dmps community report - december 2012

7/28/2019 DMPS Community Report - December 2012

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Mock Elections

Celebrating ourAchievements

Extreme Makeo

EnvironmentalisTake Central Tou

Winter WeatherReminder

Des Moines Public Schools

COMMUNITY REPORTDMPS

December 2012

DMPS Community Report | DECEMBER 2012

Most large, urban school districts acrossthe nation are reporting shrinkingenrollments but Des Moines Public

Schools continues to grow.

Preliminary numbers reported by DMPSto the Iowa Department o Educationindicate a total o 32,061 studentsenrolled or the 2012-13 school year, anincrease o 515 over last year.

Last year DMPS enrollment increasedby 571 students, the largest increase o anyschool district in Iowa.

DMPS is the largest school district inthe state, educating nearly twice as manystudents as the second largest district.

Te Council o Great City Schools ismade up o 67 large, metropolitan schooldistricts across the country, includingDMPS. Nearly 2/3 o its members report

a decline in enrollment according tothe most recent reporting data availablto CGCS.

Under state law, certied enrollmeis used in the ormula that determinesstate unding or public school districtCertied enrollment is based on thenumber o students living in each schodistrict. It also includes the weightingor additional unding or students incertain programs, such as students whoare English Language Learners.

Because school nancing is allocate

on a per-pupil basis, declining enrollmjeopardizes the depth o a districtscurriculum and its capacity to providenon-core curricula and programming.

Te certied enrollment count istaken by Iowa school districts on the

Rising District Enrollment

Bucks National Trends

Continued on Page


2/11

High schools in Des Moines allhave new online homes, thanksto ongoing work to upgrade andimprove web sites for all schoolsthroughout Iowas largest district.

Our goal in developing new websites was to nd the right balancebetween a consistent look andunction combined with the uniqueidentity o each school, said PhilRoeder, Director o CommunityRelations or Des Moines PublicSchools. With more than 8,000high school students in Des Moines and thousands o parents, sta andalumni we want the virtual rontdoor o our ve high schools to be awelcoming experience.

Te new high school web sitesare modeled on the new DMPS

web site unveiled last December(www.dmschools.org). Each isdesigned in the schools colors andeature prominent news updates,announcements, a school calendar,and more on the home page. Tenew web sites also eature a shorterand easier to remember addresseswhich can be accessed at theollowing URLs: EastHighSchool:

east.dmschools.org HooverHighSchool:

hoover.dmschools.org LincolnHighSchool:

lincoln.dmschools.org NorthHighSchool:

north.dmschools.org RooseveltHighSchool:

roosevelt.dmschools.org

In addition, the high schoolweb sites utilize eChalk, a K-12sotware platorm used to managecommunication and instruction. Itenables educators to keep parentsand students up to date with classinormation. In addition, eChalkis integrated with both the districtsInnite Campus and Oce 365platorms, allowing or interaction wistudents using sae and secure email,online class discussions, and more.

As our new high school web sitecontinue to grow and evolve, they wbecome an important link betweenstudents, teachers and amilies,serving as a collaborative use otechnology to support the educationo our students, added Dan WarrenDirector o Inormation echnologyor Des Moines Public Schools.

High Schools Go Live with New Web Sites
http://east.dmschools.org/http://hoover.dmschools.org/http://lincoln.dmschools.org/http://north.dmschools.org/http://roosevelt.dmschools.org/http://roosevelt.dmschools.org/http://north.dmschools.org/http://lincoln.dmschools.org/http://hoover.dmschools.org/http://east.dmschools.org/


3/11

Election years represent greatopportunities to demonstrateand practice fundamental aspectsof citizenship and this fall mock

elections were held across thedistrict to give students a glimpseof things to come in their lives aswell as a sense of participation inthe here and now.

Merrill Middle School was the siteo the most sophisticated event,a mock election on October 29sponsored by the Youth LeadershipInitiative (YLI), a national civic

education program based at theUniversity o Virginia Center orPolitics. With approximately onemillion students participatingnationwide during the votingperiod rom October 22-November1, the YLI Mock Election is thelargest secure, student-only onlinemock election in the nation. Anational research study conductedthere ound that students in classes

where teachers used the YLI MockElection and the related lesson plansreported a higher tendency towardsuture political participation,according to UVA Center orPolitics Director, Larry J. Sabato.

At the high school level, morethan 1,200 students at East, Lincolnand North participated in the mockelection conducted by the PolkCounty Auditors oce.

Phillips, along with Jeerson,is one o two traditionalelementary schools in thedistrict. Besides an extended coreknowledge curriculum sequenceand increased emphases on dresscodes and discipline, amongother things, that means thestudents gain early exposure toAmerican history and symbols o

patriotism, according to a bannerin the main hallway. Accordingly,the Phillips mock election onNovember 1 was the culmination

o several weeks o classroomdiscussion, voter registration andbuilding preparation. Te schoolwas estooned with Americana,right down to the red, whiteand blue pencils in the votingbooths. Outside the caeteria wasan impressive campaign display,including student essays on theissues they deemed most critical,everything rom the dangers o

loose shoe laces to the importanceo lower taxes.

Other elementary schoolsholding mock elections includedSouth Union, Garton and Hillis,where students had been ollowingthe campaign process since wayback beore the Iowa Caucuses

last winter. In lieu o real, livecandidates, Hillis voters werepresented with a slate o theiravorite cookies rom whichto choose.

Hmm no telephone

polling, no negative advertising,no pundits, and no two billiondollar campaign price tag. Maybethe DMPS versions o the 2012election process werent completelyauthentic, but they certainly madeor a good model; a textbookexample, so to speak.

Mock Elections Let Students Flex

Their Citizenship

Superintendent Search TimelineFebruary 11, 2013 Deadline to apply

February 25, 2013 First-round interviews

March 4, 2013 Finalist interviews

Des Moines Community WorksTo Find Next Superintendent

Te School Board has received public comment and held severalmeetings to determine what credentials should be required or the nextsuperintendent o Des Moines Public Schools.

On December 6, the Board met to nalize details or advertisingthe position. Applications will now be submitted to Ray & Associatesand interested applicants have until February 11, 2013 to apply.

Te Board will interview semi-nalists or the position during theweek o February 25. wo or three nalists will be interviewed in apublic interview session during the rst week in March.

For more inormation about the search process, please visitsuperintendentsearch.dmschools.org

Merrill students vote online in the

Youth Leadership Initiative Mock Elect
http://superintendentsearch.dmschools.org/http://superintendentsearch.dmschools.org/


4/11

Despite that November 11 fellon a Sunday this year, VeteransDay was celebrated at everylevel of the district. Longstanding

traditions were continued atPark Avenue Elementary andGoodrell Middle School and anew one was established atNorth High School.

At Park Avenue on November 9the emphasis was on music, loudand strong!

Kindergartners and rst gradersbelted out well-learned renditions

oYankee Doodle Boy, Youre a GrandOld Flag, Tis Land is Your Landand America the Beautiful.

Not to be outshone, the 2 and3 graders led in to overfow the

stage and belt out the ght songso the U.S. Army, Navy, Air Forceand Marines. Veterans rom eachbranch stood and joined in during

their respective songs, many o themvisibly moved by the show o respect.I the singers didnt exactly take andexit the stage with the precision oa drill team on the parade ground,there was nothing lacking in thegusto department. Lots o kids hadproud parents and or grandparentsseated in the center section reservedor vets, and salutes in the orm oexaggerated waves were many in

the ranks o choristers.Te 2 5 graders joined

orces or God Bless AmericaandTank You Soldiers.

Aterwards there was a cookiereception where veterans and the ParkAvenue pen pals who invited themgot together and talked ace to ace.

A check was also presentedto the local VA hospital or theproceeds Park Avenue kids earned

selling red, white and blue beadsin the community.

Goodrells ceremonies onNovember 14 were more solemn.Tey got o to an early start when acrowd gathered around the fagpoleon the ront lawn at 7:15 andlistened to the chaplain rom the132nd Fighter Wing o the IowaAir National Guard, Captain David

Doty, talk about sacrice. Many othose assembled to re-pledge theirallegiance were students and stawith loved ones currently servingin the military.

Ten the regular school daybegan with an assembly in theauditorium at which the eatured

speaker was Lt. Col. Wes White, aGoodrell alum retired rom a careerin the U.S. Army who was servingat the Pentagon when it was struckby terrorists on 9/11 in 2001.Friends o his were among thosekilled in the attacks that day. Laterthat same year Goodrell P.E. teacherJohn Walling began the schoolsannual tradition o an appreciationday or veterans. He still coordinates

the event each year.When Major Sean Quinlan,

the red up commandant oNorths Junior Marine troops aterretiring rom a 26-year career in theMarines Corps, assumed his newpost he was eager to make VeteransDay a special occasion at a schoolwhere approximately 13% o thestudent body participate in theROC program.

So, veterans rom all acrossthe community were invited to anall-school assembly in their honoron November 8. Each o them wasescorted to their seat by a JROCmember. Tey were welcomed byNorth Principal Matt Smith. I getto come to work daily with thebest students and the best sta,Smith told the vets. And todaywe get to honor the best Americans.

Some things transcend theimportance o time spent in theclassroom and this assembly is agood example o that.

A highlight o the DMPS saluteto soldiers happened at MerrillMiddle School on November 13when 650 students assembledoutdoors to orm an American fagas a gigantic, living thank you card.

DMPS Continues and Expands

Vets Day Traditions

Merrill students line up on November 13 to form a giant U.S. ag in honor of veterans.

A Park Avenue students speaks at theschools Veterans Day assembly.


5/11

Te DesMoinesUrbanAgriculturalAcademyForestry

team, coached by Craig Nelson,qualifed or the National FFAConvention. Tis is the frst teamrom DMUAA to earn a trip to thenational convention.

AmberDavison, a U.S. and WorldHistory teacher at Hoover HighSchool, was a fnalist or IowaPreserve America History eachero the Year.

Lincoln High Schools KnowledgeBowl eam qualifed or the CentralIowa Knowledge Bowl fnals. eammembers included ChrisFunaro,AnthonyHoover, MaggieKrebs,DanielLopez, ColeRehbain. Teteam was sponsored by Lincolnscience teacher Sandy Wilson.

wenty-six students representingour Des Moines high schoolswere selected to participate inthe 2012 All-State Music Festivalon November 15-17 in Ames.Roosevelt High School seniorviolinist SofaKautparticipatedin her ourth consecutive All-StateMusic Festival.

Seven DMPS high schoolstudents were selected to attendthe World Food Prize GlobalYouth Institute October 18-20 inDes Moines: RivkahGardner-Frolick(Roosevelt), PaigeHarper(Lincoln),MadisonHolmes(Roosevelt), PatienceKpurukoo(North), AlexandraLidgett(Roosevelt),MichelleLopez(Hoover), LizaStrueva (Roosevelt).

Former congressman LeonardBoswell nominated Roosevelt

High School senior RyanRamsayto the U.S. Naval Academy inNovember.

BridgetGervais,an 8th gradeFrench Horn student at GoodrellMiddle School was the only DMPSstudent selected to participate in theAll Iowa Honor Band in May.

Ninety-eightCentralAcademy

students displayed their superiormath skills in the 40th AnnualHigh School Mathematics Contestwinning 31 o the 61 All-Academicteam honors and placing secondoverall in the competition heldat the University o Wisconsin-Platteville on November 7.

MeganSchott, Roosevelt HighSchool sophomore, qualifed or theState Cross Country Meet held inOctober.

North High School teacherJoeVanHaecke recently receivedthe One Class at a ime$1,000 grant rom WOI-V 5and Bankers rust. He will usethe grant to purchase equipmentto use in his Radio, V &Film class.

SarahMajoros, school counselorat Madison Elementary School,received the Gary HendrichsMemorial Award rom the IowaSchool Counselor Association inNovember. Te $600 grant willbe used to purchase additionalcounseling curriculum.

East High School senior XavierJameshas accepted a scholarship to

play ootball or the University oNorthern Iowa Panthers.

Congratulations to Central CampusBroadcasting & Film students NickPeterson andWyattOliver whoseflm was selected to be viewed atthe Wild Rose Film Festival inNovember.

welve students received individual

awards in Central Academys 9thAnnual Golden Circle mathematicscompetition in November:AndreaBabcock, MadisonBaxter,JoshuaFlory, EvanHilton, ZackLin, MayaPetersen,AprilPhommachack,ColeSchroder-Kelly,MadisonSmith, SamuelStevens, GiovanniTenikat, andJackWahlig.

This regular feature of the DMPS Community Report highlights awards and achievements of district students and staff.Please let us know if you have a notable achievement to share by e-mailing Sarah Taylor at [email protected] are some achievements from the past few months.

Celebrating Our Achievements

Des Moines Public Schools was well

represented at the 2012 Iowa State

Swimming & Diving championshipmeet Nov. 2-3 as student-athletes

from Hoover, Lincoln, North and

Roosevelt qualifed to pursue state

titles. North High School senior

Katharine Ross won a state title and

set a new Iowa record in the 100

yard breaststroke. Her sister, North

sophomore Moriah Ross, placed third

in the same event.

Katharine R

Senior, North H

School


6/11

Ankita Chatterjee, who attendsCallanan Middle School and

Central Academy, was honored asone of the brightest middle schoolstudents worldwide at a nationalmedal ceremony sponsored by the

Johns Hopkins University Centerfor Talented Youth (CTY).

Te Center honored Ankita, oneo 40,800 participants in the2012 CY alent Search, orher exceptional perormance as

a middle school student on thecollege SA, AC or similar test.Among the more than 900 U.S. andinternational middle school studentsinvited to the ceremony on the JohnsHopkins University campus:

All earned exceptionally highscores that place them wellwithin the top one-hal oone percent academically oall same-grade students.

At least 102 studentsachieved a perect score onthe reading or math sectiono the test taken.

Tese exceptional studentsjoined the 2011-2012 CY

alent Search, which nds andrecognizes the academic capabilitieso advanced students around theworld. More than 40,800 second-through-eighth grade studentsrom 50 states and 110 countriesparticipated in the 2011-2012search. Enrollment or this yearis currently underway atwww.cty.jhu.edu/ts.

Ankita is part o a select group.Te honored students are selectedbecause they were the top studentsamong the 13,350 seventh andeighth graders testing last yearthrough CY. CY uses above-grade-level tests (such as thecollege SA or middle schoolstudents) because they provideclear pictures o advanced studentsacademic abilities.

Students honored at the2012 Grand Ceremony have also

qualied or CYs residentialsummer programs, online classes,and amily academic programs,where gited students meet others

like themselves rom all over theworld and have an opportunity tostretch their creative and intellectuawings, and discover where theirspecial talents may take them.

We take this moment to lookon with admiration and respector these young people and theirremarkable achievements beingrecognized today, said Elaine uttleHansen, executive director o CY.Its a moment o great pride orthe honored students, as well as

or the educators and parents whohave helped these promising youngpeople come so ar on a road thatwill lead them to do great things.

Tis year, the Center presentedits inaugural DistinguishedAlumni Award to John Overdeck,coounder and cochairman o woSigma investments and a ormerCY student and instructor; andDr. Cornelia rimble, a notedJohns Hopkins physician who was

one o CY ounder Dr. JulianStanleys rst students prior tohis establishment o CY. Aterreceiving her award, Dr. rimblegave the keynote address to the 250students and amilies who attended

Past participants in the CYalent Search include Facebookounder Mark Zuckerberg, Googlecoounder Sergey Brin, andperormer Lady Gaga.

Des Moines Student Recognized

By Johns Hopkins as One of

Top Middle School Students

day of October each school year. Ofcial

numbers are conrmed by the Iowa

Department of Education and reported

later in the year, meaning there may

be small changes to the preliminary gures.

We are pleased to see consecutive

years of substantial growth in our

enrollment, said DMPS interim

Superintendent Tom Ahart. While most

urban districts across the country and

most districts across Iowa are

experiencing a downward trend,

the variety of quality educational

options provided by DMPS to its

students has enabled us to serve 1,200

more students than we did just three

years ago.

Rising District

Enrollment Bucks

National Trends

Continued from Page 1...

Number of

StudentsSchool Year

2012-13 32,061

2011-12 31,546

2010-11 30,975

Ankita Chatterjee at the awards cerem

at Johns Hopkins University.


7/11

Polishing up an apple the size ofthe Des Moines Public Schoolsisnt cheap, quick or easy. But fourmore schools are ashing a new

sheen after $20 million+ worthof renovation projects at theirbuildings wrapped up this fall.

On September 25 HiattMiddle School held an openhouse to celebrate its new and

improved look. Hiatt is excited tonally be able to open our doorsto the community and amilieso our students, said Dr. DebbieChapman, principal.

Improvements at Hiatt totaled$6,801,761 and include a newkitchen at the north end o theschool, a new main oce, exteriordoor replacement, mechanical/electrical upgrades, security/

technology upgrades, and parkinglot improvements. Te additiono an elevator and a Boys & GirlsClub at Hiatt are still to come.

A month later StudebakerElementary ocially christenedtheir remodeled acilities with asimilar event on October 25.

Te $5.1 million renovationcompleted at Studebaker includes

new walls to eliminate open

classrooms, removal o temporaryclassrooms (portables), mechanical/electrical upgrades including airconditioning throughout the entirebuilding, security/technologyupgrades, and window and doorreplacement.

Students and sta arethrilled with the renovations, saidBrian Crook, principal. We areexcited to have classroom walls

and air conditioning. Everyone is

enjoying the building as i itwas brand new.

October also saw completiono a $1.6 million project at BrodyMiddle School the primaryobjective o which was theelimination o mobile classrooms.

Te new construction at the

school includes a our-classroomaddition at the buildings west end,putting an end to the need or themobile units that dotted the schoolproperty.

Not only is the new additionmore attractive, it accomplishespractical improvements as well.

One is a saer and morecomortable environment orstudents, as they no longer have to

leave the main school building toattend certain classes.

A second advantage that ischaracteristic o all o the districtscapital improvement projectsis energy cost savings. Mobileclassrooms are extremely inecient.

In addition to the newclassroom wing at Brody,renovations to the restrooms andauditorium and the addition o

an elevator make the school ully

Extreme Makeover Continues

at Hiatt, Brody, McCombs and

Studebaker

Continued on Page 8..

Hiatt Middle School is one of four DMPS schools to be recently renovated.

Bill Good, the school districts Chief Operations Ofcer, speaks at the re-dedication

of McCombs Middle School.


8/11

ADA-compliant.Finally, on November 1

McCombs Middle School joined

in the estivities. Te $6.8 millionworth o upgrades at McCombsinclude eight new classrooms, arenovated auditorium, eliminationo mobile classrooms, upgradesin lighting, security and technology,and window and door replacement.

All school spirit events areintended to show our appreciationor the beautiully renovated

acility, said Principal Nancy Croyabout a series o activities thatculminated with a rededication

ceremony in the school gymnasium.Te McCombs community wishesto acknowledge our past andembrace our uture. We are proudo past traditions and look orwardto many productive years in ourupdated acility.

Meanwhile, as a backdrop toall o the other projects going onaround the district, the brand new

Edmunds continues rising towardthe occasion o its grand reopeningin time or the 2013-14 school year.

Extreme Makeover Continues at Hiatt,

Brody, McCombs and Studebaker

Continued from Page 7...

On October 22 Lincoln and Hooverhigh schools received national

certication for their Project Lead

The Way (PLTW) programs. PLTW,a nonprot organization and the

nations leading provider of STEM

(science, technology, engineering, and

mathematics) education programs, offersa rigorous world-class curriculum that

allows students to apply what they arelearning in math and science class to real-

life engineering and technology projects.PLTW also prides itself on high-quality

professional development of teachersand an engaged network of business,

community and university partners.The national PLTW recognition

program identies schools that

demonstrate a commitment toits national standards. Additionally,

certication as a PLTW school providesstudents with the opportunity to applyfor college credit at PLTW afliate

universities when they successfullycomplete select PLTW courses in high

school. PLTW has more than 40 afliate

college and university partners, including

Iowa State University and the Universityof Iowa. Lincoln and Hoover now join

East, North and Roosevelt as PLTWcertied high schools in the district.

The PLTW certication is another

signicant academic accomplishment

this year for both schools. Last month,Lincoln was recognized by Iowa State

Universitys Science Bound program asthe High School of the Year. Hoover is

a candidate school for the International

Baccalaureate program and is on trackto become the rst home high school in

Iowa authorized as an IB provider.As part of the certication

process, a team composed of teachers,staff, students, and members of the

community from each school submitteda self-assessment of the schools

implementation of PLTWs Pathway toEngineering (PTE) program. A site visitby a PLTW team followed. PLTWs team

met with each schools PartnershipTeam comprised of teachers, counselors,

administrators, post-secondaryrepresentatives, business and industry

professionals, and other communitymembers who actively support thePLTW program within a school.

Lincoln and Hoover shouldbe congratulated for demonstrating

their commitment to PLTWs qualitystandards, said PLTW President and CEO

Vince Bertram. The real winners here,however, are students. Students benet

from PLTWs innovative, project-based

curriculum that encourages creativity,problem solving, and critical thinking.

We look forward to many more years ofworking together to prepare Lincoln and

Hoover students to become the mostinnovative and productive in the world.

In order to remain competitive

in the global economy, America needsapproximately 400,000 STEM college

graduates annually, according to aNational Business Roundtable report.

Currently, the U.S. is graduating only265,000 per year. PLTW is providingstudents with the skills, foundation,

and proven path to college and careersuccess in STEM areas to increase the

number of STEM graduates.More than 4,200 schools in all 50

states and the District of Columbia arecurrently offering PLTW courses to theirstudents. For more information, visit

www.pltw.org.

Hoover and Lincoln Earn

Academic Distinction


9/11

Students became teacherson November 2nd at CentralCampus when they hostedrepresentatives of the IowaChapter of the United States

Green Building Council (USGBC)on a Green Schools Bus Tour.

Last spring Central Campus wasnamed the rst Green Ribbon Schoolin Iowa by the US Departmento Education in recognition oits leadership in recycling andenvironmental education. Larry Beallheads the schools Iowa Energy andSustainability Academy (IESA) and

he and his IESA protg/ambassadorshosted the USGBC contingent.

First they brieed their guests onthe remarkable district-wide energyeciencies that have been achievedin recent years under the leadershipo Bill Good, Chie o Operationsor DMPS. Goods title may aswell be changed to Chie EnergyStar, a status conerred by the US

Environmental Protection Agency

thats been achieved by more than50 o the districts schools andcounting, earning DMPS thedistinction last year o EPAsEnergy Star Partner o the Year,

a national honor.Te USGBC delegation

toured various departments withinCentrals renowned Career andechnical Education Academy tosee the ways theyre all integratedinto the greening eort.

Te culinary arts program growsits own herbs and other oodstus.Te marine biology program growsits own coral. Te auto mechanics

and repair program recyclespaint and parts. Te graphic artsprogram uses soy ink and recyclest-shirts. Te schools broadcastingprogram produces PSAs aboutenvironmentalism and airs themover KDPS, their own radio station.And so on.

Every Wednesday the IESAstudents tour the 450,000 square

oot premises, gathering recyclablesat collection points throughout thebuilding. Last year they amassed ove10 tons o paper and nearly 8,000bottles and cans. Tis year theyre ontrack to surpass those totals.

All o the tourists were suitablyimpressed with how Central

Campus, originally built in the1920s as a Ford Model plantand later a WWII actory orSolar Aircrat, has been modiedover the years into a cutting edgeeducational laboratory.

But what really wowed themwere the IESA students and Beallsprogram which allows them to earnup to 18 hours o college creditover a two-year curriculum that is

project-based and textbook-ree.Several o them remarked on howengaged their guides were. Bealltold the group that IESA startedthree years ago with 18 students.Last year there were 40. Tis yearhe has 60 and expects to approach100 in 2013/14.

Te Energy Stars are shininga bright shade o green at CentralCampus.

Environmentalists Green With

Envy on Central Tour

Central Campus students and teachers host a visit by the U.S. Green Building Council.


10/11

District Goes Above And Beyond On Radon

Safe environments for students,staff, and community are the toppriority for Des Moines PublicSchools and the district recentlytook an extra step to ensure them

by implementing a plan to testfor radon in all district facilitiesthat proactively exceeds state andfederal requirements.

With more than 37,000 peoplecoming and going rom a DMPSbuilding each day, we want to makesure that we are providing everyonewith a sae place to be in everyway possible, said Bill Good, the

districts Chie Operations Ocer.While we are not required todo radon testing o every school,it is a small step or us to take toprovide one more assurance othe environmental saety withinour acilities, and to be preventivebeore problems arise.

Current state and ederalregulations require radontesting o school buildings withpreschool classrooms. DMPS hasimplemented a plan or radon tests,conducted by proessional andlicensed testers, in each o its 67schools and oce buildings.

ests will be perormed at allbuildings on a revolving three yearschedule that parallels the districtsasbestos monitoring. Air sampleswill be taken by state certied radon

measurement specialists and analyzedat a state certied laboratory.

I testing reveals threateningradon levels, remedial steps willbe taken immediately based onrecommendations by the U.S.Environmental Protection Agency.Minor elevations will be resolvedbased upon recommendations o alicensed radon mitigation specialistand environmental consultants.

An example o the new plan inaction occurred recently at CowlesMontessori School. When a routinetest ound levels at the schoolslightly above the state average, thedistrict responded by ventilatingthe school and began work on apermanent ventilation system ora utility tunnel underneath theschool. Te result was an immediatereduction in radon levels with nointerruption in classes or activitiesat the school.

Te three-year radon testingschedule or Des Moines PublicSchools is as ollows:

2012-2013Callanan, Casady, Central NutritionCenter, Cowles, Hanawalt,Harding, Greenwood, Hubbell,Howe, Lincoln, Park Avenue,Roosevelt, Ruby Van Meter, Scavo(Moore), Stowe, Windsor.

2013-2014Brody, Brubaker, Cattell, CapitolView, Carver, Central Campus,Cowles, Downtown School,

East, Edmunds, Findley, Garton,Hoover, Hoyt, Jackson, Jeerson,King, Lovejoy, Madison, McKee,McKinley, Meredith, Mitchell,Monroe, Morris, Moulton, OakPark, Perkins, Phillips, PleasantHill, Smouse, Studebaker, WalkerStreet, Walnut Street, Weeks,Willard, Woodlawn, Wright.

2014-2015Central Academy, Goodrell, Hillis,Lincoln South (Kurtz), McCombs,Merrill, North, Operations Center,Prospect Street building, RiverWoods, Samuelson, South Union.

0

For the rst time in 25 years, DMPS

administrators along with the FacilitiesAdvisory Committee proposed changes

to the secondary attendance areas tobetter serve the school districts studentsand families. The changes, approved by

the School Board on November 13,will allow for a more consistent feeder

pattern for students in grades 6-12.The new attendance areas will

greatly improve communication betweenour secondary buildings, explainedBryce Amos, Executive Director for High

Schools. Students and families will have a

7-year support system in place since they

will attend middle and high school withthe same peers and educators.

Amos also pointed out that thenew feeder patterns will create betteropportunities to develop improved

student activity programs from middleschool through high school.

The new attendance areas willtake effect with the start of the 2013-

14 school year. This plan is beinggrandfathered in for current middleand high school students who have the

option to nish at their current school.

Opportunities for public input were

provided in the fall to gain feedbackfrom parents and the community

regarding the new attendanceareas. Meetings were held at eachcomprehensive high school and an

online survey was available.Approximately 600 students in

grades 6-12 will be impacted because ofthe attendance area change. At this time,

elementary attendance areas are notbeing changed.

For more information, please visit

attendanceareas.dmschools.org.

New Secondary Attendance Areas Approved by School Board
http://attendanceareas.dmschools.org/http://attendanceareas.dmschools.org/


11/11

More DMPS News and InformationAvailable Online and On Air

Des Moines Public Schools is the largest provider of public education in Iowa, whichmeans one newsletter alone cannot provide all of the information or share all ofthe stories about everything taking place in your school district. More news and

information is always available online and on air.

ONLINEYou can nd information on our schools, news stories, data, contacts, and more on

the DMPS web site at www.dmschools.org. In addition, follow DMPS on the followingsocial media sites:

Facebook: facebook.com/dmschools Twitter: twitter.com/dmschools Tumblr: dmschools.tumblr.com Pinterest: pinterest.com/dmschools

ON THE AIRTune in to DMPS-TV on Mediacom Cable channels 85 and 97-3 at

any time to see stories about programs and events from throughout the schooldistrict. If you do not subscribe to cable television, you can still view stories online at

www.dmschools. org. And if youre in the mood for interesting talk and music, tune intoDes Moines Public Schools own radio station - KDPS 88.1 - where your hosts are

students from Central Campus and GrandView University.

The Des Moines Independent Community School District does not discriminate on the basis of

race, color, national origin, gender, disability, religion, creed, age (for employment), marital status

(for programs), sexual orientation, gender identity and socioeconomic status (for programs)

in its educational programs and its employment practices. There is a grievance procedure for

processing complaints of discrimination. If you have questions or a grievance related to this

policy, please contact the districts Equity Coordinator Patricia Lantz, General Counsel, 901

Walnut Street, Des Moines, IA 50309; phone: 515.242.7837; email: [email protected].

The DMPS Community Repo

DECEMBER 2012 | Vol. 5 No.

The DMPS Community Report is now

published every other month by the

ofce of Community Relations.

Editor/Writer : Phil Roeder, Sarah Tay

Mike Wellman

Designer: Adam Rohwer

Photographer: Kyle Knicley, Jon Lemo

Des Moines Public Schools

Community Relations

901 Walnut Street

Des Moines, IA 50309

(515) 242-8162

www.dmschools.org

2012-2013 Board of Directors

Dick Murphy, Chair

Cindy Elsbernd, Vice Chair

Connie Boesen

Teree Caldwell-Johnson

Bill Howard

Joe Jongewaard

Pat Sweeney

A reminder as the winter season

approaches

Intheeventofinclementweather,DesMoinesPublicSchoolsmaydooneoffourthings:

1. Cancel classes at all schools but administrative and school oces

remain open.

2. Cancel classes at all schools and administrative and school ocesare closed.

3. Dismiss schools 90 minutes early.

4. Delay the start o school by two hours but administrative andschool oces open at regular time.

I the superintendent determines it necessary to cancel classes, dismissearly, or start late, an announcement will be made on the districts web site

atwww.dmschools.org, on the districts Facebook and witter pages, thedistricts cable channel DMPS-V, and on all local media outlets.

Winter Break Dates

Des Moines Public Schools w

observe winter break Decem

24 - January 1. No classes wil

held during this time. Ofces

will be open December 26-28

The school year resumes onJanuary 2, 2013.
http://www.facebook.com/dmschoolshttp://www.twitter.com/dmschoolshttp://dmschools.tumblr.com/http://www.pinterest.com/dmschoolshttp://www.pinterest.com/dmschoolshttp://dmschools.tumblr.com/http://www.twitter.com/dmschoolshttp://www.facebook.com/dmschools

dmps community report - december 2012

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