Open Enrollment

**Please Note: For the 2023-2024 school year, we are unable to approve 1st, 6th, 7th, 8th, & 10th grade applications due to classroom space being full.**

Welcome to Urbandale Schools

The Urbandale Community School District team understands that selecting a school district for your child to attend is impacted by many factors. Regardless of your reasons, we believe the process of Open Enrollment should be one in which all families considering Urbandale schools feel welcomed and valued. By considering and selecting Urbandale schools, you are giving us a gift of helping to bring learning to life for your child. That is a gift we hold dear, as we know the significance of having a child feel connected and inspired throughout their education.

We thank you for your consideration and encourage you to learn more about Urbandale schools by viewing the Quality/Continual Improvement Showcaseand by reviewing the following information about Open Enrollment in the Urbandale Community School District.

Beginning in the 2023-24 school year, the year-round program will move to Karen Acres Elementary; here is the Elementary Boundary Map beginning in the 2023-24 school year.



 

Athletic Eligibility Information

 


Open Enrollment

Open Enrollment is the process by which a parent or guardian residing in an Iowa district may enroll their child(ren) into another Iowa school district under the terms and conditions of Iowa Code 282.18 and Iowa Administrative Code 281-17.

House File (HF) 2589 eliminates the March 1 deadline for open enrollment. This change allows parents/guardians to apply for open enrollment at any time without the need for good cause. The receiving district may deny an open enrollment request if one of the following applies:

  • The application violates the district’s insufficient classroom space policy,
  • The district does not have the appropriate special education program,
  • The application would adversely affect the district’s implementation of a court-ordered desegregation plan, or
  • The student has been expelled or suspended.

If a parent/guardian moves and wishes for their student to continue at the original resident district under open enrollment (often known as the “continuation rule”), requests cannot be denied due to insufficient classroom space policies.

Credit: Information about Open Enrollment is provided by the Iowa Department of Education.


Open Enrollment Application

Please complete the following Open Enrollment Application and review the Open Enrollment Handbook below.

**Please Note: For the 2023-2024 school year, we are unable to approve 1st, 6th, 7th, 8th, & 10th grade applications due to classroom space being full.**

You may fax, email, mail, or drop off the completed application to:

District Office:
Urbandale Administrative Office
Attn: Open Enrollment
11152 Aurora Avenue
Urbandale, IA 50322
Map to District Office

Fax:
(515) 457-5018

Email:
Renee Gelfond
Coordinator of Student Services
gelfondr@urbandaleschools.com

Please note: If your child is currently open enrolled into the Urbandale district and would like to continue attending next year, you do not need to submit a new application. Once you have been approved for open enrollment, the approval continues until your child graduates or you notify the district you are ending your open enrollment and enrolling your child in a different school district.

For more information on Open Enrollment, please visit the Open Enrollment section on the Iowa Department of Education site.

 


What Urbandale Parents Are Saying

“Even though Urbandale High School is a big school with 1,215 students, my son felt completely at home when he entered 9th grade. His teachers have shown us that they care about his success by communicating with us via e-mail and phone, having one-on-one visits with our son, and demonstrating their attentiveness at student-led conferences. I appreciate how my son’s teacher’s look for his strengths. They celebrate his successes with him. We are thrilled to have our son at UHS.”
– Anne Nieland, Urbandale Parent

“As our world becomes more fast-moving and technologically savvy, education must change as well. Educators must provide a learning environment that is meaningful.  It should be something that students can take with them and use as they move into the next phase of their life. Whether it is through an on-site visit, working in cooperative groups, or researching information, students need a reason for why this learning is important. Finally, students should feel motivated. Urbandale is going in this direction and it is up to all of us to provide students with opportunities to bring them to that level of learning. I’m proud to have my sons in the Urbandale School District for this reason.”
– Pamela Spangler, Urbandale Parent

“Mrs. Choudhury provides a learning environment that motivates and inspires my daughter. My daughter is above grade level for reading so during reading lessons she is given research projects. Once her project is completed, she creates a presentation with pictures and narratives. Having my daughter be in a learning environment that is truly student-centered is a wonderful experience.”
– Annie Uetz, Urbandale Parent


Quality/Continual Improvement

In 2010, the Urbandale Community School District began assessing innovative, proven, and sustainable methods for transforming education in order to better align with the Urbandale vision of being a school district that brings learning to life for everyone. The district determined that a focus on Quality/Continual Improvement (Q/CI) throughout the system was the most effective path for transformation. 

Q/CI is an ongoing, fundamental, and comprehensive approach for improving learning throughout the district. Urbandale teachers are becoming “facilitators of learning” by creating systems of learning in their classrooms that give students greater ownership and voice in their learning. Students not only learn the content of their coursework, but they also learn how to learn, learn how to manage their time, and learn how to effectively collaborate with other students; essential skills for success in college, business, and life.

Urbandale integrates a consistent, rigorous, and relevant curriculum that empowers students to set challenging yet achievable goals in order to achieve success inside and outside the classroom.

Visit our Q/CI Showcase to learn more about what Urbandale educators, parents, and students are saying!


FAQs

Q1: What is the first step I should take when considering open enrolling in Urbandale?
A1: Please review all content on this page as well as the Open Enrollment Application and Directions (found above). We encourage you to review the Quality/Continual Improvement Showcase section for more insight into how Urbandale brings learning to life.

Q2: May I select the elementary school I would like my child(ren) to be enrolled in?
A2: You may request an attendance center, and we will attempt to grant your request, but the district has discretion to determine which attendance center an open enrolled student shall attend.

Q3: What form(s) do I need to complete?
A3: Please complete the Open Enrollment Application (found above) in order to begin having your open enrollment request processed.


If you have additional questions, please contact:
Renee Gelfond
Coordinator of Student Services
(515) 457-5004
gelfondr@urbandaleschools.com

Student Data Manager
Phone: (515) 457-5011
Fax: (515) 457-5018
registration@urbandaleschools.com