No Early Dismissal Today! No School Reminder for Monday - Memorial Day

With this morning’s weather and the delay in school, there will be no early dismissal today. Schools will dismiss at its normal Monday through Thursday dismissal times:

  • 2:50 PM for Middle and High schools
  • 3:50 PM for Elementary schools 


This is a friendly reminder that there is no school for students on Monday, May 27th, due to the Memorial Day Holiday. All school and district offices will be closed. We encourage students to use the time to catch up on assignments and relax as we get ready to head into the final stretch of the school year. Also, remember that the last day of school for students is June 6th, and it will be an early dismissal day.

Student Crew & Dell Certification


The Cedar Rapids Community School District's IT department has teamed up with Dell Technologies' TechCrew program to offer high school students hands-on IT experience and a pathway to earn a Dell Certification. The Dell TechCrew program is an educational initiative designed to foster career and technical skills training in schools. Participating students get to work with district Tech Facilitators on real-world IT issues, from troubleshooting software to performing hardware repairs. The program not only equips students with valuable, life-long skills but also enhances the district’s IT services available in schools. 


Recently, Kennedy High School student Bobby Valdez-Terpein became the first CRCSD student to complete his Dell Certification. Under the mentorship of Kennedy Tech Facilitator Jason Long, Bobby spent the school year learning different IT competencies and meeting the requirements for the Dell TechDirect Technician - Self-Dispatch program. This certification now allows him to repair and work on Dell computers. 

News and Updates

Summer Meals


CRCSD will once again offer students free meals over the summer. These meals help ensure kids can still get the nutritious food they may need even when school is closed. These meals are FREE and only available for children 18 years of age and younger. All meals must be consumed on-site. Breakfast will be served from 8:00 am - 9:00 am, and lunch will be served from 11:30 am -12:30 pm. A meal menu is available on Nutrislice. Click the button below for more information and to see the full schedule of meal sites.

Summer meals flyer

Trailside Tour


Last Friday, the staff from Arthur and Garfield Elementary Schools donned their hard hats to get an exclusive sneak peek of the new Trailside Elementary School, slated to open in August 2024. The visit was filled with excitement, laughter, squeals of delight, and even a few happy tears as the future Trailside team explored their soon-to-be workplace. Click the button below to see photos from the tour. 


CRCSD is thrilled to provide a new state-of-the-art, safe, and secure learning environment where both our students and staff can thrive. A major highlight of the new school is its two-story library that is situated at the center of the building, reflecting the strong emphasis on reading at both Arthur and Garfield. The building is laid out in grade-level "pods," where each grade shares a common space, restrooms, maker space, and storage, creating a smaller “community” within the larger school. Additionally, the school boasts a large kitchen and cafeteria, enabling in-house meal preparation and a storm shelter spacious enough to accommodate the entire student body.


The district plans to host a ribbon-cutting ceremony later this summer, inviting students, families, and the community to tour the new building. Here's to a bright future at Trailside Elementary School!

Check out Trailside Elementary

Franklin's 100th Anniversary Recap


Franklin Middle School marked its 100th anniversary on Thursday, May 23rd, with a public celebration to honor a century of educational excellence. Construction began on the building in 1923, and it was officially dedicated on March 12, 1924. It initially served as a high school before transitioning into a junior high/middle school in 1957. Over the past 100 years, it has shaped the lives of countless students. 


The anniversary celebration featured student-led tours of the historic building, offering attendees a glimpse into the school’s rich history. The students shared historical facts and highlighted key points of interest throughout the building. In addition, an extensive display of 100 years of photos and memorabilia was on display throughout the building. Visitors marveled at photographs of the school’s early administrators, various student groups through the decades, and original building blueprints. The festivities also included several activities for the kids, including bouncy houses, a climbing wall, and live music. Overall, it was a day of fun and reflection for the entire community.

See more from Franklin's celebration

CRCSD Retirement Luncheon


Last Friday, the Cedar Rapids Community School District hosted a “thank you” luncheon for the district's 2023-2024 staff retirees. The event recognized the remarkable careers of the eighty-one retirees and the impact they had on our students, district, and community. Superintendent Dr. Grover, school board members, and the Cedar Rapids Schools Foundation thanked the retirees for their dedication and years of service to the district. In fact, this group of retirees has given a total of 1,649 years of service to CRCSD. Besides the recognition program, the attendees were also treated to a performance from the Washington High School’s Forest Drive Improv Company.

Retirement celebration

Metro 50th Anniversary Reminder


Metro High School will commemorate its 50th anniversary with a special celebration on Thursday, May 30th. The event, open to the community, will take place from 4:00 PM to 8:00 PM, with a highlight presentation of the 50th anniversary award scheduled for 5:30 PM. Metro High School’s motto, "Mastering educational tasks regardless of obstacles," has been its guiding light, and has made the school a leader in the state for alternative high school learning. This milestone event not only honors the school's past achievements but also looks forward to future successes.


In honor of this significant milestone, Metro High School was selected by NASA’s Office of STEM Engagement as one of fifty recipients nationwide to receive a NASA Artemis I Moon Tree seedling. This tree, whose seed journeyed around the moon on the Artemis I mission and returned to Earth in 2022, will be planted on Metro's grounds, symbolizing growth and inspiration for decades to come. 

Capturing One Final Memory


As the school year winds down, Arthur and Garfield Elementary Schools are commemorating a series of "lasts" before merging into the new Trailside Elementary School next fall. This week, Garfield Elementary marked a particularly poignant milestone with its final Senior Walk, honoring graduating seniors who once roamed the halls as young students.


In a heartfelt tribute, longtime Garfield teacher Nancy Raue orchestrated a special recreation of a cherished memory from 13 years ago. Back then, as a Kindergarten teacher, Raue had gathered her class for a picture on "Orange Day," posing with her orange Volkswagen Beetle convertible. After their Senior Walk on Monday, despite the rain, the seniors and Raue came together to recreate that moment again. They even held the same poster and bear from the original photograph. It was a great way to come together and say goodbye to the seniors, Nancy and Joy Long, who are retiring, and to Garfield Elementary itself. 

Graduation Replay


CRCSD seniors celebrated their academic accomplishments during graduation ceremonies this week. We hope they will look back on their experiences at CRCSD with happy memories and can draw from their knowledge, skills, and experiences to help them on their new journeys. Congratulations to the Class of 2024!


If you couldn’t attend the graduation ceremonies, please check out KCRG 9.2. They will reair the recordings of the Metro, Kennedy, Washington, and Jefferson ceremonies on 9.2 on the following dates and times.


Replay Dates:

  • Metro 
  • May 25 at 10:00 AM
  • June 1 at 1:30 PM
  • June 28 at 7:00 PM
  • Kennedy
  • June 4 at 7:00 PM
  • June 25 at 7:00 PM
  • Washington
  • June 8 at 9:00 AM
  • June 29 at 9:00 AM
  • Jefferson
  • June 8 at 1:00 PM
  • June 29 at 1:00 PM

Glance Around The District

The Washington High School E-Sports team won the IAHSEA State Championship in the Spring League of Legends competition! They celebrated by ringing the championship bell in front of the school.

The Harding Middle School chamber orchestra had the opportunity to share their music with district staff at the district’s Educational Leadership and Support Center earlier this week.

First graders from Johnson STEAM Academy got to see what life was like long ago at Ushers Ferry Historic Village, including having class in a one-room schoolhouse. 

Cedar River Academy 5th graders had an amazing week at Outdoor Academy with Linn County Conservation! They worked on cooperation, collaboration, and communication, as well as wilderness survival, fishing, canoeing, and hiking.

5th graders at Nixon Elementary held a Wax Museum Event this week. Each student chose a famous person to research. Then they wrote a speech, created a poster, wore costumes, and presented their famous person to visitors.

This year’s Senior Walks wrapped up this week. This annual tradition allows high school seniors to walk down memory lane before they walk across the stage to receive their diplomas. Click here for photos.

CRCSD 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.

District Calendars

2023-24 School Calendar

2023-24 Preschool Calendar

Visit our Calendar page

Jefferson High School

Activities Calendar

Kennedy High School

Activities Calendar

Washington High School

Activities Calendar

Learn more about

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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.

May 24, 2024