Last call! A limited number of 2025-26 yearbooks are still available for purchase. 📚

Yearbooks are $50 each and can be purchased with cash or check.

They are available on a first-come, first-served basis. Contact Mrs. Swartz in Room 201 to get yours today!

Congratulations to Spanish Teacher Stacey Wigant on being named the 2026 Iowa World Language Association Teacher of the Year! 🎉

Mrs. Wigant was selected for this honor for her commitment to creating an engaging, welcoming, and student-centered classroom, as well as for her leadership in strengthening world language education across Iowa.

To read the full news release, visit https://drive.google.com/file/d/13RN35GZc7ftllnCnuhWKMeAVe3IK34LX/view?usp=sharing

Last week, Junior High students spent their mentoring time rolling newspapers for puppies at AHeinz 57 Animal Shelter in De Soto. Way to go! ⭐️

At the beginning of the school year, SLT provided every freshman with a free Van Meter shirt. The goal of this initiative was to ensure that every student had Bulldogs gear to wear throughout their high school years and to help build school spirit and pride. 👏🐾

Tutors provide valuable guidance, encouragement, and extra support that help students strengthen their skills and reach their goals. We appreciate everything they do to help learners feel confident and capable.

Happy National Tutor Appreciation Week! 📖✨

In honor of World Teachers Day, we’re celebrating the dedicated educators who make a difference for our students. Their guidance helps build confidence, spark curiosity and create opportunities for the future.

Thank you to all of our teachers for the important role you play in our schools and community! 🙏

MEET DAY: Good luck to our cross country teams as they run in the North Polk Cross Country Invite later today! Let’s go, Dawgs! 🏃
🕖 4:00pm
📍 North Polk HS
📊 http://aatiming.com/
🎟️ https://www.gobound.com/ia/schools/northpolk/tickets

Check out what’s happening this week, and come cheer on our students! ✨

Fire Prevention Week is a great time to refresh a few simple fire safety habits at home. 🔥

Families can help stay prepared by:

✅ Testing smoke alarms regularly
✅ Keeping cooking areas clear of anything that can burn
✅ Making sure you have working fire extinguisher
✅ Making sure everyone knows what to do when an alarm sounds

GAMEDAY: Best of luck to our volleyball team as they compete in Greene County’s tournament today. Go get ‘em, Dawgs! 🏐
🕖 9:00am
📍 Greene County HS - Main Gym
🎟️ https://www.gobound.com/ia/schools/greenecounty/tickets

At the end of September, our kindergarten classes visited Center Grove Orchard. Students made many science and math connections throughout the day, learning about different types of apples and how apples are produced on the farm! 🍎

Congratulations to September’s Lead Dawgs in 6th-8th grades! Great job! 🐾

GAMEDAY: Good luck to our football team as they travel to Chariton tonight. GO DAWGS! 🏈
🕖 7:30pm
📍 Chariton - Reynolds Field

On National Custodian Day, we’re sending a big thank you to our amazing custodians! ✨

They help create clean, comfortable, and welcoming spaces where students can learn and teachers and staff can do their best work. Their days are filled with everything from preparing classrooms and maintaining facilities to helping with special events and seasonal projects.

Thank you to:
🌟 Mekhail Baker
🌟 Gilmar Guerra
🌟 Drew Minshall
🌟 Jacob McNair
🌟 Tom Von Rentzell
🌟 Conraddo Reyes
🌟 Esteban Romero
🌟 Carlos Solorzano
🌟 Sandra Solorzano (not pictured)

We appreciate all you do!

We’re proud to recognize our school leaders during National Principals Month!

🌟 Adam Lamoureux, Secondary
🌟 Cody Tibbetts, Elementary

Thank you for bringing leadership, encouragement, and dedication to our schools while supporting students and staff every step of the way. 🙌

Congratulations to all of September’s TK-5 Top Dogs for trustworthiness! You make us proud! 🐾

We're incredibly proud to celebrate Superintendent Deron Durflinger, who has been named the 2027 SAI Superintendent of the Year! 🎉

Deron has served as superintendent of Van Meter Schools since 2012, providing leadership focused on student achievement, innovative learning, strong school culture, and meaningful community partnerships.

This statewide honor recognizes outstanding school leadership and contributions to education. We are grateful for Deron’s continued leadership and the impact he has made on our students, staff, families, community, and schools.

Congratulations, Deron, on this well-deserved achievement!

GAMEDAY: Our volleyball team is traveling to compete in the Pella tournament tonight–let’s go, Dawgs! 🏐
🕖 5:00pm
📍 Pella HS - Main Gym
🎟️ Admission: $7 for adults and students

Schedule Update for Thursday, October 1 🚨

Due to recent heavy rainfall, the football fields at both Van Meter and Winterset are unplayable for tomorrow, October 1. As a result, all Junior High football games against Winterset will now be played at Earlham High School.

The first game is expected to begin between 5:30 and 5:45pm.

Van Meter Schools has been named one of Iowa’s Top Workplaces for 2026 by the Des Moines Register! 🌟

We are grateful for our staff who make Van Meter Schools such a special place to learn, work, and belong!

Check out the full rankings list at https://bit.ly/3VCdtDB.