This article was written by Sarah Weber for the Yearly Vibrant Orange City Magazine by Pluim Publishing.
On Monday, August 7, the MOC-Floyd Valley Elementary School opened its doors for the first time, allowing the community to tour the school, and on August 23, school was in session in the new space. A project three years in the making, the ground broke on May 12, 2021, after passing a 37 million dollar bond issue in 2020.
“What a blessing to have 670 students arrive at the beginning of the 2023-2024 school year in our new MOC, Floyd Valley Elementary! I was excited to be part of the 100 staff that was prepared to greet our Tk-5th Grade students,” said Marcia De Graff, PK-second grade principal of MOC-Floyd Valley Elementary.
Mike Landhuis, third through fifth-grade principal, also shares, “We have settled into our new building and have enjoyed the extra space it affords us. Waht a blessing to have extra space — such a change from our old building. We continue to fine-tune some of the new systems, such as ventilation, but for the most part, everything is up and running as it should. We just celebrated our first Homecoming week in the new building, and it was a great week of celebrating. Plus, we were able to all gather in the gym for a pep rally with space for everyone. The staff and students have done a tremendous job of merging into one learning community, and we look forward to the rest of the year.”
The building will have an additional safety feature thanks to a governor’s safety grant. “Xtreme Services out of Des Moines will begin applying a protective safety film on designated areas of our school building,” said Superintendent Russ Adams. The film will make the outdoor windows shatterproof. The Sioux County Sheriff’s Department also expanded the school resource officer position and will have added support from officers in the building.
The MOC_Floyd Valley High School was another part of the bond with a $4,623,737 million dollar expansion and updates. The new section of the initial proposal included a school kitchen remodel, but the bids exceeded funding. “We got creative. Instead of hiring contractors over the summer of 2022, we did the work ourselves,” Adams said. “We tore up the kitchen floor at the high school, tore out a back room, and moved a cooler, all to create more storage and a better flow for food preparation and serving. It is much more efficient now.”
The new section, scheduled to be completed in 2023, will include a secure entrance and remodeled student services, including offices for the principal, activities director, counseling, nurse, and conference areas. The remodel includes three classrooms, now totaling seven in the area. The space also includes a private kitchen, a student locker area, and a conference area.
MOC-Floyd Valley continues to be a state leader in computer science education at all levels, advancing in this area by adding a high school robotics club. Siouxland CAPS program is another highly successful program allowing MOC-Floyd Valley students to learn and partner with the community in fields of intended study. MOC-Floyd Valley provides various extra-curricular activities, including athletics and fine arts, meeting multiple student interests. “The authentic learning experiences and the way we partner with the community are significant,” Adams said. “And I believe we have been persistent in creating these opportunities and helping other districts do the same thing. However, the most important thing we have is quality people that care deeply about every child here and go above and beyond to provide whatever we can.”
