Uplifting Urbandale
UCSD Newsletter 05.17.24 #upliftingU
Class of 2024! Urbandale High School Graduation
Urbandale High School Class of 2024 Commencement Ceremony
Thursday, May 23rd at 7:00 p.m. at the Knapp Center, Drake University
The graduation live stream can be viewed on the District YouTube Channel beginning at 7:00 p.m. on May 23. Congratulations to the Class of 2024! We are #proudofU! (Note: Please use the link above for the most direct access to the livestream.)
Reminder: Important Dates in May 2024
Last day of school for all students except Karen Acres is Friday, May 24! In observance of Memorial Day, Karen Acres will not have school May 24-28. Last day of school for Karen Acres is Thursday, June 13! Have a great summer! As a reminder, if you haven’t already done so, please be sure to register for the 2024-25 school year: https://bit.ly/3Uz3FWR
Valerius Fun Run
On Friday, May 10, Valerius students were able to participate in a PTO sponsored Fun Run. The students were encouraged to run or walk at their own pace on a designated course that was lined with PTO, staff, and family volunteers. Students from 4th and 5th grade even partnered with some of the Kindergarten and 1st grade students to help them complete the course. The Urbandale Fire Department even made an appearance to cheer on the students. Check out the video to see how much fun the students had! #VALPride #UBelongHere
UCSD Students Participate In The 2024 Dragon Games
Earlier this week, Urbandale Community School District special education students got the opportunity to join in the 2024 Dragon Games! This event is hosted by Johnston Peer PE and the Best Buddies Program students. The specially designed field day at Johnston Middle School featured about 20 different stations run by peer helpers. Thank you so much to all who helped organize, run, and participated to make this day truly special for everyone! Read more here about the types of activities available during the games and for a list of vendors involved in making the day special!
ParentSquare: Annual Summer Refresh
Every summer, ParentSquare archives content (primarily Posts) from the previous school year so when you login at the start of the new school year you won’t see content from the previous year. Similar to cleaning out a backpack for the start of a new school year, archiving helps to clean up the main feed of content and keeps content from getting outdated.
For all schools except Karen Acres, we’ll be archiving Posts on June 7, 2024. Karen Acres will be archiving Posts on June 27, 2024. Posts received before the archive dates will not be accessible once the archive completes. Posts received after the archive dates will be accessible for the duration of the summer and the upcoming 2024-25 school year.
Metro West Learning Academy Graduation 2024
Wednesday, May 15 was a great evening as we celebrated our Metro West Learning Academy Graduates! Thank you to our Metro West educators & families for supporting these incredible students. There was a great turnout, see the pictures here! Congrats, graduates, on this outstanding achievement! We are #proudofU! #MWpride #Classof2024
2024 Summer Food Program
The Summer Food Service Program was created to ensure that children continue to receive nutritious meals during the summer when they may not have access to school lunch or breakfast. Each year, the U.S. Department of Agriculture partners with local organizations like Urbandale Community Schools to provide free meals to children when school is out for the summer. This year, Summer Meals will be offered June 5th, 2024 through August 15th, 2024. Dates and times vary by location. Visit the UCSD Nutrition Services website or follow them on Facebook or Twitter for updates.
Urbandale Community Schools’ Nutrition Services Wins Healthy Meals Incentives Recognition Award
We proudly announce that UCSD Nutrition Services received a Healthy Meals Incentives Recognition Award for making improvements to the nutritional quality of our district’s school meals. Awarded by the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) Food and Nutrition Service (FNS) in collaboration with Action for Healthy Kids (AFHK), UCSD received the Lunch Trailblazer Award for our work in collaboration with Chef Rebecca Polson to decrease sodium at lunch through scratch cooking. Read the full press release here!
Join Our Team! We’re hiring for 2024-25!
We have recently posted the following regular positions for 2024-25: Adventuretime (Before/After School Care) Associate, Special Education Associate (full-time), Special Education Associate (part-time). These positions don’t require a teaching license or any specialized training and are a great way to make a positive difference in the life of Urbandale students.
We have also posted substitute teacher, associate, custodian, Nutrition Services, and nurse positions if you are looking to work at your own availability.
If you’re interested or want to share the positions, please click on the links included. Questions can be sent to Kate Johnson, HR Specialist.
New Instructional Materials for 6th Grade Biology
UCSD is embracing an exciting shift in science education, aligning with modern pedagogy and resources to enhance student learning. In middle school, we've adopted the Amplify Science curriculum, a dynamic approach that promotes inquiry-based learning and hands-on investigations. This resource engages students in real-world phenomena, fostering curiosity and critical thinking skills essential for scientific inquiry. At the high school level, we're implementing the OpenSciEd science resource, which emphasizes rigorous, standards-aligned instruction through open educational materials. This curriculum empowers teachers to deliver high-quality science education that prepares students for future academic and career opportunities in STEM fields. Together, these instructional resources reflect our commitment to advancing science education, equipping our students with the knowledge and skills to thrive in an ever-evolving world of science and technology.
Updates to 9-12 Math Electives
Urbandale High School is expanding their math offerings with innovative new pathways designed to meet diverse student needs and interests. These pathways include courses like Access Algebra, Bridges to Algebra, Financial Algebra, and College Technical Math, each offering unique benefits and applications. Access Algebra focuses on building foundational algebra skills with tailored support for students who may benefit from additional assistance. Bridges to Algebra provides a smooth transition to advanced algebra concepts, ensuring students are well-prepared for higher-level math. Financial Algebra equips students with practical financial skills essential for everyday life, while College Technical Math introduces math in the context of technical fields, appealing to students pursuing vocational pathways. These diverse pathways represent a significant shift in high school math education, offering students more relevant and accessible options to excel in their academic and career journeys.
Iowa Department of Education Releases Updated K-12 Math Standards
The Iowa Department of Education has released their final draft of revisions to the Iowa Academic Standards for Mathematics. The team began meeting in April of 2023 and the State Board of Education adopted the revised standards. We will be making any updates to our course requirements in the coming months to ensure alignment.
2025-2027 Academic Calendar Planning Underway
In April, staff and stakeholders had the opportunity to provide input as we prepare the drafting of the 2025-2026 and 2026-2027 academic calendars. We had over 550 responses. In May the Calendar Committee met twice to review the input collected and to consider the six ideas we are exploring as we look at the 2025-2027 academic calendars.
Shifting from late starts to full-day professional learning days
Incorporating more no school/non-contract days to acknowledge additional holidays
Early outs before breaks
Adopting elements of the year-round calendar into the traditional calendar
Flipping Elementary/Secondary start/end times
Adding day Parent/Guardian-Teacher Conference times
This work will be underway through next October and drafts of calendars will be shared to allow additional feedback in early October.
Activate Account. Download App. Stay Connected.
We’re using the Urbandale app (powered by ParentSquare) to share news, updates, and alerts. You do not need an invitation to activate your account. You can register by going to parentsquare.com/signin and entering your email or phone number within the “Register” section. You’ll need to use the same email or phone number that is in PowerSchool.
You’re welcome to review this doc that outlines how to set up your account based on various scenarios depending on roles. After you activate your account, download the UCSD app (search 'Urbandale' in the App Store or Google Play) and login on the app. If you have questions or get stuck anywhere in the process, please complete this brief help form. Thank you!
Step 1: Activate Your Account
(sign-in link & QR Code above)
Step 2: Download & Login to the Urbandale App
App Store
Step 2: Download & Login to the Urbandale App
Google Play
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Register Today! School Registration for the 2024–25 School Year
School registration for the 2024–2025 school year is open! Please review the following information for registering your child for school in the Urbandale Community School District. We know this is a busy time of year for students and families. Thank you in advance for taking time to register your student(s). We’re looking forward to welcoming your child(ren) and family this fall!
Preschool Students: Click here to review detailed Preschool Pre-Registration Information and learn more about our Urbandale Preschool Program.
K-12 Returning Students: You’ll find detailed instructions for registering your returning Kindergarten through 12th grade student(s) by visiting urbandaleschools.com/register
K-12 New Students: If your student(s) is new to UCSD, click here for specific information about registering your new student.
- Year-Round Elementary School: Any family can choose to attend our year-round school located at Karen Acres Elementary. Learn more about our year-round program!
2024-25 Bus Transportation Request Form
To be on a bus route the first day of school, UCSD needs to receive your Bus Transportation Request no later than July 1st for Karen Acres and August 1st for all other schools. After that date, UCSD can still add your student for bus transportation, but the bus stop locations will be set; thus, students may have to walk farther to their bus stop and possibly wait several days before they can begin riding the bus.
The Bus Transportation Request form can be found in the PowerSchool parent portal. For information on how to complete a Bus Transportation Request, please review instructions on this page. All bus transportation information can be found here. If you have questions regarding bus fees, or adding your student to a bus route, please call the District Registrar at (515) 457-5011.
UCSD Essential Tools: Quick Guide For Families
The “UCSD Essential Tools: Quick Guide For Families” is a 1-page overview of key tools in use throughout the district. You’ll find the name of each tool (and corresponding logo), grade levels using the tool, the primary purpose of the tool, where to login, and resources for help using the tool. We hope the Guide is a helpful resource for you!
Student Assistance Program—Free, Confidential Counseling
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
Stay Up to Date with Parent University
Discover how Urbandale Schools is dedicated to supporting academics, student safety, well-being, and technology in our online Parent University video series! Each video bank has vital information about varying topics. If you’re ready to register your students for the 2024-2025 school year our “Using District Technology” section has videos to answer all of your questions!
Safety City: Register Your Incoming Kindergarten Student By May 24
Safety City is a week-long summer program for children entering kindergarten in the fall of 2024. Children will learn about traffic safety, fire safety, home, playground and other kinds of personal safety in an entertaining, positive environment. To make learning about safety fun, Safety City incorporates songs, story books, films, games, and artwork in addition to riding Big Wheels in a mock city setting. Safety City also provides the experience of riding on a school bus to the Urbandale Police and Fire Departments for tours. Safety City is taught by Urbandale Police Officers and staff who are assisted by a team of student helpers. If you have any questions or need financial assistance, please contact Officer Meagan Cowden at 515-331-6804 or mcowden@urbandle.org at the Urbandale Police Department. Fee includes t-shirt, bike helmet and daily snacks. Registration Deadline: May 24
Reminder—Free and Reduced Price Meal Availability
If you have already completed the Iowa Eligibility Application for this school year, you do not need to reapply. Federal law requires that School Food Authorities provide information regarding the availability of free and reduced price meals two times a year. To learn more, please visit UCSD Nutrition Services. If you believe you may qualify for free and reduced price meals but have not applied, you can visit LINQ Connect to complete an application. No login is required. Video and written instructions are available online. For questions, please contact Cassie Mayrose at mayrosec@urbandaleschools.com or 515-457-6911.
New Class Offerings With Urbandale Community Education
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Contact Us
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