April 13, 2020
The district is committed to keeping you updated throughout the COVID-19 closure of Des Moines Public Schools. Among the items in today's email are note that new workbooks for grades PK-8 are available starting today, and we include a notice about how to apply for both kindergarten and preschools while our buildings are closed.
COVID-19 CLOSURE UPDATES, NEWS AND REMINDERS
WEEK 2 GRADE PK-8 WORKBOOKS NOW ONLINE 
We continue to make additions to the online learning resources section of our web site.  DMPS@HOME is our online clearinghouse for digital learning resources. Within this section of our web site you will find educational tools such as links to other web sites that complement student learning as well as a series of workbooks for students in grades PK-8 that cover a range of subjects. Today we posted workbooks for week two as a way to keep students engaged during this time of transition to distance learning. All of these materials have either been developed or vetted by DMPS educators to ensure they support what students were learning in school before the start of the COVID-19 closure.  Click here to visit DMPS@HOME.
REGISTER FOR KINDERGARTEN BY PHONE, EMAIL 
Starting kindergarten is an exciting time for you and your child. We want the sign-up process to go as smoothly as possible for your family. Kindergarten sign-up begins today for all current DMPS preschool students. Registration opens for all other children on May 4. Due to the Coronavirus pandemic, sign-up will take place via phone and email, rather than our customary in-person visits at the Welcome Center. We look forward to helping your child start their kindergarten adventure! Click here to begin the registration process.
PRESCHOOL ENROLLMENT GOES ON DURING CLOSURE 
The COVID-19 Pandemic may be keeping our preschool staff and teachers at home right now, but they're thinking ahead to the 2020-2021 academic year.  Des Moines Public Schools' Early Childhood Programs provide quality learning experiences to help promote growth of young children and their families. We do this by offering free quality preschool with several options to best meet the needs of families, including a variety of locations, class times, and half- or full-day plans. You can apply online.  Click here to learn more and submit an application.
SPECIAL DELIVERY FROM DMPS TRANSPORTATION
As DMPS transitions to distance learning for the rest of the 2019-20 school year, a top priority has been making sure students have access to technology at their home. That includes the internet. Yellow school buses were out on the streets of Des Moines early on Monday, April 13, not to pick up students but to deliver internet hotspots to 280 high school seniors in need of connectivity.  See more on our Flickr page.
HOW CAN I GET MY STUFF?
Des Moines Public School is committed to practicing physical distancing to ensure the safety of both our employees and DMPS families. At this time, we are not allowing access into the buildings for any reason other than to retrieve prescription medication. As soon as we are able to accommodate requests for personal items, we will let you know. Thank you for your patience.
SEE SUPERINTENDENT AHART ON IOWA PRESS
Our Superintendent, Dr. Thomas Ahart, joined Dr. Stacey Cole from the Storm Lake Community School District  and Mike Beranek of the Iowa State Education Association  last Friday night on Iowa PBS's  "Iowa Press" for a discussion about education in the time of COVID-19. If you missed it, click here to watch it any time on the Iowa PBS web site.
"SEE YOU SOON, KING LIONS"
We love seeing - and sharing - all of the photos and videos and messages of support that teachers and staff throughout DMPS are sharing with their students. Over at King Elementary School, staff has posted yard signs around the school yard with messages for their students. Click here to view it on King's Facebook page.

P.S. You can pretty much count on us to share more!
MEAL PROGRAM SERVES MORE AND MORE STUDENTS
DMPS will be set up each weekday during the COVID-19 closure from 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM at all ten middle schools and a dozen auxiliary sites to provide students with a free breakfast and lunch. And we will include a reminder in each and every email update so we can all do what we can to make sure no Des Moines student is hungry. We are now distributing over 7,000 meals per day, and will do everything we can to meet any increases in need.  Visit our web site for details on the DMPS meal program.  We have added a map to the page showing all 22 meal sites to make it easier to find the one nearest you.
CORONAVIRUS: RELY ON THE EXPERTS FOR INFORMATION
Accurate health information about COVID-19 is important as people around the world respond to help put an end to this global pandemic. Stay informed and look for information on Coronavirus from reliable and trusted expert sources:
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 (or your child) have been discriminated against or treated unjustly at school, please contact Susan Tallman, 2100 Fleur Drive, Des Moines, IA 50321; phone: 515-242-7709; email: susan.tallman@dmschools.org.