Welcome to Kirkwood Elementary School, where Kirkwood Eagles S.O.A.R. by being safe, taking ownership, and showing respect. Our Kirkwood family is filled with dedicated teachers, a caring staff, supportive families and community, and a wonderful group of scholars. Student agency is at the core of what we believe as an AVID Elementary: we nurture choice-ready scholars who can confidently navigate their futures. High expectations are paired with high support, and together we ensure that each child has a quality education, a safe learning environment, and a caring school community.

Email: person.renee@iowacityschools.org
Website: https://kirkwood.iowacityschools.org/
Location: 1401 9th Street, Coralville, IA, USA
Phone: 319-688-1120
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/kirkwoodelementary

Dear Kirkwood Families,

I hope this message finds you well as we start 2025. Here's what's happening this month and in the weeks to come:

🌟 FAST Winter Benchmarking
We have begun our Winter Benchmarking assessments as part of the FAST (Formative Assessment System for Teachers). These benchmarks help us monitor your child's academic progress and guide our instruction.

📅 Spring Conferences

Mark your calendars! Spring Conferences will be held at the end of February and the beginning of March. This is a great opportunity to discuss your child's growth and set goals for the remainder of the school year. See information below for more details about scheduling your conference.

🎓 Preschool and Kindergarten Registration
Registration for Preschool and Kindergarten for the 2025-2026 school year is opening soon! You'll find detailed information about eligibility, documents required, and registration dates further down in this newsletter.

Thank you for your continued partnership and support in your child's education. As always, please reach out with any questions or concerns.

Warm regards,

Ms. Person

• Monday, January 20: No School
• Wednesday, January 22: Winter Clubs @ 3:00pm-4:00pm
• Wednesday, January 29: No School
• Wednesday, February 5: Winter Clubs @ 3:00pm-4:00pm
• Thursday, February 6: Preschool Registration @ 4:00-6:00pm (Liberty High, West High, City High)
• Wednesday, February 12: Winter Clubs @ 3:00pm-4:00pm
• Thursday, February 13: 2nd Trimester PTO Meeting @ 5:00pm (Kirkwood Library)
• Wednesday, February 19:Winter Clubs @ 3:00pm-4:00pm
• Wednesday, February 26: Spring Conferences @ 3:30pm-7:00pm
• Wednesday, March 5: Spring Conferences @ 3:30pm-7:00pm
• Friday, March 7: Spring Conferences @ 8:00am-3:30pm
• Wednesday, March 12: Last Winter Clubs @ 3:00pm-4:00pm
• Monday, March 17-Friday, March 21: No School - Spring Break

Reminder: Thursday Dismissal time is 1:55pm!

Mark your calendars! Spring Conferences will be held at the end of February and the beginning of March. This is a great opportunity to discuss your child's growth and set goals for the remainder of the school year. Click below to schedule your conference.

The PTO will be providing meals for the amazing teachers at Kirkwood on February 26, March 5th & March 7th. Kirkwood teachers provide our students with an excellent education and we would like to show appreciation. Please show your support and gratitude for our fantastic staff at Kirkwood by donating to this event. Donations can be made via the Signup Genius or by dropping off a check to the Kirkwood office. Checks can be made out to Kirkwood Elementary PTO. All donated items can be dropped off in the office on or before the conference date.

Winter weather has arrived! Snow, ice, and cold can sometimes mean schedule changes. We want to make sure you have the information you need to stay updated on our inclement weather announcements, including school cancellations, delays, and early releases.

Here’s how you can stay in the know:

• Inclement Weather Guidelines: Visit www.IowaCitySchools.org/WeatherGuidelines to review our detailed plan for cancellations, delays, and early releases.
• Late Starts on Thursdays: In the event of a late start on a regularly scheduled early dismissal day (Thursday), the early dismissal will be canceled, and school will follow regular dismissal times.
• Timely Notifications: You’ll receive email, phone, and text notifications with weather announcements.
• Follow Us Online: Stay informed by checking our website and following us on Facebook, X, Instagram, and Threads for updates.
• Check Out Our Mobile App: Download our official Iowa City Schools mobile app for a centralized hub of all school and district-related information, including weather notifications.

We’re here to help! If you have any questions about our weather procedures, feel free to contact our Educational Services Center at (319) 688-1000.

Imagine it. Explore it. Achieve it. Preschool starts here!

We’d love to welcome your little one to our preschool family! Our teachers are certified in both general and special education, and we offer free half-day programming for 4-year-olds in all of our elementary schools, with full-day options also available.

Preschool registration for the 2025-26 school year opens Feb. 6, 2025. Register on-site between 4 & 6 pm at City High, Liberty High, or West High School. Online registration is also available beginning at 4 pm on Feb. 6.

Learn more at www.IowaCitySchools.org/Preschool

Beginning February 6th, you can register your child for Kindergarten online through Infinite Campus. You are welcome to attend our in-person Kindergarten Registration days on Wednesday, March 5th from 3:30pm-7:00pm or Friday, March 7th from 7:45am-3:45pm. You can also come in to the Kirkwood Office to register in-person from 8-3:30 Monday-Friday. Families can register online at the following site: https://www.iowacityschools.org/students-families/enroll-register

Each spring, we invite our new kindergarten students to check out their school with Kindergarten Round-Up. Families will receive additional information about Kindergarten Round-Up after registration has started. This year's Kindergarten Round-Up will be held on Wednesday, April 16th from 5:30-6:30pm at Kirkwood Elementary. It's a great way to get to know your student's school and staff, and we look forward to meeting you and your family!

Registration for the 2025-26 school year will open February 6th! Families are welcome to come into the Kirkwood Office to register in-person from 8-3:30 Monday-Friday. You can also go online and register there: https://www.iowacityschools.org/students-families/enroll-register

It is time for our 5th grade students to begin thinking about which Middle School would be the best fit for next year. If your 5th grader wishes to attend Northwest Middle School, you will need to fill out a Voluntary Transfer form. Talk with your child's 5th grade teacher for more information!

Dear Kirkwood Elementary Families,

As the season of care approaches, we’re inviting you to join us in a heartfelt project to brighten the days of our amazing Kirkwood Elementary staff. ❤️️💌💗

We know how much our teachers, paras, and all the wonderful staff here do to make Kirkwood such a special place for our kids. Now’s our chance to show them just how much they’re cared about! Here's how:

🎯 Mission Objective:
Write a quick note to let a staff member know how you care for them—whether it’s a the relationship they have with your students, a memory that means a lot to you, or just noticing the incredible effort they put in every day. Your message will be shared with staff as part of a surprise moment of appreciation.

📋 How to Submit Your Caring Notes:
Simply click this link to leave your note: https://forms.gle/rZcSTyP8cDJQQAtV6

🕒 Deadline: Please submit your notes by February 5th at 3:00pm, so we can deliver them to our staff!

Let’s flood our staff with care—they deserve it! Thank you for being part of this project.

Hugs,
Ms. Person

We are looking for parent volunteers to help us escort students to-and-from classrooms for Hearing Screenings for Preschool, Kindergarten, 1st Graders, and 5th Graders on the following dates:

- Tuesday, April 1

- Wednesday, April 2

If you are interested in volunteering, please call Ms. Cybil in the office at 319-688-1120. Thank you in advance!

We would like to remind you about the recently approved ICCSD Secondary School Personal Device Policy that will go into effect across all middle and high schools starting January 21, 2025. The new guidelines are designed to reduce distractions and ensure students stay engaged during instructional time while also helping students develop healthy digital habits.

Key Points of the Policy:
We have been working with secondary students and staff to educate them on the new policy and how it will look within their school. In the policy, instructional time is defined as the time between the tardy bell that starts each class period and the dismissal bell that ends the class period.

• During Instructional Time:
• Cell phones must not be seen, heard, or in use.
• Phones must be stored in backpacks, purses, hanging pouches, or lockers, with ringers silenced.
• Headphones and earbuds are also prohibited during instructional time and must be stored away.
• Smartwatches may be worn but cannot be used for communication during class.
• During Non-Instructional Time:
• Middle Schools: Students may use cell phones during passing periods and lunch but not during study hall.
• High Schools: Students may use cell phones during passing periods, lunch, study hall, and open hours, but they cannot use them in hallways during instructional time.

For more details, including information on implementation procedures, consequences, and exemptions, you can review the full policy here: ICCSD Personal Device Policy.

Elementary Schools: With the implementation of these new secondary guidelines, we are simultaneously reinforcing our elementary cell phone policy. That policy can be found in the Elementary Handbook. Key points include:

• Elementary students are asked to refrain from bringing personal devices to school.
• If students must bring a personal device to school, the device must be put away and/or not in use (backpack, purse, desk, locker).
• Parents are encouraged to contact the main office if they need to contact their child during the school day.

We appreciate your patience and understanding as we navigate these new guidelines, which will provide a more productive and inclusive environment for all students.

At Kirkwood, we practice Positive Behavior Interventions & Support (PBIS). Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is an evidence-based three-tiered framework to improve and integrate all of the data, systems, and practices affecting student outcomes every day. PBIS creates schools where all students succeed.

We have a Schoolwide Motto, which gives our Kirkwood community a clear, concise way of thinking about our expectations. The motto is shared daily in announcements and is also posted visually in common spaces and classrooms. The motto is reinforced through specific feedback.

We also have Schoolwide Expectations, which provide clear, explicit, teachable expectations for schoolwide procedures. Teachers utilize schoolwide expectations posters to explicitly teach and reference schoolwide procedures.

This form needs to be filled out each year. If you feel like you would qualify, please follow the link below or call Nutrition Services at 319-688-1021. Please note that registering for school does not mean you have filled out this application!

Be sure to follow us on Social Media for the latest news and updates!

The Iowa City Community School District Shine Award honors employees who go above and beyond for the students and schools in our community. Honorees positively influence, inspire, and leave a lasting impact in the work that they do every day, helping to fulfill the overall District mission.

Nominations can be submitted by students, parents, District employees, businesses, or community members by completing the following nomination form. District employees will be selected and honored throughout the school year to receive this prestigious honor.

The Shine Award program is graciously sponsored by the Foundation for the Iowa City Community School District.

We're committed to creating a safe online environment for all our students! Our student's Chromebooks are filtered whether the device is on the school’s network or not. When devices are on-campus, they are subject to the same content filtering policies as all of our internet-connected devices. For off-campus devices, we filter using the Securly service, which allows us to block content that is explicit or dangerous, as defined in federal law.

With Securly, you can view your child’s internet activity and set up additional controls for off-campus use. Parents receive weekly email notifications with internet activity reports. If you’re not receiving these emails, please contact your student’s school office to verify that the correct email address is listed in Infinite Campus.

Access this Parent Guide for step-by-step guidance on using Securly.

Parents can utilize the Securly Home app to adjust the settings for their child’s online activity. The app can be downloaded from the Apple App Store or the Google Play Store and offers several features, including:

Pause the Internet: Control internet access with the tap of a finger.
Offline Schedules: Set device-free family time.
Live Activity Feed: Get real-time updates.
Push Notifications: Receive alerts for flagged activities.
Internet Rules: Easily set internet rules for your home.

If you have questions about accessing your Securly parent account, please contact your child's school for assistance. Thank you for partnering with us in our commitment to keep our students safe online!

State Attendance Requirements:

The Iowa Department of Education has implemented strict guidance that requires schools to address absenteeism. As part of this, schools will notify guardians when a student has missed 5%, 10%, and 15% of days each grading period. Based on State Law, schools must also notify the county attorney when a student is absent 10% of the days in a grading period. For more details, please visit the updated Attendance Page on our District website.

Reporting Absences:
If your child will be absent, please notify your school’s attendance office before the start of the school day. You can do this by creating an Absence Request in the Infinite Campus Parent Portal or by calling the school attendance office at 319-688-1120. If we do not hear from you, the school will reach out to confirm your student’s safety and ensure you are aware of their absence.

Important note: In the Attendance section of the Infinite Campus Parent Portal, you will see your child's total number of excused and unexcused absences. Following state requirements, ‘excused’ indicates absences that are exempt from state reporting requirements, and ‘unexcused’ indicates absences that the state requires us to categorize as non-exempt.

Absence:

A student is considered absent if they are not physically on school grounds, or are not participating in a required school-directed activity under the direction, supervision, or instructional guidance of educational staff at an approved off-grounds location (ie. a class field trip).

It is understood that students will be absent for a variety of reasons, including illness, family activities, vacations, dentist/medical appointments, funerals, etc. Parents should notify schools of the reason for the absence.

Some absences are exempt from these new guidelines, so it’s important to provide specific details when reporting your child’s absence. The following absence types will not count towards student absenteeism and will be coded as excused in Infinite Campus:

• Absences related to illness or medical appointment
  • After a student reaches the equivalent of eight (8) days of absence related to illness or medical appointments, parents will be required to provide documentation for the medical absence(s) to continue to be considered excused. Absences may be taken in hourly segments.
  • Families are encouraged to provide documentation to the school for ongoing health concerns so we can proactively work with your family to best serve your student.
• Absences related to a family medical emergency.
• Absences while attending religious services or receiving religious instruction.
• Absences excused for sufficient reason by any court of record or judge.
• Absences related to an Individualized Education Program (IEP) that affects attendance.
• Absences related to a Section 504 plan under the Federal Rehabilitation Act that affects attendance.

Due to the new State guidance, any absence that does not fall into one of the above categories will appear as unexcused in Infinite Campus and will count toward student absenteeism. As a reminder, our primary goal is for students to be in school daily and to confirm their safety with a parent or guardian if they are absent.

Process for Addressing Absenteeism

• Schools will send notifications to guardians when a student has reached the 5%, 10%, and 15% absenteeism threshold for the grading period (See chart below).Notifications are sent when a student has accumulated the number of absences that will result in the percentage of absenteeism at the end of the grading period. For example, if an elementary student has missed 6 days of school in a term, the student will be at 10% absenteeism at the end of the grading period, so the 10% notification is sent after the 6th day is missed.
• State law requires a certified letter be sent when a student has reached 10% absenteeism in a grading period. In addition the school is required by law to notify the county attorney.
• When a student reaches 15% absenteeism in a grading period, a School Engagement meeting is required by Iowa law. An Absenteeism Prevention Plan will be created at the School Engagement meeting. The goal of this plan is to work together to resolve absenteeism, address attendance barriers, and assist the student in attending school.
• If the student and/or the student’s guardian fails to attend a School Engagement Meeting, fails to enter into an Absenteeism Prevention Plan, or does not meet the terms of the Absenteeism Prevention Plan, Iowa law provides that the county attorney may initiate a legal proceeding.

We are excited to announce the new ICCSD RayGun store is now open! The items offered in this online store are available to anyone for purchase. A portion of the proceeds of each sale will go to the Foundation for the ICCSD.

A special thank you to RayGun for partnering with us on this project!

The Iowa City Community School District is committed to student and staff health and safety and we are dedicated to helping control the spread of COVID-19 in our community.

Educating students is our District’s priority and ensuring their health and safety is also of prominent importance. In an effort to prevent the spread of illness, we encourage all students and staff to stay home when ill. If you do test positive for COVID-19, please follow the recommendations of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), which can be found on the CDC's COVID-19 website.

It is important to us that you are aware of the school-based support services that are available, as well as the local community resources that can provide support outside of the school setting. School Counselors, Student & Family Advocates, and District staff are available for students in each school.

Each and every person in our school district family matters. Please remember that we are here for you and it is okay to ask for help.

Care Solace is 24/7/365 Mental Health Care Coordination Service for Iowa City Community School District Students, Staff, and their Families

Students, Families, and Employees - The Ombuds Office is here to help!

Visit www.IowaCitySchools.org/Ombuds to learn more!

It is the policy of the Iowa City 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:

Laura Gray, Director of Diversity and Cultural Responsiveness (programming), gray.laura@iowacityschools.org, 1725 N. Dodge Street, Iowa City, Iowa 52245, (319) 688-1000

Eric Howard, Director of Equity and Employee Relations (employment), howard.eric@iowacityschools.org, 1725 N. Dodge Street, Iowa City, Iowa 52245, (319) 688-1000;

or

If you are unsure how to proceed or would like assistance in discussing your options, you may also contact Janet Abejo-Parker, Ombuds, ombuds@iowacityschools.org or (319) 688-1312.