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Welcome Back From Dr. Lawson
August 24, 2022

Welcome Back From Dr. Lawson

It brings me great joy to welcome all of our Ames Community School District students and families to the 2022-23 school year!  The opening of…

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Mary Morton named as new Principal at Northwood Preschool Center
June 22, 2022

Mary Morton named as new Principal at Northwood Preschool Center

The Ames Community School District is excited to announce Mary Morton as the new Principal of Northwood Preschool Center. She is currently the Assistant Principal…

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Our Stories: An EK and AHS Graphic Design Collaboration Project
June 3, 2022

Our Stories: An EK and AHS Graphic Design Collaboration Project

Our Stories is a collaboration project where Early Kindergarten (EK) classes at Northwood Preschool Center provided drawings and writing prompts for graphic design students at…

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Adjusted Start and Stop Times Approved for the 2022-2023 School Year
April 19, 2022

Adjusted Start and Stop Times Approved for the 2022-2023 School Year

On Monday, April 18, the Ames School Board approved adjusted start and stop times for the 2022-2023 school year that will go into effect at…

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Online Registration Verification for 2022-2023 Is Now Open
April 19, 2022

Online Registration Verification for 2022-2023 Is Now Open

Online Registration Verification is now open for the 2022-2023 school year for returning students. To verify your information, follow these important steps: Step 1 –…

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Quinn’s Qloset Helps Ames Students
April 8, 2022

Quinn’s Qloset Helps Ames Students

When Ames Community School District parent, Cassie Bexten, saw a need in her community to provide clothing items for Ames’ littlest learners, she jumped into…

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Northwood Preschool Receives 2021-2022 STEM Scale-Up Award
December 8, 2021

Northwood Preschool Receives 2021-2022 STEM Scale-Up Award

The North Central Iowa Regional STEM Advisory Board of the Iowa Governor’s STEM Advisory Council recently awarded a STEM Scale-Up Program application for Storytime STEM-packs to Northwood Preschool Center. The application was for $6,000 and was submitted by Northwood teachers Annie Boldt, Jill Spencer, and Lindsey Wirth. 

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PK-5 Students to Return to 100% Face-to-Face
December 29, 2020

PK-5 Students to Return to 100% Face-to-Face

PK-5 Students to Return to 100% Face-to-Face This morning, the school board voted for PK-5 students who desire a building-based delivery model to return to 100% face-to-face starting on January 4, 2021. Below, we have outlined what this means for our students in the various delivery models and buildings. 

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Masked Hero: Suzy Nordhus
November 18, 2020

Masked Hero: Suzy Nordhus

Superpower: Shapeshifting teaching style For much of the school year, Suzy Nordhus has taught preschool students both in the classroom and remotely. She knows the challenges of engaging up to 20 preschool students at a time through the computer. “I am quite the three-ring circus, sideshow act when I teach. I do nothing short of tap dance on the tables to keep students (or maybe just myself) engaged during remote learning. But I have thoroughly enjoyed getting to know these little people.” This is why they love her!

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Northwood: The Preschool Center where Amazing Begins!
April 1, 2019

Northwood: The Preschool Center where Amazing Begins!

At Northwood Preschool Center, student inquiry drives instruction, creating an environment where learning possibilities never cease. Principal Kristin Barber, now in her second year at Northwood, said, “Students are in charge of their own learning. We have projects that are 6-8 weeks, but it’s not always about the content. It’s about allowing students to explore their own understanding and learn how to ask great questions.” Northwood Preschool is a part of the free statewide voluntary preschool program that serves 4-year-olds and a separate grant that serves 3-year-olds. They also provide a half day early kindergarten program that meets kindergarten expectations. All teachers are dual certified, meaning that they can teach in both special and general education settings, making Northwood a full inclusion school. Barber says, “All students are immersed in the classroom experience, and this is incredibly valuable for their learning.” Within any classroom at Northwood, you will see students interacting with each other in what looks like “play time” for the students. But what is happening, in reality, is project-based learning that incorporates play for students, hands-on learning, and reinforces peer to peer interactions in the process. This approach lays the groundwork for learning that has no bounds.

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