What's New at Kennedy Elementary

Here are the latest updates from the Dubuque Community School District:

STUDENT MEAL AVAILABILITY
We are pleased to share that the district and a number of community partners will provide meals for students during the school closure. These grab-and-go meals are available at no cost to any individual ages 18 and under (note that infant formula or food will not be available). Breakfast, lunch and dinner options are available throughout the community. VIEW THE FULL LIST OF LOCATIONS AND TIMES

STATE ACTION REGARDING MAKE-UP TIME
Late last night, the Iowa Legislature took official action to waive a school districts’ requirements to make up lost instructional time due to the coronavirus-related closure. At this point, we believe this action covers the closure in place through April 13. We will provide updates regarding the calendar for the remainder of the school year later in the closure.

MEDICATION PICK-UP: UPDATED TIMELINE
If you have a request to pick-up medication from school, please contact Lead Nurse Allie White at awhite@dbqschools.org by NOON ON MONDAY, MARCH 23 to schedule an appointment. For requests received after that time, the district will be in a reduced staffing mode and cannot guarantee the ability to obtain the medication.

Thank you to our families and staff for their patience and understanding as we move through these uncertain times. We are uplifted by the overall positivity and support shown by our families and community partners.

As a reminder, all schools are currently closed until Monday, April 13. We are working hard to answer all of your questions and appreciate your patience as information is developing and changing quickly. We also expect further guidance from the State of Iowa on a number of issues and will provide details as soon as we are able.

Here are the main updates for today:

DISTRICT ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS
During this closure period, all school events and activities (both athletic and non-athletic) are cancelled, following guidance from the Iowa High School Athletic Association and the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union:

“All IHSAA and IGHSAU sports are now in a prohibited period for practice, competition, and sanctioned activity until the closure is lifted. This prohibition means no in-person contact between coaches/administrators and student-athletes for the duration of the period.”

NON-DISTRICT ACTIVITIES AND EVENTS
All outside events and activities by rental permit holders in district facilities are also cancelled. The district will work directly with renters to refund any rental fees paid during this period.

MEDICINE PICK-UP AT SCHOOLS
Families with students who have medicine at school, and who need that medicine during the closure, can contact Lead Nurse Allie White at awhite@dbqschools.org to arrange a time to pick it up. Medication not needed over break will remain in the health office to be used following the closure.

MEALS FOR STUDENTS
School is a key provider of meals for many of our students – and we are committed to maintaining this resource during the closure. The district will begin providing meal options for students on Monday, March 23, with specific locations and times to be announced in the next few days. We are also collaborating with community partners who are providing meals and will collect and share information with families regarding all community meal options.

ACT EXAM CANCELLED
ACT announced this morning that the ACT exam scheduled for April 4 has been postponed to June 13, 2020.

Again, thank you for your continued support. Please continue to look for updates each day around 3 p.m. via email, on our Coronavirus Update Webpage and on our official district Facebook and Twitter channels. Also, please remember to look for the most accurate, up-to-date information on these official district channels and be conscious of the misinformation that is sometimes shared by other sources, especially on social media.

Tonight, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds announced that she is recommending that all Iowa schools close for four weeks to assist in reducing the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19).

The district learned of this unprecedented move as the general public did, and we realize that you are likely to have questions. We share in many of those same questions and expect more details to be available tomorrow and over the next number of days.

Schools in the district will remain closed until April 13. Knowing that this decision was a possibility, our leadership team has been working diligently to prepare. We are finalizing our plans for this closure, which for the district begins impacting us next week following spring break. Throughout this situation, we will work hard to provide you with the most accurate, up-to-date information possible.

While we have few details tonight about the implications of this closure, in these challenging times we can tell you that we will remain committed to serving our students, families and staff to the best of our ability.

As a reminder, we will plan to send an update to families and staff each day this week at 3 p.m. (at a minimum) and will post the most up-to-date information on our website at www.dbqschools.org/coronavirus.

Thank you for your continued support.

Brenda Duvel

The Dubuque Community School District is pleased to announce the appointment of Brenda Duvel as the district’s next executive director of special education. Duvel will assume this position after serving as principal of Kennedy Elementary School during the 2018-2019 school year.

In this role, Duvel will be responsible for the overall management and coordination of the district’s special education program, while also serving as a liaison between the district, the Area Education Agency, parents and the various community agencies.

“As our search progressed, it became increasingly clear that Brenda possesses the right special education expertise, leadership experience and interpersonal skills to lead this critical area of the district into the future,” said Stan Rheingans, superintendent of schools. “We are pleased to welcome her to our executive leadership team.”

Read More about “Kennedy Principal Named District Executive Director of Special Education”

The Spring 2019 Online Student Art Galleries are now live featuring art from the district’s elementary, middle and high school students!

View the Galleries

These galleries area a way to highlight the remarkable products of art education in the district. It’s a digital attempt at bringing the work of our student artists at all levels into your home – because art is created for others to take in.

The Winter 2018 Online Student Art Galleries are now live featuring art from the district’s elementary, middle and high school students!

View the Elementary Gallery

View the Middle School Gallery

View the High School Gallery

This gallery is a way to highlight the remarkable products of art education in the district. It’s a digital attempt at bringing the work of our student artists at all levels into your home – because art is created for others to take in.

The spring 2018 Online Student Art Gallery is now live featuring art from the district’s elementary school students!

View the Elementary Gallery

This gallery is a way to highlight the remarkable products of art education in the district. It’s a digital attempt at bringing the work of our student artists at all levels into your home – because art is created for others to take in.

The Dubuque Community School District has named new principals at Bryant Elementary School and Kennedy Elementary School for the 2018-2019 school year, pending School Board approval at its April 9 meeting.

Megan Richardson, currently an instructional coach at Irving Elementary School, will assume the principal role at Bryant Elementary School. Brenda Duvel, currently an assistant principal at Roosevelt Middle School, will assume the principal role at Kennedy Elementary School.

“Megan and Brenda have both exhibited outstanding leadership in our district and they possess the skills and enthusiasm we look for in members of our leadership team,” said Superintendent of Schools Stan Rheingans. “They stood out among a pool of extremely strong candidates and we are excited to have them moving into these new roles.”

Read More about “District Names New Bryant and Kennedy Principals for 2018-2019”

Registration for free four-year-old preschool in the Dubuque Community School District will begin on Monday, Feb. 5. This includes Dubuque’s 13 public schools offering preschool through the Statewide Voluntary Free Preschool Program.

Parents and guardians may register students in person at the selected site, beginning at 7 a.m. on Monday, February 5. Proof-of-age, preferably a birth certificate, is required to register a student. A passport or signed immunization record will be accepted if necessary.

Preschools registration paperwork is available online or in-person at elementary schools.

NOTE: In the event of a weather delay on Monday, Feb. 5, preschool registration will be held on Tuesday, Feb. 6.

Free four-year-old preschool is open to students who are four by September 15. For additional registration questions, individuals should contact the site they are interested in registering at.

Space may be limited in some facilities and registrations are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Enrollment for preschool is not based on geography and all sites are open to residents within the Dubuque Community School District.

In addition to spots in Dubuque’s public schools, a variety of community preschool partners also offer free four-year-old preschool.

The Statewide Voluntary Preschool Program for Four-Year-Old Children is funded by the State of Iowa and facilitated locally by the Dubuque Community School District.