What's New at Dubuque Community Schools

Good Evening DCSD Families,

As you know, we have been continually engaged in planning for our return to learning in August. We have researched best practices across the nation, attended return-to-learn webinars by top experts at the University of Iowa College of Public Health, consulted with local public health officials, and more.

I am writing to share with you that at this afternoon’s School Board committee meeting, I officially recommended that the district begin the year in a HYBRID MODEL for all grades PreK through 12. In this model, each primary household in the district will be assigned an A day or B day on which they would attend school in person. On opposite days, students will participate in at-home learning.

The district will also offer a completely online option, with dedicated district staff, for families not comfortable sending their children to school for in-person learning.

VIEW THE POWERPOINT FROM TODAY’S MEETING

The safety of our students and staff remains at the forefront of our planning. The hybrid option will allow us to most effectively implement the key prevention measure most often cited by medical experts: social distancing. Students and staff will also be required to wear face coverings and many other safety and prevention protocols will be put in place. Through this format, we will begin to welcome students back at a slow, measured pace.

I know that this decision brings with it many questions – many of which we are not able to answer today. The decision also brings with it the opportunity for families to begin planning for the start of the school year and for staff to increasingly focus our work as we move through the next month.

Much more information will follow in upcoming days and weeks. This is uncharted territory for all schools and we appreciate your ongoing work and support.

Sincerely,
Stan
—
Stan Rheingans
Superintendent of Schools

Day in and day out, the work of our district begins and ends with our people.

Each year, we say thank you to our staff members who are celebrating retirement. We thank them for their continual dedication to students and families, and we wish them well as they move into the next chapter of their life.

VIEW A LIST OF RETIREES (PDF)

Thank you to our retirees! We salute you!

Iakwe nan Baamle ko im Rijerbal ro,

Rainin, Ikonan kojelaik kom kon elmakot in karok eo an Dubuque Community School District nan bar jeblak tok nan ekatak im jikuul. Kojela in ear bok ellon allon ko in jerbal jen elon kumi in jerbal ko, aolep ro rar erre maanlok im lomnak nan kobooj jinoin iio in jikuul in 2020-2021.

Karok in ej nan kwalok juon kolmenlokjen eo edibakbak ikijen karokan wewen katkain eo jej kobooje einwot jikin lolorjake ekatak im jelalokjen

• Komman ekatak-ilo-likieo in armej
• Komman ekatak ilo internet im kon kampiutor
• Kobaan kilen katakin kein jimor, ilo likieo in armej im kab bareinwot ilo online.

Elmakot in karok in ej kwalok jonak im kilten ko naj kojerbali nan kojparok ejmuur in bwe en jab laplok naninmej.

LALE KAROK IN NAN AN BAR JABLAK TOK EKATAK

Ij kalikar ijin ke ejkab maanjen ad jok na lomen wewen Bar-Jeblak-In Jikuul itok wot jen jokjokin an COVID-19 jab bojrak, im ilo an rijerbal ro ad komman maanjabpopo nan jinoin iio in jikuul ej pedo tok, elmakot in im ebar lon komadmod ko jet mottan renaj bolon ukooktak jen iien nan iien.

Ejja ilo iien in wot, ewor ad tomak ke eaorok bwe jen kalimomoik elmakot in karok kein ibami im bareinwot bok am lomnak. Jej kojatdikdik bwe kom naj bok jidik iien im uaake kajitok kein waj ikijen Bar-Jeblak in-Jikuul, eo im enaj jerbal nan kanuj jiban ad ejake elmakot in kottobar in ad.

UAAKI KAJITOK KEIN KON BAR- JEBLAK IN-JIKUUL
(Jouj im uaaki kajitok kein mokta jen Wonje, Julae 8)

Jej kaorok uaak ko ami im naj likkuun monono in jiban komleleiki elmakot in Bar-Jeblak in-Jikuul in im bok uaak ko ami. Elane kwoj konaan bwe en iwoj am komlele kon karok in inem letok uaak ko am ilo kajin eo kwoj konan kojerbal, jouj im kur tok Taj Suleyman, director eo an equity, ilo tsuleyman@dbqschools.org bwe en maron kojerbal rukook ro renaj maron jiban.

Einwot ilo aolep iien, kon jela ke emman im ejmuur eo an rijikuul ro nejid im rijerbal ro ad rej kotobar ko ad raorok im imaan tata ilo jerbal im karok kein. Ej lap wot jerbal ko nan kommani ilowan wiik kein rej pedo tok, im jej kotmane bwe ej maron naj wor wot ukooktak ko renaj walok tok nan koj. Ejja ilo iien in wot, jej erre maanlok nan ad karuwaineneik tok rijikuul ro ad nan aer bar jino jikuul im jej likkuun kamolol kon jiban ko ami nan rijikuul ro nejid im nan jikuul kain ad.

Ilo wot kautej,
Stan Rheingans
Superintendent

Dear DCSD Families and Staff,

Today, I am pleased to share the first version of the Dubuque Community School District’s Return-to-Learn Plan with you. This document represents months of work by a variety of groups, all focused on preparing for the beginning of the 2020-2021 school year.

The plan is intended to provide an overview of the three educational delivery scenarios that we are prepared for as a district:

• Fully in-person education
• Fully online education
• Hybrid education, delivered as a combination of in-person and online education

The plan also outlines the health and safety measures that will be put in place to deliver in-person learning.

VIEW THE RETURN-TO-LEARN PLAN

I emphasize that it is the first version of the Return-to-Learn Plan because as the COVID-19 situation continues to progress, and as our district team continues to prepare for the beginning of the school year, this plan and its many components will continue to evolve and change.

At the same time, we believe that it is important for us to share our current plan and invite your feedback. We hope you will take a few moments to complete our Return-to-Learn survey, which we will use to inform the continued development of our plan.

TAKE THE RETURN-TO-LEARN SURVEY
(Please complete this survey no later than Wednesday, July 8)

As always, be assured that the safety and well-being of our students and staff is always at the forefront of our planning. There is much work to do over the next six weeks, and we know that much is likely to change in the world around us. At the same time, we look forward to welcoming our students back to school and we appreciate the tremendous amount of support you provide to our students and the district.

Sincerely,
Stan Rheingans
Superintendent

We are excited to celebrate with the Class of 2020 at graduation TOMORROW, Saturday, June 27.

As a reminder:

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

TICKETS ARE REQUIRED FOR ENTRANCE TO GRADUATION.

• Please be sure to wear your tickets on lanyards so they can be easily seen.
• If you have not picked-up your tickets during one of your school’s designated times, they will be available for pick-up beginning when the doors open for each ceremony at the Dalzell Field ticket office, located outside the East Gate.

Be sure to read the complete GRADUATION 2020 SAFETY PROTOCOLS shared by email and available online at www.dbqschools.org/graduation-safety.

We also ask that you pay particular attention to the following:

SEATING

• GRADUATES: Graduates should enter Dalzell Field through the South Entrance near the locker rooms.
  • They will be ushered directly to their seat on the field, which will be marked with their name.
• GUESTS: Guests may enter Dalzell Field through the East, West and Visitor Gates, while observing social distancing guidelines.
  • Seating will be available in the home and visitor sections, as well as on the field level. PLEASE NOTE: The temperature at the field level is significantly hotter than in the bleacher sections. Please take this into account when selecting seats.
  • Guests of a graduate are expected to sit together in the same four-seat section.
  • Please notify an usher if you need accessible seating.
  • Bleacher seats marked with dots are AVAILABLE to sit in. Those marked off with black tape are NOT AVAILABLE to use.

PHOTOGRAPHY

• Photography will only be allowed from guest seats.
• Guests WILL NOT be allowed to move to the stage to take photos.
• Each graduate will receive a high-resolution, printable professional photo at NO COST to the student.

DRINKING WATER

• Water fountains will NOT be available during the event.
• Graduates and guests are encouraged to bring their own water.

LIVE STREAMING

• The graduation ceremony will be live streamed to allow for those unable to attend to watch the ceremony.
• The live stream may be accessed via the district homepage (www.dbqschools.org), on the school websites (www.senior.dbqschools.org and www.hempstead.dbqschools.org) or the district’s official social media channels (www.facebook.com/dbqschools and www.twitter.com/dbqschools).

Again, we ask that you review the full GRADUATION 2020 SAFETY PROTOCOLS. Thanks in advance for your cooperation in following the safety guidelines developed for this event.

Beginning today, Monday, June 22, all school playgrounds will reopen for community use.

Individuals who have a diagnosis of COVID-19, are experiencing symptoms of illness (i.e. fever of 100.4 or higher, cough or shortness of breath), or have been in contact with anyone diagnosed with COVID-19 in the past 14 days should not use district facilities.

Additionally, we recommend the following when using one of our playgrounds:

• Bring hand sanitizer to use before and after your time on the playground
• Bring your own reusable water bottle
• Follow social distancing guidelines with people not from your household

On this Juneteenth holiday, also known as Freedom Day, Jubilee Day, and Liberation Day, we recognize the incredible significance current events will have in our nation’s history as we join in commemorating the end of slavery in the United States 155 years ago.

As a public school district, our mission is to equitably provide each and every student we serve with the resources and support they need to be successful.

We continue to stand in support of and solidarity with our Black students, families, teachers and staff.

Now, and always, we unequivocally stand against racism.
We stand for acceptance and racial equity.
We stand together in the fight to end injustice.

As a district, we have not and must not simply stand. We must take action.

Rooted in our strategic plan that seeks success for all students,
we are continually focused on the important work of breaking down barriers,
of enhancing support, and of being constant advocates for our Black students,
and all students in underrepresented groups.

We see them. We hear them. We firmly pledge to both continue this important work and, at the same time, to do better, faster.

As educators, we know that knowledge truly is power and that education plays a critical role in bringing about positive change.

As we all seek ways to take action, our Director of Equity Taj Suleyman has compiled a set of resources to assist students and families in navigating these times.

We must continue to stand, and act, together.

Sincerely,
Stan Rheingans
Superintendent of Schools

VIEW THE RESOURCES >>

LEARN ABOUT JUNETEENTH:

• Teaching Juneteenth
  The history of Juneteenth acknowledges hard history while also empowering students to be advocates for change.
  Source: Teaching Tolerance

BOOKS:

• Anti-Racist Reading List for Kids
  Source: Carnegie-Stout Public Library
• Diverse Children’s Literature Titles for Elementary Students
  Source: Dubuque Community School District
• Diverse Children’s Literature Titles for Middle School Students
  Source: Dubuque Community School District
• Beyond the Golden Rule: A Parent’s Guide to Preventing and Responding to Prejudice
  Source: Teaching Tolerance

TOOLS AND RESOURCES:

• Talking to Young Children About Race and Racism
  Source: PBS Kids for Parents
• How to Talk to Kids about Race and Racism
  Source: Parent Toolkit
• Talking About Race
  A guide that explores topics such as bias, whiteness, being anti-racist, and more.
  Source: National Museum of African American History & Culture

ARTICLES:

• “Talking to Kids About Race”
  Source: National Geographic (June 1, 2020)
• “These Books Can Help You Explain Racism and Protest to Your Kids”
  Source: The New York Times (June 2, 2020)
• “How to Talk with Kids About Racism and Racial Violence”
  Source: Common Sense Media (June 1, 2020)

We are excited to celebrate the Class of 2020 at graduation in a few short weeks!

Graduation is scheduled for Saturday, June 27.
If there is inclement weather that prohibits the event to happen as scheduled, the rain date will be Sunday, June 28.

Hempstead High School’s ceremony will begin at 10 a.m.
Dubuque Senior High School’s ceremony will begin at 3 p.m.

READ FULL EVENT DETAILS IN THE GRADUATION SAFETY PLAN, developed following consultation with the City of Dubuque Public Health Department.

Each graduate will receive four (4) tickets for guests to attend. Ticket pick-up for graduates will be held the week of June 22. WATCH FOR INFORMATION DIRECTLY FROM YOUR SCHOOL REGARDING PICK-UP TIMES AND PROCESS.

The Dubuque Community School District is pleased to announce the appointment of Julie Lange as the district’s new director of digital literacy.

In this new role, Julie will work to ensure equitable curricular offerings and skills needed for instructional online delivery, provide support-teaching and guidance to faculty and students in the use of instructional hardware and software, and establish and lead best practices for educational content creation, delivery and organization. She will also coordinate the district’s assessment plan as well as Iowa Testing, ACT, FAST and other standardized tests.

“Julie is well-versed in the use of technology to support strong instructional practices,” said Superintendent Stan Rheingans. “Her expertise in this area, combined with her strong relationships across the district and her deep familiarity with our instructional practices, make her an excellent fit for this new position.”

Julie currently works at the district level as a teacher on special assignment overseeing elementary science, social studies and technology. Prior to this, she was the district’s lead elementary technology coach, technology integration coach at Kennedy Elementary School, and a teacher at both Kennedy and Lincoln Elementary School.

She holds both a bachelor’s and master’s degree in education, as well as an instructional coach certificate from the University of Northern Iowa. In 2019, she completed her master of arts degree in educational leadership also from UNI.