Welcome Home, Central Academy Students!
Dear Central Academy Students and Families,
Welcome and Welcome back to a new school year! One of our goals this year is for students to earn A’s and B’s in all of their Academy classes. Our course work is challenging because it is accelerated and often at the college-level. For students new to Academy, it can sometimes feel overwhelming. Some students feel like they must “prove” themselves at Academy. But really, they have already demonstrated a need for advanced, accelerated, or unique course work– that’s why they are here.
Our motto is “We hold ourselves to the highest standards and support each other in our lowest moments.” Our teachers and staff will work alongside you to guide you through the rough parts and celebrate your victories. If you are feeling overwhelmed by the work, rest assured, you are not alone, and we will help you. But help won’t mean giving you the answers; instead, we’ll help you explore your own thinking and develop your own ideas. It’s hard work and so much more interesting and fulfilling.
Recently, the Podcast, Hidden Brain, aired an episode that truly speaks to the attitudes, thought processes, and behaviors of our most successful students. Give it a listen. Then bookmark it, and listen again in October, when, for most people, the coursework begins to feel difficult. https://hiddenbrain.org/podcast/learning-from-your-mistakes/
The Academy staff is pleased to welcome several new members.
- Anna Brown is joining our Science Department with 20 years of science teaching experience. She is returning to Des Moines Public Schools after 7 years at Baxter High School where she was recognized in 2022 with Iowa’s Excellence in Education Award.
- Tri-lingual Garrett Jones is joining the World Language team to teach Japanese. He lived in Japan for a short time before starting his career as a German teacher in Waukee.
- Keyona Ortiz is joining the main office team as a Campus Monitor this year. She transferred from Hoyt Middle School. She has deep experience in safety and security. We are excited to have her on our team.
- Nini Osaze-Quetel is joining the Social Science Department. With a degree in Psychology and Sociology, her work has spanned across educational and clinical fields including secretarial, paraprofessional, behavior therapist, assistant teacher, and child protection with an accumulation of 20 years of service to children and adults.
- Kelsy Temple is joining the English Department after teaching DMACC dual credit English Composition courses at Carlisle High School. Passionate, meticulous, and with a vibrant sense of humor, she is natural addition to the Academy family.
IMPORTANT INFORMATION:
Classes for students in grades 7 – 12 start on Monday, August 26. Here is the Calendar for the School year. 2024 25 DMPS Calendar
An Orientation Open House is scheduled for Thursday, August 22 from 4 – 6 PM. Drop by and meet your teachers and find your classrooms. If you are not able to attend during the event, the building is open from 8 – 4, M – F; just stop by the main office and request to look around. Teachers will be in meetings and may not be able to meet with you outside of the Orientation Open House event. You can always email teachers to share information about yourself or your child. Email addresses are found on our website.
The Academy building is easy to navigate, and I am confident that we can help you find your way on the first day of classes. Use this map to help you orient. FY2025 Academy Floor Map
The Academy teachers will be making welcome videos next week. As they complete their videos, I will be posting them on our webpage from the Academy YouTube Channel. Last year’s videos will remain up until the new ones are produced.
FIRST DAY
Remember, Academy classes begin on the first day of school, Monday, August 26.
CLASS TIMES HAVE CHANGED
High Schools begin and end their day 10 minutes earlier this year. Correspondingly, Central bus and bell times have also moved up 10 minutes for this school year. Shuttle buses to Central High School students will be following the 8-period schedule for bell times and shuttle buses. We highly recommend using the shuttle buses to get to Central to avoid the traffic and parking headaches. And now all yellow buses have free WiFi! FY2025 Central Bus and Bell Time Poster
Middle schools start at the same time as they did last year, but Central Academy must follow the High School Schedule. So, Eighth Grade Academy classes at Academy begin at 8:35. Shuttle buses to Central are scheduled to load passengers at your middle school at 8:10. The transportation department has arranged their schedule so that students who ride a yellow bus to their middle school will arrive on time to catch the Central Shuttle. Academy doors open at 8:00 AM. FY2025 Middle School Bus and Bell Time Poster
BREAKFAST & LUNCH
Middle school students eat lunch at their middle schools. If they start their day at Academy, middle school students may eat breakfast at Central. Get a disposable tray and bring your breakfast to class if it is close to class time.
High school students eat lunch at Central if they take Central classes in periods 3 and/or 5. See the schedule for when your catch your bus to and from Central.
Every student served by DMPS will be able to eat school meals for free. Scan your DMPS school ID or enter your 6-digit DMPS school ID number at the cashier’s station. Sometimes students lose their ID or do not want to dig it out at lunch time. TIP: if you take a photo of your ID on your phone, you can scan the photo.
In order for meals to be free, students must choose meals that meet these requirements. Some foods, like chips, rice crispy treats, and sugared drinks, cost extra. Student may purchase a slice of pizza for $1 with any free lunch (daily limit: 1 slice per person).
If you are getting a lunch at the Campus Cafeteria, you may request a disposable tray to bring your meal over to Academy to eat. We have increased our hallway and student lounge seating this year. Academy also has a microwave station for student use on the second floor. Or you may use a red tray and eat in the Campus Cafeteria, also with expanded seating.
The CAMPUS CAFETERIA has been remodeled to include 4 lunch lines and additional seating. Campus Lunch Map
- Lines 1 and 2 have all of the menu choices. Form one line and split when you get to the door. Over the door is a screen that displays the menu options in each line.
- Line 3 is the Quick Hot Lunch Line. This line has only one of the hot lunch items plus pizza, so it should be quicker. The screen over the corner cashier will list what item is being offered.
- Line 4 is the Cold Lunch Line. Salads, and other cold lunch items and pizza will be available in this line.
Coming Soon: Breakfast and lunch vending machines! Stocked with healthy food choices by our own cafeteria, use your school ID to get your nutritious breakfast and lunch without going through the line!
STUDENT COMPUTERS
Students who attend a DMPS school will be issued a student laptop by their home schools. They should bring their laptops fully charged to Academy every day. They will be used in their Academy classes. We know that some schools are not able to distribute computers on the first day. We are planning our lessons in the first couple of weeks to be accomplished with or without a computer.
Out of district students who attend Academy will be checked out a student laptop by Academy. See Mr. Jacobson in room 3021 to pick up your DMPS computer. He will be available during the Orientation Open House Thursday night, or you can stop by and see him when school is in session.
FINDING YOUR SHUTTLE BUS WHEN YOU LEAVE CENTRAL
With our high school 8-period schedule, we have economized our bus routing so that we do not need as many buses at the same time. This should make finding your bus when you leave Central easier. Check out this map to see where to catch your bus. Bus Map FY2025
PARKING
Central Academy and Central Campus are fortunate to have some space available for qualifying students to park their vehicles. The following information will provide answers on how student parking works at Central Academy and Central Campus. Parking FY2025 rules will be strictly enforced to ensure the safety of our qualifying students and staff. Here is a Central Student Parking Map. Parking in a Central parking lot requires the use of a parking tag. There is no cost for a parking tag. And having a parking tag does not guarantee a parking space will be available.
Remember, parking lot space is limited. But nothing prevents you from parking on the street a block or two away on Ingersoll or just north of there.
CLASS SUPPLIES
Academy generally does not require any special supplies. You’ll need your DMPS computer, paper, pens, pencils, and a way to stay organized. Most other supplies are provided in your classes. If your class requires special supplies, teachers will share that information at the Orientation Open House event or the first day of school.
English novels will be automatically charged to your Infinite Campus account. Students who receive a textbook fee waiver will also have the fee for their English novels waived. Those who qualify for a reduction of their textbook fees will be charged half price for their English novels. Those who want to provide their own copies of the English Novels should notify Office Manager, Herkisha Burkett, to get their fees removed. Herkisha.burkett@dmschools.org. More information can be found HERE.
DONATE FOR ENGLISH STUDENTS
Central Academy pays for all or part of the novels for students who receive free or reduced textbook fees. The cost of the books listed above is what we pay our vendor– we do not mark up the cost of the books for students. Most classes require an average of about $30 in books per student.
If you would like to sponsor a student, please use the link below to donate. All donations to this fundraiser will go to offset the cost of books. Thank you for supporting our advanced learners!
https://dmps.revtrak.net/os/ca/#/v/novels-for-academy
STUDENT IDs
We are improving our safety and security measures. Once Student IDs have been distributed, please show your ID when you enter the Academy building. We will distribute Academy stickers for your school ID in the first couple of weeks of the school year.
NICKNAMES AND PRONOUNS
The Governor’s Education Omnibus Law, SF496, requires school staff to use the student’s name and pronouns listed in Infinite Campus. If students request that we use pronouns that do not match the gender listed in IC, an administrator must notify their primary parent or guardian.
To avoid calls home, have your child’s nickname and pronouns listed in Infinite Campus. If you need to update or change your child’s nicknames or pronouns, please contact Suleyma.Reyes@dmschools.org.
SCHOOL NURSE
Our School Nurse is Jasmine Lester, 515-242-7779, jasmine.lester@dmschools.org. You can find her office behind the Campus main office. Map to Nurses Office
STATE FAIR POTTERY
We are so proud of our Central Academy Potters who, for the 3rd year in a row, were commissioned to produce the official State Fair Collectable Pots. Collectible pots for 2024 are available, while supplies last, at various locations during the fair from 9:00 AM – 8:00 PM. Locations include the Horner Service Center, Agriculture Building, Cattle Barn, and Jacobson Hall/Museum. The Iowa State Fair goes through Sunday, August 18, 2024.
IPBS is running a segment on “The Fair” tonight at 9 and 10 PM that features our Academy potters!
We are so looking forward to seeing you in person!
-Dr. Gogerty, Director of Advanced Learning at Central Academy
