September 30, 2016 
Good morning on the last day of September. More national recognition for our students as we announce AP Scholars, National Merit Semi-Finalists, and two students who took top poetry honors at the National Book Festival in Washington, DC. Plus read about our work to support males of color and the new Fuel Up First program at East High School. Enjoy these stories and much more in this edition of The Week@DMPS! 
STORIES ABOUT OUR STUDENTS, TEACHERS AND SCHOOLS
Two hundred and forty DMPS students, from all five comprehensive high schools, have earned Advanced Placement Scholar honors from  The College Board, the second most ever recognized at Iowa's largest school district. Twenty students earned the prestigious National AP Scholar recognition, up from 14 last year.  This latest recognition is on top of other AP honors at DMPS this year, including all five high schools again qualifying for the Iowa AP Index (a ranking of the top 50 AP high schools in the state) and North High teacher Jean Schwendau being named the Midwest AP Teacher of the Year. Visit our web site to read more about our honored students and how DMPS is a leader in offering AP courses to more and more students in Des Moines.
Six Seniors Named National Merit Semi-Finalists
Congratulations to Roosevelt seniors Maeve Greising, Shivani Kumaresan, Abbott LaPrade, Jade Miller, Aidan Palmer and Jack Romp on being chosen Semi-Finalists in the 62nd annual National Merit Scholarship competition, placing them among the top young scholars in the state and nation. The students, who also attend Central Academy, were selected based on their strong performance on the Preliminary SAT (PSAT) test taken last year. Click here for more.
We are so proud of Elhondra Brazzle from East and Julio Delgadillo from North for finishing 1st and 2nd, respectively, at the Poetry Slam at the Library of Congress National Book Festival. Julio and Elhondra were selected to compete alongside poets from New York City, Washington DC, and Indianapolis. It's exciting to see two of our seniors shine on the national stage at such a prestigious event. Congratulations to them both!
Supporting Males of Color at DMPS
A key part of the School Board's oversight of DMPS are recurring "monitoring reports" received throughout the year that examine the work underway at Iowa's largest, most diverse school district. At a recent meeting a report entitled Males of Color was presented, examining the experience and outcomes of African American and Hispanic male students.  Read more about the data and plans shared with the Board.
Thanks to support from community partners such as the Des Moines Police Department, the Salvation Army, Viva East Bank, Habitat for Humanity and Polk County, the students at East High School can pick up a free breakfast on their way in to school every Monday morning. As the sun was rising on September 26, we stopped by to visit with volunteers and students as breakfast pizza was being distributed and the program was formally launched.  Click here to read and see more about Monday mornings at East .
Our condolences go out to the family, friends and colleagues of Randy Duncan, who passed away this week after a long battle with cancer. A member of the Roosevelt High School Class of 1955 and the College Football Hall of Fame, he led the University of Iowa Hawkeyes to a Rose Bowl victory in 1959 before a 50+ year career as one of the state's top attorneys. For more about Duncan, read our story about his 2013 induction into the Roosevelt Hall of Fame. 
WANTED: COMPASSIONATE AND CARING INDIVIDUALS
Des Moines Public Schools is currently recruiting compassionate and caring individuals as Special Education Teachers. We provide services for students with extraordinary needs. If you are dedicated to helping students achieve success academically, behaviorally and socially, please consider applying. DMPS also offers a $3,000 signing bonus for this position. Visit our web site for more information about the position and to complete an online registration.
PHOTO GALLERIES OF THE WEEK
DMPS at the Latino Heritage Festival
DMPS joined people from throughout the community at the Latino Heritage Festival last weekend. Thanks to everyone who visited the DMPS booth to learn about our Heritage Spanish Class, pick up a frisbee and bubbles for the kids, or just to say hello.  Click here to enjoy photos.
North Hosts Homecoming Clash 
North High took on Council Bluffs Jefferson for their 2016 Homecoming game. Both teams were 2-2 heading into the game and hoping for a winning record at the season's midway point. Unfortunately, the Polar Bears fell to the Yellow Jackets 41-14 but a great crowd turned out to support the team.  Click here for game photos.
UPCOMING EVENTS
October 4
School Board Meeting - Central Campus, 1800 Grand Avenue (6:00 PM) 

October 28
Teacher EQ Development Day - No Classes (ALL Schools) 

Fall Sports
Football/Cross Country/Golf/Volleyball/Swim  | Visit athletics.dmschools.org for schedules 
ICYMI: DMPS IN THE NEWS
Recent items in the news or online about or of interest for students, teachers and parents at Des Moines Public Schools:
  • North High School alum Cortez Hull (Class of '92) now walks the halls of Highland Park High School as a police officer. When St. Paul (MN) Public Schools renewed its contract with the local police department, Officer Hull was quoted as saying "It takes a village to raise a child. I am a part of that village." Click here to read about this Polar Bear with a badge.
  • With about two months to go until the start of the high school basketball season,  Prep Hoops Iowa  has released a way-too-early preseason poll that ranks both the Hoover Huskies and the North Polar Bears in the boys' Class 4A Top Ten. Click here for their analysis of the upcoming hoops season. 
  • Tuesday was  National Voter Registration Day . If you're a student and U.S. citizen who will be 18 years old by Tuesday, November 8, you can register to vote and participate in the 2016 election. For more information about voter registration, including how to register online, visit the web sites of the Polk County Auditor or the Iowa Secretary of State. 
TheWeek@DMPS is a recipient of the 2016 Award of Merit 
from the National School Public Relations Association.
It is the policy of the Des Moines Community School District not to illegally discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, religion, creed, age (for employment), marital status (for programs), sexual orientation, gender identity and socioeconomic status (for programs) in its educational programs and its employment practices. There is a grievance procedure for processing complaints of discrimination. If you believe you have (or your child) has been discriminated against or treated unjustly at school, please contact the Equity Coordinator, Isaiah McGee at 2323 Grand Avenue, Des Moines, IA 50312 or 515-242-7662 or isaiah.mcgee@dmschools.org.