A Guide to Understanding the Physical Plant and Equipment Levy (PPEL)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PoCPQoXCSsQ&feature=youtu.be What is the Physical Plant and Equipment Levy? The Physical Plant and Equipment Levy (PPEL), pronounced “pepple” in school jargon, is one of the most important sources of revenue for public school systems. It is a voter-approved tax of $1.34/$1,000 on property valuation of home and commercial property owners. For the Ames Community School District, this combined with a board approved option creates about $4 million annually. What can the money be used for? The $4 million are categorical funds that can only be used for specific purposes as it relates to building and grounds upkeep and repairs, new construction, technology (our 1:1 program for computers in every student’s hands), and equipment such as vehicles, maintenance equipment, furniture, and even large musical instruments for the band and orchestra program. The money cannot be used to pay teacher salaries, to fund student programs, or pay for utilities. Why is it important? Without the PPEL funds, many things that keep the District running would need to be paid for out of the District’s general fund, which also covers teacher salaries and programs for kids. Those are the things that are essential to educating students! It would mean making decisions to reduce staff and student programs by $4 million each year to take care of our physical plant and equipment needs.
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New Chromebooks Support 1:1 Computer Initiative
Shipments of new Acer Chromebooks started pouring into the District Office at the end of July, continuing the Ames Community School District’s commitment to its 1:1 computer initiative that began in 2013. The goals of the initiative are wide ranging, and has a huge impact no students within the classroom and beyond. Students learn 21st Century skills, are able to create and collaborate using digital tools, and teachers are able to personalized learning centered around the individual needs of their students. One of the most significant aspects of the 1:1 initiative is that eliminates the digital divide by putting a computer in every student’s hands. Technology Director, Karl Hehr, has led the 1:1 initiative and sees it as a game changer in the Ames School District. “We can put a device in every student’s hands, regardless of their background, and give them access to learning beyond the classroom. They are then able to explore passions on their own, and this has created areas where students can become lifelong learners.”
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AHS Girls Swimming & Diving Team Defines Dynasty with National Championship
Congratulations to the 2016-2017 Ames High Girls Swimming & Diving team for being rated the National Interscholastic Swimming Coaches Association (NISCA) National Champions for the second straight season. Head Coach Dan Flannery is proud for the work that this team put in. “We had a great year and the girls worked so hard to put themselves in this position.” In many ways, the second consecutive National Championship is the work of years of training and commitment by the community. The Ames High Girls program has entered the “dynasty” conversation and has some staggering statistics to back up that claim: Undefeated for 7 straight years Conference Champions for 7 straight years State titles 6 of the last 7 years Back-to-back NISCA National Champions (‘16 and ‘17)
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Northwood Principal Kristin Barber
On June 19, the School Board accepted the appointment of Kristin Barber as the new Principal at Northwood Preschool Center. Kristin graduated from the University of Northern Iowa with a degree in Elementary Education and Early Childhood Education with an emphasis in special education, and began her career at the North Polk West Elementary School as a first and second grade teacher, then later as a Master Teacher / Instructional Coach in the district. While in that role, she completed her Masters in Education from Viterbo University with a Reading Endorsement and started to find a passion in educational leadership. “As an instructional coach, I always wanted to find ways to impact more students, more staff, and more parents by ensuring that everyone has a voice. When you are an administrator or lead learner, you can put structures in place in a child’s education to make sure that we’re meeting all needs in all areas, whether that is through academics, language, socially-emotional, cognitive or physical.”
Read moreWhat current research tells us about dyslexia
The article linked below gives an overview of dyslexia, myths associated with dyslexia, and recommendations for teachers and parents to support students.
Read moreSchool meal price policy FAQs
The Ames Community School Board on June 5, 2017 carved into a separate policy its procedures for dealing with unpaid meal account balances, which had been in place since 2015. However, the Board plans to revisit the policy to find a long-term solution. Watch this page for updates. FAQs Why is the School Board acting on an Unpaid Meal Policy? The USDA is requiring all school districts nationwide to have a policy in place by July 1, 2017 that details the procedures for unpaid meals. The Board approved unpaid meal procedures in June 2015 as part of another policy after the school district began to run large lunch account deficits, including $109,473 in the 2015 fiscal year. Since then, the negligent balances have fallen by more than $60,000. The Board drafted a separate policy in 2017 to meet the new USDA requirements. On June 5, 2017, the Board approved Policy 710.4 Meal & Snack Charges. How do families know if they qualify for free or reduced school meal? The district provides access to the application for free or reduced price school meals each year with other annual notices, and to all new families who enroll students in the district. When applications are processed, the district notifies families about their qualification status. Income guidelines are established by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). Students who qualify for reduced meals are charged the difference between the federal reimbursement for free meals and reduced meals, which is currently 40 cents. To determine the price a school district must charge students don’t qualify for free or reduced price school meals, the USDA has established a formula through its Paid Lunch Equity Tool.
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Black Hawk lands at Mitchell School to spur STEM learning
A Black Hawk Army helicopter swooped onto the grounds at Mitchell Elementary School, Thursday, June 1, marking the last day of school and inspiring students to keep engaged with science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) learning over the summer—and also spurring questions. "Why does it have so many buttons?" "What is a co-pilot?" And a serious question from kindergarten student Max Nordman. "What happens if you forget how to do something?" Chief Warrant Officer 4 Jim Funk, a Black Hawk instructor pilot with the Army National Guard Charlie 147 Aviation Company based in Boone, arranged with Mitchell Principal Justin Jeffs to provide the larger-than-life learning event.
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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
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
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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