Summer 2022

I hope you're having a wonderful summer filled with sunshine and outdoor play! Please see below for updates and important dates coming up in a little over a month and a half. :-)

Please help spread the word!

We are looking for a Special Education Teacher for this upcoming year (new position added). Please help us spread the word far and wide because that is proving to be a hard to fill position across the state. We need the best! The link below can be shared to your social media or anyone you feel would be a great addition.

The Downtown School - Special Education Position

Thanks in advance!

2022-2023 Calendar

DTS-Calendar-2022-23-updated-5.17.doc

New and returning families can access a Glossary of Terms/FAQ document below to help acclimate/remind you of some of the things that make DTS special!

DTS Glossary of Terms 22/23.docx

After School Options

The following providers will be transporting DTS students to their site. We've been unable to secure an onsite location for next year. The largest barrier that I've heard back is difficulty staffing their current programming and lingering economic effects of Covid 19.

CCYC

http://creativecenterforyoungchildren.org/?page_id=42

1001 Pleasant Street | Des Moines, IA 50309 | 515-280-3032

Yellow Brick Road Downtown Campus

(Formerly Lil' Scholars)

756 9th Street

Des Moines, IA, 50309

515-285-2256

https://www.ybrecdc.org/downtown-des-moines-location/

Kindergarten Jumpstart

Wednesday, August 17th

4-6 PM

All incoming 5 year olds are welcome to join us for an afternoon of acclimation and FUN! All students will have the opportunity to meet our 5-6 year old teachers, get a tour of the school, and begin to visualize what their school day will look like. Classroom assignments will not be finalized for our incoming 5 year olds until Monday, August, 29th. This will give us 3 full days of students getting to know each other and acclimating themselves to each of our spaces and teachers. (Note - This is slightly different than the rest of our District).


2021-2022 Yearbook

  • We will have a yearbook available for purchase from this past school year. I apologize for the delay on this as several complications have delayed our ability to get it delivered. :-) Stay tuned for ordering details.

Registration

Our wonderful Office Manager Deb Vanwaardhuizen will be available and devoted to helping anything and everything school registration from 7:30 AM - 2:30 PM. Please reach out with any questions..

deborah.vanwaardhuizen@dmschools.org

Student Drop off and Pickup

Student Drop-off

  • All Students may be dropped off starting at 7:15. Breakfast will be served and students can travel to their classroom at 7:30 AM. We encourage all students to be dropped off as close to 7:15-7:30 as possible, because that is when they will be able to travel straight to their classroom.

  • Roundabout in front of our main entrance (North side) No parent parking until after 8:00 AM.

  • Parents also have the option, with a Downtown School parking tag, to park along the south side of Grand Ave where marked and walk their students across the street. (see diagram below). Parking tags can be picked up in our main office.

  • Staff will be present at main entrance and our roundabout to ensure safety and convenience.

  • Have the child that is being dropped off sitting on the right side of the vehicle so they can easily get out. For safety (both drop-off and dismissal) it’s better for students to be sitting on the right as we do not want them walking into the line of traffic to get in on the other side of the car.

Pick Up - Dismissal

  • 5/6, 7's, and older siblings will be picked up in the front of our building as cars approach the front of the line.

  • 8'9's and 10's will be picked up behind our building (South Side)

Meet the Teacher Night

Monday, August 22nd

4-6 PM

Come one, come all! All students are welcome to join us to meet their teacher and drop off supplies to get ready for our school year. Our wonderful PTA will also have some fun opportunities for families to connect and get excited for another great year at The Downtown School.

Families new to The Downtown School will also be welcomed at 5 PM to meet with Mr. Burnett in the library to get an overview and ask questions so we can hit the ground running.

DTS PTA, Membership, and Dues

https://dtspta.com/

  • If you're interested in joining the PTA, the PTA dues are $10/family, and student activity fee ($15/student) support learning and enrichment activities throughout the year. These funds spare DTS families the typical school fundraising efforts like magazine, wrapping paper and cookie dough sales!

Please complete the following form before selecting the link to complete your payment via PayPal:

https://dtspta.com/donate/

Supply Lists


5-6's (K-1)

  • Suggested student supplies -- please DO NOT label

  • Item / Description Quantity

  • Headphones that cover the ears (no earbuds please) 1

  • Tissues 1 box

  • Clorox wipes 3 pack

  • Crayola crayons 24 pack 4 boxes

  • Bold tip Classic Color Crayola markers 1 box

  • Batteries: AA (kindergarten) AAA (first grade) 1 packs

  • Dixon Ticonderoga Pencils 1 pack of 12

  • Dry erase BLACK markers (Expo Brand) thin 1 pack each

  • Glue sticks 1 pack

  • Ziplock baggies: Gallon size I box

  • Clear page protectors Sleeves pack of 50

  • Fiskers Child Scissors - 6 inch soft grip

  • Pentel Hi-Polymer Erasers (white)

Classroom Wish List

  • Color card stock

  • White card stock

  • Colored copy paper (Astro bright)

  • Pack of copy paper

  • Mr. Sketch (smelly) markers

  • Clear packing tape/duct tape/masking tape (for projects)

  • Sticky notes 3x5 index cards


7's (2nd)

  • Pencil box

  • 1 box pre-sharped pencils (Ticonderoga)

  • Coloring Materials:

  • Colored pencils

  • Crayons

  • Markers

  • 1 composition notebook

  • Headphones

  • THIN Dry Erase Markers

  • Copy Paper

  • Scissors

  • Tissues

  • Glue Sticks

  • 4 Spiral notebooks (Green, blue, yellow, red)

  • Sheet protectors


    Optional Supplies:
    Card stock (white)
    Card stock (colored)
    Clorox or Lysol disinfectant wipes
    Sanitizer




8/9 Year Old’s

2021-2022

School Supply List

School Supply List

* 1 24 pack (Ticonderoga sharpened pencils)

* Crayola Watercolor paint set of 12 colors (labeled)

* 1 box of Crayola colored pencils , 8-10 pack(labeled)

* 1 box Crayola Markers (8 or 10 count “Classic” colors)

* 1 box of Crayola crayons (24 pack)

* 2-4 Block erasers

* 2 –4 glue sticks

* headphones or earbuds (mandatory)

* 1 blue 3-pronged plastic folder

* 3 spiral notebooks (around 70 sheets, one green, one blue, one red, with child’s name)

* 1 wide-lined black and white composition notebook (please label w/ your child’s name)

* dry erase markers (low odor, fine point or chisel point)

* 2 rolls of Paper towels

* 1 container disinfecting wipes

* Scotch tape or packing tape

* Single pack of sticky notes

* 1 pack of plastic sleeves

* 1 ream of white cardstock (not construction paper)

* Ream of white copy paper

* Sanitizing wipes




10's (5th)

Personal supplies. Please label.

· 1 pencil box

· 4 three-prong folders (1 red, 1 blue, 1 green, 1 purple)

· 1 small package of fine point permanent markers (black)

· 1 pack of fine point permanent markers (assorted colors)

· 1 wide-ruled composition notebook

· 1 pair of ear buds or ear phones

Community Supplies. No need to label.

· 1 small package of fine point permanent markers (black)

· 3 large white vinyl block erasers

· 2-3 pack of glue sticks

· 3 pack of anti-bacterial wet wipes

· 1 package of Expo markers

· Page protectors (heavy duty works best)

Wish list

· White cardstock

· Fine tip Expo markers (black



Important Dates

Incoming 5 year old Meet and Greet

  • August 17th - 4-6 PM - DTS Playground - Please plan to meet us behind our building. If you take a sharp right on Grand, you can drive down the hill and circle around to the back.

Meet the Teacher Night

  • Monday, August 22nd - 4-6 PM

  • New families, please plan to meet with Mr. Burnett for an overview/welcome at 5 PM in the library.

First Day of School - August 24th - 7:45 - 2:40 (Doors open at 7:15)

  • First All School Sing - Friday, August 26th - 8:00 AM - 8:45 AM

NO SCHOOL - Monday, September 5th