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:

1. 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.

   
   

2. 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.
   
   

3. 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.

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!”

Read full article >

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.