The new school year is almost here! As we get ready to welcome students back, here are a few important dates for families:

🗓️ August 24: First day for grades K-12, 1:30pm dismissal
🗓️ August 25: 1:30pm early dismissal
🗓️ August 31: First day for PK students

We’re excited to see everyone! 🎉

Meet Grace Harvey, our new K-5 General Music teacher at Carlisle Elementary! 🎶

Grace is beginning her first year as a teacher after student-teaching at Carlisle Elementary last fall. Both of her parents are educators, too!

Outside of school, Grace enjoys community theatre and volunteer work. She is the oldest of four siblings, with two sisters and one brother, and she also has a six-year-old Border Collie Lab retriever.

We’re thrilled to have Grace as part of our school community! 🌟

We’re pleased to welcome Kristi Kurtz as our new K-5 ESL teacher! ❤️

Kristi brings experience working with students who speak more than one language, both in Iowa school districts and internationally in the Philippines.

Kristi lives in Pleasant Hill with her husband and enjoys reading, embroidery and hand sewing, and watching decorating shows.

Welcome to Carlisle, Kristi. We are glad to have you on our team! ⭐️

Please join us in welcoming Monica Runkel to CCSD as a new registered nurse! 🩺

Monica brings 17 years of nursing experience, including work in hospitals, a surgery center, case management, and most recently as a school nurse.

Monica and her husband have three children in the district, and their family also includes dogs Gus and Tessa and cat Squash. Outside of work, she enjoys spending time outdoors, watching Cyclone sports, and being with friends and family.

Welcome to Carlisle, Monica. We’re excited to have you on our team! 😃

Please join us in welcoming Ella Hoskins, who joins us as an elementary teacher! 🌟

Outside of school, Ella enjoys spending time with her fiancé, Bryce, and their Australian Shepherd-Husky mix, Chloe. She loves staying active by running, playing pickleball, and playing disc golf.

Welcome to Carlisle, Ella. We are glad to have you on our team! ❤️

Please help us welcome Alexis Laizure, our new 7th and 8th grade ELA teacher! 🍎

Alexis is newly married, and outside of the classroom, she enjoys sewing, baking, reading, hand embroidering ornaments, and playing tennis.

We are glad to welcome Alexis to our school community, and we hope you’ll join us in giving her a warm welcome! ♥️

Please join us in welcoming Katie Keitges to CCSD as our new K-5 physical education teacher! 🎉

Katie is beginning her first year as a teacher after completing practicums and student teaching in Omaha, Nebraska. Originally from Knoxville, Iowa, she now lives in Chariton with her fiancé.

Outside of school, Katie enjoys staying active by walking her dogs, running, and exploring new places. She is looking forward to beginning her education journey in Carlisle and getting to know our students, staff, families, and community.

Welcome to Carlisle, Katie. We are glad to have you on our team! ⭐️

We’d like to welcome Brianna Schwenk to our district as a new high school English Language Arts teacher! 🍎

Brianna brings experience as an English teacher and educational leader, with roles in curriculum, literacy, school improvement, and teaching and learning. She earned her master’s degree in educational leadership from Creighton University.

Outside of school, Brianna loves spending time with her family—especially her three nieces and nephews.

Welcome to Carlisle, Brianna. We are excited to have you on our team! 😀

Reminder, join us for K-12 open houses on Wednesday, August 19!

Elementary: 4:00-5:30pm
Hartford Upper Elementary: 4:30-6:00pm
Middle School: 5:00-6:30pm
High School: 9th grade, 5:30-6:00pm and 10th-12th grades, 6:00-7:00pm.

We’re looking forward to welcoming students and families back and kicking off an exciting new year together! 🍎

Mark your calendars for Wednesday, August 19, as we get ready to kick off a great school year!

Join us for K-12 Open Houses.
Elementary from 4-5:30pm
Hartford Upper Elementary from 4:30-6pm
Middle School from 5 - 6:30pm
High School 9th graders from 5:30-6pm and 10th-12th graders from 6-7pm.

We cannot wait to welcome our students and families back, answer your questions, and help everyone get ready for an exciting year ahead! 🍎

As we welcome back all of our teachers today, we want to celebrate our new teachers that have been here learning and planning for three days.

Welcome to our newest Cats!
Ella Hoskins - Special Education teacher at HUES
Katherine Keitges - PE teacher shared at elementaries
Brianna Schwenk - ELA teacher at HS
Grace Harvey - Music teacher shared at elementaries
Kristi Kurtz - ELL teacher at elementary
Monica Runkel - Nurse at elem & HS
Alexis Laizure - ELA teacher at MS

International Youth Day is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the amazing potential found in every student. We’re grateful to everyone who encourages young people to explore their interests, build new skills, and reach for their dreams! ✨

Join the Carlisle Community School District team for the 2026-27 school year! 🙌

We're hiring for a variety of positions, including high school and middle school Spanish teachers, special education teachers, coaching positions, food service staff, substitute staff, and more.

If you're ready to make a difference in the lives of students, we'd love to hear from you.

Explore current openings and apply today: https://www.applitrack.com/carlislecsd/onlineapp/default.aspx?all=1

The countdown to a great school year is on! Be sure to mark your calendars for these important upcoming dates:

🗓️ August 19: 4th, 6th & 9th Grade Orientation
🗓️ August 19: PK-12 Open House
🗓️ August 24: First day of school for K-12 students
🗓️ August 31: First day of PreK

We cannot wait to welcome our students and families back for another amazing year!

August is Get Ready for Kindergarten Month, and we’re excited to welcome our newest students to school!

Kindergarten is the start of an incredible adventure, and our teachers and staff are ready to support every child and family along the way. 🌟📚

Families can now review registration requirements, important information, and next steps to prepare for the school year ahead! 📚

Review 2026-27 registration information: https://www.carlislecsd.org/o/ccsd/page/2026-2027-registration

Today, we would like to highlight the amazing work of Ryan Lehms, April Abel, Keller Birkenholtz, and Brian Hinrichs.

Thank you for solving problems, supporting our schools, and helping our students and staff stay connected. Happy System Administrator Appreciation Day! 👏💻

Today is International Day of Friendship, and there’s no better time to thank a friend for their kindness, encouragement, or simply being there. A small gesture of appreciation can make a big difference! 😀

Registration information for the 2026-27 school year is now available! We encourage families to review important details, requirements, and next steps now.

Get started: https://www.carlislecsd.org/o/ccsd/page/2026-2027-registration

It’s National Parents Day! A strong partnership between home and school helps students thrive, and we're thankful for the parents and guardians who make that possible. 🤝