Restorative Practices at Ames Middle School
There is a fundamental unifying hypothesis of restorative practices that states human beings are happier, more cooperative and productive, and more likely to make positive changes in their behavior when those in positions of authority do things with them, rather than to them or for them. This is the shift in mindset that Behavior Specialist Andrew Koshatka and staff at Ames Middle School are introducing to students, staff, and families.
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Revenue Purpose Statement Vote to Utilize SAVE Tax Funds
The Ames Community School District is seeking voter approval of a proposed Revenue Purpose Statement (RPS) that describes how the District will utilize funds made available through the Iowa Legislature’s extension of the Secure an Advanced Vision for Education (SAVE) Fund, commonly referred to as the one-cent sales tax. The District’s current RPS expires on 1/1/2031. Approving the proposed RPS will allow the District to continue using future SAVE funds for school infrastructure through the calendar year 2050 when the SAVE law expires. It will not change the current sales tax rate. Citizens will continue to pay the one-cent sales tax even if the proposed RPS is not approved.
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Demography Report Part I: Enrollment Analysis
Last fall, the Ames Community School District contracted with RSP Associates, a school planning company that works solely with school districts and provides demography analysis for those who are experiencing enrollment changes. For a school district, enrollment changes have financial implications, determine the number of certified teaching positions that are needed, and directly impact building capacity. With accurate demographic information, school districts can use the information to make informed-decisions around facilities planning and enrollment processes. Robert Schwarz, the CEO of RSP Associates, has experience in city planning and founded the company in 2003.
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Iowa Department of Education releases Iowa School Performance Profiles
On January 29, 2020, the Iowa Department of Education released updates to its online school accountability reporting system called the Iowa School Performance Profiles. The website shows how schools are performing on multiple measures and meets federal and state requirements for publishing report cards. The Iowa School Performance Profiles include scores and ratings on a set of accountability measures, such as student growth and graduation rate, and additional data that are required by law but do not count toward school accountability scores. New to the 2020 profiles are updated school scores and ratings, post-secondary readiness is now factored in accountability, and the scores include performance on the new state test, the Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress (ISASP). The website also specifies schools that have been identified for additional support and improvement based on their performance.
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Panorama School Climate Survey 2019
In the spring of 2019, the Ames Community School District surveyed students, staff, and families using the Panorama Culture and Climate Survey. The survey included questions around social and emotional learning, school satisfaction, and staff and family engagement, among others. The purpose of the survey was to gather perception data from key stakeholders as a way to set a baseline for evaluation. With a baseline set, the survey results will guide goal areas based on the District’s Purpose and Priorities.
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Enrollment in Ames Up for the 2019-2020 School Year
Certified enrollment was finalized today. Below is a full write-up with that information, but here are some highlights first: Certified enrollment is 4,477 students. This is +90.5 from a year ago. Open enrollment / Whole Grade Sharing / Tuition In is +330 (we were +329 a year ago) The actual number of students served in buildings is 5,102. This is +71 students from a year ago.
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Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress (ISASP) 2019
The Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress (ISASP) is the new state-wide assessment that replaced the former Iowa Assessments. Developed…
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LC2: Little Cyclone Limited Collection
When we launched the online apparel store in September, two of our goals was to be able to provide a convenient outlet to purchase Little Cyclone apparel and to build excitement around the school district’s brand. LC2: Little Cyclones Limited Collection is the next step of that commitment. LC2 is a limited edition collection that will offer a new design twice a year; once in the fall and once in the spring. Each design will be unlike anything else available on the store and will be a fresh and unique design.
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Equity Lens: a Conversation with Dr. Anthony Jones
What is equity and what does it look like in the Ames Community School District? Equity in its simplest definition is making sure that every student has what they need when they need it. You know that equity has happened when every student is successful in our school system regardless of their race, ethnicity, gender, identity, ability, socioeconomic, language, or place of origin. Equity is about justice and fairness. What does equity look like in Ames school district right now? Well, we’re not there yet. I describe equity in Ames schools like our new high school. We’ve all agreed that we need it and we are building it. There’s a huge hole at the location where the new high school will be soon and the foundation is being built first. That is what is happening with equity. Yes, there is a hole there but we are building the foundation for equity in Ames. It’s not going to happen overnight but it is coming!
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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.
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