Ankeny Schools Snapshot
A monthly district newsletter
February 2023
Advancing the Vision
with Superintendent of Schools, Dr. Erick Pruitt
Whether you are talking to educators, reading advocates, or family members, teaching students how to read has become a common topic of conversation recently. Podcasts and journals are reporting on it, publishers are writing about it, and researchers are finding the science to prove it.
The science of teaching reading isn’t new, but its recent spotlight in educational social outlets is gaining interest from the public. As the science of reading continues to gain momentum across the country, we need to understand what it means, and how it informs our reading practices.
Put simply, how students read is a vast, interdisciplinary body of scientifically based research about reading and issues related to reading and writing. Not only is it not new, but research has been conducted over the last five decades across the world. The conclusions on how students read have been derived from thousands of studies.
The science of reading has culminated in a preponderance of evidence to inform
how proficient readers and writers develop,
why some students have difficulty learning to read,
how we can most effectively assess and teach,
how to improve student outcomes through prevention of and intervention for reading difficulties.
We are excited to be starting our three-year literacy curriculum review process here in Ankeny. We will focus on teacher pedagogy, the methods of teachers in theory and in practice, as well as research on the science of reading.
A community survey went out in December to gather information from stakeholders that will be considered in the upcoming curriculum review. The Literacy Curriculum Advisory Team (CAT) began meeting January 31.
Outcomes achieved at this meeting:
Group meeting dates were set.
Components of a curriculum review and initial ideas around what needs to be differentiated for Literacy were shared.
Clear, concise, & transparent communication will be established to keep stakeholders informed.
We will continue to keep the community informed as the review team’s work unfolds.
Thank you,
Dr. Erick D. Pruitt
Superintendent of Schools
Now Introducing the Name of Elementary 12
View the New Data Dashboard
We are excited to share a new tool on our website for viewing data from the board-approved strategic plan. The plan documents the vision and the goals that will lead the way over the next three to five years. The data dashboard shows the progress being made on the three guiding pillars of the strategic plan.
Facility Master Plan Committee Meeting Update
The Facility Master Plan Committee met February 8 and discussed grade-level configurations with the focus of optimizing student learning and facility usage as well as the potential to decrease transitions between buildings for students. The committee evaluated multiple grade configuration options using the Strategic Plan, district enrollment data and projections, and the previously developed facilities, academic, and financial belief statements to guide the evaluation. The committee also discussed how an innovative secondary center might impact facility needs in the future.
After working through the evaluation process, the Facility Master Plan Committee recommended the grade levels be grouped as follows: Kindergarten through fifth-grade in elementary school, sixth through eighth-grade in middle school, and ninth through 12th-grade in high school.
After coming to consensus on the proposed grade configuration, the committee analyzed an initial concept for new elementary boundaries for 2024. The committee will continue to evaluate boundary concepts at the March and April meetings.
The work left for the committee to consider includes:
Developing a proposed timeline and budget for the new innovative secondary center
Developing a proposed timeline for the transition to the recommended grade configuration
Using the Strategic Plan, district data, the belief statements, and community input to develop a recommendation for elementary boundaries for the 2024 school year
Compiling the grade-level configuration, boundaries, and facilities needs into a report for the Superintendent
If you want to know more about the Facility Master Plan Committee, grade-level configuration, boundary work and other district topics, there is a webinar being held the evening of March 28, at 6:30 p.m. Parents, community members and other stakeholders are all welcome to attend. More information, including a link to attend, will be posted later this month. Additionally, the Facility Master Plan FAQ on the website is updated weekly with new information.
Help us Achieve One Million Minutes!
As we began the school year, our district made the commitment to spend one million minutes working together in service of students. Through hundreds of volunteers, community groups, staff and students working towards our goal, we have made incredible progress, but we know we can do more.
On this upcoming Random Acts of Kindness Day Feb. 17, we encourage you to get in on the act! Here are several ways you can be join us to reach this goal:
Report Your Minutes! If you are the leader of an organization that has volunteered time to the district (e.g., Ankeny Boosters, PTO, show choir parent group) please complete this brief form to let us know about your contributions. (If you signed up through the district's volunteer portal, Better Impact, there's no need to resubmit your time.) Don't worry about submitting something that someone else in your group has already submitted—all submissions will be reviewed and duplicates will be removed.
Sign Up for a Volunteer Account—Then Sign Up to Volunteer! Haven't checked out our new Volunteer Hub, yet? Now is the perfect time! There are dozens of opportunities currently posted across a number of district schools and organizations. Find your perfect match or get pre-registered so you are ready to go when the right opportunity comes up!
Nominate an Outstanding Volunteer! This year, in addition to recognizing outstanding staff through our Education Professional and Support Staff Member of the Year awards, we are introducing a Volunteer of the Year award to celebrate someone who has made a difference for our district and students. Know someone who deserves one of these honors? Nominate them by completing the relevant forms. Nominations close at midnight on March 3, 2023.
Check Out Other Ways to Get Involved! Would you or your organization like to support the district in ways other than volunteering? Check out the new Support Our Schools hub to learn more about our needs and the opportunities for you to get involved in making our schools the best they can be for all of our students.
2023-2024 Calendar Available Now
The Ankeny Board of Education approved the 2023-2024 school year calendar. Please note the change from late start Wednesdays to full-day professional development days. View the calendar here.
Focus on Safety
Schools throughout the country, including in Ankeny, have been grappling with the issue of school safety. At the February 6 school board meeting, the Ankeny Board of Education heard an update on our current safety program and discussed potential additions for the future.
We sincerely appreciate the partnerships within the parent community that help maintain a safe learning environment for students. The safety of students and staff is of utmost importance for the Ankeny Community School District.
Parents and community members play an important role in keeping our schools safe. One very easy practice all Ankeny stakeholders can pursue is to speak up if you see something. Do not hesitate to call a building administrator to report any issue pertaining to a school building. Reports can also be made anonymously through the TIPS reporting system found at www.ankenyschools.org/safety. Additionally, the Iowa Health Systems hotline at (515) 244-1000 is staffed 24/7 so community concerns can be recorded at any time.
Parents and community members can also help by following and supporting all security measures when visiting an Ankeny school building. This includes signing in and out at the school office and wearing a visitor’s badge at all times while in the building.
Additional ways the ACSD community can support a culture of safety include:
Emergency Contacts on Record with the School District: Please regularly update emergency and contact telephone numbers and information with your school to ensure you receive information and updates during emergency situations. The parent emergency notification system will use the contact information on record in Infinite Campus to contact you in the event of an emergency. It is also important to update information on who can legally pick up a child. In the event of an emergency, only custodial parents, legal guardians and those listed as emergency contacts are allowed to pick up students at a parent reunification center.
Medications: If your child is on medication, be sure the school has at least a two-day supply.
Plan: Create your own family emergency plan. Develop a family communication plan and have a supply kit to sustain you and your family for two to three days. For tips on how to prepare a plan, go to https://ready.iowa.gov.
It will take the effort of our entire community to provide a safe learning environment. Thank you for your efforts to partner with us to ensure the safety of the students in our district.
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