Ankeny Schools Snapshot
A monthly district newsletter
June 2022
Advancing the Vision
As I reflect on the past year, I see both highs and lows, challenges and successes. However, it is the passion and dedication that this community has for educating our children that stands out the most. During our strategic planning process, we had 11,050 contributions and we as a community collaborated for nearly 130,000 minutes to develop the plan. This is incredible! Although we may not always agree, we can always agree to come together as a community and work alongside each other to make sure our children are receiving the high quality education that they all deserve. This gives me great hope.
We accomplished so much together during the year. We came together monthly at PAC meetings to have conversations around topics and ideas that support our district’s goals. I look forward to starting PAC meetings again in the fall and invite you to complete this form if you have topics that you would like to see covered. In May, we saw the culmination of nine months worth of work come to fruition when the board passed the new Strategic Plan, Graduate Profile and DEI Framework. We also celebrate our teachers and support staff and the great contributions in each of our student’s lives through honoring their years of service, a retirement ceremony, the Ankeny Chamber of Commerce held their annual Celebration of Education event, and we were able to honor Deborah Cote-Glander as Education Professional of the Year and Kim Bolte as Support Staff Member of the Year.
Over the summer, the staff of Ankeny Schools will be working to prepare for the next school year. This work is exciting as we will be designing ways to implement the plans and frameworks that we built together over the past school year. I hope you will save the date for the Back to School Forum on Tuesday, August 9th.
As the summer begins, I hope that your family will experience all the joys of summer such as rest, relaxation, fun and time together.
Thank you,
Dr. Erick D. Pruitt
Superintendent of Schools
New Curriculum for Fall 2023: Elementary Math and Computer Science
K-5 Math:
Beginning in the Fall of 2023, K-5 students will engage in learning around the K-5 Prioritized Mathematics standards during their general education classes. The Ankeny standards were adopted from the Iowa Core Mathematics Standards.
The primary resource to support instruction and learning has also been identified. Illustrative (IM K-5 math) has been selected as the primary resource for the K-5 level. Illustrative (IM K-5 math) is open source so parents and community members can access the resource as well as benefit from the parent resources.
Computer Science:
Beginning in the Fall of 2023, K-5 students will engage in learning around the Ankeny K-7 Prioritized Computer Science standards during their digital learning class - one of their specials rotations. Students in 7th grade will engage in learning around the standards during their Exploring Technology Class - one of their exploratory classes. Senate File 274 requires the district to ensure the following at the K-7 level: By 7/1/23 Districts need to offer Computer Science to one grade level K-6 and 7-8.
BootUp has been selected as the primary resource for the K-5 level, and NewBoCo (code.org) has been selected as a supplemental resource. For 7th grade NewBoCo (code.org) has been selected as the primary resource. Both resources are free of charge; however, we will need to allocate funds for the training our teachers need in order to utilize these resources. Both of these resources also have the distinction of being selected at the state level and are eligible for grant reimbursement. Currently, we have applied to the state for one grant and will coordinate with Heartland AEA for a second grant. If we are selected as grant recipients the cost of the professional learning for both of these programs will be covered by the grant.
Strategic Plan and Graduate Profile
Strategic Plan
For the past eight months, students, parents, staff, and community leaders have worked together to develop a strategic plan that will guide the district's work for the next five years. This work began with a "core team" of approximately thirty people developing a framework for the plan; seven "action teams" made up of nearly 200 individuals from across the community then worked to develop specific, concrete strategies to bring the framework to life.
Through this work, as well as input provided through surveys, community conversations, staff meetings, and other informal gatherings, the district collected 11,050 contributions to inform the strategic plan. Together, the community spent nearly 130,000 minutes - 90 days! - working to develop the plan.
The newly-adopted strategic plan includes the following features:
- Updated district mission statement: The Ankeny Community School District engages all students in an educational experience that equips them with the skills to flourish in and contribute to an ever-changing world.
- Prioritization of academic rigor & relevance: A goal that All ACSD students will graduate prepared for postsecondary success.
- Focus on maintaining a system of talented people: A goal that ACSD will have an effective teacher in every classroom, an effective leadership team in every building, and an effective, student-focused staff working across the district.
- Commitment to providing supportive learning environments: A goal that every ACSD student will have the opportunity to learn and grow in a collaborative, dynamic, and secure environment.
Graduate Profile
This year, a task force of parents, staff, and community members worked together to identify the essential cognitive, personal, and interpersonal competencies that every student should have by the time they graduate from high school. Through a design process that included regular consideration of student input, as well as feedback from parents, staff, and community members, the group identified the following desired traits for all Ankeny graduates:
- KNOWLEDGEABLE: Students will have a strong academic foundation and the fundamental skills needed to thrive in the world after high school.
- AUTHENTIC: Students will be reflective, self-aware, accountable, and independent thinkers who have post-secondary plans that align with their personal and professional goals.
- ENGAGED: Students will demonstrate concern for the well-being of others and actively work to make a positive impact in their communities.
- UNDERSTANDING: Students will model empathy, open-mindedness, and skill in effectively communicating and building relationships with a wide variety of people.
- CURIOUS: Students will be lifelong learners who embrace knowledge, think critically, challenge assumptions, and seek opportunities for growth and improvement.
- ADAPTABLE: Students will persist through changes and seek solutions to challenges without losing sight of themselves, their commitment to others, or their long-term goals.
DEI Framework
This Framework describes the expected adult "ways of work" that support student growth and readiness to pursue multiple academic and career pathways when they graduate from Ankeny Schools. The framework provides guiding principles for staff behaviors to achieve the goals in support of the strategic plan. The Framework also outlines a clear and shared purpose around the way adults will operate to provide all students access to high-quality learning experiences and achieve the district’s mission.
To do so will require leadership throughout the organization and from every adult. A cycle of continuous improvement must be established to enable all staff members to extend their knowledge and focus on improving instructional leadership, teaching practices, and district operations in support of learning for all students. The district's growth and high academic and professional achievement standards are the catalysts for continuous improvement. Our ability to improve all students' access to high-quality learning will continue to be dependent on the district’s ability to understand the competencies, conditions, culture, and context of our community as we continue to grow. Although the district consists of many unique and complex parts, these independent parts must identify how to work together effectively and efficiently to create multiple academic and career pathways for all students.
The Ankeny Community School District Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) Framework (“Framework”) codifies our belief that:
All students can achieve at high levels and demonstrate readiness for postsecondary and career pathways.
Our students, staff, and families must operate in accordance with the ways of work described in the Framework to realize the vision.
All students will experience belonging, have at least one adult they connect with, and have multiple opportunities to succeed.
SAP Services Available Over Summer
Through the Student Assistance Program provided by our school, your child and household family members have access to free, confidential counseling. Whether you’re simply struggling to balance it all or you’re experiencing a more complex life challenge, the SAP is here for you. Click here for more information.
June Virtual Backpack
Find this month's vBackpack here!
Ankeny Community School District
It is the policy of the Ankeny Community School District not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, 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 Ken Morris, Jr., Equity Director at 306 SW School Street, Ankeny, IA 50023, 515/965-9600 or kenneth.morris@ankenyschools.org. The grievance will then be directed to the appropriate administrator charged with managing the program or department specified in the grievance.
Website: www.ankenyschools.org
Location: 306 SW School St, Ankeny, IA, USA
Phone: 515-965-9600
Facebook: Facebook.com/AnkenySchools
Twitter: @AnkenySchools