January 6, 2017
Good morning from TheWeek@DMPS. We're glad to have everyone back for the start of 2017. Since it was a short week (and a long break) we have a short edition of our e-newsletter this morning, including items on the work underway at our Schools for Rigor, volunteers getting ready to advocate for public education at the Iowa legislature, and details on the Class of 2017 graduation ceremonies. Read on for those stories and more. 
STORIES ABOUT OUR STUDENTS, TEACHERS AND SCHOOLS
Transformation Continues at Schools for Rigor
Classes resumed around DMPS on Tuesday after the annual winter break, with six notable exceptions. The group of demonstration Schools for Rigor (Findley, Howe, Lovejoy and Perkins elementary schools; Weeks Middle School and North High School) remained closed an extra day while staff attended the third of four designated training days during the 2016-17 school year.   Read more about how this initiative is transforming education in Des Moines.
As the start of the 2017 Iowa General Assembly draws near, DMPS-CLAT wants you! DMPS-CLAT is the Des Moines Public Schools' Community Legislative Action Team, a grassroots group committed to advocacy on behalf of public education in our city. Visit our web site to  learn more about how you can help  this effort on issues from expanding preschool to supporting ELL education to improving school facilities.
With this marking the first week of school for 2017, it's a good time to share details on graduation ceremonies for the Class of 2017. Between May 24-28, hundreds of students throughout Des Moines will don their caps and gowns, walk across a stage, and be presented with their high school diploma.  Click here for a schedule of our 2017 spring commencements .
Without protecting the environment, educating students becomes a short-term endeavor. The DMPS Operations staff works everyday to find ways to conserve energy at our 60 schools from centrally controlled heating and cooling, to motion sensing lights, to green construction. In fact, DMPS has become a national model for our conservation efforts.  Click here to see the recognition our Operations team has received for their good work.
DMPS PREPARES TO HIRE NEW TEACHERS FOR 2017-18 SCHOOL YEAR
Each year Des Moines Public Schools hires new teachers for the next school year. From educators for new or expanding programs to replacing veteran teachers who retire, DMPS may hire 100 or more teachers each year. The process for 2017-18 gets underway this Saturday at the annual Educator Career Fair. The event is an opportunity to learn more about the life-changing opportunities available at DMPS. With the most career options and best benefits package in Central Iowa, there's no better place to begin or continue a career in teaching. To learn more or register,  click here.
PHOTO GALLERIES OF THE WEEK
2016: Year in Photos at DMPS
In 2016 the DMPS communications staff posted a total of 8,519 photos to the school district's Flickr page. We're pleased to share more than 250 of our favorites from last year. While a collection of photographs cannot tell the complete story of a school district, they are bits and pieces that represent the whole of DMPS. Be sure to visit our Flick page to enjoy .
Basketball Back in Action for 2017
Yesterday was back to school for most students, and basketball teams wasted no time in returning to the court. We stopped by East High School last night, where the Scarlets hosted Hoover High School. The Huskies won the boys game, 56-21, while the Scarlets took the girls game, 59-30. Visit our Flickr page to see photos from last night's East-Hoover match-up.
UPCOMING EVENTS
January 7
Educator Career Fair - Iowa Events Center (8:00 AM) - click here for more information
January 8
Community Legislative Action Team - Central Campus (1:00 PM)  - click here for more
January 10
School Board Meeting - Central Campus (6:00 PM)  
January 13
Last Day of First Semester  
January 16
Martin Luther King, Jr. Day - No Classes (All Schools)  
Winter Sports
Basketball/Bowling/Swimming/Wrestling | Visit athletics.dmschools.org for schedules 
ICYMI: DMPS IN THE NEWS
Recent items in the news or online about or of interest to students, teachers and parents at Des Moines Public Schools:
  • Sreelekha Kundu, a junior who attends Roosevelt High School and Central Campus, co-authored a guest editorial in the Des Moines Register on the need to reduce childhood obesity in Iowa. She and co-author Dr. Yogesh Shah note the impact of obesity on issues ranging from health to poverty, and how Iowa now has the 12th most obese adult population in the nation. Visit the Register's web site to read her article.
  • Two recent DMPS grads - Will Karr from Roosevelt and Johnny Stevens from Lincoln - were on the field at this week's Rose Bowl game. Both attend the University of Southern California and are members of the famous Trojan marching band. The Des Moines Register spoke with them and another metro area band member about their experience. Click here to read the story.
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.