Special Mid-Month Newsletter!

School board elections are on Tuesday, November 7, 2023. Local voters will head to the polls to elect 3 community members to the board of education for Westwood Schools. We encourage everyone to take this opportunity to learn more about what’s happening in Iowa schools and get out and vote on November 7.

Candidates are running for four-year terms on the board. The candidates are:

• Andy Clayton
• Jeff Berg
• Elliott Johnson
• Dan Lee

Polls will open at 7 a.m. and close at 8 p.m.

Polling places in our community:

Hornick Fire Station, 400 Main St., Hornick, 51026

Salix City Hall, 319 Tipton St., Salix 51052

Sloan Community Center, 423 Evans St., Sloan, 51055
Smithland Fire Station, 107 S. Hickory St., Smithland, 51056

For more information about voting or about absentee voting, please contact the county auditor.

The Westwood Board of Education has turned in papers to the auditor for the Westwood Community to continue the Voter Approved Physical Plant and Equipment Property Tax (VPPEL). After a brief absence, the VPPEL was approved by the community on April 5, 2016. These dollars are generated to pay for future facility, technology and transportation projects. This will not raise property taxes as it is already on our tax roles. Please view this link for more information! Westwood VPPEL Information

With the vote of the Voter Physical Plant and Equipment Property Tax, the board has been working with CMBA Architect firm to come to a consensus on needs in the district. An online survey went to staff, students and the community to gather input. Not all the needs can be addressed right away but here is what the board put on a fast track.

Link to Flyer

Over the last 6 years we have worked to improve the safety of our students during the busy times in the parking lot. Civil Engineers are working on a plan, similar to picture below, of separating our buses from cars. The picture below is just one idea of many to make this work but the final result may look different. Buses would be south of our courtyard. Parent pick up/drop off would be along the curb between the buses and parking lot. It would be a one lane vehicle flow with the entrance on the east and the exit on the west. Also notice the addition of parking rows.

Adding parking near the facility that would help the elderly and provide more handicap accessibility. With a redesigned parking lot this area seemed like a natural way to improve event parking.

This part of the project would provide a new facility for ticketing, concessions, accessible restrooms, donor recognition and family-oriented amenities for game day. Our current restrooms are out of compliance with the American Disabilities Act and we order port-a-potties to be delivered each sports season. The renovated existing press box would provide more storage and a spirit box where the old concessions is located.

A new sidewalk would be added on the north side of the track to connect visitors to their new bleachers without them walking on the new track or over the grass. The lights for the field and track have aged out and require continual maintenance. The poles are twisting more each season. They are at the end of their life expectancy.

This project would build a new facility for ticketing, concessions and accessible restrooms for the ballfields. Currently we do not have a structure for ticketing, the concessions are minimal and the restrooms do not conform to the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The older equipment is at the end of its life cycle which prompted a look at what could be done for the playground. More to come on this project in the future.