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For detailed information about the 2024-2025 school year, including registration, school supply lists, rolling start dates, lunch options, transportation details, and more, please [CLICK HERE].
With over 10,000 students across 19 campuses, Waterloo Schools remains one of the largest districts in the state of Iowa. We pride ourselves with having a strong focus on creating individual pathways to success for all students through student enrichment programs such as Life Labs, the Waterloo Career Center, Success Street, and more. Our goal is to provide students with the support they need to work toward their dreams. Whether they’re looking to continue their education or find a fulfilling career after graduation, our goal with every student is to provide them with a diploma and a plan.
The Waterloo Career Center (WCC) provides Career Technical Education (CTE) for not only Waterloo Schools high school students, but students in surrounding districts. One of the only facilities like it in the state of Iowa, the WCC offers over 18 career paths and counting. Students who participate in the career center experience real world training with industry experts, giving students hands-on opportunities to learn in labs that are built with professional-grade equipment to simulate real workplace environments. The center exposes students to a variety of career paths offering internships, apprenticeships, free college credit, and more.
Whether you would like to take one course or spend your entire day at the Waterloo Career Center, we invite you to learn more about the wide variety of career offerings. Can you see yourself here? We can! With us, the future is now! Explore your future with the Waterloo Career Center.
Explore our “Teacher Feature” stories! CLICK HERE to dive into inspiring stories from dedicated educators across our district. Learn more about the teachers who go above and beyond to make a difference every day.
Check back often, as we’ll be adding more amazing teachers throughout the year!
STAY CONNECTED WITH OUR LATEST UPDATES, EVENTS, AND ACHIEVEMENTS. FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK FOR A FRONT-ROW SEAT TO THE EXCITING JOURNEY OF EDUCATION.
🌟 Celebrating Ja’Myla, an amazing 3rd grader from Irving Elementary! 🌟
With a heart full of kindness, Ja’Myla shares, “I’m awesome because I’m a great leader in and out of the classroom. Helping others helps me connect with people and spread positivity.” To her, a true leader is someone who shows they care and respects others. She’s a standout at Irving, where her favorite part of the day is art—she loves painting and drawing because of the calm it brings. 🎨✨
“I want to gain all the knowledge I can so I can make the world a better place,” says Ja’Myla. 🌍 We’re so #WaterlooProud of your helpful, caring spirit, Ja’Myla!
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🌟 Meet Clint Mendez, a dedicated Instructional Assistant whose passion for education is grounded in the belief that every student has limitless potential! “I pursued a career in education to inspire students to realize their full potential," Clint shares. "I wanted to provide mentorship and guidance, just like the positive role models I had growing up.”
Clint’s day-to-day work focuses on creating fresh opportunities for connection and support, where each student knows they are valued and capable of greatness. He finds immense fulfillment in being a steady presence for students, especially when they need encouragement the most.
This year, Clint’s goal is clear: to motivate every student to believe in themselves and to help them realize they can achieve anything they set their minds and hearts to! His commitment reflects the strength and passion that make Irving Elementary a place of infinite possibilities.
Please join us in celebrating Clint’s positive impact at Irving!
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What a great young man!! I commend you for all the work you are doing for the children! God bless you! ❤️🙏🙏
I'm so glad to see this Clint! You were a wonderful student at Hawkeye Community College and I am not surprised at all that you are wonderful with the students at Irving! They are so fortunate to have you.
Mr. Mendez, it is so great to see you. Thank you for making a difference. Panther proud!
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🌟 Celebrating our Living Our Values Award Winners!
At Waterloo Schools, we take steps daily to make dreams come true for parents, students, and the community. Through our Living Our Values Awards, we proudly recognize outstanding employees monthly who embody one of our core values: Collaboration, Equity, Well-Being, and Excellence.
These amazing individuals have been nominated by their peers for going above and beyond to ensure every student thrives. Their dedication helps us build a stronger, more supportive educational environment.
Congratulations to our November Living Our Values Award recipients:
🍎 Sarah Nordman, Orange Elementary
🍎 Trent Duniven, Waterloo West High School
🍎 Kayla Irwin, @Hoover Middle School (Waterloo, IA)
🍎 Bajrama Muharemovic, @Lou Henry Elementary
And a special thanks to the @Waterloo Schools Foundation for sponsoring these incredible honorees!
#LivingOurValues #Collaboration #Equity #WellBeing #Excellence #WaterlooProud #ChampionsForChildren #onewaterloo #infinitepossibilities ... See MoreSee Less
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Much deserved, Mrs. Nordman! ♥️ our thanks and appreciation for all that you do will never be enough. We adore you! Congrats! Matt Mostek
Congratulations Sarah!! Such an honor to work with you at Orange! 🐅🧡
Congratulations Bajrama, you deserve this!! We are blessed to have you at Lou Henry!
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Three of our silly, energetic Irving Elementary students are here to share what they love most about school. Their laughter, imagination, and big dreams are infectious!
✨ Tessa, a kindergartener, is excited about becoming a gymnastics teacher! 🤸♀️ Her favorite parts of school? Everything! Especially ST Math and lunch! “It makes learning so much fun, and lunch is so yummy!”
👑 Princess, a kindergarten student, is ready to be a beautiful princess when she grows up! Her favorite part of school is playing with friends and learning math with JiJi. “JiJi makes math so much fun!”
📚 Second grader, Dany, can’t get enough of homework! “I like doing it at home and learning all the things!” And one day, he plans on being Dr. Dany!
#WaterlooProud #InfinitePossibilities #IrvingFalcons
These joyful Kindergarteners make Irving Elementary shine! 🌟
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One proud mama!!
Dear Parents and Guardians,
We are pleased to inform you that the lockdown has been lifted, and all students and staff are safe. The Waterloo Police Department has investigated and determined that there is no current threat to our schools. School will proceed as usual, and the regular dismissal schedule will be followed. All after-school activities will continue as planned.
Please rest assured that the safety of our Waterloo Schools family is critically important, and we will always act out of an abundance of caution to keep students and staff safe. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding. ... See MoreSee Less
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As a school district, we limit the details of threats due to several very important considerations, including safety, legal, and operational factors. While we recognize not having all of the details may feel frustrating, it is our priority to work with law enforcement to ensure the safety of our students and staff. In order to do that, we must balance transparency with the need for safety, privacy, and effective threat management. Below are some of the many examples as to why full information is rarely shared regarding credible or non-credible threats. *Threats are often under investigation by law enforcement or school officials. Releasing specific information could compromise the investigation or hinder efforts to identify and address the source of the threat. *Disclosing details could violate privacy laws, such as the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) in the U.S., which protects students' information. *Sharing specific details about a threat could create unnecessary panic among families and students. *Publicizing details might inadvertently encourage "copycat" behavior, where others replicate the threat or escalate it. *Releasing partial or speculative details could lead to rumors or misinformation, making the situation harder to manage. *Providing incomplete or inaccurate details, even unintentionally, can lead to legal issues for the school or district. *Schools are careful not to stigmatize individuals who may be implicated but not yet proven guilty.
Thank you for keeping us informed on a need to know basis and taking any threat, credible or not, seriously.
Unpopular opinion.......if we get all the info at the beginning then tht info is immediately available to whoever may be the cause of the email in the first place. 2, I got a text to check my email. If you didn't and have a kiddo in the district I urge you to double check your settings in Infinite Campus to indicate how you want tht info. If you didn't get it today then your not signed up to. 3, keeping our kids safe is #1. Be proactive and talk to your teachers about what drills are ran and how often. Get familiar with what your kiddo would do in each situation. It helps ur kiddo recite what to do in emergency, it helps you yo know what they are doing and maybe you won't panic. Today's email said EXTERNAL Threat and said to stay home. Rumors start early and get out of hand fast. Educate yourself about your schools protocol. I'm glad everyone went home safe and whole. I'm glad our kids were not traumatized by way of an intruder. Thank you to Waterloo PD for investigating as swiftly as possible. I'm sorry to all building secretaries who had to handle irate parents today for lack of info they didn't even have.
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🎶 Meet Crystal Waltz, the inspiring Music Teacher at Irving Elementary! 🎶
“I got into education because I knew I loved making music. Initially, I really wanted to perform, but when I did my student teaching, I discovered I really enjoyed teaching. And once I started teaching, I was hooked.” Crystal’s passion for music radiates through everything she does, especially when she’s encouraging her students to embrace their inner musician. Her classroom is a dynamic space where creativity and confidence flourish, and she’s all about keeping it fresh!
“One of my main goals is to encourage them all so that they all believe they are musicians,” she says. She introduces new and exciting activities to spark their love for music. This December, she’s blending music and literacy, with students performing a hip hop instrumental inspired by Nighttime Symphony by Timbaland, and others pairing Dancing Snowflakes with poetry they wrote themselves!
Crystal cherishes her time at Irving, and she’s got plenty of memories to show for it. Whether collaborating with other specialists to create fun experiences like a camping-themed family night or hearing feedback from her students (like the time one said, "That Ms. Waltz, she's got swag for an old person”), Crystal’s journey in education is packed with joyful moments.
Her word? Encourage. Crystal shares, “It’s not about making the most perfect music; it’s about the experience of making music and the joy it brings.” We are so lucky to have her at Irving Elementary, where music, creativity, and encouragement take center stage! 🌟🎶 #Encourage #IrvingElementary #MusicMatters #WaterlooProud ... See MoreSee Less
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Love Crystal Waltz and participating in her class room!
Aimee Morales
UPDATE:
Dear Parents and Guardians,
We are pleased to inform you that the lockdown has been lifted, and all students and staff are safe. The Waterloo Police Department has investigated and determined that there is no current threat to our schools. School will proceed as usual, and the regular dismissal schedule will be followed. All after-school activities will continue as planned.
Please rest assured that the safety of our Waterloo Schools family is critically important, and we will always act out of an abundance of caution to keep students and staff safe. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.
____________________________________________________________________
Subject: Important Update: School Lockdown and Safety Measures
We want to inform you that all Waterloo Schools are currently on a lockdown as a precautionary measure. This is an exterior lockdown, so school is proceeding as usual inside the building. We are working with Waterloo PD on a community threat assessment. Please rest assured that all students and staff are safe.
We strongly encourage you to stay home and wait for the Waterloo Police Department to clear this threat. To ensure the safety of all children, students will only be released to a parent/guardian or an approved emergency contact person with appropriate identification. No one will be allowed in the building. We appreciate your cooperation and understanding during this time. Again, we encourage you to stay patient and wait for additional information.
We will continue to keep you updated as more information becomes available and we will let you know when the lockdown is lifted. Thank you for your support and patience. ... See MoreSee Less
132 CommentsComment on Facebook
UPDATE: Dear Parents and Guardians, We are pleased to inform you that the lockdown has been lifted, and all students and staff are safe. The Waterloo Police Department has investigated and determined that there is no current threat to our schools. School will proceed as usual, and the regular dismissal schedule will be followed. All after-school activities will continue as planned. Please rest assured that the safety of our Waterloo Schools family is critically important, and we will always act out of an abundance of caution to keep students and staff safe. Thank you for your cooperation and understanding.
They need to start having amber alerts for this kind of thing as well because these are our children!
I get that everyone is freaking out and wants more info, but the schools first priority are our children and they wont release more information until the threat is investigated, whatever it is. It wont help anyone to call the schools or district as they probably wont disclose info over the phone either, and honestly let the PD do their job first before bombarding them with phone calls too. I assume dismissal may be held if this isnt wrapped up by then, but hopefully they communicate that info in a timely manner. Lets all just have faith that our childrens safety is a priority 🙏
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Let’s celebrate Daighton, Irving Elementary’s thoughtful 4th grader! 🌟 Last year brought some challenges, but this year, Daighton has truly turned things around. His hard work and positive attitude even earned him Student of the Month! “That made me feel really happy. I knew then I had turned around my attitude.”
This year, Daighton is all about being a leader, lending a helping hand in the office and with the janitor to make their days a little easier. "I feel that a leader is helpful, and I’m trying to be really helpful.” He’s also working hard on staying positive and focused in school, and he especially enjoys math!
When he grows up, Daighton dreams of following in his grandpa’s footsteps, working with big equipment and helping others—plus, he loves getting to visit his grandpa’s work and riding dirt bikes with his brother. If he had one wish for the world, it would be for kindness: “I just want to be the best kid I can be and make the world a better place.”
Keep shining, Daighton!
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Way to go Daighton!! I am so proud of you! Keep it up!
way to go thats my lil cousin so glad hes better in schoollllll
That’s my boy!!! Ms. Marx is so proud of you, buddy!!!!🤍🤍🤍
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🎉 It's American Education Week! 🎉
From November 18–22, we're celebrating the dedication and passion of our incredible public school community! 🏫✨ This special week is a time to honor the contributions of our educators, school staff, and all those who make quality education possible for our students.
AEW is about coming together to recognize the value of education, build strong partnerships between teachers, parents, and the community, and share the incredible accomplishments and needs of our schools. Let’s keep working together to build brighter futures! 🌟📚
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