WE ARE ALL WDMCS
West Des Moines Community Schools | May 15, 2020
Valley Senior Honors EveningWe’re delighted to celebrate Valley High School’s Class of 2020 students at our Senior Honors Evening event on Wednesday, May 20 at 7 p.m. The event will be held virtually on Valley High School’s Facebook page. For those unable to tune in during the livestream, the broadcast will be made available on Valley’s Facebook page and the WDMCS YouTube channel following the event. | 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. All families should have received email, text, and app notifications regarding their school's plan for picking up student belongings. Most schools anticipate pick-up sometime the week of May 18-22 or May 26-29. If you did not receive a notification, please email your student's principal. View contact information > | What Will Summer Look Like for WDMCS?Summer is often full of activities for WDMCS. In past years, we offered Stretching Minds, Summer Enrichment Adventures, athletic camps, Kids West childcare, Community Education classes, and more. Based on guidance from Gov. Reynolds and the Iowa Department of Education, we hope to finalize decisions around summer events the week of May 18-22. Some specific WDMCS academic opportunities have already been canceled and parents informed. However, we are still assessing numerous events and activities through August. Watch for a comprehensive update on this topic soon. |
Valley Senior Honors Evening
We’re delighted to celebrate Valley High School’s Class of 2020 students at our Senior Honors Evening event on Wednesday, May 20 at 7 p.m. The event will be held virtually on Valley High School’s Facebook page.
For those unable to tune in during the livestream, the broadcast will be made available on Valley’s Facebook page and the WDMCS YouTube channel following the event.
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.
All families should have received email, text, and app notifications regarding their school's plan for picking up student belongings. Most schools anticipate pick-up sometime the week of May 18-22 or May 26-29.
If you did not receive a notification, please email your student's principal. View contact information >
What Will Summer Look Like for WDMCS?
Summer is often full of activities for WDMCS. In past years, we offered Stretching Minds, Summer Enrichment Adventures, athletic camps, Kids West childcare, Community Education classes, and more.
Based on guidance from Gov. Reynolds and the Iowa Department of Education, we hope to finalize decisions around summer events the week of May 18-22. Some specific WDMCS academic opportunities have already been canceled and parents informed. However, we are still assessing numerous events and activities through August.
Watch for a comprehensive update on this topic soon.
Shelly Pospeshil Named New Clive Learning Academy Director
Please join us in welcoming Shelly Pospeshil to Clive Learning Academy and West Des Moines Community Schools!
Return-to-Learn Plan for 2020-21 in Progress
West Des Moines Community Schools (WDMCS) is working to not only support our students and staff through the remainder of this academic year, but consider the impact the spring’s situation will have on next school year. The Iowa Department of Education (IDOE) provided guidance Friday, May 8, so school districts can develop a Return-to-Learn plan and submit it to the IDOE no later than July 1, 2020.
RETURN-TO-LEARN PLANNING STEPS
The plan WDMCS submits to the IDOE must include:
Plan for required continuous learning. This is different than the voluntary continuous learning WDMCS chose to use for the remainder of the 2019-20 school year. Districts must develop a plan that will:
- Define teacher and student expectations;
- Identify how content will be delivered to students;
- Ensure teachers participate in professional development;
- Ensure student access.
The plan must also outline how WDMCS will communicate this to students, families, staff, and the community.Plan for hybrid learning. WDMCS may choose to offer educational services through a hybrid model of continuous learning and on-site learning for at least some portion of the 2020-21 school year. This means services are offered both remotely and at school locations. The hybrid model may allow for social distancing while partially reopening school buildings to provide educational services.
Plan for on-site learning. This plan would model a more traditional experience from previous school years, but would require implementing additional health and safety measures.
Because the Return-to-Learn plan requires multiple options to support students and staff, a Return-to-Learn task force has been created. WDMCS will work diligently over the next several weeks to develop a comprehensive plan which best supports our WDMCS community. We will continue to update students, staff, and families in the coming weeks.
The WDMCS Transportation Department is requesting families who would like to take advantage of school bus transportation for their student(s) to register now for the 2020-21 school year. It is required for every student who plans to ride on the bus to register each year.
You can register either through an online form or by calling the department’s automated phone line: 515-633-4990 (for English speakers) and 515-633-4989 (en español). The phone line is available 24 hours a day, every day.
Crestview’s Amundson Earns Unruly Splats’ Unruliest PE Teacher Award

Congratulations to Crestview School of Inquiry physical education teacher Chris Amundson, who garnered Unruliest PE Teacher Award honors from Unruly Splats.
Unruly Splats is an organization that helps students utilize STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) skills through active and social recess-style play with coding devices.
“Since the month of May is Teacher Appreciation Month,” Unruly Splats wrote in its 2020 Unruliest Educator Awards announcement, “we wanted to highlight some of the Unruly Educators that embody the true meaning of unruliness:
- They know how to have fun and take fun seriously
- They welcome the many silly sounds and ways of learning
- They use student roles to find ways for everyone to contribute their unruliness
- They let students and ideas drive the bus—not Splats!
- They have high expectations for what their students can create!”

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 (get instructions). 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.
This page is intended to be a source of information about COVID-19 and provide links to the most updated information on how it is impacting our WDMCS community.
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.