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Articles from April 2021

Dubuque Community School District Receives State Communication Awards

The Dubuque Community School District was recently recognized for its communication efforts at the 2021 Iowa School Public Relations Association (ISPRA) Communication Contest, honoring outstanding school communication throughout the state.

Iowa School Public Relations Association Logo

The district received 14 awards in the contest, with each entry evaluated and scored independently by school communication professionals in the Wisconsin and California. Based on a scoring rubric, winning entries can receive (from lowest to highest honors) an Award of Merit, an Award of Excellence, or a Blue and Gold Award, given to entries recognized as best in the state for receiving the top overall score of 5 out of 5.

The district was honored with the following:

BLUE AND GOLD AWARDS

AWARD OF EXCELLENCE

AWARD OF MERIT

“As a district, we believe that having outstanding schools relies on having an engaged, informed community,” said Mike Cyze, chief communication officer. “We work hard to proactively and transparently communicate to those we serve and we are pleased to be recognized for our work in doing so.”

District Recognized Among 2021 ‘Best Communities for Music Education’

2021 Best Communities for Music Education, brought to you by the NAMM Foundation. Proud BCME DistrictThe Dubuque Community School District has again been honored with the Best Communities for Music Education designation from The NAMM Foundation for its outstanding commitment to music education.

This is the fourth consecutive year the district has received the honor.

Now in its 22nd year, the Best Communities for Music Education designation is awarded to districts that demonstrate outstanding achievement in efforts to provide music access and education to all students.

To qualify for the Best Communities designation, the district answered detailed questions about funding, graduation requirements, music class participation, instruction time, facilities, support for the music program and community music-making programs. Responses were verified with school officials and reviewed by The Music Research Institute at the University of Kansas.

“The district has long recognized the value of music education in our schools, and music remains an integral part of our curricular and extracurricular offerings,” said Stan Rheingans, superintendent of schools. “Our district commitment is underscored by tremendous partnerships throughout our community that support our work to expose students to music education. This honor is truly a community honor.”

About The NAMM Foundation
The NAMM Foundation is a nonprofit supported in part by the National Association of Music Merchants and its approximately 10,400 members around the world. The foundation advances active participation in music making across the lifespan by supporting scientific research, philanthropic giving and public service programs.

Fassbinder Named Next District Manager of Buildings and Grounds

The Dubuque Community School District is pleased to announce the appointment of Mark Fassbinder as the district’s next manager of buildings and grounds, pending approval by the Board of Education at its April 12 meeting. Fassbinder, who currently serves as an architect and project manager with IIW, P.C., will succeed Bill Burkhart, who will retire at the end of June.

Mark Fassbinder

Mark Fassbinder

As manager of buildings and grounds, Fassbinder will supervise all aspects of the district’s physical plant operations, including project management, staffing and budgeting. He will be a key leader in the short- and long-term planning, budgeting and execution of the maintenance, repairs, renovations and additions to district facilities, while also working with the district’s outside vendors and contractors.

“Mark brings an in-depth working knowledge of not only the district’s facilities, but also of the public improvement process and the operations of the buildings and grounds department,” said Chief Financial Officer Kevin Kelleher. “His experience as an architect and project manager, both on district projects and with a variety of other organizations, make him an ideal fit for this role.”

Fassbinder has been an architect and project manager with IIW since 2009. In this role, he coordinates design and construction project from planning to completion, working with both internal and external design team members, consultants and contractors. Prior to his work with IIW, Fassbinder served as an architectural intern and project manager with Durrant Group, and as an architectural draftsman with Shive Hattery.

Throughout his career, he has worked closely with a wide variety of district projects including work at 15 of the district’s 19 school buildings, as well as other non-school district facilities. He served as the project manager for the construction of Eleanor Roosevelt Middle School, for additions/renovations at Table Mound Elementary School, Kennedy Elementary School, and Irving Elementary School, and most recently at the Alta Vista Campus.

Fassbinder holds an associate of applied science degree in architectural technology from Kirkwood Community College and a bachelor of fine arts degree from the University of Northern Iowa. Professionally, he is a member of the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards (NCARB). He is a Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) Accredited Professional.

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Dubuque-Area K-12 Virtual Art Exhibition

We are pleased to present the 2021 Dubuque-Area K-12 Virtual Art Exhibition, a way to highlight student work in a year that makes in unable to do so in person.

The exhibit features the ability to virtually walk through a curated gallery of work — and we hope you’ll enjoy immersing yourself in the exhibit as the vision of these talented student artists comes to life.

VIEW THE VIRTUAL EXHIBITION

HOSTED BY:

 

 

 

Dubuque Museum of Art Logo

 

 

 

SPONSORED BY:

NEWS Dutrac Logo

2021 Graduation Update

Dear Parents/Guardians of the Class of 2021,

In just a few short months, your student in the Class of 2021 will walk across the stage to receive their Dubuque Community School District diploma – proudly becoming a graduate of Dubuque Senior High School or Hempstead High School.

While we continue to move closer to normal, we will again make adjustments to this year’s graduation ceremony to ensure that we are providing a safe environment for our students and their families.

  • The most significant change is that the ceremony will be held outdoors at Dalzell Field in order to provide additional capacity while also allowing for appropriate physical distancing.
  • As scheduled, graduation will be held on Saturday, May 29, and we will use Sunday, May 30, as a rain date should weather present an issue on Saturday.
  • Dubuque Senior High School’s ceremony will be held at 10 a.m. and Hempstead High School’s ceremony will be held at 3 p.m.
  • Based on the capacity of Dalzell Field, each graduate may receive up to eight (8) tickets. WATCH YOUR EMAIL IN THE NEXT FEW WEEKS FOR TICKET RESERVATION DETAILS.
  • We will again livestream the graduation ceremonies for family and friends who are unable to attend the ceremony in person.

Additional details about logistics, safety protocols and ticketing will be shared as our graduation planning continues.

We are excited to be able to hold an in-person celebration of the Class of 2021. Best wishes as your student completes the remainder of their senior year!

Sincerely,
Stan Rheingans
Superintendent of Schools