School Hours
Take In Time: 8:05 AM
Dismissal Time: 3:09 PM
Principal Mr. Ryan Fritz Assistant Principal/AD Mrs. Carrie Viel
Grade Levels Served: 6th – 12th Grade
Enrollment (approximate): 360 Students
With a strong academic foundation and a successful tradition in athletics, fine arts, and activities, CHS provides its students with a wealth of opportunities. CHS is proud of its past accomplishments, focused on the needs of its students and communities, and looks to the future to anticipate the needs of a growing local economy, community and school district. CHS urges everyone to get involved to learn more about our school and help develop tomorrow’s leaders, citizens, and parents.
Cascade Junior-Senior High School offers the following: - A talented and dedicated staff, about 50% of whom have advanced degrees.
- A high graduation rate; typically more than ninety-eight percent of its students graduate.
- A challenging curriculum based on student needs, including course work for the student choosing a four-year college, a community college, a vocational or technical school, the military, or work force.
- A four-year plan for each student developed by students, parents and faculty.
- A successful special education program focused on student needs.
- A talented and gifted program that challenges its brightest students.
- A school-to-work program aiming to develop employment skills.
- A service learning program focused on community.
- Services to at-risk students focused on instilling skills to assist students in being successful in high school, post-secondary education and the work force.
- Courses through the Post-Secondary Enrollment Options Act, which grants college credit. Many students graduate with fifteen or more college credits. We are involved in partnerships with Kirkwood Community College and Northeast Iowa Community College.
- A successful athletic, activity and fine arts program focused on building leadership and life lessons.
Cascade High School opened its doors in 1976. CHS is the smaller of two high schools operated by the Western Dubuque Community School District, headquartered twelve miles north in Farley. Cascade High School inherited the proud traditions of Aquin High School, a Catholic high school which closed in 1976, when the school district purchased the facilities. The original facility was built in 1961 with additions in 1976, 1994, 2004 and 2014. The Ellen Kennedy Fine Arts Center, a state of the art venue for drama and music was added in 2004 and an eight lane track was constructed in 2006 along with a refurbished football stadium complex. A second gymnasium facility, the Webber Center, was added in 1997 through the generosity of a local donor and community efforts. The original track and football facility was constructed in 1982, and lights were added to the softball field in 1993. The school also operates a baseball field on property owned by the American Legion. Cascade Junior-Senior High School is a 7-12 facility with approximately 360 students. In 2014 a major construction project added a new gymnasium, locker rooms, wrestling room, music rooms and office as well as a refurbished weight room.
The Cascade High School student body is largely composed of rural-farm and small-town youth. Family values and a strong work ethic among our students, coupled with a talented and dedicated staff, combine to produce a supportive, effective learning environment in which students can learn and teachers can educate the students. When the committed support from parents and the Cascade, Bernard and Fillmore communities is factored into the situation and combined with assistance for our school from the strong agricultural, business and industrial base, it is clear why CHS has had so much success over the years. Credit for our success is also due to the strong programs, and the successful teachers at our two feeder schools: Cascade Elementary and Aquin Elementary, as well as the dedicated administration and staff of our central office and school board. Less than two percent of our students fail to graduate.
Cascade has also enjoyed an excellent academic reputation over the past forty plus years. Our students consistently perform well in college. A large number of our graduates attend four-year colleges after high school with most of the other students pursuing further educational opportunities, such as two year colleges or the military. CHS students compare well to other Iowa students on standardized tests. With over half the majority of our student body taking ACT tests, our students score well above the Iowa average. CHS has provided numerous National Merit finalists in past years. Informal reports indicate that our freshman students are excelling at our four-year colleges. CHS is fully accredited by the State of Iowa. We feel that the community’s strong work ethic and cultural values are reflected in the achievements of our students.
Cascade High School offers a challenging curriculum based on student needs. A complete program for the college-bound student has been effective in meeting the needs of students. Courses are also available for the student who may be inclined towards seeking vocational training at a community college or technical institute, as well as for students who will be entering the military or the work force. Students and parents develop a four year plan with the assistance of teachers and our guidance office. A successful special education program addresses student needs, and CHS offers a talented and gifted program that aims to challenge our brightest students. A school-to-work program gives students an opportunity to gain work experience. Students involved in Future Educators explore a career in teaching by assisting in elementary classrooms. A service learning program allows students to build on community service experiences available through FFA, student council, and local churches. Our students can also take course work at our larger sister high school, WDHS in Epworth. The Senior Year Plus legislation has led to college level credit being offered for several CHS courses. Some students graduate with twenty or more hours of college credit. We also are partners with regional academies at NICC in Peosta and the Jones County Regional Center though Kirkwood in Monticello.
CHS hosts a developing technology program as evidenced by two full size computer labs along with a smaller lab in our library. We also have three computer labs on wheels, increasing student access to technology. Six additional classrooms can double as mini computer labs with about 12 computers each, enabling our English, Spanish, agriculture, social studies and other classrooms to have easy access to word processing, the internet, software applications and presentation programs. CHS also hosts a nicely equipped media center.
We have a tremendous fine arts program at CHS. Our drama program has received state recognition on several occasions while our speech program has produced numerous All-State performers. Our music programs, both instrumental and vocal, have been very successful in the past, developing many gifted musicians. We are proud of our marching band’s accomplishments. In dance too, CHS sets an admirable standard as our poms have brought home many state titles in the past few years.
Our FFA program has produced excellent results in the past thirty years. Several of our teams have received national recognition and several state titles were garnered. With one fifth of our student body involved in FFA, the program stresses the values of leadership, team work, organization and goal development. These skills are so vitally important to success in the workplace and at college. A strong National Honor Society chapter and student council also provide opportunities to develop leadership skills. We also sponsor Students Against Destructive Decisions (SADD), FBLA, yearbook, SAFE, and newspaper, as well as math competitions. Junior high activities include football, volleyball, cross country, wrestling, track, boys and girls basketball, speech, student council, vocal, band, and spelling and geography bees.
The Cougars have a great athletic tradition. Several of our programs have been extremely successful. Cougar athletic teams include boys and girls cross country, baseball, boys and girls basketball, football, softball, volleyball, wrestling, boys and girls golf, boys and girls bowling and cheerleading. Students interested in soccer currently can compete in Western Dubuque High School’s program under a sharing agreement. Cascade High School is classed as a “2A” school and is a member of the River Valley Conference which includes Bellevue, Camanche, Durant, Mid-Prairie, Monticello, North Cedar, Northeast, Iowa City Regina, Tipton, West Branch, West Liberty and Wilton. Boys basketball, girls golf, girls basketball, baseball, boys and girls cross country, football and boys and girls track and softball have all competed in state tournaments in recent years.
Western Dubuque School District central office staff also serve Cascade High School. Our superintendent, business manager, curriculum coordinator, technology coordinator, director of transportation and maintenance, community and human resources supervisor and food service director and their secretarial staff serve all the students of the district. The district central offices are located in Farley. CHS is located in the Keystone Area Education Agency (AEA 1) and special education support and other services are provided to our district, parents and students through the efforts of AEA staff. The Wayne Drexler Middle School at Farley and Western Dubuque High School at Epworth provide special education placements for some Cascade area students who are challenged by very serious disabilities. Additionally, the district provides an alternative high school located at Western Dubuque High School.
CHS and the Western Dubuque Community School District have been very successful in obtaining grant funds. Grants have been used to purchase technology for the school, provide teacher training in project based learning, promote school-community relations and to promote safety and security.
Our school day begins at 8:05 a.m. and ends at 3:09 p.m. We operate on a trimester schedule with 62 minute class periods. Courses required for graduation include math (6 credits), science (6 credits), English (8 credits), social studies (6 credits including US History and Government), physical education, computer applications, financial literacy and health.
Our school’s mission and philosophy are expressed in our Plan on the Page which guides all our efforts. The mission of Cascade High School is to “promote lifelong learning through professional practices and team work”. Our goals are focused on student achievement. The district's vision of "Success for All" guides our efforts to ensure all students are prime for excellence in their post secondary education, careers and their lives.
The CHS Plan on a Page fits within the Western Dubuque District Plan on a Page. In this manner all work is focused on achieving the district mission and goals.
Departments also have plans on the page that tie into the school district mission and goals. Finally there are individual teacher improvement plans, school improvement plans and a district improvement plan that targets efforts on district and school goals. In this fashion we are working to get everyone in every part of our organization focused on our goals.
A primary focus of CHS is the development of the core values of respect and responsibility. This enables us to provide an orderly learning environment focused on learning and teaching. We feel strongly that our community expects CHS to develop in our students the skills, attitudes, work ethic, and commitment to excellence in which the community and the school can take pride. The administration, faculty, and staff of Cascade High School bring their talents, effort and resources to bear in order to meet these community expectations. We view the school district's guiding philosophy of "Better Everyday" as our promise to focus on our student's preparation for their future.
District Vision – Success for All District Core Values All Children Can Learn Accountability and Responsibility Continuous Improvement Visionary Leadership Safe Environment District Guiding Philosophy – Better Every Day Cascade Junior-Senior High School Mission Develop life-long learners and responsible citizens through professional practices and teamwork. Cascade Junior-Senior High School Goals To continuously improve student growth and achievement. To achieve a satisfying and productive learning and teaching environment
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