The Courier from Waterloo, Iowa • 14

PAGE B4 WATERLOO COURIER SUNDAY. OCTOBER 29, 1995 Metro HE Iowa Consultant thinks school consolidation phase nearing an end both school boards did vote unani wear and tear than the other districts considering a merger. The two districts, straddling southeastern Grundy and northwestern Tama counties, are seeking a merger vote this coming spring. Yet in the recent school board election in Glad-brook, two candidates won seats on a message that they did not favor a merger, ousting an incumbent in the process. "Gladbrook is concerned they will lose their identity and lose their school," acknowledged Dennis Mod-Iin, shared superintendent for both districts.

"But the sharing arrangement between communities has worked very well." Reinbeck is the larger of the districts, providing 485 students to Gladbrook's 335, When the two districts combined in 1987, Reinbeck got the high school and Gladbrook grades 6-8. Both communities maintain elementary schools. Despite Gladbrook's misgivings, mously earlier this month to let the merger study committee go forward with its work, Modlin said. But if the merger vote goes down to defeat, it could ultimately unravel the sharing arrangement. The districts' sharing contract has two and a half years remaining, so discussion for a new pact would begin soon after the vote.

Some in Reinbeck have questioned whether it's worth continuing if Gladbrook isn't willing to move forward. "Is it going to split, what is it going to do?" mused Modlin, who has only been with the two districts since August. "Who knows? Let's find out." If Gladbrook were to go back to being independent, it would be only the second time in the state's history that a school district has actually reopened its high school after going with whole-grade sharing, Ghan said. the whole-grade sharing, it went very smoothly," observed Linda Johan-ningmeier, shared superintendent for the two districts. In hindsight, the match was an obvious one.

Nashua and Plainfield are only seven miles apart, and shared some instructors and classes before combining grades. But there was some trepidation when the two finally got together, mostly based on Nashua's size 598 students this year compared to 293 for Plainfield. Plainfield worried it would be swallowed up by a district twice its size. If the merger takes place, Nashua would get the majority of seats on the new board, three to Plainfield's two. And some realignment of voting district boundaries will have to be done to ensure Plainfield's two seats.

But Johanningmeier viewed the arrangement as working "extremely well," and is hopeful the vote, slated for sometime in December, will pass on its first attempt. Depending on the Iowa have combined classes, with almost two-thirds of those merging. The three mergers proposed in this area, Ghan said, are "merely what I'd call wrap-up situations." "I'm not seeing a whole lot of new movement," he said. "But I'm very certain it will start up again." He predicts the quiet period will break by the year 2010, as schools look for enrollments that would allow for double sections in each grade or high school class offerings. Even with all of the reorganizations that went on in the late 1980s and early 1990s, few drew school districts above 1,000 students, he noted.

The districts looking toward merger are: Dike and New Hartford, which will vote on merging Nov. 21 after three years of whole-grade sharing. The courtship may have been brief New Hartford took up quickly with Dike in 1992 after semi-partner Parkersburg struck a whole-grade sharing arrangement with Aplington but the relationship has been "smooth," according to Superintendent Don Gundcrson. If approved, the two districts would become one in July 1996. In an "I cbrsctsrlzs it ss a Ecvcrrr.cr.l bslnsss wtws're sssSn In zlzzzzz to farm tts-Ipy." Guy Ghan Iowa Department of Education consultant unusual move, Dike residents will not pay property taxes for New Hartford's outstanding debts until its own debt is paid off in 1999.

Nashua and Plainfield began sharing the same year as Dike-New Hartford, so it's perhaps not surprising that they, too, are on the threshold of a merger vote. The fact that three years of combined classes have gone by without a hitch doesn't hurt, either. "When we actually got involved in By ELIZABETH BLOOM Courier Staff Writer A recent flurry of school reorganizations in Northeast Iowa is only the final ripple in a wave that started in the last decade, according to the state's main consultant on such moves. Three pairs of area school districts are considering merger votes within the 1995-96 school year, according to the Area Education Agency 7 office in Cedar Falls, which oversees such consolidations. Another two districts, Greene and Clarksville in Butler County, are discussing a whole-grade sharing arrangement, which would combine junior and senior high schools.

Guy Ghan, school administration and finance consultant for the Iowa Department of Education, said the process will finish out what he called the state's third wave of school consolidations since the early part of the 20th century. "I would characterize it as a government business adjustment comparable to what we're seeing in changes in the farm industry," Ghan said. Since 1985, 170 school districts in outcome, the merger would take effect in July 1997. Reinbeck and Gladbrook have been together the longest, but their relationship shows more signs of Cedar Falls family. res cued from burning house EXPLORE A SECURE DIRECTION afternoon, and they offered a prelimi nary damage estimate of $50,000.

There was no structural damage to the home, officials said, but there was extensive loss due to smoke and heat Whitson said the family's narrow escape shows the importance of planning for emergencies, such as devising an escape route. "Make your plan ahead of time," he said. "You do not All of the family members were asleep on the second floor when the blaze started. Rescuers said 15-year-old Karl Prahl was leaning head-first from a second-story window, while 19-y car-old Andrea Spaeth was poking but from an attic window. Meanwhile, Michael and Valorie Prahl were sitting atop the porch roof outside their bedroom window.

Valorie Prahl said she discovered the fire at about 3:30 a.m. after being awakened by smoke. She then called the Cedar Falls Fire Department, which is just one block from the Prahl residence. Michael and Valorie Prahl both said they couldn't see because of heavy smoke, so they leaned out the window for air. Meanwhile, flames were eating through the kitchen on the floor below.

Though the fire never reached the upstairs, the second story was filled with stifling smoke and intense heat. "The temperatures were well over 500 degrees," said fire department Capt. Mike Whitson. "It's absolutely amazing they're alive." Karl Prahl was cut after breaking a window, and soot marks on the side of the home showed where he had leaned from the window for air. Investigators were still trying to determine a cause of the fire Saturday By SCOn LEITH Courier Staff Writer CEDAR FALLS Four members of a Cedar Falls family were rescued from their burning home after a fire broke out early Saturday morning.

Firefighters used ladders to help the Michael and Valorie Prahl family escape from intense heat and smoke in the blaze at 1721 Washington St. "I felt like my life was in extreme danger," Valorie Prahl said. No one was seriously injured, but the entire family was taken to Sartori Memorial Hospital in Cedar Falls for treatment. have time on the spot." Michael Prahl said the home had one smoke detector in the kitchen, but no one in the family heard it. They have lived in the house for about six years and plan to repair the damage, he said.

Decorah man treated after car accident Man gets prison term for assault DECORAH A Decorah man remained hospitalized in fair condition Saturday after a three-car accident Friday afternoon. Victor Hageman, 59, was taken to Winneshiek County Memorial Hospital and transferred to Lutheran Hospital in La Crosse for treatment of his injuries in the accident, which occurred shortly before 2 p.m. Hageman was westbound on Water Street when his car struck the vehicle in front of him, driven by David Ludwig, 43, of Fort Atkinson, at the intersection with River Street, according to Decorah police reports. Hageman then pulled to the left to pass Ludwig, when his car struck the oncoming vehicle driven by Gary Svenson, 56, of Decorah. Hage-man's vehicle backed into a street light pole before finally coming to rest.

No charges were filed. time already served in the Black Hawk County Jail. Before being sentenced, Gray asked Judge Thomas Bower not to send him to prison. "I am not a bad person," Gray said, while his mother sobbed nearby. "This is not what my life is supposed to be.

I never planned to be here." But Bower told Gray he must serve time in prison because the assault charge is a forcible felony. "I have absolutely no discretion but to impose that sentence," Bower said. Bartels was left unconscious and bleeding from multiple face and head injuries after the assault by Gray. The attack left Bartels in a coma and he had to be hooked up to life support for several days. According to the documents, Gray approached Bartels in the early morning hours and assaulted him.

Gray then took Bartels' wallet, which contained cash. By SCOTT LEITH Courier Staff Writer WATERLOO A Waterloo man could serve up to a decade in prison in connection with a beating that left another man in a coma. LaShun Elasaero Gray, 22, of 2102 Idaho was given the sentence Friday afternoon in Black Hawk County District Court after entering a guilty plea to assault while participating in a felony and an Alford plea of guilty to first-degree theft. Gray admitted in courj that he assaulted Joseph Scott Bartels, 30, of 303 Courtland March 18. Gray also took a wallet from Bartels in the incident.

Gray received a five-year prison sentence on the assault charge and a 10-year sentence on the theft charge, but both will run concurrently and he will receive credit for Women Student Leaders' topic at UNI noon in Baker Hall 161 about her research on female student leaders at three Midwestern institutions. She is director of UNI's Maucker Union. The CROW Forum is sponsored by the graduate program in women's studies. CEDAR FALLS "Going Against the Grain: Women Student Leaders" will be the second presentation in the Current Research on Women (CROW) Forum Nov. 6 at the University of Northern Iowa.

Dr. Renee Romano will speak at Inclusion' focus of conference at UNI Blood collection schedule announced Biklen's presentation is free and open to the public. The conference is sponsored by UNI's graduate program in public policy, the departments of Educational Psychology and Foundations and Special Education, and the Iowa Department of Education. Fee is $16 before Nov. 3, $18 after that date.

For more information or to register, call R. Allen Hays or Judy Schreiber at 273-2910. CEDAR FALLS The University of Northern Iowa will sponsor a conference, "The Challenge of Inclusion for Educational Policy," Nov. 15 from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

in Maucker Union Expansion A. Dr. Douglas Biklen will deliver a keynote address, "Disability Policy in Education: an Unfinished Revolution," at 7:30 p.m. in Business Building 109. He is professor of education at Syracuse University in New York.

it Strictly Personal, is the safest way to meet Take a liken to our ViMngs in the '90s. We provide maximum exposure, Denver; 90-pint goal. Last week's blood drive performance: Monday at Floyd County Hospital, 25-pint goal, 22 donated. Monday at Jesup; 130-pint goal, 1 10 donated. Wednesday at John Deere Waterloo Works; 60-pint goal, 57 donated.

Thursday at St. Stephen Catholic Student Center; 30-pint goal, 32 donated. Thursday at Century Companies of America, 50-pint goal, 45 donated. Friday at Grundy Center; 90-pint goal, donation unavailable. For the week at the Waterloo Center; 150-unit goal, 96 donated.

The American Red Cross needs to collect 150 pints of blood at the Waterloo Blood Center every week. Call 234-6831 to schedule an appointment to donate. Blood types needed this week by the American Red Cross Blood Services Badger-Hawkeye Region are negative, positive, negative, positive, A negative, A positive, AB positive and AB negative. This week's blood drive schedule: Monday, 2 to 6 p.m.; National Guard Armory, Charles City; 25-pint goal. Monday, 1 1 a.m.

to 3 p.m.; Amana Refrigeration, Amana; 50-pint goal. Tuesday, 11 a.m. to 5 p.m.; Iowa State University, Ames; 120-pint goal. Wednesday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Iowa State University, Ames; 120-pint goal.

Thursday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m.; Iowa State University, Ames; 120-pint goal. Friday, 2 to 6 p.m.; Middle School, Christmas Open House November 16-17-18 "Since 1970 we specialize in Heritage design" complete privacy, calling security and total Christmas, Needlework, gifts, jewelry, linens, porcelain, dishes, pewter, clogs, teakwood more. personal control, With over 300,000 readers your ad is sure to be seen by others who share your interests. SCANDINAVIAN SHOP 134 Main-Dike, IA 50624 Monday Saturday 1 0 a.m.

5 p.m. BARBARA BROWN For Cedar Falls City Council at Largo November 7th Strictlwersoml Inactive Catholics If you've been away for awhile, we invite you to Take Another Look. You've changed, and so have we. St. Edward Parish invites you to attend our "Come Home Series" beginning November 8th at 7:00 p.m.

in the Parish Center. i 800 597-9237 Experience and Commitment Cedar Falls Altrusa Club Charter Member Since 1982 Black Hawk-Grundy Mental Health Center Board Member 7 Years Cedar Valley United Way Allocation Panelist 4 Years Independence Haven Board Member 3 Yean Retired Senior Volunteer Program Board Member 6 Years Tlanned Parenthood of Greater Iowa Board Member 6 Years Paid for by the Commuter fn Elect Barbara Brown Monday Friday 7a.m.10p.m. Saturday Sunday 10a.m.6p.m. Fr. Russell Bleich 233-8060 St.

Edward Parish 1423 Kimball Ave..