Soon, high school seniors from across the district will walk across the stage to receive their diplomas. Over 1,050 CRCSD students will be graduating this year. We hope family, friends, and the community can come out and celebrate these graduates and their academic accomplishments at one of the following graduation ceremonies. 

Graduation Ceremonies:

• Transition Center - Thursday, May 23, at 1:00 PM - ELSC Building
• Home School - Thursday, May 23, at 6:00 PM - Wilson Middle School Auditorium
• Metro High School - Wednesday, May 22, at 7:00 PM
• Kennedy High School - Thursday, May 23, at 7:00 PM
• Washington High School - Friday, May 24, at 7:00 PM
• Jefferson High School - Saturday, May 25, at 7:00 PM

If you cannot attend the ceremonies in person, Kennedy, Washington, and Jefferson will also be streamed live on KCRG.com and Zeam.com. The Metro, Kennedy, Washington, and Jefferson recordings of the ceremonies will also be reaired on KCRG 9.2 several different times in May and June.

Replay Dates:

• Metro 
• May 25 at 10:00 AM
• June 1 at 1:30 PM
• June 28 at 7:00 PM
• Kennedy
• June 4 at 7:00 PM
• June 25 at 7:00 PM
• Washington
• June 8 at 9:00 AM
• June 29 at 9:00 AM
• Jefferson
• June 8 at 1:00 PM
• June 29 at 1:00 PM

Community Facility Survey Results

At Monday’s Board of Education Meeting, Shive-Hattery, MA+, and School Perceptions shared their analysis of the Community Facility Survey the District sent out last month. The survey gathered the community's input regarding the District’s aging buildings and Facility Master Plan. Over 9,000 survey responses and 7,500 written comments were returned and analyzed.

The survey results are just one method district officials are using to gather stakeholder feedback for creating a new Facilities Master Plan. The team is also conducting one-on-one “Coffee Conversations” with community leaders. They have already completed over 50 of these conversations with business owners, nonprofits, union members, parents, and faith leaders, and they plan to continue these discussions over the next year. Representatives from Shive-Hattery and MA+ Architecture have also conducted extensive tours of all 32 district buildings and talked with the building administrators about their issues and needs.

The survey did ask people how they voted for the bond last November and why. The number one reason was that it was too expensive, and the tax impact was too big. The next two highest vote-getters were a lack of trust in the district and the decision to tear down Harrison Elementary School. Also, sixty-eight percent of survey respondents think the district should create a new facility plan and explore another bond referendum. Fifty-three percent also favor the district's “right-sizing” plan, which could include closing, consolidating, or renovating buildings to reduce operation costs and improve efficiencies. 

Another question of interest in the survey addressed Harrison Elementary School. About 21 percent of respondents supported replacing Harrison with a new school on the same site, 35 percent said to renovate and expand Harrison, and 22 percent said they would support either option. Based on these results, the Board of Education asked district officials to look into alternative options and costs for Harrison. These options will be presented at a future Board Meeting.

2024 Iowa High School Music Theatre Awards

Kennedy and Washington High School both received a 2024 Iowa High School Musical Theater Award for their student musical productions during the 2023-2024 school year. The Iowa High School Musical Theater Awards celebrates the achievements of students involved in high school musicals from across Iowa. Awards are given for stand-out performances, orchestra, hair and makeup, creativity, and behind-the-scenes work. A full list of participating schools and awards can be found here. 

Kennedy's Awards for their production of Sweeney Todd

• Outstanding Musical Production
• Outstanding Ensemble
• Outstanding Student Orchestra
• Outstanding Performance in a Principal Role - Jordan Harvey as Sweeney Todd, Kenna McHenry as Mrs. Lovett, and Luke O’Brien as Judge Turpin.
• Special Recognition for Performance in a Principal Role - Saul Ervin as Tobias, Samara Larson as Anthony, and Sirinidhi Kompella as Joanna.

Washington’s Awards for their production of

Mean Girls: High School Version

• Outstanding Overall Performance
• Outstanding Performance in a Principal Role - Olivia Blackhurst as Janis and Eloise Prince as Cady.
• Special Recognition for Performance in a Principal Role - Isla Hamilton as Karen and Felicity Sarchett as Regina.
• Outstanding Achievement in a Behind-the-Scenes Role - Theo Brock for stage management 

The Awards Showcase will be held at the Des Moines Civic Center on Thursday, May 30th at 7:00 PM, where some of the award-winning schools will perform. The showcase will be live-streamed at IowaPBS.org, and a highlights special of the event later this summer on dates still to be announced.

Superstars Olympics Returns

On Wednesday, the Mt. Mercy Athletic Complex was buzzing with excitement as middle school athletes from across the district gathered for the 2nd Annual Superstars Olympics! This inclusive event celebrates athletes of all abilities as they showcase their talents in various track and field events. The day was filled with laughter, smiles, and countless memorable moments as participants gave their all and earned well-deserved medals. Thank you to everyone who came out to support and cheer on these young superstars. Your encouragement and positivity made the day even more special! Also, thanks to the Cedar Rapids Schools Foundation, community sponsors, middle school staff, and volunteers who helped make this day possible. 

Spring Vaccine and Sports Physical Clinics

The District’s Metro Care Connection is partnering with Linn County Public Health to offer two more spring vaccine and sports physical clinics next week. These clinics are FREE and open to all CRCSD 6th-8th-grade and Washington HS students. Written parental permission is required to participate. Please contact your student's school nurse for more information and to request a parental permission form and paperwork. Below are the scheduled clinic dates and times.

• May 21st - Washington High School - 9:00 AM - 2:00 PM
• May 22nd - Taft Middle School - 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM

Franklin’s 100th Anniversary Celebration

Franklin Middle School is gearing up for a grand celebration of its 100th anniversary on Thursday, May 23rd, from 3:30 to 6:30 PM. This historic milestone commemorates the school’s rich legacy since its construction in 1923 and official dedication on March 12, 1924. 

The anniversary celebration is open to the public and will feature student-led tours of the building and 100 years of memorabilia. There will also be bouncy houses, a climbing wall, music, and food. Franklin students have also created videos documenting some of the building’s unique history, which can be found on the school’s website. We hope you can join us for this fun-filled evening to celebrate a century of education in our community. 

Green Team Celebration

Earlier this week, Viola Gibson's Green Team took a trip to Mt. Trashmore to learn about the landfill-turned-recreation area and to see the Cedar Rapids Solid Waste Agency's composting site. Green Team are interactive, educational programs that empower students to help the environment through waste reduction, energy and water conservation, and environmental education. They participate in several environmental projects throughout the year. 

This field trip was to celebrate and wrap up their year. Upon reaching the summit of Mt. Trashmore they held a small award ceremony to honor Green Team member Isaac as the "Outstanding 5th Grade Green Team Member of the Year.” Isaac has been a part of the Viola Gibson Green Team for the past 3 years and has developed into a team leader. He participates in composting, weeding, planting, and teaching others about ways to protect the planet. His enthusiasm for saving the Earth makes him a vital member of the group, and well deserving of the award!

Students Showcase Their Hard Work

Students were beaming with pride as they showed off their hours of hard work at the Student Built House Open House on Wednesday. Twenty-two students spent over 7,600 hours building this 2,350-square-foot home in Hiawatha. As community members toured the home, they got to see firsthand the students’ exceptional construction skills and the fruits of their labor. The experience taught the students not only construction skills but also teamwork, ingenuity, time management, and a strong work ethic. 

“I loved learning how to frame. I loved learning plumbing and HVAC. But none of it mattered because my favorite thing was Lough (Teacher Dan Lough) teaching me work ethic,” shares Jefferson senior Lanin. “He made sure quality was the priority.” 

This is the 51st home to be built by students of the district and it is currently listed for sale with Skogman Realty.

Students Get A Peek into Adulthood

Is gaming or making TikTok videos a good career option? How much schooling does it take to become a veterinarian? Can a hobby be a job? These are just a few of the questions the 7th graders in the Business Leadership Studies program at Roosevelt Creative Corridor Business Academy had the opportunity to explore during the Junior Achievement Finance Park Simulation. This simulation gives students a peek into adulthood, personal financial planning, and career exploration. It also helps students learn financial literacy and how to make good decisions related to income, expenses, savings, and credit.

During the simulation, students visited stations to learn about the options and costs of housing, health, food, insurance, utilities, transportation, and many other financial categories. Then, the students set a budget based on a hypothetical family situation, job and salary, and debt level. They then had to “shop” in each category to see if they could stay within their budget allotments. The simulation can be a very valuable and eye-opening experience for the students when they realize that they may not be able to afford everything they want.

McKinley 8th graders Violet Meyer-Boothby and August Merschbrock recently participated in the Mt Vernon Chalk the Walk event.

They have done it again! The Kennedy E-Sports team won their second IAHSEA State Championship in the Spring Valorant competition! 

Metro High School students are busy preparing products for their upcoming NewBo Youth Market on Saturday, May 18th. Stop by from 10 to 4 to see what they have to offer.

Ms. Hannah and the Cleveland Art Club have spent countless hours after school lately creating this fun mural in the school’s cafeteria.

This week, the first graders at Hiawatha Elementary School planted vegetables in the school’s new raised beds. They can’t wait to see them start growing.

Wright Elementary 2nd-5th graders got to spend the afternoon at a Cedar Rapids Kernels game this week thanks to a generous donation from the family of Jeff Haugh, who donated it in his memory.

In case you missed it, here are recent news items about or of interest to Cedar Rapids Community School District students, teachers, and parents.

• KWWL: Swatting Surge: Local Police and Schools Investigate Swatting Calls
• Gazette: Iowa schools draw fewer candidates for superintendent jobs
• Gazette: New survey: Cedar Rapids voters indicate support for creating new school facility plan, possible bond
• Gazette: Consultant will help craft standards for new Cedar Rapids schools’ college and career programs
• KCRG: CRCSD Superintendent to present ‘alternative’ plans for Harrison Elementary School
• KGAN: Cedar Rapids School Board: No interest shown in arming staff under new Iowa law
• KCRG: New Cedar Rapids High School finishing first year

2023-24 School Calendar

2023-24 Preschool Calendar

Jefferson High School

Activities Calendar

Kennedy High School

Activities Calendar

Washington High School

Activities Calendar

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Non-Discrimination Policy

It is the policy of the Cedar Rapids Community School District not to discriminate in educational programs and/or activities on the basis of race, creed, color, gender, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, gender identity, socioeconomic status, national origin, religion, disability, age (except for permitting/prohibiting students to engage in certain activities) or genetic information and in employment opportunities on the basis of age, race, creed, color, gender, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, religion, disability or genetic information. There is a grievance procedure for processing complaints of discrimination. If you have questions or a grievance related to this policy, please contact Darius Ballard, Chief of Human Resources, Educational Leadership and Support Center, 2500 Edgewood Rd NW, Cedar Rapids, IA, (319) 558-2000.