October 1, 2008 CONGRESSIONAL RECORD — SENATE S10311 

top priority in that community. I salute them and wish them a very successful new school year.

f 

∑ 

CLARION-GOLDFIELD 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 Clarion-Goldfield 

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 Clarion-Goldfield Community 

School District received a 1999 Harkin 

grant totaling $192,946 which it used to 

help build an addition to the middle 

school. The district also received three 

fire safety grants totaling $75,000 for 

fire alarms, exit signs, fire rated doors 

and other safety improvements 

throughout the district. The Federal 

grants have made it possible for the 

district to provide quality and safe 

schools for their students. 

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 Clarion-Goldfield Community 

School District. In particular, I would 

like to recognize the leadership of the 

board of education—president Clint 

Middleton, vice president Missy 

Schultz, Dr. Timothy Nagel, Dana 

Langfitt, and Beth Jackson and former 

board members Bruce Frink, Sally 

Woodley, Terry Lerdal and Denny 

McGrath. I would also like to recognize 

superintendent Dr. Robert Olson, board 

secretary Fern Spellmeyer, head custodian Duane Wempen, high school principal Dennis March, middle school 

principal Steve Haberman and former 

elementary school principal John 

Suhumskie. 

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 

Clarion-Goldfield 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.

f 

∑ 

CORWITH-WESLEY 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 Corwith-Wesley 

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. The Federal grant has made it 

possible for the district to provide 

quality and safe schools for their students. 

The Corwith-Wesley Community 

School District received several Harkin 

fire safety grants totaling $125,000 

which it used to make extensive fire 

safety upgrades and repairs at the high 

school and other Corwith and Wesley 

school facilities. The Federal grants 

have made it possible for the district to 

provide quality and safe schools for 

their students. 

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 Corwith-Wesley Community 

School District. In particular, I would 

like to recognize the leadership of the 

board of education—president Keith 

Hauswirth, Jonathan Chambers, Pete 

Wilhite, Tracy Studer, and Susan 

Burrs, and former members, president 

Doug DeGroote, Craig Larson, Judy 

Grandgenett, Dan Beenken, Gayle 

Trenary, and Leslie Ludwig. I would 

also like to recognize superintendent 

Willie Stone, former superintendents 

Don West, Dale Johnson, and Jim 

McDermott, and high school secretary 

Allyson Thompson. 

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 

Corwith-Wesley 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.

f 

∑ 

COUNCIL BLUFFS 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 Council Bluffs 

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 


smartinez on PROD1PC64 with SENATE