Ames High Construction Update and Summer Parking 2020
Throughout the winter, construction crews have continued to excavate and pour footings and construct foundation walls at the Ames High construction project. As of the end of February, the foundation walls for the south half of the building were approximately 80% complete and the footings for the south half of the building were approximately 94% complete. Other notable milestones include the geothermal vaults being installed in December after 312 wells were drilled throughout the fall.
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Mitchell Elementary Construction Update / Informational Meeting
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. After reviewing current enrollment, near-term predictable enrollment, projected future enrollment, and housing development, it was determined the most urgent need for additional space is at Mitchell Elementary. In April 2019, the school board approved architectural services by Roseland Mackey Harris Architects (RMHA) for design and construction of addition(s) and renovation at Mitchell Elementary. The scope and goals of the project are to 1) add 6 classrooms to the building, 2) improve the HVAC system to control humidity in the building, and 3) address sound challenges in the music practice area.
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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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