We invite you to read the UCSD bi-weekly newsletter, “Uplifting Urbandale." Newsletters are archived on the Newsletter section of the District website. Please make note of the accessibility options which can be used to enlarge the text and/or translate this email. Mah hi Hakha holh in don na duh ahcun, Zaangfahnak tein Dar Lian ah peh tlai te.

Be sure to view Urbandale High School (UHS) 4+ Special Education student, Quinjuu Ketty, sharing about his first week of employment with WOI 5 (story below). The UHS 4+ Special Education Programs, called Boost and Bridge, aim to provide real life experiences that teach living, learning and working, as well as increased independence and self-advocacy. The programs close the gap between current skills and those needed for post-secondary life with the goal of preparing students for life after high school. Students who have met high school graduation requirements, but still have unmet Individualized Education Plan (IEP) goals that the IEP team has determined still need to be addressed, are eligible to participate in the programs. The programs cover a wide range of ability levels and provide extensive community experiences, volunteer opportunities, and career exploration.

We are incredibly proud of Quinjuu and of the outstanding work taking place in our Special Education programs. We are thankful for the dedication and leadership of our 4+ Programming Director Maggie Haddinger. #UHSpride

Urbandale Middle School is building relationships and strengthening connections with students by celebrating the positive ways students contribute to the school environment. This quarter, UMS students were nominated for demonstrating the J-Hawk Way value of “Safety.” The UMS Positive Behavior Intervention and Support (PBIS) team coordinated its first quarterly all-school assembly to recognize the nominated students, give a shout out to students participating in various clubs and activities, and highlight many of the positive things going on throughout the school. In addition to recognizing students, the UMS team planned an exciting event where students and staff from Team Red, Team Blue, and Team U participated in a fun relay race. The assembly was a great way to celebrate achievements of UMS students and bring together the entire school community for a truly memorable event! Well-done, UMS! #UMSpride

Valerius third grade students had the privilege of meeting Urbandale Mayor Bob Andeweg. Mayor Andeweg answered questions generated by the third graders that aligned with their social studies standards studying civics and government. They learned about their rights and responsibilities as a third grader in Urbandale. Many thanks to Mayor Andeweg, and the Valerius Elementary Team, for bringing learning to life for Valerius students! #ValeriusPride

Throughout the week of November 13, Urbandale High School students enjoyed tasting global foods, dressing in cultural garb, learning about the multiple cultures living in the Urbandale community, and coming together for the second annual Culture Fair. The UHS CORE x Culture Week brought learning to life by providing opportunities for students to learn more about various cultures and celebrate diversity and inclusion at UHS and throughout the entire Urbandale community.

“As members of CORE, we invest in our community, we invest in the culture, and we invest in curating spaces that are liberated and celebrated,” said UHS EL Teacher and CORE Faculty Facilitator Karin Ibrahim. “When we say ALL means ALL, we live that. We were incredibly excited to collaborate and share this experience with our entire UHS community.”

During the Culture Fair, the UHS English Language Department, foreign exchange students, and UHS students came together to highlight various aspects of their culture. The fair took place after school on November 16. There was dancing, singing, food, music, games and educational booths. A truly interactive and inclusive experience for all attendees. What a fantastic week. Well-done! #UHSpride More Photos

Please find below the results of the Voter-Approved Physical Plant and Equipment Levy (VPPEL) and School Board Election. (Note: Results are unofficial until certified by the County Board of Supervisors.)

Renewal of the VPPEL:

• Yes = 2,620 (64.41%; passed)

• No = 1,448 (35.59%)

School Board Candidates (top 4):

• Carissa Williams = 2,412 (19.28%)

• Danielle Bartkiw = 1,669 (13.34%)

• Katherine Howsare = 1,875 (14.99%)

• Josh Van Ryswyk = 2,349 (18.77%)

• Margaret Young = 2,388 (19.09%)

• Steve Avis = 1,769 (14.14%)

• Write-in = 50 (0.40%)

Thank you to all district residents who voted in the election. We appreciate your participation and support of UCSD schools.

On Friday, November 10, Webster held its 8th annual Veterans Day Celebration. Veterans related to Webster students and staff, along with Veterans from the Urbandale American Legion Post #663, were honored by signs that covered the Webster grounds and stars on the Webster walls with their name, branch of service, and their relation to Webster. An assembly was held in the gym where American Legion members Jim Cade and Mark Lyle presented the colors followed by the Webster J-Hawk Chorus, consisting of Webster 4th and 5th grade students, singing a song, "On Veteran's Day". A special guest speaker, a Webster teacher’s father, Don Mosinski, National Guard, spoke as well as three 5th grade students who gave speeches on what the flag means to them. Following the assembly, Veterans walked down the hallway with their families while students and staff of Webster silently saluted them. The procession ended in the Webster cafeteria with coffee, lemonade, and cookies. What a wonderful celebration! #WebsterPride More Photos

At the beginning of the school year, Valerius Elementary fifth grade students in the Extended Learning Program (ELP) were interested in studying the health of the pond adjacent to their school located in Walker Johnston Park. Students were curious to learn every aspect of the pond ecosystem. In addition to their own classroom learning, Valerius ELP Teacher Laura Hecht invited professionals from the community to guide students in their analysis. Professionals included a science consultant from the AEA, Fisheries Research Biologists from DNR, and a Community Education outreach professional from the Urbandale Public Works Department.

Following in-depth research and experiments, the students determined the pond is healthy. Each student created materials about different elements of a healthy pond ecosystem. Students then hosted a two-day Pond Learning Walk in the Maker Space area of the school to showcase their work to all Valerius K-5 students.

What amazing work by these outstanding students! Many thanks to Valerius Extended Learning Program Teacher, Laura Hecht, for facilitating and leading this fantastic project for students. What an incredible way to bring learning to life! Well-done, Valerius! #proudofU More Photos

Veterans Day, observed annually on the 11th day of November, is a time for honoring all men and women who have served in the United States Armed Forces. We are grateful for the service and sacrifice of all those who have served and their families. We are especially thankful to honor and recognize members of our UCSD team who also served in the U.S. Armed Forces. #thankful4U

Congratulations to our Competition Cheer/Dance Team for placing 3rd at State! Led by Head Coach Kali Brinker and Assistant Coaches Becca Metko, Ashley Clark, and Taryn Robertson. We are #proudofU!

Today is Substitute Educators Day! Join us in thanking our outstanding substitutes who help provide instruction and support for students each and every day. Providing high-quality instruction is essential for learning, and substitutes provide high-quality work on a daily basis. Our substitutes are able to get to know the students and staff in each school they choose, receive IPERS right away, and work jobs according to their schedule. Additionally, once substitute teachers have subbed 50 days within a school year, they’ll receive a loyalty bonus which will increase their daily substitute rate for the rest of the school year from $165 to $185.

Apply today to become a substitute teacher in UCSD. Learn more about obtaining your Substitute Authorization. For questions or additional information, please contact HR Specialist Kate Johnson johnsonk@urbandaleschools.com. There has never been a better time to #choosetheU!

As Valerius Elementary students arrived for school on November 3, they were greeted by some very special guests. Members of the Grand View University Football team welcomed Valerius students and wished them a great day ahead. You may recall members of the Drake University Football team recently welcoming students. These special greeters are part of the Valerius Attendance team’s goal of having students feel welcomed and excited as they enter the building for school each day. Many thanks to Facilitator of Family Outreach Maddy Punsalan and the Valerius Attendance team for creating such a fun way for students to start their morning! #ValeriusPride

In an effort to continually improve school-to-home communication, our district is investing in an industry-leading communications platform called ParentSquare. With ParentSquare, we’ll be able to consolidate numerous communications tools in use throughout the district in order to streamline school-to-home communications. Once ParentSquare is implemented throughout the district, all teacher, coach, school-office, and district-office communications will be distributed using this one centralized tool.

With ParentSquare, you’ll be able to:

• Receive communication from school/district via email, text, and/or app (phone calls for alerts)

• Select language preference for communication

• Select the frequency for receiving communications (either ‘instant’ or as a ‘daily digest’ at 6:00 p.m.)

• Direct message staff (similar to text messaging) with 2-way translation

• Receive attendance and meal balance notifications

• Access various district resources linked in the app

We’re planning a phased implementation of ParentSquare:

• We’ll begin toward the end of January 2024 when all parents/guardians, staff, and 9-12 students will be invited to begin using ParentSquare (Note: 8th grade students participating in the upcoming Softball and Baseball season will also be included)

• During this time, only school-level communications, district-level communications, and Softball and Baseball Team communications will be distributed via ParentSquare

• Classroom Teachers and Activities Coaches/Directors (with the exception of Softball and Baseball) will continue using their existing methods of communication

• Closer to the end of the school year, initial training will be provided for teachers to begin learning about ParentSquare

• We’ll fully onboard all staff in July/August 2024

• Beginning in the 2024-25 school year, our entire district will be using one communications platform across all levels (classroom, coaches, school, district)

We look forward to sharing more about ParentSquare in upcoming newsletters!

Last spring, students at Rolling Green Elementary raised funds for their Project-Based Learning (PBL) effort called, “The Rolling Green Legacy Tree.” Fundraising resulted in $614 being raised to purchase a tree in honor of Rolling Green. On October 25, Cory and Shawn from Iowa Outdoor Products helped Karen Acres (KA) students plant the redbud tree on the southeast lawn at Karen Acres. The redbud is native to Iowa, and is a beautiful addition to the KA grounds. This year's 5th grade students will help water the tree this fall and they will choose a special name for the tree that honors Rolling Green Elementary. Many thanks to all who helped our 5th grade students make their dream of "leaving a legacy" a reality! #KApride

In partnership with Urbandale Schools, the Alumni Association will be hosting "Alumni Night" on Tuesday evening, Nov. 28th at the Urbandale vs Ankeny Girls and Boys Basketball games. The Alumni Association will be selling Urbandale Pom Poms for $5 as a fundraiser for a new initiative to raise money for student needs. This fund is designed to help students who want to participate in extracurricular activities in music, athletics, and fine arts and need financial assistance to do so. This fund will also assist students and families with other needs related to their education.

In addition, the Graywalkers will be performing at halftime of the Boys game. This is a group of former Jaywalkers who first appeared during the Urbandale Centennial celebration and gave a memorable performance.

Tip-off begins at 6:15pm for the Girls game, followed by the Boys game. If you are not able to attend that evening but would still like to make a donation towards the new "Student Needs" fund, you can go to the alumni's secure donation site and make a donation. It is www.urbsaf.org

On the form please mark "Student Needs" in the comment box.

You can also mail in a donation to:

Urbandale Schools and Alumni Foundation

3311 100th St. PO Box 42513

Urbandale, IA 50323

Please mark in your memo line Student Needs.

The Foundation is a 501(c)3 non-profit organization and as such your donation can be tax deductible. Thank-you in advance for any donations. A special thanks to our new Activities Director, Josh Frey, for working with the Alumni on creating this special night.

Karen Acres and Webster 3rd graders deepened their learning of area and multiplication by using Sphero Indi. Students applied concepts learned in Illustrative Math to solve tasks in finding missing lengths and areas of rectilinear figures. Students then used the Sphero Indi to program an algorithm (a set of steps) for the robot to execute using the math in the tasks. Students de-bugged algorithms when programs did not match the desired result.

Webster 4th graders used virtual reality as part of their Social Studies unit, How does Iowa Corn Impact Iowans and the World. Students worked in groups to use VR to experience different agricultural practices around the world and make connections to their learning about farming in Iowa. The simulations and scenarios allowed students to compare and contrast corn farming in Iowa to wheat farming, rice fields, and fisheries.

Regulation describes a person’s ability to adjust their state of alertness, energy level, and emotions to help them attain personal goals, meet the demands of the situation around them, and gain a sense of well-being. When we are regulated, our brain and body integrated via the nervous system works together to manage the situation at hand (Zones of Regulation).

There are two ways that we can regulate. We can do it through self-regulation or co-regulation.

The skill set of regulating develops through the interaction with others. Children first learn to regulate with others and then they gradually are able to use regulation tools more independently. This process of caregivers providing support for kids to develop self-regulation is referred to as co-regulation.

Self-regulation is when we are independently managing our feelings and our states to attain goals, meet the demands of our situation, and support a sense of well-being.

All UCSD students and their household family members (parents, guardians and siblings) have access to the Student Assistance Program (SAP) provided by Employee and Family Resources. The Student Assistance Program is here to help you and your family members manage the concerns in your life through free, confidential counseling. You can count on your SAP for guidance and support when it comes to assessing your concerns and developing strategies for addressing any of the following:

• School-life balance

• Family or relationship issues

• Emotional issues

• Alcohol and drug-related issues

• Other issues that interfere with your daily living, happiness, and overall well-being

You do not need a referral. The SAP is available to you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, and is strictly confidential. You can call the number directly, let them know you are an Urbandale Schools family, and request assistance. Phones answered by a masters-level clinician. Make as many calls as needed (no limit). Call (515) 244-6090 or 800-327-4692 if you’re outside of the Des Moines area. Learn More

Please make note of the following dates in November 2023 when school will not be in session.

District-Wide

• Wednesday, November 22 through Friday, November 24: No school due to Thanksgiving Holiday

• Learn more about the All-Day Adventuretime Program for Preschool–5th Grade students taking place on November 22

• Thursday, November 23 and Friday, November 24: District Administration Office closed due to Thanksgiving Holiday

Karen Acres Elementary (only)

• Monday, November 20 and Tuesday, November 21: No school due to Intersession

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, including several associate openings, working closely with individual students. If you’d like to learn more about specific positions, please reach out to Kate Johnson or building principals! Check out all of our open positions here!

We are currently looking for more substitute nurses! Click here to share or apply for this position.

The following content areas are under curriculum review and we will be welcoming parent/guardian and community feedback during the upcoming weeks. A table will be set up in each building on the below dates and if your school has conferences we invite you to stop by the table and review the materials under consideration to provide feedback.

Content Area Under Review

PreK-12 Social, Emotional, & Character Education

Instructional Materials Being Considered:

PreK-12 Character Strong:

Purposeful People

Middle School

High School

PreK-12
Preview Access

PreK Only:

Al’s Pals

K-5 Only:

Caring School Community

Weeks Available for Review/Feedback:

PreK-5: November 6-November 17

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Leadership teams made of teachers have been engaged in learning, narrowed down the materials under consideration and will be field testing two sets of instructional materials with students within our system prior to Winter Break.

All staff that would use any of the above instructional materials will be able to review samples of materials and provide feedback as part of the curriculum review process.

From January through May of 2024 professional learning will be provided to prepare for implementation of the new instructional materials with the intent of having these materials in teachers’ hands by April of 2024 to prepare for initial implementation in August of 2024.

Urbandale Community Ed is excited to offer new classes in Science, Engineering, and Robotics. Your student can also learn Spanish, Chess, and Art in fun and engaging classes offered at UCSD elementary schools. Check out urbandalecommunityed.com for all of our new classes for any age. Don't forget to come back in March when the Summer Camp Series is released for all of the fun camps and clinics offered here in Urbandale!

You can find information about all activities to include athletics, the performing arts, and the Booster Club right at your fingertips. Be sure to visit j-hawks.com for all of the latest information, upcoming events, and highlights. Plus, purchase your fan gear online at the J-Hawk Shop. Let’s go J-Hawks!

The UCSD Flyer Hub is a great resource for finding information about community activities, opportunities, and services. We post flyers from our district, community education, and organizations within our community. Flyers are frequently updated so be sure to check back often.

This email is sent to UCSD parents/guardians and staff on a bi-weekly basis. If someone you know would like to receive this weekly newsletter, please invite them to Opt-In here. Thank you!

Email: communications@urbandaleschools.com
Website: www.urbandaleschools.com
Location: 11152 Aurora Avenue, Urbandale, IA, USA
Phone: 515-457-5000
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/UrbandaleCSD
Twitter: @UrbandaleCSD

It is the policy of the Urbandale Community School District not to discriminate on the basis of race, creed, color, sex, religion, marital status (for program), ethnic background, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, age (for employment), or socio-economic background (for program) 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 the District office at 11152 Aurora Avenue, Urbandale, IA or call 515-457-5000. The District’s Equity Coordinator is Stephanie Davis, daviss@urbandaleschools.com.