The Rolling Green canned food drive was part of a PBL (Project Based Learning) for 2nd Grade English Language Learners. The problem that students identified was hunger in the community, and they talked about ways they could help solve the problem. Students came up with the idea of collecting food and donating it to the Urbandale Food Pantry. Over the course of four days, students helped count, graph, and inform the rest of the school about the progress being made in order to encourage participation. Overall, Rolling Green students collected over $500 and several hundred food items. Well-done, RG! More Photos

On May 2, Olmsted's CommUNITY committee planned a student and family event with CultureALL. Four CultureALL Ambassadors provided informative and interactive presentations: the Musical Tour of Mexico with R.J. Hernandez, Welcome to my Bosnian Home with Dzenana Ahmetasevic, The Ancient World of Mehndi with Sonal Mystry, and Dances of Latin America with Valerie Williams. Students were able to learn about these cultures throughout the school day, while families were invited to join the event after school hours. What a great opportunity for children to learn about different traditions and cultures. Thank you to the Olmsted team for bringing global learning opportunities to students! #OlmstedPride More Photos

The UHS Visual Arts Department attended the Burbs 2023 Art Show in April. Urbandale High School students submitted a total of 17 different pieces of art, and brought home eight awards including Judges Best in Show 1st and 3rd place, Student Voted Best in Show, 3rd place in Oil Painting, 2nd place in Ceramic Sculpture, 2nd place in Printmaking, and 1st place in Non-Ceramic Sculpture. An incredible amount of time and dedication goes into creating each piece of art, in addition to the courage it takes to submit your artwork for critique. Congratulations to the UHS Visual Arts Department for having such an outstanding showing at the Burbs 2023 Art Show. We are #proudofU! More Photos

May is Mental Health Awareness Month and serves as a great opportunity for our community to begin eliminating stigma by starting conversations and increasing understanding about mental illness. 1 in 5 people will have some kind of mental illness in a given year and stigma is the greatest barrier to individuals seeking help regarding their mental illness. By breaking down the stigma around mental illness, we can support those who are struggling to find resources and treatment. To learn more about how you can help end mental illness stigma, visit: Makeitok.org/IOWA Learn More

We celebrate this month in recognition of the outstanding achievements and contributions of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities. We welcome you to view, read, and listen to resources about Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month provided here.

We're incredibly thankful for our school & district office administrative assistants. We celebrated National Administrative Professionals Day on April 26. The outstanding support they provide to students, staff & families is absolutely vital! #AdministrativeProfessionalsDay View More

Congratulations to Lilly Hill and David Mawia who were named Borlaug Scholars and earned $1,000 scholarships to Iowa State University’s College of Agriculture & Life Sciences for their participation in the World Food Prize Iowa Youth Institute on April 24, 2023. Lilly and David wrote research papers about solving food security challenges in Yemen and Myanmar, presented their work to panels, and learned from global experts to earn this distinction.

“Although the IYI program isn’t widely known, the experience is unforgettable,” said Hill. “Getting to walk on campus and experience a snippet into the day of a college student is by far my favorite part. You get a sense of independence and feel like a true Hunger Fighter.” Learn More

In Urbandale, we’re fortunate to offer both before & after school childcare through our Adventuretime Family Services Program. We celebrated National Afterschool Professionals Week April 24 - 28. We thank this outstanding team for helping students begin & end their day with a smile! #thankful4U More Photos

On May 1, we celebrated National Principals Day. We are grateful to have such outstanding leaders, partners & advocates in education throughout all of our schools. Our schools are stronger because of their leadership. #ThankAPrincipal View More

Between preparing healthy food, adhering to strict nutrition standards, navigating student food allergies, and offering service with a smile, our UCSD Nutrition Services Team goes above and beyond each and every day. In recognition of their hard work and commitment, join us in celebrating School Lunch Hero Day on Friday, May 5. More Photos

We encourage you to share your words of gratitude with your School Nurse and Health Associate as we honor and celebrate all of the outstanding ways for which Nurses support our schools each and every day. Join us in celebrating National School Nurse Day! Without question, we are better #becauseofU! View More

Join us in celebrating our exceptional UCSD educators during Educator Appreciation Week, May 8 – 12, 2023. We welcome you to view the kind and heartfelt words shared by students, staff, and families in the video and graphics posted here. The video and graphics will also be shared on YouTube, Twitter and Facebook throughout the week. A huge ‘thank you’ to our teachers and staff who go above and beyond in supporting students’ academic success, building meaningful relationships with students, and fostering emotional well-being. We are incredibly thankful for the tremendous dedication and compassion of our UCSD educators! #Umakeadifference #weappreciateU

Please make note of the following dates in May 2023 when school will not be in session.

District-Wide

• Memorial Day: Monday, May 29, 2023 (no school; no Adventuretime; District Administration Office closed)

• School resumes for all UCSD students: Tuesday, May 30, 2023

• Last day of school for all UCSD students except Rolling Green: Thursday, June 1, 2023

• Last day of school for Rolling Green students: Thursday, June 15, 2023

Urbandale Community School District is hosting a garage sale event at Rolling Green Elementary. On July 14, 2023, the sale will be open exclusively to educators within UCSD and the community from 7:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. Please contact Brandi Crawford at (515) 457-5010 or crawfordb@urbandaleschools.com to schedule a time to visit the pre-sale (open for educators by appointment only). From 9:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. the garage sale will be open to the public. The sale will include chairs, desks, electronics, file cabinets, storage units, tables, and more. We look forward to welcoming you! Full details: www.urbandaleschools.com/sale

Urbandale High School Class of 2023 Commencement Ceremony
Thursday, May 25th at 7:00 p.m. at the Knapp Center, Drake University
The graduation livestream can be viewed on the District YouTube Channel beginning at 7:00 p.m. on May 25. Congratulations to the Class of 2023! We are #proudofU! (Note: Please use the link above for the most direct access to the livestream.)

Metro West Learning Academy Class of 2023 Graduation Celebration
Wednesday, May 17th at 5:00 p.m. at the Lions Park Gazebo (please bring your own chair for an outdoor ceremony). To help us ensure we have enough space, please RSVP to Jamie Evans or (515) 727-6301 if you are planning to attend. Congratulations to the Class of 2023! We are #proudofU!

Safety City is a week-long summer program for children entering kindergarten in the fall of 2023. Children will learn about traffic safety, fire safety, home, playground, and other kinds of personal safety in an entertaining, positive environment. To make learning about safety fun, Safety City incorporates songs, story books, films, games, and artwork in addition to riding Big Wheels in a mock city setting. Safety City also provides the experience of riding on a school bus to the Urbandale Police and Fire Departments for tours. Safety City is taught by Urbandale Police Officers and staff who are assisted by a team of student helpers. There are three sessions to choose from and the registration deadline is May 27th! Register Today (Select “2023 Spring/Summer,” then “Safety City 2023”)

Then look no further. The UCSD Adventuretime Family Services Summer Program is hiring associates to support preschool through fifth grade students participating in the summer program. You’ll have the opportunity to help children participate in crafts, games, enrichment activities, team building, field trips, guest speakers, and group celebrations. The summer program will be located at Olmsted Elementary from June 8 – August 4, 2023. Hours of operation are from 6:30 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. Associate positions are great for parents, retirees, community members, college students, and high school students (must be 16 years of age or older to apply). Positions are part-time and not eligible for health insurance benefits. The beginning hourly rate is $15.03/hour. To learn more, view the associate job description or call 515-457-5855. We look forward to hearing from you!

As of April 20, our last day of school remains the same for both the traditional calendar and year-round calendar.

Traditional Calendar:

• Last day for students is Thursday, June 1, 2023

• Last day for certified staff is Monday, June 5, 2023

Year-Round Calendar:

• Last day for students is Thursday, June 15, 2023

• Last day for certified staff is Friday, June 16, 2023

• Note: May 26 will be a work day for certified staff at Rolling Green

As we have had one early dismissal (January 18) and one cancellation (February 16) day this school year due to inclement weather, we will not need to make up additional days. However, this would need to be reassessed if we were to have an additional inclement weather or no school day(s). School calendars can be viewed here.

Families with students in kindergarten through 11th grade currently enrolled in the district will receive an email between May 1 – May 14, 2023, with instructions for online registration. For families without email, a letter will be mailed to you with instructions for registering your returning student(s).

Student Registration:

• Returning Students—if your student(s) is registered in UCSD this school year (2022–2023), click here for specific information about registering your returning student. (Note: You’ll receive the registration email between May 1 – May 14 which will include your student’s unique Snap Code.)
  
  

• Preschool Students—if your child will be 3 years old or 4 years old by September 15, 2023, click here for specific information about registering your preschool student.
  
  

• Kindergarten Students—if your child will be 5 years old by September 15, 2023, click here for specific information about registering your kindergarten student.
  
  

• New Students—if your student(s) is new to UCSD, click here for specific information about registering your new student.

To be on a bus route for the first day of school, UCSD needs to receive your completed bus request form no later than July 1st for Karen Acres and August 1st for all other schools. After that date, UCSD can still add your student for bus transportation, but the bus stop locations will be set; thus, students may have to walk farther to their bus stop and possibly wait several days before they can begin riding the bus. All bus transportation information, including the bus request form, can be found here. (Please note: Beginning in the 2023-24 school year, the year-round program will move to Karen Acres Elementary; here is the Elementary Boundary Map beginning in the 2023-24 school year.)

Are you interested in making a positive difference in the lives of Urbandale students? Do you like building relationships and helping others reach their potential? Would you enjoy hours within a school-day schedule while being a member of IPERS (the state’s largest public retirement system)? If you’ve answered ‘yes’ to any of these questions, we’d like to hear from you! We’re currently seeking team members for a variety of positions. We currently have several new openings for the 2023-24 School Year! Learn More

Urbandale Community Ed is excited to offer new classes in Science, Engineering, and Robotics. Your student can also learn Spanish, Chess, and Art in fun and engaging classes offered at UCSD elementary schools. Check out urbandalecommunityed.com for all of our new classes for any age. Don't forget to come back in March when the Summer Camp Series is released for all of the fun camps and clinics offered here in Urbandale!

You can find information about all activities to include athletics, the performing arts, and the Booster Club right at your fingertips. Be sure to visit j-hawks.com for all of the latest information, upcoming events, and highlights. Plus, purchase your fan gear online at the J-Hawk Shop. Let’s go J-Hawks!

The UCSD Flyer Hub is a great resource for finding information about community activities, opportunities, and services. We post flyers from our district, community education, and organizations within our community. Flyers are frequently updated so be sure to check back often.