

Penn Pride Newsletter

5/2/25
Upcoming Events
May 2
PTO Bingo Night
May 7
4th Grade Field Trip – Old Threshers
Descendants Play – Opening Night
May 8
PTO Jersey Mike Restaurant Night
May 12
Glow Show – 5:00-7:00 PM
May 13
3rd–5th Grade Music Performance- 6:00-7:30
May 14
4th–5th Track and Field at Liberty High School
Important Information
Important Dismissal Time Changes
Families we have two dismissal time changes coming up that we want to make sure that you are aware of as you plan ahead.
- June 5th- This is a Thursday, but we will dismiss at 2:55 to make up 1 hour of inclement weather
- June 6th- This is the last day of school and we will dismiss at 12:55
Urgent Need: Glow Show Volunteers and Details
We are seeking volunteers for our school Glow Show. We still have multiple slots open to help with the set up and tear down. Click here to sign up to help!
Garden Club Fundraiser Update
Families thank you for your tremendous support of our garden club plant sale. The garden club was able to make over $2,000 yesterday!
May Cafeteria Volunteers
**If you are new to volunteering this school year please complete the background check here.
Descendent Musical Tickets and Details
Wednesday, May 7 | Wicked Opening Night
https://offdubuque.ticketspice.com/descendants-the-musical
Thursday, May 8 | Rotten Night
https://offdubuque.ticketspice.com/rotten-night
Friday, May 9 | Chillin' Like Villain's
https://offdubuque.ticketspice.com/chillin-like-a-villain
Saturday, May 10, Matinee | Welcome to Auradon Prep
https://offdubuque.ticketspice.com/welcome-to-auradon-prep
Saturday, May 10, Evening | Isle of The Lost
https://offdubuque.ticketspice.com/isle-of-the-lost
Sunday, May 11 | Mother's Day Matinee
3rd-5th Grade Music Performance Details
Time: 6:00 PM
Location: Gym
Arrival & Student Procedures
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Doors open at 5:35 PM
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Students should report to their classrooms by 5:40 PM
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Teachers will begin lining students up in riser order around 5:45 PM
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3rd and 5th grade students will be seated in the gym
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4th grade students will move to the risers at approximately 5:55 PM
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Concert Schedule
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6:00 PM – 4th grade performs
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6:25 PM (approx.) – 3rd grade performs
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6:50 PM – 5th grade performs
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7:25 PM (approx.) – Performance concludes
Old Information & Commonly Asked Questions
New Technology Information: Emailed blurb from 8/20/24
Welcome back! I hope you’ve had an amazing summer and are feeling refreshed and ready to roll into the new school year! I also hope you’ve had a chance to read the email sent by the school district on August 19, 2024, regarding technology. I wanted to follow up with some details that will directly impact our students.
MOST IMPORTANTLY, the school no longer has loaner computers available for students who forget to bring their devices from home or break them due to new devices being deployed to students in the spring. While we were able to provide this option in the past, several factors have led us to discontinue it. It is now critical that students bring their Chromebooks to school every day, as some instruction and testing are specifically designed to be completed using their devices.
To help ensure that students are always prepared, we strongly encourage them to leave their Chromebooks at school. However, if your child does need to bring their device home, please remind them to pack it in their school bag before leaving in the morning.
Please pay close attention to the paragraph about securely. Guardians can receive a weekly email with highlights of their student’s online activities and access to the Securly Home portal for further monitoring and restricting off-campus access. This is a powerful tool and I recommend all parents sign up for the weekly updates.
Thank you for your cooperation and understanding. If you have questions after reading this message please feel free to email Mr. Brandon at brandon.david@iowacityschools.org or Mrs. Hemann at hemann.salina@iowacityschools.org
ICCSD Birthday Celebration Policy
Teachers will share with you the guidelines for their grade levels:
Our District is deeply committed to ensuring a safe and healthy learning environment for all our students. In response to the rising concerns about food allergies and childhood obesity, we've made adjustments to our District's Wellness Policy concerning classroom snacks, birthday treats, and classroom celebrations. Please be aware that some elementary schools have chosen to celebrate birthdays without food, so we recommend checking with your child's school to learn about their specific practice.
When food is served to students in the classroom for snacks, birthday celebrations, or classroom festivities, we follow these guidelines:
- Only fresh fruits/vegetables or store-bought items with clear ingredient lists are permitted (homemade foods are not allowed).
- Foods served must align with the Healthy Food Guidelines/Smart Snacks (with the only exception being food related to District-approved curriculum lessons).
- Foods containing peanuts or peanut butter, or those produced in facilities with potential cross-contamination, are not allowed.
- Any food items that do not meet these guidelines will be sent back home.
- We will provide parents and teachers with a list of approved foods (Healthy Food Guidelines/Smart Snacks) at the beginning of the school year.
These measures are designed to promote the health and well-being of our students while maintaining a positive and inclusive learning environment. Thank you for your understanding and cooperation in supporting our commitment to their safety and health.
Click here for the district guidelines
Recess Temperature Guidelines
As the weather changes quickly we wanted to remind parents of our recess guidelines. We do require that students go outside for recess. Pictured are our K-5th grade recess temperature guidelines. If you need assistance acquiring winter gear please reach out to our, Student Family Advocate, at mccusker.jessica@iowacityschools.org
Animals on School Property
606.3 - Animals in the School District
Updated May 1 2024
Adoption Date: 06/22/2021
History: 4/26/22 (updated), 3/28/23 (reviewed), 3/26/24 (reviewed)
Live animals will not be allowed in school district facilities except under special circumstances and only for an educational purpose. Permission from the principal or deputy superintendent will be required of anyone wishing to bring an animal into school district facilities. Appropriate supervision of animals is required when animals are brought into the school district facilities.
The person bringing the animal must furnish transportation for the animal brought to school.
It is the responsibility of the principal to determine appropriate supervision of animals in the classroom. Specific guidance regarding visiting animals and resident animals is provided in guidelines 606.3G1 and 606.3G2. This policy is not intended to address the use of service animals, assistive animals, therapy animals, or emotional support animals on District property. Guidance for use of Service Animals and Therapy Animals is contained in Policy 105.
Policy References:
Iowa Code § 279.8
Click here for the full policy
Updated ICCSD Cell Phone Policy
Allowed Use:
Personal Devices (i.e., cell phones, smart watches, tablets, personal laptops, etc.): Students may use personal devices while school is in session when permission is given and under the direct supervision of a school staff member. Users should be courteous and respectful of others. All devices must be put away/secured, and ringers silenced before entering the classroom. Devices in use or view during class time may be confiscated by staff (this includes using phones to listen to music). Personal devices are allowed to be used on the school bus; however, all expectations of appropriate use/restrictions during the school day still apply. Students who refuse to comply will be subject to school consequences. Additionally, students are not allowed to have headphones/earbuds on or in their ears during class unless permission is granted by the supervising adult.
The district will not be held accountable for lost or stolen items brought to school by a student.
Restrictions:
- Profanity, vulgarity, obscenity, language that is harassing, any form of bullying, derogatory, or otherwise inappropriate for the school environment is not permitted. Language that promotes illegal activity or dangerous acts, is lewd or offensive, creates a material disruption to the school environment, or contains knowingly false, recklessly false, or defamatory information is not permitted.
- Users shall not display, send, retrieve, or download any items that are sexually explicit or contain hate-based or discriminatory material.
- Users shall notify a staff member in the event inappropriate material is inadvertently accessed. Users must not distribute contents described or will be subject to disciplinary action.
- Videos or photos (audio or visual recordings) to record the activities of others or to violate the privacy of others is not permitted.
- Devices cannot be used to cheat on school-assigned tasks.
Full policy- https://www.iowacityschools.org/students-families/student-handbooks/elementary-handbook
Penn PTO Information
Penn Pride Rock Sign-up
Penn Pride Rock- Penn's Pride Rock is a way to celebrate your child. For $15 a day (proceeds to the Penn PTO) you are able to paint a message on the rock to celebrate your child's special day. Click here to reserve your spot.
Funding assistance is available for any family. If you are needing assistance email Mr. Brandon at brandon.david@iowacityschools.org