Welcome Back Families!

Hello, Delwood families and students!

Welcome to the 2026-2027 school year! We have been working hard all summer to prepare our school, and we absolutely cannot wait to see smiling faces back in our halls this August.

As we gear up for day one, I want to share a few major updates and improvements we’ve been working on over the summer:

Delwood Before & After School Program Changes, now known as LEAP

Every new school year brings exciting changes, and we have an incredible update to share. Thanks to the Nita M. Lowey 21st Century Community Learning Centers grant, we are thrilled to launch the Delwood Before & After School Program 2.0! Best of all, this high-quality program is being provided at absolutely no cost to all of our Delwood families. Keep an eye out for the table at Unpack your Backpack Night so you can register your children in time for the first day of school.

Playground Updates

Thanks to the relentless work of our PTO, we were awarded a grant that allowed us to secure enough funding to complete our playground updates ahead of schedule. We are thrilled that our students will get to experience a safer and more inclusive surface for playing and learning. (And I’m sure many of us parents won't miss all those little rocks coming home in our kids’ shoes, either!)

Cafeteria Updates

We have some very exciting updates coming to our breakfast and lunch programs! Our focus this year is moving away from pre-packaged, processed options and expanding freshly prepared, scratch-made, and locally sourced foods:

• More Fresh Fruits & Vegetables: We are installing a brand-new salad bar stocked with daily fresh options, including produce sourced directly from Iowa farms and local food hubs.

• Scratch-Baked & Prepared Items: Look out for scratch-baked foods cooked on-site.

• Upgraded Favorites & Quality Over Convenience: By upgrading our kitchen equipment, we will be transitioning to raw beef cooked in-house and locally purchased. We are also replacing canned items and pre-cooked bagged entrees with fresh or frozen choices.

Our goal is simple: provide nutritious, high-quality, and delicious meals that keep our students energized. Students will also have the option to choose a double serving of the main entree for lunch. Keep an eye out for more specific communications and forms regarding these nutrition changes.

Focusing on Student Success

Our academic goal this year is all about maximizing student engagement and using clear learning targets. This means that every single day, your child will know exactly what skills they are mastering, why it matters, and how it connects to their long-term success.

Combined with a strong focus on core reading and math priorities, our teachers are dedicating their professional development to evidence-based strategies to ensure every student feels connected, motivated, and supported. We are also prioritizing tailored math and reading interventions to meet every student exactly where they are. If your child qualifies for an intervention, you can expect direct communication and progress updates every six weeks.

We are your partners in your child’s education, and together, we are going to make this the best year yet. Enjoy the rest of your summer, and we will see you very soon.

Go Vikings!

Iowa recently passed a new law (Senate File 2428) updating how schools handle student behavior and discipline for the 2026–2027 school year. At Delwood, our top priority is keeping every child safe while supporting their learning and emotional growth.

While we are still tweaking our policy to ensure we are following new guidelines, I would like to share our policy at this point:

How We Handle Classroom Disruptions

We divide behaviors into two clear types so our staff can respond fairly and consistently:

• Nonviolent Disruptions: Behaviors that interrupt learning but do not hurt anyone (such as repeatedly refusing directions, severe emotional outbursts, or peer bullying).

  • First Step: A teacher may ask a student to spend at least 30 minutes in the office to calm down and regain focus.

  • Schoolwork: Staff will help the student complete any missed schoolwork during or after this break.

  • Returning to Class: The student returns to class after meeting with the teacher and principal.

  • Next Steps for Repeated Disruptions: If a student is removed from class 2 or more times in a quarter, a support meeting with parents, the teacher, principal, and counselor will be held to build an plan for them.

• Violent Disruptions: Actions that cause direct physical harm, threats, or danger to self or others (such as hitting, kicking, throwing heavy furniture, or major property damage).

  • Immediate Action: The student is immediately removed from class to the office for safety.

  • Administrative Steps: The principal determines disciplinary steps, which may include homebound learning, temporary suspension, or an alternative placement while schoolwork is provided.

  • Returning to Class: Re-entry requires teacher consent or committee evaluation. (If a staff member was assaulted, state rules prohibit overriding a teacher's decision regarding re-entry.)

Key Safeguards & Support for Every Student

• Calm-Down Spaces: Office removals take place in a supportive, age-appropriate environment where staff help students regulate emotions before finishing schoolwork.

• Special Education & 504 Protections: If a student with an IEP or 504 plan accumulates removals, an IEP/504 meeting will be held within 10 school days to review their behavior plan and accommodations.

• Restorative Re-Entry Chats: Before heading back to class, staff conduct a brief 2-minute chat with the student to set positive expectations and smooth the transition back to the group.

• Prompt Parent Notification: Parents will always be notified promptly regarding any formal disciplinary steps or temporary removals.

Daily Reminders & Minor Behaviors

• Behavior Matrix & Referrals: Our standard behavior matrix is still used to identify minor vs. major behaviors (3 minor behaviors = 1 detention).

• Documentation & Re-Entry: Students are only removed from class with an official behavior referral, and paperwork will be sent home that day. A brief re-entry chat with the principal and teacher is required before returning to class.

I welcome your feedback and questions! Please feel free to contact me by email or phone. Thank

you for your continued partnership and support in providing a safe and successful environment for our students.

As we launch into another exciting school year, our halls are once again filled with energy, laughter, and endless potential. Every new school year offers a fresh perspective and this year, our school-wide theme is "Dare to Dream."

We believe that every child who walks through our doors arrives with unique strengths, passions, and possibilities. When we encourage elementary students to dream big, we teach them to view challenges as opportunities, to remain curious about the world, and to build confidence in their own capabilities. Whether a student dreams of reading their first full chapter book, mastering long division, learning a new instrument, or simply making a new best friend, every goal begins with the courage to envision it.

Partnering for Success

Great dreams are rarely achieved alone. Education is a true partnership between school and home, and your support is the foundation of your child’s growth. When families and educators work together with shared vision and encouragement, children feel safe enough to take intellectual risks, persevere through tough problems, and celebrate progress along the way.

Here are a few meaningful ways you can help nurture the "Dare to Dream" mindset at home:

• Talk About Goals: Ask your child what they hope to learn or accomplish this year, both academically and personally.

• Encourage a Growth Mindset: Celebrate effort, problem-solving, and resilience rather than just final grades or quick answers.

• Read and Explore Together: Spark imagination by reading stories about innovators, dreamers, and leaders who made a difference.

• Maintain Open Communication: Connect regularly with your child’s teacher so we can work together to support their growth.

Together, let's create a school community where every student feels inspired to reach higher, try harder, and dream bigger than ever before. We look forward to a fantastic, inspiring year with your family!

As we start a new school year, we are looking forward to adding another layer of our Leader in Me implementation- direct lessons. Based on the book by Stephen M. Covey, The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People, Leader in Me helps every child build confidence, take responsibility, and learn valuable life skills.

What Is Leader in Me? We believe that every student has unique strengths and can be a leader. This program helps students develop key skills, such as:

• Taking Responsibility: Managing time, setting goals, and taking ownership of choices.

• Working Well with Others: Building positive relationships, listening, and teamwork.

• Problem-Solving: Thinking critically and finding positive solutions when challenges arise.

Weekly Lessons in the Classroom: To support your child, teachers will guide short weekly lessons (15-30 minutes focused on the 7 Habits:

1. Be Proactive – You are in charge of your actions.

2. Begin with the End in Mind – Set a goal and make a plan.

3. Put First Things First – Work first, then play.

4. Think Win-Win – Look for solutions where everyone succeeds.

5. Seek First to Understand, Then to Be Understood – Listen carefully before speaking.

6. Synergize – Work together to achieve more.

7. Sharpen the Saw – Take care of your body, mind, and heart.

Leadership doesn't stop at school! Throughout the year, we’ll share simple tips and conversation ideas so you can practice these habits with your child at home.

An overview of the lesson groups are provided below:

• Preschool/Transitional Kindergarten (4-5 years old)- Early Learning Curriculum
• Kindergarten-Sixth Grade- Leader in Me Curriculum

Reminders as we start a new school year:

• Students may enter the building beginning at 7:50 a.m. School begins promptly at 8:10 a.m. Every school day provides valuable learning opportunities. Arriving on time and attending school regularly helps students build routines and achieve academic success.

  
  

• Our transportation staff will be reaching out within the next 10 days to provide you with bus information.
• Student safety remains our highest priority. Please follow all drop-off and pick-up procedures to help ensure a safe and efficient arrival and dismissal for everyone.

• School will dismiss at 1:30pm each Friday for professional development.

• Students who arrive at the school before 7:45am will need to attend the before school program.

• The after school program runs until 5:30pm each day, except on days when school dismisses early due to weather.

• If your child will be absent or if transportation plans change during the day, please contact the school office as early as possible. Please be sure to notify the school if there is a change in dismissal plans. If you know about the change in advance, you can write this in your student’s planner, send a note with your student or call the school. If the change happens during the school day, please call the school.
• Please make sure to review the Delwood 2026-2027 Family Calendar for all school start times and early release dates. It is linked above and on Class Dojo. Paper copies will be available at Back to School Night. All dates have also been added to Class Dojo events so you don't miss a single event.

Check out this video from Safety Town PTO 2026! Thank you to our PTO for organizing this event for our incoming First and Second Grade students.