General

This spring, students worked with art teachers, local historians and architects to learn about the different architecture styles of Dubuque’s downtown hotels and inns, study their history and relevance to the city’s cultural and economic development, and create mixed media or 3-D artwork.

The work was part of a new program called “Be Our Guest,” held in conjunction with Main Street Ltd. during the organization’s annual Architecture Days celebration. The program was funded through the Mediacom Arts and Culture grant program submitted by the Foundation for Dubuque Public Schools (FDPS).

Read More about “‘Be Our Guest’ Merges Visual Arts and Architecture”

The Dubuque Community School District will recommend the appointment of Phil Kramer as the district’s next executive director of human resources. Kramer will begin transitioning into the position over the next few months and will assume the position full-time on July 1, pending approval by the district Board of Education at its May meeting. Kramer will succeed Rick Colpitts, who is leaving the position to become the superintendent of the Western Dubuque Community School District.

As executive director of human resources, Kramer will oversee all human resources operations for the over 1,800 employees in the district. This includes district-wide planning and coordination of staff recruitment, the performance evaluation system, employee relations and personnel management.

Read More about “District Names Executive Director of Human Resources”

The Iowa legislature has been unable to reach an agreement on school funding for the fiscal year beginning on July 1, with the House passing a 1.25 percent increase in funding and the Senate passing a 4 percent increase. There is currently a Conference Committee from both chambers convened to negotiate the impasse.

TO REMAIN COMPETITIVE WITH EDUCATIONAL SPENDING ACROSS THE COUNTRY, IT IS CRITICAL THAT THE LEGISLATURE SET THE 2015-2016 INCREASE AT 4 PERCENT AND THE 2016-2017 INCREASE AT 6 PERCENT.

Learn more about the current status of funding and ways to voice your support.

The Dubuque Community School District recently acquired land and a home on Pennsylvania Avenue adjacent to Irving Elementary School. The land will provide for future needs at the school.

Bids are now being accepted for the home located on the property, and the bidder will be responsible for removing the home from the foundation and relocating it to another home site.

Read the official requirements and bid procedures for the home.

Second graders in Jen Gorrell’s class at Table Mound Elementary School got to see some of their classmates’ newly learned writing skills in action. As part of an exercise learning to write directions, students developed a step-by-step guide for  “how to catch a leprechaun.” They then showed off traps they constructed and talked about how they would, in fact, lure and catch a pesky little leprechaun.

Check out photos from the class.

Due to the ongoing occurrence of influenza-related illness at Eisenhower Elementary School, the school will be closed tomorrow, Friday, March 13. Staff assigned to Eisenhower should not report to work.

Since Monday, the school has experienced absentee rates from flu-like illness in the range of 23 to 28 percent daily.

This decision was made in consultation with state, county and city public health officials and is intended to interrupt exposure to the illness, which has an average incubation period of 48 hours.

To reduce the spread of illness, health officials also recommend that anyone who is sick or experiencing symptoms should stay home and avoid contact with others.

All other schools in the district will operate on their normal Friday schedules.