Cocoa and Carols
The holiday cheer will be filling the halls of Kennedy and Washington High Schools this Saturday (Dec. 9)! “Cocoa and Carols” is a beloved, longstanding tradition at both schools that draws families and friends from the community together to celebrate the joy of the season through music. Each show will feature a diverse collection of classic carols and contemporary holiday tunes performed by a mix of high school musical groups, including show choirs, jazz singers, madrigal singers, and more. Not only will the high school choirs take center stage, but the event also welcomes several elementary and middle school choirs to the performance, adding an extra layer of holiday charm. After each show, attendees will be treated to cookies and cocoa in each school’s cafeteria.
The dedication and talent displayed by the students, coupled with the collaborative efforts between secondary and elementary students, make these concerts a must-attend event to kick off the holiday season in style. Below are the performance times and which choirs will be performing at each.
Kennedy High School Performances - $3 admission fee
- 1:00 PM Show - Kennedy, Taft, Franklin, and Hiawatha choirs
- 4:00 PM Show - Kennedy, Harding, and Pierce choirs
Washington High School Performances - Admission is a goodwill donation
- 11:00 AM Show - Washington, Arthur, Garfield, Kenwood, Wright, and Franklin choirs.
- 2:00 PM Show - Washington, Erskine, Grant Wood, Johnson, and McKinley choirs.
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Metro Holiday Youth Market
Stop by NewBo City Market this Saturday, December 9th, from 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM to check out the Metro STEAM Academy Holiday Youth Market. Metro students will be on hand selling some of the beautiful projects they have made, including votive lanterns, snowflake ornaments, cutting boards, mugs, candy, and much more.
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CRCSD Students Commit to Nursing
On Thursday, ten CRCSD high school students signed on the dotted line to become Patient Care Technicians with UnityPoint Health Care. While the event at Kirkwood’s Regional Center in Hiawatha featured the typical fanfare of other signing day ceremonies, these students were part of a unique opportunity for future healthcare professionals. By signing today, these students kicked off their careers as Patient Care Techs at UnityPoint-St. Lukes.
One Jefferson student and nine students from Kennedy High School have been participating in Kirkwood’s Certified Nursing Assistant (CNA) Academy. This program gives them the necessary training to get a CNA license and begin employment as a patient care technician at UnityPoint Health-St. Luke’s Hospital.
“I did this today because I always wanted to be in healthcare and work at a hospital,” stated Jefferson senior Kiera Kellogg. “I know this is the best option to take the next steps forward - getting a lot of experience, moving ahead in college, and knowing my specialty.”
“I am looking at being an Emergency Room Nurse and helping people,” said Natalie Fiester, Kennedy High School Senior. “Getting a job at UnityPoint and making new connections is the first step in my career.”
This unique program was made possible through a $1.2 million grant the Grant Wood Area Education Agency received to help address the healthcare, welding, and manufacturing workforce shortage. Currently 18 employers in Eastern Iowa, including UnityPoint Health-St. Luke’s, are working with the Grant Wood AEA to place students in apprenticeship programs that offer students real-world, hands-on experience and to begin their professional careers right after graduation. CRCSD hopes to continue to expand learning opportunities like this for students in the future. To learn more about this program, click here.
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Jefferson's Number the Stars
Jefferson High School students will take center stage this weekend to present the play “Number the Stars.” Adapted from Lois Lowry's book of the same name, the play takes place in German-occupied Denmark during World War II. As Germans round up Jewish families, the Danish people must make the difficult choice to either cooperate with the Nazis or resist and help their Jewish friends. Two young Danish sisters decide to do just that and try to help their Jewish friend escape to Sweden for safety. Along the way, they have to face their fears, Nazi soldiers, interrogations, fierce dogs, personal danger, and the loss of loved ones. You can catch the show on December 8th and 9th at 7:00 p.m. in Jefferson’s Little Theater. Tickets are available online and at the door.
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Soles4Souls Donation
Cedar Rapids Community School District would like to thank Soles4Souls, a national nonprofit organization dedicated to providing footwear and clothing to those in need, for providing a generous donation of 500 pairs of athletic shoes and 1000 pairs of socks. The new shoes and socks will be distributed across the district in the coming weeks to students experiencing homelessness or near homelessness.
The lack of proper resources, like ill-fitting shoes, can significantly impact a student’s ability to concentrate and learn in school. CRCSD is always looking for ways to help eliminate some of the barriers hindering educational and extracurricular opportunities for our students. We are extremely grateful for this partnership with Soles4Souls! Their donation not only addresses an immediate need in our district but also highlights the importance of community collaboration in fostering an environment where every student can thrive.
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CRCSD Job Fair
Are you looking for a job where you can make a difference? Then, Cedar Rapids Community School District is the place for you. Join us on Tuesday, December 19th, for a district job fair. Discover the career opportunities available, meet hiring managers, and explore the many benefits of working at the district. We currently have open positions for coaches, teachers, food service assistants, custodians, paraprofessionals, bus drivers, and bus attendants. Click here to see job listings. The job fair will be held at the CRCSD Educational Leadership and Support Center on Edgewood Road from 4:00-7:00 PM. We hope to see you there!
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Holiday Concert List
As the holiday season approaches, our students have been eagerly gearing up to showcase their remarkable talents as they celebrate the joy and spirit of the holidays with several holiday concerts and performances. Mark your calendars for these upcoming school holiday concerts that promise to fill the air and your heart with the magic of the season. We will continue to add more dates as they become available.
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Glance Around The District | |
The students at Erskine Elementary collected 726 pounds of food for the HACAP reservoir. They dropped off the donations last week and also helped pack 600 bags of food for the Operation Backpack program. Way to go! | |
2nd graders at Cedar River Academy took a field trip to Wickiup Hill to learn about animals in the winter. They took a hike to search for animal nests and tracks, saw some reptiles and amphibians, and learned how different animals adapt better to the cold. | |
Harrison Elementary 1st graders are learning about traditions from around the world. Last week, they “traveled” to Mexico to learn about the legend of the poinsettia. Then, they colored their own poinsettias. | |
In science class, 5th graders at Viola Gibson Elementary learned about yeast, which is a living organism. They were able to see it in action when they made their own bread. | |
Washington High School’s Circle of Friends met this week to try their hand at making gingerbread houses. Circle of Friends is a club where students of all abilities participate in activities together. | |
Johnson STEAM Academy Kindergarteners celebrated learning the letter “C” this week by becoming Chefs and doing some Cooking. | |
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In case you missed it, here are some of the recent stories in the news media about or of interest to students, teachers, and parents of Cedar Rapids Community School District.
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Non-Discrimination Policy
It is the policy of the Cedar Rapids Community School District not to discriminate in educational programs and/or activities on the basis of race, creed, color, gender, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, gender identity, socioeconomic status, national origin, religion, disability, age (except for permitting/prohibiting students to engage in certain activities) or genetic information and in employment opportunities on the basis of age, race, creed, color, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, religion, disability or genetic information. There is a grievance procedure for processing complaints of discrimination. If you have questions or a grievance related to this policy, please contact Darius Ballard, Chief of Human Resources, Educational Leadership and Support Center, 2500 Edgewood Rd NW, Cedar Rapids, IA, (319) 558-2000.
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