The Iola-Scandinavia School District held its first Strategic Task Force planning meeting on the evening of Wednesday, September 16, 2026. Approximately 45 task force members took part, including community members, district staff, and students.
District Administrator Chris Nelson opened the meeting with an overview of the school's history and a tour of the facility. Mike Endreas, an educational consultant with Nexus Solutions, facilitated the remainder of the session, sharing information about the purpose and benefits of strategic planning along with an overview of the planning process.
Participants then worked in small groups to answer three questions:
What great things are happening at Iola-Scandinavia?
What are the biggest challenges facing Iola-Scandinavia?
What changes to educational programs, activities, or facilities are needed to ensure future student achievement and district success?
Emerging themes from those responses will be identified and prioritized at the second task force meeting, scheduled for Wednesday, September 30, 2026.