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!
Read more
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 more
Central 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 more
Emergency 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 more
Amazing 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 more
Kristin 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 more
Official 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 more
Temporary 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
School Resource Officers
Thanks to our fantastic partnership with the Ames Police Department, we are excited to announce the addition of Officer Don Johnsen as a second school resource officer (SRO) within the District. Officer Johnsen will join Officer Nick Schieffer who has served as the only SRO for the past 5 years. Both officers will collaborate with District and building administrators throughout the year with the primary goal of school safety.
Read more
Ames High Construction Update and Safety (August 2019)
Construction Safety As the school year rapidly approaches, we want to remind everyone that we are entering this school year with different conditions than in past years with an active construction site on school grounds and in close proximity to the current high school. Ames High is always active with students, parents, and the community attending numerous events throughout the week. Safety is a primary focus of ours and we want to remind everyone to be cautious around the adjacent construction site. Here are a few key reminders: Be aware of increased traffic along Ridgewood Avenue associated with construction activities including cross traffic at the two construction entrances. Obey all construction warning signs, including pedestrian, bicycle, and vehicle. There will be time periods where detours will be necessary to perform the required work. Respect the limits of construction – no students, faculty, athletes, parents, and visitors should enter the construction site without authorization from Story Construction and the Ames Community School District. Anyone authorized to be in the construction site will be escorted by Story Construction. We will continue to work to minimize any disruption to school activities and to communicate any known issues ahead of time to keep the parents and the community informed.
Read moreDiscover More from Ames CSD
