IHMS Weekly News
October 30 - November 6, 2020
Upcoming IHMS Events:
11/2-3: Hybrid A-group in-person days (A-Lamb)
11/3: Election Day: Go Vote
11/4-5: Hybrid B-group in-person days (Lamc-Z)
11/5: Panorama Survey during Knight Time for all students
11/6: Teacher work day - NO SCHOOL
11/12: Parent Teacher Conferences (via WebEx): 5:00 - 8:00 p.m.
11/13: Remote Parent Teacher Conferences (via WebEx): 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 - 4:00 p.m.
Section 1: New This Week
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Thank you!
Loads of information have come your way in the past few weeks, and I want to personally thank you for taking the time to read, digest, and then act on the information in each Weekly News. In addition, I want to thank you for your patience and grace as we have navigated multiple learning modes this school year.
There is a reason Indian Hills is the best middle school around. It's our students. It's our staff. It's our learning community. Great work team Knights!
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Congratulations to One of Our Knights!
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Panorama Survey - Thursday 11/5
On Thursday, November 5, we will be completing the Panorama Social-Emotional Learning Survey during Knight Time. This is a building-wide survey, unless you chose for your student not to participate in the online verification process at the start of the year. In that case, they will be using Knight Time for studying, quiet reading, etc.
Please be aware that hybrid group A students (learning virtually that Thursday) will need to be logged in for the entirety of Knight Time - or at least until they have completed the survey.
We appreciate your support and assistance with such an important task! If you have questions about the survey, please contact our Social Worker, Nicole Nelson at nicolenelson@smsd.org.
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Student Protocol When A Substitute Teacher Is Present
Although our teachers will be covering this with our students in detail, here are the brief highlights:
- Your student should login to BOTH WebEx AND Canvas EVERY class period.
- Daily subs do not have access to the teacher's WebEx classrooms. This is why it is important for students to check Canvas each hour as well - especially if they find themselves waiting in a WebEx lobby for an extended period of time.
- Canvas will house any updated directions for the day if a substitute teacher is teaching class that particular day. In cases such as this, an IHMS administrative staff member will post an important message for your student that will help them navigate to the appropriate WebEx space, assignment, asynchronous activity, or work-around.
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SMSD COVID-19 Dashboard and COVID-19 Information
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Parent Teacher Conferences
Thursday, November 12: 5:00 – 8:00 p.m.
Friday, November 13: 8:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m. and 1:00 - 4:00 p.m.
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Picture Day Follow Up
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Section 2: Still Relevant
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Sign Up for Jr. Board - An IHMS Club
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Knight Time Attendance
- If your student checks into Knight Time, they will be marked present for the day.
- If your student does not check into Knight Time, they will be marked absent for the entire day.
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Daily Dismissal from IHMS
- Bus riders will be released 5 minutes prior to the end bell each day (at 3:40 p.m.) by floor.
- Car riders will be dismissed to their respective exits by floor at 3:45 p.m.
- Please see the maps for arrival to review where students will be picked up. 8th graders will be picked up in the 63rd car loop. 7th graders will be picked up in the Delmar car loop.
- Bikers and walkers will be dismissed after bus and car riders. They are able to exit the building through any exit.
Social distancing, hallway rules, etc. will still be in effect during dismissal.
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Updated SMSD Food Service Information
Food Service welcomes every student to enjoy FREE & SAFE school meals.
FREE meals are offered to all SMSD students regardless if they are learning remote, hybrid, or in person. This includes breakfast and lunch meals. Meals are funded entirely by USDA as part of their Summer Meals Program extension. These free meals will continue through the end of the 2020-21 school year. We encourage families to continue to apply for free and reduced meals. Qualifying may allow for other support through the district.
Students will receive their in-person meals at no cost during the days they are in school. Any extra ala carte purchases the students make will require money to be on their food service account.
Remote meals pick up are on Fridays from 6:30-7:45 a.m. These new pick up times are effective on Friday, Oct. 23, 2020. This time change is necessary in order to keep the students safe as we transition to in-person students on Fridays. We apologize if this is inconvenient and realize this isn’t ideal for some families. We remain committed to serving all students.
Meals are prepared with the utmost of care to ensure each child's safety. The Food Service department and employees take food safety and the health of all students and staff seriously. We continue to follow all health department food and COVID-19 guidelines including:
- All employees wear masks
- Gloves are worn and changed frequently
- Proper hand-washing followed
- Acrylic shields are used to ensure social distancing for the cashier and in food preparation areas
- High touch areas are disinfected regularly
- All side dishes are individually packaged
- Entrees are served to students upon request
- Disposable compostable trays, individually wrapped silverware and individual condiments are utilized
- Cashiers utilize software to charge elementary students and secondary students will use ID cards with scanners instead of pin pads
Please contact the Food Service office with questions at (913)993-9710 or foodservices@smsd.org.
The school breakfast & lunch menus, remote meal information and other nutrition information are available on the district’s website athttps://www.smsd.org/about/departments/food-service.
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Did You Buy Your Yearbook?
This yearbook will truly be a one-of-a-kind keepsake of this school year - through a pandemic - that your child will want to show others throughout their lifetime. We will capture and ask for photos related to school and the lives of our students both within our building and wherever our Knights are learning and living. Payments for yearbook are completed through e-funds linked here. If you have any questions, contact Veronica Rodriguez through our school office phone number (913) 993-0400 or veronicarodriguez@smsd.org.
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Please Pay Your School Fees!
Mandatory Fee Explanation:
Textbook Fee:
Although a physical copy of a textbook is not necessarily standard issue anymore, we do have contracted companies like Pearson, Big Ideas, and more that provide our online textbooks to our students. In addition, each student took home an English Language Arts consumable this year. This fee is mandatory.
Student ID Fee:
All students have a printed ID badge that will be given to them. This fee is mandatory.
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Where Do I Go To See My Actual Grade?
Check Canvas to view your student's grades, assignments, work, etc. It can be the one-stop-shop.
On the back end, because it is our official record keeping system, Skyward will eventually be synced correctly. However, that sync may only happen once per week or so. Therefore, please navigate to Canvas as your first step.
NOTE: There are currently a few scenarios where a teacher may not be able to work solely in Canvas until the beginning of quarter 2. If this is the case, your teacher will reach out to you in the near future.
Section 3: Mainstay News
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20-21 PTA Membership: Please Join Us!
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Library Book Checkouts Available to Students
Students can put physical books on hold through our library site. On the “Books & Stuff” → Destiny Discover page is a video on how to reserve a library book as well as check out our eBooks.
Once students have put a physical book on hold, it will be ready for them to pick up from a cart in the front office.