Key Items on the Agenda
The West Des Moines Community Schools Board is scheduled to consider an amended 2026–2027 school calendar, a revised employee handbook, multiple groups of board policy changes, facilities change orders, and several contracts. The agenda also includes a public hearing on the proposed calendar amendment, an update on bond projects, and reports on a new employee wellness program and changes to elementary instructional minutes.
2026–2027 School Calendar Amendment
A public hearing is scheduled on an amendment that would move the last day for seniors from May 20, 2027, to May 25, 2027. The packet says the change is intended to maintain a continuous learning environment and better align the senior schedule with graduation over Memorial Day weekend.
Following the hearing, administration recommends approval of the amended calendar. The draft calendar lists May 28, 2027, as the last day for students in grades PK–11 and includes 172 student contact days and 1,113 instructional hours.
Employee Handbook Changes
Administration recommends approval of the 2026–2027 Employee Handbook. The accompanying executive summary identifies three major revisions:
- Removal of the attendance guidelines to reflect updated operational procedures.
- Addition of a disruptive behavior policy intended to establish workplace standards and support a safe, professional environment.
- Addition of the administration organizational chart to clarify reporting relationships and executive oversight.
The packet also describes updates to department-specific language and minor grammatical revisions.
Policy and Governance Items
The Board is scheduled to consider several groups of policy changes, including policies tied to school finance audit standards and recent legislative updates.
16 Policies Scheduled for Second Reading
Administration recommends a second reading and approval of 16 policies that the packet says require updates to meet School Finance Audit standards. The changes are based on Iowa Association of School Boards Policy Manual recommendations and cover areas including board membership and vacancies, conflicts of interest, financial records and metrics, debt management, purchasing, financial reporting, fixed assets, records management, and a new Policy 706.08 on Time and Effort Reporting.
The proposed Time and Effort Reporting policy would establish documentation and internal-control requirements for salaries and benefits charged to federal awards, including requirements for records reflecting actual work performed and periodic reconciliation of payroll charges.
Three Policies Proposed for Waived First Reading and Approval
Administration recommends waiving the first reading and approving Policies 503.11, 504.06 and 605.11. The Superintendent's Board Policy Advisory Committee reviewed the policies on July 23.
Proposed Policy 503.11, Disruptive Behavior, addresses classroom removals, due process, requirements involving students with IEPs and Section 504 plans, and support following violent or nonviolent disruptions. It also provides up to three days of paid physical-recovery leave for teachers injured because of a student's violent disruption while performing work duties.
Proposed Policy 605.11, Technology and Instructional Materials, would limit digital instruction in grades K–5 to 60 minutes per school day, subject to listed exceptions. It also addresses parent requests for additional reductions in digital instruction, prohibits student digital-device use during recess for those grades, and establishes a review process for one-to-one device programs.
Eight Policies Scheduled for First Reading
The Board is also scheduled for a first reading of Policies 201, 210.07, 401.01, 501.15, 502, 505.05, 603.02 and 607.01. The packet attributes the reviews to current needs and Iowa Association of School Boards legislative recommendations.
Among the proposed changes, Policy 505.05 would update social studies graduation requirements for the class of 2029–2030. New Policy 603.02 addresses physical education requirements and exemptions, while new Policy 607.01 establishes a K–12 student guidance and counseling program supporting students' social, emotional, academic and career development.
Major Financial and Facilities Items
Hillside Renovation Change Order
Administration recommends approval of Change Order #2 for the Hillside Renovation, adding $71,149.57 to the project. The original contract was $3,294,000, and the packet lists $106,458.52 in previous change orders, producing a proposed new contract amount of $3,471,608.09.
The change order combines unforeseen conditions, owner requests and design changes. Among the larger additions are $16,824.55 for electric damper actuators, $12,951.04 for additional Media Center demolition and $7,471.36 for an exterior paging system. The project is funded with bond funds.
Playground Group B Change Order
Administration recommends a $9,000 Change Order #1 for the Playground Group B project to raise portions of existing Jordan Creek playground equipment because of an unforeseen issue. The proposed change would increase the contract from $735,300 to $744,300, with the project funded by bond funds.
Valley Stadium Rental Agreement
The Board is scheduled to consider a 2026 football-season facility agreement allowing Dowling Catholic High School to rent Valley Stadium. The proposed standard rental charge is $3,500 per event, compared with the prior $500-per-hour rate that typically resulted in a $2,500 charge.
For the August 28 game against Valley High School, the proposed rent remains $2,500 because Valley would retain the west bleachers and west locker room. The agreement's schedule also lists Dowling home games at the stadium on September 11, October 2 and October 23.
Separate Bills for Payment
Administration separately recommends approval of $7,920 in payments to Drake University for registration and $171,066.34 to the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services for Medicaid.
Contracts and Program Proposals
Bullying, Harassment and Title IX Investigation System
Administration recommends a four-year agreement with McGrath Training Solutions at $9,500 annually, funded from the General Fund. The proposed McGrath Response System would provide a districtwide framework for investigations involving bullying, harassment, misconduct, discrimination and Title IX complaints.
The packet says the district has averaged 29 founded bullying and harassment incidents per year over the past five years. Services would include administrator training; staff, student and parent/guardian training; implementation assistance; investigation templates; and on-call incident-response support.
Secondary Science Curriculum Cadre Consulting
Teaching and Learning Services requests another year of collaboration with Dr. Katy Swalwell and Past Present Future Consulting & Media for the Secondary Science Curriculum Cadre. The proposed scope runs from August 2026 through June 2027 and includes approximately five full cadre meetings, 10 planning and debrief sessions, data analysis, reports and preparation for future curriculum cadres.
The proposed cost is $33,000 from the General Curriculum Fund. Deliverables include data-analysis reports, recommendations for future curriculum cadres and procedural tools that could be used with later cadres.
BookBreak for Elementary Libraries
Teaching and Learning Services recommends acquiring BookBreak by PBC Guru for K–6 teacher librarians at all eight elementary buildings. BookBreak provides live and recorded virtual author visits and related instructional materials.
The agenda lists a $6,500 General Curriculum Fund cost. The supporting agreement identifies a final cost of $6,580 after discounts, so the packet contains differing figures for this item. The agenda also notes that teacher-directed demonstrations are permitted under recent screen-time legislation, while independent student use would need to be coordinated with classroom teachers to manage daily screen time.
Administration recommends renewing 28E agreements with four community preschool partners for the 2026–2027 Statewide Voluntary Preschool Program:
- Cadence Academy Preschool on Ashworth
- Cadence Academy Preschool on Grand
- Sacred Heart Preschool
- West Des Moines United Methodist Church and Early Learning Preschool
The packet says these partners served 92 students during 2025–2026. The agreements provide for district payments using Statewide Voluntary Preschool funds; one included agreement lists state funding of $4,074 per qualified child, with the district retaining 5% for administrative costs and the remaining 95% flowing to the preschool through in-kind and cash payments.
School Photography Agreements
The Board is scheduled to consider a new one-year agreement with JostensPix for elementary school portraits and Jostens Yearbook, covering grades PK–6. Parents would pay JostensPix directly for photo packages, and the agreement states participating schools would receive 10% of fall and spring picture sales.
A separate one-year Lifetouch extension is proposed for grades 7–12 after the previous agreement expired in spring 2026. Parents would likewise pay Lifetouch directly for photograph packages.
Athletics Scheduling and Ticketing
Administration recommends renewing Bound Pro+ with an FMX Facility Management integration. The packet says expanded ticketing would provide a discount covering the previous $1,500 Bound Pro+ cost, while the FMX integration would cost $1,000 from the Student Activity Fund and automatically transfer competition schedules into the district's facility calendar.
Administration recommends a media-rights agreement for Midwest Sports+ to produce live coverage of four matches at the August 27, 2026, Marj White Classic volleyball tournament at Valley High School. Midwest Sports+ would receive live and on-demand distribution rights, including highlights and promotional clips, and would pay the district $1,000 for four matches.
If fewer than four matches are played and available for coverage because of weather, cancellation or another circumstance outside the company's control, the agreement provides for the fee to be reduced to $250 per match.
2027 Valley High School Commencement Contracts
Three proposed agreements relate to the 2027 Valley High School commencement ceremony.
- Stage and chair rental: Administration recommends an $8,236.70 agreement with Classic Events & Parties, down from $9,549.20 the previous school year. The cost would come from the VHS building graduation account.
- Photography: Administration recommends an agreement with The Grad Team to continue individual graduate and ceremony photography at no cost to the district. The packet notes that the continuing arrangement has not been reviewed by legal.
- Videography and livestreaming: Administration recommends a $5,000 agreement with AON Studios for commencement livestreaming, funded from the VHS graduation account. The contract calls for coverage of the May 29, 2027 ceremony and provides a $5,750 price if the event is postponed to May 30.
Consent Agenda
Administration recommends approval of a consent agenda covering minutes, personnel, bills, open enrollment, contracts and student travel requests.
Open Enrollment
The agenda recommends approval of 13 applications into WDM Schools and six applications for resident students to attend other districts. Eight of the incoming applications involve students who moved outside the district and want to continue attending WDM Schools, while five are new incoming students.
The agenda estimates that these actions would bring open enrollment totals to 241 students into WDM Schools and 93 students out to other districts. The supporting open-enrollment document describes the listed applications as previously approved administratively and presented for review.
Special Education Placement
The consent agenda includes renewal of an agreement with Change Academy at Lake of the Ozarks for an out-of-state placement supporting the IEP of one WDMCS student. The district would pay educational costs only, at $300 per academic day for the 2026–2027 school year.
Valley High School Overnight Trips
Three athletic travel requests are included:
- Cross country: 20 students and five staff chaperones would travel to Minneapolis September 18–19 for the Roy Griak-University of Minnesota High School Elite Division Cross Country Meet. Fundraising would cover all costs, with no student contribution required.
- Girls tennis: 12 students, two staff chaperones and two parent chaperones would travel to Rochester, Minnesota, August 28–29 for the Rochester Mayo invitational. The estimated cost is $50 per person, with hotel and gas paid through the Valley activities fund and financial assistance available through the summer tennis camp account.
- Girls wrestling: 18 students and three staff chaperones would travel to Waterloo December 16–17 for the Battle of Waterloo. The estimated cost is $68 per person, funded through team fundraising.
Superintendent's Report
The district plans to present information on a new employee wellness program. Elementary principals are also scheduled to provide an impact report on changes to instructional minutes made during the 2025–2026 school year.
What to Watch at the Meeting
The calendar amendment carries a direct scheduling impact for graduating seniors, moving their proposed final day to May 25. The policy agenda is also substantial, with changes touching student discipline, instructional technology and screen time, physical education, counseling, financial controls and other governance matters.
Facilities spending is another significant area, particularly the proposed $71,149.57 Hillside Renovation change order. The Board will also have several longer-term service and instructional proposals before it, including the four-year McGrath agreement and continued Secondary Science Curriculum Cadre consulting.
