Wizards Newsletter

Hello Wizard Families-

Please remember that next week is our ISASP (Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress) testing window for students in grades 3–5! Testing will take place in the mornings on Monday (5th grade only), Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday (April 13-16). Your help in making sure students arrive at school on time, well-rested, and ready to do their best is greatly appreciated. Thank you for your continued partnership and support!

📣 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.

Have a fantastic weekend!

The placement of children in classes is an important decision. When determining homeroom placements, we strive for continuity and balance in many areas including but not limited to gender, range of developmental stages, social mixture, and culture. Our goal is to create heterogeneous homerooms that reflect the diversity of our community. Therefore, we work through an extensive process to determine class placement for each school year. This process includes much collaboration among the principal and school staff to analyze student data while considering the many factors mentioned above to compile class lists. Honoring the decisions made by the educational professionals in regard to the class make up is extremely important.

Wickham will not accept requests for placement in a specific teacher’s classroom. Principal and staff will take into consideration information parents/guardians provide regarding specific or unique academic, behavioral, social/emotional or health related needs.

Parents may request a teacher who taught an older sibling. These requests will be considered but will not be guaranteed. Exceptions to the “Sibling Match” requests are made by the educational team, when necessary, to maximize educational services and resources for all students.

This form must be submit by Friday, April 24th at 3:30 PM. No late submissions will be accepted.

Our very own Ms. McDonnell was nominated for a Shine Award this week! This honor is so well deserved, and we are incredibly happy for Karleen. The warmth, kindness, and joy she brings​ to our community brighten​s​ the day​ of every student and staff member. We are so lucky and deeply grateful to have her as part of the Wickham family.

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!

Join the Wickham staff in celebrating the rich diversity of our school community! Mark your calendars for Wednesday, May 13th, 2026, from 5:30 PM - 7:00 PM for a special evening of cultural exploration. Your family will have the opportunity to experience traditions from around the world, enjoy ethnic foods, and see unique artifacts that showcase our global connections.

🌍 Seeking Presenters! 🌍
We invite families to set up a booth and share artifacts, music, clothing, and/or food from their native country. This is a fantastic opportunity to showcase your heritage and help us represent as many countries as possible. At our last event, over 35 countries were represented!

If you’d like to participate as a presenter, please complete the form below by April 30th, 2025. More details will be shared with those who sign up by the end of the month.

Thank you for helping make this a cultural celebration to remember! 🎉

Do you have a little one turning 5 years old on or before September 15, 2026? Then it’s time for Kindergarten Registration! If you have not already registered your child for Kindergarten for the 2026/27 school year, please use the link below to get started!

April 13-17th- ISASP testing for grades 3-5

April 15th- Kindergarten Round-Up (5:30 PM - 6:30 PM)

April 24th- No SCHOOL, District Closed

May 12th- Track and Field Day for 4th and 5th grade

May 13th- World-Wide Wickham

May 21st- 5th grade Wax Museum (12:45-1:30 PM)

May 25th- NO SCHOOL, District Closed

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

Linked here is our 2025-2026 District Calendar!

Kindergarten - Friday, May 29th at 1:30
1st and 2nd Grades - Thursday, April 23rd at 12:45

3rd and 4th Grades - Friday, May 1st at 1:30

5th Grade - Thursday, June 4th with 5th grade celebration (12:00-1:30 PM)

Taco & Bingo Night - TICKETS & VOLUNTEER OPPORTUNITIES NOW AVAILABLE!

Taco & Bingo Night will be held on Monday, April 13, 2026. Food will be served from 5:30-7:00pm in the lunchroom and Bingo will be offered in the gym. Tickets include all you can eat taco buffet, drink, and choice of dessert.

When: Monday, April 13th, 2026
Time: 5:30PM to 7:00PM with Bingo from 6:00-7:00PM
Cost: Pre Ordered tickets are $6 per child and $9 per adult. Door tickets are $7 per child and $10 per adult. Cash or card accepted at the door. Tickets are not required for Bingo. Please visit https://www.wickhampto.org/store to order. Deadline for online orders will be Sunday, April 12.
Volunteers: We need your help to make sure this event runs smoothly! Please consider signing up at https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0C4FAEAA2FA7F58-62817570-2026#/

"Maker Day" Fundraiser

Our "Maker Day" Fundraiser is being rescheduled - tentatively for fall/winter of the 2026-2027 school year. We apologize for any inconvenience. We look forward to trying out this new event at a later date!

PTO Meeting - Wednesday, May 6 @ 7 p.m.

Join us for our next monthly PTO Meeting on Wednesday, May 6 @ 7pm. This will be our last PTO meeting for the 2025-2026 school year! A virtual link will be provided via PTO email prior to the meeting.

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