in recent years.

The WCSD is one of the fastest-growing school districts in the metro, with enrollment rates skyrocketing due to new construction across the city. Waukee schools work closely with a demographer that predicts the school district’s growth. According to Dr. Buck, in December of 2021, demographers predicted that Waukee would grow by about 3,000 students in the next five years. New facilities are built to fit these numbers; however, a shortfall of new administrators will be another inevitable challenge.

“Fewer high school students are matriculating into teacher education programs,” Dr. Buck said. “There will be fewer people to fill jobs, and I am worried about where this problem will go for Waukee and nationally.” Dr. Buck expressed that although the WCSD still gets a decent candidate pool for most positions, the number is decreasing dramatically.

COVID-19 Mitigations

WCSD’s ‘Return to Learn’ plan was a debated topic for many. Waukee, unlike neighboring districts, had decided to drop the mask mandate across a handful of its students and administration. “We looked at individual situations…we did have some fully masked classrooms.” Students of risk, primarily elementary children, had mitigations that differed from grades 6-12 institutions at the beginning of the school year.

When Iowa had suffered from peak percentages of COVID-19 cases, Waukee’s Board of Directors set on keeping the ‘Return to Learn’ plan, despite pressure from the community and surrounding districts and legislators to change. “We had difficulty describing or defining what COVID-19 indicators were for a change in the plan,” Dr. Buck revealed. 

School Provided Meals

Due to the United States Department of Agriculture’s nationwide implementation of a waivered ‘National School Lunch Act’ in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, free breakfast and lunch meals were served this school year. “We have had an amazing turnout in this program…our students and families have really taken advantage of it,” Dr. Buck said. 

As of early March 2022, WCSD complimentary school meals will be discontinued for the 2022-2023 school year and beyond due to a verdict made by the USDA.

School Board Elections

On November 2nd, the WCSD held its School Board of Directors election. The seven Board of Directors supervise Dr. Buck and act as a governance committee for the WCSD.

“Our district has had a significant number of campaigners this school year,” Dr. Buck stated. The elections are held every two years, and campaigners must be a resident of Waukee and can not be an employee of the district. “[Board members] take on this really difficult job with no pay,” he said. In unfortunate cases, school districts do not have campaigners run for the school board, and Dr. Buck is thankful to live in a community where so many are interested in those positions.

WCSD in the Media

Media heavily influenced the district this school year. Waukee had come under fire by many due to its’ ‘Book Ban’ in late October.

“We try to be transparent so that people know what we [WCSD] are doing,” Dr. Buck said. Community town halls address pre-planned and live questions to restrain any concern of ‘secrecy’ within the WCSD.“As Waukee gets larger, this transparency gets more complicated.” 

Instances of harmful news often overpower the countless positive news that the WCSD spreads. “They[the WCSD Communications Team] work hard to get the good stuff out there,” Dr. Buck said. WCSD social media pages, such as the WCSD website ‘stories’ page, promote the district’s students’ and administrators’ accomplishments.

Resignation of Key Administrator

In early April, Dr. Fairouz Bishara Rantisi– Waukee Northwest’s principal–announced her resignation from the district.

“After serious consideration and discussions with my family, I will be seeking new opportunities outside the district… I am so honored to have been the principal of such a joyful, talented group of kids,” wrote Dr. Bishara to students and their families in a newsletter.

Dr. Buck admires Dr. Bishara’s work for the district. “I wish her the best… I hope all goes well for her journey beyond Waukee,” he said. 

Nick Ross, Waukee Northwest’s current Associate Principal, will replace Dr. Bishara as Principal beginning July 1st, 2022. Kim Tierney, current Maple Grove Elementary Principal, will take the position of Associate Principal at Waukee Northwest.

Graduation and Post-Secondary Education

Recently, Waukee’s graduation rate has grown to 98.3%, above the state average of 90.2%. “When I think of graduation rate, I think of a team effort,” Dr. Buck said. Waukee school staff and families work with Metro West Learning Academy–an alternative school– and additional specialized programs to assist all students to their high school diploma.

Education beyond high school graduation is a critical component for Dr. Buck. “Please be prepared to do some kind of learning beyond your high school diploma,” he said. Dr. Buck expressed that having further education improves one’s ability to be more successful in life, no matter the institution or an individual chooses to attend or the career path they choose to take. 

A More Challenging Year

“Many of us, myself included, thought that there would be less complexity this school year,” Dr. Buck admitted. This year, staff magnified the word ‘overwhelmed.’ 

The ‘Return to Learn’ plan served to be the most problematic this school year, as the debate over masking and other COVID-19 mitigation efforts from legislators and the community affected educational departments drastically. “Hopefully, we get to more typical stress next year,” Dr. Buck joked. 

Aspirations

Monetary restrictions in educational institutions alter academic opportunities and rewards for students and staff. “I so infrequently get to think about things without monetary boundaries,” Dr. Buck mentioned. To Dr. Buck, in a world where a school district does not have budget boundaries– endless educational possibilities can be a reality.

Dr. Buck said the WCSD could offer additional programs such as those in the World Language Department with a bigger budget. The WCSD has a limited number of world languages taught (German and Spanish). Expanding courses will offer students and potential staff a wide range of opportunities within the district.

Without monetary boundaries, WCSD would also further invest in future planning for students. “I’d like us to do more for students throughout the system with college and career planning,” said Dr. Buck. Hiring career counselors and investing in courses would improve students’ and their families’ confidence and comfort in their future.

Last Impression

All administrators and students are officially out for summer break on May 27th, 2022. The 2021-2022 historical school year impacted the community on many occasions and paved the way for the future of the WCSD.

“I get to be the superintendent of the best district in the state,” Dr. Buck exclaimed. He expressed that he was excited to get back to the WCSD in 2019 after his leave in 2011. “[Waukee] is just an amazing place to be.”