What current research tells us about dyslexia
The article linked below gives an overview of dyslexia, myths associated with dyslexia, and recommendations for teachers and parents to support students.
Read moreSchool meal price policy FAQs
The Ames Community School Board on June 5, 2017 carved into a separate policy its procedures for dealing with unpaid meal account balances, which had been in place since 2015. However, the Board plans to revisit the policy to find a long-term solution. Watch this page for updates. FAQs Why is the School Board acting on an Unpaid Meal Policy? The USDA is requiring all school districts nationwide to have a policy in place by July 1, 2017 that details the procedures for unpaid meals. The Board approved unpaid meal procedures in June 2015 as part of another policy after the school district began to run large lunch account deficits, including $109,473 in the 2015 fiscal year. Since then, the negligent balances have fallen by more than $60,000. The Board drafted a separate policy in 2017 to meet the new USDA requirements. On June 5, 2017, the Board approved Policy 710.4 Meal & Snack Charges. How do families know if they qualify for free or reduced school meal? The district provides access to the application for free or reduced price school meals each year with other annual notices, and to all new families who enroll students in the district. When applications are processed, the district notifies families about their qualification status. Income guidelines are established by the US Department of Agriculture (USDA). Students who qualify for reduced meals are charged the difference between the federal reimbursement for free meals and reduced meals, which is currently 40 cents. To determine the price a school district must charge students don’t qualify for free or reduced price school meals, the USDA has established a formula through its Paid Lunch Equity Tool.
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Black Hawk lands at Mitchell School to spur STEM learning
A Black Hawk Army helicopter swooped onto the grounds at Mitchell Elementary School, Thursday, June 1, marking the last day of school and inspiring students to keep engaged with science, technology, engineering and math (STEM) learning over the summer—and also spurring questions. "Why does it have so many buttons?" "What is a co-pilot?" And a serious question from kindergarten student Max Nordman. "What happens if you forget how to do something?" Chief Warrant Officer 4 Jim Funk, a Black Hawk instructor pilot with the Army National Guard Charlie 147 Aviation Company based in Boone, arranged with Mitchell Principal Justin Jeffs to provide the larger-than-life learning event.
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Creating digital magazines brings nonfiction to life for sixth graders
Ames Middle School sixth grade students are ready with an answer in case anyone asks what they learned this year. In their hands are printed versions of digital magazines the students researched, wrote, and designed for literacy class to show what they learned studying nonfiction text structures and writing processes throughout the year. Literacy teacher Drew DeJong said the literacy team, as a professional Learning Community, created the magazine project so students could demonstrate understanding of sixth grade learning standards such as identifying the author’s purpose and the structure of a text. The students were expected to create two articles over a topic they chose, using a different text structure for each article.
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Ames High School teacher Kirstin Sullivan recognized by Iowa Secretary of State
Kirstin Sullivan, who teaches AP European History, AP Government and Politics, and U.S. Government at Ames High School, was recognized by Iowa Secretary of State Paul Pate for organizing Ames High School’s participation in the statewide Iowa Youth Straw Poll for the 2016 general election. In a press release, Pate said Sullivan “stepped up and registered to include our students’ voices in the statewide straw poll, and as a result of her efforts, students received a unique civic education experience.” Sullivan said participating in the Iowa Youth Straw Poll gave all students at Ames High School a chance to be engaged. “A vital part of my job is for students to know how important it is that they are engaged in their community and in their government at all levels,” Sullivan said. “In both U.S. Government and AP Government and Politics classes, we spend the semester learning about civil liberties and how to best advocate for oneself and one's community."
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Myers is Ames Morning Rotary Teacher of the Year for Ames Schools
Stephanie Myers, a fifth grade teacher at Edwards Elementary School, was awarded Rotary Teacher of the Year on Wednesday, May 17. A Model Teacher in…
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Ames High School Young Engineers and Scientists present projects
Sixteen weeks of research and preparation carried out by Ames High School’s Young Engineers and Scientists (YES) culminated in a poster reception in the Ames High School Media Center May 10. The students presented their work to peers, parents and faculty from Iowa State University and Ames High School. Funded through ISU’s Center for Biorenewable Chemicals (CBiRC), YES is part of CBiRC’s pre-college education strategic plan to form long-standing partnerships with central Iowa school districts and school districts located in relative proximity to CBiRC partner institutions. According to CBiRC’s website, the pre-college programs’ mission is to “effectively impart in the next generation of students the relevance of engineering professions; the skills required to succeed and the value in our technological society.”
Read moreLinks to video presentations from pilot materials representatives
Thanks to everyone who came to view our video presentations from the representatives for each of our K-2 foundational skills materials pilot programs. For those…
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Brandon Schrauth announced as next Fellows principal
Pending Board approval, Schrauth will assume leadership July 1. Superintendent Tim Taylor announced April 19 that he will be recommending to the Board of Education…
Read moreAmes High School graduation rates trending upward
Overall four-year graduation rate increased for third year in a row. State data on four-year graduation rates released by the Iowa Department of Education…
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