Here is an article with more information on why we are dismissing a bit early today to avoid the funeral procession. We should have all of our traffic exited by the time the funeral procession reaches Van Meter.

Families are welcome to gather near the road to pay your respects to the veterans as the procession passes through.

Please use appropriate funeral procession etiquette if you happen to meet them on the road.

Thanks for your understanding.

The Van Meter Performing Arts Boosters would like to invite the Van Meter Community to our 3rd annual fundraising concert, Beauty and the Geek, featuring the Dweebs!

The concert will be held at Des Moines Golf and Country Club on Saturday, October 12, 2024 at 8pm. Tickets are $50. Prior to the concert, we will be holding a special VIP event starting at 6:30pm. VIP tickets are $150. This VIP event will have a private concert put on by the Performing Arts staff, drink tickets and hors de’vours. You don’t want to miss this great event! Check out The Dweebs website for more information.

Tickets for Beauty and the Geek can be purchased HERE

Another great way to support the Van Meter Performing Arts Boosters is to become a member! Just follow this link to purchase your membership for the 24-25 school year!

The VMPAB is proud to support your children in the Performing Arts! These include band, jazz band, choir, show choir, chamber choir, plays, musicals, speech and debate. Through the generous contributions of our members and business sponsors, we strive to provide our students in both the elementary and secondary schools top programs. The Boosters lead efforts in fundraising, volunteering, and community engagement in direct support of the performing arts.

To our past and current booster members, we offer a sincere thank you. 100% of the money raised through membership supports the performing arts at Van Meter Community Schools.

Some of the ways the Boosters have supported our students are listed below:

• Student scholarships for graduating seniors

• Improved chairs

• sound and lighting upgrades to the Performing Arts Center

• Choir risers

• Stage extensions for drama productions and show choir

• Continuing education for directors

• Music arrangements and copyright fees

• Costumes and props for elementary, middle school, and high school productions

Site work for the new addition will start in the next few weeks. Some work will be completed that will cause a road closure on the lane entering the campus on the north west (elementary) side of the campus. This closure will be for just a few days, but will require vehicles to enter the north parking lot and connect to the lane just east of the north gym. Signs will be posted to help with traffic flow.

Once we have the dates firmed up, we will let you know. Thanks for your patience and understanding. It will be 2026 before we know it:)

Regular attendance is a cornerstone of your child’s success in school and beyond. Each day of learning is critical, and even a few missed days can add up, affecting academic progress and social development. In Iowa, when a student’s absences—whether excused or unexcused—reach 10% of the school year, we are required to send a formal letter to families and notify the county attorney. This new measure ensures that every child receives the necessary support to stay on track.

If absences continue and reach 15% of the grading period, we will initiate an engagement meeting involving the student, their family, and school officials. This meeting is designed to identify any barriers to attendance and develop an absenteeism prevention plan tailored to your child’s needs. We’re committed to working together to remove obstacles and help every student thrive.

However, if a student’s absences escalate to 20% of the grading period, the situation becomes more serious. At this point, the child is considered truant, and legal action may be taken by the county attorney. We want to avoid this outcome at all costs, which is why early intervention is so important. Our goal is to support students and families before absences reach this critical level.

We recognize that these procedures may be new and may feel challenging, but they are in place to ensure that every student has the opportunity to succeed. Thank you for your continued partnership in making regular attendance a priority.

More information about SF2435 can be found at www.educate.iowa.gov and on the graphic below.

Families that meet federal guidelines can qualify for free or reduced lunches. Forms to make applications for free or reduced lunches may be picked up at the Business Office after August 1st or downloaded below.

We have four organizations that do a great job of supporting Van Meter Schools. They are always looking for members. Be sure to reach out to them if you are interested in helping out.

Van Meter Education Foundation- Contact Luke Haverstick at lhaverstick@hotmail.com

Van Meter Elementary Parent Committee Contact Amanda Dougherty at mnddougherty@gmail.com

Van Meter Performing Arts Boosters Contact Scott Prickett at prickettsd@gmail.com

Van Meter Athletic Boosters Contact Amy Giesking at - amy.giesking@gmail.com

Email: firstname.lastname@vmbulldogs.com
Website: www.vmbulldogs.com
Location: 520 1st Avenue, Van Meter, IA, USA
Phone: (515) 996-2221
Facebook: https://facebook.com/VanMeterSchools/
Twitter: @vanmeterschools