A Message from the Superintendent

It was a sad sight this morning to see the impact of the breached levee on the north side of Des Moines and watch as water rose to the walls of North High School. But, we can always repair a school. Our thoughts are first and foremost with the families who live and work in that area, and the impact this has on their lives.

We will be getting into North High as soon as emergency management officials indicate it is safe so that we can assess the damage. I know that everyone in the North family and throughout the community are concerned about this great high school, and we will report what we learn as soon as possible.

I also want to say thanks to all of the school district employees who have been putting in countless hours to respond to this emergency over the past several days. From monitoring our school buildings to working with other government agencies to informing the public to volunteering at sandbag stations, I am proud of the extra effort by so many DMPS employees.

Finally, I appreciate the cooperation of families throughout the district as schedules and programs have had to change. Even though it is summer vacation for many, we still have thousands of students who attend summer classes, preschool, camps, athletic practices, driver's education and other activities in our schools.

We will be constantly assessing the situation this weekend. On Sunday, we will announce any changes to schedules or programs necessary because of this morning's flooding. Please check back here for further updates.

Again, thanks to everyone for their support and extra effort during this time.

Best wishes,

Nancy Sebring
Superintendent
Des Moines Public Schools