WESTERN DUBUQUE DISTRICT NEWSLETTER August 2021 Vision . BACK TO SCHOOL INFORMATION Success for All Online Registration Process for ALL Students Mission . ALL students attending Western Dubuque Community School District must be Develop life long learners and registered each school year using our Online Registration System. The 2021- responsible 2022 online registration is open now. Please visit our District website at citizens www.wdbqschools.org/Registration.aspx for more information. Guiding Philosophy . Fall Registration & Fee Day for the 2021-2022 School Year Better Everyday Elementary Schools: Complete registration online by Monday, July 26th. Due to our online regis- * * * * * * * * * tration process, in-person registration is not needed. If you do not have access to the internet, please call your student’s school by July 19th to make an appointment. Balltown Secondary Schools: Thursday, August 12, 7:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m. _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________ Bankston Student schedules and locker assignments will be available at registration (if applicable). Elementary class rosters will be available at the schools on Monday, August 9. Families who choose not to use RevTrak to pay their school/ Bernard lunch fees can schedule an appointment to pay them at their student’s school. (Please review Fee Schedule insert.) Any student entering Western Dubuque Schools for the first time MUST provide proof of birthdate (copy of birth Cascade certificate, adoption records or certified statement of physician) and immunization verification unless this in- formation is already in their official school records. Please refer to the “Required Vaccination” and “Dental and Lead Centralia Screenings Required” notices on page 5 for more information. Dyersville Elementary Open Houses Epworth All elementary schools will be holding an open house from 5:30-6:30 p.m. on Wednesday, August 18. Farley Secondary School Meetings Fillmore All Secondary Schools have scheduled meeting times in August for various students. See page 3 for details. Garryowen Graf School Supply Lists: School supply lists can be found on the District and school websites. Holy Cross First Day of Class Schedule for the 2021-2022 School Year Luxemburg Grades K-12: Monday, August 23 Preschool students: Tuesday, August 24 New Vienna Peosta RevTrak (Online Payment Processing System) RevTrak allows you to make school-related payments online via credit card or debit card at your convenience from Petersburg our District website. You can make payments for the following fees for the 2020-2021 school year: textbooks, agen- das, food services, city limits bussing, yearbook, activity passes, 4 year old preschool 4-day tuition, and other trans- Placid portation fees. Rickardsville How It Works: 1) Log on to the Western Dubuque website: www.wdbqschools.org 2) Click on the “Online Payment System” Quick Link Worthington 3) If you do not yet have a Parent Portal ID & password, please contact Mary Boge at 744-3885 ext. 6030 4) If you do not yet have a School Dining ID & password, please contact Food Service at 744-3885 ext. 6041 PRESCHOOL SCHOOL CONTACT INFO HOMELESS CHILDREN/YOUTH [Board Policy 501.16] We offer a preschool program for students Cascade Elementary School who are 4 years of age on or before Sept. 15, The board will make reasonable efforts to 2021. Our 3-day preschool program is FREE and Phone: 563-852-3335 identify homeless children and youth of school the monthly tuition for our 4-day program is Principal: Dan Wendler age within the district. To help ensure that home- $130 for students who will be four years of age Cascade Jr./Sr. High School less children and youth have a full opportunity to as of Sept. 15, 2021. enroll, attend, and succeed at school, the board If you have questions regarding our preschool Phone: 563-852-3201 shall: designate Melissa O’Brien as the local program, please contact the school of interest. Principal: Ryan Fritz homeless children and youth liaison; provide Asst. Principal/Activities Dir: Adam Kedley training opportunities for staff so staff may help identify and meet the needs of homeless children Drexler Middle/Intermediate School and youth; remove barriers, including those as- SCHOOL PICTURE DATES Phone: 563-744-3371 sociated with fees, fines, and absences, to the It is important your child wear Principal: Scott Firzlaff identification, enrollment, retention, attendance appropriate school attire for their Asst. Principal/Activities Dir: Cole Pederson and/or success in school for homeless children school picture. Spaghetti strap and youth; ensure collaboration and coordination tops, halter tops, etc. will not be Dyersville Elementary School with other service providers; ensure transporta- allowed. Phone: 563-875-8484 tion is provided in accordance with legal require- Fall school pictures will be Principal: Jenny Hillebrand ments; provide stability in school assignment taken during regular school hours on the follow- according to the child’s best interests; ensure ing dates, with the exception of Cascade Jr./Sr. Epworth Elementary School privacy of student records, as provided by law, High School and Western Dubuque High School: Phone: 563-876-5514 including information about a homeless child or Cascade Elementary Principal: Dan Butler youth’s living situation; engage in the dispute September 21 resolution process for decisions relating to the Farley Elementary School educational placement of homeless children and Cascade Jr./Sr. High School Phone: 563-744-3308 youth as provided by law; and prohibit the segre- September 1 (7:30 a.m.—1:00 p.m.) Principal: Lori Grimoskas gation of a homeless child or youth from other students enrolled in the district. Drexler Middle/Intermediate School Peosta Elementary School September 2 Phone: 563-588-9010 HEALTH EDUCATION Dyersville Elementary Principal: Melissa O’Brien [Board Policy 603.5] To be determined. Western Dubuque High School Parents are free to inspect instructional mate- Epworth Elementary Phone: 563-876-3442 rials prior to their use in the classroom. Parents September 8 Principal: Jacob Feldmann who object to health education instruction in Assistant Principal: Richard Hatcher human growth and development may file a writ- Farley Elementary Activities Director: Tyler Lown ten request that the student be excused from the September 13 instruction. The written request will include a proposed alternate activity or study acceptable to Peosta Elementary the superintendent. The superintendent will have September 15 SAFE & EFFECTIVE USE OF the final authority to determine the alternate Western Dubuque High School SECLUSION & RESTRAINT activity or study. (Iowa Code 279.50) August 12 (7:00 a.m.—6:00 p.m.) State law forbids school employees from using corporal punishment against any student. School PRIVATE INSTRUCTION employees may use “reasonable and necessary [Board Policy 604.1] PARENT/TEACHER force, not designed or intended to cause pain” to Except as otherwise exempted, in the event a CONFERENCES do certain things, such as prevent harm to self or child of compulsory attendance age as defined others. State law also limits school employees’ by law does not attend public school or an ac- All Elementary Schools abilities to restrain or confine and detain any credited nonpublic school, the child must receive student. If a child is restrained or confined or Nov. 9 and Nov. 11, 3:30-7:00 p.m. private instruction. Private instruction means confined and detained, the school must maintain instruction using a plan and a course of study in Feb.. 22, 3:30-7:00 p.m. & Feb. 24, 2-7:00 p.m. documentation and must provide notice to the a setting other than a public or accredited non- child’s parent. public school. Drexler Middle/Intermediate School If you have any questions about this state law, The Iowa Department of Education recognizes Oct. 13 & 14, Time to be determined. please contact your school. The complete text of two options for delivery of competent private Dec. 14 & 16, Time to be determined. the law and additional information is available on instruction and one option for independent pri- the Iowa Department of Education’s web site: vate instruction. Cascade Jr./Sr. High School www.iowa.gov/educate (search “Chapter 103”). For information, including applicable forms, Sept. 22, 4:00-7:00 p.m. visit the “Options for Educational Choice” sec- HEALTHY KIDS ACT tion of the Iowa Department of Education’s Jan. 5, 4:00-7:00 p.m. website, https://www.educateiowa.gov/pk- Mar. 30, 4:00-7:00 p.m. The purpose of the Healthy Kids Act is to 12/options-educational-choice. establish physical activity requirements for stu- Western Dubuque High School dents and to establish nutritional content stand- SURVEILLANCE SYSTEMS Sept. 22, 4:00-7:00 p.m. ards for food and beverages sold on school grounds during the school day. School districts [Board Policy 804.5] Jan. 5, 4:00-7:00 p.m. must ensure that every kindergarten through fifth It is the policy of the Western Dubuque Mar. 30, 4:00-7:00 p.m. -grade student has 30 minutes a day of physical School District to create and maintain a safe activity and every 6th-12th grade student has 120 school and work environment. Security cameras minutes per week of physical activity. Physical are installed within school buildings and buses TESTING DATES activity will be defined in department rules and as well as the exterior of buildings. Security can include physical education classes, recess, cameras monitor school property, assisting ad- We encourage all students to be in school on interscholastic activities, school activities, and testing dates. Please look for these dates in ministrators in detecting and deterring unac- non-school activities. The law requires that we ceptable behavior or activities and enforcing school correspondence and make note of them monitor how students fulfill this requirement. when planning for doctor appointments, etc. district rules. Camera systems also provide a This law also requires every student, by the end historical record to facilitate investigations.