With spring break now complete, Red Oak students have returned to a full schedule of spring activities. The track season is already in motion, with early success at indoor meets

Superintendent Ron Lorenz highlighted a strong showing at the Northwest Missouri State indoor meet, where the team placed sixth out of 22 schools. Individual standouts included:

Additional spring sports are now getting underway, including:

Competitions are scheduled to begin this week, with track heading to Lewis Central and boys soccer traveling to Underwood.

The Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress (ISASP) tests were originally scheduled for next week, but the district is considering a short delay.

Lorenz said the district may request a waiver from the Iowa Department of Education to push testing back by one week. The goal is to ensure students are able to focus and perform at their best.

“We want kids to be in the right mindset,” Lorenz said. “There are bigger things on their minds right now, and we want them to have the opportunity to do their best.”

Families are encouraged to support students during testing by ensuring they:

Construction continues at Inman Elementary School, with visible progress already underway.

Recent work has included:

Lorenz said the construction team, Boyd Jones, has been efficient and focused on exterior work to avoid disrupting the school day.

“They’ve been highly professional and efficient,” Lorenz said. “They’re doing everything they can outside the building right now so we can keep school running as normal.”

Once the school year ends, crews will move inside to continue renovations. The district remains optimistic the project will be completed before the start of the next school year.

With construction in place, adjustments to drop-off and pick-up procedures have been implemented. The district, in coordination with the City of Red Oak, has temporarily modified traffic patterns to improve safety and flow.

Lorenz noted that while challenges are expected, most families have adapted well.

“We appreciate the cooperation and patience from our families,” he said. “People have done a really good job working through the changes.”

Drivers are encouraged to avoid the Inman area during peak times (7–8 a.m. and 3–4 p.m.) when possible.

Despite current challenges, Lorenz expressed confidence in the district’s staff, students, and community.

“Our community has always come together in difficult times,” he said. “We’ll continue to support one another and move forward together.”

As spring activities ramp up, construction progresses, and testing approaches, district leaders say the focus remains on supporting students both academically and emotionally.