Sawyer Elementary School

We couldn’t let this day end without congratulating this year’s Dan Woodin Award recipient, Mrs. Heather Forkner!

If you’ve ever walked through the doors at Sawyer, chances are Heather has greeted you with a bright smile and made you feel immediately welcome. As our administrative assistant, Heather goes far above and beyond her role each and every day.

Heather wears more hats than we could ever list—administrative assistant, nurse, problem solver, confidant, helping hand, and quite possibly the best hug giver at Sawyer. No matter which role she is filling, Heather steps up with integrity, grace, kindness, and a genuine desire to help others.

She is always willing to lend a hand, listen when someone needs it, celebrate alongside us, and make sure students, families, and staff feel cared for and supported. Heather truly represents the heart of Sawyer, and our school is a better place because of her.

We are incredibly lucky to have Mrs. Forkner as part of our Sawyer family, and we can’t think of anyone more deserving of this recognition.

Congratulations, Heather Forkner! Thank you for all the ways—big and small—you make Sawyer such a special place. We appreciate you more than you know! 🧡🌪️

Important Notice: Delayed Building Opening

All Ames CSD buildings will be closed until 11 am on Friday, August 21, as we host our annual Welcome Back event for staff!

We’re excited to kick off the 2026–2027 school year by celebrating and reconnecting with our incredible team. Thank you for your understanding and support as we prepare for a great year ahead!

🎒✨ Back-to-School Night is almost here!

Join us Thursday, August 20, from 5-7 pm as we get ready to kick off another great school year! Be sure to check ParentSquare for all of the important details.

Back-to-School Night is a chance for families to connect with teachers and staff, learn more about the year ahead, and drop off school supplies before the first day.

We’re excited to welcome our students and families back and start the new school year together! 🧡🖤

Sawyer Elementary is hiring Educational Associates for the 2026-27 school year. Work 1:1 with students alongside our Special Education teachers in this fast-paced, rewarding, and most of all FUN role. Appy today using the link below:

https://www.applitrack.com/amesk12/onlineapp/_application.aspx?posJobCodes=1735&posFirstChoice=Support%20Staff&posSpecialty=Special%20Education%20Educational%20Associate

Welcome to Sawyer!

Welcome, Kara Cameron, the new 4th Grade Teacher at Sawyer Elementary! Kara has wanted to be a teacher for as long as she can remember and says she can't imagine doing anything else. What inspires her most is building meaningful connections with her students and watching them grow throughout the school year and beyond. After spending the past eight years teaching in the Washington, D.C., area, she's excited to be back in the Midwest and joining the Sawyer community.

This summer, Kara stayed busy unpacking and settling into her new home. Outside of the classroom, she enjoys walking her dog, reading, working out, and spending time with her husband and son. If she's stopping for a drink, her go-to order is a large unsweetened iced tea from Dunkin'—no ice and no sweetener. Welcome to Ames CSD!

Behind the scenes look of the week before school starts: Instructional Coach Mrs. Slade, Behavior Interventionist Mrs. Hayes, and Custodian Lid work together to sort the new Reading curriculum that our students will be using this year!

If you are new to Sawyer, or if you haven't heard about the AMAZING Sawyer Elementary School PTO, go over and give them a follow! Additionally, they could use some volunteers during Back to School Night, coming up on Thursday!

We could use a few folks to help hand out popsicles on Thursday August 20th at Back to School night. If you're able to assist, sign-up here: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/8050F4BA5AA22AA8-65155739-party #/