Editing Welton, Iowa (section)

==Education==
Welton is one of the communities in the [[Central DeWitt Community School District]], which spans a large portion of central Clinton County;<ref>"[https://educateiowa.gov/sites/files/ed/documents/SDRP2017_CENTRAL%20DEWITT.pdf Central DeWitt] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180427121342/https://www.educateiowa.gov/sites/files/ed/documents/SDRP2017_CENTRAL%20DEWITT.pdf |date=April 27, 2018 }}." [[Iowa Department of Education]]. Retrieved on November 8, 2018.</ref> it was known as the Central Clinton Community School District until July 1, 2014.<ref name=Mergerlist>"[https://www.educateiowa.gov/sites/files/ed/documents/District%20Reorganization%20History%20final.pdf REORGANIZATION & DISSOLUTION ACTIONS SINCE 1965-66] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190209124738/https://www.educateiowa.gov/sites/files/ed/documents/District%20Reorganization%20History%20final.pdf |date=February 9, 2019 }}." [[Iowa Department of Education]]. Retrieved on July 20, 2018.</ref>

For more than 40 years, the district operated Welton Elementary School to serve students in the north-central part of the district, with junior high and high school students being bused to DeWitt. According to the ''[[Quad City Times]]'', "the 85-year-old school  closed in 2005 because of budget constraints and declining enrollment,"<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2006-04-06 |title=Welton school comes down after 85 years |url=https://qctimes.com/news/local/welton-school-comes-down-after-85-years/image_7867df72-f32a-5c3b-8c76-fce0192087b3.html |access-date=2024-02-10 |website=The Quad-City Times |language=en}}</ref> and on April 5, 2006 the 85-year-old Welton School building was demolished.<ref name=":0" /> Until 1961, the school building also housed junior high and high school students as part of the Welton Independent School District; sports teams were known as the Wolverines. The junior-senior high school was closed in 1961, when Welton, along with the former Grand Mound and DeWitt school districts, consolidated to form the Central Community School District.

Welton Elementary had three buildings. The third floor of the main building had a computer laboratory, a library, and a media center. In addition to the main building, there was an art room and teacher's lounge facility, and a modular facility with two classrooms.<ref name=ReedJenoldbldgs>{{cite news|author=Reed, Jennifer|url=https://qctimes.com/news/local/central-elementary-students-crowd-into-old-buildings/article_d0521b15-bc67-5c7e-9f3b-149eb2feaff9.html|title=Central elementary students crowd into old buildings|newspaper=[[Quad City Times]]|date=2001-03-02|access-date=2018-11-08|archive-date=November 7, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181107224333/https://qctimes.com/news/local/central-elementary-students-crowd-into-old-buildings/article_d0521b15-bc67-5c7e-9f3b-149eb2feaff9.html|url-status=live}}</ref> Welton Elementary had 217 students in the 1998–1999 school year.<ref>"[http://www.central-clinton.k12.ia.us/Graphics/District/New_Folder/page4.htm Central Elementary, Welton Building] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20051230140937/http://www.central-clinton.k12.ia.us/Graphics/District/New_Folder/page4.htm |date=2005-12-30 }}." Central Clinton Community School District. May 25, 2000. Retrieved on November 8, 2018.</ref> [[Grand Mound, Iowa|Grand Mound]] Elementary students used the library, media and computer facilities at Welton Elementary. The district at one time considered expanding Welton Elementary to upper elementary levels but decided against it since it deemed the building too out of date and architecturally difficult to renovate, citing narrow staircases which would have difficulty accommodating chairlifts and the multi-story design. Welton was not fully accessible to handicapped students.<ref name=ReedJenoldbldgs/>

Circa 2001 there was a bond proposal to expand the elementary schools in DeWitt, which would have centralized services and facilities for the handicapped, and close the schools in Grand Mound and Welton.<ref name=ReedJenoldbldgs/> Welton Elementary closed in the summer of 2005, and was demolished in 2006. A historic newspaper was found inside the cornerstone, and the City of Welton government received the school memorabilia.<ref>{{cite news|author=Martens, Steven|url=https://qctimes.com/news/local/welton-school-comes-down-after-years/article_41b12ed9-d5a0-5ba5-bdc8-0ff87ee00ea2.html|title=Welton school comes down after 85 years|newspaper=[[Quad City Times]]|date=2006-04-06|access-date=2018-11-08|archive-date=November 7, 2018|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181107224126/https://qctimes.com/news/local/welton-school-comes-down-after-years/article_41b12ed9-d5a0-5ba5-bdc8-0ff87ee00ea2.html|url-status=live}}</ref>