Announcements

The Ankeny Board of Education voted to discontinue the September amendment to the Return to Learn Plan, which was originally scheduled to sunset on December 21, 2021. This effectively ends the mask requirement in Ankeny Schools beginning, Wednesday, December 8. Masks will still be required on buses in accordance with the Order issued by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

The CDC continues to recommend that all teachers, staff, students, and visitors to schools wear a mask, regardless of vaccination status, and we recommend those who are able continue to follow this guidance to support the health and safety of both our students and staff.

The Iowa Department of Public Health provided guidance to school districts in May 2021 that requires parental notification when students are exposed to COVID-19. With this change to the Return to Learn Plan, you may begin receiving an increase in these notifications. Please note that due to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA), neither the district, school building secretary, nor your school nurse will be able to provide exact exposure information.

Furthermore, it remains vitally important that any students who are feeling ill stay home. Federal and state public health agencies have information available to help you understand COVID-19 symptoms and appropriate next steps if you and/or your children are experiencing them.

We continue to await a decision from the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals regarding Iowa’s law prohibiting mask requirements in schools. If the court’s decision has any impact on our current mitigation procedures, we will notify our school community at that time.

Thank you,

Dr. Erick Pruitt
Superintendent of Schools

The Ankeny Community School District and Superintendent Dr. Erick Pruitt invite parents/guardians to attend the Parent Advisory Committee (PAC) meeting on Thursday, December 9 from 6-7:30 p.m. at Northview Middle School in the Cafeteria. Please park on the west side of the building near the football stadium and enter through doors W22.

We will be sharing information about our new learning management system, Canvas, the resources available to teachers as outcomes of curriculum reviews, and reporting student progress with standards.

The Parent Advisory Committee gives parents an opportunity to provide input on topics and ideas that are relevant to the district’s goal of preparing every learner for success. The committee will also provide insight into projects and initiatives that can be implemented to help move the district forward. Parents and guardians will have the opportunity to collaborate with each other and work together as one entity to ensure success for our students and community.

Committee involvement is open to all parents of students enrolled in the Ankeny Community School District.

We have several open positions including district office manager, human resource manager, associates, substitute teachers, coaches, food service, before and after school, and more. View job descriptions and apply here.

In early November, the Ankeny Community School District received concerns around four books that can be found in some of our media centers. We immediately reviewed the board policy on objection to library materials:, the Reconsideration Request Form, and student handbook, where the reconsideration process is outlined on page 20.  Additionally, we reviewed the process used by our teacher librarians to determine titles to add to school library collections.

The building principal and teacher librarians met with the stakeholders that expressed concerns about the books, discussed the issue, and reviewed the library material selection process. From those meetings, it was decided that the district’s teacher librarians would review the books and determine next steps. Receiving support from the director of curriculum and innovation all four of the books have been reviewed, and recaps of their  recommendations can be found later in this document along with links to the full reviews. 

Review Criteria and Considerations

When books are being reviewed several things are considered including:

• ALA’s Library Bill of Rights 
• Freedom to Read Statement
• Controversial Materials
  • Serve every single student; does not promote one point of view over another
  • Cannot reject and remove a resource because an individual or a group has found the material objectionable
  • Provide access to material that may be controversial to some patrons, while also providing a process to request reconsideration
• Selection Quality Criteria (School Library Selection Policy/Procedures)
  • Support and enrich the curriculum and/or students’ personal interests, extracurricular activities, and learning
  • Meet high standards in literary, artistic, and aesthetic quality; technical aspects; and physical format
  • Be appropriate for the subject area and for the age, emotional development, ability level, learning styles, and social, emotional, and intellectual development of the students for whom the materials are selected
  • Incorporate accurate and authentic factual content from authoritative source
  • Earn favorable reviews in standard reviewing sources and/or favorable recommendations based on preview and examination of materials by professional personnel
  • Nominated and/or received awards and honorable mentions
  • Represent differing viewpoints on controversial issues*
  • Demonstrate physical format, appearance, and durability suitable to their intended use
  • Balance gaps in the collection utilizing collection analysis data 
  • Balance cost with need

  Book Reconsideration Recommendations

  Gender Queer by Maia Kobabe
  After careful and thoughtful review and discussion of this title in its entirety, the committee decided to remove the book from all collections. The recommendation comes after review and discussion of several selection criteria.  This title represents different viewpoints on controversial issues in a format that allows a variety of reading levels to access the information.

  Although this book meets criteria of the selection policy, this particular book takes some different considerations. First, while in no way pornographic, the explicit visual and graphic nature of the graphic novel overshadowed the message to the reader, thus reducing the literary value as a whole. Often in books, people can skip sections or create their own images within their personal maturity level. In this case, however, the graphic images are already provided for the reader by the author and may not match a student’s personal maturity level.  Additionally, the images are impossible to skip for self-moderation.  Finally, this particular book was written for and reviewed professionally for adults. Read the full review.

  All Boys Aren’t Blue: A Memoir-Manifesto by George M. Johnson
  After careful and thoughtful review and discussion of this title in its entirety, the committee decided to retain the book in the collections at the 10-12 grade level.
  

  It is important to remember that as a part of the reconsideration process, the entirety of the work must be considered, not just an excerpt pulled from the whole. While the parts objected to (the sexual abuse and first sexual experience) are explicit, they do not reach the level of obscenity as defined by the Iowa Code 728.1 and upheld in U.S. Supreme Court case of Miller vs. California. Furthermore, the objectionable part(s) comprise less than 5% of the total work. In the memoir, the author shares their life story, experiences, and overcoming adversity, as well as their own experiences with abuse and sex. In its entirety, All Boys Aren’t Blue has both literary and artistic value, having earned high and/or starred reviews from multiple professional review sources. Read the full review.

  Me, Earl, and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews
  After careful and thoughtful review and discussion of this title in its entirety, the committee decided to retain the book in the collections at the 8-12 grade level.

  Me and Earl and the Dying Girl deals with cancer, loss, and grief in a manner distinct from other books. The unique format of the multi-genre writing mirrors the main character’s personality and interests. The novel portrays both realistic and dysfunctional family relationships and shows how teenagers do not always know how to handle their emotions, and, in fact, that they do not have the maturity and/or skill set to handle difficult emotions like grief. Read the full review. 

  The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-time Indian by Sherman Alexie
  After careful and thoughtful review and discussion of this title in its entirety, the committee decided to retain the book in the collections at the 8-12 level. This multi-award winning novel meets every single criteria of the selection policy for inclusion in the public school library, and most professional reviews indicate it as appropriate for grades 7+. Read the full review.

  If you have questions about the review process or selection criteria, please contact Dr. Jen Lindaman at jen.lindaman@ankenyschools.org.

8th Grade parents

if you were unable to attend the meeting on November 15, we have attached the presentation below:

Exploring 9th Grade At Southview

The Ankeny Hawks will take on the Rams of Southeast Polk in the state final game at 7:00pm on Friday, November 19, at the UNI Dome in Cedar Falls.   Purchase your tickets here using the code AnkenyHawks.  Tickets are $12.50 using the promotional code and all tickets are general admission.  Go Hawks!

SCIBA Members: Top Row Left to Right: Luke Miller – Blue Band – Trumpet 10th chair Irisa McCracken – Blue Band – Flute 1st chair Sareena Casady – Blue Band – Clarinet 7th chair Kyra Swenson – Blue Band – Flute 6th chair Bryant Warren – Blue Band – Trumpet 9th chair Bottom Row Left to Right: Logan Rolling – White band – Trombone 3rd chair Allison Muehr – Blue Band – French Horn – 1st chair Gabe Vesperman – Blue Band – Tuba 3rd chair Anders Repp – Blue Band – Euphonium 1st chair Jonah Nye – White Band – Alto Sax – 3rd chair

On Tuesday, October 5, Southview Middle School had (10) 8th grade students audition, which is the maximum amount of students allowed to audition for district honor band. Out of those 10 students to audition for the South Central Iowa Bandmasters Association (SCIBA) District Honor Band, all 10 students were selected to participate in the SCIBA District Honor Band Festival!

8 of the 10 students were selected to participate in the SCIBA Blue Band, which is comprised of the best quality 8th grade auditioned students, and 2 students were selected for the White band, which is comprised of high quality 8th grade auditioned students and top nominated 7th graders.

The event will be held on Tuesday, November 2 at Ankeny Centennial High School. Southview is one of only two school districts out of the South Central Iowa district to have all 10 students.

Left to Right: Irisa McCracken – Flute Allison Muehr – French Horn Anders Repp

All-Iowa 8th Grade Honor Band Members:

Additionally, Southview had three students selected to participate in the All-Iowa 8th Grade Honor Band in May 2022. These three students were selected as 1st chair in the Blue Band over all the students who auditioned on the same instrument. Our 3 All-Iowa 8th Grade Band Members will represent Southview Middle School and SCIBA as the top 8th grade musicians on their instrument in the whole state of Iowa, alongside the other top 8th grade musicians across the state from the other 5 district honor bands!

Division I winners. L to R: Jason Dennis, Josh Dahlheimer, Noa Jones, Aidan Orth, Lauren Rolling, and Coach Coombes

Division II winners. L to R: Coach Coombes, Carter Ross, Hunter Blessing. Walter Na, Nolan Gentry and Elliot Sutton

Ankeny High School and Southview Middle School placed first in the Division 1 and 2 Iowa State Knowledge Bowl High school Championships at DMACC.

The Varsity High School team consisting of 10th and 11th graders won the championship by beating Johnston in the finals. The middle school team consisting of 8th and 9th graders beat all of the Small School High School teams from around the State of Iowa.

The Championship match in this division went into overtime with Southview outlasting PCM. This is the first time ever that two teams from the same feeder system won state crowns at the same time. The contest includes questions from Geography, History, Literature, Science and Math.

“I am amazed and very proud of these students the fact that these are 8th and 9th graders going up against Juniors and Seniors shows us that our school district is amazing. Also the high school team did a great job in returning the state crown to Ankeny.” said Nathan Coombes Ankeny quiz bowl coach.

The Hawkettes begin their journey to a state championship with a match-up against sixth-seeded Urbandale on Monday, November 1, at 2:00pm.  Students planning to attend the state volleyball tournament in Cedar Rapids will need a parent to call and excuse them from school.  Students at SV will be excused beginning at 10:49 after 3rd period on Monday and will be excused all day on Wednesday and Thursday as long as the Hawkettes advance in the tournament.

2021 state volleyball spectator information, including how to purchase tickets, can be found by clicking here.

Congratulations to the Hawkettes for earning a trip to state and best of luck at the tournament!

The local program, Iowa Mission of Mercy (IMOM) is holding free dental clinics in the metro area. If you have students, families, or staff that would benefit from free dental care, please share this information with them.  All patients seeking treatment at an IMOM local clinic need to schedule an appointment directly with the clinic.

IMOM Local clinics in your area include:

• Wednesday, October 6: 7:00 AM – 3:00 PM @ 4444 Northwest 128^th St, Urbandale, IA 50323 (515.278.4366)
• Friday, October 8: 7:45 AM- 3:00 PM @ 3830 Ingersoll Ave, Des Moines, IA 50312 (515.274.5151)
• Friday, October 22: 7:30 AM – 3:00 PM @ Waveland Family Dental – 4232 University Ave, Des Moines, IA 50311 – (515.277.4461)
• Friday, October 22: 8:00 AM – 5:00 PM @ Apex Dental – 725 S 51^st St, West Des Moines, IA 50265 (515.224.1618)
• Monday, October 25: 8:00 AM – 4:00 PM  @ West Lakes Family Dentistry – 6800 Lake Dr, Ste 290, West Des Moines, IA 50266 (515.225.2424)

For more information about IMOM Local clinics, please visit their website , or contact 515.331.2298.