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Creating digital magazines brings nonfiction to life for sixth graders
May 31, 2017

Creating digital magazines brings nonfiction to life for sixth graders

Ames Middle School sixth grade students are ready with an answer in case anyone asks what they learned this year. In their hands are printed versions of digital magazines the students researched, wrote, and designed for literacy class to show what they learned studying nonfiction text structures and writing processes throughout the year. Literacy teacher Drew DeJong said the literacy team, as a professional Learning Community, created the magazine project so students could demonstrate understanding of sixth grade learning standards such as identifying the author’s purpose and the structure of a text. The students were expected to create two articles over a topic they chose, using a different text structure for each article.

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Ames High School teacher Kirstin Sullivan recognized by Iowa Secretary of State
May 25, 2017

Ames High School teacher Kirstin Sullivan recognized by Iowa Secretary of State

Kirstin Sullivan, who teaches AP European History, AP Government and Politics, and U.S. Government at Ames High School, was recognized by Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate for organizing Ames High School’s participation in the statewide Iowa Youth Straw Poll for the 2016 general election. In a press release, Pate said Sullivan “stepped up and registered to include our students’ voices in the statewide straw poll, and as a result of her efforts, students received a unique civic education experience.” Sullivan said participating in the Iowa Youth Straw Poll gave all students at Ames High School a chance to be engaged. “A vital part of my job is for students to know how important it is that they are engaged in their community and in their government at all levels,” Sullivan said. “In both U.S. Government and AP Government and Politics classes, we spend the semester learning about civil liberties and how to best advocate for oneself and one's community."

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Myers is Ames Morning Rotary Teacher of the Year for Ames Schools
May 22, 2017

Myers is Ames Morning Rotary Teacher of the Year for Ames Schools

Stephanie Myers, a fifth grade teacher at Edwards Elementary School, was awarded Rotary Teacher of the Year on Wednesday, May 17. A Model Teacher in…

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Ames High School Young Engineers and Scientists present projects
May 18, 2017

Ames High School Young Engineers and Scientists present projects

Sixteen weeks of research and preparation carried out by Ames High School’s Young Engineers and Scientists (YES) culminated in a poster reception in the Ames High School Media Center May 10. The students presented their work to peers, parents and faculty from Iowa State University and Ames High School. Funded through ISU’s Center for Biorenewable Chemicals (CBiRC), YES is part of CBiRC’s pre-college education strategic plan to form long-standing partnerships with central Iowa school districts and school districts located in relative proximity to CBiRC partner institutions. According to CBiRC’s website, the pre-college programs’ mission is  to “effectively impart in the next generation of students the relevance of engineering professions; the skills required to succeed and the value in our technological society.”

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Links to video presentations from pilot materials representatives
May 12, 2017

Links to video presentations from pilot materials representatives

Thanks to everyone who came to view our video presentations from the representatives for each of our K-2 foundational skills materials pilot programs. For those…

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Brandon Schrauth announced as next Fellows principal
April 19, 2017

Brandon Schrauth announced as next Fellows principal

Pending Board approval, Schrauth will assume leadership July 1. Superintendent Tim Taylor announced April 19 that he will be recommending to the Board of Education…

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Ames High School graduation rates trending upward
April 18, 2017

Ames High School graduation rates trending upward

Overall four-year graduation rate increased for third year in a row. State data on four-year graduation rates released by the Iowa Department of Education…

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District halts email phishing attempt
April 17, 2017

District halts email phishing attempt

Recently an Ames Community School District email account was compromised and used to send out thousands of phishing-type emails that contained attachments that do not…

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District employees honored for 25 years of service
April 6, 2017

District employees honored for 25 years of service

2017 25-year service honorees: L-R, Kim Burnett, Judge Johnston, Dan Wright, Gina Isenbrands, Mary Harrison, Jane Ripp (accepting on behalf of her daughter,…

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Pancake printer interfaces with food, technology and art
April 4, 2017

Pancake printer interfaces with food, technology and art

Ames High School freshman Cole Malone points out features of a pancake design he programed for a 3-D printer. Cole Malone has a…

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