October Newsletter
Dear Central Academy Students and families,
PARENT TEACHER CONFERENCES
Our Parent Teacher conferences will be held on Thursday, October 24, and Tuesday, October 29, from 4 – 8 PM. These are designed to be short, face-to-face updates on how your child is progressing. If you need a longer conversation or cannot attend either of these dates, please email teachers directly. You can find all our teacher email addresses on our website: https://ca.dmschools.org/faculty/
FAFSA NIGHTS FOR SENIOR CLASS OF 2020
Students who are planning to attend college next year should fill out the FAFSA this month (or as soon as possible). The FAFSA is a free federal application that is used by colleges and universities throughout the United States to determine financial aid for college education. It will be used by committees awarding grants, scholarships, and loans. These groups will award financial aid until they run out. So, getting your application in earlier is an advantage.
GEAR UP offers any members of the class of 2020 who were a DMPS student for their 7th or 9th grade year a $1,200 per year scholarship when they complete the FAFSA. Talk about easy money! The FAFSA also qualifies you for student loans and need based grants.
The GEAR UP team is working together to offer different FAFSA help nights for DMPS students and families to attend as needed. If you are interested in attending one of the FAFSA nights, please pick the date that works best with your schedule! Each date and location have their own registration link, so please make sure you click on the link for the date you plan on attending.
Documents Needed:
You’ll need the student and the parent’s social security numbers, drivers license numbers (if you have one), the parent’s federal tax returns for 2018, records on untaxed income and information on savings and investments to complete the FAFSA. Find more details here: https://blog.ed.gov/2018/09/7-things-you-need-2019-20-fafsa/ (This blog is from last year but the information still applies.) You can also get more information here: https://studentaid.ed.gov/sa/fafsa/filling-out
Both the student and one parent/guardian will need an FSA I.D. to complete the FAFSA. If possible, create your FSA I.D. before the event to make sure you can finish the FAFSA in the 1 hour time slot. If you need assistance, you can complete this step at the event. The FSA I.D. is what you will use to sign into the FAFSA and to complete it. It will take each person 10-15 minutes to make an FSA I.D. and you can complete this step here: https://fsaid.ed.gov
GEAR UP FAFSA Nights:
East High School: Wednesday Oct 23rd
Register Here: https://forms.gle/yfPnRZFypQwuzx1z7
North High School: Monday, October 28th.
Register here: https://forms.gle/5KbT4tfwRw9TXPBD8
Roosevelt High School: Wednesday, November 13th.
Register here: https://forms.gle/8rkuusNeKjoqkaVd7
ICAN: Individual FAFSA Appointments: Mondays-Fridays 8:30-3:45.
Register here: https://www.schedulicity.com/scheduling/ICARUB
Central Academy is also offering a FAFSA night tonight in the Central Campus Library. There are some walk-in opening still available for the 4 – 5 PM time slot.
PROPOSED LEVY
Absentee ballots are out for the November 5 election. On the local ballot this year is a DMPS proposal to increase the Physical Plant & Equipment Levy (PPEL), while simultaneously lowering other levies, so that the tax rate in Des Moines remains unchanged. The proposal would generate $6.5 million for classroom technology and building maintenance while offsetting next year’s budget cuts. This is a strategic move to maximize our education budget and keep our tax rate flat. Before you vote, learn more about this initiative at ppel.dmschools.org.
DMPS is also holding community meetings about the proposal. Each meeting will begin at 5:30 PM and will include a presentation about the proposal and an opportunity to ask questions.
- October 16: Brubaker Elementary, 2900 E. 42nd Street
- October 17: Roosevelt High School, 4419 Center Street
- October 22: McCombs Middle School, 201 County Line Road
- October 24: North High School, 501 Holcomb Ave.
ADVANCED PLACEMENT EXAM ORDERING
The College Board, which operates the world wide Advanced Placement program, offers AP exams in May near the conclusion of high school AP classes. This year the College Board is requiring that schools order their AP exams in the fall. In DMPS, it is a 3-step process:
- Sign up for a College Board account at myap.collegeboard.org and join your advanced placement course online. (You’ll need a join code from your AP teacher). *Note: not all Academy classes are AP classes.
- Indicate to the College Board if you want to take the exam by November 8. (Schools are able to make corrections if orders are not placed correctly by students before finalizing the order).
- Sign up and pay for your exam(s) with your high school’s bookkeeper by November 11. Order forms are in the main office at each school. Academy handles the AP orders for our Out of District students.
Specific details about each of these steps can be found on our website at: https://ca.dmschools.org/adv-placement/ap-exam-information/
DENIS HILDRETH CELEBRATION OF LIFE
We have experienced an outpouring of sympathy and support as we grieve the loss of our beloved Mr. Hildreth. Thank you. Mr. Hildeth’s family is organizing a celebration of life on Saturday, November 16 from 2 -4 PM at Hoover High School in the Denis Hildreth Auditorium.