IHMS Weekly News
April 2 - April 16, 2021
Upcoming IHMS Events: 04/02 - 04/16
04/02 - 04/11: Spring Break
Monday, 04/12:
Group A Girls Volleyball 3:45-5:30 pm
Academic Learning Lab 3:50-4:35 pm
Remote Academic Learning Lab with Mrs. Biggs 7:30-8:30 pm
Tuesday, 04/13:
Group A Girls Volleyball 3:45-5:30 pm
Academic Learning Lab 3:50-4:35 pm
Wednesday, 04/14:
Panorama Survey in Knight Time
Academic Learning Lab 3:50-4:35
Group B Girls Volleyball 3:45-5:30
Remote Academic Learning Lab with Mrs. Biggs 7:30-8:30 pm
Thursday, 04/15:
Group B Girls Volleyball 3:45-5:30 pm
Academic Learning Lab 3:50-4:35 pm
Friday, 04/16:
- N/A
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Section 1: New and Important For This Week
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Student Car Loop Dismissal - Please Read!
All arrival and dismissal procedures will stay the same after spring break. Please read thoroughly:
No doubt, you have noticed that car rider drop-off and pick-up has been more populated and congested than in years' past. This is largely due to less students riding the bus and less car pool situations taking place due to COVID.
The following issues need to be addressed immediately to ensure a safer and more efficient car loop this coming week. Thank you to those who have already made these adjustments after last week's news blurb!
- Do not stop and wait for your student to pick up on Delmar - keep moving forward. The back-up on Mission Rd worsens when cars do not move forward. If you get to the loop entrance and your student has not entered your car, enter the car loop. Keep moving and see the map below for details.
- We will encourage and remind our students to use crosswalks and designated pick-up locations. Please reinforce this at home as well and do not pick your student up on a main street (e.g. Mission Rd).
- Please pick up your student at the designated and marked area in the map below. Picking your student up near the SE exit doors where they come out slows the line down and creates back-ups.
- Turn right out of the car loop and exit onto 63rd.
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IHMS Spring Assessment Information
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How can your student plan to do their best during spring assessments?
Be prepared:
Laptop is fully charged for school
Bring your laptop charger
Bring headphones to use on the assessment
Get plenty of rest
Drink plenty of water
Eat a healthy breakfast
Try their best and forget the rest
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REMOTE STUDENTS: Updated State Assessment and Opt Out Information
Attention Parents of Remote Learners:
It is the time of year where all accredited schools in Kansas are required to administer the Kansas State Assessments in English Language Arts, Mathematics, and 8th grade Science for both In-Person and Remote Learners. Unlike many of our locally administered assessments, the Kansas State Assessments must be proctored in-person under the supervision of school district staff. As a result, we are scheduling a time for our remote learners to come to Indian Hills to complete their assessments during the week of April 19 to April 23.
Given this reality, we understand that there are likely concerns with this prospect due to your family’s remote learning modality selection. We would like to provide as much grace and flexibility as possible per the Kansas State Department of Education. With that in mind, your student will have the following two options for this year’s state assessment. Please see the outlined options and additional information to help inform your decision:
Option A: My student will be attending IHMS April 19 - April 23, 2021, to take the Math, ELA, and Science (8th grade only) Kansas State Assessments.
Students will arrive to IHMS at 8:45 in the front entrance circle drive, where they will enter the cafeteria doors. Signage will be displayed to direct student drop-off.
Students will be seated at least 3 feet apart from other Remote Learners either in the cafeteria or in a Remote-Learner testing classroom
ALL students and staff members proctoring the Remote-Learner testing session will remain masked at ALL times
Students will not be in hallways or classrooms with other In-Person Learner students
Students are picked up from their testing session at 10:45 in the same drop off location
4th hour will begin at 12:22 with the remaining daily schedule being unaltered
Option B: My student will not be attending the in-person testing session and will need to be considered exempt from all sections of this year’s Kansas State Assessment.
Remote learning will take place asynchronously during these days for Knight Time, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd hours. The remote learning schedule will resume as normal at 12:22 pm on these days.
The deadline for testing option selection is April 9th. Please click HERE to select the testing option for your remote learner.
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IHMS Generations Display Updates
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Panorama Survey Information
On Wednesday, April 14th, students will be completing the Panorama Social-Emotional Learning Survey during Knight Time. This is a building-wide survey, so all students will be participating unless you opted out during the online verification process at the beginning of the school year.
We appreciate your support and assistance with such an important task! If you have questions about the survey, please contact our Social Worker, Tatiana Viera at tatianaviera@smsd.org
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Section 2: Relevant From Previous Weeks
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IHMS Student Services is Here to Help
Your IHMS Student Services Team,
Tanner Laird - 7th Grade Counselor
Chris Oliver - 8th Grade Counselor
Tatiana Viera - Social Worker
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8th Graders: Last Call to Meet with SME Counselors
This is your last call prior to this option expiring.
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Academic Learning Lab (A.L.L.)
Our after-school Academic Learning Lab (A.L.L.) continues to grow in number, which is great!
The Academic Learning Lab (A.L.L.) supports and models productive out-of-class learning conditions. The A.L.L. program connects students with a member of our IHMS core teaching team and is designed to reinforce concepts and provide a constructive environment for students to grapple with challenging homework assignments, make-up tests/quizzes, and missing work. Students do not need to sign up for A.L.L., but it may be recommended or required (in collaboration with parents) as a support for students who need more structured academic support.
Students can attend A.L.L. after school in the IHMS library Monday-Thursday from 3:50-4:30 Students can also access remote tutoring sessions via the WebEx links that can be found on the IHMS Academic Learning Lab Canvas course Week at a Glance.
Your student can be picked up in the front entrance circle drive at 4:35. If you reside in the IHMS attendance area, "late busing" is available for your student free of charge. Late buses provide free student transportation for bus routes in our IHMS attendance area.
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Student Planners and Student IDs
Your student must have a planner and a student ID when they attend school on Monday, 3/22. If they have lost or misplaced their school-issued planner or student ID, please fill out the linked form and have your student let the front office staff know. Replacement cost is $5.00.
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Updated Student Schedules - In Person AND Remote
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8th Graders: SMSD Summer Academy Enrollment 2021
SMSD Summer School 2021 – Information for current SMSD 8th graders:
- Courses will be offered in both online and in-person settings.
- The enrollment process is different, depending on whether the student is doing classes online or in person.
- START WITH THIS LINK for information on courses and the enrollment process.
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Indian Hills Semester Two Athletic Clinic Information
Is your student interested in participating in a skill-focused athletic camp at Indian Hills Middle School?
- Volleyball
- March 29 - April 30
- 7th & 8th Grade Girls
- Cross Country
- May 3 - May 28
- 7th & 8th Grade Boys & Girls
- Wrestling
- Cancelled until the 21-22 School year.
If so, click here to register.
FAQs:
Does my student need a physical to participate in the school athletic clinic?
- Yes. All participants need a physical completed by a physician on file and has been verified by our nurse for proper completion.
- Verification will take up to 48 hours from the day the form is submitted.
- Click here for the electronic physical packet
- You have two options:
- Email completed electronic copy/scan of the physical packet to Erinn Vogts @ ErinnVogts@smsd.org
- Submit the completed physical packet to IHMS.
- Submit to the IHMS front office staff.
- Yes. Since this is a sport-specific clinic that is focused on building the skills and game knowledge of the participants it does not conflict with any league rules or KSHSAA competition rules.
- Click here for more information.
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SME Volleyball Camp Information
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Section 3: Mainstay News
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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 anxieties are high right now in our community. 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/ or in your student’s Knight Time course in Canvas, under the Student Services button.
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e-Read Access Through IHMS
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Mental Health Support Option
Parents and Guardians, if your student is in need of mental health support, and you are unable to pay, there may be relief available to you. Please visit the following link to see if you could qualify for assistance from COVID Cares Act relief funds through Johnson County Mental Health. https://jocogov.org/dept/mental-health/accessing-services/covid-19-relief-funds
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1-800-CHILDREN
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20-21 PTA Membership: Please Join Us!
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Previous Editions of IHMS Weekly News
March 19-26 (First Week Back Full In Person)
March 12 - March 19 (In Person Learning Updates)
Return to Hybrid Learning Information
October 23-30 (Major Hybrid Learning Updates)
September 18 - 25 (Canvas pairing instructions)