
We are ALL WDMCS
Sept. 8, 2023

In This Edition
- Video Message from Superintendent Adams
- Upcoming September Events (Welcoming Week, Tiger Gala, Homecoming)
- ISASP Results Available
- Soccer Equipment Donations Needed
- Annual Notices
- Legislative Updates: What They Mean for your Family
- WDMCS Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion Updates
- Race Dr. Adams in Cardboard Boat Race at Raccoon River Rally Oct. 14
VIDEO MESSAGE FROM SUPERINTENDENT ADAMS
UPCOMING SEPTEMBER EVENTS
Digital Backpack
Our digital backpack lists a wide variety of events, classes, or other community opportunities.
- Tiger Basketball Makeup Tryout, register by Sept. 11
- Skate with Us — Iowa Figure Skating Academy, register by Sept. 11
- Girl Scouts Registration Event at Jordan Creek on Sept. 12
- Girl Scouts Registration Event at Western Hills on Sept. 12
- Hoyt Sherman Place Kids Studio Fashion Design, register by Sept. 13
- Hoyt Sherman Place Collage Box, register by Sept. 14
- Girl Scouts Registration Event at Fairmeadows on Sept. 18
- Girl Scouts Registration Event at Hillside on Sept. 18
- Girl Scouts Registration Event at Crossroads on Sept. 21
- Cub Scout Pack 118 Annual Bike Ride, Sept. 23
- Valley Dance Team Kids Clinic, Sept. 28
View Digital Backpack Listings >
Welcoming Week Sept. 11-15
West Des Moines Community Schools (WDMCS) invites our students, families, and community to observe Welcoming Week with us!
In 2022, WDMCS joined the Welcoming Network and observed Welcoming Week, national initiatives created by the non-profit organization Welcoming America.
This Welcoming Week, Sept. 11-15, WDMCS will focus on the theme "Safe Communities." Various events and activities will explore ways we create, support, and elevate belonging in our district.
Special Events Sept. 11-15
- Monday, Sept. 11: "Happy in Your Skin" book talks at the West Des Moines Library with author and WDMCS parent Erlin Kakkanad
- Tuesday, Sept. 12: "What We Can Learn From Kids About Race and Inclusion" presentation at the Learning Resource Center from author and WDMCS parent Erlin Kakkanad
- Friday, Sept. 15: Dress up in cultural clothes that represent your heritage.
SECOND ANNUAL TIGER GALA SEPT. 14
Homecoming Week Sept. 18-22
Come support your Tigers and celebrate our West Des Moines Community Schools (WDMCS) spirit during Homecoming 2023! Homecoming is for EVERY school in our district. Find ways to show your school spirit this year.
Powderpuff Football
MONDAY, SEPT. 18
Powderpuff football games start at 7 p.m. and will be played at Tiger Field. Free admission.
Parade and Carnival
THURSDAY, SEPT. 21
The Homecoming parade starts at 5:45 p.m. and will begin at Valley Southwoods and end outside Valley Stadium (rain location: Southwoods gym).
The Homecoming carnival follows the parade from 6:15-8:30 p.m. and will be held outside Valley Stadium.
Football Game
FRIDAY, SEPT. 22
Valley's Homecoming football game starts at 7 p.m. and will be played at Valley Stadium. The Tigers will face the Ames Little Cyclones. Please visit https://valleytigersathletics.com/ for more information about the game.
Purchase digital tickets online starting Sept. 20.
Spring 2023 ISASP Results Available
The Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress (ISASP) Parent Portal allows families to securely access their students' results online. Watch for an email with instructions and a unique code for accessing results.
Soccer Equipment Donations Needed
We are excited to share that we have more than 150 students signed up for our boys' high school soccer team this season. However, we are in need of new or gently-used soccer equipment to support the team.
Equipment Needed
We accept jerseys, shorts, shin guards, goalie jerseys, goalie pants/shorts, goalie gloves, socks, cleats, soccer balls, and bags.
- Jerseys with names/numbers okay to donate.
- Balls do not have to be deflated.
- Cleats, socks, shin guards and goalie gloves are only accepted in pairs.
- Please make sure your donations are clean.
Where to Donate
Place donations in plastic bags and drop them off at the Athletics/Activities Office at Valley High School, 3650 Woodland Ave. in West Des Moines.
Questions?
Email Coach Aziz Haffar at haffara@wdmcs.org.
ANNUAL NOTICES AND LEGISLATIVE UPDATES
Annual Notices
Please view the 2023-2024 annual notices. The link to annual notices is also included in the footer of every WDMCS website.
- Abuse of a Student by District Employees
- Access to Public information
- Access to Student Records
- Anti-Bullying and Harassment
- Asbestos Containing Material
- Career and Technical Education Non-Discrimination Statement
- Citizen Complaints
- Corporal Punishment
- Equal Education Opportunities
- Equity Statement
- Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA)
- Fees
- Handbooks
- Iowa Eligibility for Free and Reduced Meals
- Open Enrollment
- Physical Restraint and Seclusion of Students
- Return-to-Learn
- Search and Seizure
- Section 504
- Special Education Services
- Student Wellness
- Youth Who Are Experiencing Homelessness
2023 Legislative Updates: What Do They Mean for Your Family?
We want to provide WDMCS families with an overview of a few legislative decisions made in 2023 that impact public education. This information is intended to inform families of any changes we made as a school district. This communication is not intended to interpret the meaning behind legislation. As with many legislative decisions recently made that impact public school districts for 2023-24, we believe more detailed guidance from the Iowa Department of Education (IDOE) would provide clarity regarding implementation expectations for districts, details in areas of ambiguity, and consistency across the state.
House File 602 - Student ID Cards
What is it? Requires a crisis hotline and other information to be added to every student ID card.
What does this mean for WDMCS families? LifeTouch addressed this need and added this to the back of all student ID cards.
House File 604 - Student Behavior and Discipline
What is it? Expands the reporting requirements under Iowa Code section 279.51A requiring a classroom teacher to report any threat of violence or incident of violence made by a student that results in injury, property damage, or assault. It also requires parents/guardians acknowledge receipt of the student handbook.
What does this mean for WDMCS families?
If an incident occurs that involves your student, the information will be reported to the school administrator and parents/guardians will be notified within 24 hours of receiving the report. WDMCS has communicated with families when situations occurred, but the legislation specifies the process for how information must be reported to parents/guardians.
Senate File 496 - Education Omnibus, Parental Rights in Education
What is it? States a parent or guardian bears the ultimate responsibility, and has the right, to make decisions affecting the parent's or guardian's minor child, including decisions related to the minor child's medical care, moral upbringing, religious upbringing, residence, education, and extracurricular activities.
What does this mean for WDMCS families?
This communication will not cover every item included in SF 496. However, we want to share our process regarding THREE topics.
Topic #1 Surveys (surveys designed to assess a student’s mental, emotional, or physical health.)
One example is the Panorama Social Emotional Learning (SEL) Survey that the district asks students to complete each year. You will receive an email with a link to learn the purpose of the survey, view the questions, understand who created it, and how the information will be used. You will then be asked to log into Infinite Campus to either accept or decline the survey to be given to your student. You will need to do this for every student enrolled in WDMCS.
Other surveys may be given to students throughout the school year by the district, your student’s school, and/or your student’s teachers. Surveys that are designed to assess a student’s mental, emotional, or physical health would also require parent/guardian permission. How parents/guardians provide permission may vary, based on who is giving it.
Topic #2 Preferred Name
If a student asks the teacher to be called by a different name than what is listed in Infinite Campus and/or different pronoun, the teacher will contact their school administrator. The school administrators will then contact the parents/guardians. If the parent/guardian acknowledges the requested name and/or pronoun, this information will be updated in Infinite Campus. If the parent/guardian does not agree with the requested changes, the administrator, student, and family will work together to support the student.
WDMCS’ practice will be to follow this process for any requested nicknames that are not already recorded in Infinite Campus (example: Matthew to Matt). While we understand that this is broader than what is written in the law, we believe that this process and practice will ensure that we are accurately referring to all students by the correct name.
Topic #3: Library Books
WDMCS already established a comprehensive selection process during the 2022-23 school year for any new materials that may be added to a school or classroom library. This process ensures staff collaborate with each other and administration before a final decision is made.
This process expanded this school year to also include reviewing existing materials that either a parent/guardian brings to the attention of staff for review and/or a staff member becomes aware of a book that may not age-appropriate based on Iowa Code 256.11, section 19.
In addition, several WDMCS Board policies are in the process of being updated to align with recent legislation. Board Policy 605.02, Selection of Classroom Materials, and Board Policy 605.06, Challenged Materials — Instructional Materials and Classroom Libraries, will be presented to the Board of Education on Sept. 11 with recommended revisions.
VIDEO TUTORIAL: HOW TO ACKNOWLEDGE RECEIPT OF HANDBOOKS
WDMCS DIVERSITY, EQUITY, AND INCLUSION UPDATES
Observances in September 2023
- Hispanic/Latinx Heritage Month (Sept. 15-Oct. 15)
- National Suicide Prevention Week (Sept. 10-16)
- Bisexual Awareness Week (Sept. 16-23)
- Labor Day (Sept. 4)
- 9/11
- International Day of Democracy (Sept. 15)
Shared Language
Each term has a definition, scholarly reference, and district context. The intent of the glossary is to leverage language in achievement of belonging for all members of our community, as WDMCS serves an increasingly diverse, multicultural, multiethnic, and multilingual student population of more than 9,200 with complex needs.
Equity Community Engagement Sept. 26
Join us for an equity community engagement event on Tuesday, Sept. 26! These quarterly events provide an opportunity to share updates and information about WDMCS' DEI work and build relationships with our district community. Community members will:
- gain a better understanding of WDMCS' DEI vision and efforts
- learn about district departments, programs, and processes to better support students
- co-create necessary space with the district and other community members to build community, share ideas, and collaborate
September Equity Community Engagement Event
5:30-8 p.m., Tuesday, Sept. 26
Learning Resource Center Community Room
3550 Mills Civic Parkway
West Des Moines, IA 50265
Future Community Engagement Event Dates
- Dec. 7, 2023
- Feb. 1, 2024
- April 9, 2024
FAMILY-FRIENDLY RACCOON RIVER RALLY OCT. 14
Save the date and join the West Des Moines Community for the 3rd Annual Raccoon River Rally at Raccoon River Park on Saturday, October 14! This fall festival is a family-friendly event featuring live music, food trucks, activities for families, bike ride through West Des Moines, and cardboard boat races on Blue Heron Lake. The event is organized by the West Des Moines Chamber of Commerce and City of West Des Moines. Learn more at wdmchamber.org/rally.
Dr. Adams competed in the Raccoon River Rally cardboard boat race last year against Superintendent Brad Buck from Waukee. This year, he wants to compete against our very own students and staff!
If your school, classroom, or club would like to build a cardboard boat and race against Dr. Adams, register at the website linked below. WDMCS groups that defeat Dr. Adams will earn a special surprise directly from the superintendent on top of any Raccoon River Rally awards!
https://wdmchamber.org/boat-race-registration
Raccoon River Rally
Saturday, Oct. 14
Raccoon River Park
2500 Grand Ave., West Des Moines, IA