Announcements

Hello Abbie Grove Families

Tomorrow is the first day of school and we are so excited to see you! Please review the information below for important updates and reminders. 

8-22-2024

Abbie Grove Information

• Website: https://abbiegrove.ankenyschools.org/
• Email:  ag.office@ankenyschools.org
• Phone:  515-965-4815 Phone (Please note the telecommunications company is still working to fully connect phone service for the building, but the main line is receiving calls at this time.)
• Follow us on Facebook

PTO CHALK THE WALK – TONIGHT! 

Please meet out front of Abbie Grove TONIGHT at 6pm to decorate our sidewalks with encouraging messages and drawings for all of the students, staff and families!! Please bring your own chalk and help make our sidewalks beautiful!! Kids and adults are welcome!

Friday, August 23rd – First Day of School

As a district we recognize that starting a new school year is an exciting time and parents are eager to capture the first day memories. As a continuation of district expectations from last year focusing on supports to ensure a safely managed environment, parents/visitors will not be allowed inside the school on the first day to walk students to the classroom. We ask that your first day of school pictures be taken at home or outside of the building.

•  School hours are 7:55AM – 2:55 PM every day.  The doors open and supervision begins at 7:30AM.  Students who will be eating breakfast at school will go to the cafeteria and all others will go to the gym in the morning. Gym students will be released to their classrooms starting at 7:45. Breakfast is served from 7:30AM to 7:45AM.

Arrival Procedures

• All students will enter the main entrance (N1).
• If you plan to walk your students to the main entrance or if you need to provide support getting your child out of the vehicle please park your car in the West parking lot off Spruce Drive (i.e. do not get out of your car in the drop-off lane).

Dismissal Procedures

*please note we will continue to monitor procedures and will adjust as needed

• Bus riders, day care and before and after school day care students will be escorted to the appropriate bus by staff members.
• Reminder – the North parking lot off of 18th Street is for buses and daycare vehicles only.  
• Classroom teachers will escort their car riders and walkers to the pick-up zone near the parking lot off of Spruce Drive by 2:55pm M-F.  
• Orange Cones will indicate where each grade will be gathered.  We ask vehicles to pull up, allowing many cars to be loaded at once.  Staff members will bring your student to your vehicle.  
• If you are picking your child up by car, please do not park and get out of your car while in the pick-up lane to meet your child.
• Should your dismissal plans change, please inform your child’s teacher and the main office prior to 2:00 PM.

*Student safety is our priority. Thank you, in advance, for your patience during the first several weeks of school.

Crossing Guards

• Currently, there will not be any crossing guards assigned to AG. The district is providing bus transportation for areas identified as “hazard zones.” To see if a family qualifies for this, you should consult the address lookup tool on our website. The district will continually evaluate the need for crossing guards as more houses and streets are added within the AG boundaries.

* As with any school year, adjustments to plans and procedures will evolve as we monitor activities and structures. Feel free to refer to Abbie Grove’s school website for other helpful information.

Student & Parent Handbook – ACTION REQUIRED 

The Ankeny Community School District requires that, annually a parent/guardian of each currently enrolled student acknowledges review and receipt of the District’s current student handbook.  Each student and parent/guardian is accountable for knowing the handbook’s content and adhering to the expectations that apply to them. 

The handbook outlines parent and student responsibilities, procedures, and student life in Ankeny Community School District and is supplemental to the school board’s approved policies and procedures. The handbook can be found on the district website under the Parents tab.  

Students and/or parents with questions or concerns may contact their school’s main office for information about the current policies, rules, regulations, and/or handbook. Please review the 2024-2025 Student & Parent Handbook, log into the Infinite Campus Parent Portal and complete the parent/student handbook form.  

Parent Volunteer Information

If you are interested in volunteering at any Ankeny School, please complete the following 3 steps to be approved. We would encourage you to complete these steps as soon as possible, so that you are able to volunteer when the opportunities become available.

Visit the ACSD Volunteer Portal and complete ALL 3 steps:

Step 1: Better Impact Application
Select your school from the list at the left to find the application at the bottom of the page. Click the gray “Fill in an Application” box. Upon approval of your application, you can view available volunteer activities under the “Opportunities” tab when logged into your Better Impact account.

Step 2: Volunteer Manual
The Volunteer Manual must be reviewed each year. The Volunteer Manual includes volunteer information, volunteer objectives, certification of compliance, and a statement of confidentiality.

You can find the Volunteer Manual on your Better Impact account under MY PROFILE and TRAINING.

Step 3: Background Check
A background check for volunteering within the Ankeny Community School District is required every 5 years. This document must be completed online. Please allow up to 2 weeks for processing background checks.

If you are unsure of the date of your last background check for volunteering, you will need to contact the district office at 515-965-9604 x54363.

Click here to apply for a background check.

Nutrition Services:  

Families can find additional information about meal prices and weekly menus by visiting the Nutrition Services website.  

Free and Reduced Meal Eligibility:  Applications for the 2024-2025 school year are now available. A new free/reduced meal eligibility application must be completed and submitted each year. For questions about the Free and Reduced Meal Program, please email leeanna.vigor@ankenyschools.org.

 As with any school year, adjustments to plans and procedures will evolve as we monitor activities and structures. Feel free to refer to Abbie Grove’s website for other helpful information. If you have questions, please feel free to contact the office at 515-965-4815 or by emailing ag.office@ankenyschools.org

We look forward to seeing you tomorrow,

~Abbie Grove Elementary

Hello Abbie Grove Students and Families!

We look forward to seeing you all tomorrow evening for Meet The Teacher Night.  Please see below for additional information and reminders, or view our list of important dates.

8-19-24

Tuesday, August 20th – Meet The Teacher Night

Meet Your Teacher night will take place this Tuesday, August 20th from 4pm to 6pm.   Be sure to bring your school supplies to leave in your classroom. If you ordered supplies through PTO, they will be distributed to your child’s classroom.  Families can find their student’s teacher by logging into their Infinite Campus Parent Portal account and selecting “schedule”.  

• 5th Grade Band Information Meeting: If you are a parent of a 5th grade student, please plan to attend the band information meeting at 4:30pm in the cafeteria. The meeting will be hosted by Mr. Brown, one of the band directors assisting with Abbie Grove.  Following the meeting,  an email containing the contents of the meeting will be sent to all 5th grade parents in case there are some who could not attend. If you have any additional questions, please email Tara Meinen at  tara.meinen@ankenyschools.org
• Message from Abbie Grove’s Art teacher Mrs. Nichols:  Calling all Art Students and Families. Stop by the art room at Meet the Teacher night so you can take a look, meet Mrs. Nichols, and to get connected to your student’s Artsonia account. We will be using Artsonia throughout the year (and years to come) as an online artist portfolio. You can see all your student’s art projects before they come home and have digital copies for years to come.

Thursday, August 22nd – PTO CHALK THE WALK

Please meet out front of Abbie Grove on Thursday, August 22nd at 6pm to decorate our sidewalks with encouraging messages and drawings for all of the students, staff and families!! Please bring your own chalk and help make our sidewalks beautiful!! 

Friday, August 23rd – First Day of School

As a district we recognize that starting a new school year is an exciting time and parents are eager to capture the first day memories. As a continuation of district expectations from last year focusing on supports to ensure a safely managed environment, parents/visitors will not be allowed inside the school on the first day to walk students to the classroom. We ask that your first day of school pictures be taken at home or outside of the building.

*School hours are 7:55AM – 2:55 PM every day.  The doors open at 7:30AM and students may go to breakfast in the cafeteria or the gym. Breakfast is served from 7:30AM to 7:45AM.

Student & Parent Handbook – ACTION REQUIRED 

The Ankeny Community School District requires that, annually a parent/guardian of each currently enrolled student acknowledges review and receipt of the District’s current student handbook.  Each student and parent/guardian is accountable for knowing the handbook’s content and adhering to the expectations that apply to them. 

The handbook outlines parent and student responsibilities, procedures, and student life in Ankeny Community School District and is supplemental to the school board’s approved policies and procedures. The handbook can be found on the district website under the Parents tab.  

Students and/or parents with questions or concerns may contact their school’s main office for information about the current policies, rules, regulations, and/or handbook. Please review the 2024-2025 Student & Parent Handbook, log into the Infinite Campus Parent Portal and complete the parent/student handbook form.  

Thank you,

Abbie Grove Staff

Hello Abbie Grove Students and Families!

8-16-24

We hope you had a wonderful summer.  We would like to take this moment to officially welcome you to Abbie Grove.  Please review the following information which includes important reminders and updates.  We look forward to seeing you next week! 

Tuesday, August 20th – Meet The Teacher Night

Meet Your Teacher night will take place this Tuesday, August 20th from 4pm to 6pm.   Be sure to bring your school supplies to leave in your classroom. If you ordered supplies through PTO, they will be distributed to your child’s classroom

• 5th Grade Band Information Meeting: If you are a parent of a 5th grade student, please plan to attend the band information meeting at 4:30pm in the cafeteria. The meeting will be hosted by Mr. Brown, one of the band directors assisting with Abbie Grove.  Following the meeting,  an email containing the contents of the meeting will be sent to all 5th grade parents in case there are some who could not attend. If you have any additional questions, please email Tara Meinen at  tara.meinen@ankenyschools.org
• Message from Abbie Grove’s Art teacher Mrs. Nichols

Calling all Art Students and Families. Stop by the art room at Meet the Teacher night so you can take a look, meet Mrs. Nichols, and to get connected to your student’s Artsonia account. We will be using Artsonia throughout the year (and years to come) as an online artist portfolio. You can see all your student’s art projects before they come home and have digital copies for years to come. 

Thursday, August 22nd – PTO CHALK THE WALK

Please meet out front of Abbie Grove on Thursday, August 22nd at 6pm to decorate our sidewalks with encouraging messages and drawings for all of the students, staff and families!! Please bring your own chalk and help make our sidewalks beautiful!! 

Friday, August 23rd – First Day of School

As a district we recognize that starting a new school year is an exciting time and parents are eager to capture the first day memories. As a continuation of district expectations from last year focusing on supports to ensure a safely managed environment, parents/visitors will not be allowed inside the school on the first day to walk students to the classroom. We ask that your first day of school pictures be taken at home or outside of the building.

*School hours are 7:55AM – 2:55 PM every day.  The doors open at 7:30AM and students may go to breakfast in the cafeteria or the gym. Breakfast is served from 7:30AM to 7:45AM.

Arrival Procedures (subject to change based on observed needs over time)

• Students can enter the building no earlier than 7:30 AM Monday through Friday.
• Bus riders and day care students will be dropped off within the parking lot on the north side of the building (off of 18th Street) and be guided by staff into the main entrance (N1). This is a slight change from a previous communication but will not impact parents.
• Car riders and walkers will enter the main entrance (N1).
• Please do not drop students off prior to 7:30 AM because staff are not on contract and cannot supervise students. If you plan to walk your students to the main entrance or if you need to provide support getting your child out of the vehicle please park your car in an identified parking spot (i.e. do not get out of your car in the drop-off lane).

Dismissal Procedures (subject to change based on observed needs over time)

• Bus riders, day care students and before and after school day care students will be escorted to the appropriate bus by staff members.
• Classroom teachers will escort their car riders and walkers out N1 (main entrance) on the north side of the building by 2:55 PM each day.
• If you are picking your child up by car, please do not park and get out of your car while in the pick-up lane to meet your child.
• Student safety is a priority. Thank you, in advance, for your patience during the first several weeks of school. With a new building, procedures will be new for all staff and parents and may adjust over time.
• Should your dismissal plans change, please inform your child’s teacher and the main office prior to 2:00 PM.

Crossing Guards

• Currently, there will not be any crossing guards assigned to Abbie Grove. The district is providing bus transportation for areas identified as “hazard zones.” To see if your family qualifies for this, you should consult the address lookup tool on our website. The district will continually evaluate the need for crossing guards as more houses and streets are added within the AG boundaries.

* As with any school year, adjustments to plans and procedures will evolve as we monitor activities and structures. Feel free to refer to Abbie Grove’s school website for other helpful information.

Transportation

If you are unsure whether your student qualifies for bus transportation, please utilize the address lookup tool. Bus number, stop location, and time details for eligible students and those with Pay-to-Ride spots will be available on the Infinite Campus Parent Portal from August 12 to 16. Please check the portal regularly for updates leading up to the first day of school. For routing inquiries, please contact First Student at 515-965-9615.

Parent Volunteer Information – *Updated

As a reminder, all volunteers must do the following.  You can find this information on the district website under the Parents Tab

Step 1: Better Impact Application
Select your school from the list at the left to find the application at the bottom of the page. Click the gray “Fill in an Application” box. Upon approval of your application, you can view available volunteer activities under the “Opportunities” tab when logged into your Better Impact account.

Step 2: Volunteer Manual
The Volunteer Manual must be reviewed each year. The Volunteer Manual includes volunteer information, volunteer objectives, certification of compliance, and a statement of confidentiality.

You can find the Volunteer Manual on your Better Impact account under MY PROFILE and TRAINING.

Step 3: Background Check
A background check for volunteering within the Ankeny Community School District is required every 5 years. This document must be completed online. Please allow up to 2 weeks for processing background checks.  Abbie Grove is not listed as an option, so please select any school within our district.  If you have any questions please reach out to the District Office at 515-965-9604 x54363.

Click here to apply for a background check.

Thank you for reviewing these latest reminders and for your supportive collaboration to start the 24-25 year!

Abbie Grove Staff

To view the August Newsletter – Click HERE

Hello Abbie Grove Families,

As we get closer to the start of the 24-25 school year stay organized and plan ahead by marking your calendar with
the following important dates .  We will continue to make updates and additions throughout the year.  Be sure to bookmark the District Calendar as
well.

We look forward to seeing you in August!
~Abbie Grove

July 8, 2024

Dear Incoming Kindergarten and Transitional Kindergarten Abbie Grove Parents/Guardians,

Welcome to Abbie Grove and the Ankeny Community School District learning community! In kicking off a great year of learning, we are excited to invite you and your child to attend our upcoming Kindergarten/Transitional Kindergarten (K/TK) Jumpstart. This experience gives your child an opportunity to meet our K/TK teachers, see the classrooms, and get a short sneak peak of kindergarten/transitional kindergarten. It also allows a parent/guardian to see Abbie Grove Elementary and hear important information to start the year. 

Only one parent/guardian is needed to attend and the incoming kindergarten student. Please do not bring any non-incoming Abbie Grove kindergarten students to this event.

This event will be at Abbie Grove Elementary on Thursday, July 25 from 8:15-9:15, 10:15-11:15 or 1:00-2:00. To register, please select the appropriate link (K or TK) to sign up for one of the three times.

Transitional Kindergarten students: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0D4CAFA72DA2FEC34-50169920-abbie 

Kindergarten students:  https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0D4CAFA72DA2FEC34-49530824-abbie  

We kindly ask you to complete this sign-up before July 15.  In completing this form, you can identify your preference of our three available sessions. 

General Schedule for Transitional Kindergarten and Kindergarteners:

• Getting seated
• Setting expectations 
• Introduce morning bins
• Play 
• Read aloud 
• Pick up students

General Schedule for Parents/Guardians:

• Presentation (Information about Kindergarten/Transitional Kindergarten and Abbie Grove)
• Opportunity for Q&A
• Tour of Abbie Grove
• Pick up student(s)

Welcome to our Abbie Grove family community! We are excited to partner with you during your student’s first year in kindergarten!

Thank you,

Sara Clubb-Kindergarten Teacher

Taryn Ayers-Kindergarten Teacher

Allison Koch-Kindergarten Teacher

Hannah Dunn-Transitional Kindergarten Teacher

Ken Vacek-Assistant Principal

Andrew Burg-Principal

July 3, 2024

Dear Abbie Grove Staff, Parents and Friends:

We would like to take this opportunity to welcome you to Ankeny’s newest elementary school and share our excitement about the upcoming 2024-2025 school year! It is a genuine privilege to partner with you to support your student’s curricular and extracurricular growth. As we get closer to the official opening of Abbie Grove we look forward to creating strong partnerships among staff, families, and the community.  We look forward to working alongside you to continue the important work of giving our students an education that develops their academic, social, emotional, physical and artistic strengths.

In terms of programming, Abbie Grove will work collaboratively to create significant and authentic experiences for students. Grounded in our work as a professional learning community, staff will continue to refine practices that individualize instruction for students. We are excited for families to meet and work with our dynamic staff members at Abbie Grove.

We believe that a meaningful and collaborative relationship among staff, students and families is the foundation of a healthy and vibrant school community. Above all, we intend to emphasize the values and positive outcomes of working hard, being kind and showing up. We are very excited to continue in our commitment to the Ankeny Community School District and intend to ensure that our neighborhood school provides a supportive and motivating environment for students and adults. Work that began at the start of the previous school year in terms of hiring and building construction will proceed throughout the next several weeks. Please continue to check the building and district-created communication for updates. We hope everyone is enjoying the summer break and we look forward to establishing more formal connections in the future! 

Respectfully,

Andrew Burg – Abbie Grove Elementary Principal

andrew.burg@ankenyschools.org 

Ken Vacek – Abbie Grove Elementary Assistant Principal

ken.vacek@ankenyschools.org 

Emily Marusiak – Abbie Grove Elementary Secretary

emily.marusiak@ankenyschools.org

Abbie Grove Elementary Core Values

Work hard, Be Kind, Show Up

Important Information

Teacher Assignments:  Families will be notified of their classroom teacher on Tuesday, August 13th at 8AM  through the Infinite Campus parent portal.  Directions for accessing the portal can be found here. 

School Supplies: At the beginning of the school year, students need to bring a set of school supplies for their classwork. If you are unable to purchase these supplies, please see your school counselor. Click HERE to view the District’s School Supply List.  

First Day of School:  Friday, August 23rd is the first day of school.  School hours are 7:55AM – 2:55PM every day! 

The doors open at 7:30AM and students may go to breakfast or the gym. If you are dropping off your child, please do not let them out of the vehicle until 7:30AM when the doors unlock.

2024-2025 Student Handbook & School Calendar:  As you and your family prepare for the upcoming school year please be sure to review the  2024-2025 Student Handbook and the 2024-2025 District Calendar

2024-2025 Student fees:  As of July 8, 2024, Ankeny families may view 2024-25 student fees and use their InTouch account to pay online. InTouch online debit or credit card payments will incur a 3.79% and a .40 cent transaction fee. To avoid transaction charges, arrange in-person payment by calling the District Office at 515-965-9600 or send a check and a completed 2024-25 Fees Payment Form to:

Payable to: Ankeny Community School District
406 SW School St., PO Box 189
Ankeny, IA 50021-0189

Nutrition Services:  Families can find additional information about meal prices and weekly menus by visiting the Nutrition Services website.  

• Free and Reduced Meal Eligibility:  Applications for the 2024-2025 school year will be available in July.  A new free/reduced meal eligibility application must be completed and submitted each year. For questions about the Free and Reduced Meal Program, please email leeanna.vigor@ankenyschools.org.

Bus Information:  The Ankeny Community School District partners with First Student, Inc. to provide transportation for eligible students. If your child is signed up to ride the bus to and/or from school, you can find details about your child’s stop location, pick up, and drop off times through Infinite Campus.  This information will be posted later this summer.  If you have any questions about transportation or to check eligibility, please visit the District’s Transportation page or by calling the First Student Bus Barn at 515-965-9615.  All elementary students riding the bus will have a bus pass which will be distributed within the first week of school. 

Parent Volunteer Information:  If you are interested in volunteering at any Ankeny School, please complete the following 3 steps to be approved.  We would encourage you to complete these steps as soon as possible, so that you are able to volunteer when the opportunities become available.  

• Visit the ACSD Volunteer Portal and complete ALL 3 steps:

1. Background Check:  A background check for volunteering within the Ankeny Community School District is required every 5 years. This document must be completed online. Please allow 2 weeks for processing background checks.)
2. Volunteer Handbook: The Volunteer Handbook must be completed before you plan to volunteer and must be completed each year. The Volunteer Handbook includes: volunteer information, volunteer objectives, certification of compliance, and statement of confidentiality.
3. Application:  Create a Better Impact account and profile.  Upon approval of your application, you will be able to view available volunteer activities under the “Opportunities” tab when logged into your Better Impact account.

 Dates to Remember:

New Teaching Staff to Abbie Grove

All New! Abbie Grove Staff Directory

First Day of School 

As a district we recognize starting a new school year is an exciting time and parents are eager to capture the first day memories.  We would ask families to attend Meet The Teacher Night on August 20th and utilize this time to visit your child’s classroom, tour the school and take pictures. 

In order to maintain our safety procedures and keep our staff and students safe, parents/visitors will not be allowed inside the school on the first day of school. We ask that your first day of school pictures be taken at home or outside of the building. 

Arrival Procedures

• Students can enter the building no earlier than 7:30AM Monday through Friday.
• Bus riders and day care students will all enter at the doors (N2) on the north side of the building near the roundabout (off of 18th Street).
• Car riders and walkers will enter the main entrance (N1).
• Please do not drop students off prior to 7:30AM because staff are not on contract and cannot supervise students. If you plan to walk your students to the main entrance or if you need to provide support getting your child out of the vehicle please park your car in an identified parking spot (i.e. do not get out of your car in the drop-off lane).

Dismissal Procedures (please note we will continue to monitor procedures and will adjust as needed) 

• Bus riders, day care students and before and after school day care students will be escorted to the appropriate bus by staff members.
• Classroom teachers will escort their car riders and walkers out N1 (main entrance) on the north side of the building by 2:55PM M-F.
• If you are picking your child up by car, please do not park and get out of your car while in the pick-up lane to meet your child.
• Student safety is our priority. Thank you, in advance, for your patience during the first several weeks of school. 
• Should your dismissal plans change, please inform your child’s teacher and the main office prior to 2:00 PM.

* As with any school year, adjustments to plans and procedures within this document will evolve as we monitor activities and structures. Feel free to refer to Abbie Grove’s school website for other helpful information.

Please join us on Thursday, February 8th, at Abbie Grove Elementary located at 5001 NW 18th for our Kindergarten Information Night. This event, running from 6:00 to 7:00 p.m., is designed for families interested in enrolling their child for the 2024-2025 school year. (Note: Student registration opened on Friday, February 2nd, at 8:00 a.m.)

During this session, you’ll gain valuable insights into kindergarten, including information about Kindergarten Jumpstart. Additionally, parents can submit their child’s kindergarten student information form.

To confirm your designated school, please use the  address look-up tool and ensure you’re referring to information for the 2024-2025 school year.

Abbie Grove Slideshow

Ankeny Schools is excited to announce the opening of a transitional kindergarten (TK) program for the 2024-2025 school year. This new level is designed to provide students with the time needed to develop essential social and academic skills, acting as a bridge between preschool and kindergarten.

Registration for Transitional Kindergarten will be integrated into the general registration process, commencing on February 2, 2024 at 8:00 a.m. Similar to preschool, available space is limited, and acceptance is determined by the time and date of the submitted complete registration. Class sizes will be capped at 20 students per class, and the total number of classrooms will be finalized by the district later in the spring.

For more information please visit the Transitional Kindergarten website page within the Register section. Applicants can expect to receive an email confirmation of classroom placement or waitlist status by the end of March.