Spirit Lake Community School District

What Spirit Lake Community School District does

Spirit Lake Community School District is a public K-12 school district chartered by the State of Iowa and headquartered at 2701 Hill Avenue in Spirit Lake, Iowa. The district serves students in the Iowa Great Lakes region, including Spirit Lake, Okoboji, and surrounding communities in Dickinson County, operating four facilities: Spirit Lake High School (grades 9-12), Spirit Lake Middle School (grades 6-8), Spirit Lake Elementary School (grades PK-5), and a separate Preschool program. The district's product offering is comprehensive public education, including standard academics, special education, gifted/talented (TAG) programming, a full athletics program across four seasons, a fine arts program (marching band, jazz band, show choir, jazz choir, speech, drama), and differentiated programs such as School of the Wild (a week-long outdoor education partnership with the University of Iowa) and Spring Academy (project-based learning week).

The district's technology stack is composed of off-the-shelf K-12 administrative and educational platforms, including Infinite Campus for student information and online registration, Follett Destiny for library cataloging, Google Workspace for Education, Bus Right for parent transportation tracking, Hudl for athletic video, Midwest Sports+ and YouTube for live event streaming, and YouCanBookMe for student counseling appointments. The most distinctive physical asset is the SAMI Bedell Center for the Performing Arts, a 1,000-seat state-of-the-art auditorium added to the high school in 2008, which houses one of a limited number of Yamaha limited-edition red concert grand pianos signed by Elton John. The district is governed by an elected five-member Board of Education and led by Superintendent Dr. David Smith.

As a public government entity, Spirit Lake Community School District does not generate commercial revenue. Funding flows from a combination of state per-pupil aid, local property taxes (with public hearing notices for FY25, FY26, and FY27), and federal grants. Ancillary revenue is generated through a school nutrition program that sells paid meals to students ($2.55 breakfast, $3.05-$3.35 lunch) and adults ($3.25 breakfast, $5.15 lunch), with a free and reduced-price meal program. The district's GTM motion is direct-to-consumer via in-district and open enrollment, with no commercial sales effort; growth depends on local demographics, state policy, and open-enrollment uptake. Distribution and enrollment are managed through district facilities, the Infinite Campus portal, the district website, and active social media channels (Facebook, X, Instagram, YouTube, Snapchat, TikTok) used for community engagement rather than customer acquisition.

Name

Spirit Lake Community School District

Legal name

Spirit Lake Community School District

Website

https://spirit-lake.k12.ia.us

Company type

Private

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Spirit Lake Community School District is a public PK-12 school district in Spirit Lake, Iowa, serving students across the Iowa Great Lakes region through four schools, funded by state aid, property taxes, and federal grants.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Spirit Lake

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices4 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Revenue model

1. Public Education Funding: District is funded through a combination of state per-pupil funding, local property taxes, and federal grants. School board sets annual budget with property tax notices for FY25, FY26, and FY27.
2. Student Meal Sales: District operates school nutrition program with paid breakfast and lunch meals for students and staff, with free/reduced meal eligibility program available.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels3 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

Spirit Lake Community School District provides comprehensive public education from preschool through 12th grade across four school facilities: Spirit Lake High School (grades 9-12), Spirit Lake Middle School (grades 6-8), Spirit Lake Elementary School (PK-5), and Spirit Lake Preschool. The district delivers core academics alongside a broad athletics program, fine arts curriculum, the SAMI Bedell Center for Performing Arts, School of the Wild outdoor education, and the Spring Academy project-based learning program for residents of Spirit Lake and the surrounding Dickinson County, Iowa area.

Product overview

Spirit Lake Community School District is a public school district providing comprehensive educational services from preschool through 12th grade across four school facilities (High School, Middle School, Elementary, and Preschool). The district operates as a unified educational platform with core academic programs enhanced by specialized modules including the SAMI Bedell Center for Performing Arts (a 1000-seat professional auditorium), the Shake the Lakes competitive show choir event, comprehensive athletics (fall/winter/spring/summer sports), fine arts (band, choir, speech, drama), School of the Wild outdoor education, and Spring Academy project-based learning. The district is supported by parent organizations including Partners in Education (PIE), the Indian Athletic Booster Club, and Music Boosters. Technology integrations include Infinite Campus (student information), Follett Destiny (library), and various Google tools for forms and scheduling.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• SAMI Bedell Center for the Performing Arts: A state-of-the-art, 1000-seat auditorium venue with a 50' x 40' stage, full fly loft, green room, dressing/makeup rooms, black box theatre, costume shop, scene shop, orchestra pit, and catering kitchen. Located in Spirit Lake, Iowa as an addition to Spirit Lake High School.

Products and services

• Spirit Lake High School 9-12 grade educational program offering college-preparatory academics, athletics, fine arts including band, choir, and drama, speech team, and various extracurricular activities. Includes counseling services, online library catalog via Follett Destiny, and student handbook resources.
• Spirit Lake Middle School 6-8 grade educational program featuring the School of the Wild (week-long outdoor education with University of Iowa partnership) and Spring Academy (project-based learning week). Offers athletics, fine arts, and extracurricular activities.
• Spirit Lake Elementary School PK-5 grade educational program including kindergarten with physical, dental, and eye exam requirements. Features Partners in Education (PIE) parent organization, playground facilities, and library services.
• Spirit Lake Preschool Pre-kindergarten program with enrollment information and handbook available. Accepts registrations for upcoming school years.
• SAMI Bedell Center for the Performing Arts State-of-the-art 1000-seat auditorium with 50' x 40' stage, full fly loft, green room, dressing rooms, black box theatre, costume shop, scene shop, orchestra pit, and catering kitchen. Houses one of a limited number of Yamaha limited-edition red concert grand pianos signed by Elton John. Serves as venue for band concerts, choir performances, drama productions, and community events.
• Shake the Lakes Annual competitive show choir and jazz choir contest event held at the SAMI Bedell Center. Features jazz choir contest and show choir competition with multiple participating schools, volunteer opportunities, and spectator events.
• School of the Wild Week-long immersive outdoor education program for middle school students in partnership with University of Iowa. Features hiking, biking, high ropes courses, fishing, water quality testing, kayaking, outdoor cooking, and art activities. Partners include Lakeside Labs, Camp Foster YMCA, Methodist Camp, DNR, The Nature Center, and Iowa State Extension.
• Spring Academy Annual week-long project-based learning (PPL) program for middle school students where they explore real-world problems through hands-on projects integrating science, math, and social studies.
• Athletics Program Comprehensive athletic program offering fall sports (cross country, football, volleyball), winter sports (boys and girls basketball, wrestling), spring sports (soccer, tennis, track, golf), and summer sports (softball, baseball, swim). Includes Indian Athletic Booster Club support.
• Fine Arts Program Comprehensive arts program including instrumental music (marching band, jazz band), vocal music (show choir, jazz choir), speech team, and drama. Students compete at state level in IHSMA contests and perform at SAMI Bedell Center.

Quantifiable outcome

• IHSMA State Marching Band Contest - Division I Superior Rating
• +1 more outcomes

Segments3 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration8 records

Partnerships

Nine partnerships are on record, tiered core and supporting.

• University of IowacoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners with Spirit Lake Middle School for the School of the Wild outdoor education program, providing academic oversight and research support for the immersive environmental learning experience.
• Lakeside LabscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerLocal environmental education partner for School of the Wild program, providing facilities and naturalist expertise for outdoor education experiences.
• Camp Foster YMCAcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides outdoor recreation facilities and programming support for School of the Wild program including营地 facilities for student activities.
• Iowa Department of Natural Resources (DNR)supportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerPartners with School of the Wild to provide environmental education expertise and resources about local natural resources.
• The Nature CentersupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerEnvironmental education partner providing facilities and programming for outdoor education experiences.
• Iowa State ExtensionsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerAcademic extension partner providing educational resources and expertise for School of the Wild curriculum.
• The Methodist CampsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerProvides facilities for School of the Wild program activities and outdoor education experiences.
• Pearson Lakes Art CentersupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerArt center partners with district to host 8th grade art workshops with ISU Professor of Art and Design, providing professional-level art education experiences.
• Iowa State University - Department of Art and DesignsupportingStrategic or Co-development PartnerISU Professor of Art and Design provides instruction for 8th grade art workshops held at Pearson Lakes Art Center.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Direct peers

• Okoboji Community School District: Neighboring K-12 public school district serving the same Iowa Great Lakes / Dickinson County population under Iowa's open-enrollment regime, directly competing for the same students, families, and staff. Comparable in scale, governance, and program mix.
• Estherville Lincoln Central Community School District: Nearby northwest Iowa K-12 public school district in Emmet County that competes with Spirit Lake for students, staff, and extracurricular participation across the Iowa Great Lakes region. Comparable rural Iowa public school operations.
• Milford Community School District: Adjacent rural Iowa K-12 public school district in Dickinson County, competing for open-enrollment students from the same regional population. Similar size, governance structure, and rural Iowa funding model.

Regional players

• Fort Dodge Community School District: Iowa K-12 public school district of comparable size, operating under the same state aid / property tax / federal grant funding model. Offers similar comprehensive academic, athletic, and fine arts programming in a mid-sized Iowa community.
• Storm Lake Community School District: Mid-sized Iowa K-12 public school district operating under the same state per-pupil funding and open-enrollment framework. Comparable in offering comprehensive PK-12 academics, athletics, and fine arts, with similar governance and funding constraints.

Market position

Strengths4 records

Weaknesses4 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/SpiritLakeIA
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UC86Q-j8mlaO0TALz5nyJqOQ
• Facebookfacebook.com/SpiritLakeCommunitySchoolDistrict
• Instagraminstagram.com/spirit_lake_school_district
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/spirit-lake-community-school-district

Compliance1 record

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles15 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Spirit Lake Community School District