We Are Ankeny: Recent Episodes
Ankeny Community School District
Let's talk about... Ankeny Community School District! Superintendent, Dr. Erick Pruitt is your host as he talks about all things Ankeny Schools with staff, students and community members.
Robotics. Two teams with the same mission. To win. Our episode brings Hawk and Jag competitors to the table with a common passion. Competitive teams are growing at both high schools. Learn why you don't need to know programming, engineering, or construction to participate. These teens talk no holds barred about why they showed up to their first club meeting, and what brings them back each season. Joining these students is Dr. Pruitt and Ankeny High School's robotic team coach and AHS teacher Jennifer Poole.
Ankeny schools values its community partnerships. This episode brings Ankeny School Foundation President, Kara Hogue, to the studio. Join us as Dr. Pruitt and Ms. Hogue are joined by Ankeny Schools Chief Officer-Jessica Dirks and Heidi Palkovic Community Engagement Manager - Heidi Palkovic as the discuss how community and public schools relationships continue to evolve, future plans and fundraising.
Iowa winters can bring freezing rain, snow, sub-zero temperatures, and severe winds in a matter of hours. This episode will educate our Ankeny community on what goes into making a decision to keep schools open, delaying the starts, letting students out early, and when it's best just to stay closed. Ankeny Schools pulls back the curtain to show how and why inclement weather decisions are made. Join Dr. Pruitt, Samantha Aukes, Chief of Communications, and Dr. Darin Haack, assistant superintendent of schools, and Let's Talk About... the weather.
This episode brings overdue attention to a great Ankeny Schools resource, our volunteers. Volunteering looks different throughout our district, from parents in the lunchroom, to community members reading in classrooms and high school students prepping materials for teachers. Jessica Dirks is the Chief of Legal Affairs and Chief of Strategic Initiatives, Heidi Palkovic is the Community Engagement Manager, and Denise Miller joins Dr. Erick Pruitt to introduce the "One-Million Minute" volunteer goal, provide a behind-the-scenes look at how volunteers help our district, and how the safety of students and staff remains a priority.
This episode brings overdue attention to a great Ankeny Schools resource, our volunteers. Volunteering looks different throughout our district, from parents in the lunchroom, to community members reading in classrooms and high school students prepping materials for teachers. Jessica Dirks is the Chief of Legal Affairs and Chief of Strategic Initiatives, Heidi Palkovic is the Community Engagement Manager, and Denise Miller joins Dr. Erick Pruitt to introduce the "One-Million Minute" volunteer goal, provide a behind-the-scenes look at how volunteers help our district, and how the safety of students and staff remains a priority.
Activities, clubs and sports Oh, My! Ankeny High School and Centennial High School started the year with new leadership in the Activities and Athletic (A.D.) offices. New Hawk Director, Adam McDonnell was the former A.D. at Xavier High School in Cedar Rapids. The Jaguars' new Director arrived from Valley High School.
There's a lot to talk about. For the first time since bowling in 2006 the Iowa Girls High School Athletic Union is introducing a new sanctioned sport in Iowa - girls' wrestling. The directors also talked about the benefits of starting their positions together, goals of increasing student participation and much more.
Join Dr. Pruitt, Adam McDonnell, Nate Lingren and Let's talk about... Ankeny Activities and Athletics.
September 13, 2022, a committee made up of Ankeny parents, community members, and staff began working on the Facility Master Plan (FMP). Co-facilitated by Dr. Darin Haack, an Assistant Superintendent, and RSP & Associates, the district's demographer, the committee completed their first task by drafting financial belief statements. The next meeting is scheduled for September 27, 2022, to discuss academic programming and creating curriculum belief statements.
The Ankeny schools website has a frequently asked questions document, the full presentation slide deck from the meeting, and a link to submit questions about the FMP. Questions will be answered by the FMP committee.
The facilities master planning process has four desired discussions:
1. Grade-level Configuration
2. Future Facility Needs
3. Boundaries
4. Renovations & Construction
A new school year brings a new administrator, and new projects as principals Dr. Jill Urich and Dr. DJ Johnson share with the Ankeny community in this episode. Bev Kuehn, Executive Director of Secondary Schools at ACSD also joins the panel offering insight into how she and the principals work together to make the transitions from the middle schools a smooth transition.
Exciting changes are coming! The renovation of an original Ankeny school buildings is almost complete and scheduled to open in January 2023. It will be used as the new office for district administration. New construction has also started at the site for our newest elementary building. It's scheduled to open Fall of 2024. Here's your chance to hear how these projects are progressing and get some insight to how the district plans for big projects like these.
There's just something about the first week of school. In this episode, Dr. Pruitt talks with Tara Owen, Executive Director of Elementary Schools and Bev Kuehn, Executive Director of Secondary Schools for Ankeny Community School District. These administrators have a lot to say about the preparation that has taken place by the principals and teachers for ACSD. Tune in and find out what your kids will see and experience in these first few days.
The topic of student safety in schools is a serious one around the nation. This episode welcomes Ankeny's Chief of Police, Darius Potts and Ankeny Schools Safety and Security Specialist, Jon Davis to address our district's readiness plans for weather, threats and emergencies.
Join Tim Simpkins as he provides details of current renovation to Ankeny school buildings, the decision for new landscaping, and how the district decides the when, where and what of scheduling these projects with Dr. Pruitt, Superintendent and Dr. Haack, Assistant Superintendent of Ankeny schools.
On July 1, 2022 ACSD partnered with First Student, Inc. as the district's transporation provider. Spencer Shoemaker with First Student has a lot to say about the safety, comfort, and experience First Student brings to Ankeny students in the upcoming school year.
Let's Talk about the DEI Framework. Ken Morris Jr. the Chief Diversity Officer with Ankeny Community School District takes a deep dive into a conversation with Ankeny Superintendent Dr. Erick Pruitt about what it means to create and live a DEI Framework for the district. The conversation includes how this framework supports the Strategic Plan and how it will positively impact students.
The topic is computer science in part two of a two-part series on new curriculum at Ankeny Community Schools. In this podcast, Carol Eddy, Director of Curriculum, is back and joins Dr. Erick Pruitt, superintendent of Ankeny Schools talk about the future expectations of computer science in grades K - 7.
As a parent, when your school district starts talking about a new curriculum it can make you panic. In Part one of a two-part series, Dr. Erick Pruitt chats with Ankeny Schools' Director of Curriculum, Carol Eddy. Pull up a chair to our table as Ms, Eddy explains what curriculum is vs the perceptions, the changes you as may see at home, and how you can help your student navigate it all.
School nutrition is more than just pizza for lunch. Scott Litchfield Ankeny Schools' Nutrition Director talks about summer plans, 2022 successes and plans for next year. Pull up to the table and let's talk about school nutrition.
STEM, which stands for science, technology, engineering and math has added "A" for Art to become STEAM. Ankeny school, Heritage Elementary, hosted it's first STEAM night to provide hands on fun and exploration of STEAM skills. Host, Samantha Aukes, Communications Director for Ankeny Schools sat with STEAM Night organizer Sara Sparks, Digital Technology Teacher at Heritage Elementary to discuss how building administrators are focused on increasing STEAM interests and the future of this successful event.
Hiring and recruitment specialist, Michelle Allen, sits with Dr. Erick Pruitt to talk about why prospective job candidates should consider and choose Ankeny Schools to work. Join us as we discuss our mentoring program for teachers, highlight critical positions outside the classroom that keep our district running smoothly and offer candid insight on how the Covid-19 pandemic impacted the education job market.
Memorial Day is a special day to honor those no longer with us who served in the U.S. military. We've invited veteran Ankeny residents to sit and talk with veteran Dr. Erick Pruitt about Memorial Day, their experience in the service and how they as well as other local veterans are having a positive impact on Ankeny students as a ACSD employees, parents, volunteers, and active reserve military.
In this episode, Dr. Pruitt has a conversation with a current special education teacher in Ankeny who is a veteran of the Iowa National Guard, a current Ankeny Schools parent who is a veteran of the Iowa National Guard and currently serving in as an active guard/reserve and a long-time resident of Ankeny whose children all graduated from Ankeny Schools and is the Commander of American Legion Post #42 in uptown Ankeny.
In this episode our guests have a conversation from the aspects of administrators and a student about the Profile of Graduate put together by a task force of parents, staff and community members. Together the task force identified essential cognitive, personal and interpersonal competencies that every student should have by the time they graduate from high school: Knowledgeable, Authentic, Engaged, Understanding, Curious and Adaptable. Join the table discussion as we hear about Ankeny's Profile of a Graduate.
Throughout the year, planning teams worked hard to reimagine how we might improve in serving our students. Teams of parents, community members, students, and staff worked to create this document that will guide how our district will operate as we strive to achieve our goals. Our hope is that this will serve as an anchor for all the district’s work for the next five years.
Our new mission statement is as follows: The Ankeny Community School District engages all students in an educational experience that equips them with the skills to flourish in and contribute to an ever-changing world. Following the Core Planning Team’s work, seven "action teams" made up of nearly 200 individuals from across the community then worked to develop specific, concrete strategies to bring the framework to life. This work resulted in a plan built on three core pillars:
- The prioritization of academic rigor & relevance
- A focus on maintaining a system of talented people, and
- A commitment to providing supportive learning environments
In this episode we’ll talk with Dr. Jen Lindaman, Ankeny School's Chief Officer of Academic Services, Dr. Darin Haack, Ankeny School's Chief Operations Officer and Jodie Graham, Ankeny School's Director of Human Resources specifically about the strategic plan.
Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) is set to make sure central Iowa high school students have every opportunity to plan the future they want. DMACC President, Rob Denson sits down with Dr. Erick Pruitt to discuss how a $50,000 grant to hire 14 College and Career Transition Counselors (CCTC) will aid students with colleges, programs/majors, apprenticeships, military service and other post-high school education plans. Recorded May 11, 2022
Ankeny started as a railroad and farming community, named after John Fletcher Ankeny. Guest Denny Presnall, a long-time Ankeny resident former teacher, and former Ankeny School Board Director joins Dr. Erick Pruitt, Superintendent of Ankeny Schools to talk about the rich history of Ankeny and Ankeny Schools. Recorded May 6, 2022
Miss Grace Lynn Keller is serious about her initiative as Miss Iowa 2021 - Read to Succeed. She visited Northwest Elementary School in Ankeny, IA to read with students and share her love of books, stories and the importance of reading everyday. Host, Dr. Erick Pruitt discusses her year as Miss Iowa, traveling the state of Iowa, and what her future holds with only a few weeks to go in her reign. You can follow Ms. Keller on Instagram @gracelynnkeller for life after the crown.
From Pre-K to senior year, what does the Ankeny schools experience look like? Host, Dr. Erick Pruitt is joined by Ankeny Schools administrators Dr. Jen Lindaman, Chief Officer of Academic Services and Carol Eddy, Director of Curriculum and Innovation to discuss how the Ankeny Experience for students has evolved and what we can look for in the future.
Host & Ankeny Schools Superintendent Dr. Erick Pruitt welcomes Jennifer Jamison the district's Chief Financial Officer to talk about the newly certified budget for the fiscal year 2023.
Superintendent, Dr. Erick Pruitt talks enrollment with Dr. Darin Haack, Chief Operations Officer of Ankeny Schools and Kirk Magill, Integrated Systems Administrator for the district. Key topics including emerging enrollment trends for 2022-23, challenges of school registration and projections for Ankeny School enrollment are just a few highlights from this podcast. Recorded 04/18/22.
Ankeny Community School District Superintendent, Dr. Erick Pruitt, introduces a new podcast produced officially by Ankeny Schools.