April

Happy April, Downtown School Families!

Thank you all for the warm welcome throughout this past month! I'm so grateful for the opportunity I have had leading the Downtown School. Working with your children has been so rewarding as they are such kind, creative, and brave human beings! It has also been such a pleasure building student leadership and supporting the DTS community!

Many of you have asked, and I'm certain others are curious, about what my plans are for next year as I will not be returning to DTS for SY 23-24. Through bittersweet emotions, I want to share that I will be joining the West Des Moines Community School District as Associate Principal at Clive Learning Academy.

It has truly been an incredible 15 years serving and growing with the DTS community. I am forever grateful for all our students, staff, and families who have entrusted me to be a part of their journey. I look forward to professional growth, but I certainly will miss everything that makes DTS such a special place. I very much appreciate each of you and your understanding.

We have a wonderful rest of the year ahead of us! I'm excited to be a part of all we can accomplish together in the next few months!

Below, you will find important dates and upcoming information.

As always, please reach out if you have any questions!

Yours in service,

Dana Allen

IMPORTANT CHANGE: Make Up School Days

A team of people recently reworked all of the math related to school days and hours, factoring in the cyber days. The result is that we have enough student contact time to add one day back to our May intercession with out making up any time.

Monday, May 22nd will be added back to May intercession as a no school day.
Tuesday, May 30th will remain a school make-up day.

REVISED 4-12-23 by Deb 2022-23 DTS Calendar Parent View.doc

Staffing Update

Please help me welcome Stacey Walter to our DTS community!

Hello!

My name is Stacey Walter (Ms. Stacey) and I am the newest member of the 8/9 team at Downtown School. I have been a teacher for more than 20 years, with all of my teaching experience at Cowles in the Montessori program with DMPS. I did my undergrad at UNI and received my Master's in Education from Viterbo University with an emphasis in Montessori education.

I live in Dallas Center with my rescue mutt, Shorty. I also am a server at the Handlebar in Dallas Center. In my free time, I love to hang out with my friends, listen to music, and read.

I am very excited to be joining the team at the Downtown School and look forward to getting to know all of the students and families!

There have been numerous questions about next year's staffing plan. We will finalize staffing once the Teacher Transfer Window closes in May.

Here's what I can tell you now:

K-1 will have 6 classroom teachers, classrooms will be capped at 16 students
Grades 2-5 will have 2 classrooms for each grade level, classrooms will be capped at 22 students
An additional interventionist will be added to the building
One coach will be staffed for the 23-24 school year

April All School Sing

April All School Sing is this Thursday, April 20th at 8:00 am.

We welcome you to sit with your child in the auditorium during All School Sing so you can join in on the fun! If you chose to, please join your child in their classroom prior to All School Sing by 7:50am. You will walk to the auditorium with your child's classroom and integrate into the mix of students when they are seated.

*We ask that if you choose to sit with your child that you join prior to them taking a seat, as it is challenge to move students around once they are seated.

We are always looking for parent talent who might be interested in accompanying the school when singing "This School is Your School." The tune is to "This Land is your Land." Historically we had parents, teachers, and students who learned the accompaniment to the music and played instruments on stage to lead us in our school song. Here's a video of the "old days!"

Please let me know if you or someone you know might be interested!

The Downtown School Auction

The DTS Auction is COMING IN APRIL!

The Downtown School's largest fundraiser is THIS WEEK - Thursday, April 20, at Ricochet in Des Moines! Come bid on live or silent auction items. Or just come to meet more members of the DTS community!

More information about the Auction is on the PTA website. And check out this Q&A for event details like parking and what to expect.

Can't attend in person?

You can still participate in the silent auction through the online website: DTS - DTS Auction (bidpal.net) . Get signed up now - bidding starts April 18th at 8:00am. Preview is available now!

Learn more on the PTA website or contact downtownschoolpta@gmail.com.

After School Programming Survey

Hi all!

We are in the process of gathering data for next year's offering for Downtown School and after school programming. We hear the need, but we need your input and data to support.

Please spend a few minutes of your day filling out this survey and helping our school. We appreciate your support.

Attached is the QR Code to scan or follow this link: https://dmschools.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_6QFRWXRhlnzl0oe

Any questions can be directed at myself, Mariah Button, Community School Coordinator via Snap or email mariah.button@dmschools.org.

Peace Throughout,

Mariah M. Button (she/her)

Community School Coordinator

Downtown School

Des Moines Public Schools

SY 23-24 Calendar

2023-24-DTS-Community-Calendar.pdf

A Word From Our Counselor

Students and families,

At the last All School Sing, we introduced the social thinking characters to everyone. There are 14 Unthinkable characters that all the students will know and recognize along with Superflex and his superpowers. We have enjoyed learning about them, since before spring break!

Weekly in class we work at thinking about how we can defeat each Unthinkable character with our brain sensor, Superflex Powers, and strategies.

We:

1) Stop

2) Think about which Unthinkable character I need to defeat

3) Take some deep breaths

4) Make a plan to using Superflex Powers

Stay tuned for the next All School Sing where we will meet a few more of our Social Unthinkable Characters and learn how to defeat them.

Dawn Coppinger

Professional School Counselor

Downtown School 515-242-8422 ext.4827

email: Dawn.coppinger@dmschools.org

Kindergarten Recruitment

We are actively recruiting incoming kindergartners!

If you know someone who is interested in having their child joining us for the SY23-24 school year, have them contact our office manager, Deb, at 515-242-8422 or email her at deborah.vanwaardhuizen@dmschools.org.

If you have not let Deb know about your own incoming kindergartener, please make sure to reach out as soon as possible to confirm she has you on our enrollment for next year.