West Iron County Public Schools
School district in Michigan
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
West Iron County Public Schools is a public school district in Iron County, in the Upper Peninsula of Michigan. It serves Iron River, Caspian, Gaastra, and the townships of Bates, Iron River, and Stambaugh.[4]
| West Iron County Public Schools | |
|---|---|
| Address | |
601 Nick Baumgartner Way[1]
, Iron County, Michigan, 49935United States | |
| District information | |
| Motto | Once a Wykon, Always a Wycon![1] |
| Grades | PreKindergarten–12[2] |
| Superintendent | Kevin Schmutzler[3] |
| Schools | 2[2] |
| Budget | $12,068,000 2022-2023 expenditures[2] |
| NCES District ID | 2632910[2] |
| Students and staff | |
| Students | 760 (2024-2025)[2] |
| Teachers | 50.41 (on an FTE basis) (2024-2025)[2] |
| Staff | 105.3 FTE (2024-2025)[2] |
| Student–teacher ratio | 15.08 (2024-2025)[2] |
| District mascot | Wykons[1] |
| Other information | |
| Website | www |
History
Iron River's Central School, designed by Milwaukee architects Van Ryn & DeGelleke, was built in 1904.[5] It closed in 1980, but was restored and renovated as an apartment building around 2013. It is located at 218 West Cayuga Street.[6]
In March 1928, a new high school opened in Iron River. It included a 650-seat auditorium and "every possible device and equipment for the comfort and convenience of its occupants," according to a newspaper.[7] A few weeks after the opening of the high school, about half of the student body went on strike for a day, upset over the termination of their science teacher.[8]
Stambaugh's school district and Iron River's school district merged in 1967,[9] forming the current district. The Wykon was invented by some of the high school staff to be the district's mascot. It is a scary blue lion-like creature with three legs.[10][11]
On January 13, 1988, a gas explosion at the high school badly injured a coach and eighteen students. A leak under a sidewalk near the school seeped into the school's basement and exploded when a coach turned on a light. The blast damaged the interior of the weight room and boys' locker room.[12][13]
A bond issue passed in 1992 to fund construction of a new high school.[9]
After becoming the district's middle school, the old Iron River High School closed after the 2008-2009 school year. The building became Windsor Center, which houses arts and recreation programs for the community.[14]
Schools
Schools in West Iron County Public Schools are in connected buildings on a campus in Iron River.[1]
| School | Address | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| West Iron County Middle and High School | 701 Nick Baumgartner Way, Iron River | Grades 6–12. |
| Stambaugh Elementary | 700 Washington Avenue, Iron River | Grades PreK-5. |