WE ARE ALL WDMCS
West Des Moines Community Schools | May 8, 2020
Securly App Monitors Internet Activity
WDMCS uses web filtering company, Securly, which allows parents to receive weekly emails that contain their child’s internet activity from their Chromebook. Securly can also help parents block certain web content at home, such as social networking sites.
Learn more about web filtering >
Securly can also provide another layer of protection by monitoring students' Web searches. Securly uses an algorithm to identify potential inappropriate searches for things like violence or nudity. Terms related to self-harm or cyberbullying will trigger an immediate alert to parents. These alerts are generated through the SecurlyHome app on your cell phone.
When Can You Pick Up Student's Stuff?
We understand that when students left for spring break, no one anticipated that we would not return for the remainder of the school year.
Schools have started to send email, text, and app notifications to families regarding their plans for picking up student belongings. Most schools anticipate pick-up sometime the week of May 18-22 or May 26-29. Watch for information from your child's school.
2020-21 School Calendar
As we continue to plan for what the 2020-21 school year will look like for our students, we decided to maintain the school calendar dates as planned. If we receive future guidance from Gov. Reynolds or the Iowa Department of Education (IDOE) that would impact the calendar, we will communicate those changes.
First day of school - Wednesday, Aug. 26
View 2020-21 Calendar at a Glance >
The Iowa Department of Education (IDOE) announced school districts will need to develop a plan to address our students’ needs for the fall. The DE released the return to learn guidance Friday, May 8. We will review the guidance and begin putting together our plan that is due July 1, 2020.
National Teacher Appreciation Week 2020 at WDMCS
Managing Canvas Parent Account, Viewing Grades
If you have not yet set up your Parent Account in Canvas, please click on the following link to access directions in creating your account.
Setting up your Parent Canvas Account >
Viewing Grades
Canvas offers a simple screen for parents that allows them to see a list of their students’ courses and current grade with one click of a button! On the far right of your Dashboard, click on the button “View Grades” and you will see a list that includes your student’s name, course name, and current grade.
Second Semester Grading in Canvas
We shared in a previous We Are ALL WDMCS how we implemented a Pass/No Mark option for secondary students due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
You can view your student's grades in Canvas (see instructions in previous article). While you are always welcome to reach out to your student's teacher with questions, final decisions on student grades are not necessary until later this month. Watch for an email from your student's school the week of May 25 with more information on how to confirm for each course if you and your student wish to take a grade or the Pass/No Mark option.
Tigers Together Yard Sign Pick-Up
The WDMCS yard signs will be ready for pick-up sometime next week. If you purchased a sign, you will be emailed information with the date, time, and location for pick-up based on your last name.
Thank you for supporting our students and uniting as Tigers Together!
WDMCS Foundation Seeks Donations to Support Students
Dear WDMCS Families and Community Supporters,
One thing we have learned (quickly) from COVID-19 is the importance of technology and food security within a community!
On March 12, the West Des Moines Community Schools (WDMCS) sent 9,000 students out the door for spring break. In a matter of days, the world we knew turned upside down in response to COVID-19. School districts throughout the nation, including WDMCS, were forced to shift overnight to online learning for K-12 students. Many parents are now working from home, while juggling childcare and helping school-aged children with assignments and managing emotions of loss. These are the lucky ones.
The hard reality is that many parents are now out of work, with no access to Wi-Fi for distance learning and food is scarce. Quite suddenly, a student’s world becomes small and lonely.
In the WDMCS, 10 percent of students do not have access to Wi-Fi at home and last week the new grab and go meal program prepared more than 10,000 meals for students in the district. More than 30 percent of WDMCS students qualify for the Free and Reduced School Lunch Program. These students (and their families) need our support.
Please consider a donation to an all-district fundraiser sponsored by the West Des Moines Community Schools Foundation. All funds raised will go directly toward two goals:
- Technology – Funds allocated here will help families obtain access to WIFI and support the District’s online continuous learning needs.
- Food Security – Distributing 10,000+ meals per week requires different food purchases and drivers. We believe these numbers will continue to rise.
Donating is easy and can be done online through the Foundation website. Please select your preference from the dropdown – COVID-Tech or COVID-Food. Or donate to both!
If you prefer to send a check, please send to: WDMCS Foundation, 3550 Mills Civic Parkway, West Des Moines, Iowa 50265 (write in the memo “tech”, “food” or “general.” )
Thank you for supporting our students and families. Together, we will come through this united! Stay safe and well. #weareWDMCS
Sincerely,
Tina Mowry Hadden, President
Required Immunizations Update from WDMCS Nurses
By Iowa law, all students entering or transferring into seventh grade and born after Sept. 15, 2004, are required to show documentation of having received the meningococcal vaccine after the age of 10. All students entering or transferring into 12th grade and born after Sept. 15, 1999, will need to show documentation of two doses of the meningococcal vaccine or one dose if received when the child was age 16 or older.
WDMCS nurses recognize many families may have had physicals rescheduled or experienced other limitations when making appointments with their healthcare providers due to COVID-19. Families should contact their individual healthcare provider to determine the best time to schedule an appointment for the required immunizations prior to the 2020-21 school year.
Meningococcal disease is a very serious, potentially life-threatening disease. The meningococcal vaccine is 85-100% effective at preventing infection from the subtypes of meningococcus found in the vaccine. Please check your child’s immunization records. By law, if your seventh-or 12th-grader is not fully immunized for meningitis, they will not be allowed to attend school or participate in sports and school-related activities at the beginning of the 2020-21 school year. If they have not had the required vaccine, please set up an appointment with their doctor to get their vaccines up to date before the 2020-21 school year.
WDMCS nurses are available for all of our families, and can be reached by email. If you have questions regarding your child’s health or immunizations, please reach out and we are available to assist you.
West Des Moines Community Schools
We understand a students’ education is an important part of their life journey, and we are committed to their success. At WDMCS, students will gain knowledge and develop skills to prepare them for life. The excellent opportunities we offer enable students to explore their interests and achieve their potential because we believe every student can find their place in the WDMCS.
Email: scroffice@wdmcs.org
Website: wdmcs.org
Location: 3550 Mills Civic Parkway, West Des Moines, IA, USA
Phone: 515-633-5000
Facebook: facebook.com/WDMCS
Twitter: @WDMCS