With the first day of school starting next week, the Carroll Community School District (CCSD) administrators and staff are preparing to welcome students back for the 2024-25 year. Superintendent Dr. Casey Berlau says summers always seem to go by too fast, but he enjoys the fresh start of a new school year. He says that throughout the summer, new carpet has been laid in the seventh and eighth-grade pods in the Carroll Middle School and a few classrooms in the high school building, along with a new coat of paint on the walls. Berlau says the most significant improvements have been made at Fairview Elementary.
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Over the summer, the Board of Education met to review and approve new policy changes for the upcoming year to ensure the district’s compliance with state regulations. The biggest policy changes to be implemented would involve new language to the cellphone policy, though nothing has been decided yet, and chronic absenteeism. Berlau says the new state legislation defines chronic absenteeism as missing over ten percent of the school year.
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This upcoming year, the district will offer a new social studies curriculum for middle and high school students, new class electives at the high school level, and college credit courses offered through Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC). Berlau says the district is also excited to offer a new preschool after-school program to assist families of students looking for daycare.
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Berlau looks forward to welcoming staff back in the buildings next week, with students returning the following week on the 23. He encourages all families to come to the open house on Wednesday, Aug. 21, from 4:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at all district buildings to tour the building, get to know the teachers and staff, and bring in school supplies to make it easier Friday morning when the first day of school kicks off. Berlau wants to wish the families a great last week and a half of summer and looks forward to seeing everyone very soon.