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Welcoming Week

Welcoming Week Icon. Text: Welcoming Week Oct. 7-11. We're All in for the Next Generation. Has Welcoming Week logo over a colorful city/town background.

West Des Moines Community Schools (WDMCS) invites our students, families, and community to observe Welcoming Week with us!

For Welcoming Week 2024, Oct. 7-11, WDMCS will focus on the theme "We're All in for the Next Generation." Various activities will explore ways we create, support, and elevate belonging in our district. 

WDMCS joined the Welcoming Network and observed Welcoming Week districtwide for the first time in 2022. Welcoming Week is a national initiative created by the non-profit organization Welcoming America. By joining the Welcoming Network, we became one of thousands of organizations across the country to bring together neighbors of all backgrounds to build strong connections and affirm the importance of welcoming and inclusive places in achieving collective prosperity.

Culture Day: Friday, Oct. 11

Culture Day is a dress-up day of cultural pride where students and staff are encouraged to wear their cultural clothes and showcase their heritage without judgment. When participating in Culture Day, please remember WDMCS' policy on Student Dress and Appearance. Read the policy in our handbooks.

Culture Day was initiated by Valley High School's Refugee and Immigrant Student Embassy (RISE) student group.

Other Welcoming Week Activities

Listen to New Music

Students from Valley High School's Refugee and Immigrant Student Embassy (RISE) created a multilingual playlist of music representing their countries of origin. You can find this playlist on Spotify.

Please note: The playlist contains some songs marked as explicit in Spotify. Watch for "EXPLICIT" or "E" tags on any releases. Spotify does have steps for filtering explicit content on your device.

Listen to the RISE playlist

Try New Foods

In partnership with the district's Nutrition department, students will be able to choose to try food from all around the world. Ask your student each night if they tried something new!

Welcoming Week Menu Items

  • Monday — African plantains
  • Tuesday — Latin American Yuca fries
  • Wednesday — Middle Eastern roasted red pepper hummus
  • Thursday — Southeast Asian sautéed bok choy
  • Friday — Indian curried roasted carrots

Read New Books

WDMCS recommends the following own-voices books to help explore new perspectives:

High School

  • "We are Displaced" by Malala Yousafzai
  • "Born a Crime" by Trevor Noah
  • "Of Beetles and Angels" by Selamawi Asgedom
  • "What is the What" by Valentino Achak Deng and Dave Eggers

Late Elementary to Junior High

  • "When Stars are Scattered" by Omar Mohamed
  • "Escape from Aleppo" by NH Senzai
  • "Inside Out and Back Again" by Thanhha Lai
  • "Esperanza Rising" by Pam Muñoz Ryan

Elementary

  • "Bilal Cooks Daal" by Aisha Saeed
  • "Four Feet, Two Sandals" by Khadra Mohammed
  • "Saffron Ice Cream" by Rashin Kheiriyeh
  • "Happy in Your Skin: Is Rafa Different?" by Erlin Kakkanad

All books are part of the WDMCS library collections.

You Belong HERE!

Belonging and inclusion are always important WDMCS values, but we want to place a special emphasis on creating safe communities this Welcoming Week. Thank you for helping us make students, families, and visitors feel welcome, secure, and valued in our district! Our promise to students is that they all can find a place to belong in WDMCS, and we hope you know we want you HERE! #IBelongWDMCS

Questions about Welcoming Week at your school? Contact your building principal.