Spartan Gazette
Indian Mound Middle School
Greetings From Brett Jondle
“Looking Ahead, While Reflecting on the Past”
It’s difficult to believe that yet another year has come and gone, and that we find ourselves looking ahead to another year. This time of the year is always bittersweet as I am one who enjoys routine and often struggles with change. The older I get, however, the more I understand that with change comes new opportunities and growth. It is that outlook that has helped me to look forward to the New Year and understand the importance of reflecting on the past.
The Holiday Season is often a time of reflection, a time for change, a time to set new goals, as well as a time to celebrate and look ahead. The same holds true for each of us here at IMMS. This “half-way point” of the school year allows each of us to look back at what has gone well so far, what changes are on the horizons, and also a time to celebrate our work!
As we look back at the academic year so far, changes have continued that have allowed growth to occur in our building.
Technology Updates
We have continued the ongoing implementation of iPads for our students for interactive learning and continue to search for new ways to provide cutting edge technological opportunities for our students and staff. Specifically, the entire sixth grade classrooms AND seventh grade have engaged in the “one to one” program in which each student has been assigned a school issued iPad. The classrooms doing this have gone paperless and are using these iPads as their primary learning tool. Our district continues to be one of the leaders in Dane County with providing technological opportunities for our students thanks in part to your continued support each year.
Positive Behavior Intervention and Support [PBIS]
Our PBIS Team has continued to fine-tune our positive behavior recognition system by solidifying a consistent protocol for recognizing student behavior that is in alignment with our “We A.R.R.E Spartans” motto. We have continued to improve the consistency of our scratch-offs, Positive Behavior Referrals [PBRs], and our monthly “Student of the Month” assembly with the goal of recognizing positive student behavior [Our next Student of the Month assembly is on Tuesday, December 22]. In addition, we have continued with our interventions to help students who may not respond to the general expectations and the recognition process. As a result, we continue to improve our “Check-In, Check-Out” procedure in which these students have a staff member check in at the beginning of the day as well as check out with that student at the end of the day providing additional positive interactions.
IMMS Collaborative Learning Communities
In addition, this year, in response to our student needs and to foster continued professional development, behind the leadership of Jen Breezee, our Reading Coordinator for grades six through twelve, IMMS has continued our path with our Literacy Action Team. This team met throughout the summer and continues to meet during the school year discussing, researching, and planning ways to continue to move our student learning forward with literacy [reading, thinking, speaking, writing…] best practices as the vehicle to do so. One specific outcome has been our universal focus for all teachers to continue to be sure to “set the purpose” with students before any learning activity occurs. In addition, this team has worked to create a common rubric for all classes to use when assessing and providing feedback for student writing, and have also created and implemented “non-negotiables” for all student writing [proper nouns capitalized, punctuation, etc.]. Finally, Mr. Tarnutzer, Ms. Breezee, and I continue to conduct monthly“Literacy Walkthroughs” visiting all classrooms to gather evidence of the literacy strategies in action within our classrooms. We will use this information to help to continue to celebrate our successes as well as identify areas in need of growth to continue to push student learning forward! We have also continued our work with our “Math Action Team”. This team consists of all the IMMS Math teachers and together, have created common assessments, analyzed student work and student data, while beginning to review their curriculum reflecting on ways to improve! Through it all, the work continues to be researching, identifying, and sharing instructional best practices for math.
Finally, we continue our work with the successful implementation of “Writer’s Workshop” across all language arts classes grades sixth through eighth grade! On Monday, November 30, all IMMS Staff were involved in continued professional development with content collaboration [Math Action Team] allowing staff to review and revise their unit learning targets/goals, reviewing our school improvement plan with our work in the Literacy Action Team, grading for learning, and technology [Schoology…]. We will also be collaborating in grade specific teams and as a whole staff regarding the creation of a school mission and vision. Through it all, our focus remains the same...continuing to move student learning forward! On December 1 and 2, a group of IMMS teachers along with Mr. Tarnutzer, will be attending a conference in Madison focusing on the principle of “Grading for Learning” and best practices regarding the grading process! We are excited to continue to look at ways to work together as a district with a few consistent grading philosophical principles. Thank you for your willingness to allow our staff to have this important day of work to collaborate!
New Year
Finally and most importantly, this Holiday season is a time to give thanks for all that we have and what we have to look ahead to for 2016. I invite you to look back on all that your 2015 has been, and to what 2016 can be. While change is scary for many of us, it always brings substance and opportunities to each of our lives. Let’s embrace the unknown and celebrate all that 2015 was for us!
From our IMMS family to yours, may 2016 bring each of you peace, prosperity, and happiness.
Warmly,
Brett Jondle, IMMS Associate Principal
Guidance News: 8th Grade Students Register for High School
With the start of the New Year comes the impending transition to High School for our IMMS 8th graders. This is a very exciting time full of choices and uncertainties. These decisions can be supported and anxious times alleviated through active involvement for students and their parents in the decision making process. Therefore, it will be crucial to keep in mind some important dates when looking to allow for an efficient and successful transition:
Wednesday, February 3rd: MHS counselors will present important High School registration information to 8th graders in their Social Studies class.
Tuesday, February 9th: Parent (of 8th grade students) Orientation meeting & tour at MHS from 6:00pm - 8:00pm. ALL PARENTS/GUARDIANS OF 8TH GRADERS ARE URGED TO ATTEND.
Friday, February 19th: Registration for high school classes must be complete on Career Cruising and a printout is due to the student’s Social Studies teacher.
If you have any questions, please call Jill Runde at 838-4577 – she will be most happy to help!
Library Matters
Thank you to all who supported IMMS through the Book Fair this year. A percentage of the sales is used for stocking classroom libraries and the bookroom. Your support is always appreciated.
Tidbits!
Students should keep their library privileges current by making sure to return books on time. Students are responsible for lost or damaged books.
Parents can help their students keep their library record up to date by reminding their child to login to Destiny often and check their due dates. This can be done easily on the iPad through the Destiny Quest app.
Help your child remember: Their student ID everyday! It is needed for using the library and the lunch line. A quick reminder in the morning would really help. Lost an ID? Students can order a new ID in the library at any time.
Did you know?
The library has a website full of online resources and reading suggestions. Check here for information regarding the library and classes at IMMS. On the iPads, all students have a shortcut on their home screen to the library’s website. Check it out!!
http://libguides.mcfsd.org/content.php?pid=493547
The IMMS Library is mobile!
You can have access to electronic books (eBooks), audiobooks, and the library’s catalog, all from your mobile device. Read on…….
It’s the Brytewave mobile app. This app let’s you use your mobile device to search the library – anytime, anywhere. Available for Apple iOS and Android mobile devices, this app puts all the power of Destiny in the palm of your hand.
That’s why, we are happy to let you know that you can now use this app, to browse your library’s eBook collection, check out an eBook and read it for free on the Brytewave App – with a tablet device.
To get started, you will need to download these two FREE apps: Destiny Quest mobile app from the App Store or Android Google Play and the Follett Brytewave app from the App Store or Android Google Play – to your mobile device.
Amtelco: Helping 8th Grade Students Make Real World Connections
8th graders at Indian Mound Middle School are participating in Amtelco's Adopt-A-Class Program. Three 8th grade students detail the project they are currently working on in Mrs. Halverson's class:
Connecting to the Real World
8th graders at Indian Mound Middle School get to connect with the real world. The business that makes this all possible is Amtelco. They are helping the 8th graders connect with the real world by: showing them around their business, letting them experience what the learning is like in the rainforest, and explaining to them how they communicate with each other through their app.
Business Partnership With Amtelco
By: Kenzie Herrmann
Mrs. Halverson’s core 3/4 class is partnering with Amtelco as a learning experience. The class will take four trips to the business Amtelco throughout the school year. Monday, November 2nd Michael Quimby, he came in and explained the company, and what Adopt-A-Class is, and his past experiences with the program. Amtelco is a company that focuses on health care software. With the help of McFarland’s Business Education the class can explore possible jobs in their hometown, and have people have awareness for the local businesses.
The 3/4 language arts class is meeting with Amtelco four separate times. The first time Michael Quimby came in November 2nd 2015 to share what he does at Amtelco, and his partnership with Adopt-A-Class, and how the partnership between the language arts class, and Amtelco will work together.
The business partnership has many education values. On the first trip to Amtelco, each person will be assigned an Amtelco Buddy. With the designated Amtelco Buddy, the student will interview their job, and their daily life at Amtelco. This is teaching students about real life jobs, and learning about what you could do.
The third Amtelco visit will take place in Mrs. Halverson’s room. The students will learn some of the basics on programming Amtelco software. This is a great way to show different careers in a local business.
The fourth and final Amtelco visit will be at Amtelco. The students will go to a head to head battle of, “Are You Smarter Than A 8th Grader?” The questions will be from the tests and quizzes that the other 8th grade teachers give throughout the year. “I often am not smarter,” Michael Quimby stated. The trip will also include sharing of videos and pictures from the Amazon Adopt-A-Class.
The Amazon Rainforest
By: Sami Stamper
Local class at Indian Mound Middle School, and local business Amtelco are adopting a class in the amazon rainforest in Peru. They started the project on Monday, November 2nd, when Michael Quimby came into Katie Halverson’s Language Arts class to talk to the students about the project.
In the rainforest there are about fifteen villages and seventy schools. These schools are small, on stilts because of the flooding, have metal on the outside for the storms, and they don’t have air conditioning. When asking Kenzie Herrmann and Rachel Hansen about how they feel about the Adopt-A-Class project they share their opinions openly.“It’s cool that we can help another place in the world that isn’t as fortunate as we are.” says, Rachel Hansen. “I think it’s a good way for children to learn, when they don’t have the best living conditions.” a quote from Kenzie Herrmann.
Their school year is from April to Christmas, because they are in the southern hemisphere. Children in the rainforest learn quite a bit different than the children in the United States. “There are different schools, but they are mostly all together like in an one room school house.” says, Katie Halverson. They also, have to take boats to school due to flooding, and they just recently got electricity and running water.
Amtelco provides them with one folder, two pencils, one pen, and one notebook for the whole school year. Although there are only fifteen volunteers, Amtelco does everything they can to help them learn. They provide the children with food, so they can go to school and don't have to work on farms.
Veinte y ocho de octubre, means October twenty eighth. That is the name of the school. The reason the school is named after a date, is because that is the day the school got running water and electricity for their school. As a sign of gratitude, children from the rainforest write notes and letters to Amtelco, saying “Thank You.” This shows the value of education to the children in Peru. They are very gratified that Amtelco is partnering with them to help them learn.
The Amtelco App
By: Skyler Li
The company Amtelco will be developing a new revolutionary communication app called MiSecureMessages. Although there are many purposes for this application, it is mainly used as a way of communication between doctors and their patients at hospitals. It is especially useful because a person can instantly receive a message so they can treat patients as soon as possible. There is also encryption to keep the messages private.
In order to get the app to function, the user must have Android OS 4.0.0 or later (ios 7.0 later for apple users), a Google account, Google Play, and a license from your provider. When you first get the app, you will be taken to the License Screen. You must register a license in order to use the app. After this, you create a username and a password and then you can start using the app. You will also need to register your device into the app, which will get data from the device for future use.
When you log into the app, you are taken to a screen with many different options, One of them is the Menu Drawer. This is probably the most important aspect of the app, because within here you access various parts of the app. Among some of the things you can view here are Messages, Contacts, Status, OnCall, Setup, Accounts, and Help. The messages button is the primary source of communication, along with Contacts, which enables you to talk to your acquaintances. You can also optimize your messages, such as setting them to high priority so your contacts will see it easier. As for contacts, you can sort them to make it easier to find them.
Perhaps a very important feature that can be especially used at workplaces is the OnCall. You can assign people work hours, and find people by categories. You may also send messages telling your workers where they are needed, etc. The Accounts feature is also another useful part of the app, which allows you to have an account for more than one workplace. This makes communication much easier.
MiSecureMessages is an app that will revolutionize communication. It might seem like another pointless communication app, but you won’t know about its benefits until you try it. Have easier ways of communication and make your job easier with this app.
Clearly Amtelco is a company that is doing great things for Indian Mound students. They helped people in the Amazon and students look into a real business. This is a great learning experience for the 8th graders to help others and learn business.
November Student of the Month Winners
Dining In for Healthy Families Day
December 3rd is "Dining In for Healthy Families" day across the United States. The day is to honor Family and Consumer Sciences founder, Ellen Swallow Richards, who was the first woman to graduate from MIT. December 3rd is the date of her birth. You can sign up for this event and be counted among the thousands who commit to dining in with their families on this day by going to www.aafcs.org/FCSday. We hope you will join AAFCS in this wonderful family event!
Wisconsin Children's Choir Auditions
WISCONSIN CHILDREN'S CHOIR is now scheduling auditions for new choristers. Auditions will take place Wednesday, December 9th from 5:00 - 6:30pm at Bethany United Methodist Church in Madison. Please email the WCC at the email below if you would like to schedule an audition.
Once again the Wisconsin Children's Choir will be performing at a Brewer's Game in April. Audition and join the fun!