Van Meter Community School District

It’s #SeeSayDay—a reminder that school safety is everyone’s responsibility. If you see or hear anything that could be a possible safety threat, report it to a teacher, staff member, or another trusted adult right away.

You can also make an anonymous report via this link: https://safeandsoundiowa.gov/

Recently, our VMSCC members took a field trip to Kuehn Conservation! 🌟

Check out a firsthand experience written by a VMSCC member below.

“For our first VMSCC field trip of the year, we visited Kuehn Conservation on Friday, September 19.

When we arrived, Allie and Bob—naturalists from Dallas County Conservation—explained that we would be helping with two projects: transplanting native prairie plants near the arbor, and catching and tagging Monarch butterflies. Allie taught us how to tell the difference between male and female Monarchs, and even how to identify the Viceroy, which is known as the Monarch’s lookalike.

We split our large group into two: Group 1 included 12th and 9th graders, and Group 2 included 8th, 10th, and 11th graders. Both groups had the chance to participate in both projects.

Many Monarchs were tagged and lots of native plants were transplanted, followed by a game of limbo after we lined up all the empty plant containers.

After lunch, we got to choose whether to go on a hike or continue catching Monarchs. The whole experience was a blast for both the VMSCC members and chaperones.

Thank you to Dallas County Conservation for hosting us at Kuehn Conservation!”

Thank you to all who made this experience great for our students! 🦋

GAMEDAY: Best of luck to our volleyball team as they take on the Interstate 35 Roadrunners tonight at HOME! Go dawgs! 🏐
🕖 7:15pm
📍 Van Meter HS
🎥 http://fan.hudl.com/usa/ia/van-meter/organization/15612/van-meter-high-school
📈 https://tinyurl.com/yc6nftpf
🎟️ https://www.vancoevents.com/us/DGRX
#VanMeter

Our 8th grade Language Arts class has been raising Monarch caterpillars as part of a storytelling unit! Monarchs are an endangered species native to our prairie landscape, and their population has declined dramatically over the past fifty years. 🐛

Students have explored the Monarch’s journey through both scientific and cultural lenses. Special thanks to local environmental educator and storyteller Chris Adkins, who visited the classroom to share how Monarchs and night sky patterns connect to cultural stories and personal reflection.

This week, as our classroom butterflies emerge from their chrysalises, students will tag and release them for their 1,500-mile migration journey to Mexico. 🦋

Our 7th graders put their creative recipe skills to work and created their own trail mix and Orange Julius during the nutrition food lab last week! 🧑‍🍳

GAMEDAY: Good luck to our varsity volleyball team today as they travel to compete in Dike-New Hartford’s volleyball tournament. Go dawgs! 🏐
🕖 9:30am
📍 Dike-New Hartford HS
📈 www.gobound.com/ia/ighsau/vb/2025-26/comps/h20250411065245012416e54dc5c2545
🎟️ tinyurl.com/yyfsz2b4
#VanMeter

We’re proud to share that all three of our buildings have earned a High Performing rating on the Iowa School Performance Profile! This recognition reflects the hard work of our students, staff, and families. 👏

View the full report here: https://www.iaschoolperformance.gov/ECP/StateDistrictSchool/DistrictSummary?k=9498&y=2025

8th graders have been improving their decision-making skills through group challenges and a special version of Jenga! Students also evaluated how their peers approached solving real-world teen issues. 💬

Students in our Foods class studied food trends from various decades, then prepared a recipe or food item that was popular during that time. Some of the items they made included avocado toast, dirt cake, and smoothie bowls! 🍮

Our 5th grade students have been enjoying working in groups to match different representations of multiplication problems! 🧠

GAMEDAY: Our football team is traveling to take on the Woodward-Granger Hawks for tonight’s matchup. Go dawgs! 🏈
🕖 7:00pm
📍Woodward-Granger HS
🎥 tinyurl.com/46ppn34u
📈 tinyurl.com/bp8b7kj
🎟️ tinyurl.com/2p9z6zw4
#VanMeter

Over the last few weeks, our kindergarten students and their 3rd grade buddies have been spending time together and building friendships. TK students have also been enjoying support from a high school cadet in the classroom. 😊

It’s been a fun start to the school year!

This week, our 6th graders stepped into the shoes of social scientists as they explored the role of archaeologists! Students examined mysterious artifacts and made thoughtful observations about what those objects might reveal about the people who once used them. 📝

Before diving into To Kill a Mockingbird, English 2 students built background knowledge by conducting research. Then, they created presentations and shared their findings with small groups! 📚

Today, Mr. Surratt’s 8th grade Exploratory students launched the rockets they’ve been designing and building over the past four weeks! What a fun and memorable day for our students. 🚀

Get ready to shine—this year’s Homecoming is bound to be glowing! ✨

Check out the dress up day schedules for both our Elementary and Secondary schools and start planning your brightest outfits. Let’s make this week unforgettable!

GAMEDAY: Best of luck to our girls and boys cross country teams as they travel to Panorama to run today. Go dawgs! 🏃
🕖 4:30pm
📍 Panorama HS
📈 AATiming.com
🎟️ Admission: $5
#VanMeter

Homecoming Week is almost here, and we can't wait to GLOW with our students, staff, families, and alumni! Mark your calendars and join us for a week full of spirit, tradition, and fun. 🎉

Sunday, September 28:
✨ Grudge Match: 4:00 to 5:00pm in the South Gym
✨ SLT ice cream social: 5:00 to 5:30pm
✨ Powder Puff: 5:30 to 6:30pm on the North Football Field (weather permitting)

Friday, October 3:
✨ Bulldog Games: TBD
✨ Elementary/Secondary Connections
✨ Homecoming Football Game 7:00pm
✨ Coronation crowning: TBD

Saturday, October 4:
✨ High School Homecoming Dance: 8:00 to 10:00pm

Last year’s extra yearbooks sold out fast, so we're opening up a limited number of copies from both the 2022-23 and 2023-24 school years! 📚

✅ 2022-23 Yearbooks are $10. Please note, the front page is missing due to manufacturing rules, and the discounted price reflects this.
✅ 2023-24 Yearbooks are $20.

Cash or check are accepted. To reserve your copy, please contact Brittney Swartz at brittney.swartz@vmbulldogs.com.

Backpack safety starts with strong habits! In honor of National School Backpack Awareness Day, try these tips:

⭐ Use both shoulder straps—never just one
⭐ Keep backpacks light—aim for 10-15% of body weight
⭐ Lift with your legs, not your back

Learn more: www.kidshealth.org/en/parents/backpack.html