Preston considers sharing classes

Preston wants to share classes with Bellevue. Or Maquoketa.

The strained school district is hoping to come to a 28E agreement, under which Preston High School students would attend some classes at another school, namely Bellevue or Maquoketa.

“It’s the same sort of arrangement under which Marquette students come to our school,” said Bellevue superintendent Mike Healy. “These kids are looking to graduate from Preston High School, but they’re looking to buy some classes.”

Preston currently shares some classes for its 151 high school students with East Central and Northeast High Schools, but next year East Central will send their students to Northeast. Northeast isn’t interested in a partial sharing agreement with Preston, said Preston superintendent Bob Lagerblade.

Some Preston community members have organized a campaign to create a new school district, Easton Valley, out of Preston and East Central. A vote on that re-districting is on hold pending the settlement of a lawsuit filed by the East Central school district.

Now, Preston would like to share some classes with either its northern or western neighbor for two years, with the option to back out if the Easton Valley district comes to fruition.

Maquoketa and Bellevue officials are unwilling to commit to something the other party might back out of. However, they each gave presentations to Preston this month on the amenities offered at their campuses.

Bellevue has also invited Preston to a “Preston open house” at Bellevue High School, tentatively scheduled for 6-8 p.m. Dec. 15.

That’s one day before Preston’s school board meeting, scheduled for 5:15 p.m. Dec. 16 at Preston High School. At that time, Lagerblade said, he’ll make a recommendation to the school board to pursue an agreement with one of the schools.

For more, see this week's Bellevue Herald-Leader.