About Our School
Grant Wood's School Mission
At Grant Wood we will be respectful and productive
citizens who set and meet academic and social goals.
Strategic Plan
Grant Wood Strategic Plan
Cedar Rapids Community Schools Strategic Plan
History
Our school opened in the spring of 1951 and is named after Grant Wood, the Iowa artist known for his regionalism style of art and his most popular oil painting, American Gothic, depicting a farmer and his daughter in front of an American farmhouse. The Cedar Rapids Gazette sponsored a contest to name our school. Tommy Woodhouse, a 5th grader at Buchanan Elementary School, submitted the winning entry. Our school is the first in Cedar Rapids to be named after an artist.
Awards
FINE Award
In the 1990-1991 school year, Grant Wood was one of only a few schools across the state of Iowa to receive the First in the Nation in Education award. This award is given to schools that demonstrate overall excellence in their programs. Grant Wood is very proud of this award. You can see our FINE flag displayed in the school gymnasium. This state award made the school eligible for the National Blue Ribbon Award.
National Blue Ribbon Award
In 1992 Grant Wood School was among 228 schools to be honored as a National Blue Ribbon School by the Department of Education in Washington, D.C. The 185 public and 43 private elementary schools were selected as symbols of excellence from 476 that were nominated for the award. Selection was based on evaluations of written materials, test scores, reports by the building principal and teachers, interviews with parents and the PTA, and a rigorous three-day onsite visit by the team of reviewers. We proudly display our National Blue Ribbon Banner in the gymnasium.
