Cedar Rapids Community School District

✨ The Heart of the Holidays: 7 Days, 7 Words ✨
As the calendar winds down, we’re taking a moment to reflect on what this season truly means. For the 7 Days Before Break, we’re asking our dedicated teachers to share the single most meaningful word that represents the holidays for them. It’s a glimpse into the heart of our staff!

7 Days Until Break: Candra Barnes, 5th Grade teacher at Wright Their Word: Rest

The Story: "Rest, because I don’t run to the tape. I run through the tape."

Share your holiday word with us! Is it Joy? Family? Rest? Let us know!

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Cedar Rapids Community School District

🎁 Need a great last-minute holiday gift? Look no further! 🎁

This holiday season, Metro students are becoming real entrepreneurs! Stop by the MADE Store at NewBo City Market to find a variety of unique, student-created products—everything from homemade salsa and candies to handcrafted magnets, wood ornaments, and candles.

This stand is more than just a shop; it’s a real-world learning lab! Students are handling every aspect—product design, marketing, and customer service. All proceeds support Metro STEAM Academy programs, funding future innovation.

📍 Find the MADE Store at NewBo City Market 🗓️ Open Fridays, Saturdays, and Sundays through December 20th.

Stop by, support our student entrepreneurs, and find the perfect gift!

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Cedar Rapids Community School District

Your input is valuable! 📣

The proposed District Calendar for the 2026-2027 school years was presented to the Board last night. This calendar was designed with consistency and student learning in mind!

Key highlights include:
📅 Consistent Mondays: Professional Learning and Teacher-Directed Days will regularly fall on Mondays.
☀️ Early Summer Break: Students are tentatively scheduled to be out of school in May (pending snow days).
🏫 Full Days: Both the first and last days of school will be full instructional days.

Ready to weigh in? Review the calendar FAQ and submit your feedback via the survey link below!

crschools.us/2025/12/proposed-2025-2026-district-calendar-2/

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Cedar Rapids Community School District

Get ready to level up your learning! 🤩

We’re thrilled to announce 12 brand-new courses for the next school year, approved as part of our rigorous Program of Studies review! High school teachers submitted 24 proposals, and the best of the best made the cut.

New courses include:
Science: Astronomy, Earth Systems
Technology/Trades: Automotive Technology 1 & 2, AP Cybersecurity
Business: AP Business with Personal Finance
Arts/Humanities: Foundations of Music Theory, Public Speaking, Guitar 1
And more! (Medical Terminology, Intermediate Spanish 1 & 2, Career Education Exploration)

These additions will offer a more personalized, future-focused, and rigorous learning experience. Explore the possibilities and plan your schedule!

Check out the program of studies: crschools.us/students-and-families/quick-links/crcsd-program-of-studies/

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Cedar Rapids Community School District

We are thrilled to shine our Staff Spotlight on the fantastic Kylee Champlin, a key member of the 4th Grade Team at Grant Wood Elementary!
Since joining the team this year, Kylee has made an immediate and lasting impact, as recognized by a fellow CRCSD staff member:
"This is the first year I have gotten to work closely with Kylee… She is very thorough and knows each student’s special plan, ensuring it is being followed. She is timely with filling out daily data sheets, so I receive accurate information. I appreciate that I don’t have to ‘hound her’ for the sheets, which allows me to keep up on my progress monitoring and make any necessary changes to better support our students. She runs a well-managed classroom and is a key part of our Team!"
Thank you, Kylee, for your dedication, attention to detail, and commitment to ensuring every student at Grant Wood receives the support they need! Your organization and teamwork make a huge difference!
#CRCSDStaffSpotlight #StaffAppreciation #GrantWoodElementary #4thGrade #DedicatedEducator #CRCSD … See MoreSee Less

Cedar Rapids Community School District

It’s Computer Science Education Week! This is a great time to celebrate the power of computer science and encourage our students to explore coding and computational thinking.

In our district, we believe CS skills are essential for future success in every career field. Whether our students are participating in Hour of Code activities or diving deep into programming, they are learning crucial skills like problem-solving, logic, and creativity.

How to celebrate at home:
Ask your student about their favorite tech projects.
Explore simple coding games together online.
Discuss how computer science impacts their daily life (from phones to video games!).

Let’s inspire the next generation of innovators!

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Cedar Rapids Community School District

December Books of the Month! No matter the age, there’s a story waiting for you:

• K – 2nd: So Much Snow by Kristen Schroeder
• 3rd – 5th: Mr. Popper’s Penguins by Richard and Florence Atwater
• 6th – 8th: The Last Wild series by Piers Torday
• 9th – 12th: One of us is Lying by Karen McManus

Dive in, explore new worlds, and share your favorite parts with friends and family!
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Cedar Rapids Community School District

Hello, December!

Here are the important days to keep on your radar this month! From school board meetings to no holiday break, we’ve got you covered.

Stay tuned, stay organized, and let’s make it a great month!
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Cedar Rapids Community School District

December is Learn a Foreign Language Month!

Learning a new language is more than just memorizing vocabulary—it’s about opening doors to new cultures, enhancing cognitive skills, and preparing our students to be successful global citizens.

Did you know? Our students have the opportunity to study languages such as Spanish, French, German & Japanese!

How can you celebrate with us?
Ask your student what new phrases they’ve learned recently.
Explore new music or films in a foreign language.
Encourage curiosity about world cultures and history.

Let’s celebrate the amazing work our language teachers and students do every day!

#LearnAForeignLanguageMonth #LanguageLearning #GlobalCitizen #WorldLanguages #Education … See MoreSee Less