It is hard to believe that May 1st is tomorrow. We know that the next few weeks will go quickly in this final stretch of the school year.

Although the culmination of the end-of-the-year events are upon us, the plans for summer learning opportunities are also underway. We will be communicating those opportunities in the days to come--all focused on recovering learning lost during this stressful school year.

We know that families are making their summer plans; it has been wonderful to see our community inch forward with summer events as well. Little by little, we are certainly capturing hope spots of opportunities throughout CR!

Happy May Day, CRCSD!

Last day of school

Make sure you can access your Infinite Campus parent portal. If you don’t know your username and password, contact your student’s school . . . before the school year is over!

Why is it important to have an updated portal? You can find important information in your portal:

Check out the enrollment and registration website below for more information!

“Working with the kids is the best part,” says Randy Farnum, first-year blendED biology teacher at Jefferson High School.

Farnum is a long-time educator, and moved to Cedar Rapids Community School District with his wife—who also teaches in CRCSD—for his dream job: teaching freshman and sophomore students the ecology part of biology and getting hands-on with projects. He says this school year has provided plenty of challenges from COVID-19 to remote learning. His first day of employment was August 10, the day of the derecho storm.

He has worked hard, along with the rest of the team at Jefferson, to keep students excited about biology and is looking forward to next year.

Are you looking for a new and rewarding challenge? The Cedar Rapids Community School District audit committee is seeking new members. Audit committee members serve for three years, beginning in September 2021, and participate in eight meetings a year.

Learn more and apply in the link below.

Along with representatives from the City of Cedar Rapids, Johnson STEAM Academy students celebrated Arbor Day this morning in Redmond Park.

Fifth grade students presented to the group the importance and benefits of trees in maintaining a healthy ecosystem. Representatives of Trees Forever and City Arborist Todd Fagan discussed the damage to the trees and the impact on the city from the Aug. 10, 2020, derecho.

The event wrapped up with the planting of several trees in the park.

Cedar Rapids Community School District seeks collaborative community-based organizational partners to provide research-based tutoring programs for student academic recovery from learning loss due to COVID-19 pandemic-related extended school closures.

Proposals are due May 12. Learn more in the link below.