No more pulling crumpled paper flyers from your student’s backpack! Opportunities in the community will now be available online, instead of jumbled up with homework and artwork. Read about child-friendly community events and opportunities, or post a flyer of your own. Click on the headline to read more about Virtual Backpack.

It’s a new tradition at Willard Elementary School: a mural to beautify and brighten the neighborhood. After painting their first mural at the Fairgrounds Hardware store, this year a new mural – designed by 5th grader Savannah Peterson – was painted on the side of S&H Electric Company. Both pieces of public art are on East 30th Street near the Iowa State Fairgrounds, where they will be seen by millions of passersby and state fair goers. Click the headline for more.

One year ago Read to Succeed was launched at Greenwood Elementary School. Today the program’s sponsor, United Way, and DMPS came together at Willard Elementary School to provide a progress report on the initiative to improve student reading skills as well as urge community members to take time to read with children. Click on the headline to read and see more about the event and how you can help.