IHMS Weekly News
January 14 - 21, 2022
Upcoming IHMS Events
Monday, 01/17:
No School / MLK Jr. Day
Tuesday, 01/18:
9:00 8th Grade to CAA
3:50 Academic Learning Lab
3:50 Cheer Club
3:50 Jazz Band
Wednesday, 01/19:
8:50 Math Counts Competition
9:00 8th Grade to CAA
3:50 Academic Learning Lab
3:50 Board Game Club
3:50 Multicultural Club
3:50 Cheer Club
5:00 Boys Basketball @ Indian Woods
Thursday, 01/13:
7:45 Junior Board
3:50 Academic Learning Lab
3:50 Art Club
3:50 Chess Club
3:50 Nancy Drew Club
3:50 Jazz Band
Friday, 01/14:
IHMS Math Team Meeting during KT
Upcoming Events:
01/24: 5:00 Boys Basketball at IH vs. TR
01/26: 8:20 School Store Open
01/28: 8:45 Performance Field Trip to East
01/31: 5:00 Boys Basketball @ WR
02/02: 5:00 Boys Basketball @ IH vs. WR
02/03: 5:00 Evening Conferences
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Section 1: New and Important at IHMS
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IHMS Office Staffing: 1/18 - 1/25
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8th to 9th Grade Enrollment Timeline
8th Grade Enrollment Timeline
Knight Time: Thursday, January 20th
A short PowerPoint for KT teachers to review with the students that will focus on the process and dates (timeline), but will also include links to course and curriculum information that students and parents can start reviewing.SME Counselor Visit #1: Monday, January 31st
A SME counselor will visit each 8th-grade science class, each hour. This will require the entire period. Students will receive their enrollment forms and 9th-grade course lists. Questions will be answered and electives discussed.8th grade evening for students and parents: Monday, February 7th
6:30 pm at SME. An opportunity for students and parents to visit SME and learn more about programs, electives, etc.SME Counselor Visit #2: Friday, February 11th
Social Studies teachers will bring their classes to the library with their completed course request cards. All SME counselors will be there and will meet individually with students to confirm choices, answer questions, and collect cards.
Please note that the 7th to 8th grade enrollment timeline, although similar, will be shared at a later date.
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8th Grade CAA Field Trip Information - 1/18 - 1/19
Greetings 8th grade parents!
On January 18 and 19, 2022, our 8th grade students will all have the opportunity to tour the district’s signature programs at the Center for Academic Achievement (CAA). The CAA serves as an innovative, experiential learning campus for students enrolled in SMSD signature programs. During the field trip, students will have the opportunity to explore the programs offered at the high school level, as they progress toward college and career readiness.
Here are some of the current Signature Programs available:
- Animation & Game Design
- Biotechnology
- Culinary Arts & Hospitality
- Engineering - Project Lead the Way
- Medical Health Science
- Blue Eagle - Fire Science, EMS, and Police Science
The field trip will take place in rotations that will last approximately an hour and ten minutes. Students will go with their Knight Time (advisory) class and staff on a bus to the CAA.
If you prefer for your student to NOT participate in this field trip, please contact Tanner Laird, 8th grade counselor, at tannerlaird@smsd.org or (913) 993-0418.
We are so excited for our 8th graders to have this opportunity as they start to prepare for high school and beyond. Thanks!
Tanner Laird, 8th Grade Counselor
Tara Mahoney, Associate Principal
(913) 993-0400
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Career Day - Only a Few More Volunteers Needed!
Parents, our inaugural IHMS Career Day is coming up on March 9!
We already have 50 presenters signed up for this event which is exciting! However, we are in need of 5-10 more individuals willing to present (see below for more information on how to sign up). We are especially looking for people who have a background in, Architecture, Construction, Engineering, Manufacturing, Transportation, Information Technology, Arts, AV Technology, Communications, Agriculture, Food, Natural Resources, Human Services, Hospitality, and Tourism to round out our career clusters.
We are looking for individuals whose professional experiences may help to inspire our students as they consider their future possibilities. We hope to have many volunteer presenters who represent a variety of career pathways. Would you consider joining us as a presenter for one or two sessions? Could you also share this opportunity with colleagues and friends? If you would like to learn more, please share your contact information with our College and Career Readiness Action Team here:
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Parent Teacher Conference Information: 2/3/22 from 5:00 - 8:00 p.m.
Conference signups will be available to sign up on a first come, first serve basis in on January 25, 2022 and will be sent out in a stand-alone email to the community.
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Section 2: Still Relevant From Previous Weeks
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I'm Out Sick and/or in Quarantine/Isolation. 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 and they will be coded in Skyward simply as "absent--ill." 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
(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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Report Cards Have Been Posted
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Reminder Regarding Outside Food During Lunch
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What are "Shillings?"
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Section 3: SME Area News and Events
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SME PTSA Volunteers Needed!
Shawnee Mission East PTSA is looking for volunteers for the 2022-2023 school year. If you have interest in a fun and easy way to get involved with East, please reach out to April Crosser (aprilcrosser@gmail.com) or Amy Moore (amooredunn@gmail.com) for more information.
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Section 4: District Area News and Events
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CAA Signature Program Open House: Thursday, January 20: 5:30-7:30 p.m.
The Shawnee Mission School District (SMSD) invites middle and high school students and their families to the annual Signature Program Open House, to be held from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, January 20, 2022, at the Center for Academic Achievement, 8200 W. 71st Street.
This open house offers an opportunity for students and their families to learn more about the district’s Signature Programs.
Signature Programs provide unique opportunities for students in the areas of:
- Animation and Game Design
- Biotechnology
- Culinary Arts and Commercial Baking
- Engineering
- Health Science
- Project Blue Eagle - Fire Science, EMS, & Law Enforcement (offered at the Career and Technical Campus)
Project Blue Eagle will have a presence at the Signature Program Open House. Interested individuals are also encouraged to Save the Date for an open house focused on Project Blue Eagle from 6 to 7:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 27, at the Career and Technical Campus, located at 11475 W. 93rd Street.
Those attending the open house will have the opportunity to tour state-of-the-art classrooms and labs, speak with instructors and current students, and learn about options for creating flexibility in high school schedules to allow time for enrollment in coursework.
In addition to the Signature Program Open House, students and their families can learn more about these opportunities at https://www.smsd.org/academics/signature-programs. The website includes short video introductions and information about each program. School counselors also serve as a tremendous resource in helping students develop a dynamic and individualized high school experience to help them explore their areas of interest.
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Student Vaccination Information and Locations
Johnson County Department of Health and Environment (JCDHE) - Mission Clinic Location:
An appointment is required to get a COVID-19 vaccine at JCDHE’s clinic, which is in Mission. Schedule an appointment or call 913-715-2819. Phones are answered from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday through Friday. Please arrive NO MORE THAN 10 MINUTES prior to your appointment time.
Northeast Office Building, 6000 Lamar Ave., Suite 140, Mission, KS 66202
Additional Local Clinics, Health Systems, and Pharmacies offering the vaccine may be located at the following link provided by JCDHE:
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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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COVID and the Health and Safety of Your Athlete:
Athletes who test positive for COVID or are presumed positive will need to follow the outlined Kansas State High School Athletics Association protocol in order to return to play.
For more information, visit:
https://www.kshsaa.org/Public/pdf/ReturntoparticipationguidelinesFall2021.pdf
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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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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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e-Read Access Through IHMS
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1-800-CHILDREN
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COVID-19 Vaccinations Now Available for Ages 12 and Older!
COVID-19 vaccine opportunities are now open through the Johnson County Department of Health and Environment or Children’s Mercy Clinics for adolescents ages 12 and older.
For more information about scheduling an appointment click here.
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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 debrahohly@smsd.org and 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: