Articles from December 2024

Looking ahead to kindergarten next year? Get a SNEAK PEEK of kindergarten life on Tuesday, December 3, from 5:30-7 p.m.

Staff from elementary schools across the district are excited to share all the amazingness that awaits soon-to-be kindergartners at all Dubuque Community School District schools.

Join us at one of the following locations:

Carver Elementary School
2007 Radford Road, Dubuque, Iowa 52002

Irving Elementary School
2520 Pennsylvania Avenue, Dubuque, Iowa 52001

Prescott Elementary School
1151 White Street, Dubuque, Iowa 52001

This is an open house event, so families may stop by at any time during the event hours.

Kindergarten Sneak Peak is a fantastic opportunity for future kindergarten students and their families to explore our kindergarten program! This fun, interactive event will give attendees that chance to:

• meet our dedicated teachers, support staff and administrators
• experience the vibrant learning environment offered across all district schools
• learn about our kindergarten curriculum and activities
• get answers to questions about the upcoming school year

We can’t wait to welcome the class of 2038 to our school community and provide the highest quality education in Dubuque!

We are READY. For Kindergarten.

For questions, call 563/552-3058 or email enrollment@dbqschools.org.

Rich Hatcher

The Dubuque Community School District is pleased to announce the appointment of Rich Hatcher as the new principal of Kennedy Elementary School for the 2024-2025 school year, pending approval by the Board of Education at its March meeting. Hatcher, who currently serves as assistant principal at Western Dubuque High School, replaces Nick Hess, who was recently named principal of Marshall Elementary School in the district.

As principal of Kennedy, Hatcher will be responsible for the strategic and day-to-day operations of the school, which serves approximately 585 students and has over 81 professional and support staff.

Hatcher assumes this new role after serving as assistant principal of Western Dubuque High School since 2017. Prior to his time in the Western Dubuque Community School District, he was a student needs facilitator at Jefferson Middle School in Dubuque from 2014-2017 and was an instructional coach and talented/gifted facilitator at Jefferson from 2007-2014. Prior to that, he was a science and geography teacher at Williams Intermediate School and F.L. Smart Middle School, respectively, which are both in Davenport, Iowa.

“Rich is an energetic, relationship-driven administrator who thrives on building connections with families, student and staff,” said Superintendent of Schools Amy Hawkins. “We are thrilled to welcome him back to the Dubuque Community School District and we are excited for all he will bring to this role at Kennedy.”

Hatcher holds a bachelor of arts degree in elementary education from St. Ambrose University in Davenport, a master of educational leadership degree from Western Illinois University in Macomb, Ill.