Cowles Montessori Crier

Week of October 14th

Cowles Montessori Vision

“Human flourishing, as Maria Montessori put it, means becoming a person of one’s time and place with the means and wherewithal not only to function within but to shape society (NCMPS, 2019).”

“All humans (CHILDREN and ADULTS) flourish in society (ENVIRONMENT).” - Cowles Montessori Vision

Event Information

CMPG Monthly Meeting

Principal's Message:

Community Thank Yous
Assessment Data
Funding Requests

When?

Monday, Oct 14, 2019, 06:00 PM

Where?

Cowles Elementary School, College Avenue, Windsor Heights, IA, USA

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Important Dates to Remember

CMPG Monthly Meeting

Monday, October 14th at 6:00 p.m. - Cowles Music Room

Picture Day

Friday, October 18th

Parent-Teacher Conferences

Before/After School from October 21st – October 30th

Trunk or Treat

Friday, October 25th
More details are posted below

Fall Break for Students (No School for Students)

Thursday, October 31st through Tuesday, November 5th
Students return to Cowles on November 6th

Librarian Associate Hiring Announcement

It is my pleasure to introduce you to Allison Loneman, who has accepted the position of Librarian Associate! Allison will begin her time at Cowles beginning Monday, October 14th. Carol, our current district Librarian Associate substitute, will be supporting Allison early this week to get the lay of the land in the Library. We want to thank Carol for her work in helping us start the year. Please give Allison a warm Cowles welcome when you meet her.

Trunk or Treat: What You Should Know

When is Trunk or Treat?

Friday, October 25th at 6:00 p.m. in the Cowles Parking Lot

What is Trunk or Treat?

Trunk or Treat is an event at Cowles Montessori School that is intended to bring staff, students, families, and the community together and to provide a safe way for students to Trick or Treat
Staff members, parents, and community members will set up decorated car trunks and will pass out treats in the Cowles parking lot from 6-8 p.m.

How can my child(ren) participate?

Your child(ren) can wear costumes and go from trunk to trunk to trick or treat. Don't forget to bring something to carry all the treats!
If you and your child(ren) wish to decorate your car trunk and hand out treats, park in the Cowles parking lot by 5:30 p.m. and be ready for Trunk or Treaters by 6:00 p.m.

Can other children that are with me participate?

Yes, your children and their friends are welcome
All children must remain with an adult at all times

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PPEL: The Physical Plant and Equipment Levy

Now, imagine you own 71 buildings covering more than 6 million square feet, with an average age of 66 years and valued at over one billion dollars. Add to that the fact these buildings are there to educate and support our children. Maintenance and repairs are not an option, they are critical.

That’s where PPEL – or the Physical Plant and Equipment Levy – comes in, providing school districts in Iowa a way to pay for maintenance and repairs. PPEL can be used to improve school buildings and grounds, purchase technology and safety equipment, implement energy conservation measures, and buy items such as school busses and musical instruments.

WHY CHANGE THE PPEL?

More resources to maintain and improve our school buildings
More technology to support our students’ education
Avoids another $6.5 million in budget cuts
No tax increase for Des Moines property owners

But Des Moines Public Schools has been at a disadvantage for the past several years when it comes to PPEL. While voters in every neighboring school district have approved the maximum PPEL levy, Des Moines has not. That means DMPS is receiving 40% less revenue than it could when compared to our neighbors.

The Des Moines School Board has proposed a solution. Lower the district’s cash reserve and management levy and increase the PPEL levy for the next 10 years. The result? An improved ability to continue providing critical maintenance to school buildings while adding more tools, especially technology, to support the education of our students without raising taxes on Des Moines homeowners.

THIS PROPOSED CHANGE WILL BE BEFORE VOTERS ON THE NOVEMBER 5, 2019 BALLOT.

Students in Des Moines deserve the same resources as students anywhere in Iowa. PPEL helps to make that possible.

For more information, go to:

https://www.dmschools.org/ppel-physical-plant-equipment-levy/