Announcements

Dearest HAWK seniors and families,

As we wrap up the year and prepare for the 2022 HAWKS to leave the nest, here is some information for how you can support and celebrate your student for their accomplishments. We are so thankful for your partnership in preparing these students for a lifetime of personal success. Go HAWKS!

REMINDERS PRIOR TO OUR SENIORS’ LAST DAY OF SCHOOL

• All student coursework must be completed and submitted by 4:00 p.m. on Tuesday, May 24th.  Commencement exercises include only those students who complete all coursework needed for graduation by that date, the end of their last day of school. 
• Seniors will return Chromebooks and chargers during English class on their last day, Tuesday, May 24, 2022. If a student does not return their Chromebook charger or their Chromebook has physical damage like a cracked screen or missing keys, a $25 fine will be assessed. 
• All library books, textbooks, calculators, cameras, etc are due back to the media center by the end of the day on May 24. Anything not returned by the end of the day will be marked lost and replacement fines charged. If an item is returned later, the fine will be deleted. All student accounts must be at a $0 balance to be in good standing for graduation. Emails will be sent on May 25 with new fines for unreturned or damaged items.
• All fees and fines must be paid in full no later than Friday, May 27th in order for your student to be in good standing and participate in commencement exercises.  If you have questions about your student’s account, please contact Lamont Muhammad or Austin Roy at 965-9610.
• Google accounts will be deactivated at the time of graduation. Students may transfer their data to a personal account. For directions on how to transfer data, refer to the AHS Media Center web page, under Chromebook & Tech Help. At the bottom of the page you will find a video tutorial about transferring data and the links you need to transfer content. Any questions about library materials may be addressed to Jenny Wirtz, AHS Teacher Librarian, jenny.wirtz@ankenyschools.org. 

SENIOR BREAKFAST AND MANDATORY COMMENCEMENT PRACTICE 

Students will be celebrating the AHS Class of 2022 with a senior breakfast and slideshow, hosted by the AHS Student Council, on Thursday, June 2nd, at 8:30 am in the AHS Commons. The Mandatory Commencement rehearsal will follow starting at 9:15 am at AHS in the Main Gym.

AHS COMMENCEMENT CEREMONY

Commencement exercises for the Class of 2022 will be held at Hilton Coliseum in Ames on Saturday, June 4th, at 10:00 am. As you begin to plan your student’s commencement day and make arrangements with extended family, we want to share a few details with you that may help you prepare. Tickets are not required to attend the ceremony – all are welcome to attend. 

PRIOR TO THE CEREMONY

• Tim McConnell Fine Photography will be our photographer during the ceremony. Ankeny Community Schools does not share parent contact information with outside vendors. In order to receive email notifications of your proofs, please fill out the photo form by using this link: http://regis.viewyour.photos/direct/2882/27153174.  

PARKING

• We recommend that you park in one of the large parking lots south of Hilton and enter through the south entrance. If you need handicap accessibility, please plan to park in Lot B-2 or in a handicap accessible spot surrounding Hilton, and then enter through the lower west doors.

ENTERING

• Please plan to enter through the south entrance, unless a family member needs ADA access, as our students, faculty, and board members will be utilizing other entrances. If you need ADA access, please enter through the west side of the building.

SEATING

• Seating for the ceremony will be on the south side. 
• Students will process onto the floor from the west side to the east side. Sign language interpreters will be located in front of the west side seating area (left side as you face the stage). Please let an usher know if you need to be seated near a sign language interpreter, and they will take you to this section. 
• Students will walk across the stage to receive diplomas from right to left as you face the stage. 

VIEWING THE CEREMONY

• Everyone who attends our ceremony does so wanting to hear the name of their loved one as they cross the stage.  For this reason, we ask that you not shout, clap, or use noisemakers when your student’s name is announced.  Doing so limits the ability of the next student’s name to be heard by their family.  Thank you in advance for helping us to honor every student who is graduating.   
• Student caps and gowns are not to be adorned with any tape, pins, or other items. Soaring Hawk medals, senior academic medals, Silver cords, and National Honor Society cords are encouraged to be worn. 
• Hilton does not permit balloons, silly string, air horns for students or their families. Items of this nature will be confiscated by Hilton ushers. 

FOLLOWING THE CEREMONY

• Students will recess out the same entrance they come in through on the west side. They will pick up their final packet which contains their diploma, transcript, and immunization card, and exit through the west ticket box doors. Their gowns and caps were purchased by you, not rented, so they do not need to be returned. Therefore, student departure should occur fairly rapidly. 
• This year, the ceremony will be live streamed at www.YouTube.com/AnkenySchools, where the video will also be available immediately following the commencement ceremony for those who are unable to attend in-person.  
• Tim McConnell Fine Photography will be our photographer during the ceremony.  Each graduate will have a photo taken as they receive their diploma and of them holding their diploma in front of a professional background.  After the photographs are taken, you will receive an email link directly from McConnell Fine Photography, where you can view and order pictures. You must complete the registration here http://regis.viewyour.photos/direct/2882/27153174 to receive your proof email. All orders will be mailed directly to your home. Email any questions to tim@timmcconnell.com.

Testing Schedule

The annual Law Day celebration was held on Monday, May 2 and was presented by the Polk County Bar Association. Law Day has been celebrated on or around May 1 since 1958 when President Dwight Eisenhower signed the proclamation declaring it a day to celebrate and strengthen the American heritage of liberty, justice and equality under the law. The Polk County Bar Association partners with ARAG each year to give Polk County area students a chance to get creative with the law as part of our annual Law Day celebration. Students in grades K through 12 are invited to compete in the visual arts, music, essay and poetry categories.

This year’s theme was “Toward a More Perfect Union: The Constitution in Times of Change.” Numerous Ankeny students from across the district won awards and are mentioned below.

High School Poetry Competition

Emma Smith,
Centennial High School
2nd place

High School Essay Competition

Elizabeth Deng,
Centennial High School
1st place

Finn Stukerjurgen,
Southview Middle School
3rd place

High School Visual Arts Competition

Josie Bishop,
Northview Middle School
2nd place

High School Technology Competition

Noah Yeager,
Ankeny High School
1st place

Middle School Technology Competition

Aakansha Ganesh,
Prairie Ridge Middle School
1st place

Middle School Performing Arts Competition

Lauren Boka, Katelyn Henzi, Camryn Johnson, Abigail Willardson, Cathy Owusu-Anokye, Josefina Willkom, Maia Bredice, Kaley Swanson and Sydney Heithoff
Northview Middle School
1st place

Middle School Poetry Competition

Rosie Howieson,
Northview Middle School
1st place

Middle School Essay Competition

Kalyani Bhat,
Northview Middle School
1st place

Harrison Jansen,
Northview Middle School
2nd place

Martha Willard,
Prairie Ridge Middle School
3rd place

Middle School Visual Arts Competition

Hollin Hansen,
Southview Middle School
1st place

Eve Russell,
Prairie Ridge Middle School
2nd place

Jamie Miara, Lauren Harmon, Ava Barten, Marleigh Munger and Mabelle Way
Northview Middle School
3rd place (tie)

Elementary School Poster Competition

Ainsley Schnurr,
Ashland Ridge Elementary
1st place

Jillian Tournier,
Ashland Ridge Elementary
2nd place

Thomas Dunne,
Northeast Elementary
3rd place

Elementary School Visual Arts Competition

Brinley Feuerbach,
Ashland Ridge Elementary
1st place

Jillian Moses and Siena Peddicord,
Northeast Elementary
2nd place

Stella Heither and Lia Meyer,
Ashland Ridge Elementary
3rd place

Elementary School Coloring Competition

Camryn Taxted,
Prairie Trail Elementary
1st place

Elle Evans,
Prairie Trail Elementary
2nd place

Kyla Leach,
Prairie Trail Elementary
3rd place

Elementary School Essay Competition

Brynlee Moeller,
Southeast Elementary
1st place

Elementary School Poetry Competition

Clayton Gardner,
Prairie Trail Elementary
1st place

Elementary School Technology Competition

Chatham Beck,
Ashland Ridge Elementary
1st place

Madeline Lynch,
Northeast Elementary
2nd place

Kaitlyn French,
Ashland Ridge Elementary
3rd place

The National Honor Society Induction Ceremony was held on April 20, 2022 for Ankeny High School students. 55 students were inducted, including 21 sophomores, 27 juniors, and 7 seniors.

The keynote address was given by Mr. Naval Tandon, Assistant Tax Director at Casey’s General Stores, Inc. The ceremony was attended by parents, friends, and family. The following members were inducted:

Sophomores
Aurelio Aguirre
Raegan Behrens
Gracie Block
Hunter Boswell
Alexandra Cabello
Mallory DeHaan
Stephanie Gray
Jasmine Guerrero
Joanna Guerrero
Jacob Hogan
Sydney Howe
Grace Landmesser
Sam McHose
John Morris
Josie Parton
Abriana Pence
Sophie Shadwick
McKenna Skinner
Ava Tomlinson
Noah Yeager
Samuel Zea

Juniors
Jayda Archer
Praze Buchan
Jemma Bullock
Jonathan Carey
Alexander Cox
Taitum Coyle
Reagan Enright
Owen Fast
Nicholas Guyette
Alyssa Hendrix
Natalie Jasso
Abigail Johnson
Kara Juhl
Quinn Kelly
Sydney Madetzke
Ryan Maire
Larissa Miller
Emily Murphy
Brooke O’Connor
Sydney Otto
Lydia Pesek
Lauren Rolling
Rachel Rolow
Athena Singharaj
Carlee Strub
Spencer Tague
Kendra Winfrey

Seniors
Ella DeHaan
Lexi Gibson
Kennedy Macke
Alexis Marler
Anna Schmitz
Delaney Sondgeroth
Sydney Weaverling

From left to right: Michael Kennedy, Walter Ha, Nolan Gentry, Anders Repp and Luca Fratella

This Spring, Ankeny students earned the 14th State Championship for Quiz Bowl winning the State championship by defeating North Polk and Knoxville in the Championship Round. They finished the day with a record of 14-1 and are looking to build on those successes, with an invite to nationals in Chicago in June.

“I love coaching these students, they impress me more and more each day,” said Nathan Coombes, Southview quiz bowl coach.  “The sky is the limit for what these students will achieve in Quiz Bowl and in life.”

Congratulations to all the teams that competed on a fun competitive day for Iowa Knowledge Bowl.

The Ankeny High School Soaring Hawk awards ceremony was held April 13, 2022. This honor is bestowed by high school faculty and staff members to students. This award is given to students for a variety of reasons including:

• Improved grades
• Improved attitude
• Overcoming great obstacles
• Displaying the six pillars of good character
• Leadership in class
• Helping a department or the school
• Good attendance
• Hard work, and/or excellence in extracurricular activities/clubs

Congratulations to our award recipients! View the ceremony video here.

Please join us for the April 21, 2022 PAC meeting. This will be an open discussion about the draft Strategic Plan and Graduate Profile. The partnership between families, parents, students, and the school has always been a priority in Ankeny. This collaboration will grow as parents and families unite in support of student learning experiences such as career exploration and awareness of work-based learning.  Determining a student’s vision for their future and engaging in learning that centers the student’s voice and choice in the process is best done when the educational team and the family work together.

When: Thursday, April 21 • 6-7:30pm

Where: Northview Middle School, 1302 North Ankeny Boulevard

Click here to review documents and provide feedback.

When: Monday, May 9th, 6-8pm

Where: Northview Middle School, 1302 North Ankeny Boulevard

What: Join us for English Speakers of Other Languages (ESOL) Family Night! This event will help ESOL families to learn more about the district and available community resources. Please bring your child’s Chromebook. Dinner will be provided.

All year long, our school librarians create activities to help their school and local community celebrate the essential role that strong school library programs play in a student’s educational career. April is School Library Month and we would like you to join us in celebrating the dedication of our library staff throughout the district!

Our students, teachers, and staff are so grateful for your knowledge and support. We encourage you to take a moment today to say a special thank you by visiting our digital Thank You page, add your message, and hit submit to deliver your appreciation to your building’s library staff!