No School Monday

No School September 2 - Labor Day


Just a reminder that there is no school for students, and all District offices will be closed on Monday, September 2nd, in observance of Labor Day. You can check out the 2024-25 District Calendar to see future school holidays and scheduled no school days. We hope everyone has a fun and safe three-day weekend.

News and Updates

Kingston Stadium Updates

Now that the fall sports season is underway, we wanted to remind you of the rules at Kingston Stadium. These policies are to ensure a safe, supportive, and collaborative environment for all athletes, officials, staff, and spectators. 


  • High school students must present their ID in order to enter the stadium. 
  • Middle school-aged children and younger must be accompanied by a paying adult.
  • Only clear bags will be allowed in the stadium with adults and are subject to search. Students may NOT enter with backpacks, bags, or cinch sacks.
  • No outside food or drink is permitted. 
  • All spectators must enter and stay on their assigned sides of the stadium
  • All spectators will be respectful, safe, and responsible and follow the directions of the on-site administration, Kingston staff, and security. 
  • No weapons, alcohol, non-prescription controlled substances, or products containing nicotine will be allowed in the stadium.
  • Once you leave the stadium, you cannot return.
  • No loitering in and around the stadium.
  • Spectators must leave Kingston Stadium grounds immediately after the game is complete.
  • Abusive, threatening, or inappropriate verbal or physical conduct directed toward students, school officials, employees, officials, players, activity sponsors, security personnel, or other individuals will not be tolerated 
  • Please review and adhere to the District’s Code of Conduct at all times. 


We also want to remind families and spectators that you can buy digital tickets for Kingston games ahead of time online using GoBound. When you buy a ticket online, you will show the ticket on your phone or print the QR code at the entrance gate. Student and adult activity passes are also available online, which saves you money. Plus, purchasing tickets online allows you to use credit/debit cards and reduces wait time at the entrance gate.

PPEL Renewal Vote Coming


For 50 years, the community has supported our District’s PPEL (Physical Plant & Equipment Levy). This levy serves as the primary funding source for urgent and ongoing maintenance and repairs of our buildings, and for purchasing needed equipment and vehicles. It ensures our students and staff have a safe and conducive learning environment. To learn more about PPEL and to see what projects it has helped fund, visit our website crschools.us/PPEL.

 

PPEL is up for renewal and will appear as” Public Measure C” on the ballot for a special election on September 10, 2024. During this special election, voters will have the opportunity to renew the existing PPEL funding for another ten years. Renewing this levy will NOT increase property tax rates. 


We hope you and your family will head out to the polls on September 10th. To find your polling location, click here and enter your home address. If you have questions about voting registration and to see a sample ballot, click here.

Board Votes to Renovate Harrison Elementary School


The CRCSD Board of Education has voted unanimously, 6-0, to renovate Harrison Elementary School and combine the Harrison and Madison attendance zone areas.


At the August 26, 2024, Board meeting, CRCSD Director of Operations Chad Schumacher and a representative from Legat Architects presented the cost comparisons and classroom size analyses for renovating Harrison and constructing a new building on the site with the Board. 


This decision marks the District’s sixth elementary school project as part of its ongoing efforts to modernize its facilities. Three new schools—West Willow, Maple Grove, and Trailside Elementary—have already been completed.  

Read more here

CRCSD Launches New Mental Health Service


CRCSD announced on Wednesday, August 28, a new partnership with Hazel Health to help address the rising mental health needs of students. Staggering statistics highlight the urgency of this issue: approximately 20% of U.S. children aged 3 to 17 experience mental health issues, yet 80% do not receive the necessary care. In Iowa, suicide is the second leading cause of death among youth aged 5-24.


"Our Board of Education has advocated for services, and we continue to seek more help. We simply don't have enough. Hazel Health allows us to knock down barriers to accessing mental health services,” commented CRCSD Superintendent Dr. Tawana Grover. 


Thanks to a $1.5 million investment from UnitedHealthcare and the State of Iowa, Hazel Health will provide timely access to high-quality mental health care from a team of licensed therapists without any out-of-pocket cost for families. Their licensed therapists are local, speak multiple languages, understand cultural differences, and are experts in the unique needs of children and teens. This new telehealth service will be available inside and outside of school hours on any internet-connected device. The district hopes to start scheduling appointments beginning September 18th.


The District announced the new partnership with Hazel Health at a special roundtable event on Wednesday at Washington High School. Hannah Stuelke, a University of Iowa basketball player and Washington High School alumni, joined CRCSD Superintendent Dr. Tawana Grover, Tanager Place’s school-based psychotherapist Larry Johnson, and four Washington student leaders. The group discussed the current youth mental health crisis and the barriers students face to getting help. 

Read more here

CRCSD Sees Response For Free Community Meals This Summer


On July 18, 2024, the Cedar Rapids Community School District (CRCSD) and the USDA summer food service program partnered with the City of Cedar Rapids and Linn County to launch a free community meal program at Johnson STEAM Academy, 355 18th St SE, Cedar Rapids. The program was developed to help those facing food insecurity following the closing of the 1st Avenue Hy-Vee.  


The District provided free breakfast and lunch to community members, no matter their age, Monday through Friday from July 18th to August 16th. In total, they served more than 1,348 meals to kids and adults at the Johnson location in just under six weeks.


“This collaborative effort is a powerful demonstration of what can happen when we unite as a community for the common good,” shared CRCSD Superintendent Dr. Tawana Grover.

Students Return To The Stage


Washington High School students will take center stage next week for their first play of the school year. The young thespians will be performing the play 1984, a stage adaptation of George Orwell’s dystopian novel by the same name. The story depicts the horrors of a man’s fate in a society where Big Brother is always watching—where everything that is not prohibited is compulsory. In this immersive production, audience members will be seated on the stage, surrounding the actors. You can catch the show from September 5-7 at 7:30 PM. Tickets and more information are available at crwashdrama.ticketleap.com

Supporting All Students - Crisis Prevention at CRCSD Update


On Sept. 12, 2022, the Cedar Rapids Community School District (CRCSD) entered into an agreement with the United States Department of Justice around the areas of seclusion and physical restraint of students with behavior concerns. The district has worked diligently with our school buildings to ensure that we are implementing approaches to student behavior that are evidence-based, positive, and the least restrictive means of responding to each student. As a result, our efforts provide a heavy emphasis on prevention and de-escalation strategies such as truly knowing and understanding the reason for individual student behaviors, giving a student choices, listening to a student, and encouraging/collaborating with the student to find a solution. 


On Thursday, September 5th, we will host a community event at the Educational Leadership and Support Center at 2500 Edgewood Road. NW from 5 PM to 6 PM for our parents and community to learn more. CRCSDwill also live stream this event. If you have any comments or questions on the agreement or strategies, please provide it in the form below. If you have any questions or concerns please reach out to Ryals Parker, Executive Director of Behavior Supports.

Submit your questions here

Important Dates

School Picture Days


Get those smiles ready! School pictures for CRCSD students are right around the corner. This year, CRCSD will use HR Imaging Partners, Inc. as our school photo vendor. Below is the schedule of the picture dates for each school in the District. Your student's schools will communicate any changes to these dates. Picture make-up dates are scheduled to start in October.


  • Cedar Rapids Home School - 10/17
  • Cedar River Academy - 9/23
  • City View High School - 8/29
  • Cleveland - 9/18
  • Erskine Elementary - 8/29
  • Franklin Middle School - 8/30
  • Grant Elementary - 9/4
  • Grant Wood Elementary - 10/15
  • Harding Middle School - 9/16
  • Harrison Elementary - 9/12
  • Hiawatha Elementary - 9/18
  • Hoover Community School - 8/30
  • Jefferson High School - 9/9 & 9/10
  • Johnson STEAM Academy - 10/10
  • Kennedy High School - 9/11
  • Kenwood Leadership Academy - 9/18
  • Madison Elementary - 8/28
  • Maple Grove Elementary - 9/11
  • McKinley STEAM Academy - 8/29
  • Metro High School - 9/16
  • Nixon Elementary - 9/26
  • Pierce Elementary - 10/9
  • Polk Alternative - 8/30
  • Roosevelt Creative Corridor Business Academy - 10/7
  • Taft Middle School - 9/5
  • Trailside Elementary - 10/16
  • Truman Early Learning Center - 10/1
  • Van Buren Elementary - 10/8
  • Viola Gibson Elementary - 10/8
  • Washington High School - 8/26
  • West Willow Elementary - 10/7
  • Wilson Middle School - 10/17
  • Wright Elementary - 10/3

Trailside Elementary School Ribbon Cutting


Students, families, and the community are invited to Trailside Elementary School's official ribbon-cutting ceremony and community open house on Thursday, September 12, 2024. The ribbon-cutting presentation will begin at 4:30 PM, with the community open house immediately following. We hope you can join us as we celebrate this momentous occasion. 

Glance Around CRCSD

Students at Metro STEAM Academy learned about Stanford University's D-School and design thinking model. They then put their learning to the test by working as a team to build the tallest paper tower.

It was a first at Trailside Elementary School; the student body got to meet their new school mascot. Say hello to Garth the Fox! The name Garth was created using the names of the former schools of Garfield and Arthur that joined to create Trailside.

Hiawatha Kindergarteners practiced writing on a vertical surface with small crayons to help them learn how to hold a pencil correctly. 

At this year's National Best Buddies Leadership Conference, Kennedy High School was recognized as the Chapter of the Year from Iowa. The Best Buddies Program helps to build friendships between people with and without intellectual and developmental disabilities.

Even though it was a hot week of school, students at Johnson STEAM Academy were still moving full "STEAM" ahead. They worked on relationship building, teamwork, and activating their curious minds.

Jefferson students, staff, and families kicked off the school year with a Back-ToSchool Bash. The event included food, music, activities, games, student clubs, and sports teams.

In the News

In case you missed it, here are recent news items about or of interest to Cedar Rapids Community School District students, teachers, and parents.

Jefferson High School

Activities Calendar

Kennedy High School

Activities Calendar

Washington High School

Activities Calendar

Learn more about

breakfast and lunch

meals here.

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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.

August 30, 2024