Announcements

Prairie Trail families are invited to attend a special event, hosted by our Student Lighthouse Team, called “Leader in Me: Amazing Afternoon Adventure”. This event will be held at Prairie Trail from 3-5pm on Thursday, April 25, 2024. It will be an open house format where students and families participate in activities together that focus on the Eight Habits of Happy Kids. The grade level with the highest attendance will earn an extra recess!  All are welcome. We hope to see you there!

4/25: 5th Grade visit to Parkview

4/25: Leader in Me: Amazing Afternoon Adventure, 3-5pm

4/28: Family Fun-Day Sunday at PT Sports Complex, 1-4pm

4/30: Kindergarten Field Trip to Jester Park

May

5/1: 5th Grade Field Trip to Capitol

5/5-5/11: Teacher Appreciation Week

5/6: No School (Professional Learning Day)

5/6: Senior Breakfast, 9-10am

5/7: 5th Grade Band Concert, 6:30pm

5/7: PTO Meeting, 7pm

5/8: 5th Grade Track Meet

5/10: Field Day

5/15: 4th Grade Biography Fair, 1:15-2:30pm

5/15: Community Restaurant Night @ 30 Hop, 5-8pm

5/17: Ice Cream Social @ PT Playground, 3-5pm

5/17: Rain Date for Field Day

5/24: Last Day of School! (2-hour early dismissal)

5/24: 5th Grade Awards Ceremony, 8:15am

During this time of year, many of our students will be preparing to take assessments. Whether you’re helping an elementary or secondary student prepare for testing, listed below are a few resources to help:

• Helping Your Child with Test-Taking
• Help Your Child Prepare for Standardized Tests

Ankeny Schools is excited to announce the opening of a transitional kindergarten (TK) program for the 2024-2025 school year. This new level is designed to provide students with the time needed to develop essential social and academic skills, acting as a bridge between preschool and kindergarten.

Registration for Transitional Kindergarten will be integrated into the general registration process, commencing on February 2, 2024 at 8:00 a.m. Similar to preschool, available space is limited, and acceptance is determined by the time and date of the submitted complete registration. Class sizes will be capped at 20 students per class, and the total number of classrooms will be finalized by the district later in the spring.

For more information please visit the Transitional Kindergarten website page within the Register section. Applicants can expect to receive an email confirmation of classroom placement or waitlist status by the end of March.

We are excited to introduce a convenient new way to report student absences to your school! The Absence Request tool in the Infinite Campus Parent Portal allows you to report your student’s absence online with just a few clicks. This can be done using your desktop computer or the Parent Portal app on your mobile device.

Entering an absence request is quick and easy. Follow these simple steps:

1. Log in to your Infinite Campus Parent Portal account.
2. Select your child’s profile.
3. Navigate to the Absence Request section.
4. Fill in the required information, including the date and reason for the absence.
5. Submit your request.

Visit this Absence Request Guide for detailed information on how to report absences.

Per the student handbook, students who know they will be absent for a reason other than a school-sponsored trip or school-sponsored activity must have a parent notify the school’s office in advance of the absence. This notification can be provided using the Absence Request tool outlined above, or by phone call, e-mail, or written note.

One of the great things about Ankeny Schools is the community’s support of our athletics and activities. These events bring thousands of people together to celebrate the achievement of students. Because security is of utmost importance, the district continues to review its practices and identify areas of improvement at such events. As a result, we will be implementing some new security measures this Fall for our activities and events.

Security practices that will continue:

• Grades 6-12 must wear school ID while at the game
• Footballs are not allowed
• No baby powder, confetti, signs, noisemakers
• No weapons (real or look-alike)
• The North gate will remain secured at all times unless a team, band, or emergency personnel need access to the stadium

New security practices:

• Families will be encouraged to ensure that students in grades K-5 be accompanied by an adult
• Entrance to the stadium before an event will not be allowed
• There will be no re-entry after leaving the stadium
• Spectators will not be allowed to bring backpacks and large handbags into the stadium; Diaper bags or medical bags are allowed, but are subject to search
• No outside food or drink
• No access without a ticket or pass, including after halftime

These recommendations are the result of numerous conversations with security experts and a review of our current practices. Security can often be at odds with convenience. Our goal is to provide a safe environment for our students and spectators. We look forward to cheering on the Hawks and Jaguars with you this Fall.

Prairie Trail is moving to a shared e-mail address to report absences, early pick-ups and transportation changes to the office.  Please use the email, pt.office@ankenyschools.org to communicate this information to the office. This change will provide consistency for both parents and the office staff.  Thank you!!