Join Us April 21 for the Parent Advisory Committee
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.
Save the Date: ESOL Family Night, May 9
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.
April is School Library Month
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!
New Elementary School Groundbreaking
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.
March Important Dates
March: In Like A Lamb, Out Like A …?
As we are enjoying this unseasonable balmy first day of March here are some important dates to remember.
- February 28 – March 3rd: Parent/Teacher Conferences
- March 11th: No School
- March 14-18: No School/Spring Break
View our parent calendar for more.
Profile of a Graduate
We are excited to launch the process of re-imagining our graduate profile! This document will work together with our strategic plan and equity framework to help chart a path for the district’s future. Please view this short survey to provide feedback on our graduate profile.
Scholastic Book Fair
Our Crocker Library is excited to announce that we will be hosting both an in-person Scholastic Book Fair and a virtual Scholastic Book Fair during conferences!
Our in-person book fair will be held in our Crocker library on Monday, February 28 from 3:30 PM-7:00 PM and then again on Tuesday, March 1 from 3:30 PM-7:00 PM.
The virtual book fair will open on Wednesday, February 23 and go until Tuesday, March 8. For those interested in the virtual book fair, here is the shopping link:
https://www.scholastic.com/bf/crockerelementaryspringbookfair
Black History Month Challenge
Calling all students ages 13-18!
- First Place: $3,500 scholarship
- Second Place: $1,000 scholarship
- Third Place: $500 scholarship
World Read Aloud Day – Feb. 2
World Read Aloud Day is Wednesday, February 2, 2022! For 13 years, World Read Aloud Day has called attention to the importance of sharing stories by challenging participants to grab a book, find an audience, and read-aloud! The global effort, created by the non-profit LitWorld and sponsored by Scholastic, is celebrated annually in over 173 countries and is all about bringing people together through the shared connection of reading aloud in all of our communities.
Several opportunities are happening all week long in our schools! View the Scholastic World Read Aloud Kit here, or go to https://www.litworld.org/worldreadaloudday for more!