[Congressional Record Volume 154, Number 150 (Monday, September 22, 2008)]
[Senate]
[Pages S9198-S9199]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      LINN-MAR COMMUNITY EDUCATION

 Mr. HARKIN. Mr. President, in Iowa and across the United 
States, a new school year has begun. As you know, Iowa public schools 
have an excellent reputation nationwide, and Iowa students' test scores 
are among the highest in the Nation.
  I would like to take just a few minutes, today, to salute the 
dedicated teachers, administrators, and school board members in the 
Linn-Mar Community School District, and to report on their 
participation in a unique Federal partnership to repair and modernize 
school facilities.
  This fall marks the 10th year of the Iowa Demonstration Construction 
Grant Program. That is its formal name, but it is better known among 
educators in Iowa as the program of Harkin grants for Iowa public 
schools. Since 1998, I have been fortunate to secure a total of $121 
million for the State government in Iowa, which selects worthy school 
districts to receive these grants for a range of renovation and repair 
efforts--everything from updating fire safety systems to building new 
schools or renovating existing facilities. In many cases, this Federal 
funding is used to leverage public and/or private local funding, so it 
often has a tremendous multiplier effect in a local school district.
  The Linn-Mar Community School District received five Harkin grants 
totaling $1,625,000. A 2000 construction grant for $500,000 was used to 
help renovate Bowman Woods Elementary

[[Page S9199]]

School to provide space for a media center, a 2002 construction grant 
for $200,000 was used to provide classrooms for the Little Lions 
preschool at a new K-8 school and a 2005 construction grant for 
$500,000 was used to help build Linn Grove Elementary School. These 
schools are the modern, state-of-the-art facilities that befit the 
educational ambitions and excellence of this school district. Indeed, 
they are the kind of schools that every child in America deserves. The 
district also received two fire safety grants totaling $425,000 to 
install sprinkler systems at Excelsior Middle School and Linn-Mar High 
School.
  Excellent schools do not just pop up like mushrooms after a rain. 
They are the product of vision, leadership, persistence, and a 
tremendous amount of collaboration among local officials and concerned 
citizens. I salute the entire staff, administration, and governance in 
the Linn-Mar Community School District. In particular, I would like to 
recognize the leadership of the board of education--president Robert 
Crawford, vice president Ann Stark, Barry Buchholz, Bob Gilchrist, 
David Nicholson, Jim Green, Erik Miles and Helen Romanowsky and former 
board members Swati Dandekar, Mark Klopfenstein, Tom Manor, David 
Meyer, Tom Miller, Lorna Richards and Steve Colton. I would also like 
to recognize superintendent Dr. Kathleen Mulholland, former 
superintendent Dr. Joe Pacha, business administrator Dave Nicholson, 
former business administrator Dave DeWall, and principals Dona Miller, 
Kent Stock, Dan Ludwig, Shannon Bisgard, Dr. Marc McCoy and Jerry 
VanDyke.
  As we mark the 10th anniversary of the Harkin school grant program in 
Iowa, I am obliged to point out that many thousands of school buildings 
and facilities across the United States are in dire need of renovation 
or replacement. In my State of Iowa alone, according to a recent study, 
some 79 percent of public schools need to be upgraded or repaired. The 
harsh reality is that the average age of school buildings in the United 
States is nearly 50 years.
  Too often, our children visit ultramodern shopping malls and gleaming 
sports arenas on weekends, but during the week go to school in rundown 
or antiquated facilities. This sends exactly the wrong message to our 
young people about our priorities. We have to do better.
  That is why I am deeply grateful to the professionals and parents in 
the Linn-Mar Community School District. There is no question that a 
quality public education for every child is a top priority in that 
community. I salute them, and wish them a very successful new school 
year.

                          ____________________