Wizards Newsletter

Hello Wizard Families-

It’s hard to believe how quickly May is flying by, especially with the beautiful weather we’ve been enjoying! These warmer days have been a welcome change and a reminder of how quickly the school year is coming to a close. Please read the PTO section below to hear about end-of-the year events and an opportunity to order school supplies for next year.

A big thank you to all of our families who participated in World Wide Wickham. We had a fantastic turnout with 16 countries represented, and it was truly a joy to see families share their cultures, traditions, and stories with our school community. One of my favorite parts of the evening is always sampling the incredible foods families generously bring and share with us. Thank you for your kindness and willingness to contribute to such a meaningful experience for our students.

Special thanks to Sarah Curtin-DeLara, and all of our staff who helped plan, organize, and support the event to make it such a success. It truly takes a team, and we are grateful for the time and energy they put into making Wickham such a connected and celebratory community.

Have a fantastic weekend!

Your voice matters! As we continue to implement Levels One & Two of High Reliability Schools (HRS), we're capturing feedback from families to improve how our school functions. Share your thoughts and help us create the best environment for our students by clicking the box BELOW!

📅🍎 Registration for the 2026-27 school year is open! We encourage you to take advantage of this early opportunity to register your student(s) for next year.A quick reminder: all families need to complete online registration each year through Infinite Campus. You can get started by using the link below. Just be sure to select the school year “26-27” when prompted. If you need help with the registration process, please contact our enrollment team at (319) 688-1000 or by email at enroll@iowacityschools.org.

• Registration instructions for RETURNING families to the District

• Registration instructions for NEW families to the District

📣 Not Returning to Wickham Next Year?

If your family is planning to move or your child will not be attending Wickham Elementary for the 2026-27 school year, please let us know by clicking the link below and filling out a short form. This helps us plan ahead for staffing and classroom placements. NOT RETURNING NEXT YEAR FORM. If you have any questions, feel free to email Patrick West at west.patrick@iowacityschools.org.

May 25th- NO SCHOOL, District Closed

May 29th- Kindergarten Music Performance (1:30-2:00)

June 3rd- Last day of school for PM preschool

June 4th- 5th grade Celebration (12:00-1:30 PM)

June 5th- Last day of school for all students, including AM and full-day preschool, 2 hour early dismissal at 12:55

Linked here is our 2025-2026 District Calendar!

Wickham PTO End-of-Year Picnic- May 27th, 2026!

We’re excited to invite you to the Wickham Elementary PTO End-of-Year Picnic on Wednesday, May 27th from 5:30 PM – 7:30 PM!

Back by Popular Demand – The Dunk Tank!
Come join the fun as students get a chance to dunk some of their favorite staff members! Full teacher list coming soon!

Dunk Tank Tickets:
Pre-order begins Monday, May 11. Purchase your dunk tank throws at https://www.wickhampto.org/store before 8PM on Monday, May 25:

• $15 for 6 throws (tickets may be split among siblings)

At the event:

• $5 for 2 throws (cash only) – available while time permits
• Pick up all pre-purchased tickets at the dunk tank station (back side of the school)

Food on site:

• Kona Ice
• Pizza by the slice (cheese & pepperoni), cookies & water
  • Pizza $2, cookies $1, bottled water $1 (cash only)
• Feel free to bring your own picnic dinner as well!

We Need Volunteers!
The PTO Executive Board plans and organizes these events—but we need your help to make them happen!
Please consider signing up for a short volunteer shift.
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0C4FAEAA2FA7F58-56557321-2025#/

We’re looking forward to celebrating another amazing school year with our Wickham community. See you there!

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Sugar Bottom Bakery Cookie Fundraiser
Wickham PTO & Sugar Bottom Bakery have teamed up for a cookie fundraiser!
From now until May 18, you can order delicious cookies from Sugar Bottom Bakery while also supporting Wickham PTO. PTO will receive 20% of proceeds.

Order by: Monday, May 18 @12pm
Order Form: Click https://forms.gle/Pv7DrnneRRJYr1wdA to order.

Cost & Payment: Cost is $26 per dozen. Pay via Venmo @Sugar-Bottom-Bakery at time of order. Please do not click "Turn on for purchases" or fees will be taken out of proceeds. The last 4 digits to verify the Venmo account are 6042.
Pick up: Wednesday, May 20 from 4:30-6:00pm @ Wickham Elementary

Thank you for supporting Wickham PTO!

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Wickham Elementary School Supply Boxes

As we continue conversations around student technology use and screen time, we are asking families to provide feedback through our Screen Time Survey.

This survey is intended to help us better understand family perspectives regarding Chromebook use during the school day and at home, communication around technology expectations, and possible future considerations related to student screen time practices.

Please provide your feedback here:
https://iowacityschools.co1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_2t4VV3nHmJFEpPU

If you have multiple children and your responses would differ for each child, you are welcome to complete the survey more than once.

Your feedback is important and will help guide future conversations and decisions in these areas.

Thank you for taking the time to share your perspective.

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Good morning, West High families and supporters—

Summer is one of the best opportunities for students to grow, stay active, and build meaningful connections, and West High is excited to offer a wide variety of camps and clinics for students of all ages.

These camps provide much more than skill development. They give kids the opportunity to:

• Build relationships with future teammates, coaches, and mentors
• Stay engaged and productive during the summer months
• Learn new skills while having fun in a positive environment
• Gain confidence through activity, teamwork, and competition
• Become more connected to the West High community and programs

Our coaches and student leaders work hard to create experiences that are energetic, welcoming, and beneficial for every participant—whether they are trying a sport or activity for the first time or continuing to develop their passions.

By participating, families are also directly supporting West High programs and helping strengthen the opportunities available for our students throughout the year.

You can view all available camps and registration information here:
West High Summer Camps & Clinics Registration

We hope your family will take advantage of these great opportunities and be part of another outstanding summer at West High!

Warmly,

Coach Craig

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Dear Families,

We would like to notify you of the 2026-27 Pay-to-Ride school transportation program, which is available to families who do not qualify for mandatory transportation under the State of Iowa's requirements.

Iowa Code 285.1.a. The Board of Directors in every school district shall provide transportation, either directly or by reimbursement for transportation, for all resident pupils attending public school, kindergarten through twelfth grade, except that:

1. Elementary pupils shall be entitled to transportation only if they live more than two miles from the school designated for attendance.
2. High school pupils shall be entitled to transportation only if they live more than three miles from the school designated for attendance.

The Pay-to-Ride program details are available on our District website at www.IowaCitySchools.org/PayToRide. If you have any questions before applying, please don’t hesitate to contact our Transportation Department via email at Davis.Esme@iowacityschools.org.

Payment and Fees for Service

• Pay-to-Ride fee:
• $700 per student, per year, round trip
• $415 per student, per year, round trip, for students who qualify for reduced-price lunch.
• $0 per student, per year, round trip, for students who qualify for free lunch.
• Full payment must be made no later than June 5, 2026, to be included on a bus roster for the start of the 2026-27 school year.
• Applications submitted after June 6 through September 7, 2026, will be included on a bus no later than September 28, 2026, if space is available. Efforts will be made to make placements earlier; however, a date prior to September 28 cannot be guaranteed and remains subject to available space.
• After September 7, 2026, applicants will be notified no later than 10 school days from submission if space is available.
• Applications will be accepted after the due date as long as capacity remains on existing routes. (Note: Students will only be assigned to existing bus stops and routes; buses will not be rerouted to accommodate requests.)
• Students are not eligible to ride until payment is received and the application is approved.

Application Process

1. To apply for Pay-to-Ride busing, please complete the Pay-to-Ride application available at www.IowaCitySchools.org/PayToRide
2. Payment can be made online at https://www.myschoolbucks.com or by check made payable to Iowa City Community School District

If you are interested in participating in the Pay-to-Ride program, please complete the application and submit payment no later than June 5, 2026, to be considered for a bus roster for the start of the 2026-27 school year.

Sincerely,

Esme Davis
Transportation Manager

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Good morning, West High families and supporters—

Summer is one of the best opportunities for students to grow, stay active, and build meaningful connections, and West High is excited to offer a wide variety of camps and clinics for students of all ages.

These camps provide much more than skill development. They give kids the opportunity to:

• Build relationships with future teammates, coaches, and mentors
• Stay engaged and productive during the summer months
• Learn new skills while having fun in a positive environment
• Gain confidence through activity, teamwork, and competition
• Become more connected to the West High community and programs

Our coaches and student leaders work hard to create experiences that are energetic, welcoming, and beneficial for every participant—whether they are trying a sport or activity for the first time or continuing to develop their passions.

By participating, families are also directly supporting West High programs and helping strengthen the opportunities available for our students throughout the year.

You can view all available camps and registration information here:
West High Summer Camps & Clinics Registration

We hope your family will take advantage of these great opportunities and be part of another outstanding summer at West High!

Warmly,

Coach Craig

Looking for information on Securly, our web filtering tool?

Find all the information here www.IowaCitySchools.org/Securly.

It is the policy of the Iowa City Community School District not to discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, religion, creed, age (for employment), marital status (for programs), sexual orientation, gender identity and socioeconomic status (for programs) in its educational programs and its employment practices. There is a grievance procedure for processing complaints of discrimination. If you have questions or a grievance related to this policy, please contact:

• Laura Cottrell (Executive Director of Educational Services & Student Success) for programming at cottrell.laura@iowacityschools.org
• Nick Proud (Chief Human Resources Officer) for employment at proud.nick@iowacityschools.org, 2255 N. Dubuque Road, Iowa City, Iowa 52245, (319) 688-1000; or
• If you are unsure how to proceed or would like assistance in discussing your options, you may also contact Janet Abejo-Parker at ombuds@iowacityschools.org or (319) 688-1312