IHMS Weekly News
April 15 - 22, 2022
Upcoming IHMS Events
Monday, 04/18:
KSA Math
3:50 Academic Learning Lab
Tuesday, 04/19:
KSA Math
3:50 Academic Learning Lab
3:50 Jazz Band
Wednesday, 04/20:
8:20 School Store Open
KSA Math
3:50 Academic Learning Lab
3:50 Board Game Club
7:00 East Area Band Festival at SME
Thursday, 04/21:
KSA Math
9:00 General PTA Meeting @ IHMS Cafeteria
3:50 Academic Learning Lab
3:50 Art Club
3:50 Chess Club
3:50 Nancy Drew Club
3:50 Jazz Band
7:00 East Area Orchestra Festival at SME
Friday, 04/22:
IH Math Team Meeting during KT
KSA Math
Saturday, 04/23:
Middle School Solo & Ensemble Festival at IW
Upcoming Events:
04/27: All School Musical Viewing
04/28: 7:00 Musical Opening Night
04/29: 6th Grade Olympic Festival
04/29: 8th Grade SME Transition Day
04/29: Musical
04/30: Musical
05/02: ELA MAP
05/03: ELA MAP
05/04: ELA MAP
05/05: ELA MAP
05/06: ELA MAP
05/06: 4:00 All School Mixer
05/09: Math MAP
05/10: Math MAP
05/11: Math MAP
05/12: Math MAP
05/13: Math MAP
05/12: 7:00 Choir Concert
05/18: 7:00 Orchestra Concert
05/19: Last Late Bus
05/19: 7:00 Band Concert
05/20: Math MAP
05/24: Last Day for Students / 1:45 Dismissal
05/27: Report Cards Posted in Skyward
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Section 1: New and Important at IHMS
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Congratulations to our Jr. Board Members!
Junior Board introduces students to the business of philanthropy through hands-on experiences and opportunities to meet the people committing their lives for the betterment of our community. Student groups identified one nonprofit agency to research, worked with group members to prepare a slide presentation, and presented to a group of judges. Presentations were held this week. Judges rated and ranked the groups. Each group receives a monetary award which they will present to their selected agencies. The total of the awards was $8,000. The presentation results are below.
- 1st – Kanbe’s Markets — Claire Langford, Aidric Argie, Caitlin Baker, Adeline Clifford, Katie Cook, Cassidy Graham, Carter Wild
- 2nd – EPEC The Grooming Project — Libby Marsh, Ben Alt, Norah Anderson, Avery Folger, Vivian Fraley, Beckett Henry, Annie Joplin, Ellen Lund
- 3rd – KC Mothers in Charge – Brock Rider, Anna Cicero, Iris Chabanis, Davis Eakes, Charlie Manies, Merryn Rupp, Sarah Stein, Michael Yi
- Reconciliation Services — Catherine Beltrame, Ryan Baker, Will Ballard, Aiden Bush, Christian Clough, Miles Compton, Sofia Paddock, Halima Talbi
- Disabled But Not Really — Ava Carroll, Will Beezley, Georgia Boyd, Max Bradley, Ellie Fisher, Tom Martinek, Andi Prendiville, Claire Rosen, Sophia Yanics
- Safehome — Luke Taylor, Garrett Brown, Josie Mangine, Maddux Newton, Grace Pei, Leah Schotte, Tucker Ward, Cade Wildman
Catherine Beltrame and Luke Taylor were selected to receive the Becca Lueke Award. This is a special award for individuals who show commitment and effort above and beyond and is presented by Becca’s father each year to honor her memory.
Junior Board is coordinated by Mr. Steve O’Neill, Curry Family Foundation, and Tiffany Lynch, Co-Founder of Youth Ambassadors. Congrats to all students for a great experience!
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Congratulations to our Job Olympics Champions!
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Congratulations to our IHMS White Rose Essay Finalists!
The Midwest Center for Holocaust Education is pleased to announce the finalists in the 2022 White Rose Student Research Contest. Congratulations to the finalists and their teachers.
8-9th Grade Division Finalists
Ishaan Home - Indian Hills Middle School
Tori Murphy - Indian Hills Middle School
Sponsoring Teachers
Jennifer Lehr - Indian Hills Middle School
Kathryn Peper - Indian Hills Middle School
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April 21 General PTA Meeting - Featuring SME Principal Jason Peres
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The Shops of Prairie Village Concerns
Large groupings of middle schoolers without parental and/or adult supervision is never a good idea.
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Summer Strength and Conditioning at SME
SME High School is offering rising 7th and 8th-grade boys and girls the opportunity to train this summer at Shawnee Mission East with Coach Simoneau. Click the link below for information and sign up details. We are lucky to have someone like Coach Simoneau so please try and take advantage of this opportunity if you are interested.
https://sites.google.com/smsd.org/smeathletics/home
Coach Gagnon
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IHMS Multi-Generation Display Information
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IHMS Job Opportunities
If you are interested, please apply at this link and look for job numbers 11476 (clerical aide) and 11799 (paraprofessional).
Our clerical aide position handles attendance and front desk clerical work while our resource paraprofessionals work in general education classrooms with our students that require accommodations and modifications to the curriculum.
Please reach out directly to erinnvogts@smsd.org if you have any questions prior to applying. If Erinn cannot answer your questions, she will notify IH administration and work to get you an answer.
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8th Grade Summer School Options
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UPDATED: 4th Quarter Testing Information and Dates
Due to end of year activities, events, etc., we need to move MAP testing up one week for both ELA and math. Please see the updated testing schedule below.
Please have your student bring headphones to school for these testing dates. See graphic below for testing dates and information.
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Section 2: Still Relevant From Previous Weeks
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Reporting Absences, Appointments, and Illnesses Procedures Returning to Previous Standard
Because of the COVID-19 pandemic, many of our established procedures relating to student pick-up and illness reporting have had to conform to current mitigation strategies. As we return to optional-masks at IH, the following procedures will return as well. Please note that the procedures below do not deviate from published and established student/parent handbook material. However, they may necessitate a change in your current reporting/notification practice because a return to these procedures better ensures the safety of your student(s).
Absentee Reporting:
In case of an absence from school, the student’s parents or guardians must call the Attendance Hotline at 993-0412 prior to 8:45 a.m. each day of absence. This automated line is answered 24 hours, and requests the name of the person calling, student’s first and last name (please spell last name), and reason for absence. If there has been no personal communication, the absence is unexcused and the student is considered truant. After 3 consecutive days of truancy, 5 total days of truancy in a semester, and/or 7 total days of truancy in a school year, truancy will be filed with the Johnson County District Attorney's office.
Appointments:
A written note is required if it is necessary for a student to leave school before 3:45 p.m. This note should be presented to front office personnel before school to receive a permit to leave class. Students will report to the office to sign out before leaving school.
Another option is to call attendance personnel ahead of time with this information by using the attendance line 913-993-0412. If you opt to use the attendance line to request a student pick-up, please allow one hour for processing your request. If someone other than the parent is picking the student up for the appointment, parents must name this person in their note/call to the school and the driver must go through the school district’s ID check (currently Raptor).
Upon return to school, students must report immediately to the office to sign in and receive a pass to class.
Illness during the School Day:
Students who need to go home early due to illness must call home from the nurse’s office and check out from the nurse’s office. Students should not text their parents to simply come pick them up. All communication should come from the nurse’s office only.
Parents/guardians or other individuals picking up will have their driver’s license screened
through the district Raptor system or present their ID each time they pick-up their student.
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Tardy-to-School Procedure Update
Procedure for tardies to school:
- Students should be in their Knight Time class by the 8:45 a.m. each school day.
- Students who arrive later than the 8:45 a.m. bell must check in through the front office and receive a late pass to class.
- Tardy 1 - Tardy 4: Managed in classroom between teacher and student.
- Tardy 4 - Tardy 6: Student is referred to student services for intervention.
- Tardy 7 and beyond: Student is referred to grade level administrator for strategic intervention and/or disciplinary consequence(s).
Note: Although the information above reflects changes to some of the building-level procedures regarding tardies at IHMS, the Board of Education attendance policy remains unchanged. That policy can be found in the SMSD middle school handbook on pages 5 and 6.
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Important Yearbook Ordering and Distribution Updates:
Normally, at the end of the school year, our yearbooks are given to students on the last day of school. However, this hasn’t been a fully normal year, not just for schools, but for those working for yearbook companies, and throughout our entire nation. With that said, the yearbooks will not be able distributed until sometime this summer and likely once the new school year begins in August.
As such, rest assured that those of you who have ordered yearbooks or still plan to order one will get them. Our current 7th graders who purchased a yearbook will receive them during Knight Time in August. Our current 8th graders who purchased a yearbook will be organized by our journalism teacher with Shawnee Mission East. For those who may be moving or are not attending SME, please email Mrs. Basden at RachelBasden@smsd.orgwith the address of your new location or the name of SMSD high school where your 8th grader will go. If your 8th grader is attending another high school, email Mrs. Basden that you will pick it up at our school, after you get the email letting you know that it’s ready for pickup.
To still order a yearbook for your child, orders will be available for parents/guardians to purchase, by paying through your child’s account from now through April 22nd. School staff members can arrange their payments for a yearbook directly with Mrs. Basden through April 22nd, as well. As always, we appreciate your understanding.
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Daily Bus Board
Did you know that every day this bus board is set up and displayed outside prior to dismissal? Each bus is placed in the order of that day and substitution numbers are displayed as well. That being said, this is the first thing your student should check when leaving the front doors at dismissal. There is no reason for students to miss the bus because they could not locate it.
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Section 3: SME Area News and Events
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2nd Annual SME Pickleball Smash
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Lancer Wrestling Camp - Summer 2022
The Lancer Wrestling Camp will be held June 6-9 at Shawnee Mission East High School. Camp enrollment is now open for all interested students. Beginners and those with experience are all welcome. The cost for the full camp is $50.
Girls Session: 5-12 Grades, 8:00-9:00 AM
Session I: 9-12 Grades, 9:00-10:30 AM
Session II: 5-8 Grades, 11:00-12:30 AM
Fill out this form to reserve your spot:
Lancer Wrestling Camp Enrollment Form
Email Coach Laird with questions: tannerlaird@smsd.org
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Lancer Volleyball Camp - Summer 2022
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Section 4: District Area News and Events
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Section 5: Mainstay News
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9/21 Parent Engagement Evening Resources
For those parents/guardians that were unable to make our family engagement night on September 21, 2021, we have populated the information from the evening in presentation format.
Please check out the very important information covered that evening by following this link.
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I'm Absent From School. What Do I Do? How Do I Keep Up With School Work?
Students will be asked to stay home for the duration of their isolation/quarantine. To ensure you have a correct return date with current guidance, please reach out to our front office staff to report illness, and if COVID-related, please ensure you let Nurse Judy know.
Front Office Attendance Contact:
Erinn Vogts: erinnvogts@smsd.org
Constance Eddy: constanceeddy@smsd.org
Attendance Line: (913) 993-0412
Nurse Contacts:
Nurse Judy McMullen: judithmcmullen@smsd.org
Nurse's Aide Rhonda Levine: rhondalevine@smsd.org
Once you have notified school personnel of the absence, make sure your student reaches out to each individual teacher to check on what Canvas assignments should be completed and/or if any questions arise.
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I've Tested Positive for COVID - Now What?
If you have tested positive for COVID and are reporting your case/ seeking guidance, please complete this form: SMSD COVID-19 case report form
What do I do next? SMSD COVID Information:
- SMSD 2nd Semester Guidance- Students and Staff
- Johnson County Department of Health COVID-19 Hotline: 913-715-2819
After the above items and information have been completed/reviewed, any clarifying questions can be directed to IHMS Nurse Judy McMullen:
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IHMS Peace Corner
The IHMS Student Services team has created a virtual calming room (click link) for students, staff and families to access in times of need.
We know that stress and anxiety can be high at times. This IHMS Peace Corner has videos and activities to help manage stress, calm down strong feelings and build resiliency. We hope that this will be another resource for our families to navigate this unusual school year. You can also find this page on our Student Services tab at https://indianhills.smsd.org/.
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21-22 PTA Membership: Please Join Us!
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Academic Learning Lab (A.L.L.) Now Monday-Thursday!
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After-school Activity Busing: Free to All Students (in SME boundary)
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Macbook Troubleshooting Tips
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IHMS Website Reminder
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Give us a Follow
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e-Read Access Through IHMS
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1-800-CHILDREN
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IHMS Communication Chain
1. Mass communication from IHMS:
- Mass communication will come each Friday or Saturday in the form of the IHMS Weekly News. This is an important review for your family each week as it outlines specific events, newsworthy, and/or action-oriented items relevant to IHMS.
- There are times throughout the week a stand-alone email may be sent via a Skyward blast - especially if an important event is taking place or if important information must be shared. You have already seen this in practice (i.e.Tuesday when I sent a reminder about the ice cream social).
2. Absences:
- Please communicate absences through attendance personnel. Avoid emailing administration or student services directly.
- Email constanceeddy@smsd.org to indicate the date(s) and nature of your student's absence.
- Call in your student's absence - including date(s) and nature of the absence - to the school attendance line: (913) 993-0412.
3. Grades/Classroom Questions/Issues:
- Please email your student's teacher directly for all questions/issues related to grades and/or the classroom.
- Staff email addresses can be found on our school website (click link). Unless specific circumstances
- Avoid emailing administration and/or student services with issues that have not been problem solved at the classroom level first unless extenuating circumstances merit direct contact.
4. General Contact Guidelines:
- The chart below provides parents with a general contact chart they can utilize to ensure communication remains streamlined:
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I'm Absent From School. What Do I Do? How Do I Keep Up With School Work?
Students will be asked to stay home for the duration of their isolation/quarantine. To ensure you have a correct return date with current guidance, please reach out to our front office staff to report illness, and if COVID-related, please ensure you let Nurse Judy know.
Front Office Attendance Contact:
Erinn Vogts: erinnvogts@smsd.org
Constance Eddy: constanceeddy@smsd.org
Attendance Line: (913) 993-0412
Nurse Contacts:
Nurse Judy McMullen: judithmcmullen@smsd.org
Nurse's Aide Rhonda Levine: rhondalevine@smsd.org
Once you have notified school personnel of the absence, make sure your student reaches out to each individual teacher to check on what Canvas assignments should be completed and/or if any questions arise.