Each year, Urbandale Middle School offers an opportunity for 8th grade girls to attend “Go Further,” a day hosted by the W.I.S.E (Women In Science and Engineering) organization at Iowa State University. Students enjoy traveling north to the prestigious Iowa State campus to explore science, technology, engineering, and math.

"I didn't expect to feel so encouraged,” said UMS 8th grade student Myrsa Sarmiento. “I learned a lot and was motivated to continue my interest in architectural engineering. When we toured the campus I saw so many buildings that were dedicated to engineering and even a building called the Sloss Building that is for women and the support of them on campus. There was a question/answer portion at the end and I heard from women who look like me—women of color."

While some students have siblings or family members who can bring them onto a university campus for a first-hand view of a college experience, others may not have those connections. This school field trip to a university campus just might be a catalyst for students to begin seeing the world of opportunities that await them. Learn More

Metro West Academy students and staff are doing great things inside and outside the classroom. Most recently, the Metro West team helped our neighbors at the Urbandale Historical Society and Urbandale Community Action Network (UCAN) by raking leaves and cleaning up the yard at the Olmsted-Urban House. Students and staff enjoyed a beautiful fall day as they rolled up their sleeves and got to work. The time they spent raking leaves was not only fun, but a meaningful way to give back to the community and very much appreciated by the recipients. A job well-done! We are incredibly #proudofU!

Not only did Urbandale High School students involved in the National Honor Society enjoy a night full of fun and good laughs during Beggars Night on October 30, they also enjoyed collecting items in support of the Urbandale Food Pantry. Students went out into the community to collect non-perishable food items in order to help support families in need. Many thanks to these outstanding students for their efforts, to the community members who donated items, and to the National Honor Society sponsors—Social Studies Teacher Adam Dirks and Extended Learning Program Teacher Carrie Baird-Forristall. We are #thankful4U!

UMS CORE and Al Exito students collaborated together in the creation of the altar, the "ofrenda" table for "Día de los Muertos" (Day of the Dead). Day of the Dead is widely observed in Mexico, but is also celebrated in other Latin American countries, on November 1st and 2nd. In Mexican culture, the altar usually has traditional dishes, candles, pictures of families and friends who have passed away, colorful skulls and decorations. The Day of the Dead is a time for families and friends to gather and remember joyful memories of those close to them who have passed. Thank you to our UMS students for sharing this special tradition! Learn more about this Mexican tradition. #UMSpride

Earlier this month, six Urbandale High School students participating in the Iowa Jobs for America’s Graduates (iJAG) program, attended the Leadership Development Conference (West) along with 51 other iJAG programs across the state. Leading up to the conference, iJAG students were tasked with the challenge of creating a “hype video” for Urbandale iJAG. This was a competition across all programs participating in the Leadership Development Conference. UHS iJAG students took home second place for their hype video and $150 to go toward their fundraising goal. They also won a team building activity by creating a tower out of newspaper and tape which came in at a whopping 147 inches tall. View the hype video (Note: The original hype video included background music, but due to copyright restrictions, the music was removed so the video could be viewed on YouTube.) In addition, UHS iJAG student Ryan Knight was selected as one of eight students – out of a total of 48 applicants – to attend the National Student Leadership Academy in Washington, D.C. When Ryan attends the conference, he will not only be representing Urbandale, but the entire state of Iowa. #UHSpride Learn More

The Urbandale Schools and Alumni Foundation (URBSAF) was thrilled to have the opportunity to award over $23,000 to Urbandale educators — the largest amount awarded to date — as part of the URBSAF Making A Difference Grant Program. The annual program, now in its ninth consecutive grant cycle, is intended to provide Urbandale Community School District educators the opportunity to receive funds for projects and initiatives not supported within existing school budgets. Learn More

Please make note of the following dates in November 2022 when school will not be in session.

District-Wide

• Wednesday, November 23 through Friday, November 25: No school due to Thanksgiving Holiday

• The All-Day Adventuretime Program for preschool - 5th grade students is taking place on November 23
  

• Thursday, November 24 and Friday, November 25: District Administration Office closed due to Thanksgiving Holiday

Rolling Green Elementary (only)

• Monday, November 21 and Tuesday, November 22: No school due to Intersession

When UCSD needs to delay, dismiss early, or cancel school due to inclement weather or emergency situations, UCSD will notify families directly via email, phone, and text*, post an alert on the district website, district Facebook, district Twitter, and communicate with media outlets (WHO 13, KCCI 8, WOI 5). Please make note of the following two-hour delay, early dismissal and cancellation information. Be sure to keep your contact information updated with your school in order to stay aware, updated, and informed. *SMS (text): Parents/guardians can opt-in at any time to receive text messages by texting “Y” or “YES” to 67587. The “67587” number is the “short code” that connects to our notification provider, School Messenger.

The federal waiver for free school meals was not extended to the 2022-23 school year; thus, families will need to carry a positive balance in their children’s school meal accounts in order for children to access breakfast and lunch while at school. Funds can be loaded onto student accounts electronically through TITAN or by bringing cash/check to your student’s building (please place in an envelope and include your student’s first and last name so the money is credited to the correct account). Online payments are preferred because they happen instantaneously. You can also add payments through the Titan app available on the App Store (for iPhone) or Google Play Store (for Android). Learn More

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. Our newly posted positions include: General Maintenance and Full-Time Special Education Associate at Rolling Green Learn More

Students and staff who test positive for COVID-19 must remain home for at least 5 full days (day 0 is the first day of symptoms or the date of the day of the positive viral test for asymptomatic persons). Individuals may return to school on day 6 if they have been fever-free for at least 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication AND other symptoms of COVID-19 are improving. It is highly recommended that individuals wear a mask when around others at home and in public for an additional 5 days. Learn More

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.