<?xml version="1.0" encoding="UTF-8"?><rss xmlns:dc="http://purl.org/dc/elements/1.1/" xmlns:content="http://purl.org/rss/1.0/modules/content/" xmlns:atom="http://www.w3.org/2005/Atom" version="2.0"><channel><title><![CDATA[Before We Decide]]></title><description><![CDATA[Empowering Voices for Our Schools]]></description><link>https://beforewedecide.wixsite.com/dcsd/blog</link><generator>RSS for Node</generator><lastBuildDate>Tue, 06 Oct 2026 05:28:51 GMT</lastBuildDate><atom:link href="https://beforewedecide.wixsite.com/dcsd/blog-feed.xml" rel="self" type="application/rss+xml"/><item><title><![CDATA[Email the Board]]></title><description><![CDATA[Emailing the board is super easy. Follow this outline and ask the board to delay any vote with significant school configuration or student impact until we have better information and more community input.]]></description><link>https://beforewedecide.wixsite.com/dcsd/post/copy-of-why-your-voice-matters-email-the-board-and-speak-at-the-meeting</link><guid isPermaLink="false">6046a7e7-0adc-4a0d-89d7-da174a242bc7</guid><pubDate>Tue, 29 Sep 2026 13:50:49 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/09c4a9_17ae421e980b4e8da4d4e0575364801f~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Before We Decide</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Speak at the Board Meeting]]></title><description><![CDATA[Three minutes or less and your ask to the School Board to delay any significant decisions about school configuration is on the record. Need ideas on what to say? Read more.]]></description><link>https://beforewedecide.wixsite.com/dcsd/post/why-your-voice-matters-email-the-board-and-speak-at-the-meeting</link><guid isPermaLink="false">e4c41df6-96f3-45ce-b94b-ef4b073628c1</guid><pubDate>Tue, 29 Sep 2026 05:57:30 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/09c4a9_f0e723c62093499980f0815ba97f28e9~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Before We Decide</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Student Feedback Session: Students Weigh Opportunities and Challenges]]></title><link>https://beforewedecide.wixsite.com/dcsd/post/student-feedback-session-students-weigh-opportunities-and-challenges</link><guid isPermaLink="false">11c8d454-b35d-4539-ba63-b726d8d9ddc0</guid><pubDate>Tue, 29 Sep 2026 04:14:32 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/09c4a9_7f39e583116a435baf8056e24fbe5752~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Before We Decide</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Community Feedback Session: Critical Questions the District Must Publicly Address Before Any Consolidation Decision]]></title><description><![CDATA[The community is asking district leaders and the school board to openly review, respond to, and publicly document these concerns before moving forward - alongside community members. Doing so will build trust, improve decision-making, and ensure that any path chosen reflects not only financial realities but also the long-term educational, social, and community needs of Dubuque students and families.]]></description><link>https://beforewedecide.wixsite.com/dcsd/post/community-feedback-session-critical-questions-the-district-must-publicly-address-before-any-consolid</link><guid isPermaLink="false">df658c00-73cf-444d-ba50-13377a09d645</guid><pubDate>Tue, 29 Sep 2026 04:07:15 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/09c4a9_cad349b7e5d6440b9c876bef136cbae8~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Before We Decide</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Community Feedback Session: Key Concerns Raised About All Three School Configuration Scenarios]]></title><description><![CDATA[community members asked for greater clarity around financial projections, facility plans, long-term sustainability, and the district's broader strategy for addressing enrollment and funding challenges. Many participants also emphasized the importance of additional community and student input before major decisions are made, noting concerns about the pace of the proposed changes and their lasting impact on students, families, and the wider community.]]></description><link>https://beforewedecide.wixsite.com/dcsd/post/community-feedback-session-key-concerns-raised-about-all-three-school-configuration-scenarios</link><guid isPermaLink="false">5ba3e8e8-0fd9-49e9-a495-ebc73e3985dc</guid><pubDate>Tue, 29 Sep 2026 03:56:46 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/09c4a9_49350e1438f744e4b27b23a97a8e6eb0~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Before We Decide</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Community Feedback Session: Participants Identify Strengths of Each School Configuration Scenario]]></title><description><![CDATA[As part of the community engagement process, participants were asked to identify the positive aspects of each proposed school configuration scenario. Feedback ranged from financial stability, academic opportunities, student programming, and minimizing disruption.]]></description><link>https://beforewedecide.wixsite.com/dcsd/post/community-members-identify-strengths-of-each-school-configuration-scenario</link><guid isPermaLink="false">5e91a7e1-e474-4528-89b1-7b5bd18a6b30</guid><pubDate>Tue, 29 Sep 2026 03:48:57 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/09c4a9_5c7d4e11bafb4f61bcdab7ca573883f0~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Before We Decide</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Middle School Students Share Perspectives on Future School Configuration Options]]></title><description><![CDATA[Across the discussion, students emphasized the importance of preserving strong school communities, supporting student well-being, providing equitable facilities and programs, and carefully planning any changes to ensure a positive experience for all students.]]></description><link>https://beforewedecide.wixsite.com/dcsd/post/middle-school-students-share-perspectives-on-future-school-configuration-options</link><guid isPermaLink="false">668df7e8-960b-43a2-8046-2fc08bcf0526</guid><pubDate>Tue, 29 Sep 2026 03:27:18 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/09c4a9_1c2b755fd4be4ed298e24dbb2d60a27b~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Before We Decide</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Community Feedback: Online Form Responses]]></title><link>https://beforewedecide.wixsite.com/dcsd/post/community-feedback-online-form-responses</link><guid isPermaLink="false">e1e4a7e3-94a8-40cc-add8-061d0da21760</guid><pubDate>Mon, 28 Sep 2026 05:00:00 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/09c4a9_f422f44a4339443c95b8d52aeb070a84~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Before We Decide</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Looking Beyond the Headlines: A Community Review of DCSD's School Consolidation Plan]]></title><description><![CDATA[The question isn't whether Dubuque should plan responsibly for the future. The question is whether the public has been given enough information to fully understand the problem, evaluate the proposed solutions, and provide meaningful feedback before irreversible decisions are made.


To help answer that question, a group of concerned community members reviewed district communications, financial projections, and feedback gathered during the community engagement process. ]]></description><link>https://beforewedecide.wixsite.com/dcsd/post/looking-beyond-the-headlines-a-community-review-of-dcsds-school-consolidation-plan</link><guid isPermaLink="false">d3f00f0d-238e-4a71-8b31-f4ba9f322442</guid><pubDate>Mon, 28 Sep 2026 02:24:14 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/09c4a9_821bafce87d840a280e997e6f7b0cc53~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Before We Decide</dc:creator></item><item><title><![CDATA[Just Learning About These Options? Start Here]]></title><description><![CDATA[The Dubuque Community School District is facing enrollment declines and financial challenges. They have presented three scenarios for middle school and high school consolidation. Questions remain and there is a desire for a more thorough evaluation of options to manage the declining enrollment and financial challenges.]]></description><link>https://beforewedecide.wixsite.com/dcsd/post/just-learning-about-these-options-start-here</link><guid isPermaLink="false">17529097-7573-4272-88ce-6d71f5131a04</guid><pubDate>Sun, 27 Sep 2026 15:02:17 GMT</pubDate><enclosure url="https://static.wixstatic.com/media/09c4a9_7bbd4c1856a34d79b7dda6e343fb0851~mv2.jpg/v1/fit/w_1000,h_1000,al_c,q_80/file.png" length="0" type="image/png"/><dc:creator>Before We Decide</dc:creator></item></channel></rss>