Sevond Cole named as new Fellows Elementary Principal
The Ames Community School District is excited to announce Sevond Cole as the new principal of Fellows Elementary School. Cole is currently the principal at Schaller-Crestland Elementary (PK-5) and Ridge View Middle School (6-8) within the Schaller-Crestland Community School District, a position he has held since 2018.
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Elementary Chromebook Checkout
As a way to support continuous learning while at home and to assist in our voluntary learning plan for the Elementary students, we will be allowing parents/guardians to check-out Chromebooks from their Elementary school for students in all grade levels. We will have set times for pickup at each of the Elementary schools later this week. Parents/Guardians are not required to pick up school computers if you already have a device at home that is meeting your learning needs. Your children can still access their school’s activities through their SeeSaw (K-2nd grade) or Google Classroom (3rd-5th grade) using their school Google account.
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Tanise Colvin named as new Sawyer Elementary Principal
The Ames Community School District is excited to announce Tanise Colvin as the new principal of Sawyer Elementary School. Colvin is currently an Assistant Principal at two middle schools in the Muscatine Community School District, a position she has held since 2017. As an assistant principal in Muscatine, Colvin has experience in multi-tiered system of support (MTSS) and actively led a parent group to address the gaps in educational programming for students who receive special education services. She was responsible for the design and creation of a master schedule, coached teachers to improve instructional practices, and designed professional development for paraprofessionals that were specific to building needs. Colvin also has training in student-centered coaching, professional learning communities, English language proficiency modules, and Positive Behavior Intervention Supports (PBIS), an initiative that was rolled out last year in the Ames Community School District.
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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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Specially Designed Instruction
Entering the world of special education can be a challenging endeavor as a parent. You’ve witnessed your child struggle in a particular area and the Individualized Education Plan (IEP) process is full of educational jargon and acronyms. But through that process, our students get to work with amazing special education teachers across the District who specialize in learning disabilities. Alyssa Peiffer, a special education teacher at Meeker Elementary, is one of those amazing teachers and makes what seems impossible for many students and parents possible.
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PBIS at Edwards Elementary
When students are learning how to read, add, or how to spell, we teach them. That same principle must apply to how students behave throughout the day at school. Positive Behavior Interventions and Supports (PBIS) is a “philosophy intended to guide the behavioral support and social culture needed for all students in a school to achieve social, emotional, and academic success.” It is a school-wide framework that focuses on the positive things that students are doing. This is an examination of what that looks like at Edwards Elementary School. School discipline has traditionally responded to specific student misbehavior by implementing punishment-based strategies that may include reprimands, loss of privileges, and office referrals. This approach, especially when applied inconsistently and without other positive strategies, is proven to be ineffective. With PBIS, consequences will still occur, but are not the focus; teaching expected behavior and rewarding those behaviors consistently is the focus. PBIS looks to establish a climate in which safe and appropriate behavior is the norm.
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Elementary Reading: FUNdations and Reading Units of Study
After an extensive review process including feedback and input from staff, students, and community members, Ames CSD purchased the research-based Reading Units of Study for all EK-5th grade classrooms. Reading Units of Study utilizes a reading workshop model where students spend significant time reading books of their choice and writing about those books. Students also learn with teachers in one on one conferences as well as in small group instructional teams. Finally, collaborative and sharing opportunities are built into the reading workshop.
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Mitchell 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.
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What Does School Refusal Look Like? A Mental Health Story
Becca is from all accounts a very normal elementary school student who loves school. She is not what comes to mind when you think of mental health. In fact, she comes from a stable, middle-class family that has avoided many of the risk factors that are often associated with mental health. Her mom, Annie, has a specialist in education degree and her dad Andy works at the university in IT security. They have open lines of communication, promote Becca’s self-esteem, and are cognizant to help equip all three of their children for their future.
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Enrich, Empower, Excel Summer School
Summer programming looked a little different this year but provided many of the great courses that families were accustomed to. Two programs within the district (ELP Super Summer and ALP summer school) and two community partners (YSS and United Way of Story County) joined together to create the Enrich, Empower, Excel summer program. Dr. Anthony Jones, Director of Equity and administrator in charge of the summer program said, “The reasons the programs joined together were to ensure all students have equal access to rich learning opportunities and to enhance the academic enrichment provided to all students.”
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