Articles from January 2020

District Sees Strong Performance on State Profiles

The Iowa Department of Education recently released the 2019 Iowa School Performance Profiles, which is the statewide school accountability system. Based on the results of this year’s release, the Dubuque Community School District is pleased to see a great deal of growth and progress in this year’s results.

“We know that no accountability system can show the entire picture of a school’s culture, accomplishments and success,” said Superintendent of Schools Stan Rheingans. “At the same time, we are encouraged by our results on this year’s report and we are thankful to our staff, families and the many community partners who work tirelessly on behalf of our students and their success.”

The performance profiles include a complex set of data to provide a measurement of school performance. An overview of the total score and the overall designation for each school in the district is below.

VIEW COMPLETE DATA ON THE IOWA SCHOOL PERFORMANCE PROFILES WEBSITE

School	2018 Score	2019 Score	Change in Score	2018 Level	2019 Level	Change in Level
Audubon	47.17	63.79	▲ 16.62	Needs Improvement	High Performing	UP
Bryant	64.69	65.86	▲ 1.17	High Performing	High Performing	SAME
Carver	57.17	59.66	▲ 2.49	Commendable	Commendable	SAME
Eisenhower	50.43	56.86	▲ 6.43	Acceptable	Commendable	UP
Fulton	39.75	49.64	▲ 9.89	Priority	Acceptable	UP
Hoover	55.15	60.91	▲ 5.76	Commendable	High Performing	UP
Irving	55.13	62.96	▲ 7.83	Commendable	High Performing	UP
Kennedy	63.89	58.66	▼ -5.23	High Performing	Commendable	DOWN
Lincoln	42.09	46.47	▲ 4.38	Priority	Needs Improvement	UP
Marshall	55.02	57.84	▲ 2.82	Commendable	Commendable	SAME
Prescott	45.48	47.38	▲ 1.9	Needs Improvement	Needs Improvement	SAME
Sageville	55.41	58.77	▲ 3.36	Commendable	Commendable	SAME
Table Mound	55.18	63.49	▲ 8.31	Commendable	High Performing	UP

Roosevelt	56.48	61.23	▲ 4.75	Commendable	High Performing	UP
Washington	53.29	54.67	▲ 1.38	Acceptable	Acceptable	SAME
Jefferson	45.68	54.75	▲ 9.07	Needs Improvement	Acceptable	UP

Senior	50.54	52.61	▲ 2.07	Acceptable	Acceptable	SAME
Hempstead	53.78	54.48	▲ 0.7	Acceptable	Acceptable	SAME

** Designations levels (from lowest to highest) include: Priority, Needs Improvement, Acceptable, Commendable, High Performing, Exceptional Based on last year, the first year of the performance profiles, a number of district schools were considered targeted for support in meeting the goals for a variety of student subgroups.

This year’s report indicated that the following schools MET THEIR GOALS in identified 2018 targeted areas:

Eisenhower Elementary School met its goal for the targeted area of Low Socio-Economic Status (FRL)
Irving Elementary School met its goal for the targeted area of Students with Disabilities (IEP)
Prescott Elementary School met its goal for the targeted area of Low Socio-Economic Status (FRL)
Table Mound Elementary School met its goal for the targeted area of Students with Disabilities (IEP)
Roosevelt Middle School met its goal for the targeted areas of Black/African American and Students with Disabilities (IEP)
Washington Middle School met its goal for the targeted area of Black/African American
Jefferson Middle School met its goal for the targeted areas of Black/African American, English Learners (EL), Low Socio-Economic Status (FRL), Hispanic, Students with Disabilities (IEP) and Hawaiian/Pacific Islander

This year, the following schools received new targeted designations. As part of the district’s ongoing school and district planning process, schools will develop and implement plans working toward meeting the goals in these areas:

Eisenhower Elementary School is now targeted for Students with Disabilities (IEP)
Prescott Elementary School is now targeted for Students with Disabilities (IEP)
Dubuque Senior High School is now targeted for Students with Disabilities (IEP)
Washington Middle School is now targeted for Students with Disabilities (IEP)
Hempstead High School is now targeted for Low Socio-Economic Status (FRL) and Students with Disabilities (IEP)

“As a district, we will continue to analyze this data and many other data sources in the district as we work to reduce barriers and bolster opportunities for each and every student we serve,” said Rheingans. “We have much work to do, but we will do so purposefully and strategically together – and always with the best interest of students in mind.”

January 29, 2020

General

Activities and Events Postponed, Jan. 17-18

Due to inclement weather, all events and activities in the Dubuque Community School District are postponed for Friday, Jan. 17, and Saturday, Jan. 18.

This includes the following:

Friday, Jan. 17

Hempstead and Dubuque Senior JV Wrestling at Western Dubuque
Dubuque Senior Boys and Girls Bowling vs Prairie High School
Dubuque Senior vs. Hempstead Boys Sophomore and Boys Varsity Basketball (This has been rescheduled for Monday, Jan. 20 with the sophomore game beginning at 5 p.m. and the varsity game beginning at 6:30 p.m.)
Dubuque Senior vs. Hempstead Girls JV and Girls Varsity (This has been rescheduled for Saturday, Feb. 1, with the JV game beginning at 5 p.m. and the varsity game at 6:30 p.m.)

Saturday, Jan. 18

Hempstead Freshman Boys Basketball vs Iowa City at Hempstead
Dubuque Senior Freshman Boys Basketball vs. Cedar Rapids Jefferson at Senior
Hempstead and Senior Boys and Girls Bowling vs Clinton (Schools will not be traveling due to the winter storm warning.)
Boys City Swim Meet
Aquatic Center Grand Opening (This event has been rescheduled for Tuesday, Jan. 21, at 5 p.m. before the planned 6:30 p.m. swim meet).
Hempstead and Dubuque Senior Wrestling (Schools will not be travelling on due to the winter storm warning.)

January 17, 2020

Events

District Events Postponed, January 10-11

The following district events are POSTPONED due to the approaching winter storm:

January 10

Hempstead girls JV and varsity basketball vs. Prairie High School
Dubuque Senior boys sophomore and varsity basketball vs. Cedar Rapids Jefferson
Hempstead Bowling Meet

January 11

Dubuque Invitational Swim Meet
Hempstead Wrestling Meet
Hempstead boys sophomore basketball vs. North Scott
Dubuque Senior varsity boys basketball vs. Naperville North
Dubuque Senior sophomore boys basketball vs Beckman Catholic

January 10, 2020

News Releases

Aquatic Center Open House Moved to Tuesday, Jan. 21

The Dubuque Community School District will make a splash when it officially unveils its new Aquatic Center with a grand opening and open house of the new facility. This event has been postponed for January 18 due to inclement weather and rescheduled for 5 p.m. on Tuesday, Jan. 21.

The Aquatic Center, located on the Hempstead High School campus, will serve as the district’s main competition swimming and diving venue. The $9.57 million facility replaces the district’s outdated pool, which was decommissioned last year after it became unusable.

The Dubuque Area Swimmin’ Hurricanes (DASH) also contributed $1 million to the project, which expanded the number of lanes available in the facility. The Aquatic Center will serve as the main DASH practice facility and home competition venue.

A short program will be held at 5 p.m. on January 21, with community members being able to view the facility during an open house after the program. At 6:30 p.m., the district will host a swim meet in the facility featuring teams from both Dubuque Senior High School and Hempstead High School.

January 7, 2020

Events

2020-2021 Free Four-Year-Old Preschool Registration Begins Monday, Jan. 13

Registration for free four-year-old preschool in the Dubuque Community School District will begin on Monday, Jan. 13. This includes 12 Dubuque public elementary schools offering preschool through the Statewide Voluntary Free Preschool Program. (Please note that due to space constraints, Hoover Elementary School will not offer preschool programming for the 2020-2021 school year.)

Parents and guardians may register students in person at the selected site, beginning at 7 a.m. on Monday, January 13. Proof-of-age, preferably a birth certificate, is required to register a student. Other accepted proof-of-age documents include a passport or signed immunization record.

Preschool registration paperwork is available online or in-person at all elementary schools. You can also find registration details and forms, as well as additional preschool information, online at www.dbqschools.org/preschool.

Free four-year-old preschool is open to students who are four by September 15. For additional registration questions, individuals should contact the school 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.

January 3, 2020

Events