Progress
Education
2026
—Daily Freeman Journal photo by Kolleen Taylor
The entrance to Webster City High School is shown.
Working to improve reading programs and watching impact on annual statistics reports
Webster City schools:
OVERCOMING CHALLENGES *By KOLLEEN TAYLOR The Webster City Community Schools have overcome some challenges during the last few decades as teachers, administration, even school boards have faced many changes, and shifts in procedure. But the school system has overcome the worst of the issues, and the teachers are working hard to stay on top of the changes and studies that have shifted during the past 20 years. Diane Bahrenefuss is one of the teachers who has changed her role in the Webster City schools from a third grade classroom teacher to a Title I teacher, or an “interventionist.” She works with students who are struggling with reading in the second, third and fourth grade classrooms. “We are being trained on science of reading,” said Bahrenfuss, “Now they can see the different parts of the brain that light up when a person is reading.” That scientific approach to studying reading has changed the way teachers have approached reading skills for young children. “We went for a lot of years not using phonics, recognizing the whole word,” she explained. “We now understand this is not the way to do it, they need a lot of instruction in letters and sound.” Bahrenfuss began teaching at Sunset Heights in 2009. At that time they were told to teach reading by the word, not using phonics. This phonological awareness has made a big difference in the past few years, and this change in the approach began in 2021, but most recently in Webster City, in just the past few years. “We are seeing a lot of improvement because the kids are learning; they are not missing any pieces now. It’s a very systematic, explicit teaching, one lesson builds on the next,” Bahrenfuss said. “It will be interesting to see how long it takes for all the changes. I hope it’s fast,” she said. “You need reading to do anything else, but I also think kids can learn by what
the content is. If they are interested in a topic they are interested in, they are more willing to do the effort.” Bahrenfuss’ job is as a Title I teacher. There is also an English Language teacher in each building, and in Sunset Heights, that is Michele Dyvig. These changes are part of the strategy that has helped the school system address some of the challenges they faced resulting from both the years of disruption due to Covid and the influx of more non-English speaking families. ∫ The interest in the school board races last fall and large turnout at the school board forum indicate that the community wants to understand better what has been happening inside local schools. That interest reflects both pride and concern. Statistics provided by the Iowa State Assessment report card with Jama Hisler, director of teaching and learning, and Webster City High School Principal Jason Wedgbury highlighted the district’s ongoing efforts to address challenges raised by the community — many of which are also reflected in the Iowa State Assessment report card which came out last fall. Overall, Webster City schools performed above the state average in most measured areas. English language performance was the one category that fell below the state benchmark, an area district leaders acknowledge is foundational to student success across all subjects. While younger students have shown steady improvement over a five-year period, educators continue to face a significant challenge: a growing population of English Language Learners. The district currently serves 1,805 students, with ELL enrollment increasing steadily over the past four years: 2022: 256 students 2023: 288 students 2024: 314 students 2025: 333 students Today, 16.4 percent of Webster City’s
“We’re focusing on internships and career pathways. When students see a purpose — whether through careers or college coursework — school has more value.”
population identifies as Hispanic or Latino, compared to just 1.32 percent reported by the U.S. Census 25 years ago. That demographic shift is clearly reflected in school enrollment. While teachers are using a variety of instructional tools to meet students’ needs, a shortage of bilingual educators remains a significant obstacle. “Hiring teachers in general is difficult,” Wedgbury said. In October, Hisler presented a detailed report to the school board outlining both the successes and the ongoing challenges across the district. Principals from each building contributed to the presentation, offering school-specific perspectives. Those principals include Rachel Chamberlain at Pleasant View, Sarah Nacahzel at Northeast Elementary, Teresa Van Epps at Sunset Heights, Rob Brecht at Webster City Middle School, and Jason Wedgbury and Ayn Eklund at the high school. Despite the challenges, their assessments were notably optimistic. Hisler emphasized collaboration as a cornerstone of district improvement efforts. Approximately 95 percent of teachers participate in collaborative teams, and every school has a leadership team focused on sharing strategies that work and ensuring continuity as students progress through grade levels. “We want to have multi-tiered levels of support in our classrooms,” Hisler said. A key strategy discussed repeatedly was targeted intervention. Students are temporarily grouped into specialized classrooms based on individual needs, whether academic, behavioral, or skillbased — such as math or reading difficulties. While this approach is heavily used in elementary schools to strengthen foundational skills, it plays an important role at all levels. That intervention is part of what Bahrenfuss is doing, addressing See WC SCHOOLS, Page 6B
How do area schools compare? For comparisons, the Iowa School Performance Profiles which are evaluating all the school districts on various levels summarized the following schools in near proximity to Webster City as follows: Eagle Grove Elementary: Acceptable Eagle Grove High School: Needs Improvement Robert Blue School (Middle School): Acceptable South Hamilton Elementary: High performing South Hamilton Middle and High School: Acceptable The Fort Dodge School district: Butler Elementary: Priority Cooper Elementary: Priority Duncombe Elementary: Priority Early Childhood Center: Needs Improvement Feelhaver Elementary School: Acceptable Fort Dodge High School: Needs Improvement Fort Dodge Middle School: Needs Improvement Webster City Community School District: Northeast Hamilton Elementary School: Commendable Pleasant View Elementary School: Commendable Sunset Heights Elementary School: Commendable Webster City High School: Acceptable Webster City Middle School: High performing