Teacher Life-Flighted After Water Incident at Lake Macbride During Borlaug Elementary Outing

Lake Macbride, Iowa — A teacher was airlifted to a hospital Tuesday after entering the water while attempting to help two students during a fifth-grade School of the Wild outing involving Borlaug Elementary School, authorities and school officials said.

The incident occurred at the Macbride Nature Recreation Area near the Lake Macbride dam and spillway in Johnson County. Emergency crews were called to the area shortly after noon as responders worked to assist those involved.

According to reports from the scene, two students had entered the water, prompting the teacher to go in to assist them. Both students were rescued, while the teacher was later located and taken from the area for medical treatment. The teacher was transported by air ambulance.

Multiple agencies participated in the response, including water-rescue personnel, law enforcement, medical crews and aviation resources. The Johnson County Sheriff’s Office is leading the investigation into the incident.

Borlaug Elementary Principal Jason McGinnis notified families and staff after the emergency, saying families of those directly involved had been contacted. The remaining students and staff were transported back to the school following the incident.

The Iowa City Community School District later described the event as a tragic accident and said counselors and additional support personnel would be available to students and staff. The district also announced that School of the Wild field trips had been canceled for the foreseeable future.

Officials have not released the teacher’s identity or condition, and additional details about exactly how the water incident unfolded remain unavailable while the investigation continues.