Western Dubuque Community School District

Western Dubuque Community School District Logo

Basic Information

Address: 310 4th Street SW, PO Box 68, Farley, Iowa 52046-0068
Phone Number: 563-744-3885
Fax Number: 563-744-3093
Superintendent: Mr. Jeff Corkery, ED.S.

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Additional Information

Member Schools: Bernard Elementary School (Grades PreK-6), Cascade Elementary School (Grades PreK-6), Cascade Junior/Senior High School (Grades 7-12), Drexler Elementary School (Grades PreK-5), Drexler Middle School (Grades 6-8), Dyersville Elementary School (Grades PreK-K), Epworth Elementary School (Grades PreK-5), Peosta Elementary School (Grades PreK-5), Western Dubuque High School (Grades 9-12)
Board of Directors: Bob McCabe (Board President), Mark Knuth (Board Member), Jeanne Coppola (Vice-President), Gary McAndrew (Board Member), Barb Weber (Board Member)
Mission Statement:

Develop life-long learners and responsible citizens.

District Characteristics: Western Dubuque School District is comprised of a student body from rural small town settings where a strong work ethic and family values are important. The District has an expanding number of small industries and serves as the residence for a number of commuters to and from Dubuque and surrounding areas. Organized in 1960, the District’s enrollment averages 2,800 students each year. The District currently operates high schools in Epworth and Cascade, a middle school in Farley, a junior high in Cascade, and has elementary schools in Bernard, Cascade, Dyersville, Epworth, Farley and Peosta. Western Dubuque teachers and staff are committed to developing each student’s intellectual, social, creative and physical potential in a nurturing environment that promotes high academic achievement, global awareness, respect for self and others and skills for life-long learning.
History:

Organized in 1960

Demographics:

Western Dubuque Community School District is Iowa’s largest land-sized school district (555 square miles) serving 19 Communities: Balltown, Bankston, Bernard, Cascade, Centralia, Dyersville, Epworth, Farley, Fillmore, Garryowen, Graf, Holy Cross, Luxemburg, New Vienna, Peosta, Petersburg, Placid, Rickardsville, and Worthington

Organization Goals: 1) Improve student performance in literacy, math, science, social studies, and twenty-first century skills. 2) Provide a safe environment that supports student social, emotional, and behavioral development. 3) Ensure a high performing staff that utilizes exemplary professional practices. 4) Provide equitable and adequate resources while operating with fiscal integrity. 5) Increase community support for student learning.
Academics: Western Dubuque Schools is dedicated to providing a challenging and rigorous curriculum to all students, in a nurturing and safe environment. We offer a cadre of excellent classroom teachers who collaborate together on action research teams to continuously improve the quality of instruction provided. We take pride in inspiring young minds to improve 21st century skills. Our teachers and staff are committed to creating a balanced learning environment that meets the unique needs of ALL children, whether that be through our Special Education or Talented and Gifted Programs. We strive to foster a positive self-concept by providing support through relationship-building with student and families which results in developing life-long learners and responsible citizens and success for all. Western Dubuque Middle and Jr./ Sr. High Schools provide educational experiences that foster student academic, social, and personal development. Our goal is to create self-directed learners in a supportive and caring environment. We provide a challenging curriculum based on our students’ needs, including course work for the student choosing a four-year college, a community college, a vocational or technical school, the military, or the workforce. Post-secondary options are available to seniors at local colleges. College credit courses available to our students include English, math, social studies, business, and computer technology. Many of our students graduate with fifteen or more college credits. With a strong academic foundation and a successful tradition in athletics, fine arts and activities, we provide our students with a wealth of opportunities. We are proud of our past accomplishments, are focused on the needs of our students and communities, and look to the future to anticipate the needs of a growing local economy, community and school district that inspires students to excellence. We are proud of our outstanding community and parent support and involvement. Together, we are developing tomorrow’s leaders, citizens, and parents.
Vision Statement: Success for All
Transportation: Elementary and middle school students living more than two miles from their designated attendance center and high school students living more than three miles from their designated attendance center shall receive transportation to and from the center at the expense of the school district. Enrolled students requiring special education shall meet the distance requirements stated above for transportation to and from their designated attendance center at the expense of the school district. Costs associated with required specialized transportation or other required transportation in the student’s individual education plan, other than to and from the child’s home, and transportation to and from a special education instructional program shall be borne by the special education program. Additional information, including behavioral expectations, can be found on the district website.
After School/Extracurricular Programs: Collectively, high school athletics include football, cross country, volleyball, basketball, wrestling, track, soccer, golf, tennis, baseball, softball, bowling, cheerleading, poms/dance, and Special Olympics. Fine arts include choir and jazz choir, marching and concert band, flag corps, speech, and drama. Various organizations and clubs include newspaper, yearbook, FFA, National Honor Society, Student Council, FBLA, Model UN, Spanish Club, Book Club, Environmental Club, Art Club, and SADD.
Computer Capabilities:

Western Dubuque Schools has made a sizeable commitment to technology in all nine attendance centers. We have roughly 1200 computers; our student to computer ratio is 3 to 1.
Technology is regarded as a learning tool essential to student success. As we continue to integrate technology in the curriculum, we aim to build upon our commitment with the idea of the “connected classroom”. We believe each classroom should be equipped with modern computers, a mounted LCD/ DLP projector, an interactive whiteboard, an ELMO document camera, accessibility to learning response devices, and other technical peripherals to enhance instruction.
Wireless technology provides anytime, anywhere, learning and in addition to computer labs, most centers have mobile labs that can travel classroom to classroom. Students and staff can also bring in their own equipment to connect to web-enabled learning portals using the District’s Internet connection.
We maintain both Windows and Macintosh platforms and support Windows XP Professional and Macintosh OS X operating systems. Each desktop workstation contains the following applications: current versions of Microsoft Office and Microsoft Internet Explorer and other web browsers, Accelerated Reader, STAR, Fluent Reader, and other various software packages for student curriculum use.
The Parent Portal allows the stakeholders of the school district to keep up on their child's progress in real time. Parents are able to login through a secure connection and view their child's attendance, current grades, report cards, and print off an unofficial transcript.
Payschools, is a secure online payment service that allows parents/ guardians to elect to pay school fees, pre-kindergarten tuition, and transfer money to their child’s lunch accounts. This e-commerce service, we believe, is easy to use and convenient to use anywhere an Internet connection is available.

Philosophy/Belief Statement:

Better Every Day

Support Services:

Food Services:
Breakfast is served every school day. Students may choose between the breakfast menu or cereal and toast. Both include juice and milk.
Lunch servings meet or exceed the USDA nutritional guidelines. Elementary students may substitute a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for the main entrée. Secondary students can choose between the menu entrée and a variety of other hot and cold entrées. Ala carte items are also available.
Please visit the district website at www.w-dubuque.k12.ia.us for more information.

Health services that include screening for disabilities

Guidance program that enhances students’ abilities to acquire knowledge, attitudes, and skills in the academic, career, and personal/social domains to become life-long learners

Quality programs to meet needs of at-risk students’ for educational success

State approved Gifted and Talented Program

Comprehensive Special Education Program that provides a continuum of services which allows for integration of students with same grade peers to meet individual needs

Early Childhood Special Education Program that strives to meet student needs and integrate students into preschool programs as appropriate

Title One and Reading Recovery Programs that target student need

Quality Preschool Program with certified Early Childhood teachers that provides developmentally appropriate practices for students

Collaboration with community partners to strength services available to students and families

Vocational programs include School-to-Work components

Community services through various clubs, curriculum and parent groups