Davenport Schools | Growing Excellence

Davenport Community Schools Board of Directors Announces Process To Fill Vacant Board Seat

The Board of Directors of the Davenport Community School District must fill the remainder of the term on the Board left by the passing of Director Clyde Mayfield.

The Board will accept letters of interest from members of the community which must be received by the Board Secretary no later than 4:30 p.m. Friday, August 14, 2020. Those submitting letters of interest will be interviewed in a special call open session during the week of August 17, with the exact date and time to be determined. The Board will vote to select an individual to complete the vacant term during the regular Board meeting on Monday, August 24. The individual selected will be sworn in immediately and take their position on the Board.

Letters of interest may be dropped off to the Board Secretary, Mary Correthers, Room 221 at the Achievement Service Center, 1702 N. Main Street, Davenport, Iowa weekdays between 8:00 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. or e-mailed to the Board Secretary at correthersm@davenportschools.org.

Stepping Stones Registration Open on Monday, August 10, at 8:00 AM

Registration for the 2020-2021 Stepping Stones Program will open on Monday, August 10, 2020 at 8:00 AM. Registration for Stepping Stones will be online only.

All required forms and information will be posted at 8:00 AM on Monday, August 10, 2020 on the Stepping Stones website, www.davenportschools.org/steppingstones. Please call 563-528-0973 with any questions.

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Internet Access Assistance for DCSD Families

Internet access is critical to students and yet some in our community are without adequate access needed for this delivery model. The Davenport Community School District has taken steps to reduce this barrier for students and families and will continue to find ways to partner with community groups to assist our families in ensuring equity of access.

Your household may qualify for internet access assistance if you meet all of the following criteria:

• Live in Davenport, Blue Grass, Buffalo, Walcott, or within the school district boundaries where Mediacom offers internet service
• Have at least one child who qualifies for free or reduced-price school lunch through the National School Lunch Program (NSLP)
• Are not currently receiving Internet services from any providers
• Have NOT subscribed to Mediacom internet service in the past 90 days
• Do not have an outstanding Mediacom bill or unreturned equipment

If families are in need of internet access, please contact the District Office at: DCSDConnect@DavenportSchools.org or call 563-336-7929. Please provide your name, your student’s name, your full address, and your phone number.

The District has also enhanced Internet access to portions of school parking lots at 15 schools spread across the District including the Achievement Service Center, Buchanan, Blue Grass, Eisenhower, Fillmore, Garfield, Hayes, Mid City, Monroe, North, Washington, West, Williams, Wilson, and Wood. These enhanced access points provide families with free internet access from Wi-Fi zones located in school parking lots between 6:30 a.m. – 9:00 p.m. daily. Those utilizing a Wi-Fi zone are able to do so from their vehicle in order to help maintain appropriate social distancing efforts.

Download DCSD Connect Flyer

Davenport Community School District Partners with Purposity App to Connect the Community with Student Needs

The Davenport Community School District is excited to announce a partnership with Purposity, an app connecting users with one-to-one needs in their community. The partnership aims to fulfill the essential needs of students within the Davenport Schools.

If you knew a kid down the street had a simple need – say she needed sneakers for school – chances are you’d help, right? But, it’s hard to know the needs of real people in your community because there’s never been a way to connect people who could really use help with people who want to offer it. Enter a new app: Purposity. Its name comes from purpose + generosity, and it’s designed to connect the individual needs of people near you with neighbors, like you.

The vision for Purposity is to inspire us to live generously by connecting people to doing good in the same way Facebook connects us to friends and Google connects us to information.

“We live in an age when we can make a doctor’s appointment right from our phones,” said founder Blake Canterbury, “but we have no way of knowing if the family down the street has food on their table or if their children have shoes on their feet.” Purposity looks to bridge that gap locally.

“Purposity allows our community to work together collectively to ensure our students have some of their most basic needs met, with just one click of a button,” stated DCSD’s Youth Mental Health Grant Manager, Sarah Brennan. “I believe so many of us struggle to find ways to assist and give back to our community, especially during the pandemic. This is an opportunity for our community to show their commitment to the success of our students and their future.”

Dubbed “Your Tool for Good,” the Purposity app sends a weekly notification to users with a need in their area. With just a few clicks, people can satisfy needs ranging from shoes and jackets for a local student to small household items for a family that lost their home in a fire. The app also features user profiles that track donors’ giving, allowing them to see their impact.

“We wanted to create a way for communities to connect and unite in a meaningful way,” stated Blake Canterbury, Founder and CEO. “Our belief is that if you knew your neighbor needed help, you’d help.”

Here is how it works:

1. A student or family has a need
1. • Needs typically cost around $35, but can range up to $250 and can be anything, such as shoes, clothes, backpack, supplies, etc.
2. A Davenport Schools staff member sends that need to a designated Purposity organizer, which would be a DCSD school social worker
3. The social worker submits the need to the Purposity organization
1. • Needs are always submitted anonymously, and no student / family names are ever given
4. Purposity puts the need on their app and sends out notifications to those in the Davenport community who have the app
5. Anyone who sees the need and wants to help, can click on the link and buy the item
6. The item is shipped to the District social worker who delivers it to the school / student

Those who sign up receive an alert with a link to a story of an individual in need and can then choose to meet that need right on their phone. The requested item is in the hands of the organization in just a few days. It takes one notification, under a minute, and a few clicks to make a difference for a fellow community member.

The Davenport Community School District needs to build a following of 600 users on its Purposity profile before being able to fully help the students and families in need. Once the profile reaches 600 followers, student and family needs will begin to be shared and fulfilled within the Davenport community.

To join the movement to support DCSD students, download the Purposity app from the App Storeor Google Play and be sure to follow the Davenport Community School District. To learn more, visit www.purposity.com or view Purposity’s brief, introductory YouTube video.

• Download Spanish Version
• Download Vietnamese Version

Transportation Request Form, Due August 5, 2020

Return completed Transportation request card to the school office or 3640 Davenport Avenue by August 5, 2020.

On-line transportation registration is available after May 1, through your Parent Portal account. If you do not have a Parent Portal account, please contact your child’s school office for information on creating an account. (Durham School Services Hours 7:00-4:00 P.M.)

Download Transportation Request Card

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Davenport Schools Foundation Awards $90,000 In Scholarships To Students

The Davenport Schools Foundation is proud to announce a record-breaking year in college scholarships awarded to students in our 2020 senior class. More than $90,000.00 in college scholarships were awarded to graduating high school seniors and college-enrolled students for the upcoming 2020-2021 school year.

“The Davenport Schools Foundation is proud our scholarships program identifies a broad cross-section of talented students from throughout the Davenport community,” says Sherry Freese Co-Chair of the Selection Committee. “Working with our donors, we are able to give our scholarship recipients the opportunity to pursue their post-secondary education goals.”

In 1990 the Davenport Schools Foundation began its trusteeship for scholarships with the Helen Pohling Scholarship. Today, the Foundation’s scholarship committee oversees more than 30 different scholarships; and this year, awarded over $75,000 to graduating seniors at North, Central, West and Mid City High, plus an additional $17,000 in recurring scholarships for a total of over $90,000.

In total, there were over 75 applicants for scholarships awarded to more than 40 students, with some scholarships having multiple recipients. The criteria for most of the scholarships includes outstanding academic performance, involvement in extra-curricular activities and community service, and a GPA of 3.25 OR an ACT of 24. Several are also based on financial need.

The Davenport Schools Foundation distributes financial assistance to schools through the Great Minds Program for enrichment activities and recognizes outstanding achievements by students of various ages in the arts and sciences.

For more information on how to create a scholarship fund, please contact Ami Wells, Executive Director at wellsa@davenportschools.org or call 563-336-7436.

For a full list of scholarships, please click here.

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Hybrid Model vs. 100% Online Learning Model

To begin the 2020 - 2021 school year, ALL Kindergarten through 12th Grade students will be enrolled in the Hybrid Model. Parents/Guardians have the option to request 100% online learning for a minimum of at least the first semester should they choose. Here is a chart that explains the differences in the two models.

If you’d like your child(ren) to engage in 100% online learning, you must log on to your Parent Portal account, and look for the link titled, “Online Commitment Form” on the message screen. This commitment is due by August 6, 2020.

Please keep in mind that these models are fluid and will continue to evolve and potentially change based on the health and safety of our students, families, staff and community.

Download PDF

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Information on 100% Online Learning Commitment, Due August 6, 2020

To begin the 2020-21 school year, ALL Kindergarten through 12th grade students will be enrolled in the hybrid model (see below).

You can find this information by using the link below:
Click Here To Download the DCSD 2020-2021 Return To Learn Plan.

Parents/Guardians have the option to request 100% virtual online learning for a minimum of at least the first semester. Please log on to the Parent Portal account, www.davenportschools.org/portal and look for the link titled, “Online Commitment Form” on message screen. This commitment is due by August 6, 2020.