Announcements

 
The first-ever AELP Technology Fair was held at the Kirkendall Library on Thursday, May 5th.  All of our elementary schools, 6-7 buildings, and 8-9 buildings were represented.

Students were given a month to work on their projects by completing a technology fair planning sheet and in some cases had to “win” their home building in order to advance. There were about 40 entries total. The projects were categorized according to their classification:  web presence, graphic design and publishing, coding, innovative technology use, etc. Danfoss was on site to teach about hydraulics and the robotics team did demonstrations.

Projects were judged on a rating scale similar to show choir or band competitions. Judges consisted of parent volunteers, district office staff, instructional coaches, and community volunteers. Judges and participants fill out a survey the next day, so that we can make the fair even better next year.

Thank you and congratulations to all of our Technology Fair participants and volunteers!

The annual Law Day celebration was held on Monday, May 2 and was presented by the Polk County Bar Association. Law Day has been celebrated on or around May 1 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. The Polk County Bar Association partners with ARAG each year to give Polk County area students a chance to get creative with the law as part of our annual Law Day celebration. Students in grades K through 12 are invited to compete in the visual arts, music, essay and poetry categories.

This year’s theme was “Toward a More Perfect Union: The Constitution in Times of Change.” Numerous Ankeny students from across the district won awards and are mentioned below.

High School Poetry Competition

Emma Smith,
Centennial High School
2nd place

High School Essay Competition

Elizabeth Deng,
Centennial High School
1st place

Finn Stukerjurgen,
Southview Middle School
3rd place

High School Visual Arts Competition

Josie Bishop,
Northview Middle School
2nd place

High School Technology Competition

Noah Yeager,
Ankeny High School
1st place

Middle School Technology Competition

Aakansha Ganesh,
Prairie Ridge Middle School
1st place

Middle School Performing Arts Competition

Lauren Boka, Katelyn Henzi, Camryn Johnson, Abigail Willardson, Cathy Owusu-Anokye, Josefina Willkom, Maia Bredice, Kaley Swanson and Sydney Heithoff
Northview Middle School
1st place

Middle School Poetry Competition

Rosie Howieson,
Northview Middle School
1st place

Middle School Essay Competition

Kalyani Bhat,
Northview Middle School
1st place

Harrison Jansen,
Northview Middle School
2nd place

Martha Willard,
Prairie Ridge Middle School
3rd place

Middle School Visual Arts Competition

Hollin Hansen,
Southview Middle School
1st place

Eve Russell,
Prairie Ridge Middle School
2nd place

Jamie Miara, Lauren Harmon, Ava Barten, Marleigh Munger and Mabelle Way
Northview Middle School
3rd place (tie)

Elementary School Poster Competition

Ainsley Schnurr,
Ashland Ridge Elementary
1st place

Jillian Tournier,
Ashland Ridge Elementary
2nd place

Thomas Dunne,
Northeast Elementary
3rd place

Elementary School Visual Arts Competition

Brinley Feuerbach,
Ashland Ridge Elementary
1st place

Jillian Moses and Siena Peddicord,
Northeast Elementary
2nd place

Stella Heither and Lia Meyer,
Ashland Ridge Elementary
3rd place

Elementary School Coloring Competition

Camryn Taxted,
Prairie Trail Elementary
1st place

Elle Evans,
Prairie Trail Elementary
2nd place

Kyla Leach,
Prairie Trail Elementary
3rd place

Elementary School Essay Competition

Brynlee Moeller,
Southeast Elementary
1st place

Elementary School Poetry Competition

Clayton Gardner,
Prairie Trail Elementary
1st place

Elementary School Technology Competition

Chatham Beck,
Ashland Ridge Elementary
1st place

Madeline Lynch,
Northeast Elementary
2nd place

Kaitlyn French,
Ashland Ridge Elementary
3rd place

Polk County Law Day Awards were held on Monday, May 2nd. This year’s theme was “Toward a More Perfect Union: The Constitution in Times of Change.” Each of these students created a project to fit into one of the following categories: Poster, Essay, Visual Arts, or Technology. Each of these students created a project to be judged. Each of these students placed in the top of their category!

Left to Right: Stella Heither, Lia Meyer, Brinely Feuerbach, Kaitlyn French, Jillian Tournier, Ainsley Schnurr, Chatham Beck

• How to register for school
• Documents needed for registration
• Before and After School program
• Meet the Elementary School principals
• Important upcoming date

Please join us for the April 21, 2022 PAC meeting. This will be an open discussion about the draft Strategic Plan and Graduate Profile. The partnership between families, parents, students, and the school has always been a priority in Ankeny. This collaboration will grow as parents and families unite in support of student learning experiences such as career exploration and awareness of work-based learning.  Determining a student’s vision for their future and engaging in learning that centers the student’s voice and choice in the process is best done when the educational team and the family work together.

When: Thursday, April 21 • 6-7:30pm

Where: Northview Middle School, 1302 North Ankeny Boulevard

Click here to review documents and provide feedback.

When: Monday, May 9th, 6-8pm

Where: Northview Middle School, 1302 North Ankeny Boulevard

What: Join us for English Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Family Night! This event will help ESOL families to learn more about the district and available community resources. Please bring your child’s Chromebook. Dinner will be provided.

All year long, our school librarians create activities to help their school and local community celebrate the essential role that strong school library programs play in a student’s educational career. April is School Library Month and we would like you to join us in celebrating the dedication of our library staff throughout the district!

Our students, teachers, and staff are so grateful for your knowledge and support. We encourage you to take a moment today to say a special thank you by visiting our digital Thank You page, add your message, and hit submit to deliver your appreciation to your building’s library staff!

Today we would like to say we appreciate our paraprofessionals! This day is celebrated the first Wednesday every April in order to raise awareness about the important work of paraprofessionals in our schools. This includes teaching associates, special education associates, media center associates, and classroom assistants. Thank you to our multi-tasking rockstars for working with our students and making a difference in their lives!

The Ankeny Community School District has broken ground on their newest elementary school building. The building is temporarily being referred to as the Elementary at the Grove, and will be the sixth elementary school in the north-feeder for the district. The new building will be located in the Grove development at NW 18th St and NW Abbie Dr and will be a part of the district’s north feeder system. The five-section building will serve kindergarten to fifth grade and have a capacity of up to 800 students and is slated to open in the fall of 2024.

“This is a day of excitement for our district, not only for our students and staff in our north-feeder elementary system but for our entire community who has worked together to build this district for our children,” said Dr. Erick Pruitt, Superintendent of Ankeny Schools. “The growth in our city is certainly notable. However, when we think about this growth as a district, what excites us is the number of students reaching their academic goals each year. This elementary school will serve as yet another launching point for our young people to achieve a lifetime of personal success.”

An additional school is needed to accommodate the district’s ongoing growth, as Ankeny remains one of the fastest-growing school districts in Iowa. This year enrollment increased by 364 students, making certified enrollment 12,512 students for the 2020-2021 school year, as reported in the Certified Enrollment Report. Enrollment growth has averaged 250 students annually for the past five years and is expected to grow by an average of 260 students per year over the next five years.

The Elementary at the Grove will be funded utilizing the S.A.V.E. state penny sales tax. The official name of the school will be forthcoming, with the naming committee convening within the next year to follow the process as laid out in board policy.

A prescribed (controlled) burn of the District’s prairie grasses will be executed this spring. The DNR recommends a burn every three years to maintain prairie grasses. District staff conducting burns have been trained and certified in prescribed burns.