What's New at Dubuque Community Schools

Late this afternoon, a federal judge issued a temporary restraining order blocking the Iowa law that bans school districts from mandating masks.

As you can imagine, we have already received a significant amount of feedback on both sides of this issue.

We wanted you to know that we are working to gain additional clarity around the details of this restraining order and the legal process moving forward.

We will also be seeking guidance from our legal counsel and state associations as we discuss next steps, and we will share additional information with you as it becomes available.

It is great to see our schools filled with excited learners as we wrap up the third week of the school year! We are starting to find the routines of the year and there are many great things happening across the district.

We continue to closely monitor the COVID-19 situation in both the district and the county – and encourage you to stay up-to-date with the latest data as the year progresses.

View the District COVID-19 Dashboard, which is updated daily Monday-Friday and shows the number, school and grade level of active, positive COVID-19 cases in the district.

For county and state data, you can find up-to-date information from the following:

• City of Dubuque COVID-19 Information
• Dubuque County Health Department
• CDC COVID Data Tracker
• Iowa Department of Public Health COVID Dashboard (Summary Statistics)
• Iowa Department of Public Health COVID Positive Case Analysis

Our county data currently shows an increasing number of students age 0-17 who are testing positive for COVID-19.

Based on this increasing number, we encourage you to consider wearing a mask indoors at schools, especially in cases when social distancing and vaccination are not possible, in order to reduce spread of COVID-19.

We continue to maintain a number of additional mitigation protocols to help create the safest possible learning environment for students and staff.

We appreciate your ongoing support of our students and schools!

Dear Families and Staff,

As we welcome students back to our schools in upcoming days, we will begin the third consecutive school year that has felt the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

Today, as was reported in the Telegraph Herald, we continue to see COVID-19 cases in Dubuque county increase at a rate that is concerning to our area’s public health officials and infectious disease experts.

The number of positive cases in Dubuque County has increased over the past several weeks, primarily made up of the more highly contagious Delta variant. Local experts warn that the data indicates that our community may be on track to see the same significant impact that has been seen in the other parts of the United States.

At the same time, there is some data that suggests that the impact of the Delta variant may not be long lasting and can see a reasonably quick decline after hitting its peak – so acting now to prevent its spike may be our key to having as little disruption to school operations as possible.

To help communicate the impact of COVID-19 in our schools, we will again have a COVID-19 dashboard to help families make informed decisions. We are currently working on the timing of the dashboard as we learn how and when data will be reported to us from the county/state, but expect it to be live sometime next week.

As we see our area data rise, we look back to the success of our COVID-19 mitigations efforts last year, which included the wearing of masks in school.

While by Iowa law masks cannot be required at school, I encourage families and staff to consider wearing a mask indoors to begin the school year in order to prevent the spread that we anticipate may be on the horizon based on the data.

While mask recommendations have changed over time, and will continue to change, based on current Dubuque data, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, American Academy of Pediatrics, and the Dubuque County Board of Health all currently recommend masking indoors in a school environment.

Our goal in this request is simple – to work together to keep students and staff in school.

Regardless of your choice or your family’s choice to wear a mask or not, we respect that choice and will support each of our students, families and staff in the choices they make.

As always, we will continue to closely monitor the situation and will adjust accordingly. Know that the health and safety of our students and staff is our priority and we are thankful for your support as we begin the school year.

Sincerely,
Stan Rheingans
Superintendent of Schools

In just over a week, we will welcome students back for the 2021-2022 school year. We know that this is a time of both great excitement and anxiety as our community is still feeling the effects of COVID-19. Our goal remains to create a safe learning environment for students and staff, while also ensuring a high-quality, vibrant educational experience.

As we begin the year, there is a great deal of information available from a variety of sources regarding COVID-19 and its impact on our community.

Without consistent guidance from the federal, state and local level, it is impossible for the district to align with all guidance provided from each of these agencies.

Recognizing that guidance is inconsistent, we strongly recommend all families review the latest from each agency (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Iowa Department of Public Health) in order to make the most informed decision you can regarding personal mitigation efforts as we start the year.

Below is an update on the latest information available regarding COVID-19 in the Dubuque community and an overview of mitigation efforts that will be in place as we begin the school year.

We have worked to compile answers to the most frequently asked questions regarding mitigation efforts as we begin the year. While this message is lengthy, we ask that you please take the time to read it completely.
Read More about “Return-to-Learn: August 12, 2021”

Need help registering your student?
Looking for a job in an amazing school district?

We are hitting the road and bringing the district to you!

Visit our registration and human resources teams at one of our stops throughout the community from Monday, July 26, through Tuesday, August 3.

At each stop:

• Our registration team will be on hand to assist families in completing online registration for the upcoming 2021-2022 school year.
• Our human resources team will take applications and conduct on-the-spot interviews for a variety of district jobs, including paraprofessional, transportation and food/nutrition positions.
• Computers with internet access will be provided – and we even have a few treats in store!
• NOTE: A Marshallese interpreter will be available at each stop.

Join us at one of the following times:

Monday, July 26, from 1-3 p.m.
Bee Branch (in the parking lot near the 22nd street bridge)

Tuesday, July 27, 11 a.m.-6 p.m.
Dubuque County Fair (Admission to the Dubuque County Fair is FREE this day!)

Wednesday, July 28, from 9-11 a.m.
Comiskey Park

Thursday, July 29, from 9-11 a.m.
Asbury Park

Friday, July 30, from 1-3 p.m.
Flora Park

Monday, August 2, from 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
Heritage Pond

Tuesday, August 3, from 11 a.m.-1 p.m.
Murphy Park

We look forward to seeing you!

The Dubuque Community School District is pleased to announce the appointment of Dierre Littleton as the district’s new director of equity, pending approval by the Board of Education at its June 14 meeting. Littleton will join the district on August 2 following his role as associate director for the office of diversity at the University of Central Arkansas in Conway, Ark.

Dierre Littleton

As the district’s director of equity, Littleton will serve as a key district leader who embraces and champions the district’s fundamental value of ensuring equity for all. He will be responsible for organizing, coordinating, communicating and managing various facets of educational equity in the district to enhance student learning while collaborating with internal and external stakeholders to maximize the educational opportunities available to each student.

“Dierre brings an outstanding track record of developing and implementing programming to support equity and inclusion, while doing so in a collaborative and energetic way,” said Superintendent Stan Rheingans. “He is committed to student success and we are excited for him to join our leadership team as we continue to move the district’s equity initiatives forward.”

In his role at Central Arkansas, Littleton worked to advise organizations, develop leadership training programs, and design and implement a variety of diversity, belonging, inclusion and equity programs. He has also supervised professional and paraprofessional staff, assisting in the development of strategic planning, assessment and budgeting of diversity programming, and worked to engage community partners, staff and students in equity programming.

Littleton also previously worked as a residence hall coordinator at Central Arkansas, was a graduate assistant in the office of diversity and inclusion, and held a number of other roles in student affairs for the university. He is also heavily involved in community volunteer efforts and serves on a number of university committees.

Littleton holds a bachelor of science degree in communication/public relations from Indiana State University in Terre Haute, Ind.; a master of science degree in college student personnel services and administration from the University of Central Arkansas; and he is currently working toward a Ph.D. in higher education administration from Saint Louis University, with anticipated completion in fall 2022.

The Dubuque Community School District was recently awarded a Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting from the Association of School Business Officials International (ASBO) for having met or exceeded the program’s high standards for financial reporting and accountability. The award is for the district’s Comprehensive Annual Financial Report (CAFR) for the fiscal year ending in 2020.

This is the 12th consecutive year the district has received this honor.

“We are committed to responsibly using and reporting on the financial resources that we are entrusted with,” said Kevin Kelleher, chief financial officer for the Dubuque Community Schools. “Our annual financial report is one tool in doing so and we hope our Certificate of Excellence helps assure taxpayers of our commitment to the highest standards of financial management.”

Each year, the Dubuque Community School District manages an overall budget of approximately $160 million. The Certificate of Excellence award confirms the district business office’s commitment to financial accountability and transparency. By participating in the Certificate of Excellence Program, school districts submit their CAFR for review by a team of financial professionals who provide feedback to improve future documents. According to ASBO, recognition in the Certificate of Excellence program can facilitate bond rating and continuing bond disclosure processes.

The recognition program is presented by the Association of School Business Officials International and is sponsored by American Fidelity, provider of cost-savings solutions and supplemental insurance benefits.

The Association of School Business Officials International is a non-profit that, through its members and affiliates, represents approximately 30,000 school business professionals worldwide. It provides programs and services to promote the highest standards in school business. Its members support student achievement through effective resource management in various areas ranging from finance and operations to food services and transportation.

The following message was shared with families and staff on June 4, 2021 — the last day of the 2020-2021 school year…

Dear Dubuque Schools Family,

In August, we began this school year amidst great uncertainty.

Today, we join together as students, families, staff and many community partners to celebrate the end of this school year.

We made it — and we made it together.

Thank you for consistently exhibiting amazing flexibility, patience, strength and positivity through what have been some of the most challenging times in recent history.

As we conclude the school year, prepare for summer learning opportunities, and look ahead to next year, I hope you take a moment to recognize the many bright spots in this challenging year.

• Students received high-quality learning with consistency and continuity.
• Students participated in extracurricular activities and strengthened connections with their schools and community.
• Together, we mitigated COVID-19 and maintained low case counts in schools.
• Students received access to food and nutrition services to keep them healthy.

This year hasn’t been perfect. The path forward wasn’t always clear or easy, and yet collectively, we persevered.

Most importantly, we always put what’s best for students and staff at the forefront of our decision making.

Our students and community have been impacted by this pandemic and we will continue to focus our efforts on supporting students’ unfinished learning and social emotional needs as we move forward.

As COVID-19 numbers in our community continue to decrease, we look forward to a much more normal school year next year.

For today, though, let’s take a step back and recognize how much we’ve accomplished this year.

We wish you all the best this summer and we thank you for entrusting your students to us. We look forward to welcoming them back in August.

Sincerely,
Stan Rheingans
Superintendent of Schools