The J-Hawk Experience!
Info you need to know for week of March 30 - April 3!
Message from the principal
UHS Families, Students, and Staff,
As we enter our second week of school closure, I continue to hope that this newsletter finds you well. I am hopeful that our everyone is staying safe and am encouraged by all of the positive ways people in our school community and people around our city, state, and world, are supporting each other during these trying times.
As I shared last week and have seen many examples of over the past week, our UCSD and UHS teams have been and will continue to work closely with local and state officials to support the needs of all people impacted by these events, working to keep everyone safe and informed as best we can during this school closure time.
We will continue to monitor and act on the most updated guidance we have from local, state, and federal officials, to support our students, staff, and community, in thoughtful and effective ways. These transitions and changes are unprecedented and significant. We will all need to continue to be flexible, supportive, and patient, as we chart our way through these uncharted waters.
I am reaching out again to connect on a few things. Some that I shared last week and some other updates:
- The well-being of our students and staff: Please know that we have been reaching out and responding to staff and community questions as soon as we can in the best way we can. Families and get meals for students 18 and younger can get Grab'n'Go meals from three different UCSD sites. Free. No id needed. Families can now pick up meals for students (see details below).
- EFR support- During these challenging times (and all times), please know that EFR (Employee and Family Resources) is available as a great personal resource via phone and the web. I've copied information below that I received today. This is free to any UCSD staff, students, or families.
In The News: Coronavirus (COVID-19)
A Message from EFR as of 3.26.2020
As a result of the COVID-19 virus, many employees have transitioned to working from home. While this has become a common practice in recent years, not all employees are comfortable or familiar with this type of work setting. EFR has created a Tip Sheet for you to share with your employees to help guide them through their new normal and to help them find a routine that works for them and their families. In addition to our Tip Sheet, EFR is happy to share other valuable resources we have come across for you to review and pass along as you wish.Click here to download the Work From HomeTip Sheet!
Other Resources:
- Gallup Guide for Leaders Download Here
- How to Talk to Children about COVID-19: Click here
- Scary Times Success Manual Download Here
- Tips for Social Distancing, Quarantine, and Isolation: Click here
- Student learning during closure -
Our district, as with other K-12 public districts around the state, are working closely with the Iowa Department of Education as well as Area Education Agencies to be sure we are following federal and state requirements and guidelines regarding student learning during this time period. It is important to note that equity and access are significant factors that come into play as we consider learning for all of our students.
On Tuesday, March 24th, Dr. Carlile, Director of Teaching and Learning for UCSD, shared an email (click here for email message) regarding learning resources from the district level to all UCSD families during this time of closure. We continue to get updated guidance from the Iowa Department of Education regarding next steps we can take to support student learning in optional ways. Though we will not be providing direct teacher instruction or expectations of new work completion during this time as we do not have the infrastructure to support equity and access for all.
- Classroom resources- Many classroom teachers have a Google Classroom, Moodle, or Scholar page they maintain for their classes. In addition to the resources that were shared out via the district email, these classroom resources would be additional options for students if they are interested. While new assignments are not be posted during this time, there are often additional resources and links to sites specific to their classes.
- Teacher emails and communications students- It was great to see so many positive, uplifting, and informative messages from our teachers to students this past week. Look for updated emails coming from teachers in the coming weeks.
- Working on past work- Students are certainly welcome to work on any past work or learning that was assigned prior to spring break if they are able to do so. Again, we recognize that not all families have internet access.
- AP courses/testing, DMACC courses (including DMACC on campus Career Academy courses and concurrent enrollment DMACC courses taught at UHS)- We are working with AP/CollegeBoard and DMACC to develop a plan for how our students can potentially engage in the testing (in the case of AP) and can earn the college credit for their DMACC courses. DMACC is working with us to be sure students are able to achieve learning competencies and earn college credit. UHS teachers of these courses are working on more details about these plans based on guidance we received and will share plans as we move forward. See more detailed email below going out to all students and families in DMACC dual credit courses at UHS.
Please reach out with any concerns and/or questions you may have. As I shared before, these are unique and challenging times, and we will work through them together and support each other to ensure the well-being of all. #UHSpride
Sincerely,
Tim Carver
Principal
#UHSpride
#UHSwillChangeTheWorld!
Information for UHS students enrolled in DMACC dual credit/concurrent enrollment classes
A message from Mr. Carver:
Dear students and families of students enrolled in DMACC dual credit/concurrent enrollment classes at UHS:
We are working closely with our DMACC and UHS instructors to be sure that our UHS dual credit/concurrent enrollment classes continue to provide the option of earning college credit even with this time of school closure, ensuring that class competencies are met for each given course.
As your teachers have been reaching out and sharing, they are and will continue to work to align units and instruction for the remainder of the year so that essential learning competencies are met. As we have indicated, there are optional opportunities for learning that students can be working on now for your classes, including those DMACC dual credit/concurrent enrollment.
On Friday, March 27th, DMACC provided additional guidance regarding options for students in our dual credit/concurrent enrollment classes that at the end of the semester, they may access a letter grade or take it pass/fail grade. Details about potential options for that are listed below.
Below is an email from Jen Rathje, Career Advantage Specialist at DMACC, to high school principals about those options. At this point, they do not have the form for the drop option available but will share it as soon as they do.
If you have questions, please contact me.
Thank you,
Tim Carver
Principal
Urbandale High School
Email from Jen Rathje at DMACC:
Principals,
The DMACC Leadership Council recognizes the impact of COVID-19 on the spring 2020 semester, therefore, for all spring 2020 term classes in session after March 13, DMACC students will have the option to accept an assigned letter grade OR to submit a request for pass/fail (P/F) grading. Please forward this communication to your high school faculty, school counselors and students enrolled in a DMACC concurrent enrollment course.
Here’s how this will work:
· Faculty will grade students as usual and submit a letter grade (A-F, or I) to the Registrar's Office, according to the grading scale outlined in their course syllabus.
o Passing grade=Letter grade of C- or higher.
o Failing grade=Letter grade of D+ or lower.
· Students will choose to receive either the letter grade recorded by the instructor or a P/F designation by submitting an online form through the DMACC Registrar’s Office. If no form is submitted, the letter grade will be recorded for the course.
o This decision must be made between May 14 and May 20, 2020 for On-Campus Course Option (OCCO), Online Career Academy (OLCA) and Career Academy courses.
o This decision must be made between June 12 and June 19, 2020 for concurrent enrollment courses offered in the high school.
· Courses taken with P/F grading may count towards curricular, academic program, academic progress and graduation requirements. Students in certain Career and Technical programs may want to confer with an academic advisor, navigator, or their program chair to ensure a P/F course will meet a required prerequisite or graduation requirement.
· Students should not elect P/F grades in cases when a course is needed to meet a prerequisite requiring a grade of C or better.
· Extended Drop Deadline:
o For standard 16-week courses scheduled to meet from January through May 2020, the drop deadline has been extended to Wednesday, April 15. This applies to OCCO, OLCA and Career Academy courses.
o For standard full-term concurrent enrollment courses offered in the high school, the drop deadline has been extended to May 1st. Student drops still need to be initiated through your high school counseling office.
Of note, DMACC will include a designation on all student transcripts indicating the extraordinary circumstances encountered in the 2020 spring semester.
Students should consult with their Career Advantage Academic Advisor about these possibilities and whether they may be a good option for their coursework this semester. Please note if your students plan to enter a specific Career and Technical program at DMACC, please check with the program chair or academic advisor for that program to see what the best option would be.
Thanks,
Jen Rathje
Career Advantage Specialist
Des Moines Area Community College
2006 S. Ankeny Blvd., Ankeny, IA 50023
515-965-7172 (Office)
An email from Dr. Carlile regarding Optional Online Learning Resources sent on March 24th
Urbandale CSD Families and Staff,
UCSD has collaborated with Heartland Area Education Agency, the Iowa Department of Education, and surrounding districts to provide a list of resources for you to consider over the next three weeks of school closure. Resources provided here are optional, free, and are being sent in the hopes that this makes the next three weeks a bit easier for your family.
Please keep in mind these important considerations regarding these resources:
- Resources on this document are optional, and UCSD has no expectations that these resources be used by your child during this time. When school resumes, we are prepared to meet your child where they are and move forward in order to prepare them for their next grade level or class.
- This list does not represent the full depth or breadth of resources teachers use to develop curriculum. These resources are intended to be user-friendly to parents and children.
- This is not an exhaustive list of quality resources. Rather, this list was put together in collaboration with UCSD teachers, AEA partners, and surrounding districts to represent many common resources that may already be familiar to many students.
- The stress and uncertainty we are feeling as adults is almost certain to also be felt by our children. While learning and routines are certainly important, so is social and emotional safety during this time. UCSD participates in the Student Assistance Program offered through Employee and Family Resources. To learn more about this program and how it may be helpful to your family during this time, please visit this link.
As a district, we are closely monitoring and following guidance given to us by the Iowa Department of Education. At this time, the direction from the Iowa DoE is that online instruction, outside of what was already approved prior to this pandemic, does not count toward required mandates for hours of instruction. However Senate File 2408, passed just before the Iowa Legislature adjourned for a month, does not require schools to make up the lost instructional time that is currently scheduled to last through April 10, 2020. UCSD and other districts in the state of Iowa will continue to monitor and use updated guidance we receive as a road map to follow over the coming weeks.
We realize many of you have questions about this lost instructional time and what it means for your child. Our teachers will be working during this time to identify essential content and skills for instruction once we return, in order to best prepare your child for the next step in their educational journey. We are not alone in this situation, and we will continue to collaborate with neighboring districts and our AEA to share resources, ideas, and support for students.
We hope that these resources give you some ideas of fun ways to pass this time and keep kids’ minds engaged in learning. Thank you for your trust in UCSD during this unprecedented time.
Sincerely,
Dr. Crista Carlile
Director of Teaching & Learning
Urbandale Community School District
An email from UHS Counseling sent this week
UHS Students and families,
We are reaching out to you in hopes you are doing well, resting, and spending time with your families. There is some important information that we want you to be aware of. We also want you to know that we are happy to help as much as we can with these questions or concerns.
FAFSA and other college info: Contact ICAN to schedule a virtual appointment at (877) 272-4692. Starting Wednesday, March 25, ICAN will go live at least once per day on Facebook and Twitter to discuss important planning topics and answer questions from students and families. Follow our
Facebook page: https://www.facebook.com/ICANsucceed/ Follow us on Twitter: @icansucceed or visit our website at https://www.icansucceed.org/ for more information.
The April 4th ACT has been cancelled. If you were signed up to test in April, ACT will be in contact with you about reassigning your testing time to June or July. If you have questions or concerns, check www.act.org or call 319-337-1270.
Transcripts-Please contact your counselor or Mrs. Gibson if you need transcripts or test scores for scholarships or college admissions.
Dollars for Scholars applications are currently due by April 6th. To apply, go to their website at: http://www.urbandale.dollarsforscholars.org/index.php?section=chapterWebsite&action=main&fwID=2252 to start your profile and complete your application.
Senior Bulletin-Visit www.uhsguidance.com for scholarship information.
AP Exams-For the 2019-20 exam administration only, students can take a 45-minute online exam at home. Educator-led development committees are currently selecting the exam questions that will be administered. Visit https://apstudents.collegeboard.org/coronavirus-updates for more information about testing and resources that are available.
Please know the Student Assistance Program (EFR) is available 24/7/365 via phone support. Zoom or phone assessment, referral and brief counseling sessions are also available. If you need someone to talk to during this time, please call 515-244-6090 to access services.
Please feel free to contact us with questions. We hope you are all doing well and staying connected. We look forward to seeing you soon!
Jill Duffield A-E duffieldj@urbandaleschools.com
Tracy Edwards F-K edwardst@urbandaleschools.com
Darlene Wagner L-Q wagnerd@urbandaleschools.com
Eric Sackett R-Z sackette@urbandaleschools.com
Julie Gibson, Counseling Secretary gibsonj@urbandaleschools.com
A note from Please Pass the Love regarding supporting student mental health at this time
Today YOU have an opportunity to change or save a life you may not even know needs help by sharing this with teens and on your social media. We have to create a movement of opportunity for young people to connect NOW.
The mental health impact of covid-19 will be vast. We have to engage in prevention now. In partnership with dsmHack created a social media platform that had an entire different purpose but was quickly repurposed to be a space of interaction, lifting up, and love for teens by teens.
Please encourage any teens you know to take a peek. It's an app called Slack. We also recognize that there are a lot of kids without access to tech. We have not forgotten them and are brainstorming with other entities how to help. We are all ears for suggestions.
Here's the link for teens only to join and they can live anywhere in the world. This is NOT just an iowa thing bc kids everywhere are hurting:
THIS IS FOR TEENS ONLY. PLEASE DO NOT JOIN AS AN ADULT TO JUST SEE. IT CREATES A LOT MORE WORK FOR OUR STAFF TO HAVE TO DELETE YOU TO PROTECT YOUNG PEOPLE:)
Hurry and connect them! (If you are an adult, please do not join the Slack- we have other programming for you on our website)
http://join.slack.com/t/pleasepassthelove-dsm/shared_invite/zt-cv5jwhch-uAg5ce9twam4BmZmoHCt3A
Our Contact Information
Please Pass the Love
4801 Franklin Ave.
Des Moines, IA 50310
5153393837
Student Announcements and Day 1/ Day 2 for the week
This week March 23-27, there will be no school.
Daily schedule reminder and Lunch Schedule for 2nd semester
Monday, Tuesday, and Friday, are our non-block days with eight periods meeting along with I.E.S. and Wednesday and Thursday are block days. Even periods meet on Wednesdays along with Connections and odd periods meet on Thursdays along with Connections.
Click here for Daily bell schedule
UHS Seniors: Complete Your Online Application For Urbandale Dollars For Scholars Scholarships (DEADLINE EXTENDED)and FAFSA, too!
UHS Seniors: EXTENSION of DEADLINE TO APRIL 13th.
Complete Your Online Application By April 13th For Urbandale Dollars For Scholars Scholarships and complete your FAFSA, too!
Please contact Mr. Carver if you are having trouble meeting this deadline of April 13th.
Scholarship information
Interested in scholarships but concerned about the time it takes to apply? Now, the Urbandale Dollars for Scholars program makes it easier than ever! Urbandale High School students may create an online profile which enables students to apply for and be matched to local and national scholarships. By creating an online profile, students will be able to see scholarships available to them and choose the scholarships they wish to apply for—parents can also view student progress on the application.
Learn more here and be sure to develop your online application profile NOW to be alerted about scholarship opportunities.
FAFSA information
Did you know over $2 billion dollars of financial aid goes unclaimed each year? It's not too late to fill out the FAFSA, and every family with a student attending college in 2020-21 should do so. Not sure why? Here are the many reasons to fill it out and info on how to get FREE help! If you have already filled out the FAFSA, your effort is much appreciated!
An email from the National Clearning House regarding COVID-19
Regarding our service support, on behalf of the Clearinghouse team, I’d like to assure you that we are all entirely dedicated to supporting our participating high schools, districts and their students. Since last week, we’ve seamlessly adjusted our working conditions to meet CDC guidelines. We are fully operational in all our front- and back-office functions. You can rely on the Clearinghouse to continue to provide reliable access to the services that are critical and that you count on.
The uncertainty and changing environment of this virus requires us to be agile in our response, and you should be confident we will be here for you. If you have additional questions, concerns or need assistance, our Customer Service teams are available to handle online support requests, M-F from 9 am-6 pm, ET.
I want to personally thank you for being a valued client and for your continued trust in the Clearinghouse. As we continue to face these challenges together, we will be sure to keep you updated through our Clearinghouse Today blog.
Ricardo (Rick) Torres
President & CEO, National Student Clearinghouse
UHS Construction related issues
While construction continues on our new fitness room and related areas, we have experienced some issues where school has been interrupted as result of construction.
We apologize for these interruptions and recognize that they may continue during this construction process.
UHS Prom and Graduation Dates for May 2020
Updated March 22, 2020: At this time, no decision has been made about Prom or Graduation 2020 as the dates are too far out to make definitive decisions. Thank you for your patience and understanding during this time.
UHS Prom will be Saturday, May 2nd, 2020, at the Science Center of Iowa. UHS Graduation for the Class of 2020 will be Wednesday, May 27th, at 7:00pm at the Knapp Center on the campus of Drake University.
UHS Seniors - Submit pictures to Mrs. Alaniz for UHS yearbook 2020
UHS Seniors,
Please be sure to senior photos submitted for the yearbook.
Photos should be submitted to alanizm@urbandaleschools.com by March 12th or by April 17th with late fee. Please see email from Martina Alaniz for more information.
A letter from the Urbandale Education Foundation regarding summer fundraiser golf tournament--Brad Peyton Memorial
As always, the Urbandale Education Foundation would like to extend a sincere thank you for your support of the Brad Peyton Memorial Golf event. We are grateful for the 200 sponsors, participants, volunteers and dinner guests who came together this past June to honor a family, celebrate a life, and support Urbandale Schools.
Since the tourney began in 2014, we’ve raised over $125,000 in support of scholarships for students and classroom grants for teachers. All of which wouldn’t have been possible without you!
As we begin to plan for our 2020 event, we hope you will again consider supporting the golf tournament. We are recruiting Title, Lead, Lunch, Beverage, and Hole sponsors. Details of all sponsorship levels are listed in the attached PDF; you’re also welcome to sign up online.
You may be in the midst of planning your charitable donations for the coming year. We will plan on following up with you shortly after the first of the year to request your commitment to supporting the upcoming Peyton Memorial Golf Tournament scheduled for Monday, June 29, 2020, at Hyperion Field Club.
Thank you for your support and we’re looking forward to another successful event in 2020!
Sincerely,
Marty Trepp
Peyton Memorial Golf Tournament Director
UHS Student Clubs & Organizations...get involved!
UHS Gaming Club gaming before break
UHS Gaming Club leaders plan for competition
UHS Fishing Club members show gear after swap meet
UHS Athletics and Activities for the week! Go J-Hawks!!
Message Monday - Transportation Matters for Iowa
Message Monday - Life is a highway - drive safely all day long from the Iowa Department of Transportation
Shout Outs
J-Hawk spring activities currently suspended
As of March 22, 2020, the J-Hawks spring activities have been suspended due to COVID-19 precautions.
Prior to spring break, the boys track team competed in the UNI Dome at an indoor track meet. In that meet, UHS senior, Harrison Waylee, took home the title for the 60 meter dash. Great work, Harrison!
Click here for link to www.j-hawks.com for upcoming events this week. Go J-Hawks!!
UHS Students’ Documentary Honored During C-SPAN National Competition
Congratulations to Urbandale High School seniors, Emma Schaben and Cassi Killam, for having their documentary earn an Honorable Mention in C-SPAN’s national 2020 StudentCam Competition. Their documentary looked at homelessness in the United States.
Each year since 2006, C-SPAN partners with local cable television providers in communities nationwide to invite middle and high school students to produce short documentaries (5-6 minutes) about a subject of national importance. This year students addressed the theme, “What’s Your Vision in 2020? Explore the issue you most want presidential candidates to address during the campaign.” In response, nearly 5,400 students from 44 states and Washington, D.C., participated. C-SPAN received over 2,500 submissions.
View all award winners here and be sure to view the documentary, “Homelessness” created by UHS seniors Emma Schaben and Cassi Killam. Congratulations to these talented students for their work in researching a topic of critical importance, developing a documentary that shines a light on homelessness in our community and country, and receiving national recognition for their exceptional film. We are #proudofU!
UHS American Government and Political Action Club receive State of Iowa Carrie Chapman Catt Award for work to get out the vote!
Last week, we were notified that UHS American Government and Political Action Club students earned the Carrie Chapman Catt Award!
From the email we received from Kendall Antle, Project Manager in the Office of Iowa Secretary of State, Paul D. Pate.
"The Carrie Chapman Catt Award symbolizes more than just registering 90% of eligible students in your school. It commemorates her steadfast commitment to gaining women’s suffrage for an entirely new generation of Americans to lawfully participate in the electoral process." UHS staff and students worked to get all students who are eligible registered to vote. Great work!
Again, a big shout out to Mrs. LaPietra and PAC president, Monica Lewandowski!!
Monica and Mrs. LaPietra with a few seniors who registered to vote
Monica and Mrs. LaPietra worked with the UHS Political Action Club to meet their goal!
Notification from State of Iowa regarding winning the award!
UHS Academic Decathlon team brings home 2nd place at the state competition!
The Urbandale High School Academic Decathlon team earned Second Place at the Iowa State competition held on March 6-7 in Waterloo. The students will advance to the online national competition later this spring, where they will compete in eight events related to the theme In Sickness and in Health: An Exploration of Illness and Wellness. The team studied very challenging materials to test their academic strength in Art, Music, Literature, Economics, Science, Social Science, Math, Speech, and Interviews.
The team members at the state level were Damon Drury, Shay Kent, Chloe McFarlane, Devin Ensley, Carson Burright, Michelle Beeman, Lexie Carter, Alex Salas Tadeo, Blair Liveringhouse, Chris Ledo, Lovetee Tody, and Alicia Vah. Blair Liveringhouse won a silver award in Art and bronze awards in Music and Literature. Lexie Carter won a silver award in Literature, Michelle Beeman won bronze in Speech, and Chris Ledo won a silver award in Science. Congratulations everyone!
Damon Drury
Shay Kent
Chloe McFarlane
Devin Ensley
Carson Burright
Michelle Beeman
Lexie Carter
Alex Salas Tadeo
Blair Liveringhouse
Chris Ledo
Lovetee Tody
Alicia Vah
AcDec members ready to compete!
AcDec members ready to compete!
Great work, J-Hawks!
UHS senior Reed Andrews named to State Jazz Band All-State!
Battle of the Books conducts fundraiser during Parent/Teacher Conferences!
UHS Cheer Team performs at the state basketball tournament!
UHS Cheer Team performs at the state basketball tournament!
Learning around UHS
Optional request for photos of students engaged in learning during this time of closure
I'm putting this optional request out for photos of UHS students engaged in learning in different ways and settings during this time of closure. If you would like to email me a picture of how you are engaged in learning , I will look over the pictures I receive and include what I can in upcoming newsletters.
"Thank you" in advance!
Mr. Carver
Mr. Hermon's interview with UHS student regarding robot creation
Mr. Hermon interviewed UHS junior, Ryan Muetzel, regarding his latest robot invention prior to break. Enjoy!
Connections groups playing Spoons before break!
Connections groups playing Spoons before break!
Connections groups playing Spoons before break!
UHS Drumline performs at What to Expect Night
Sierra and Emily share their high school experience during What to Expect Night
Mr. Wilkins and Mr. Goodhue talk about clubs at WTEN
Mrs. Kilstrom's students learning about the human skeleton
Students in English class engaged in learning
UHS Dream tree outside of Mrs. Cutler's room
PE students engaged in activity
Students engaged in learning in the LMC
Members of the South Dakota University choir perform with Urbandale Singers
Members of the South Dakota University choir perform with Urbandale Singers
Students engaged in learning in the LMC
Mercy College rep with UHS students
J-Hawk Coloring contest
J-Hawk Coloring contest
UHS and VHS bands perform together with guest clinician
Follow us...UHS Twitter!
Urbandale High School
Website: http://www.urbandaleschools.com/schools/urbandale-high-school/
Location: 7111 Aurora Avenue, Urbandale, IA, United States
Phone: (515) 457-6800
Twitter: @UHS_UCSD
Tim Carver, Principal
Email: carvert@urbandaleschools.com
Website: http://www.urbandaleschools.com/directory/tim-carver/
Location: 7111 Aurora Avenue, Urbandale, IA, United States
Phone: 515-457-6801
Twitter: @TimPCarver