Dr. Buck’s Bulletin – January 2024
Dear Parents and Guardians,
As January draws to a close, I want to thank you for your patience, cooperation, and support as we navigated some crazy winter weather this month.
I know many of you are wondering about snow days. So far, we’ve had two District-wide snow days. Generally speaking, when we have two or fewer snow days, they are not made up — and that is what we are tentatively planning at this time. If we have additional snow days this year, we’ll decide by spring break whether make-up days will be added to the school year calendar. We will communicate what we decide as soon as possible.
Please read the newsletter below for important reminders, exciting news from around our District, and more. Remember to follow your child’s school as well as Waukee CSD on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn to keep up with what’s happening.
Thank you for your continued partnership and trust. Here’s to a February filled with learning, fun, and (hopefully) mild weather!
Sincerely,
Dr. Brad Buck
Superintendent
Important Information
Sign Up for Community Ed Classes
We still have openings in many of our winter/spring Community Education classes! We offer classes for all ages, from kindergarten (try Chess or Robotics) to high schoolers (prep for the ACT/PSAT/SAT). Learn more and register on our website.
Reminder: Enroll in Preschool/Kindergarten
Enrollment for preschool and kindergarten at Waukee CSD is now open! Please share this information with any friends or neighbors who are new to the District. Enroll here for preschool (children must be four years old on/before Sept. 15, 2024). Get started here for kindergarten (children must be five years old on/before Sept. 15, 2024).
Recent News
Middle School Students Design Future Cities
Students from South Middle School and Waukee Middle School designed, built, and presented their model cities in the regional “Future City” contest sponsored by the Discovery Channel. Their goal was to create a city 100 years in the future that is electrically powered by renewable energy.
The three teams all earned awards:
- Wahatan (SMS) – 3rd place overall and 1st place in “Most Creative Use of Roof Space”
- Aurora (SMS) – 1st place in “Thorough Quality of Life Considerations”
- Uila City (WMS) – 2nd place in “Most Creative Use of Roof Space”
Waukee CSD Announces New Leaders
We are proud to announce updates to several elementary leadership positions!
Dr. Joel Fey will become principal at the new Waterford Elementary when it opens this fall. Dr. Fey has served as the Shuler Elementary principal since 2017. He has prior experience as a classroom teacher and assistant principal.
Dr. Ryan Marzen will become principal at Shuler Elementary (pending Board approval). He is currently the principal at Perry Elementary School and previously served as an associate principal, first grade teacher, and head coach.
Doug Barry will remain as principal at Walnut Hills Elementary. Currently serving as the interim principal, he has 21 years of experience as a school administrator, including stints at South Middle School and Maple Grove Elementary.
Trisha Casler will remain as assistant principal at Eason Elementary, removing her interim title. With over 25 years of education experience, she has been a kindergarten and ESOL teacher, as well as instructional mentor.
Meet Darlene, Class of 1941
Darlene (Pearson) Pitsenbarger, a Waukee High School alumna from the class of 1941, recently visited both our high schools and shared her story.
Watch this video to hear Darlene explain what it was like to be a student more than 80 years ago!
Igniting Innovation
Sustainable Art
The fourth grade students at Waukee Elementary partnered with the Waukee Community Schools Foundation to create pieces of sustainable art for the foundation’s upcoming Impact Gala on Feb. 17. Mr. Linnet’s class created this piece using spoons from the lunchroom!
Tickets are still on sale for the Impact Gala, the largest annual fundraiser supporting Waukee CSD students and staff. Register now on the event website.
Safety & Security
School Board Passes Firearm Safety Resolution
On Jan. 22, the Waukee CSD School Board passed a resolution encouraging best practices in preventing minors from accessing firearms. The board resolved to work diligently to implement these three measures:
- Education about safe gun storage at home
- Advocating for additional state and federal funding for youth mental health
- Commitment to a safe, supportive, and collaborative learning environment
Read the full resolution. Learn more about our safety and security policies.
Spotlight: Business Services
Our staff members within Waukee CSD Business Services ensure the District’s overall financial integrity and stability. The department oversees a budget of $250 million (Waukee CSD is the fifth-largest school district in Iowa) and manages purchasing and procurement, accounting, payroll, cash, insurance, benefits, bond issuance, safety, wellness, budgeting, financial reporting, printing, and more.
For multiple years in a row, Business Services has earned both the Certificate of Excellence in Financial Reporting and the Meritorious Budget Award from the Association of School Business Officials International. These awards show our commitment to informative and accessible information adhering to nationally recognized standards in financial reporting.
Did you know?
- Waukee CSD maintains a strong, steady credit rating with Moody’s and S&P, which means lower interest rates for borrowing for capital projects.
- Business Services pays 2,200+ staff per month and issues nearly 15,000 purchase orders each year.
- Business Services has multiple employees with 20+ years of service (and one with more than 30 years!). Three of our staff are BOEE-certified School Business Officials.
Find more information — including our Annual Comprehensive Financial Report, District Fund Summary, Budget Calendar, and more — on our website.
