REGISTRATION: K-12 NEW STUDENTS

Welcome to UCSD
Urbandale Community School District (UCSD) extends a warm welcome to you! We’re thrilled to welcome your student(s) and family, and thank you for giving us the opportunity to help your child learn, grow, and achieve success on the pathway of lifelong learning. Within UCSD you’ll find four elementary schools, one middle school, one high school and one alternative high school. We offer a comprehensive Preschool Program and Adventuretime Before/After School Childcare Program. Families with elementary students are given the choice to either attend their neighborhood elementary school that operates on a traditional calendar or attend Karen Acres Elementary that operates on a flexible calendar (year-round school).


K–12 Registration for the 2024-25 School Year Opens March 1st
Kindergarten through 12th grade student registration for the 2024–25 school year begins online March 1, 2024. We’re excited to share our new online school registration system as it will make registration more efficient and convenient (see below for instructions). Students must be residents of the Urbandale Community School District or file the appropriate paperwork. Please see the section of our website about Open Enrollment if you do not live within district boundaries. You’re welcome to view the UCSD elementary boundary map and school-year calendars. If you’d like help determining which school your child would attend, please contact the District Registrar (contact information at the bottom of this page). To be eligible for kindergarten a child must be 5 years old by September 15, 2024. Plus, learn more about our year-round school located at Karen Acres Elementary. Any family can choose to attend Karen Acres. We look forward to welcoming you!


Registration Instructions for the 2024–25 School Year
All enrollment forms must be completed before students can start attending school in the Urbandale Community School District. As you begin online registration, please be prepared with your student demographic information, student health information, student service history, proof of student’s date of birth (passport, legal document, etc.), proof of current address (utility bill, lease agreement, etc.), student immunization record, and a personal email address. For best ease-of-use, please utilize PowerSchool in “light mode.” After reviewing these instructions, if you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to the District Registrar, Aalyshah Kocher, at 515-457-5011 or kochera@urbandaleschools.com

Step 1: Complete Pre-Registration Form
Access the pre-registration form. Complete all required fields and click submit in the bottom right-hand corner. You will receive an email at the address you provided confirming receipt of the pre-registration form.

Step 2: Create PowerSchool Account
Once your pre-registration has been approved by UCSD staff, you will receive an email titled, “Urbandale School Registration.” This email contains step-by-step instructions on how to create a parent portal account.

PowerSchool Step 2 New Students

Step 3: Login to PowerSchool Parent Portal
Login to your parent portal. If you can’t remember or don’t know your Username / Password, click the “Forgot Username or Password” link at the bottom of the page.

PowerSchool Step 1 Returning Students Step 3 New Students

Step 4: Select Student
Once logged in, select the name of the student you would like to register. Your student’s name will show on the tab along the top of the screen.

PowerSchool Step 2 Returning Students Step 4 New Students

Step 5: Navigate to Forms
Click the Forms tab on the left panel.

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Step 6: View Enrollment Forms
Select Enrollment from the tab along the top of the forms screen. You will then see what forms you have for that student. Please note that you can only look at the set of forms under one student at a time. If you have more than one student in the district, you will need to go to each student tab to view and submit forms for each student.

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Step 7: Start Completing Forms
The new student enrollment forms are grouped into four categories: 1. Demographics, 2. Student Screening, 3. Health, and 4. Communications. You must submit all of the forms in each category to complete your student’s registration. To open a specific form, click on the form name within the form list. Each form has instructions on how to complete the requested fields. There is also a Returning student group of forms. You can disregard these forms. They are not necessary for new student enrollment.

PowerSchool Step 7 New Students

Step 8: Submit or Save Forms
Once the form is filled out, press the Submit button at the bottom right of the page. Your form will be submitted and reloaded. If the form submission was successful, a pop-up window will open thanking you for the submission. Please note, you can click the Save button at the bottom left of the screen if you need to step away from your computer and come back to complete the forms later.

PowerSchool Step 6.1a Returning Students

PowerSchool Step 6.1b Returning Students Step 8 New Students

Step 9: Monitor Progress
When you have not started a form, you will see an orange dotted circle next to the form name. When you have started a form, but not submitted it, you will see an orange arrow covering part of the dotted circle. When a form has been successfully submitted, you will see a green checkmark. Some forms require approval from UCSD staff before they are accepted.  If this is the case you will see a blue checkmark next to the form name indicating that the form is pending review. Under the title of each category, there is a bar that indicates your progress in the respective category. As you submit forms, the bar will turn green. When the bar is completely green, all forms in that category have been completed.

PowerSchool Step 7 Returning Students Step 9 New Students
PowerSchool Step 7.1a Returning Students Step 9 New Students

PowerSchool Step 7.1b Returning Students Step 9 New Students

PowerSchool Step 7.1c Returning Students Step 9 New Students
PowerSchool Step 7.1d Returning Students Step 9 New Students

Step 10: Registration Completed
Once all of your registration forms have been submitted and approved by UCSD staff, your student’s registration is complete. If any of your forms need revision, you will be contacted by the District Registrar. When registration is complete, you will be contacted by school staff within one business day confirming receipt of your student’s registration and to provide an estimated start date. Thank you!


Additional Information About District Programs & Services

Adventuretime Before and After School Programs

Adventuretime Family Services provides child care programs for preschool through 5th grade students. Visit Adventuretime for full information and be sure to register early!


Bus Transportation

For the 2023-24 school year: To be on a route for the first day of school, your request needs to be received no later than July 1st for Karen Acres (year-round school) and August 1st for all other schools. We will be happy to add your student after the due date, but the bus stop locations will be set; thus, students may have to walk farther and possibly wait several days before they can begin riding the bus. Here is a link to the Bus Request Form. Our bus transportation partner is Durham School Services. Learn more about bus transportation in UCSD.

For the 2024-25 school year: We’ll be sharing more information here soon regarding bus transportation for the 2024-25 school year. Stay tuned for more information!


Free & Reduced Meals; Fee Waiver

Complete an Application for Free & Reduced Meals
Families will be notified when the online Iowa Eligibility Application (also known as Free & Reduced Meals Application) opens for the 2024-25 school year (typically opens early July). Only one Iowa Eligibility Application per household is required. (Note: Even if you completed the 2023-2024 application, you will still need to complete the 2024-2025 application.) Only one Iowa Eligibility Application per household is required. Families are asked to complete the Iowa Eligibility Application form as your free or reduced status can impact fees for books and materials, driver’s education, busing costs, and other district services. (Note: The application cannot be completed until your student is fully enrolled.) Please note, any à la carte items such as milk, chips, cookies, etc. will require payment to purchase.

Student Fee Waiver Program
UCSD offers financial assistance to families qualifying for the district’s free and reduced meal program. If your child(ren) qualifies for free or reduced price meals, you may also be eligible for other benefits such as free or reduced fees for books and materials, driver’s education, busing, activities, and other district services.

In order to receive these additional benefits, make sure you complete the Waiver of Confidentiality portion of the 2024-25 Iowa Eligibility Application (which will be located on tab 2, “Additional Questions” within the online application form; we will link to the online application form when it’s available). If you have already completed the application and did not select “yes” for this option, or if you received an email or letter stating that you were Directly Certified by the State, you can complete the waiver by using a separate form (note: we will link to the form once it’s available in July). By completing the waiver form, you waive your right to confidentiality of your eligibility status for the selected programs. Please note: The application and waiver forms need to be completed each school year.

To learn more about applying for free or reduced meals, please visit the Nutrition Services website. For assistance in completing the application or for questions, please contact the Nutrition Department at 515-457-6911. The Urbandale Community School District is an equal opportunity provider. USDA and Iowa Non-Discrimination Statements


Parent Teacher Organization (PTO)

If you are a parent, guardian or teacher, you are automatically a member of the PTO. There is no application to complete and no dues to pay. The PTO holds monthly meetings throughout the school year. You should check with your individual building to find out when the meetings are, what time and where they are held.


Safety City: Register Your Incoming Kindergarten Student By May 24

Safety City is a week-long summer program for children entering kindergarten in the fall of 2024. Children will learn about traffic safety, fire safety, home, playground and other kinds of personal safety in an entertaining, positive environment. To make learning about safety fun, Safety City incorporates songs, story books, films, games, and artwork in addition to riding Big Wheels in a mock city setting. Safety City also provides the experience of riding on a school bus to the Urbandale Police and Fire Departments for tours. Safety City is taught by Urbandale Police Officers and staff who are assisted by a team of student helpers. If you have any questions or need financial assistance, please contact Officer Meagan Cowden at 515-331-6804 or mcowden@urbandle.org at the Urbandale Police Department. Fee includes t-shirt, bike helmet and daily snacks. Registration Deadline: May 24  


Special Education, English Language Learners and Title 1

These programs are designed to provide an extra boost for students who may benefit from the experience. Special Program teachers and the classroom teacher focus on the same objectives — helping students become even more successful at reading, writing, language and thinking. Students may be recommended for special programs by kindergarten staff after the school year begins. Please visit our Student Services page for more information.



Registration Contact
Aalyshah Kocher
District Registrar
Phone: (515) 457-5011
kochera@urbandaleschools.com