Audubon Community School Teacher Leadership Grant

This fall the Audubon Community School is submitting a grant application as part of the Iowa Teacher Leadership and Compensation System.  The TLC system was established by legislation with the overriding philosophy of improving student learning by improving the instruction they receive each day.

To put this philosophy into action the Teacher Leadership and Compensation System established the following goals:

•              Attract able and promising new teachers by offering competitive starting salaries and offering short-term and long-term professional development and leadership opportunities.
•       Retain effective teachers by providing enhanced career opportunities.
•             Promote collaboration by developing and supporting opportunities for teachers in their local schools and school districts statewide to learn from each other.
•       Reward professional growth and effective teaching by providing pathways for career opportunities that come with increased leadership responsibilities and involve increased compensation.
•       Improve student achievement by strengthening instruction.

A four-year process has been established to develop a statewide teacher leadership and compensation system.  In the 2013 – 2014 school year school districts were able to apply for a planning grant to either use one of two plans developed by an educational taskforce or to design a hybrid plan that, while meeting the requirements of the legislation, also takes into consideration local ideas.  All districts that were interested in applying for a grant are required to establish a planning team that included administrators, teachers, and parents/guardians of students.

The state legislature allocated $50 million for the first year of the grant and in the spring of 2014 thirty-nine school districts, representing approximately one-third of Iowa’s public school student enrollment, were awarded state grants to implement their TLC plans during the 2014 – 2015 school year. Another $50 million has been allocated for the 2015 – 2016 school year, with $50 million more being promised for the 2016 – 2017 school year. 

Audubon Community School is hoping to be selected as one of the grant recipients for the 2015 – 2016 school year and is actively working on their grant application. The committee is currently working on meeting the requirements of the grant by studying the Teacher Leadership roles that would best fit the needs of the Audubon School District as we work to improve instruction in all classrooms. The deadline for submitting an application for the 2015 – 2016 school year is October 31^st.   

Additional information concerning the Teacher Leadership and Compensation system can be found at: https://www.educateiowa.gov/teacher-leadership-and-compensation-system

Audubon School Honored for Outstanding Coach & Student Conduct

Richard Wulkow, Executive Director of the Iowa High School Athletic Association, notified the Audubon Community School that they were one of 178 schools state wide who had no athletes or coaches ejected during the 2013 - 2014 school year.  That works out to 47.7% of the IHSAA membership.

In his letter to Superintendent Gibbs Mr. Wulkow stated, "So many times we dwell on the negative but this is an opportunity for me to convey to you from the Iowa High School Athletic Association that you should take pride in notifying your coaches and your athletes how proud you are of their overall conduct during the 2013 - 2014 school year.

We continue to see better conduct from our coaches and our athletes every year. I wish I could say the same for our spectator conduct. I realize many times an ejection deals with an emotional outburst and the individual involved is very sorry for what has occurred, but to go through an entire year and not have one flagrant, unsportsmanlike act during any of your competitions, is certainly something to be proud of.  

I am proud because I get to send this letter to 47.4% of our membership, congratulating them on a great year as it relates to conduct and sportsmanship. With the start of the 2014 - 2015 school year eminent, hopefully you can use this as a springboard to another great year. Keep up the good work. Keep the emphasis where we need to have it as it relates to our students and coaches representing our school, our community and patrons. We do appreciate your leadership.

On the field, on the court, on the mat and in the stands - - - CONDUCT COUNTS!!"

Sincerely,

Richard Wulkow
Executive Director

Changes in Transportation for 2014 - 2015

For the start of the new school year the Audubon Community School has made some changes to our town routes.  According to the code of Iowa, schools are required to transport all students in grades K - 8 who live more than two miles from their school building and all 9 - 12 students who live more than three miles from their building.  Furthermore the school also has to have those K - 8 students home within an hour with an hour and fifteen minutes allotted for high school students.

Over the years we had added so many town stops that it was becoming almost impossible for us to meet the mandatory time limit set by the state of Iowa to get our required bus riders home.  Last year it became necessary for us to extend our town bus route in order to make that happen. Which meant additional expense for the district to absorb.

For the 2014 - 2015 school year the Audubon School Board and Superintendent have approved a plan that limits the number of town stops so that we can meet our obligation to those students who live two or more miles from their school building. The school realizes that this may mean some additional walking for our town students but since our legal obligation lies with our rural students their needs have to be the schools first priority.

Over the years the town routes has been a great free service that the school has provided to it's students and parents.  But it was never meant to be the door - to - door service that it has grown into over the years.  Many area districts have dropped all town stops that are under the two - mile limit, while other districts have started charging a fee for town students who ride.

Currently our plan is not to drop the town routes, but to try to limit them so that we can provide bus service to as many of our students as possible, always keeping in mind that our legal obligation lies with our rural students.

If you have questions or concerns about this change of policy please contact the Superintendent.

Ready for Another School Year

As we gear up for the start of another school year at Audubon Community School I would like to take this opportunity to welcome all new and returning students to our school and community. The 2014 - 2015 school year is shaping up to be a great one and we are pleased to have you as part of the Wheeler Family.

Although the summer seems like it has flown past the pace will only pick up between now and August 20th. Listed below are just a few upcoming events that you may want to be aware of before the first day of school.

While on-line registration is open and available through our school website, Tuesday, August 12th is our official registration day as both the elementary building and the 5 - 12 building will be open from 10:00 until 6:00 for those parents who prefer to register in person.

August 12th is also the night that incoming 9th graders and new students will receive their computers as part of our 1:1 initiative.  This event starts at 6:30 in the auditorium with a presentation on the care, handling and the responsibilities that go along with having a school issued computer.   All students need to be accompanied by a parent or guardian to receive a computer that night. New students will not receive a computer that night but will be able to satisfy the mandatory meeting requirement and will receive their computer the first day of school.

On Monday, August 18th we will be holding two back to school events for students.  All K - 4 students  and their parents are welcome to attend the Open House running from 5:00 until 6:30 at the elementary building.  This will be a great time for them to meet their teacher, find their desk and explore the elementary building and grounds.  We will also be hosting a 5th grader Orientation that night at the 5 - 12 building running from 6:30 until 7:15.  Again, this will be a great time for 5th graders and their parents to meet their teachers, find their rooms and more importantly, figure out how to operate their locker combinations, always a stressful event for new 5th graders!

The first day of school will be on Wednesday, August 20th for students in grade K - 12. Like all Wednesdays throughout the school year, we will have an early dismissal that day with buses leaving the elementary at 2:05 and the high school at 2:15.

For additional information concerning the start of the school year and the Audubon Community School please see our website at http://www.audubon.k12.ia.us/ or like us on Facebook at www.facebook.com/gowheelers or follow us on twitter @gowheelers.