Residents have come before school boards across the Des Moines metro in recent weeks, arguing that some books are obscene even pornographic and should not be available to students due to . URBANDALE, Iowa The book "Hey, Kiddo" is being reviewed to determine if it is appropriate for students at Urbandale High School. We strive for each student and staff member to feel included and connected at UMS. This board meeting is a closed session that begins at 6 p.m. Hearst Television participates in various affiliate marketing programs, which means we may get paid commissions on editorially chosen products purchased through our links to retailer sites. "Parents do have the right and responsibility to monitor what their children watches or reads, but not to make decisions for all students and parents," said Miriam Woods, a . Visit our webpage: berlin.k12.wi.us August 25, 2022 at 5:30 PM - SPECIAL BOARD MEETING. Seating will be on a first come, first seated basis. "The books in question have been called 'obscene' by those bringing complaints to the district," Heasley wrote. #weappreciateU On Tuesday, July 12, 2022, a Special Election will take place in order to fill the Residents have come before school boards across the Des Moines metro in recent weeks, arguingthat some books are obscene even pornographic and should not be available to students due to their language, violence,sexual content or general sentiment. 3 min read. arguingthat some books are obscene even pornographic and should not be available to students, Concerns raised by Des Moines metro parents about LGBTQ-related books in school libraries reflect national debate, saying that the books are being taken out of context, called for criminal penalties for school staff distributing "obscene" material to students, Iowa senator calls for felony penalty for distribution of 'obscene' materials in schools, a letter written by long-time English teacher Matt Pries, Waukee schools pull LGBT books from library shelves after parents express concerns, Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. Urbandale School Board to discuss status of principal placed on administrative leave, CONFIRMATION BY EASTER. The latest breaking updates, delivered straight to your email inbox. During tonight's School Board meeting, the Board awarded Certificates of Recognition to UCSD students. Garza's letter was released the same day as the Centers for Disease Controlrecommended masking indoors for all teachers, staff, students and visitors to K-12 schools regardless of vaccination status. Face masks are optional, but strongly encouraged in order to help mitigate transmission of the COVID-19 virus. 1:09. Urbandale High School is a four-year comprehensive high school with more than 100 semester course offerings in a wide range of subject areas, including accelerated classes, advanced placement classes, dual enrollment classes with Des Moines Area Community College and opportunities for students to take classes at Central Campus in Des . So far, no reason has been given for her being put on leave. For more information about Board Meetings, please view Board Policy 209. "We worry not only about losing the Brimeyers themselves, but also whether other teachers and staff members and families feel a shift in the culture of the Urbandale school as one that they don't want to continue to be a part of," she said. He first called for criminal penalties for school staff distributing "obscene" material to students at a district meeting last week in Johnston. Tweet. Welcome to the Berlin Area School District where kids are first! More: Concerns raised by Des Moines metro parents about LGBTQ-related books in school libraries reflect national debate. Jill Neas, a parent and educator who lives in Urbandale, read a letter written by long-time English teacher Matt Pries of Waukee that he directed to Chapman. "To call these books obscene is to call the lived experience of our students obscene. We look forward to welcoming you to UHS! Parents Stephen and JillianHudson, who have a child attending kindergartenin the Oak Creek-Franklin School District, wrote a letter to the district on behalf of a group of 50 parents and community members asking the district to institute a mask mandate. All UCSD Work Session Meetings and Regular Board Meetings are scheduled to begin at 6:30 p.m. unless otherwise noted. Ken Christensen, a New Berlin resident, shares the same concern for histwo elementary-aged children in the local school district and said he's concerned about the lack of a mandate in light of the increase in COVID-19 cases caused by the delta variant and concern for children who are not eligible for COVID-19 vaccination. Christensen said that he was planning to have his children return to in-person school after they were virtual last year, but that his childrenwould be wearing masks in classrooms. Last day of school for Rolling Green students: Thursday, June 15, 2023. He said he and his wife kept their children in virtual learning last year due to COVID-19 infection concerns. Urbandale's school board is holding a special meeting Monday.The agenda states it is to evaluate a staff member's professional competency, per the Iowa code.According to the Des Moines Register, the board will discuss the status of the Olmsted Elementary principal.Elyse Brimeyer was placed on paid administrative leave on Jan. 25. In Urbandale, we're fortunate to offer both before & after school childcare through our Adventuretime Family Services Program. He said they weren't the only books available in Urbandale schools with inappropriate content, but are the most critical to be considered now. #UrbandalePride, Welcome to Urbandale Construction Central, about April 2023 Design and Construction Update, about March 2023 Design and Construction Update, 2023 Urbandale Community School District, which was the name that received the highest number of responses in survey #2, April 2023 Design and Construction Update, March 2023 Design and Construction Update, Board Approves Name Of New Elementary School. How To Attend. How dare you.". All rights reserved. Given the existing COVID-19 pandemic, combined with space limitations of the meeting room, community members are invited to attend the meeting in a socially distanced manner to the extent possible. Organizational Meeting: The meeting shall be called to order by the Superintendent. She said she trusts the administration to guide the district through the process and she understands that people have questions. UMS serves over 925 students grades 6th-8th in a variety of engaging ways both inside the classroom and outside the classroom. Oak Creek-Franklin School District officials have not yet responded to requests for comment. Instead, public comment will take place at the next Regular School Board meeting. 2 min read. Adventuretime (Preschool, Before/After School Care), Annual Progress Reports/School Performance, Iowa Eligibility Form (Free & Reduced Meals), Urbandale Times (UHS student publication), Metro West Academy Calendar for 2022-2023, English KA 2023-2024 Calendar (year-round), English KA 2024 2025 Calendar (year-round), Hosting & Maintenance by Juicebox Interactive, All UCSD schools (preschool12th grades) will have a. Urbandale, . Urbandale's school board is holding a special meeting Monday. Dec 9, 2019. Meeting Dates & Descriptions He said that his experience with administrators over his concerns to get the books reviewed has "shattered" his beliefs in district officials. "The anonymous surveys I employed as part of my research showed that not only did kids love the books, but the books ledthem to realize there were books written for, and about, them," Pries wrote. The board was originally set to vote on an appointee out of four candidates Monday. Congratulations to Bennett Sebastian for earning the Iowa Golf Coaches . We strive for each student and staff member to feel included and connected at UMS. A district board appointed by Florida Gov. New members of the Board will then be sworn into office. How To Attend For more than 30 minutes, community members expressed their gratitude for Brimeyer's leadership and asked the board to . "Central office administration believes it's time to get kids back in the classroom," Superintendent Steve Bass said during Monday night's board meeting. Urbandale's school board is holding a special meeting Monday.The agenda states it is to evaluate a staff member's professional competency, per the Iowa code.According to the Des Moines Register . ", Previously: Waukee schools pull LGBT books from library shelves after parents express concerns. Asked aboutBrimeyer's current job title, the district said itis still elementary principal. Therefore, representing a group of parents, we are writing to safeguard the safety of our students and their teachers and staff," the Hudsons wrote. Both also citedscientific journals, as well asorganizations such as the CDC, the Wisconsin Department of Health Services, Children's Hospital of Wisconsin and the American Academy of Pediatrics that talk about the effectiveness of masks and their recommendations of masks to support the parents'argument for the mask mandate. "Providing a transparently unsafe work environment with reckless disregard for the health and safety of teachers and staff would discourage the best teachers and employees from seeking employment in our district. Actively building inclusive & welcoming learning environments. Some speakers across the metro have said the books are triggering to survivors of sexual assault and serve to groomchildren. How To Attend A School Board Meeting. 600 Cedar St. New Berlin, IL 62670 [ map it] Agenda. So far, no reason has been given for her being put on leave.This board meeting is a closed session that begins at 6 p.m.Other headlines: Amazon Has Uncanny Dupes of CB2's Popular Dining Chair for Hundreds Less. During the October 12, 2020 School Board Meeting, the School Board voted in favor of an earlier construction start date for our second new elementary school (on the Valerius site) which means construction will begin summer (2021) with completion fall 2023. . Urbandale will be a school district that brings learning to life for everyone. Urbandale parents and residents crowded their district's school board meeting Monday to question the board about the sudden departure of Olmsted Elementary Principal Elyse Brimeyer. the urbandale school board meeting takes place this afternoon from four this afternoon until 6:00 this evening live in urbandale marcus mcintosh kcci 8 news, iowa news leader. Urbandale becomes first Des Moines suburban school district to require masks, following court ruling Sarah Kay LeBlanc, Des Moines Register 9/16/2021 Mountain lion dies in surgery after being shot . Milwaukee County's public health officers released a statement Aug. 5 recommending universal masking for all students, staff, teachers and visitors in K-12 schools regardless of vaccination status. are being conducted in person while simultaneously livestreaming on the District, Adventuretime (Preschool, Before/After School Care), Annual Progress Reports/School Performance, Iowa Eligibility Form (Free & Reduced Meals), Urbandale Times (UHS student publication), Hosting & Maintenance by Juicebox Interactive. District-Wide. Meeting Dates & Descriptions Residents have come before school boards across . "That goes in complete opposition to what most of the respected healthcare experts are recommending," said Christensen. Research salary, company info, career paths, and top skills for 8th Grade Science Teacher [2023-24 School Year] Neither have school board president Janet Schulz and district coordinator of communications and public relations David Cotey. Ron DeSantis passed a motion Monday during an emergency meeting to counter-sue Walt Disney World. About a dozen people spoke out at an Urbandale school board meeting Monday over whether certain books available to students are vulgar or valuable. Elementary Library. UCSD School Board Meetings are being conducted in person while simultaneously livestreaming on the District YouTube Channel. View the job description, responsibilities and qualifications for this position. #teachingall #reachingall #welcomingall. Zach Weis, the president of the Olmsted Elementary PTO, has two children at Olmstedand said his familyopen-enrolled in the district specifically for Brimeyer. The Urbandale School District announced it has reached a settlement agreement with former principal Elyse Brimeyer, but questions remain.She worked at Olmsted Elementary and was placed on paid . All actions and communications from the public will take place at the next Regular School Board meeting. For more information about Board Meetings, please viewBoard Policy 209. 2023-2024 School Year. For more . How To Attend A School Board Meeting Urbandale parents and residents crowded their district's school board meeting Monday to question the board about the sudden departure of Olmsted Elementary Principal Elyse Brimeyer. During the December 9th Urbandale CSD School Board meeting, Superintendent Steve Bass brought a recommendation from the Naming Committee to the School Board for consideration. The election and qualification will be entered in the minutes by the Board Secretary. "The district is not taking what I would describe as serious measures to decrease the risk of COVID infection in children," Christensen said. Brimeyer served as the principal of Olmsted Elementary for several years and her husband, Ted Brimeyer, also works in the district, as the director of choirs. Urbandale will be a school district that brings learning to life for everyone. Urbandale residents will vote for their next school board member in a special election this year after members failed to reach a majority vote. "If this can't be shown on the five o'clock news, why is it OK for our children to have access to it in the safest environment they should be in?" Projector. Urbandale Community School District 11152 Aurora Avenue Urbandale, IA 50322 P. (515 . Other parents, students and teachers have responded by saying that the books are being taken out of context andare crucial for students to see themselves reflected in literature or to learn about different perspectives as other books featuring straight or white characters tend to go unchallenged. "Explaining that to my kids, why somebody that they love, that was in their life for so long, isjust completely taking out the picture is very difficult.". They also said children should return to full-time in-person learning in the fall with layered prevention strategies in place. Bulletin Board; Archived 2018-19 Agendas & Minutes; Archived 2019-20 Agendas & Minutes; . Meeting Type: Special. DOWNLOAD THE APP: Get the latest news, sports and Garza has not yet responded to a request for an interview. Thank you! Your California Privacy Rights / Privacy Policy. . Urbandale parents and residents crowded their district's school board meeting Monday to question the board about the sudden departure of Olmsted Elementary Principal Elyse Brimeyer. The agenda states it is to evaluate a staff member's professional competency, per the Iowa code. The Register reports Brimeyer's husband emailed supporters saying his wife is meeting with the board with her attorney. Last day of school for all UCSD students except Rolling Green: Thursday, June 1, 2023. Field trips, assemblies and study halls will all return to normal, Garza said. The public shall have a right to be present unless a topic may be discussed in closed session, but the public shall not have a right to address the Board during a Work Session. Results of the Urbandale School Board Special Election are as follows: Daniel Gutmann = 1,192 (55.96%) Steve Avis = 936 (43.94%) Write-in = 2 (0.09%) We thank both candidates for their dedication to UCSD students, staff, and families! About 20 Karen Acres parents attended the Urbandale School Board meeting and three of them spoke to the board Monday, expressing their support for Schlotterbeck, their disappointment at "how this . Posted Thu, Jan 4, 2018 at 2:16 pm CT. URBANDALE, IA In approximately a month, Urbandale residents will vote on whether to support a school district plan to close four elementary buildings an . Go J-Hawks! Extended School Year Operations Plan; Reopening Plan Fall 2020; Board Member Search Oct 2020; Virtual Veterans Day Ceremony; We also thank our Urbandale students, staff, families, and community members for participating in this Naming Process of our first new elementary school. Follower her on Twitter at @sarahkayleblanc. Contact Alec Johnson at (262) 875-9469 or alec.johnson@jrn.com . Dennis Murphy, a parent with a child in Urbandale schools, came to the board with five books "All Boys Aren't Blue," "Gender Queer," "Lawn Boy," "Hey Kiddo" and "The Absolutely True Diary of a Part-Time Indian" thathe called pornographic. The group also has the support of the district's teachers union. Face masks are optional, but strongly encouraged in order to help mitigate transmission of the COVID-19 virus. 2023, Hearst Television Inc. on behalf of KCCI-TV. The Board requested further discussion for the best way to honor and pay tribute to the two survey name finalists, Justin S. Martin and Peggy A. Whitson, in order to ensure the tribute selected is meaningful and thoughtful for young learners. Apply for the Job in 8th Grade Science Teacher [2023-24 School Year] at Urbandale, IA. Instructions for how to sign up for public comment are located within the Public Comment section of the specific Board Meeting Agenda for which you would like to request to speak. About a dozen people spoke out at an Urbandale school boardmeetingMondayover whether certain books available to studentsare vulgar or valuable. We offer a broad curriculum and challenge students with active learning opportunities in and outside of the classroom, (515) 457-6600 [Attendance Line: (515) 457-6605] [Fax Number: (515) 457-6610], Monday Late Starts: 9:15am to 3:05pm (students may enter building at 8:50am), Adventuretime (Preschool, Before/After School Care), Annual Progress Reports/School Performance, Iowa Eligibility Form (Free & Reduced Meals), Urbandale Times (UHS student publication), UMS Open House September 1st 5pm 7pm, UMS Schedule Pick Up and School Pictures 2022/23, School Supplies 2022/2023; First Day of School August 23rd, We Celebrate Our UCSD Board Of Directors During School Board Recognition Month May 2023, Join Us In Celebrating National Principals Day May 1, 2023, UHS Students Receive Outstanding Awards at the Burbs 2023 Art Show, Hosting & Maintenance by Juicebox Interactive. ", She pointed totext on the front page of the district's websiteas support for her stance: "Empowering students to have greater ownership and voice in their learning. Copyright 2015-2023. 8 shares. Annual Meeting: The Board shall audit the report of the Secretary-Treasurer for the year ending on the preceding June 30. Regarding other health measures, Garza said the district would be reducing and removing social distancing restrictions and removing most of the Plexiglasin the district's buildings. Our priorities and values include Safety, Empathy, Accountability and Respect for everyone in our building. Neither have school board president Janet Schulz and district coordinator of communications and public relations David Cotey. More: Iowa senator calls for felony penalty for distribution of 'obscene' materials in schools. 2024-2025 School Year. In the letter, Pries said that he has conducted research and offered students titles in the early 2000s, including "The Catcher in the Rye," that contain "profanity, sex, abuse, drugs, alcohol, defiance of authority, racism, theft, attempted rapeand so on." To confirm the location of each meeting and view the agenda, please visit the Simbli site,select Meetings, select Meetings Listing, and select the title of the meeting. To confirm the location of each meeting and view the agenda, please visit the Simbli site, select "Meetings," select "Meetings . thanks so much . School Board Work Sessions and School Board Meetings will livestream on the District YouTube Channel and can be accessed below when in progress. Public Comments During A School Board Meeting Urbandale will be a school district that brings learning to life for everyone. Members decided to hold a special meeting Wednesday after tying twice between . Chris Higgins covers the eastern suburbs for the Register. "We make shifts and adjustments based on the most current information available to us, and we will continue to do so throughout the year. About Us. The Board shall examine, reconcile, and approve, if in order, the report, and the President and Secretary-Treasurer shall affix their signatures thereto.