Uplifting Urbandale
UCSD Newsletter 4.22.22 #upliftingU
UHS Physics Teams Earn Six Awards During 22nd Annual Engineering Competition
The 22nd annual Tau Beta Pi Roller Coaster Engineering competition was held on Wednesday, April 20th in the Howe Hall Atrium on the Iowa State University campus. The competition provides middle and high school students an opportunity to apply STEM-related theories to a project that is both fun and challenging while accomplishing a Rube Goldberg Challenge® during the performance of the roller coaster. A Rube Goldberg Challenge consists of a comically involved, complicated invention, laboriously contrived to perform a simple operation. Students throughout Iowa competed in this year’s challenge by designing a “Roll A Die!” themed roller coaster. See all roller coasters in action here: UHS Engineering
Urbandale Physics teams captured the following six awards:
1st Place Overall: “Everest Expedition” Team members: Brett Cullinan, Jake Mulligan, Zach Vorphal, Parker Hamann, and Phillip Doan
2nd Place Overall: “Congratulations Class of 2022" Team members: Hannah Serdarevic, Ashlyn Perry, and Sydney Dial
3rd Place Overall: “Hogwarts” Team members: Geni Williams, Julie Pham, Catherine Clifford, Peggy Barley, Maya Vanderleest, Megan Sawyer, and Nellie Leaverton
Technical Skills Award: “High Rollers” Team members: Jaida Morrison, Hallie Ladwig, Morgan Svec, and Alena Havran
Theme Award: “H20 Just Add Physics” Team members: Tristan Parmerlee, Dylan Luong, Jackie Hernandez, Addy Kerr, Elise McDowell, and Laynie Sand
Presentation Award: “Geese Squad” Team members: Bryce Getz, Michael Andrews, and Will Shoemaker
Urbandale Community School District congratulates the UHS Physics teams for their engineering expertise and notable accomplishment of bringing home six awards during the Physics Roller Coaster Competition! Well-done! #UHSpride
1st Place Overall: “Everest Expedition”
2nd Place Overall: “Congratulations Class of 2022”
3rd Place Overall: “Hogwarts”
Technical Skills Award: “High Rollers”
Theme Award: “H20 Just Add Physics”
Presentation Award: “Geese Squad”
Help Celebrate UCSD Teachers During Teacher Appreciation Week May 2 – May 6
Join us in celebrating Teacher Appreciation Week, May 2 – May 6, 2022, by sharing your appreciation for our dedicated, inspiring, and professional Urbandale Community School District educators. These exceptional individuals go above and beyond in supporting students’ academic success, building meaningful relationships with students, and fostering emotional well-being.
During Teacher Appreciation Week, please consider reaching out to your teachers with a note or email sharing your gratitude and appreciation for ALL of the many, many ways they have given of themselves to support students. You could also consider sharing your gratitude by submitting a statement via the "Share Your Appreciation" short form that can be found within the “We Appreciate” section on the homepage. Just click on the "Share Your Appreciation" button and a short form will expand. Complete the form, we'll review your statement, post it on the District site once approved, and share it directly with the person you'd like to recognize. This form is available throughout the entire year. We are incredibly thankful for the tremendous dedication and compassion of our UCSD teachers! #Umakeadifference #weappreciateU
Urbandale High School & Metro West Learning Academy Graduation Events
Urbandale High School Class of 2022 Commencement Ceremony Thursday, May 26th at 7:00 p.m. at the Knapp Center, Drake University. We will also be livestreaming the ceremony and will provide the link once confirmed.
Metro West Learning Academy Class of 2022 Graduation Celebration Wednesday, May 18th from 5:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m. at the Lion’s Park Gazebo (please bring your own chair for an outdoor ceremony). To help us ensure we have enough space, please RSVP to Jamie Evans evansj@urbandaleschools.com or (515) 727-6301 if you are planning to attend.
We Celebrate Our UCSD Board Of Directors During School Board Recognition Month
As May is School Board Recognition Month, sponsored by the Iowa Association of School Boards, we celebrate the contributions of board members to Iowa public education. Urbandale Community School District is celebrating the work of school board members who are Launching Iowa’s Next Generation through their commitment to our students, schools, and community
As citizen leaders, UCSD board members face complex and demanding challenges. Yet few people fully understand the scope and far-reaching implications of board members’ responsibilities. Board members contribute thousands of hours each year leading their districts. Whether it be crafting policies, listening to staff and student concerns, or advocating with legislators, board members always keep their eyes on the goal of student achievement. The time spent in board meetings represents just a small fraction of the hours school board members spend leading in their districts. They attend seminars and training sessions to keep current on the latest trends in educational leadership; are deeply involved in community and school activities; and they create, read and study countless reports, agendas, proposals and other information to guide difficult decisions. Their love for learning and their commitment to the students, staff, and community served by UCSD drives board members’ desire to help students take flight.
Board of Directors Photo: Jenny Meade, Rachel Kent, Vice President Brianna Sayre Geiser, President Katherine Howsare, Jason Menke, Judy Downs (resigned March 2022), and Ashley Anderson.
School Board Special Election
During the April 13 Special School Board Meeting, the Board of Directors met to reconsider appointees and take action to appoint a board member who would fulfill the remaining term of Director Judy Downs. Since the Board of Directors did not approve a candidate by majority vote, a special election will be called in accordance with Iowa Code.
The Board will discuss potential dates and costs associated for the special election at an upcoming board meeting. The Polk County Election Office will then set the special election date and a new board member will be elected through the voting process. We will provide further information, including the election date, once more details are finalized regarding the special election.
Free Meals for All Students Ends With the 2021-2022 School Year
When the 2021-2022 school year ends, so do free meals for every student. While the federal government funded a program that allowed all students access to free meals during the COVID-19 pandemic, Congress recently declined to continue funding this program. This means all families will need to carry a positive balance in their children’s school meal accounts when school begins next fall. If your student qualifies for free or reduced meals, they can still receive them next year, here is how to make it happen.
Complete an Application for Free and Reduced Meals
Complete the 2021-2022 online application before the end of this school year if you have not already filled out an application for the 2021-2022 school year. This will give you a 30-day grace period at the start of the 2022-2023 school year to complete another application for next year.
Then, fill out the 2022-2023 online application which will be available on the District’s website after July 1, 2022. Even if you complete the 2021-2022 application, you will still need to complete the 2022-2023 application, as well.
Fee Waiver Program For Families Who Qualify For Free & Reduced Meals
Please note: The application and waiver forms need to be completed each school year. The current application and waiver forms are for this school year (2021-22). At the end of this school year, we will close both forms and re-activate them in July for the 2022-23 school year.
Celebrating Asian American And Pacific Islander Heritage Month
During the month of May, we celebrate the outstanding achievements of Asian American and Pacific Islander (AAPI) communities. We welcome you to view, read, and listen to the following resources about Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month.
Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month Resources:
History.com: Learn about the origins and reasons we celebrate Asian American Pacific Islander Heritage Month through a multitude of resources.
Smithsonian Institution: A host of readings, lesson plans, student activities, collection guides and research aids.
OWHL: A list of readings, podcasts, videos, and websites to help understand and act against anti-Asian racism in American society.
PBS: Asian Pacific American Heritage Month: A host of articles, videos, documentaries, etc. celebrating Asian Pacific American Heritage Month.
Polk County Supervisors & Prairie Meadows Donation
Design and Construction Progress Update April 2022
Click here for an updated summary of actions that have been taking place for design and construction projects throughout the District.
Reminder: No School & No Adventuretime April 29
UCSD Receives Award Of Excellence During Statewide Communications Contest
The Urbandale Community School District was recently recognized with an Award of Excellence for video development during the Iowa School Public Relations Association 2022 Communications Contest. Urbandale submitted one entry, #caring4U, which received this recognition.
Given the multitude of hardships our students, staff, and families endured throughout the 2020-21 school year, UCSD created this video to acknowledge that we were all at different stages of healing as we began the 2020-21 school year. We strived to reinforce how our shared adversity can make us care more deeply for one another by building stronger connections. We aimed to provide a message of hope, healing, and inspiration as we kicked off the 2020-21 school year.
School districts throughout Iowa submitted a total of 127 entries in various categories with school communications professionals from other chapters judging entries based on numerous criteria including design/appearance, clarity/focus, quality in writing, overall effect, and evaluation. Submissions were then scored based on the following: first place received the Blue & Gold Award, second place received the Award of Excellence, and third place received the Award of Merit.
Thank you to our families, educators, staff, school board, volunteers, and community stakeholders for your fantastic support of our students as we continue sharing about the meaningful, inspiring, and outstanding work taking place throughout our district!
UCSD Elementary School Boundary Committee
Urbandale Community School District is seeking committee members to serve on an elementary boundary committee. Members of this committee will be a sounding board for RSP & Associates (an organization that specializes in school district planning services) as new boundary options are created and feedback from the public is considered. The outcome of this committee will be a recommendation to the Urbandale School Board for new elementary boundaries to be implemented for the 2023-2024 school year. The decision regarding boundaries will be determined by school board vote.
If you would like to participate as a member of the Urbandale CSD Elementary School Boundary Committee please complete and submit this short form (see below) by 5:00 p.m. on April 29, 2022. Our aim is to have the Elementary School Boundary Committee include a diverse representation of community stakeholders. There will be approximately 25 members composed of parents, administrators, teachers, community members, a board member, and RSP & Associates representatives. Representation of all current elementary buildings and student programming is desired and will drive the selection process. Everyone who expresses interest will be notified the week of May 9 as to who was selected to be on the committee.
All community stakeholders will have the opportunity to provide feedback to this workgroup. There will be a survey open to everyone to help identify the priorities this group should focus on. Additionally, there will be public feedback meetings in late July to provide input on options being considered.
If you have questions about this work, please contact Dr. Keri Schlueter. 515-457-5004 or schlueterk@urbandaleschools.com
Granična komisija za osnovne škole: Obrazac zahtjeva za učešće (Bosnian)
မူလတန်းကျောင်းနယ်နိမိတ်အသစ်ရွေးချယ်မှုကော်မတီ- ပါဝင်မှုတောင်းဆိုမှုပုံစံ (Burmese)
Elementary Sianginn Boundary Sertu Committee: Telve ding in sawnnak fom (Hakha Chin)
Comité de límites de la escuela primaria: formulario de solicitud de participación (Spanish)
Kamati ya mipaka ya shule ya Msingi: Fomu ya ombi la kushiriki (Swahili)
UEF Alumni Golf Tournament: June 27 at Hyperion
The Urbandale Education Foundation and Urbandale Alumni Association are excited to announce that this year’s UEF Alumni Golf Tournament is slated for Monday, June 27, 2022, at Hyperion Field Club.
This event is an annual fundraiser that raises money to support student scholarships and classroom grants throughout the Urbandale Community School District, providing funds for projects and initiatives not supported within existing school budgets. Last year’s golf tournament raised over $24,000 thanks to generous donations by participants and community members and through sponsorships from businesses and professionals. UEF awarded $16,000 for classroom grants in 2021 to Urbandale educators and $26,000 for scholarships to Urbandale students.
“The UEF Alumni Golf Tournament is one of our biggest fundraising events, and it is one I look forward to every year,” said Marty Trepp, board member of the Urbandale Education Foundation and director of the UEF and Alumni Golf Tournament. “This tournament is a great opportunity for our community to come together and make a difference in the lives of Urbandale students, teachers and staff and experience so much fun in the process.”
As the UEF Alumni Golf Tournament draws closer, please check UrbandaleEducationFoundation.com and UrbandaleAlumni.com often for the latest updates and information regarding this year’s event. RSVP on Facebook!
Reminder: ‘No School’ Dates In May 2022
Please make note of the following dates in May 2022 when school will not be in session:
District-Wide
Memorial Day: Monday, May 30 (no school; no Adventuretime; District Administration Office closed)
School resumes for all UCSD students except Rolling Green: Tuesday, May 31
Last day of school for all UCSD students except Rolling Green: Wednesday, June 1, 2022
Rolling Green Elementary (only)
Intersession: Monday, May 2 – Friday, May 6 (no school)
May Break: Thursday, May 26 – Tuesday, May 31 (no school)
School resumes for Rolling Green students: Wednesday, June 1
Last day of school for Rolling Green students: Friday, June 17, 2022
Metro West Academy (only)
Metro West Professional Development: Friday, May 13 (no PM session; AM session will take place as scheduled)
Last Day Of School: 2021-22 School Year
As of today, April 22, UCSD does not have any weather-related ‘make-up’ days.
The last day of school for all students (except Rolling Green) remains Wednesday, June 1, 2022.
The last day of school for Rolling Green remains Friday, June 17, 2022.
Please note: any additional weather-related delays or cancellations would require making up that time which would take place at the end of the school year. Review calendars here.
Register Today! Student Registration For The 2022-23 School Year
We know this is a busy time of year for students and families. Thank you in advance for taking time to register your student(s) for the 2022-23 school year.
Student Registration:
Returning Students—if your student(s) is registered in UCSD this school year (2021–2022), click here for specific information about registering your returning student.
Preschool Students—if your child will be 3 years old or 4 years old by September 15, 2022, click here for specific information about registering your preschool student.
Kindergarten Students—if your child will be 5 years old by September 15, 2022, 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.
Urbandale Community Invited To Attend U-Fest On August 5
The Urbandale Education Foundation and Urbandale Alumni Association are excited to announce that the third annual U-Fest is set for Friday, August 5, 2022 at the Walker Johnston Softball Diamonds. The event will start at 4:30 p.m. and end at 9:30 p.m.
U-Fest is a fun, family-friendly event featuring food trucks, beverages, live music performed by Faculty Lounge and bounce houses among other activities. Proceeds from the event will support student scholarships and classroom grants throughout the Urbandale Community School District, providing funds for projects and initiatives not supported within existing school budgets. At last year’s U-Fest, roughly $5,000 was raised as part of the $16,000 awarded for classroom grants for Urbandale educators and $26,000 for scholarships for Urbandale students.
“We are looking forward to hosting another festive U-Fest event in support of our mission to enhance educational opportunities for Urbandale Community School District students, teachers and staff,” said Meribeth Haynes, president of the Urbandale Education Foundation and co-chair of Urbandale Alumni Association. “U-Fest is a great opportunity for the community to enjoy a casual social environment together and alumni to reconnect.”
Admission to U-Fest is $10 for adults 18 and over and $3 for individuals age 13-18. Children 12 and younger will receive free entrance. Admission may be purchased at the event’s gates with cash or card. Entrance fees also include one free drink ticket. Parking will be available off of Douglas Avenue at Walker Johnston Softball Diamonds, and attendees are welcome to bring portable chairs or a blanket to relax and enjoy all of the festivities.
As U-Fest draws closer, please check UrbandaleEducationFoundation.com and UrbandaleAlumni.com often for the latest updates and information regarding this year’s event. RSVP on Facebook!
Adventuretime Associate Positions Still Available For This School Year
Register Today! Urbandale Community Education Summer Camp Series
The Urbandale Community Education Summer Camp Series is now open for registration.
Choose one of three convenient ways to register:
Online at UrbandaleCommunityEd.com (click on “Register” located in the top navigation on the UCE website)
In person at Urbandale High School (East entrance near stadium)
Mail to Urbandale Community Ed, 7111 Aurora Ave, Urbandale, IA 50322
Be sure to register in a timely manner as classes do have capacity limits. We’re looking forward to a great summer!
2022-2023 School Year Calendars & First Day of School Dates
Please make note of the following dates for the 2022-23 school year:
Rolling Green (year-round calendar)
The first day of school for Rolling Green K-5 students is Thursday, July 28, 2022
The first day of school for Rolling Green preschool students is Monday, August 1, 2022
UCSD (except Rolling Green)
The first day of school for UCSD K-12 students (except Rolling Green) is Tuesday, August 23, 2022 (Note: UHS “early out” days will be replaced with a “late start” every Monday beginning in the 2022-23 school year. All UCSD schools, preschool–12th grades, will have a late start every Monday.)
The first day of school for Olmsted and Webster preschool students is Thursday, August 25, 2022
Gift Giving
Register Today! Adventuretime Summer Program
Rolling Green Kindergarten Registration Still Available – Register Now!
One of the many things that makes Urbandale unique is the year-round elementary school found right in the heart of the Urbandale Community School District. Rolling Green Elementary is a school of choice which means families choose to attend Rolling Green school no matter where they live in the district. This is in contrast to other schools where students are assigned a school based on the proximity of their home to their neighborhood school.
“Year-round” means that Rolling Green is able to provide even more learning opportunities throughout the year, but it does not mean that students go to school every day of the year. Rolling Green is in session the same number of days as elementary schools on the traditional year calendar. Rolling Green’s summer break is a full six weeks long and the schedule provides more frequent breaks throughout the year which gives everyone the chance to reset and refresh! On most breaks, Rolling Green offers optional, theme-based programming for a small fee. This provides families additional childcare and gives kids fun, hands-on learning experiences that include fantastic field trips.
Rolling Green welcomes families to register for preschool and/or kindergarten for the 2022-23 school year:
Register your kindergarten student for the 2022-23 school year.
Register your preschool student (4-year-old) for the 2022-23 school.
Open Enrollment is available for kindergarten students who live outside the District.
We would love the opportunity to share more about Rolling Green with you and all our school has to offer your child and family. Please reach out to Principal Dania Wilson to learn more. We hope to welcome your family to our preschool and/or kindergarten program this fall!
Join Our Team! We’re hiring for various positions and we’d like to hear from you!
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 which include the following:
Part-Time:
Early Childhood Special Education Associates
Adventuretime Before & After School Childcare Associates
Adventuretime Childcare Associates for Summer 2022
Various High School and Middle School Coaching positions
Nutrition Services
Special Education Associates
Substitute Associates, Substitute Custodians, Substitute Nutrition Services and Substitute Teachers
Full-Time with Benefits:
Various Certified Teacher positions open for the 2022-23 school year
Nutrition Services
Special Education Associates
Custodians
Learn more about available positions. For questions or additional information, please contact UCSD HR Manager Kate Johnson johnsonk@urbandaleschools.com We look forward to hearing from you!
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Contact Us
Email: communications@urbandaleschools.com
Website: www.urbandaleschools.com
Location: 11152 Aurora Avenue, Urbandale, IA, USA
Phone: 515-457-5000
Facebook: facebook.com/UrbandaleCSD/
Twitter: @UrbandaleCSD