The Elements of a Rebrand
The Ames Community School District is in the midst of a rebrand. It is not just a rebrand that conjures up ideas of marketing techniques including changing logos (although that is part of it), but a change in the status quo of how the District conducts business. Branding is much more than just colors and fonts. It’s how people respond to your organization. It’s the style, voice, and reputation that an institution holds in the public. In other words, a brand carries an emotional weight. Rebranding happens for a variety of reasons. One of the most common is the result of a leadership change. This summer marked Superintendent Jenny Risner’s one-year anniversary in Ames. The year has been memorable on a number of fronts but was the beginning of a fresh-eyes assessment on how the Ames Community School District operates both internally and externally, from buildings, classrooms, and our community.
Read moreCentral Iowa Community Identification Card
The Ames Community School District is a proud partner of the Central Iowa Community Identification Card (CICID), along with Ames Police Department and Story County Sheriff’s Office. Being able to present a valid form of photo ID is essential to accessing many services and benefits of the community. The Ames Community School District will accept CICID as a form of identification for the purposes of student enrollment and to satisfy the ID requirement incumbent upon parents, volunteers and community members seeking admittance into our school buildings during hours of operation.
Read moreEmergency Response Classroom Posters
Emergency response is a reality that all schools have to consider. Whether it’s a tornado or fire drill or anticipating an active threat situation, having common language is important in these situations. Over the summer, in addition to completing the District’s Emergency Operations Plan, administrators reviewed their language to emergency response. These posters are being displayed across the District and in classrooms as a visual reminder of what key words mean.
Read moreAmazing Education Podcast
The Amazing Education Podcast is a new communication channel from the Ames CSD that focuses on education-related topics with a blend of local and national conversations. Each episode of the Amazing Education Podcast will be 25-30 minutes and feature a guest on a specified topic.
Read moreMitchell Elementary Building Expansion
Mitchell Elementary School was one of three elementary schools in Ames (Edwards and Meeker being the other two) that was part of the April 2018 successful bond referendum for elementary school building additions. We reviewed current enrollment, near-term predictable enrollment, and projected future enrollment and determined the most urgent need for additional space is at Mitchell Elementary.
Read moreFifteen Ames High Students named Semifinalists in the 2020 National Merit Scholarship Program
On September 11, 2019, officials of the National Merit Scholarship Corporation (NMSC) announced the names of approximately 16,000 Semifinalists in the 65th annual National Merit Scholarship Program. These individuals have an opportunity to continue in the competition for some 7,600 National Merit Scholarships worth about $31 million that will be offered next spring.
Read moreWhat You Need to Know about the Little Cy-Hawk Game Friday Night
On Friday, September 13, Ames High will host Iowa City High in the seventh game of the Little Cy-Hawk rivalry (Ames is 4-2) with a traveling trophy sponsored by HY-Vee on the line. The game will kick off at 7:00 p.m. and will precede the biggest collegiate game in the state, the Cy-Hawk game with Iowa State University hosting the University of Iowa. The game is always a huge community event so here is what you need to know.
Read moreKristin Johnson Announced as New Director of Human Resources
The Ames Community School District is excited to announce Kristin Johnson as the new Director of Human Resources. Ms. Johnson previously served as the Iowa Civil Rights Commission Executive Director, a position that is appointed by the Governor of the State of Iowa. In that position, she set policy and was responsible for hiring, staffing, employment benefits, and performance evaluations for the state agency.
Read moreOfficial Online Apparel Store
We are excited to announce the launch of the official Ames Community School District online apparel store. Starting today, you can order Little Cyclone apparel representing every school building across the District. The store has a wide variety of options to choose from with the convenience of ordering online and having the items delivered directly to your door. Many of the items on the store have the ability to customize the logo you prefer.
Read moreTemporary Relocation of Shot Put and Discus Field to Fellows Elementary
With construction now underway for the new Ames High School, and in preparation for next year's track & field season, a temporary shot put and discus field will be constructed at Fellows Elementary School. Phase 1 of construction for the new building is taking place south of Ames High Drive over top of what was the Ames High practice fields. With limited space on the Ames High campus due to the construction, Fellows was chosen as the location of the temporary shot put and discus field based on proximity to the high school and its available flat space. This last variable limits the cost of the project knowing that a permanent shot put and discus field will be located at Ames High once the current building is decommissioned and demolished during Phase 5 of construction.
Read more