What's New at Dubuque Community Schools

The Dubuque Community School District is pleased to announce the appointment of Renee Wagner as the new principal of Irving Elementary School for the 2024-2025 school year, pending approval by the Board of Education at its March meeting. Wagner, who currently serves as an instructional coach at Drexler Middle School in Farley, Iowa, replaces Susan Meehan, who was recently named administrator of the district’s new Seedlings Preschool Center.

As principal of Irving, Wagner will be responsible for the strategic and day-to-day operations of the school, which serves approximately 410 students and has over 85 professional and support staff.

Wagner assumes this role after serving as an instructional coach at Drexler Middle School since 2020. Prior to that, she was an instructional coach at Western Dubuque High School from 2014-2020. Prior to her role in instructional leadership, she served as a teacher at Drexler Middle and Intermediate School from 2010-2014 and was a Title I reading teacher at Cascade Elementary School.

“Renee brings a students-first philosophy that is guided by her strong track record of building positive relationships and her expertise in proven instructional practices,” said Superintendent of Schools Amy Hawkins. “That, combined with her positive attitude and excitement for learning make her the right fit to lead Irving into the future.”

Wagner holds a bachelor of arts degree in elementary and middle level education from the University of Northern Iowa, a K-8 reading endorsement from Clarke University, and a master’s degree in education (educational administration) from Loras College.

The Dubuque Community School District is pleased to announce the appointment of Rich Hatcher as the new principal of Kennedy Elementary School for the 2024-2025 school year, pending approval by the Board of Education at its March meeting. Hatcher, who currently serves as assistant principal at Western Dubuque High School, replaces Nick Hess, who was recently named principal of Marshall Elementary School in the district.

As principal of Kennedy, Hatcher will be responsible for the strategic and day-to-day operations of the school, which serves approximately 585 students and has over 81 professional and support staff.

Hatcher assumes this new role after serving as assistant principal of Western Dubuque High School since 2017. Prior to his time in the Western Dubuque Community School District, he was a student needs facilitator at Jefferson Middle School in Dubuque from 2014-2017 and was an instructional coach and talented/gifted facilitator at Jefferson from 2007-2014. Prior to that, he was a science and geography teacher at Williams Intermediate School and F.L. Smart Middle School, respectively, which are both in Davenport, Iowa.

“Rich is an energetic, relationship-driven administrator who thrives on building connections with families, student and staff,” said Superintendent of Schools Amy Hawkins. “We are thrilled to welcome him back to the Dubuque Community School District and we are excited for all he will bring to this role at Kennedy.”

Hatcher holds a bachelor of arts degree in elementary education from St. Ambrose University in Davenport, a master of educational leadership degree from Western Illinois University in Macomb, Ill.

High school students from Hempstead and Dubuque Senior recently returned from an impressive showing at the 2024 Bowling 3A State Championship.

Congratulations to the following students on these honors:

3A State Girls Championship

DUBUQUE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL – 4th Place

Individual 3A Girls State Qualifiers

DUBUQUE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
Zoie Bettcher
Alison Hedrick
Mackenzie Lang
Clara Pregler

HEMPSTEAD HIGH SCHOOL
Chloe Hansen

Individual 3A Boys State Qualifiers

DUBUQUE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL
Zach Wlochal

HEMPSTEAD HIGH SCHOOL
Alec Bowman

High school students from Hempstead and Dubuque Senior recently returned from an impressive showing at the 2024 IHSAA Boys State Swimming Championship.

Congratulations to the following students on these honors:

State Finishers

HEMPSTEAD HIGH SCHOOL

200-Yard Freestyle Relay – 2nd Place

• Brandon Decker
• Owen Leitzen
• Kyle Powers
• Logan Westhoff

100-Yard Freestyle 

• Kyle Powers – 10th Place
• Owen Leitzen – 12th Place

DUBUQUE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

200-Yard Medley Relay – 9th Place

• Walter Freund
• William Fry
• Zack Heiar
• Jarrett Herber

100-Yard Breaststroke – 11th Place

• Zack Heiar

100-Yard Butterfly – 12th Place

• Zack Heiar

State Qualifiers

HEMPSTEAD HIGH SCHOOL

50-Yard Freestyle

• Brandon Decker
• Mason Lemm
• Kyle Powers

100-Yard Backstroke

• Jake Dolphin

100-Yard Breaststroke

• Brandon Decker

100-Yard Butterfly

• Mason Lemm
• Logan Westhoff

100-Yard Freestyle

• Owen Leitzen
• Kyle Powers

200-Yard Freestyle

• Michael Rhett Gilbertson
• Owen Leitzen
• Logan Westhoff

200-Yard Freestyle Relay

• Brandon Decker
• Michael Rhett Gilbertson
• Owen Leitzen
• Kyle Powers

200-Yard Individual Medley

• Jake Dolphin
• Zach Wenger

200-Yard Medley Relay

• Brandon Decker
• Jake Dolphin
• Henry Gilbertson
• Mason Lemm

400-Yard Freestyle Relay

• Henry Gilbertson
• Michael Rhett Gilbertson
• Owen Leitzen
• Kyle Powers

500-Yard Freestyle

• Dustin Coyle
• Michael Rhett Gilbertson
• Zach Wenger

DUBUQUE SENIOR HIGH SCHOOL

50-Yard Freestyle

• Jarrett Herber

100-Yard Backstroke

• William Fry

100-Yard Breaststroke

• Zack Heiar

100-Yard Butterfly

• William Fry
• Zack Heiar
• Jarrett Herber

200-Yard Freestyle Relay

• Duncan Freund
• Walter Freund
• Zack Heiar
• Cole Marshall

200-Yard Medley Relay

• Duncan Freund
• Walter Freund
• William Fry
• Jarrett Herber

400-Yard Freestyle Relay

• Duncan Freund
• William Fry
• Zack Heiar
• Jarrett Herber

Join us for a special Community Education Series Event entitled “Youth Substance Abuse: Hidden in Plain Sight” on Tuesday, February 27, from 6-8 p.m. in Roling Auditorium at Washington Middle School. Doors open at 5:45 p.m.

VIEW THE FULL EVENT FLYER (PDF)
LALE MELELE IN KAJIN MAJOL | VER EN ESPAÑOL

This event is recommended for parents/guardians and those that support youth in grades 4-12. ADMISSION IS FREE AND NO RSVP IS NECESSARY.

This event is for adults only, no students please.

AT THE PROGRAM

Learn about current substances and the impact on young adults in our community from local experts, including:

• Vaping and Tobacco
• Illegal Substances in Our Community

PLUS, an Interactive Resource Fair featuring:

Hidden in Plain Sight Room Display: Walk through the display to search for
indicators of substance use and possible hiding spots.

Impaired Vision Pedal Kart + Simulation Goggles: Safely experience the effects of alcohol and common drugs while driving a kart or completing simple tasks.

A variety of community partners will also be on hand and available to answer questions and offer resources.

Online. In your backyard. Out of this world!

DUBUQUE ONLINE SCHOOL for middle and high school students is the only online school based right here in the Dubuque area, giving students and families another way to get a top-notch Dubuque Community School District education!

Considering Dubuque Online School for your soon-to-be 9th-grader?

Learn more at an informational webinar on Monday, February 5 at 7 p.m.

JOIN THE WEBINAR

At the webinar, you’ll explore:

• Dubuque Online School mission and values
• The typical student day
• Curriculum offerings and student programming
• Frequently asked questions
• The enrollment process

Dubuque Online School provides middle (grades 6-8) and high school students (grades 9-12) with a rigorous course schedule of online instruction delivered through a combination of:

• on-demand classes using Imagine Edgenuity online learning platform
• live virtual classes using Microsoft Teams video streaming platform

Visit the Dubuque Online School website to learn more.

High school students from Hempstead and Dubuque Senior recently qualified to compete at the 2024 IGHSAU Wrestling State Championship.

Congratulations to the following students:

State Qualifiers

Hempstead High School

130 Weight Class

• Ayla Osterkamp

140 Weight Class

• Annabel Blanchard

155 Weight Class

• Paige Howieson

235 Weight Class

• Katelyn Brokus

Dubuque Senior High School

130 Weight Class

• Alyssa Seippel

135 Weight Class

• Karise Benson

140 Weight Class

• Jolee Strohmeyer

The Dubuque Community School District is pleased to announce that 12 district buildings have earned the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) ENERGY STAR® Certification for 2023. This recognition is presented to the most energy efficient buildings in the country.

“ENERGY STAR recognition underscores our district’s commitment to energy efficiency,” said Dubuque Community School District Superintendent Amy Hawkins. “Our energy conservation efforts are saving taxpayer dollars while also helping protect the local environment and maintaining healthy, comfortable learning spaces for students and staff.”

To earn ENERGY STAR Certification, buildings must rate in the top 25 percent nationwide for energy efficiency and meet ventilation standards.

Dubuque Community School District buildings earning ENERGY STAR Certification include:

• Audubon Elementary School
• Carver Elementary School
• Dubuque Senior High School
• Eisenhower Elementary School
• Hempstead High School
• Irving Elementary School
• Kennedy Elementary School
• Marshall Elementary School
• Prescott Elementary School
• Roosevelt Middle School
• Sageville Elementary School
• Table Mound Elementary School

Since partnering with Cenergistic on a comprehensive energy conservation program, the Dubuque Community School District has saved an estimated $2,054,909, with an environmental impact equivalent to taking 1,185 cars off the street or removing the energy used from 671 homes for a year.

The cost of utilities is the second-largest operational budget line-item for Dubuque Community School District, and the prices for electricity, natural gas, water, and sewage have been steadily increasing.

To combat these rising energy and utility costs, Dubuque Community School District entered into a partnership with Cenergistic to implement a comprehensive organizational behavior-driven energy conservation program throughout all its buildings and campuses. Cenergistic guarantees the conservation program will save taxpayer dollars. Since the program was first implemented, Dubuque Community Schools has reduced its energy consumption by 22 percent.

Dubuque Community Schools’ comprehensive energy conservation program addresses energy use throughout the organization. Energy specialists track energy consumption at all campuses through state-of-the-art technology to identify and correct areas where energy is over-used.

Energy Specialist Josh Pociask works closely with district personnel as well as Cenergistic engineers and experts to continually optimize systems and schedules. Together they monitor energy use with advanced technology and shape energy-using practices through education — affecting how each person in the organization understands, uses, and saves energy for years to come. The outcome is healthier, more efficient buildings using less energy — and lower related costs.

At its January 8, 2024 meeting, the Dubuque Community School District Board of Education approved and presented a proclamation declaring January 14 and 15 as Days of Great Celebration in Honor of Martin Luther King, Jr.

READ THE PROCLAMATION

Enrollment and registration for FREE four-year-old preschool in the Dubuque Community School District will begin on Monday, Jan. 8.

This includes all 12 Dubuque public elementary schools as well as the district’s new preschool center on Chavenelle Road offering preschool through the Statewide Voluntary Preschool Program.

NEW THIS YEAR, parents and guardians may enroll students ONLINE beginning at NOON on Monday, January 8, at www.dbqschools.org/preschool.

All district elementary schools and the district’s main office will have computers and staff assistance available beginning January 8 for families needing internet access to complete preschool enrollment and registration.

REQUIRED DOCUMENTS

Free four-year-old preschool is open to students residing in Iowa who are four by September 15. Proof of age (preferably a birth certificate) and proof of residency are required to enroll a student and may be uploaded during the enrollment application process or provided in hard copy to the district enrollment office at 2300 Chaney Road.

Your student’s enrollment application will not be considered complete until these documents have been received.

For the enrollment and registration process, families should have the student’s main household and health information readily available.

PRESCHOOL SITE OPTIONS

Space may be limited in some facilities and enrollment applications are accepted on a first-come, first-served basis. Enrollment for preschool is not based on geography and all sites are open to Iowa residents. Applications will be time-stamped and families will be able to select up to three locations and time slots in order of preference.

Applications completed by January 12 (including submission of proof of age and proof of residency) will be considered in the first round of placement notifications beginning on January 19.

In addition to spots in Dubuque’s public schools, a variety of community preschool partners also offer free four-year-old preschool.

QUESTIONS?

For additional enrollment questions, individuals should contact the district early childhood office at earlychildhood@dbqschools.org.

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.