Spartan Gazette
Indian Mound Middle School
Greetings From Brett Jondle
It’s difficult to believe that we have entered the Fourth Quarter and the “final turn” of the 2016-17 school year! The month of April is one which is full of exciting times as well as time to reflect on the year so far! I hope that each of you had time to rest, recharge, and enjoy time with friends and family during Spring Break before transitioning into this final turn for the school year! This time of the year is one which is exciting and busy both in the same breath! I wanted to take time to provide some upcoming important events on the horizon for your son or daughter at IMMS during the next few few months!
Real World Day: Real World Day will occur in the morning of Friday, April 7, 2017. This is a wonderful opportunity for students to learn more about professions and careers while also meeting members of the McFarland Community who share their experiences in the workforce.
Student of the Month Assembly: On April 7, 2017, IMMS will have its monthly “Student of the Month” assembly. These celebrations continue to be a time to recognize students who consistently display characteristics that embrace achievement, respect, responsibility, and empathy towards others. The assembly will begin at approximately 2:45pm!
Celebrate Good Times, Come On! On Friday, April 7, students who have earned academic grades that are passing in all of their classes as well as a passing conduct and effort grade [O, S, or N] will participate in a full day of learning, celebration, and recognition! Starting by 1:15pm, students who are eligible, will participate in their “Celebration Day” activity of choice, lasting until approximately 2:40pm. Following the Celebration Day activities, a “Student of the Month” assembly will begin at approximately 2:45pm in the IMMS Gymnasium to recognize students nominated by IMMS Staff for the month of March!
Finally, as Spring arrives, there are things we can do to help our youth stay focused! Here are three quick reminders/tips that can help maintain focus for your children:
Avoid Distractions: An easy way to help your son or daughter stay focused during this exciting time of the school year includes: putting away cell phones during certain times of the evening at home, turning off the TV, putting on quiet music, or having your child work on school work in a separate room.
Maintain Designated Work Time: Have a consistent schedule for each night. A designated “work time” may help your child build effective and sustainable academic lifestyles [ie: reading or working each night from 6:00pm-7:00pm, etc.].
Take Breaks: Much like you and me, if your child is having a tough time attacking an educational task or if they have been working on something for more than 20 minutes, take a break! Short breaks have been proven to help maintain overall focus as well as problem-solving skills. Some examples for these quick breaks include: having a snack break, take a walk, go for a run, play catch, shoot baskets, or engage in a “brain break” [your child participates in these brain breaks at IMMS during many of their classes!].
As you can see, the month of April is an exciting time of the year for us all! Likewise, this is a time of the school year when students may become restless and acquire “Spring Fever”. In some cases, this can negatively affect a student’s focus in both their academics and behavior. We want our students to continue to work hard to finish the year strong and finish in a positive way. Join the IMMS Staff in encouraging your son or daughter to continue to work hard, ask questions, and continue to strive for finishing the year on a positive note and having the best quarter so far this year!
Warmly,
Brett Jondle
SUMMER SCHOOL SIGN-UP!
Summer School staff have been working hard at putting together an awesome program for students this summer. The summer school course offerings should be available for online review mid-March. Online registration will begin at 7pm on Wednesday, April 12, 2017.
Summer School Dates:
- Session 1: June 19 - June 29 (classes Monday-Thursday)
- Session 2: July 10 - July 13 (one week session! Classes Monday-Thursday)
- Session 3: July 17- July 27 (classes Monday-Thursday)
- PLUS - Friday Fun Days: 6/23, 6/30, 7/14, 7/21, 7/28, (from 8:00am-12:15pm)
**Reminder, as in years past, you will need to know your child’s Student ID # to enroll them in summer school. We suggest that you obtain this information prior to creating your account.
Destination Imagination Team Wins Regionals
Team Members: Cole Weaver, Lilly Innes, Alex Daspit, Will Karls, Evan Byers, Christy Zheng, Sophie Heckel
2017 Yahara Top Ten Winners
The following 8th grade students’ Yahara River Writers entries were selected as Top 10 Winners!
Short Stories: Olivia Pili and Audrey McMillan
Poems: Will Karls and Larissa Mikelbank
Editorial: Liam Morrison
Cartoon: Natalie Curtis
The Yahara River Writers Anthology Project is a highly competitive writing and cartooning contest open to all Dane County Area students in grades 5-8. Hundreds of entries come from 26 school districts that are part of the greater Dane County area. As top ten winners, these students will attend a writer’s workshop in May and their entries will be published in the Yahara River Writers Anthology.
Student of the Month
Rock, Paper, Scissors Tournament
Spartan Trophy
2016/2017 School Year Student Council Elections
6th and 7th grade students interested in running for next year’s (2017/18) Student Council as a member of the EXECUTIVE COUNCIL will need to acquire nomination forms from Mr. Kramer. The elections will occur in late May following a period of campaigning and speeches. Newly elected officers will work over the summer with Mr. Kramer on a mission statement and direction for the next school year. Leadership camp (see above article) is highly recommended for all new officers and additional scholarship support will be made available.
Track Meet Volunteers Needed
IMMS Track Meets will be held on May 16 (6th grade), May 17 (7th grade), and May 18 (8th grade). This event will run from 8:30AM through 12:30PM. We need volunteer timers and field event workers. Volunteers will need to meet on the track at 8:30AM. If you are interested in volunteering please email Kelly Smith (6th grade) SmithK2@mcfsd.org, Peggy Southern (7th grade) SoutheP@mcfsd.org, and Sara Mallegni (8th Grade) Mallegs@mcfsd.org
News from E. D. Locke Library
Teens join us for our final After-Hour’s Program on Friday, April 14th. We will be having an evening of Cartoons, Crafting, and Cereal. All the fun of Saturday morning on a Friday night! Come chill as we enjoy some classic Saturday morning cartoons and create some fun crafts. Registration not required. The program will run from 5:30pm – 7:00pm.
Student Council News
The Indian Mound Middle School Student Council has had a busy year with projects that focus on the 5 S’s of Leadership:
· Students
· Service
· Staff
· Senior Citizens
· Student Council
A big THANKS goes out to our officers, Will Karls, Emma Swaney, & Luke Mandli for being such great leaders & helpers.
We had another very successful all-school dance & open gym thanks to everyone’s positive energy, parent & staff volunteer chaperones, & Student Council workers. We had a lot of fun and raised needed funds for the WASC State Leadership Conference that the IMMS Student Council is hosting. Continued thanks go out to the Wisconsin Milk Marketing Board for their support & sponsorship too!
WASC SUMMER CAMP - The WASC offers an unbelievable summer camp experience that ALL IMMS students (not just Student Council) are encouraged to attend:
Whether you’re involved in student council, the national honor society, the drama club, a sports team, the school musical, cheerleading, or your local FFA — WASC camp is for you! In fact, the camp programs are for anyone who wants to improve their leadership skills!
Middle School Camps: Levels 1, 2 & 3 — July 9 – 13, 2017 (http://www.wasc.org/camp/)
LEVEL 1: LEARN –During the Level 1 experience, students will participate in fun activities focused on skills essential for the middle level including: building self-esteem and self-advocacy skills, learning what it means to be a leader, and ways to create exciting and interesting student activities.
LEVEL 2: ENGAGE – (For those who did level one last summer) Team building, goal setting, communication, and organization are key components to being an engaged leader. Participants at this level will have the opportunity to explore concepts of leadership, improve their leadership skills in a creative, engaged way, and gain a better understanding of self and sensitivity to others.
LEVEL 3: (For those 8th graders who attended camp before)
All IMMS students will receive $50 scholarships to attend camp. Please contact Mr. Kramer (838-4576) for details.
IMMS Food Club
Members listed from left to right: Shaleah Yang, Audrey McMillan, Carly Cage, McKiah Witcraft, Sylvian Kaufman, and Oliver Sears. Missing from the photo is Alexzandria Beadle
Indian Mound Middle School
Email: TarnutA@mcfsd.org
Website: http://www.mcfarland.k12.wi.us/schools/middle/
Location: 6330 Exchange Street, McFarland, WI, United States
Phone: (608)838-8980
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/pages/Indian-Mound-Middle-School-McFarland-WI/204736889672509?ref=hl
Twitter: @ATarnutzer_IMMS