Announcements

The local program, Iowa Mission of Mercy (IMOM) is holding free dental clinics in the metro area. If you have students, families, or staff that would benefit from free dental care, please share this information with them.  All patients seeking treatment at an IMOM local clinic need to schedule an appointment directly with the clinic.

IMOM Local clinics in your area include:

• Wednesday, October 6: 7:00 AM – 3:00 PM @ 4444 Northwest 128^th St, Urbandale, IA 50323 (515.278.4366)
• Friday, October 8: 7:45 AM- 3:00 PM @ 3830 Ingersoll Ave, Des Moines, IA 50312 (515.274.5151)
• Friday, October 22: 7:30 AM – 3:00 PM @ Waveland Family Dental – 4232 University Ave, Des Moines, IA 50311 – (515.277.4461)
• Friday, October 22: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM @ Apex Dental – 725 S 51^st St, West Des Moines, IA 50265 (515.224.1618)
• Monday, October 25: 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM  @ West Lakes Family Dentistry – 6800 Lake Dr, Ste 290, West Des Moines, IA 50266 (515.225.2424)

For more information about IMOM Local clinics, please visit their website , or contact 515.331.2298.

The updated Return to Learn Plan that was approved on Tuesday, September 21, 2021, was neither an endorsement nor an admonishment of masks. The approved plan enables the district to follow the federal order and to avoid violating federal civil rights and disability laws.

Changes in the approved Return to Learn Plan are highlighted below:

• The approved changes will take effect September 23, 2021, and will remain in effect through December 21, 2021, unless there are changes to the current law or further action by the board.

• A new plan will be presented for the beginning of the 2022 calendar year.

• Masks will be required for individuals age 2 and older, indoors on ACSD property during the compulsory school day. This includes students, teachers, staff, visitors, and volunteers.

• Masks will not be required when outdoors on ACSD property.

• Exemptions from last year will carry forward, and new exemption requests can be made by filling out the exemption form. Please note: The statement on the form, “A person granted a medical or religious exemption may be excluded from in-person school and school activities during a COVID-19 infection outbreak” means that having a mask exemption does not prevent a student from being told to stay home from school if they test positive for COVID. More information can be found on Iowa Department of Public Health’s website.

• We will work collaboratively with families to make sure we are balancing the health, safety, and educational needs of all students in a classroom.

• Our tracking and notification of potential COVID-19 exposure will be updated to meet the new plan. Communication about what to expect will be sent in the next couple of days from your student’s home school building.

• By Wednesday, September 29, lunch seating for grades 6-12, will implement a process so communication-related to potential exposure can be more precise.

Find the full plan with more detailed information on the Return to Learn section of the district website.

While a student at Prairie Ridge, Kalyani Bhat, competed in the nation’s premier middle school science competition, the 3M Young Scientist Challenge. This competition features outstanding innovations from young scientists that utilize the power of STEM to improve the world. Over the summer of 2021 Kalyani was named the state merit winner for Iowa for her video communicating the science behind her solution to a ventilator alternative. Each state merit winner receives special recognition on the challenge website, along with a special technology prize pack. Kalyani is now a student at Northview Middle School.

View the 3M press release here.

The Ankeny Community School District and Superintendent Dr. Erick Pruitt invite Parents/Guardians to attend the Parent Advisory Committee (PAC) meeting on Thursday, September 16 from 6:00pm-7:30pm at Northview Middle School Auditorium.

The Parent Advisory Committee gives parents an opportunity to provide input on topics and ideas that are relevant to the district’s goal of preparing every learner for success. The committee will also provide insight into projects and initiatives that can be implemented to help move the district forward. Parents (and guardians) will have the opportunity to collaborate with each other and work together as one entity to ensure success for our students and community.

Innovative ideas, thoughtful questions, and respectful discussion are welcome!

This meeting marks the first of what will be monthly meetings. The PAC will meet the third Thursday of every month during the school year. Committee involvement is open to all parents of students enrolled in the Ankeny Community School District.

Where: Northview Middle School Auditorium

When: 6:00 PM – 7:30 PM (90 Minutes) starting September 16

Please find our updated COVID-19 dashboard and informational data here.

Ankeny Community School District is guided by state laws which prevent schools from mandating face masks and requires school districts in Iowa to provide on-site learning. However, students, staff, and others on district property are permitted to wear masks; disposable masks are available in our buildings for those who wish to wear them.

Per guidance from the Iowa Department of Public Health, Ankeny Community School District will treat COVID-19 similar to influenza and other common child illnesses. Students who believe they have been exposed to COVID-19 in or outside of school are not required to quarantine and should monitor for symptoms.

Due to health department changes in quarantine requirements, Ankeny Community School District will not contact trace to identify individuals as “close contacts” who may have been exposed to COVID-19 in the school setting. As necessary, all Ankeny school buildings are sending notifications to families to indicate potential exposure to positive case(s) of COVID-19.

A dashboard has been created to provide parents with “at-a-glance” positive case information, based on self-reported information. It is updated once a week and date stamped. An asterisk (*) denotes at least one but fewer than four (4) cases within a given reporting category and is provided in lieu of a specific number to protect privacy.

Transmission levels as of Friday, September 3, 2021 in Polk County are High. For more information please visit the CDC website. This website includes an integrated county view by state.

For more information on our health and mitigation practices please review our Return to Learn Addendum here.

August 9th at 8AM – Teacher assignments posted on Infinite Campus

August 18th 6:00-6:30PM – Kindergarten Welcome to School Night (parents only)

August 19th 4:00-6:00PM – Meet The Teacher Night

August 26th – Back to School Night (Parents only)
1st/2nd – 6:30-7:00PM
3rd/4th – 7:00-7:30PM
5th – 7:30-8:00PM
Band – 8:15-8:45PM

The Ankeny Community School District (ACSD) is committed to keeping our students, staff, and community safe while we continue to respond to the Covid-19 pandemic. In order to respect current social distancing requirements and to protect the health and safety of our staff and community, the procedures communicated below may be different compared to past practices.

Ankeny Community Schools is accepting the annual textbook rental fees, purchases of CIML (Central Iowa Metro League) student activity tickets, K-8 activity passes, eight-punch pass activity tickets, parking passes, and meal account deposits for the 2021-2022 school year. Fees are accepted by:

• Credit/debit card online at TouchBase. This is the preferred method of payment.
• NEW/CHANGE – PLEASE READ CAREFULLY – Credit/debit card at a building.
  • School building: An appointment must be made by calling that building’s main office. Please know that office hours may be limited.
  • District Office building: An appointment must be made by calling 515-965-9600. Please know that office hours may be limited. Checking the website would be beneficial.
  • Credit/debit card numbers CANNOT be taken over the phone.
  • Mail check to 306 SW School Street, PO box 189, Ankeny 50021-0189 using this payment form.

For information on making online payments, please refer to the online fees and meal payments. You may view an instructional video on using TouchBase.

You can learn more about how to use TouchBase by reading this new user guide.

Important points regarding online payments:

• Meal account deposits may be made throughout the school year. Try the recurring purchases feature on TouchBase!
• NEW/CHANGE to staying online all school year: League student activity tickets (9-12 only) and the K-8 grade activity tickets may be purchased online until Sunday, August 8.
• Eight-punch activity tickets can be purchased online until Sunday, August 8. Beginning August 9, payments for the eight-punch activity tickets/passes may be purchased from your feeder system’s high school Activity Office or at a home event.
• TouchBase can be found under Online Payments, which is located in the Quick Links at the top right and bottom of the page. Please note, when accessing TouchBase, you will be leaving the Ankeny Schools website and entering a secured environment hosted by InTouch Receipting.

What is the annual Textbook Rental?

The Textbook Rental is an Iowa Department of Education state-wide term used that covers not only textbooks, but electronic textbooks and any supplementary instructional materials used that conveys information to the student or otherwise contributes to the learning process. This is referenced and authorized in Iowa Code 301.1.

If you have already paid the textbook rental fee for this year, you do not need to do so again.

Free/Reduced Priced Meals and Other Fees

To be eligible for free/reduced price meals and textbook rental fees, you must submit an application and the fee waiver form EACH SCHOOL YEAR. This can be done online late July on the nutrition services free and reduced meals webpage.

Please contact LeeAnna Vigor before completing an application, if:

• You are enrolling a kindergarten student and another student in your household was eligible for free or reduced meals the previous school year.
• You have a student who is transferring from another school in Iowa and was eligible for free or reduced meals at that school.  Eligibility does NOT automatically transfer – you need to notify LeeAnna Vigor.
• The state has placed a foster student in your care.

To be eligible for Free/Reduced Text book Rental, a free/reduced priced meal application and the fee waiver form must be completed and approved on October 4, 2021 or before. If not, unless a student is a new enrollee, full priced Textbook Rental Fees will be applicable for students in your household. PLEASE NOTE: if a fee waiver is applicable, it is only valid if completed and submitted within that eligible school year.

Contact Information:

• For questions about fee and/or fine balances, fee and/or fine payments, please email studentfees@ankenyschools.org
• For questions about meal balances and/or meal payments or School Cafe, please email leeanna.vigor@ankenyschools.org or scott.litchfield@ankenyschools.org.
• For questions about the Free and Reduced Meal Program, please email leeanna.vigor@ankenyschools.org.
• For questions about the Before and After School Program and/or about the payment structure, please email nikki.logsdon@ankenyschools.org.

Students from ACSD competed in the Polk County Bar Association’s Law Day contest and garnered several awards in each category. Students in grades K through 12 were invited to compete in the visual arts, music, essay, and poetry categories.

This year’s theme was Advancing the Rule of Law Now. The Rule of Law is the bedrock of our democracy because the same laws apply to everyone, and no one is above the law. The Rule of Law is a system of laws, rules, policies, and principles that apply to everyone to ensure a fair and just society where everyone is treated equally under the law. This includes having a fair and independent judiciary and making sure human rights are guaranteed for all.

Law day has been celebrated since 1958 when President Dwight Eisenhower signed the proclamation declaring it a day to celebrate and strengthen the American heritage of liberty, justice, and equality under the law.

This year’s celebration was held virtually. Guests from the legal profession spoke to students, emphasizing the importance of the Rule of Law, and entertained questions from the students. A visual presentation was shared that showcased student work.

Anna Rowling – Prairie Trail

Vivian Zhang – Rock Creek

5th grade:
Anna Rowling (Prairie Trail) – 1st Place in Poster
Vivian Zhang (Rock Creek) – 2nd Place in Essay
Zena Jorgensen and Ingrid Weber (Ashland Ridge) – 1st Place in Visual Arts

Zena Jorgensen and Ingrid Weber – Ashland Ridge

Alanna Bredice – Prairie Ridge

Kalyani Bhat-Prairie Ridge

Emmarie Becker-Prairie Ridge

Rosie Howieson-Prairie Ridge

Maia Bredice-Prairie Ridge

Lauren Boka-Prairie Ridge

7th Grade:
Alanna Bredice (Prairie Ridge) – 1st Place in Technology
Kalyani Bhat (Prairie Ridge) – 1st Place in Music & Performing Arts
Emmarie Becker (Prairie Ridge) – 3rd Place in Poetry
Rosie Howieson (Prairie Ridge) – 2nd Place in Poetry
Maia Bredice & Lauren Boka (Prairie Ridge) – 3rd Place in Visual Arts

Finn Stukerjurgen and Avery Bacon from Southview Middle School

8th grade:
Avery Bacon (Southview) – 2nd place in Middle School Visual Arts
Josie Bishop (Northview) – 3rd place in Middle School Essay
Olivia Madison (Northview) – 1st place in Middle School Poetry
Finn Stukerjurgen (Southview) – 1st place in Middle School Essay
Meghan Wolf (Northview) – 1st place in Middle School Visual Arts; 2nd Place in Middle School Essay

9th graders from Northview at Law Day

9th grade:
Lio Aguirre (Northview) – 3rd place in High School Essay
Lio Aguirre, Caeden deBruin, Mary Faidley and Addison Pollock (Northview) – 1st place in High School Visual Arts
Kylie Kinzie (Northview) – 2nd place in High School Visual Arts

Julia Yount – ACHS

10th grade:
Julia Yount (ACHS) – 2nd place in High School Poetry

Allison Su

12th grade:
Allison Su (ACHS) – 3rd place in High School Visual Arts

Dear Parents/Guardians,
Our 5th graders will be participating in the all day district track meet at the Northview stadium on Tuesday, May 11th, for the North feeder schools and Thursday May 13th, for the South feeder schools, starting at 9:00am. The students will participate in running events in the morning, have lunch in the bleachers, and then finish with the field events in the afternoon. Please make sure that your child is dressed appropriately for the day, it can be very chilly at times in May! In addition, please have your child wear tennis shoes on this day (no track spikes are allowed for this meet) and bring a water bottle. Some additional information for the 2021 track meet include:·
● Masks are required for all spectators.
● 2 guests per child can attend the meet.
● We will seat classes/students on the west side of the stadium and spectators on the east side. All spectators are asked to stay in the stands and will not be allowed on the track/field.
● Students will need to have a mask on at all times and can either hold onto their mask or slide it down when they are running. Students will need their mask on while they are waiting in line for events.
● We ask that you do not bring fast food to the track meet, either a sack lunch from home or the school.
This is an optional event for remote students and transportation will be the responsibility of the parent to and from Northview Stadium. Remote kids will report to the track on the following days:
● Tuesday, May 11 – North feeder – Reichart, Schmeling, McInerney
● Thursday, May 13 –South feeder – Buck, Johnson
Thank you,
Your Elementary PE staff