It's no secret, most of us would like to stay in our own home as we age. Yet, sometimes our loved ones just need a little extra help to remain comfortable at home. That's where Always Best Care can help....we are dedicated to exceeding expectations....always.
They say that your golden years are the best years of your life. For most older Americans, that's how it should be - a time to relax, reflect, and live life in a familiar place. After all, senior citizens in the U.S. have worked tirelessly to build a better economy, serve their communities, and raise families.
Unfortunately, many older Americans aren't able to rely on their adult children for help. The reality in today's world is that family members do not have the skills or time to dedicate to caring for their parents. That's where Always Best Care Senior Services comes in.
Our in-home care services are for people who prefer to stay at home as they grow older but need ongoing care that family or friends cannot provide. More and more older adults prefer to live far away from long-term, institutionalized facilities and closer to the place where they feel most comfortable - their home. Home care in Van Meter, IA is a safe, effective way to give your loved ones the care they need when they need it the most.
Home Care Services
Service AreasSince 1996, Always Best Care has provided non-medical in-home care for seniors to help them maintain a healthy lifestyle as they get older. We are proud to have helped more than 25,000 seniors maintain higher levels of dignity and respect. We focus on providing seniors with the highest level of in-home care available so that they may live happily and independently.
Unlike some senior care companies, we genuinely want to be included in our clients' lives. We believe that personalized care is always the better option over a "one size fits all" approach. To make sure our senior clients receive the best care possible, we pair them with compassionate caregivers who understand their unique needs. That way, they may provide care accordingly without compromising their wellbeing.
The Always Best Care difference lies in life's little moments - where compassionate care and trustworthy experience come together to help seniors live a fruitful, healthy life. Whether you are an aging adult that can't quite keep up with life's daily tasks or the child of a senior who needs regular in-home services, Always Best Care is here to help.
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Home is where the heart is. While that saying can sound a tad cliche, it is especially true for many seniors living in America. When given a choice, older adults most often prefer to grow older at home. An AARP study found that three out of four adults over the age of 50 want to stay in their homes and communities as they age.
When you begin to think about why, it makes sense. Home offers a sense of security, comfort, and familiarity.
The truth is, as we age, we begin to rely on others for help. When a family is too busy or lives too far away to fulfill this role, in-home senior care is often the best solution. Home care services allow seniors to enjoy personal independence while also receiving trustworthy assistance from a trained caregiver.
At Always Best Care, we offer a comprehensive range of home care services to help seniors stay healthy while they get the help they need to remain independent. As your senior loved one gets older, giving them the gift of senior care is one of the best ways to show your love, even if you live far away.
To give our senior clients the best care possible, we offer a full spectrum of in-home care services:
If your senior loved one has specific care needs, our personal care services are a great choice to consider. Personal care includes the standard caregiving duties associated with companion care and includes help with tasks such as dressing and grooming. Personal care can also help individuals with chronic conditions like diabetes.
Common personal care services include assistance with:
Sometimes, seniors need helpful reminders to maintain a high quality of life at home. If you or your senior has trouble with everyday tasks like cooking, our home helper services will be very beneficial.
Common home helper care services include assistance with:
Using this kind of care is a fantastic way to make life easier for you or your senior loved one. At Always Best Care, our talented caregivers often fill the role of a companion for seniors.
Common companionship services include:
According to AARP, more than 53 million adults living in the U.S. provide care to someone over 50 years old. Unfortunately, these caregivers experience stress, exhaustion, and even depression. Our respite care services help family caregivers address urgent obligations, spend time with their children, and enjoy nearby activities. Perhaps more importantly, respite care gives family members time to recharge and regroup. Taking personal time to de-stress reduces the risk of caregiver burnout. Doing so is great for both you and your loved one.
At the end of the day, our goal is to become a valuable part of your senior's daily routine. That way, we may help give them the highest quality of life possible. We know that staying at home is important for your loved one, and we are here to help make sure that is possible.
If you have been on the fence about non-medical home care, there has never been a better time than now to give your senior the care, assistance, and companionship they deserve.
Always Best Care in-home services are for older adults who prefer to stay at home but need ongoing care that friends and family cannot provide. In-home care is a safe, effective way for seniors to age gracefully in a familiar place and live independent, non-institutionalized lives. The benefits of non-medical home care are numerous. Here are just a few reasons to consider senior care services from Always Best Care:
According to AARP, 9 out of 10 seniors prefer to age in place within the comfort of their own home. With in-home care, seniors have a way to stay at home, receive the care they need, and maintain a sense of independence, improving overall wellness.
If you or a member of your family have assumed the role of caregiver for your senior loved one, you know how stressful the job can be. Between caregiver burnout and constant worry, being a family caregiver is hard. In-home care relieves your burden and gives you peace of mind knowing that your older family member is in expert hands.
Unlike nursing homes, where the staff and residents rotate frequently, seniors can foster new friendships and build bonds with their caregiver. Seniors who socialize on a regular basis are often happier, which fosters positivity and leads to increased wellbeing.
No two seniors need the same kind of in-home care assistance. That is why each of our Care Plans is tailored to meet our client's individual needs. We offer plans that cover everything from light housekeeping to more involved duties like transportation to doctor's appointments. Our Care Coordinators will work closely with you to develop a personalized plan to ensure your senior's needs are exceeded.
Always Best Care offers a full array of care options for patients at all levels of health. With our trusted elderly care services, your loved one will receive the level of care necessary for them to enjoy the highest possible quality of life.
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While it's true that some seniors have complicated medical needs that prevent them from staying at home, aging in place is often the best arrangement for seniors and their families. With a trusted caregiver, seniors have the opportunity to live with a sense of dignity and do so as they see fit - something that is unavailable to many older people today.
In-home care makes it possible for millions of seniors to age in place every year. Rather than moving to a strange nursing home, seniors have the chance to stay at home where they feel the happiest and most comfortable.
How much does a senior's home truly mean to them?
A study published by the American Society on Aging found that more than half of seniors say their home's emotional value means more than how much their home is worth in monetary value. It stands to reason, then, that a senior's home is where they want to grow old.
With the help of elderly care in Van Meter, IA, seniors don't have to age in a sterilized care facility. Instead, they can age gracefully in the place they want to be most: their home. In contrast, seniors who move to a long-term care facility must adapt to new environments, new people, and new systems that the facility implements. At this stage in life, this kind of drastic change can be more harmful than helpful.
Institutional care facilities like nursing homes often put large groups of people together to live in one location. On any given day, dozens of staff members and caregivers run in and out of these facilities. Being around so many new people in a relatively small living environment can be dangerous for a seniors' health and wellbeing. When you consider that thousands of seniors passed away in nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic, opting for in-home care is often a safer, healthier choice for seniors.
Aging in place has been shown to improve seniors' quality of life, which helps boost physical health and also helps insulate them from viral and bacterial risks found in elderly living facilities.
For many seniors, the ability to live independently with assistance from a caregiver is a priceless option. With in-home care, seniors experience a higher level of independence and freedom - much more so than in other settings like a nursing home. When a senior has the chance to age in place, they get to live life on their own terms, inside the house that they helped make into a home. More independence means more control over their personal lives, too, which leads to increased levels of fulfillment, happiness, and personal gratification. Over time, these positive feelings can manifest into a healthier, longer life.
More independence, a healthier life, and increased comfort are only a few benefits of aging in place. You have to take into consideration the role of cost and convenience. Simply put, it's usually easier and more affordable to help seniors age in place than it is to move them into an institutional care facility. According to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, seniors who age in the comfort of their homes can save thousands of dollars per month.
In-home care services from Always Best Care, for instance, are often less expensive than long-term solutions, which can cost upwards of six figures per year. To make matters worse, many residential care facilities are reluctant to accept long-term care insurance and other types of payment assistance.
With Always Best Care's home care services, seniors and their families have a greater level of control over their care plans. In-home care gives seniors the chance to form a bond with a trusted caregiver and also receive unmatched care that is catered to their needs. In long-term care facilities, seniors and their loved ones have much less control over their care plan and have less of a say in who provides their care.
In-home care is a valuable resource that empowers seniors to age in place on their own terms. However, a big concern for many families and their loved ones is how much in-home care costs. If you're worried that in-home care is too expensive, you may be pleasantly surprised to learn that it is one of the most affordable senior care arrangements available.
Typically, hiring an Always Best Care in-home caregiver for a few hours a week is more affordable than sending your loved one to a long-term care facility. This is true even for seniors with more complex care needs.
At Always Best Care, we will work closely with you and your family to develop a Care Plan that not only meets your care needs, but your budget requirements, too. Once we discover the level of care that you or your senior need, we develop an in-home care plan that you can afford.
In addition to our flexible care options, families should also consider the following resources to help offset potential home care costs:
When you or your senior loved one needs assistance managing daily tasks at home, finding a qualified caregiver can be challenging. It takes a special kind of person to provide reliable care for your senior loved one. However, a caregiver's role involves more than meal preparation and medication reminders. Many seniors rely on their caregivers for companionship, too.
Our companion care services give seniors the chance to socialize in a safe environment and engage in activities at home. These important efforts boost morale and provide much-needed relief from repetitive daily routines. A one-on-one, engaging conversation can sharpen seniors' minds and give them something in which to be excited.
At Always Best Care, we only hire care providers that we would trust to care for our own loved ones. Our senior caregivers in Van Meter, IA understand how important it is to listen and communicate with their seniors. A seemingly small interaction, like a short hug goodbye, can make a major difference in a senior's day. Instead of battling against feelings of isolation, seniors begin to look forward to seeing their caregiver each week.
Understanding the nuances of senior care is just one of the reasons why our care providers are so great at their job.
Unlike some senior care companies, our caregivers must undergo extensive training before they work for Always Best Care. In addition, our caregivers receive ongoing training throughout the year. This training ensures that their standard of care matches up to the high standards we've come to expect. During this training, they will brush up on their communication skills, safety awareness, and symptom spotting. That way, your loved one receives the highest level of non-medical home care from day one.
While it's true that many seniors prefer to age at home, sometimes in-home care isn't the best fit. For those seniors and their families, choosing an assisted living facility makes more sense. Unfortunately, finding the optimal care facility is easier said than done in today's day and age. That's when Always Best Care's assisted living referral services begin to make a lot of sense.
Assisted living is a form of housing intended for seniors who require varying degrees of medical and personal attention. Accommodations may include single rooms, apartments, or shared living arrangements. Assisted living communities are typically designed to resemble a home-like environment and are physically constructed to encourage the independence of residents.
At assisted living communities, seniors receive help with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, and eating. They may also benefit from coordination of services with outside healthcare providers, and monitoring of resident activities to ensure their health, safety, and well-being. Caregivers who work at assisted living communities can also provide medication administration and personal care services for older adults.
Other services offered within assisted living communities can include some or all of the following:
At Always Best Care, our representatives can match your senior's emotional, physical, and financial needs with viable assisted living communities nearby. Results are based on comparative data, so you can select the best choice for you or your loved one.
Always Best Care works closely with local senior living communities to gain valuable knowledge that we then use to help seniors and their loved ones make informed decisions. This information can include basic care and rent, resident availability, and services provided. Because Always Best Care is compensated by these communities, we provide senior living referral services at no extra cost to you.
For many seniors, moving into a senior living community revolves around how and when they want to make a transition to more involved care. Some seniors are more proactive about transitioning to independent living. Others choose to remain home until their care needs or other requirements are satisfied. Remember - our staff is here to help. Contact our office today to learn more about assisted living communities and how we can find a facility that exceeds your expectations.
The first step in getting quality in-home care starts with a personal consultation with an experienced Always Best Care Care Coordinator. This initial consultation is crucial for our team to learn more about you or your elderly loved one to discover the level of care required. Topics of this consultation typically include:
A discussion of your needs and how our trained caregivers can offer assistance in the most effective way
A draft of your care plan, which includes highly detailed notes and a framework for the care that you or your senior will receive
Discuss payment options and help coordinate billing with your insurance provider
Our caregivers are trained to spot changes that clients exhibit, like mental and physical decline. As your trusted senior care company, we will constantly assess and update your Care Plan to meet any new emotional, intellectual, physical, and emotional needs.
If you have never considered in-home care before, we understand that you and your family may have concerns about your Care Plan and its Care Coordinator. To help give you peace of mind, know that every team member and caregiver must undergo comprehensive training before being assigned to a Care Plan.
At the end of the day, we only hire the best of the best at Always Best Care. Whether you need home care in Van Meter, IA 24-hours a day or only need a respite for a couple of hours, we are here to serve you.
When you're ready, we encourage you to contact your local Always Best Care representative to set up a Care Consultation. Our Care Coordinators would be happy to meet with you in person to get to know you better, discuss your needs, and help put together a personalized Care Plan specific to your needs.
FORT DODGE — Mady Schnell, remember the name.Van Meter softball fans surely will.It was Schnell who propelled the No. 1-seed Bulldogs into the state championship game with a walk-off home run. Then she won it all for her team with another home run in a 5-3 victory against No. 3 Audubon for the Class 2A Iowa high school softball title.What a start to a high school career since Schnell is, after all, an eighth grader.“You can't dream that stuff up,” said Bulldogs coach James Flaws, w...
FORT DODGE — Mady Schnell, remember the name.
Van Meter softball fans surely will.
It was Schnell who propelled the No. 1-seed Bulldogs into the state championship game with a walk-off home run. Then she won it all for her team with another home run in a 5-3 victory against No. 3 Audubon for the Class 2A Iowa high school softball title.
What a start to a high school career since Schnell is, after all, an eighth grader.
“You can't dream that stuff up,” said Bulldogs coach James Flaws, whose father Jim won a state title as head coach of Carlisle on Thursday. "Yeah, once in your lifetime, but to do that two times in three days? That’s just unreal.”
The uncharacteristically low-scoring game started slow on both sides of the ball. Van Meter pitcher Maddie Waldorf walked two batters, but the Bulldogs’ defense forced three outs before Audubon could score a run.
Van Meter put two runners on base – both with walks. But even with a stolen base, the Bulldogs finished the first without a run on the board.
Kennedy Wiedman managed to put the Bulldogs up by one in the second inning – scoring off an Audubon error.
The Wheelers turned the game in their favor in the third, though. Jordan Porsch and Mattie Nielsen both scored when a wild pitch turned into an error on the throw from catcher to pitcher.
Audubon’s defense did its job in the bottom half of the inning, catching two fly balls and striking out one batter, to preserve the lead.
Audubon’s no-hitter came to an end in the bottom of the fourth when Wiedman hit an infield single, beating out the throw to first base. That didn’t impact the score, though and the Wheelers added another run the following inning.
But as fans in Fort Dodge learned this week, don’t count the Bulldogs out when they’re down late.
Van Meter sent Audubon’s first three hitters back to the dugout in the sixth and then jumped on the offensive. With bases loaded and no outs, the Wheelers’ walked Lauren Wallace and Katie Vaught scored.
A couple outs later, Halle Karaidos’ single was enough to get a run from Schnell and the Bulldogs tied the game at three apiece.
And then, wouldn’t you know it, Schnell stepped up to home plate with two outs and a runner on second base.
For those who haven’t watched Van Meter’s two previous tournament games, Schnell’s stat line features three runs batted in and a walk-off home run in the eighth inning of the state semifinal against East Marshall.
She’s been a difference-maker all tournament, and Friday’s game was no different.
Bulldogs’ fans decked out in blue and white watched as Schnell hit another home run over the center field fence, just as she had on Wednesday. It was a two-run jack that gave Van Meter a 5-3 lead heading into the seventh inning.
“She’s had a great tournament all week,” Flaws said postgame. “We knew if they threw it over the plate, she’d hit it hard and obviously, she hit that ball very hard.”
The Bulldogs waited with bated breath as Audubon worked through the top of the final frame.
The Wheelers’ first batter was thrown out at first, where Waldorf moved – and starred – after Bianca Prickett took over in the circle. Audubon’s second batter met the same fate.
But with back-to-back singles, the Wheelers put runners on first and second, with a two-run deficit and two outs. Hope of a game-tying pair of runs faded when a grounder to third ended with a force out to put a bow on the game.
Van Meter’s dugout emptied and crashed into an overjoyed pile in front of the pitching circle. Waldorf enveloped Wallace in a hug.
And then – a year removed from losing in the 2023 championship game – the Bulldogs finally raised the title trophy above their heads.
Alyssa Hertel is the college sports recruiting reporter for the Des Moines Register. Contact Alyssa at [email protected] or on Twitter @AlyssaHertel.
FORT DODGE — Extra innings. A spot in the state championship game on the line. An eighth grader up to bat.The ending to Van Meter’s matchup with East Marshall in the Iowa high school softball state tournament semifinal sounds like a movie script.The top-seeded Bulldogs – who rarely chased the lead this season – found themselves tied late in Wednesday’s Class 2A matchup against No. 4-seed East Marshall.But with one out on the scoreboard and the game tied at three apiece, Mady S...
FORT DODGE — Extra innings. A spot in the state championship game on the line. An eighth grader up to bat.
The ending to Van Meter’s matchup with East Marshall in the Iowa high school softball state tournament semifinal sounds like a movie script.
The top-seeded Bulldogs – who rarely chased the lead this season – found themselves tied late in Wednesday’s Class 2A matchup against No. 4-seed East Marshall.
But with one out on the scoreboard and the game tied at three apiece, Mady Schnell stepped up to the plate. Her goal: Get on base. She did so much more, forcing the ball over the center field fence for a walk-off home run in the 4-3 win.
There is possibly no better time for a player’s first career home run than in a high-stakes, win-or-go-home game in the state tournament.
“She locked in,” Van Meter head coach James Flaws said postgame. “She’s been working all year hitting the ball up the middle in that left-center field gap and she did that on that pitch. She stepped up in a huge way.”
An air of jubilation surrounded Schnell as she rounded the bases and her teammates – screaming, clapping, jumping for joy – met her at home plate.
Last season, the Bulldogs season ended their season with a loss in the state title game.
On Wednesday, Schnell put the cherry on top of a comeback sundae to ensure Van Meter had the opportunity to avenge last year’s setback.
And outside of the game-winning, career-first home run, the semifinal game was far from a typical Van Meter game.
The Bulldogs posted a 41-1 record en route to Wednesday's semifinal and outscored opponents 400-47 along the way. Van Meter’s games often ended early, with a shutout, or both.
But against East Marshall, the Bulldogs didn’t score first. Mustangs’ sophomore Peyton Grabenbauer recorded the first run of the game.
Van Meter didn’t even get a hit until the fourth inning. By then, East Marshall led by two, but Cali Richards’ base hit into center field scored Lauren Wallace from second base to cut the deficit in half.
The Mustangs added another run in the sixth inning, which led to another atypical moment for the Bulldogs.
Flaws gathered his players in the circle and replaced ace pitcher Maddie Waldorf with Bianca Prickett. Waldorf moved to first base, where she helped tag out the next batter and put Van Meter back on offense.
“Our dugout believed in our pitcher that was starting and then the one we brought in,” Flaws said.
The Bulldogs tied the score in the bottom of the sixth, off a double from Finley Netten that sent Schnell home and a sacrifice fly from Richards that allowed Netten to score.
The seventh inning passed quickly, with three consecutive outs on both sides. East Marshall managed to get a player to second base and then strike out Van Meter’s first batter of the extra frame, but no one could’ve predicted what would come off Schnell’s bat.
One run is all the Bulldogs needed to win the game, and Schnell made sure she got it in style.
“I don’t think I have to motivate this group,” Flaws laughed. “I think they’re pretty hungry from last year. The next game is the game we’ve been trying to get to all year, so to go play that game is pretty exciting for this group.”
Van Meter will play in the state title game on Friday at 5 p.m.
Alyssa Hertel is the college sports recruiting reporter for the Des Moines Register. Contact Alyssa at [email protected] or on Twitter @AlyssaHertel.
Twenty-two athletes – clad in blues and grays, blacks and whites – shuffle across a grass field toward a set of goals.The athletic complex is situated across State Highway 293 and contains softball and baseball fields, but these high schoolers are here for girls soccer practice. The teenagers pi...
Twenty-two athletes – clad in blues and grays, blacks and whites – shuffle across a grass field toward a set of goals.
The athletic complex is situated across State Highway 293 and contains softball and baseball fields, but these high schoolers are here for girls soccer practice. The teenagers pile backpacks and sweatshirts on the edge of the practice field and line up for warmups.
The girls discuss common teachers, or how one teammate could hear another laughing through the walls earlier in the day. Discussions about streaming services arise, and one girl voices her opinion: “Whichever one has ‘Modern Family,’ I’m sold.”
Other players make plans to do the ‘Ice Bucket Challenge,’ resurfacing a trend that went viral on social media in 2014.
Everything that occurs at Van Meter girls soccer practice points to normal, to a well-oiled machine in the middle of the season.
But the Bulldogs are still in the midst of a rebuild, balancing a brand new head coach, an incredibly young roster and a tiny, but mighty, group of seniors.
At 26 years old, Allie Kramer didn’t feel confident in her abilities to lead a high school team.
She possessed limited coaching experience, previously helping out with youth groups or with Special Olympics athletes. But when an opportunity to coach at Van Meter arose, she wasn’t sure about applying.
In high school, Kramer played on a combined team – Adel-De Soto-Minburn and Van Meter. So, while she wasn’t a Bulldog, per se, she felt connected to Van Meter athletics.
But it wasn’t until her sister-in-law – Sara Cook, the head volleyball coach for the Bulldogs – brought up the girls soccer opening that Kramer considered getting into high school coaching.
“At first, I told her absolutely not, like I’ve never coached,” Kramer laughed. “Within 48 hours, I texted her and said, ‘So, actually maybe I do want to.’ The more I thought about it, the more I thought that there’s no better time than now.”
She remembered her high school playing days and how her coaches shaped her experience. She wanted to do that for other teenage girls.
Turning the program into a success story wouldn’t be easy, though.
Kramer noticed inconsistencies when she took over: confusion over what practice would entail or if it would even be held, and the inability to physically play a full game. After posting a 12-4 overall record in 2023, the Bulldogs finished with an 8-8 mark in 2024.
Still, Kramer’s expectations for her girls were high.
She inherited a roster of four seniors, five juniors, seven sophomores, six freshmen, and very limited varsity experience. She saw an opportunity instead of a disadvantage in the inexperience.
“Seeing the younger roster didn’t really scare me at all,” Kramer shared. “I was excited, it was new and fresh.”
Especially when one of those younger players – a freshman – turned into the Bulldogs’ leading scorer.
The first year of Mady Schnell’s high school career was anything but ordinary.
Rewind to July 2024 – the summer in between Schnell’s eighth-grade graduation and her freshman year – when she hit not one, but two home runs in the state softball tournament. Her showing there propelled the Bulldogs to the Class 2A title.
Schnell earned a medal before she’d ever walked the halls of Van Meter High School, and then she began her high school soccer career with similar success.
She leapt onto the top of the statewide leaderboards, scoring 10 goals in the first two games of the season – four against Central Iowa United and six against Des Moines Hoover.
Schnell’s since leveled out – totaling 14 goals and three assists for the 6-6 Bulldogs, according to GoBound statistics updated through May 5. She leads all Van Meter players with 31 total points.
“She’s just so athletic, and she’s still so young,” said senior teammate Katie Vaught. “Sometimes it’s like, ‘How did you do that? You’re so young.’ She’s just super athletic, and I think that really helps her on the field.”
Senior Paige Garrison interjected, “And she’s really easy to play with.”
Schnell is one of those players who came into high school soccer with a healthy dose of natural athleticism and talent well above her grade. And despite all her success on the field – and the diamond – her teammates describe her as humble.
Finding her a spot in the starting lineup, well, that was a no-brainer for Schnell’s head coach.
"She’s just different with the ball,” Kramer said. “She has so much composure that not everyone has. That’s not something you learn overnight.”
But ask Schnell, and she’ll direct the credit to her teammates.
Especially the four oldest players in the group.
Katie Vaught, Clara Waldron, and twins Grace and Paige Garrison learned they would have a new head coach in the summer before their senior year.
One of their teammates sent a screenshot of the minutes of a school board meeting – which included their former coach’s resignation – and that’s when the quartet discovered that, after three years of the same leadership, someone new would take over the helm of the Bulldogs.
Kramer made those four seniors a priority, gaining their trust from the moment she was hired. She wanted those players to know that she cared about them – as players and as people – even though she’d only coach them for a season.
“There’s a mutual respect between us as players and them as coaches…that’s been really nice,” Paige shared, referring to Kramer and assistant coach Kevin Hastings.
That connection is evident at practice, when Kramer pairs up with Schnell and runs through the drills she’s assigned, like she is one of the players. There is no standing on the sidelines while her players work out; Kramer inserts herself in the middle of the action.
It’s Kramer’s enthusiasm and commitment that made an impact on her players, but she’d also be the first to admit that she couldn’t have done it without the seniors on her squad. Without their buy-in, Kramer knows that she could’ve faced more pushback after taking over the team.
Under Kramer – and Hastings – and with players like Schnell, Van Meter looks like a team on the rise. It’s something that excites the four players whose careers will end in a month.
“We know there’s other really good players following us,” Waldron started.
Grace continued her teammates’ thought, “It’s exciting to see that the program isn’t going to stop with us and our class, and that they’re going to go on and do great things. Like, maybe win a state championship.”
Alyssa Hertel is the college sports recruiting reporter for the Des Moines Register. Contact Alyssa at [email protected] or on Twitter @AlyssaHertel.
Van Meter High School is part of a small, progressive district located in central Iowa that prides itself in innovative practices. The success of Van Meter High School is dependent upon the strong relationships it builds amongst students, parents, staff, and the community. Through a focus on collective efficacy, Van Meter High School teacher teams strive to personalize the learning experience for every single student. Using a tiered leadership approach, educators are empowered to collaborate, innovate, and lead. Teams implement standards bas...
Van Meter High School is part of a small, progressive district located in central Iowa that prides itself in innovative practices. The success of Van Meter High School is dependent upon the strong relationships it builds amongst students, parents, staff, and the community. Through a focus on collective efficacy, Van Meter High School teacher teams strive to personalize the learning experience for every single student. Using a tiered leadership approach, educators are empowered to collaborate, innovate, and lead. Teams implement standards based grading utilizing the Iowa Core Curriculum, create individualized supports for students through teacher teams, and adapt the schedule to maximize flexibility. While the district has succeeded at a high level for many years, teachers and administrators are constantly seeking ways to improve the educational environment and foster rigorous opportunities for students.
To help students develop the attributes to be a global-ready citizen, Van Meter High School integrates social emotional learning and 21st Century Skills into everyday instruction. Van Meter High School has built relationships with the local community college and other vocational technology partnerships to provide students with the opportunity to explore pathways for life after graduation. With a focus on college and career readiness, students are encouraged to make connections between the skills they acquire today and the skills they will apply in the future. This collective effort among staff, students, and parents has resulted in Van Meter High School consistently ranking as one of Iowa's top performing high schools according to the Iowa School Performance Profiles.
Van Meter High School
520 1st Avenue Van Meter, IA, 50261-7706
Principal at time of Nomination: Mr. Adam Lamoureux
Van Meter Community School District
Rural or small city/town
Personalize learning for each student's success, today and tomorrow. Our vision is to make learning personal through innovative practices that align to the principles of competency-based education to produce college, career, and global ready graduates.
877-292-2126
