We Are Ankeny

Hiring and recruitment specialist, Michelle Allen, sits with Dr. Erick Pruitt to talk about why prospective job candidates should consider and choose Ankeny Schools to work. Join us as we discuss our mentoring program for teachers, highlight critical positions outside the classroom that keep our district running smoothly and offer candid insight on how the Covid-19 pandemic impacted the education job market.

Memorial Day is a special day to honor those no longer with us who served in the U.S. military. We've invited veteran Ankeny residents to sit and talk with veteran Dr. Erick Pruitt about Memorial Day, their experience in the service and how they as well as other local veterans are having a positive impact on Ankeny students as a ACSD employees, parents, volunteers, and active reserve military. 

In this episode, Dr. Pruitt has a conversation with a current special education teacher in Ankeny who is a veteran of the Iowa National Guard, a current Ankeny Schools parent who is a veteran of the Iowa National Guard and currently serving in as an active guard/reserve and a long-time resident of Ankeny whose children all graduated from Ankeny Schools and is the Commander of American Legion Post #42 in uptown Ankeny. 

In this episode our guests have a conversation from the aspects of administrators and a student about the Profile of Graduate put together by a task force of parents, staff and community members. Together the task force identified essential cognitive, personal and interpersonal competencies that every student should have by the time they graduate from high school: Knowledgeable, Authentic, Engaged, Understanding, Curious and Adaptable. Join the table discussion as we hear about Ankeny's Profile of a Graduate. 

Throughout the year, planning teams worked hard to reimagine how we might improve in serving our students. Teams of parents, community members, students, and staff worked to create this document that will guide how our district will operate as we strive to achieve our goals. Our hope is that this will serve as an anchor for all the district’s work for the next five years. 

Our new mission statement is as follows: The Ankeny Community School District engages all students in an educational experience that equips them with the skills to flourish in and contribute to an ever-changing world. Following the Core Planning Team’s work, seven "action teams" made up of nearly 200 individuals from across the community then worked to develop specific, concrete strategies to bring the framework to life.  This work resulted in a plan built on three core pillars:

• The prioritization of academic rigor & relevance
• A focus on maintaining a system of talented people, and
• A commitment to providing supportive learning environments

In this episode we’ll talk with Dr. Jen Lindaman, Ankeny School's Chief Officer of Academic Services, Dr. Darin Haack, Ankeny School's Chief Operations Officer and Jodie Graham, Ankeny School's Director of Human Resources specifically about the strategic plan.

Des Moines Area Community College (DMACC) is set to make sure central Iowa high school students have every opportunity to plan the future they want. DMACC President, Rob Denson sits down with Dr. Erick Pruitt to discuss how a $50,000 grant to hire 14 College and Career Transition Counselors (CCTC) will aid students with colleges, programs/majors, apprenticeships, military service and other post-high school education plans. Recorded May 11, 2022

Ankeny started as a railroad and farming community, named after John Fletcher Ankeny. Guest Denny Presnall, a long-time Ankeny resident former teacher, and former Ankeny School Board Director joins Dr. Erick Pruitt, Superintendent of Ankeny Schools to talk about the rich history of Ankeny and Ankeny Schools. Recorded May 6, 2022

Miss Grace Lynn Keller is serious about her initiative as Miss Iowa 2021 - Read to Succeed. She visited Northwest Elementary School in Ankeny, IA to read with students and share her love of books, stories and the importance of reading everyday. Host, Dr. Erick Pruitt discusses her year as Miss Iowa, traveling the state of Iowa, and what her future holds with only a few weeks to go in her reign. You can follow Ms. Keller on Instagram @gracelynnkeller for life after the crown. 

From Pre-K to senior year, what does the Ankeny schools experience look like? Host, Dr. Erick Pruitt is joined by Ankeny Schools administrators Dr. Jen Lindaman, Chief Officer of Academic Services and Carol Eddy, Director of Curriculum and Innovation to discuss how the Ankeny Experience for students has evolved and what we can look for in the future. 

Host & Ankeny Schools Superintendent Dr. Erick Pruitt welcomes Jennifer Jamison the district's Chief Financial Officer to talk about the newly certified budget for the fiscal year 2023. 

Superintendent, Dr. Erick Pruitt talks enrollment with Dr. Darin Haack, Chief Operations Officer of Ankeny Schools and Kirk Magill, Integrated Systems Administrator for the district. Key topics including emerging enrollment trends for 2022-23, challenges of school registration and projections for Ankeny School enrollment are just a few highlights from this podcast. Recorded 04/18/22.