River Woods Elementary School

What: Baby Gear Swap. You do NOT need to bring any items to take items. Items available include diapers, formula, clothing, toys, books, accessories, maternity care, cribs, car seats, strollers and more.
Who: Anyone caring for a child ages 0-5 years old who is need of baby items.
When: Saturday, May 9th (THIS Saturday), 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Where: Franklin Event Center Gymnasium: 4801 Franklin Avenue, Des Moines

If you have baby items you would like to donate, you may bring them with you and drop them off at the donation table near check-in.

For more information on the event, go to Monsoon’s 3rd Annual Baby Gear Swap! – Monsoon Asians and Pacific Islanders in Solidarity. https://tinyurl.com/MonsoonBabyGear

If you still have questions, email [email protected].

Important things to note:
1. Bring your own bags.
2. Strollers are allowed.
3. You must park in the North Parking lot.
4. Doors will open at 10 a.m. to line up inside.
5. You must enter through the Northwest doors, and you must exit the event through the Northeast doors.
6. No re-entry is allowed. Once you leave, you may not come back inside.
7. Each family may only have one big ticket item (examples: car seats, cribs).
8. Some items will have limits posted. Please respect those limits.
​9. All items are available on a first-come, first-serve basis.

What: 2026 Des Moines Live Healthy Iowa Kids Track Meet
Who: Children 14 years old and younger
When: Wednesday, May 27th. Check-in is 3:30-4:30 p.m. Field events begin at 4 p.m. Running events begin at 4:30 p.m.
Where: Duke Williams Stadium at East High School (1591 E University Ave, Des Moines)
Cost: Free to all children 14 years old or younger
How to register: You can register online or in person the day of the track meet. Click here to register online. The deadline to register online is Monday, May 25th at 11:59 p.m.

The top two finishers in each event in the 7-14-year-old category will qualify for the state track meet in June.

What: The River Woods food pantry is re-opening. Food items available include butter, eggs, cheese, chicken, beef, oil, rice, beans, tortillas, and more.

Who: Anyone in need.
When: Tuesday, April 14th from 1:30-3 p.m.

*Enter through the main office.

The food pantry will also be open on Tuesday, April 28th, May 12th, May 26th from 1:30-3 p.m. Information about summer dates and times is coming soon.

Email the River Woods Community School Coordinator at [email protected] with any questions.

River Woods families, we are just two weeks away from Skate Night! Please join us for this very special event in partnership with Skate South and Carver Elementary. It's the perfect opportunity to connect with friends, family, and school staff while staying active and letting go of the day's stress. See you on the rink!

When: Tuesday, November 25th, 6-8pm
Where: Skate South, 10494 County Line Rd, Des Moines
Who: students and families invited!
Price: $6.00 for admission (includes skate rental). Skate Mates can be rented for $5.25. Upgrade to hockey or speed skates for $1.25. Food and beverages will be available for purchase.

Thank you to everyone that was able to support River Woods at the One Run event today!

This afternoon our Kinder - 2nd grade students had a chance for some field day fun!

Our 3rd-5th grade students had a blast at field day this morning.

Get ready to flex your creativity and celebrate East Homecoming & Spirit Week with fun dress-up days from September 15-18!

On Friday, September 19 at 7-10pm, there will be a varsity football game at East High School against Marshalltown. Tickets can be purchased here: https://tickets.gobound.com/tickets/events/h2025040812430829308b98dca1f9149/checkout

NO CLASSES ON MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 1: LABOR DAY

DMPS schools and offices will be closed on Monday, September 1 in observance of Labor Day. We will see you back at school on Tuesday. The districtwide calendar is available for download and on our website all year long.

District Calendars - Des Moines Public Schools CALENDARS FOR DOWNLOAD DMPS District Calendar 2025-26 Downtown School Calendar 2025-26 DMPS School Year 2025-2026 July 4 Independence Day holiday; offices closed 8 School Board meeting August 12 School Board meeting 25 First Day of School September 1 ...