Oriole's Nest
November 18, 2022
Avon Middle School South
Email: msattendance@avon-schools.org
Website: https://www.avon-schools.org/mssouth
Location: 7199 East US Highway 36, Avon, IN, USA
Phone: 317-544-5700
Twitter: @avonsouth
ACSC 2022 - 2023 School Calendar
ACSC 2023 - 2024 School Year Calendar is now available.
Click the 2nd link below to view.
IMPORTANT UPCOMING DATES
November 18 & 19, 2022 - AMS South Fall Musical - more information below!
November 23 - 25, 2022 - Thanksgiving Break - NO SCHOOL!
December 6, 2022 - Orchestra Concert - more information to come!
December 8, 2022 - Choir Concert - more information to come!
December 14, 2022 - Band Concert - more information to come!
NWEA Testing Schedule
Mark your calendars! NWEA will be given in Math and Language Arts classes on the following dates:
7th & 8th grade Language Arts – December 7-9th (revised date)
7th & 8th grade Math – December 14-16th
UPCOMING ATHLETIC EVENTS
Boys Basketball
11/21 HOME vs. Plainfield Middle School 7:00PM
11/22 HOME vs. Zionsville West Middle School 7:00PM
Good luck!
STUDENT INFORMATION
2022 AMS South Spirit Wear Order Form
AMS South Spirit Wear sale is here!
Below you will find the order form if you would like to order anything for your child or yourself!
All orders and payment is due by Tuesday, November 29, 2022.
Cash or check is acceptable forms of payment, make checks payable to:
Avon Middle School South.
Dodgeball Tournament
Enjoy the pictures!
Student Laptops
Please remind your student(s) to charge their computers each night.
Order a 2022 - 2023 AMS South Yearbook now!
Yearbooks for the 2022 - 2023 school year are now on sale!
Below is more information for ordering this years yearbook, there is a flyer and a link to Josten's webpage.
Celebrating Birthday's This Week!
Happy Birthday
to our students celebrating a birthday this week:
I'Breona Burks
Nolan Cummings
William Merriman
Braylon Pippins
Olamide Ajayi
David Bashua
Aadan Cravener
Madisyn Parker-Decker
Alexander Roberts
Cohen Moore
Kyle Hyden
Savannah Olinger
Dave Borgella
Isaiah Johnson
Gavin Curry
Gift Orogun
Sophia Tepepa-Hernandez
Naxavier Boyd
Nicolo Castrataro
Ali Tanib
Michael Zhou
Ishmeet Kaur
NJHS Study Tables
National Junior Honor Society will offer after school study help sessions on Wednesday’s after school from 4:10 - 5:00PM. Students will then go to the front commons area and wait for the late bus or parent pick-up. During this time, there will be a supervisor with the students while they wait for the late bus to arrive. Students that will be a car rider home on these days can be picked up at door 1 at 5:00PM.
If your student will be staying for the study session and they need bus transportation home they must sign up for the late bus in the Guidance Office at lunch that day. For those students taking the late bus home, the bus will leave AMS South at 5:10pm.
TEAM NEWS
Each week your child's team will give an update about the current week or week ahead. Please find your child's team below for that information. In addition, you will find news from our Encore teachers, Media Center, and PE/Wellness teachers.
Cardinals News
Mrs. Dugan, Mrs. Williams, Mr. Schubert & Mr. Uhl
In Language Arts, students will read more poetry to make text to text connections with A Raisin in the Sun. They will also prepare to read the short story "Sucker" after our long weekend. In Science, we will begin learning about Newton's Laws of Motion and how they apply to our world. In Social Studies, we will begin learning about North Africa and the Middle East! In Math, we will be learning how to combine like terms and use the Distributive Property to get us ready for Pre-Algebra next year. In Pre-Algebra, we will be reviewing slope and learning some new things about slope like the slope formula.
Grizzlies News
Mrs. Barnes, Mrs. Boroff, Mrs. Schroer & Ms. Weinstein
In Language Arts this week, we will be working through a series of activities to continue our analysis of A Raisin in the Sun, and we will finish the remainder of Unit 7B, Sub-unit 2. Math students will begin learning how to simplify algebraic expressions. In Pre-Algebra, students will continue working with slope and see how it connects with rates. Social studies students will be finish up our ancient civilizations unit before we head to thanksgiving break. We will be reviewing Ancient Mesopotamia, Egypt, India, and China on Monday to prepare for the ancient civilization’s unit test on Tuesday. This week in Science, we focused on balanced and unbalanced forces, calculating Net Force, and drawing Free Diagrams. We ended our week with a quiz. Next week we will start looking at Newton’s Laws.
Jaguars News
Mrs. Clark, Ms. Hatton, Mrs. Ringham & Ms. Schaber
Ms. Costello, Ms. Gawrys, Mr. Thoennes & Mr. Walker
Language Arts
Mrs. Ringham - Language Arts students will analyze figurative language and central idea in two poems by Langston Hughes.
Mr. Thoennes - In Language Arts, we will be starting look at Langton Hugh’s poetry and finishing up A Raisin in the Sun.
Math & Pre-Algebra
Mrs. Clark - In Math 7, students will be graphing lines with a given point and slope, finding the slope from a graph, and deciding whether a graph/table is liner or nonlinear, varying/constant, or proportional/nonproportional.
Ms. Costello - In Math, we will be continuing to learn about the Distributive Property.
Science
Ms. Schaber - In Science, students will be jumping into Newton’s Laws.
Ms. Gawrys - In Science, we will be jumping into Newton's Laws.
Social Studies
Ms. Hatton - Social Studies students will be doing a few activities to wrap up our ancient civilization’s unit on Monday and Tuesday, including test corrections, for students who qualify based on their test score from Fri Nov 18, as well as a Silk Road Simulation activity.
Mr. Walker - In Social Studies, we will be testing on Tuesday over ancient civilizations.
Foresters News
Mrs. DeBow, Mrs. Mellen, Ms. Tobin & Mrs. Zimmerman
Ms. Costello, Ms. Gawrys, Mr. Thoennes & Mr. Walker
Language Arts
Mrs. Zimmerman - Language arts students will continue working on their informative essays. All essays will be due after thanksgiving break.
Mr. Thoennes - In Language Arts, we will be starting our informative essay about issues in a slaveholding society.
Pre-Algebra & Algebra
Mrs. DeBow - Next week, Pre-Algebra students will develop their understanding of slope as a fraction. Algebra students will test over chapters 5 and 6 on Tuesday.
Ms. Costello - In Math, we will be reviewing slope.
Science
Ms. Tobin - Science students will continue our studies on genetics and try to mimic the famous Mendelian experiment.
Ms. Gawrys - In Science, we will be taking a genetics vocab quiz on Monday and then explore heredity with SpongeBob!
Social Studies
Mrs. Mellen - In Social Studies, we will be continuing our study of the Constitution and looking at how a bill becomes a law.
Mr. Walker - In Social Studies, will be going over the constitution.
Greyhounds News
Mrs. Warthan, Ms. Kegley, Mr. Casey & Mr. Osen
In Science, students will investigate Punnett Squares. Biology students will test over Biochemistry on Tuesday. In Algebra, students will take the chapter 5 test. In Pre-Algebra, students will be working with slope in different representations. Social Studies students will be analyzing and understanding the 3 branches of the US government. In Language Arts, students will be writing their informative essay about “The Narrative of the Life of Frederick Douglass” and “The Incidents of the Life of a Slave Girl.”
Greyhound Team info:
Have a wonderful Thanksgiving break!
Panthers News
Mrs. Hood, Mr. Rodgers, Mrs. Taylor & Mr. Williams
This week in Pre-Algebra, Students will be taking the Chapter 5 test on Tuesday. We will continue to graph linear equations and complete the review/preview for Chapter 7. In Algebra, students will review on Monday and take the Unit 5 test covering scatterplots and exponential functions on Tuesday. In Science, we will have a genetics vocabulary quiz on 11-22. A practice quiz and blooket game will be done/available on Schoology for Monday 11-21. Biology students will have a Biochemistry test on 11-22. Study guides have been handed out and extra copies are available on Schoology. Social Studies, Questions for this week: What are the different roles the federal government and state governments perform? What are the requirements to be a U.S. Senator and member of the House? How are laws made? Language Arts classes will be writing an informative essay based on evidence from Frederick Douglass and Incidents in the Life of a Slave Girl. They will finish and submit the essay after Thanksgiving break.
Encore News & World Languages
Señora Barker (Spanish), Mrs. Hauptmann (Japanese), Mr. Parr (Computer Science), Mrs. Leonard (Art), Mrs. Gleissner (FACS), Mr. Hamsley (Engineering and Technology), Mr. Wolf (Robotics) and Mrs. Snyder (Flight & Space and Medical Detectives)
Spanish
Students will have their speaking test Monday and be working on an About Me poster due Tuesday. Information regarding the speaking test was posted in ParentSquare last Tuesday, Nov 15. ¡Feliz Dia de Acción de Gracias!
Japanese
In Japanse, students will be working on hiragana; colors.
Art
7th graders will design their own landscape compositions using the elements of shape, scale, depth, and emphasis. Students will learn how to mix tints, tones, and shades and apply them in their painting to further create the illusion of depth in their artwork.
8th graders will create a mixed media formalism sculpture using wire, nylon, and paint.
Computer Science
7th grade students will be working on sprite movements with keyboard and mouse.
8th grade students will be finishing up safe project and safe presentations.
7th & 8th grade FACS
7th and 8th grade students will continue the Nutrition and Cooking unit where they will have the opportunity to work in groups of 2-3 to prepare recipes and practice safety and sanitation in the kitchen. Students will have lab opportunity at least once per week.
7th grade Engineering and Design & 8th grade Gateway to Technology
7th grade students will be constructing their Air Dragsters.
8th grade students will be constructing their solar lamps.
Flight & Space
7th Grade Flight & Space classes will begin the unit on space!
Medical Detectives
8th Grade Medical Detectives will learn about the nervous system and prepare to dissect their sheep's brain (after break).
Robotics
Students will build and begin coding their testbed projects.
PE/Wellness News
Mrs. Fair, Mrs. Lucas & Mr. Jackson
Students have been actively playing volleyball games, basketball games and learning different components of weight lifting and fitness this week. They will have their second assessment on Tuesday November 22nd during PE. The students have access to their review sheet for their current activity in Schoology to study for their test on Tuesday! Please continue to remind your child to bring their grey shirt and black shorts on Monday mornings for the week of PE. They are doing a good job for the most part!
Music Department News
Mr. Abbey (Band), Ms. Szymkow (Band), Mr. Zimmerman (Choir) & Mr. Miller (Orchestra)
Band
Students spent last week learning about the Marching Band program at the high school as well as watching the Grand National Championships on Thursday and Friday. Students are reminded to take home their instruments and practice for 15 minutes/day next week (excluding Thanksgiving) as we prepare for our first concert of the year!
Choir
In choir, we are welcoming Mr. Emtiaz from North on Monday! He will be teaching and observing alongside Mr. Zimmerman. There will be an open mic event on the Tuesday before Thanksgiving.
Orchestra
Concert Tuesday December 6, 2022. Students should arrive at 5:45. Concert starts at 6:30pm. Parents can enter door 13.
Students should have black polo shirt, black dress pants and all black shoes. Preferably all black socks as well.
Chamber Orchestra Rehearsals: December 1, 8 (possibly December 5th right after school, waiting on confirmation)
Media Moments with Ms. Sever
Media Center
Ms. Sever
November is National Native American Heritage Month. In the library and on Sora, we have a variety of books written by Native American authors and featuring Native American characters and culture. In honor of this celebration, I wanted to highlight If I Ever Get Out of Here, a fictional story, by Eric Gansworth.
Lewis "Shoe" Blake is used to the joys and difficulties of life on the Tuscarora Indian reservation in 1975: the joking, the games, the snow blowing through his roof. What he's not used to is people being nice to him - people like George Haddonfield, whose family recently moved to town with the Air Force. As the boys connect through their mutual passion for music, especially the Beatles, Lewis has to lie more and more to hide the reality of his family's poverty from George. He also has to deal with the vicious Evan Reininger, who makes Lewis the special target of his wrath. But when everyone else is on Evan's side, how can he be defeated? And if George finds out the truth about Lewis's home, will he still be his friend? – Blurb courtesy of Scholastic Inc.
To read more about Lewis and his time in the 8th grade in the 1970s, check out If I Ever Get Out of Here from the AMS South library!
OFFICE PROCEDURES
AMS South's Attendance Policy & Early Dismissal Proceedures
ABSENCE PROCEDURE
If a student is absent from school, the PARENT must call the school by 10:00 A.M. to report the absence. If no call is received, the automated school system will make an effort to contact the parent, but if NO PARENT CALL has been received by 3:00 P.M. the day following the absence, the student will be charged with an unexcused absence. You may also send an email to us to notify us of your child's absence at msattendance@avon-schools.org.
EARLY DISMISSALS
** Please be advised that we cannot take early dismissal information over the telephone. **
If your child needs to leave school early during the school day please send a note in with your child to bring to the office first thing in the morning or email us at
msattendance@avon-schools.org with all the necessary information: students name, date and time picking up, and the name of the person picking your child up if someone other than a parent or guardian will be picking up. This email will go directly to the front office secretaries and they will be able to get your child an early dismissal pass so that they can be in the front office when you are ready to pick them up. If you are unable to email us we will need you to come into the office with your valid ID, once we verify it is a parent/guardian picking up we will be able to call the student down for dismissal.
If someone other than a parent or guardian will be picking up your child we MUST have this information in writing from a parent/guardian. Please include his or her name on the note or email. Once we verify their photo ID then the student can sign out and leave.
If leaving early for a doctor/dentist/orthodontist appointment, please provide verification note from the appointment to the main office to ensure that the absence is excused.
Using this email will ensure your child will get a pass out of class to be in the office. Please do not use Parent Square to send a message to your child's teachers as we cannot guarantee that this message will get to the front office to get your child a pass. Our teachers are very busy throughout the day and may not be able to check Parent Square often, or if the teacher is out that day we would not get that message in the front office in time to get your child an early dismissal pass.
We want to make sure that your information is getting to the right person in a timely manner, and hopefully prevent any miscommunication or missed messages.
Pre-Arranged Absences
It is our belief that students can best achieve academic success by being in school every day. We also understand that a student may occasionally have an opportunity to experience extraordinary opportunities that may result in a missed day of school. The principal or designee may grant a pre-arranged absence, if the absence provides an extraordinary opportunity for the student and/or family. The request must be submitted at least five school days in advance of the requested absence. The student will be required to complete all missed work upon his/her return to school.
No more than three days of pre-arranged absences will be approved each year. Pre-arranged absences may not be granted during the following circumstances:
- I-Learn
- During semester exams
- When the requested absence would push the student’s attendance record into excessive absence status or if the student has surpassed the allowable number of absences.
AMS South Visitors Policy
For Visitors to our Building
Avon Schools require all visitors to check-in at the front office using our visitor management system, Safe Visitor. This system requires visitors to scan their driver's license or state identification card for a check of their record. A temporary badge is provided to all visitors to wear while in our buildings. As our visitors leave school, they scan and return that badge to front office staff.
Entering the Building
Anyone entering our building beyond the front office will need to have a valid photo ID with them so that they can be checked in through our Safe Visitor Solutions system. You will be given a badge to wear while in the building so that you are identified as a visitor. When leaving you will return to the front office so that we can check you out of Safe Visitor Solutions and take your badge.
Visiting Students during Lunch
At this time, we are allowing parents/guardians to have lunch with their child during their specified lunch time in our commons area outside of the cafeteria. Parents must follow our policy for entering our building listed above; present a valid photo ID and be checked into our Safe Visitor system. Please take note that this process may take a few minutes to get you checked into our system so please allow for a few extra minutes for that process.
**If someone other than a parent/guardian would like to have lunch with your student, we MUST have that information in writing in advance from a parent/guardian. You can either send a note in with your student to bring to the office when they arrive at school in the morning, or you can email our attendance line with the information at msattendance@avon-schools.org
BUILDING ACCESS
Please be prepared to identify yourself, provide a valid photo ID, and provide a reason for your visit when you arrive. Thank you for your patience in adapting to the updated and more secure system.
Guidance Office Information
Panorama Survey
Dear Avon Middle School South Families,
As you may already be aware, attending to our students’ wellbeing is a priority for Avon Community Schools. Over the next several weeks, 7th and 8th grade students at Avon Middle School South will participate in two exercises that will help us better understand their thoughts and perceptions about themselves and their learning environment.
As part of these activities, students will be asked to complete two online surveys from Panorama Education. The first survey will ask students to reflect on their own mindsets around areas of self-management, social awareness, and emotional regulation. The second survey will ask students to reflect on their perspectives on school climate, school safety, and their sense of belonging at their school.
It is our goal to help students learn more about themselves by completing this process. The information that is collected in the questionnaires will help us be responsive to student needs and inform our instructional practices to ensure a high-quality classroom experience.
Attached to this message are the exact questions that students will be asked about for your review. If you have questions about this process or if you’d like to learn more about how these activities help meet our goals, please see contact information below.
Thank you for your ongoing support of your student(s) and of our school.
Sincerely,
Paul Quirke
7th Grade Counselor
(317) 544-5700
Kasey Baughn
8th Grade Counselor
(317) 544-5700
Body Safety
Dear Avon Middle School South Families,
Avon Community School Corporation is committed to providing the highest quality of care for all students. To ensure that our school environment continues to reflect our commitment to safety and security, students will learn how to help recognize and keep themselves safe from dangerous or abusive situations.
In accordance with Indiana State Legislation, we will be providing information about child abuse education & prevention to our students by the end of first semester. We recognize that these are difficult topics, but your child’s safety will always be our top priority. We are grateful for our partnership with Susie’s Place Child Advocacy Center to provide these lessons through the Monique Burr Foundation’s Child Safety Matters program.
Parent Letter on Discussing Sensitive Topics with Children – English
Parent Letter on Discussing Sensitive Topics with Children – Spanish
If you have any questions or concerns, please reach out to your child’s school counselor for more information.
7th grade students - Paul Quirke (paquirke@avon-schools.org)
8th grade students - Kasey Baughn (kmbaughn@avon-schools.org)
21st CENTURY SCHOLARS
7th and 8th grade parents: Your children may be eligible for a college scholarship!
View the form below for more information.
STUDENT LAPTOP RENTAL INSURANCE
Worth Ave. Group Laptop Insurance
Avon Community Schools has chosen Worth Ave. Group as the vendor of choice to insure school-issued laptops rented by students. Insurance with Worth Ave. Group will protect the device against: Accidental Damage, Theft, Fire, Flood, Natural Disasters, Power Surge and Vandalism. This insurance policy will provide full replacement cost coverage and will protect the item worldwide (on and off school grounds). The policy is also transferable to a replacement unit. Insurance plans may be purchased online.
- Coverage Term: July 18, 2022 - July 18, 2023
- It is up to you to renew yearly.
- Deadline to Purchase Coverage: September 5, 2022
- Yearly Insurance Rates:
- 6th-12 Grade: Lenovo 11e Laptop $45.00
- Costs are prorated for enrollment after September 5.
STUDENT HANDBOOK
COMMUNITY NEWS
Homework Hotline
Need help with Math and Science homework?
Call the Homework Hotline
1-877-ASK-ROSE
Click below to visit their website
Avon High School Athletic Events
The Avon High School Athletic Administrators asked us to pass along the following information regarding middle school students attending football games. Please read carefully as students must purchase tickets online prior to showing up at the stadium.
Students must have a digital ticket or All Sport Pass for entry. Tickets are $7 this year for Varsity events. To expedite entry, the ticket should be purchased ahead of time via the link with a credit card. Ticket info for purchasing online single event tickets and/or All Sport Passes (which will be sent to the purchaser’s phone) can be found at https://websites.eventlink.com/s/avon-high-school/Tickets. Tickets can be purchased on the link provided for Home and Away events throughout the school year.
K-8 STUDENTS ATTENDING FOOTBALL EVENTS AT AVON HIGH SCHOOL - It is highly encouraged that all elementary and middle school students be accompanied by a paid adult. Unsupervised students will be required to sit in the middle school section on the SW corner of the Football Stadium and will not be allowed to wonder around. Backpacks, shoestring bags, and sports equipment (footballs, frisbees, etc.) are not permitted at AHS athletic events.
Mary Lee Maier Community Pantry Information
The Mary Lee Maier Community Pantry is available to Avon school families and employees.
Every Thursday from 5:00 - 6:00PM (when school is in session)
at Avon Intermediate School East
Please do not arrive before 4:30PM due to AIS bus/school traffic
Enrollment is simple. Please complete your 2022 - 2023 enrollment before you shop. Below you will find more information for enrollment, please click the link below.