Even with several inches of snow this week. Spring is just round the corner. A reminder that next week, there is no school on March 13-17, for spring break.

Please note that all district offices are closed on Friday, March 17. There will be no Future Ready Today newsletter on that date, as well.

CRCSD Policy Update

The Cedar Rapids Community School District has recently updated the district policy on suspension based upon the agreement between the district and the Department of Justice.

As a result of this agreement, the communication timeline and process to families regarding a suspension is being updated to be more efficient. This updated communication process ensures timeliness in receiving written notification within the required 24 hour timeframe, as well as protects the privacy of the learner by prompting a secure login to access the letter.

Effective Monday, March 20th, 2023, parents/guardians will receive a suspension letter via Infinite Campus. Parents/guardians will receive an email which will direct them to the parent portal and parents/guardians will log in to access the suspension letter.

It is the priority of the district to ensure timely, and consistent communication when incidents occur requiring suspension. Taking steps to improve our processes and procedures will also allow us to best serve all of the learners in the Cedar Rapids Community School District. Below you will find instructions on how to access the portal to retrieve letters sent to you. Should you need additional support, please contact your school building.

Jefferson Academic Decathlon Team Wins State for 23rd Straight Year

Congratulations to the Jefferson High School Academic Decathlon team, who has won the state championship for the 23rd year in a row! Academic Decathlon is an academic competition where students study and take tests in ten subject areas centered on a common theme—this year's theme related to the American Revolutionary War. The Jefferson team earned 57 of the 90 subject awards this past weekend in Urbandale, Iowa. The highest-scoring decathlete at the competition was Danika Burkett. The team qualified for the national competition on April 27-29 in Frisco, Texas, by winning the state competition. Congratulations to the entire team. 

Kennedy's Basketball Perfect Season Comes to a Close in State Quarterfinal Action

This week, the Kennedy High School Men’s Basketball team fought hard but came up short in their State quarterfinal matchup against Pleasant Valley. The Cougars fell by a score of 57 - 45. This defeat was the only loss for the Cougars, who finished the season with a record of 22-1. It’s the first time in Kennedy’s 55-year history that the Varsity Basketball team has had an undefeated regular season. Congratulations on an outstanding season. 

Metro Takes Honors at Robotics Meet

Metro Robotics Team 4175 won the 2022 - 2023 Judges Choice Award at the First Tech Challenge: iowa Championship. The Team also hosted a 50-fan challenge, including a member from all 13 seasons that Metro has been part of the First Tech Challenge. Also, Chuck Tonelli was recognized as an Outstanding Volunteer Coordinator for First Robotics. 

Congratulations to all the students and staff; their hard work and dedication made these events possible.

March is Food and Nutrition Month

March is National Nutrition Month, and this year's theme is "Fuel for the Future." 

Our CRCSD food and nutrition department is devoted to fueling the future, serving approximately 15,500 nutritious meals daily and ensuring Every Learner is Future Ready through healthy school meals.

Join our team! CRCSD was named to Forbes’ 2021 Best-in-State Employer list and is the second largest public education district in Iowa, with more than 16,000 students and nearly 3,200 teachers and staff that work in 32 schools throughout the Cedar Rapids area. 

Executive Director of Behavior Supports

The Executive Director of Behavior Supports provides oversight to the implementation of the settlement agreement between the CRCSD and the US Department of Justice. This position will develop and oversee implementation of District policies and procedures to assist CRCSD employees and Crisis Prevention teams to appropriately respond to students in crisis to ensure Every Learner is Future Ready.

Chief of Human Resources

The Chief of Human Resources position serves on the executive cabinet and works closely with the superintendent. This position provides leadership and oversight of the Human Resources Department and assumes general administrative responsibility for all personnel and other programs in the department. 

Chief of Staff/Board Secretary

The Chief of Staff/Board Secretary serves as the highly critical right-hand administrator to the Superintendent of Schools and Board of Directors. As Chief of Staff/Board Secretary this position provides leadership and oversight of the day-to-day operations of the Superintendent’s Office, Board of Directors, and operations/management of the Educational Leadership & Support Center.