Danielson

Amber Danielson, Arts + Culture Alliance Executive Director

In 2025, the Arts + Culture Alliance experienced a year of meaningful growth and visible progress, turning long-term vision into action across Marshalltown and Marshall County. Most notably, the opening of the Alliance’s new downtown space created a welcoming home for arts and culture in the heart of the community, while new creative placemaking projects signaled a renewed commitment to investing in shared spaces. From live performances and exhibitions to storytelling and public art, the year reflected a growing appetite for creativity, connection, and collaboration.

The downtown space quickly became more than an office or event venue–welcoming over 2600 people throughout the year– it emerged as a gathering place where artists, organizers, and residents could come together to share ideas, build relationships, and imagine what’s possible. Artists found new opportunities to showcase and sell their work, connect with peers, and collaborate across disciplines. At the same time, cross-sector conversations brought together leaders from arts, culture, and community organizations, strengthening partnerships and aligning efforts around shared goals. Together, these moments helped cultivate a more connected and vibrant community.

Investing directly into our creative community through artists and organizations remained central to the Alliance’s work throughout the year. New grant programs supported innovative projects, activated public spaces, and elevated diverse voices from across the region. A special community artist in residency grant invited an internationally recognized artist to our community who use storytelling as a way to bring people together across generations and backgrounds, deepening understanding and celebrating shared experiences.

Creative community development and public art — supported through strong public-private partnerships — played an important role in shaping Marshalltown’s sense of place and shared pride throughout 2025. New murals at the Marshalltown Baseball Club by Missy Sharer-Pieters and Marshalltown Community College by Siriaco Garcia added color and storytelling to familiar spaces, while interactive installations encouraged people to pause, explore, and connect. Projects such as the Tallest Round Handled Brick Trowel sculpture and ‘Ripples’ at the Apgar Family Water Plaza by Hilde DeBruyne became visible symbols of creativity in action, inviting both residents and visitors to experience Marshalltown in innovative and meaningful ways.

As the Alliance looks ahead to 2026, the focus shifts from momentum to implementation. The coming year brings anticipation for new spaces opening in the Linn Creek District, downtown transformations coming to life in vacant lots and alleyways, expanded support for artists and organizations with new grant programs, and new ways of sharing Marshalltown’s unique story. With continued collaboration and community engagement, the Arts + Culture Alliance enters the new year grateful and energized–ready to build on the successes of 2025 and continue shaping a vibrant, connected future together.

Elder

Kim Elder, Marshall County Emergency Management Coordinator

Emergency Management is a fast changing and growing part of local government in the US and throughout the world as we see the uptick in disasters, man-made and natural. As always, disasters (and emergencies) start locally and end locally. EM has worked hard over the years to prepare and train our responders and work with all jurisdictions to improve their readiness and resilience. I am blessed to work in a county with partners that work so well together on the blue sky and dark sky days. Building the EM agency is a major goal of mine, and the commission’s, so we have the resources to serve all of our county. This year we brought on a part-time support specialist to assist in the gap areas and strengthen the team. I have worked alone in the office for 15 of my 21 years here in Marshall County, and it can be a real challenge to get through all the mandates (funded and unfunded) and also the local requirements on a daily basis. This new position will allow for more outreach in the key areas our commission must strengthen to be ready for the next event, disaster, emergency, and for every day happenings. Marshall County EM will continue to work with response partners, non-traditional partners, community members, and non-governmental organizations to assure our county has the best resiliency possible. 2025 has been a challenging year, as have many in the not so distant past, but we learn and grow through these challenges.

Looking forward to 2026 is exciting as the commission has committed to hiring the part-time support specialist into a full time position, showing that the position was much needed and will continue to benefit our agency and county. I am excited to see what more we can bring to our county, through training and education, and working with individual jurisdictions to improve their plans and processes in emergency management. We are one big team and it takes us all to be prepared to make us a stronger team. Communication, Cooperation, and Coordination at its best!

Graber

Julie Graber, St. Francis Catholic School Principal

As this year draws to a close, we pause with gratitude to reflect on God’s many blessings at St. Francis Catholic School, as well as the lessons learned through our challenges. Guided by our mission and inspired by St. Francis of Assisi, we continue to grow as a community committed to forming children academically, socially, emotionally, and spiritually.

Celebrating Our Successes

This year, we embraced our theme, “Live Peace, Like Francis,” in honor of the 800th anniversary of the death of St. Francis. Fr. John helped us begin the year with a retreat at Grimes Farm, inviting us to learn, reflect, and act on what it means to live like St. Francis — with humility, peace, gratitude, and care for God’s creation. This theme has shaped our prayer, our service, and the way we strive to treat one another every day.

We continue to strengthen our identity as a Catholic school–rooted in prayer, service, and faith formation. Fr. Alan also led the teachers in faith formation through The Four Gospels: Four Perspectives on Jesus, helping deepen our understanding of Scripture and discipleship. Our students continue to engage in meaningful opportunities to live out their Catholic faith, follow the Gospel, and recognize Christ’s presence in one another. The Catholic Dimensions Committee has led the way in providing additional opportunities for students and staff to grow their faith through prayer, worship, song, Adoration, Reconciliation, and service. These experiences help shape not only strong learners, but compassionate disciples.

Academically, we made significant strides this year. We created a master schedule that allows for intentional intervention blocks and increased collaboration time. Within our MTSS framework, this provides tiered support so students receive what they specifically need — whether that is help filling gaps or opportunities to extend learning. Our updated identification process for enrichment and XLP has enabled us to more accurately identify students in the area of giftedness. Through regular data-analysis meetings, teachers use student information to plan targeted interventions, ensuring learners receive the instruction they need to master essential skills. At the same time, we remain intentional about supporting students who need enrichment and challenge. This structure empowers teachers to collaborate, problem-solve, and respond effectively to the diverse needs of their students. Our leadership team has played a critical role in this work, supporting instructional practices and helping ensure our decisions are grounded in data, mission, and what is best for students.

Teachers began implementing our new CKLA English Language Arts curriculum supported by our instructional coach during collaboration time. We also invested in supporting our English Language Learners. With guidance from AEA ELL consultant Lisa Wymore, teachers engaged in professional development and will continue to learn by receiving coaching from Lisa to embed effective ELL strategies into everyday lessons, ensuring all students can access and engage with rigorous content.

Meanwhile, our curriculum team has partnered with Amie Smith, an AEA math consultant, as we work toward adopting a new math curriculum that aligns with research-based practices and supports deep conceptual understanding.

In terms of operational vitality, we continue to strengthen the long-term health of our school. A key accomplishment has been our two-year commitment to increasing teacher salaries. With the support of our administration and school board, this investment honors the dedication of our staff and helps us attract and retain excellent educators. We also added a Student Health Coordinator, a positive staffing change that allows us to better support student wellness, coordinate care, and ensure families feel supported when health needs arise.

Grateful for Our Families and Students

We are deeply blessed by the families who partner with us in the sacred work of educating their children. Our families play a critical role — supporting learning at home, working alongside us to help students grow, and continually showing up in ways that strengthen our community. They volunteer, participate in events, and generously give their time and energy to support our fundraisers and school initiatives. Their ongoing encouragement and involvement are true gifts.

We are also so grateful for our children. Each student is uniquely created by God and brings joy, curiosity, and a spirit of goodness to our halls and classrooms. They are at the heart of everything we do, and we are honored to walk with them as they learn, grow, and discover who God is calling them to be.

Acknowledging Our Challenges

With growth comes challenges. Implementing new programs, analyzing data, rethinking schedules, refining instructional practices, and hiring highly qualified staff require time, patience, and perseverance. Balancing the needs of students who require intervention with those needing enrichment continues to challenge us — yet it also pushes us to be more intentional and innovative.

We are still learning how to streamline systems, communicate consistently, and align efforts across grade levels. These challenges remind us that transformation is a process — one rooted in collaboration, humility, and trust in God’s guidance.

Looking Ahead with Hope

Our work continues in alignment with the overarching goals of the Archdiocese of Dubuque:

All schools will be collaborative ministries of their parish(es) and form young Catholic disciples rooted in faith, knowledge, and service.

All schools will be academically strong, strive toward continuous improvement, and challenge each student to reach their fullest academic potential.

All schools will have operational vitality structures in place to be successful both now and in the future.

We are grateful for the outstanding work of our Religion & Mission; Marketing, Enrollment and Communications; and HR, Facilities, and Finance committees. These committees made up of school board members, families, and teachers have provided invaluable guidance in reaching our goals and taking meaningful actions that strengthen our school and advance our mission.

Flowing from Archdiocese goals, our local goals focus on putting this vision into daily practice:

Provide a guaranteed and viable curriculum so every student has access to clearly defined, high-quality learning expectations.

Provide high-quality instruction for all students through research-based practices, coaching, and continuous improvement.

Maximize instructional Time so learning is purposeful, protected, and responsive to student needs.

Engage in spiritual and professional collaboration and growth so teachers deepen their faith and instructional practice, model lifelong discipleship and learning, and create enriched experiences that strengthen students’ Catholic faith.

As we look toward 2026, these commitments continue to shape our work through:

Catholicity: Deepening faith experiences so students encounter Christ daily and are equipped to live their faith with joy and courage.

Operational Vitality: Strengthening structures, communication, and financial sustainability so our mission thrives for years to come.

Academics: Refining systems and processes to support student learning, ensuring every child is prepared academically, socially, emotionally, and spiritually.

We will continue supporting teachers through professional learning, coaching, and collaboration as they implement both CKLA and our forthcoming math curriculum. We are deeply grateful for their dedication, creativity, and tireless efforts in meeting the needs of every student. By refining our intervention and enrichment systems, we aim to ensure each student receives the right level of challenge and support.

With gratitude for the work already accomplished and hope for what lies ahead, we trust that God will continue to bless our efforts and guide our community — forming students who lead with faith, character, and intellect.

Hicks

David Hicks, YSS of Marshall County Senior Director of Community Engagement

The new year brings another bookmark where we assess and set the bar for the upcoming year. Just like many of our clients and program participants, we tend to only see our shortcomings, problems, and how we need to “do better.” I think we need to let go of the idea that there are a whole bunch of things we need to fix. I think we just need to find a better pace, more rest, time for ourselves, and some quiet space to rejuvenate. Instead of trying to impose resolutions for improvement, we should look at better ways to support our current self. Constant self-critique isn’t helpful when we all could use more self-compassion. If we believe ‘if I just work harder, I will get better’, we must also remind ourselves that we won’t always be motivated, so we must be disciplined.

This past year I was able to celebrate my 30th year at YSS of Marshall County. That milestone wouldn’t have been possible without my colleagues, past and present. I respect everyone who I’ve had the privilege to work with over the past 3 decades. While I’m much closer to the end of my career, I’ve been able to do my life’s work for the town I was born and raised in. When I reflect on that, I feel nothing but pride. My professional highlight this year was presenting at the National Co-Responder Conference in Atlanta regarding MPACT, the Marshalltown Police and Community Team. It was great to have an audience from all over the country hearing what we do in Marshalltown and how they can improve their city’s response to mental health and other non-criminal calls. This coming year will allow us to expand MPACT across Marshall County. We’re also on the clock right now to find longer term sources of support as our current funding with the city will end next December. While most federal funding for these projects are looking to fund start-ups, very few dollars exist for maintaining the services. MPACT responded to well over 200 calls involving more than 500 people in 2025. In addition, their follow up visits numbered over 600 with more than 1,000 people. My goal this year is to present MPACT data, processes, and outcomes to the Sociology students at my Alma Mater, William Penn University. I truly hope I can make that full-circle moment happen!

Our other niche-based services have also seen all-time highs in 2025. Our Aftercare program, which case manages young adults aging out of foster care, is serving 38 people. As these young adults prepare for independence and self-reliance, the barriers they face are very difficult to overcome. The need for affordable housing is great along with many needing co-signers to enter into a first-time lease. This is just not possible without a reliable family support system. Our transitional living clients are also facing the same challenges. I credit our staff in working alongside these people to help support their path in life.

It was a year full of changes at YSS. While we reduced some significant services, it came from a position of long-term sustainability. Although we are a non-profit, we still must operate like any healthy business should. We focused on doing what we do better, rather than doing many things that stretch staff and budgets. It was a hard pivot, but we are stewards of many diverse pots of funding, and those need to be managed with diligence. Change is hard, but not changing can be worse. The new year has brought more stability, but as always, we are subject to many variables including federal and state legislation, reimbursement rates, and economic downturns. One constant from each year to the next is the critical support we receive from Marshall County residents. Our resilience is knowing we can weather these unknowns with dedicated public support. For that, I’m grateful. YSS will continue to put ourselves in favorable positions so we can be ready when the luck happens!

Hibbs

Carol Hibbs, Marshall County Supervisor

I believe Marshall County has seen a year of “visible momentum” in 2025. As we look toward 2026, the focus is shifting from planning to delivery.

The most significant successes of 2025 include the tangible progress in infrastructure and community aesthetics, both in Marshalltown and around Marshall County, while also working to keep expenses focused and in line with budget. A significant challenge this year has been managing transition, particularly as some may be experiencing ‘construction fatigue’ around the Courthouse in the downtown Marshalltown area.

My hope for 2026 is that the residents of Marshall County feel a renewed sense of pride, especially as we continue to make progress and find common ground in addressing our challenges for the future.

Howsare Boyens

Dr. Anne Howsare Boyens, Iowa Valley Community College District President

As we close 2025, I am grateful for the remarkable progress across the Iowa Valley Community College District and for the partnership of our students, employees, communities, and local industries. This has been a year defined by collaboration, innovation, and renewed momentum.

In 2025 we successfully reorganized student services across the district, creating clearer pathways for support and increasing direct communication with our students. This work contributed to stronger engagement and a meaningful increase in enrollment at all of our campuses and centers. We also celebrated significant milestones in our capital and grant-funded projects. The finalization of our districtwide bond projects has strengthened our learning environments, and at Iowa Valley Grinnell, the State of Iowa Department of Education CAIF grant has allowed for completion of the long-awaited automotive lab remodel.

Our work in economic development has also been a standout success. Business and Community Solutions expanded its partnerships with local business and industry, delivering training that strengthens the regional workforce and helps employers stay competitive. Academic programs across the district remain full and vibrant, and our students continue to shine in extracurricular activities. Esports at Marshalltown Community College led the way again with national and regional success that brought positive visibility to the district and showcased the talent of our student-athletes.

As we look toward 2026, we are focused on initiatives that will support continued growth and opportunity. A major priority is the expansion of student housing at Marshalltown Community College, which will help meet demand, strengthen recruitment, and support student success. We are also preparing to reorganize the academic administration side of the district to further increase shared governance and collaboration. We are also looking forward to broadening our portfolio of short-term academic programs, ensuring that our district remains responsive to workforce needs and accessible to all learners seeking fast, relevant training.

It is a privilege to serve the communities of Marshalltown, Iowa Falls, Grinnell, and all the district’s communities. I look forward to what we will accomplish together in 2026.