May 19, 2020
The school district is committed to keeping you updated throughout the COVID-19 closure of Des Moines Public Schools' buildings and our completion of the school year through distance learning. Today we include a notice that our Metro Kids program will remain closed through June, highlight one of our students featured on Good Morning America, post the dates of next month's personal commencements for the Class of 2020, and share a story on a new park the city and school district are developing at Weeks Middle School.  Read on for more.
METRO KIDS WILL REMAIN CLOSED THROUGH JUNE
One of our top priorities each and every day is the health and safety of our students, families and staff, including our Metro Kids program. Because the COVID-19 pandemic is an ever changing situation, and taking many factors into consideration, including guidelines from the CDC, our Metro Kids program  will not be open in June. Families needing alternative summer care should contact the Child Care Resource Resource & Referral of Central Iowa by clicking here to visit their web site or calling them at 855-244-5301.  Families may also call the Des Moines Public Schools' Family Support Call Center at 515-242-8221 (Monday-Friday between 9:00 AM to 5:00 PM). We appreciate your understanding and flexibility during this unprecedented time. Someday we will be back together.
ROOSEVELT'S JOY RECTOR ON GMA SENIOR TRIBUTE
As seniors across the country go without the usual graduation ceremonies this year, there have been several high-profile tributes to the Class of 2020. One recent one was on ABC's Good Morning America program, and included Roosevelt High School's own Joy Rector. A leading advocate for Special Olympics, we recently featured Joy and her friend/classmate Evie Sly as being the first two high school students in Iowa to earn a varsity letter in Unified Sports. Click here to see GMA's tribute (Joy is at the 2:42 mark).
DATES: CELEBRATING ONE GRADUATE AT A TIME
A reminder of the dates for our personal commencement ceremonies, so we can recognize the Class of 2020 one graduate at a time:
  • JUNE 3: Focus High School
  • JUNE 5: Scavo High School
  • JUNE 6: Hoover High School
  • JUNE 7: North High School
  • JUNE 12: Ruby Van Meter School
  • JUNE 13: East High School
  • JUNE 14: Lincoln High School
  • JUNE 20: Roosevelt High School
Seniors and Parents: your high school will be in touch with more details on arrival times, directions, and other arrangements. Please note that public health measures, such as maintaining physical distancing and limiting guests to 2 people per graduate, will be stricly enforced. 
FRIDAY DEADLINE FOR ABSENTEE BALLOT REQUEST
One goal of public education is to teach people to be good citizens. A big part of being a good citizen is being a voter. This Friday is the deadline to request an absentee ballot for the June 2 primary election in order to cast your vote from the comfort and safety of your own home. If you have not already done so, you may download an absentee ballot request form by visiting the Iowa Secretary of State's Voter Ready web site.
NEW PARK IN THE WORKS AT WEEKS MIDDLE SCHOOL
There are several great partnerships between DMPS and Des Moines Parks and Recreation, and the latest one is taking shape on the city's south side. The school district and the city are developing a park next to Weeks Middle School, an area where the nearest public parks are a mile or more away. The new park, located south of the school, is expected to open in the Fall and will feature a walking path, soccer fields, basketball court, playground and a shelter. WHO-TV provided an update on the project, which was able to begin a little earlier with schools closed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Click here to see Channel 13's report on what will be our newest public park.
REMINDER: NEW TUTOR SERVICE AVAILABLE
Looking for tutoring services for your child? The  Greater Des Moines Partnership  and  Drake University  have launched the DSM Tutor Connection to provide additional support for K-12 students. The service is a web-based platform designed to connect families seeking tutoring for their children with university students interested in providing these services. All of the tutoring will be conducted online and scheduled between tutors and interested families at a rate of $15 per hour.  Click here for more information.
A NOTE ABOUT MEALS FOR OUR STUDENTS
Throughout the COVID-19 school building closure, Des Moines Public Schools is serving approximately 10,000 breakfasts and 10,000  lunches per weekday. Even as we do our best to prepare for turnout at all 50 of our meal distribution sites, we are still running out of food at some locations.  Our goal is to make sure that no Des Moines child goes hungry in our city, and the United States Department of Agriculture provides the district funding for meals with the understanding that the meals will feed children in need who are ages 1-18 . It is up to each family to determine what need looks like during this uncertain time in our world. We appreciate the support of our DMPS community in following these guidelines to help us make sure every hungry child has enough to eat.  Rain or shine, we will be at all 50 meal distribution sites each weekday from 11:30 AM to 12:30 PM to serve our kids. Click here to see a list of the meal sites.  Be sure to see the map on this web page to find the site most convenient for 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: [email protected].