West Des Moines Schools Get Ideas on Curbing Bullying, Improving Education

A commenter identified as S.A. wrote on West Des Moines Community Schools' new online community engagement forum that “if I had a magic wand, it would be used to ensure that all school staff believe children when they say they are being harassed, assaulted or bullied.”

Furthermore, the school district would develop partnerships with the West Des Moines Police Department and Polk County Victim Services to equip school personnel with the tools they need to complete investigations, programs would be put in place to help students who have been bullied or harassed heal, and consistent, thorough follow-up.

That multi-pronged suggestion is one of the initial ideas posted on WDMCSIdeaShare.com, an online community forum launched by the school district last week to encourage citizens to share their ideas with district administrators and other engaged community members.

Others include calls for more consistent methods for mathematics instruction to suggestions that high school construction materials be recycled for wood shop or art classes to a plea for a year-round school. Lengthening the school year, noted commenter Kimber W., would not only help students retain knowledge, but would better accommodate block learning and would allow teachers and students to spend two hours on a full lesson as opposed to the 40 minutes they currently spend on a topic.

District Superintendent Peter Ansingh said in a press release that the site is “an easy way to stay involved” in school improvement discussions because it will be updated reguarly with new topics.

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All ideas posted to the site will be reviewed in an ongoing effort to enhance educational offerings, he said.

“No matter the issue, this new site allows for a diverse audience of participants,” Dr. Ansingh said. “Now parents and all community members can jump online and participate with their school district from anywhere at any time.”

Sign up at WDMCSIdeaShare.com.