General

In April, the School Board voted to approve a goal of moving to a two middle school model by fall 2026, with a focus on creating feeder schools to the district’s two high schools.

The study, led by Iowa-based INVISION Architecture, includes baseline data collection and analysis of the district’s current middle schools, benchmarking against best practices, and analysis of potential consolidation locations.

PRESENATION FROM THE NOVEMBER 1, 2022 COMMUNITY INFORMATIONAL MEETING

View the latest presentation below, which includes information about potential site locations.

After watching the video of the November 1 meeting below, GIVE YOUR FEEDBACK ON A SHORT SURVEY.

PRESENATION FROM THE SEPTMEBER 22, 2022 COMMUNITY INFORMATIONAL MEETING

A short time ago, the City of Dubuque issued a precautionary boil water advisory for a large portion of the city. (Read the City’s full release, including a map, about the boil water advisory.)

This boil water advisory includes the following district buildings:

Alta Vista Campus
Bryant Elementary School
Dubuque Senior High School
Forum Campus
Hempstead High School
Hoover Elementary School
Irving Elementary School
Lincoln Elementary School
Table Mound Elementary School
Transportation Office
Washington Middle School

The district will operate on its normal Friday one-hour late start schedule tomorrow, and is taking a number of steps to prepare for tomorrow’s school day:

• Breakfast and lunch tomorrow will include menu items that do not require tap water to be used in preparation.
• Bottled water is being procured and will be delivered to affected buildings. While we anticipate having at least one bottle of water for each student, WE ASK THAT STUDENTS AND STAFF CONSIDER BRINGING BOTTLED WATER FROM HOME FOR USE DURING THE DAY.

The City of Dubuque recommends the following for any locations impacted by the advisory:

• Do not drink tap water without boiling it first. Boiling kills bacteria and other organisms in the water.
• Until the advisory is lifted, boiled or bottled water should be used for drinking, making ice, brushing teeth, and food preparation.
• Bring water to a boil, let boil for one minute, and let it cool before drinking/using.
• Unboiled tap water may be used for bathing and other non-drinking purposes.

Residents seeking additional information may call the city at 563/690-6210.

Thank you for your flexibility as we prepare for the school day tomorrow!

The Dubuque Community School District Board of Directors will conduct public hearings on the sale of two properties as outlined below:

• On MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 12, at 5:30 p.m. at the Forum, 2300 Chaney Road, Dubuque, Iowa, concerning the proposed sale of District property located at 3355 John F. Kennedy Road, Dubuque, Iowa (known as the Dubuque Soccer Complex).
• On WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 14, at 4:30 p.m. at the Forum, 2300 Chaney Road, Dubuque, Iowa, concerning the proposed sale of District property located at 2540 Central Avenue, Dubuque, Iowa (known as the Fulton Elementary School Building).

Don’t miss this year’s Back-to-School Bash, themed ‘Build a Healthier Community!’

Saturday, Aug. 6
11 a.m.-2 p.m.
Audubon Elementary School
605 Lincoln Ave.

BACK-TO-SCHOOL BASH FEATURES:

• sign-up for school supplies from the St. Mark’s Apples For Students program (Learn how to contribute supplies to the program)
• Dubuque Community School District registration assistance
• vaccinations and school physicals
• free Back-to-School Bash t-shirt
• booths by a variety of community organizations
• and more!

NEED A RIDE? WE’VE GOT YOU COVERED!
Hop on or off a school bus shuttle at one of the following locations/times:

Thank you to the AMAZING community organizations that make the Back-to-School Bash possible:

• Black Men Coalition
• City of Dubuque
• Community Foundation of Greater Dubuque
• Dubuque Community Schools
• Kendall Hunt Publishing Company
• Multicultural Family Center
• RH Prints Co.
• Resources Unite!
• St. Mark Youth Enrichment
• Women United | United Way of Dubuque Area Tri-States
• and many more!

QUESTIONS?
Contact Anderson Sainci!
563/589-4326 or
asainci@cityofdubuque.org

For those having problems registering with the Multifactor Authentication (MFA) process or logging into the new Employee Access portal, there will be three (3) open sessions offered in the Board Room at the Forum where Innovation Technology (IT) and Business Office personnel will be available to assist staff with common issues.

The following is a list of dates and times for the three (3) open sessions offered. Drop in anytime during one of these sessions to receive assistance.

• Tuesday, July 12, 2022, from 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.
• Wednesday, July 13, 2022, from 9 a.m. to 11:30 a.m. and 1:30 p.m. to 3:30 p.m.
• Tuesday, July 19, 2022, from 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.

The message below was sent to all staff via district email on Thursday, June 30. 

Greetings,

As previously communicated, yesterday, June 29, 2022, the Innovation Technology (IT) implemented multifactor authentication (MFA) required by the district’s cyber liability insurance carrier for all staff.

The one-time MFA registration is necessary for staff to participate in especially IF you want to access district services (e.g., Outlook mail, OneDrive file access, Tyler Employee Access, etc.) that rely on Microsoft authentication from a personal device.

The following is some additional information that we want to share with you since the implementation of MFA.

I USED THE WRONG PHONE NUMBER WHEN REGISTERING FOR MFA, CAN I CHANGE THIS?

You will need to contact the IT department to have the MFA information you initially entered reset so that you can register the correct secondary verification method again.

I SELECTED THE WRONG AUTHENICATION PREFERNCE WHEN REGISTERING FOR MFA, CAN I CHANGE THIS?

You can change your MFA details by browsing to https://aka.ms/MFAsetup and walk through the MFA registration again to make the appropriate changes.

SINCE MFA HAS BEEN IMPLEMENTED, ACCESING DISTRICT EMAIL ON MY PERSONAL DEVICE (e.g., cell phone) IS NO LONGER IS WORKING?

Due to the aggressive timeframe for implementation, coupled with enforcement security requirements by Microsoft, it has been discovered that the native mail Apps on Apple iPhones/iPads and Google Android phones/tablets do not work correctly with MFA.

To continue to receive your district email on your personal device after you have been enrolled in MFA, you will NEED to download and use the Microsoft Outlook Mobile App.

IS THERE A COST FOR THE MICROSOFT OUTLOOK MOBILE APP?

The Microsoft Outlook Mobile App for iOS and Android is FREE to use on either on Apple iPhones/iPads and Google Android phones/tablets.

HOW DO I GET THE MICROSOFT OUTLOOK MOBILE APP?

Depending on the device you are using, you will need to search for the Microsoft Outlook Mobile App in either the Apple App Store or Google Play to download and install it on your personal device. For more information on how to download and install the Microsoft Outlook Mobile App for iOS and Android, you can visit https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/microsoft-365/outlook-mobile-for-android-and-ios

HOW DO I ADD MY DISTRICT EMAIL ACCOUNT IN THE MICROSOFT OUTLOOK MOBILE APP?

Depending on the device you are using, select one of the links below for help on adding your account:

Set up email in the Microsoft Outlook Mobile App for Android

Set up email in Microsoft Outlook Mobile App for iOS

I STILL WANT TO USE THE NATIVE MAIL APP ON IOS AND ANDROID DEVICES TO ACCESS MY DISTRICT EMAIL, WILL THE IT DEPARTMENT HELP ME?

The district’s IT department will attempt to aid you ONLY if you are using the Microsoft Outlook Mobile App. The native mail Apps on either Apple iPhones/iPads and Google Android phones/tablets are not supported and you will be directed to download and install the Microsoft Outlook Mobile App.

NOTE: Please be advised that the district’s IT department will provide a best effort to support the Microsoft Outlook Mobile App on personal devices. This means the support provided will be limited in scope to the Microsoft Outlook Mobile App and depending on various circumstances/configurations of the personal device, the IT department may not be able to assist.

Please feel free to share this information with those you deem appropriate. The district will also be sending out a message through ParentSquare with this same information.

Thank you for your attention, cooperation, and understanding with this important matter.

Coby Culbertson
Chief Technology Officer

There continues to be no words of comfort that can be found in the aftermath of Tuesday’s tragic, senseless school shooting in Uvalde, Texas.

The Dubuque Community School District and the Dubuque Police Department share deeply in grief with the families and staff of Robb Elementary School, as well as the entire Uvalde community, during these unfathomable days.

As we learn more about the events that occurred, it is natural to wonder how Dubuque is prepared to respond to a tragic incident like this one.

Most important among our efforts is the incredibly strong relationship between the district, law enforcement, and emergency management partners preparing jointly to ensure the fastest, most effective response should an emergency occur. The district, in consultation with these partners, incorporates a multi-layered approach to safety which includes preventative physical safety measures that accompany response protocols.

Throughout the year, the Dubuque Police Department (including school resource officers, patrol officers and tactical response officers) regularly conducts rapid deployment training in school buildings after hours. This not only helps improve police response efforts, but also helps ensure familiarity with district schools.

Jointly, we will continue to review and enhance our safety protocols based on best-practice approaches and the lessons learned following any tragic event like this.

Moving toward the close of the school year, we remain vigilant in our daily work to provide the safest environment possible for our students, and we will continue to do so in the future.

Sincerely,

Stan Rheingans
Superintendent, Dubuque Community Schools

Jeremy Jensen
Chief, Dubuque Police Department

We are excited to celebrate with the Class of 2022 at graduation Saturday, May 28!

Here are a few important reminders in advance of the day:

• Hempstead High School’s ceremony will begin at 10 a.m. (with doors opening at 9:30 a.m.)
• Dubuque Senior High School’s ceremony will begin at 3 p.m. (with doors opening at 2:30 p.m.)

GRADUATES should enter Dalzell Field through the South Entrance near the locker rooms. They will be ushered to their seat on the field, which will be marked with their name.

GUESTS may enter Dalzell Field through the East, West and Visitor Gates.

PARKING

• Parking will be available in Dubuque Senior High School parking lots.
• Additional parking will be available in Clarke University parking lots – thanks to Clarke for allowing us to use these lots.
• Please DO NOT park in St. Anthony’s parking lots as it interferes with funeral and church services.

SEATING

• Seating will be available in the home and visitor sections
• Accessible seating is available near the rails on the mezzanine.

PHOTOGRAPHY

• A photography area to capture a photo of your graduate crossing the stage will be available on the field level. We ask that you exit the area once you take a photo of your graduate in order to ensure that everyone is able to get a photo.
• Lifetouch Photography will be taking photos of each graduate, which will be available for purchase. You will receive ordering information and proofs via email within a few weeks after the ceremony.

LIVE STREAMING

The graduation ceremony will be live streamed to allow for those unable to attend to watch the ceremony.

View the Graduation Live Streams

We are pleased to live stream the 2022 graduation ceremonies on Saturday, May 28.

VIEW THE DUBUQUE SENIOR LIVE STREAM:

VIEW THE HEMPSTEAD GRADUATION LIVE STREAM:

View Graduation 2022 FAQs

The ceremony will also be recorded and posted next week to the district’s official YouTube page at www.youtube.com/dbqschools.

Over the weekend, a media story ran regarding the district’s work to review and update required reading lists at the high school level. The story ran while in the middle of the process, which has and will include feedback from teachers, curriculum staff, administrators, students and the Board.

While no final decision has been reached, we would like to provide additional context given information currently circulating.

Early in the review process concerns from students were raised about three books: “Of Mice and Men,” “Absolutely True Stories of a Part-Time Indian,” and “To Kill a Mockingbird.” In particular, the books contain use of the N-word, and as part of instruction are regularly read aloud in classrooms. Students from all racial groups have expressed disturbing and distressing experiences in classes covering these books. In fact, some students report not attending classes on days the books are read aloud in order to evade the classroom experience that accompanies the text.

Moving forward, additional feedback is being gathered about both texts being used in coursework and the instructional delivery methods by which course content is delivered. The goal is to create a learning environment that is challenging and complex, engaging and thought-provoking, classic and contemporary – all while doing everything in our power to eliminate instances in which students feel that marginalization is occurring, which has been stated in feedback received from students about lessons including these books. This work will continue with those goals in mind.

There has never been a conversation about banning books. Banning books suggests efforts to restrict access to works of literature, which will not happen. Whether or not a book remains in the curriculum, each book in question would remain in school libraries and accessible to students.