Meal service from West Des Moines Community Schools (WDMCS) Nutrition Services will be changing for the summer months, starting June 2.

Summer Meals

Summer Meal Service

WDMCS will serve summer meals at three grab-and-go meal sites, starting Tuesday, June 2.

• Dates: June 2-Aug. 13
• Times: noon to 1 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays
• Summer Grab-and-Go Meal Sites  
  • Valley High School
  • Stilwell Junior High
  • Crestview School of Inquiry

Grab-and-Go Guidelines

• Signage directing traffic will be posted at each location.
• Boxes with 3 breakfasts and 3 lunches will be provided for each child.
• Vehicles will need to enter drive-thru lines as directed and open their trunk or back hatch for boxes to be placed in vehicle.
• Driver will then need to pull forward and exit vehicle to shut trunk or hatch.
• Staff will not be allowed to touch vehicles to open or shut trunks and hatches. Staff will be required to keep a 6-foot distance from all vehicle occupants.

Parent/guardians can pick up meals for children 1-18 from any of the WDMCS summer meal sites. No identification or registration is required, other than stating the name of your child.

Summer Home Delivery

Summer home delivery will remain on Monday and Wednesdays.

Sign Up for Summer Home Meal Delivery

Waiver Extension

The WDMCS Summer Meal Service was made possible by the extension of three nationwide waivers by the USDA (United States Department of Agriculture). Extending the waivers through Aug. 31 gives child nutrition programs the flexibility they need to continue to feed children while promoting social distancing and keeping families safe.

For families, the waivers mean:

• WDMCS can serve grab-and-go meals to support social distancing (Non-Congregate Feeding waiver)
• parent/guardians can pick up meals and bring them home to children (Parent Pickup waiver)
• WDMCS can provide multiple days worth of meals at one time (Meal Times waiver)

WDMCS Nutrition Services Department upholds the USDA Nondiscrimination Statement, the Iowa Civil Rights Commission Nondiscrimination Statement, and the WDMCS Non-Discrimination Policy.

It’s almost the last day of school for the 2019-20 school year.

• Friday, May 29, is the last day of school for students.
• The last day of school for teachers is Monday, June 1.

Have a great summer,
West Des Moines Community Schools

Students who attended a West Des Moines Community Schools (WDMCS) elementary are invited back for Seniors Come Home. This special event gives high school seniors the opportunity to visit their home elementary schools so teachers and fellow students can wish them well on their upcoming graduation. Seniors Come Home has been a tradition in the WDMCS for more than 25 years.

Due to the COVID-19 crisis, please ensure to follow appropriate social distancing guidelines. Here is the information that was provided to WDMCS:

Clive Learning Academy

Clive Learning Academy held a virtual Seniors Come Home experience before this roundup published.

Crestview School of Inquiry: Monday, June 1 — 1-1:30 p.m.

To honor our Crestview School of Inquiry graduating seniors and to still comply with the COVID-19 regulations, you’re invited to be part of a reverse parade on Monday, June 1, from 1-1:30 p.m. Seniors will be invited to drive through the east parking lot while staff and teachers line up (social distancing, of course) along the area to cheer. Please consider joining us for this event. Bring noise makers, posters, etc.

Crossroads Park Elementary: Thursday, June 25 — 4-5 p.m.

Crossroads Park would love to honor its graduating seniors with a car parade through the school’s parking lot on Thursday, June 25, from 4-5 p.m. Staff past and present will cheer students on to their next adventure. We invite seniors to make a sign for their vehicle that includes full name and future plans.  At the end of the car parade, seniors will receive the letter they wrote in sixth grade.

Fairmeadows Elementary: Thursday, May 28 — 4-5 p.m.

To honor our Fairmeadows Elementary graduating seniors, a parade through the school’s parking lot will be held on Thursday, May 28, from 4-5 p.m. If seniors would like to participate, please write your first and last name on a piece of paper so you can be issued your sixth-grade letters. Please follow social distancing guidelines by remaining in your vehicle.

Hillside Elementary: 4 p.m. Wednesday, May 27

To honor our Hillside Elementary graduating seniors, a parade through the school’s parking lot will be held on Wednesday, May 27, beginning at 4 p.m. If seniors would like to participate, you are welcome to make a sign for your vehicle that includes your name and future plans.Please follow social distancing guidelines by remaining in your vehicle.

Check out highlights from the Hillside event >

Jordan Creek Elementary: Thursday, June 25 (tentative)

Jordan Creek Elementary will celebrate Seniors Come Home with in-person events on Thursday, June 25 — two days prior to Valley High School’s summer commencement — pending guidance from state and district leadership. The event will be held outside on the playground. In case of inclement weather, the event will be moved to the Community Room at the Learning Resource Center.

If Valley’s commencement is postponed in June, Jordan Creek’s Seniors Come Home event will move to July. If commencement is canceled in July, school administration will determine a way to distribute time capsules and letters to the graduates. Check back later for an update.

Western Hills Elementary: Monday, Dec. 21 — 2:30-4 p.m.

Western Hills Elementary will have a reception at the building on Monday, Dec. 21, from 2:30-4 p.m.  Miss Snodgrass, a retiring sixth-grade teacher, will come back to meet with the students, and the school community will celebrate her retirement at the same event.  Current sixth-grade students will come in for a portion to ask the returning seniors questions.

Westridge Elementary: Thursday, June 25 (tentative)

Westridge Elementary will celebrate Seniors Come Home with in-person events on Thursday, June 25 — two days prior to Valley High School’s summer commencement — pending guidance from state and district leadership. The event will be held outside on the playground. In the case of inclement weather, the event will be moved to the Community Room at the Learning Resource Center.

If Valley’s commencement is postponed in June, Westridge’s Seniors Come Home event will move to July. If commencement is canceled in July, school administration will determine a way to distribute time capsules and letters to the graduates. Check back later for an update.

The WDMCS Transportation Department is requesting families who would like to take advantage of school bus transportation for their student(s) to register now for the 2020-21 school year. It is required for every student who plans to ride on the bus to register each year. 

You can register either through an online form or by calling the department’s automated phone line: 515-633-4990 (for English speakers) and 515-633-4989 (en español). The phone line is available 24 hours a day, every day.

Complete the form TODAY

Welcome to the WDMCS! Thank you for choosing to start your education journey with the WDMCS. We are excited to have you!

In a news conference Friday, April 17, Iowa Governor Kim Reynolds announced that Iowa K-12 public schools would be closed for the remainder of the 2019-20 school year. She explained the extended closure was necessary to protect the well-being of students, staff, families, and the broader community. It was also announced Friday that high school sports spring seasons are canceled. Summer sports seasons are still being assessed by state officials.

WDMCS shared in an April 9 communication that in light of the current school closure, we would provide voluntary educational enrichment opportunities for our students. This was one of three options the Iowa Department of Education provided to districts.

Although this plan was initially created to support student learning through April 30, we will extend the plan through the end of the school year. Elementary teachers will continue to provide weekly learning opportunities to K-6 students, and secondary teachers will engage students in course-specific learning opportunities through Canvas.

Now that we know students will not return to school this academic year, WDMCS leadership will follow additional guidance from the Governor’s office and the Iowa Department of Education related to the closure, summer programming, etc., and will prioritize:

• Pick-up of personal items from the school buildings. Each building will send more information coordinating pick-up to families soon
• Senior celebrations, including graduation, Honors Night, National Honor Society induction, and athletics recognition
• Impact of other events scheduled in the coming weeks
• Summer academic opportunities, including Stretching Minds and Summer Enrichment Adventures
• Summer athletics, activities, and camps
• 2020-21 academic year impact, including tryouts for fall activities and back-to-school activities that begin in early August

Thank you for your patience as we work through these priorities to support our students through the COVID-19 pandemic.

While we can’t be together physically, please know that we are thinking of each WDMCS student, family, and staff member. You are important to us, and we will continue to connect with and support you virtually. We are WDMCS!