April 15, 2020
The district is committed to keeping you updated throughout the COVID-19 closure of Des Moines Public Schools. One major announcement today is that the number of free meal sites for students will more than double starting next Monday. See the first item below for details. In addition, we share notices about updates to both our DMPS@HOME learning page and the online family resource guide. Read on for these announcements and more.
COVID-19 CLOSURE UPDATES, NEWS AND REMINDERS
MEAL SITES DOUBLE TO MEET NEED, IMPROVE ACCESS
Some big news to share today: DMPS is more than doubling the number of meal sites starting next Monday, April 20! We are going from 22 to 50 sites, which will include the majority of elementary schools, to meet increased need and provide better access. Since March 26, DMPS has provided students with more than 150,000 meals. Rain or shine (or snow?) we will be there each weekday from 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM to serve our kids. Click here to see a list of the new sites that begin next Monday.

Thanks to contributions from the community, DMPS has been able to add healthy snacks for children to eat during the stretch between lunch and breakfast the following day. If you would like to contribute to this effort, just click the green bar below.
"WHAT'S NEW WEDNESDAY" ON DMPS@HOME
It's "What's New Wednesday" ... when our teaching and learning staff posts new content to our online learning resources web page. DMPS launched this web page nearly a month ago to provide students and parents with online educational tools to stay engaged as schools are closed during the COVID-19 pandemic. While this isn't a replacement of school, it does provide lots of subject- and grade level-specific resources vetted by our educators to keep students academically and intellectually active as we transition to distance learning throughout April. You can click here to visit DMPS@HOME for online learning resources and more.
UPDATED: ONLINE FAMILY RESOURCE GUIDE
A little over a week ago, we launched our online family resource guide. DMPS is committed to providing as many connections to services - from food and housing assistance to health care and legal aid - for students and families as possible during the COVID-19 closure. We know these are challenging times. While our staff cannot replicate the support provided in person at school, we will continue to work tirelessly to find as many resources for families as possible. The page also includes a contact form if you need to reach out to our staff for additional information or assistance.  Click here to visit our online family resource guide.
SCHOOLS WITHOUT STUDENTS: A PHOTO ALBUM
It's unusual, to say the least. DMPS school yards are (mostly) vacant during this COVID-19 closure. Students are getting ready to learn remotely as schools will remain closed for the rest of the academic year. Our staff photographer Jon Lemons paid a visit to some of our schools. While these sites may seem empty, they remind us of the human interaction that normally would be, and will be again.  Click here to see more on our Flickr page.
FRIDAY: GRADE 9-11 COMPUTER DISTRIBUTION
High school students, please be on the look out for a communication from your school about Friday's distribution of computers. Each building will have specific instructions on how the process will work. At all schools, pickup will be between the hours of 11:00 AM and 5:00 PM.  In addition, seniors who indicated on their surveys a need for a device and have not received one may pick it up during this time.
AP UPDATE: ONLINE EXAM DATES SET
Due to the current closure of DMPS, and thousands of school districts across the nation, in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the traditional Advanced Placement exams will not take place in the usual way this year. The College Board announced yesterday that online AP exams will be given between May 11-22.  We have posted more details about this year's AP exam process on our web site.
DTS TEACHERS PRESENT "THIS LITTLE LIGHT OF MINE"
Another day, another we're-not-crying-you're-crying message from our teachers and staff to their students. Today's edition is from our terrific team at The Downtown School and is their rendition of "This Little Light of Mine." Click here to view it on YouTube.
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.