Spartan Gazette
March 2019
Aaron Tarnutzer, Principal
Building Administrative Assistant: Gina Pili pilig@mcfsd.org
Attendance Line: 608-838-8980
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/Indian-Mound-Middle-School-McFarland-WI-204736889672509/
Twitter: @ATarnutzer
Welcome March! - By Mr. Tarnutzer
I just love March. In addition to the promise of better weather, it is a very busy and fun month. Here are a few of the highlighted activities for this month:
March 5: Family Teacher Conferences, 4:15-7:15, drop in/arena style
March 7: Youth Art Month Reception, E.D. Locke Public Library, 5:30-7:00p.m.
March 11: Course selections forms due for 6th and 7th graders
March 11: Spring Sports (Track) Registration Night, 6 p.m., MHS Library
Week of March 11: School safety drill
March 22: IMMS Talent Show, approximately 8 to 10 a.m., IMMS Gym
March 23-April 2: Spring Break
Youth Art Month
If you missed the reception at McFarland’s E.D. Locke Public Library on March 7, please stop by the Library all month to see the amazing artwork. There is also artwork displayed at the McFarland House Café as part of a memory project conducted by the art club.
Course selection Forms:
As crazy as it may seem, we need to start planning for next year. Students in 6th and 7th grade have received their course selection forms for next year. The forms are due on March 11th. Students are very excited to be picking their classes for next year. Please see our School Counselor, Mrs. Runde, or your child’s teachers with questions.
Safety Drill
We will be conducting our third safety drill of the school year. Teachers will remind students of what to do if there is an emergency at school. Students and staff will know there is a drill the week of the 11th, but not the type of drill or the date/time.
Talent Show:
One of the highlights of the entire school year is the IMMS Talent Show where students and staff have a chance to share their talents with the entire school. Visitors are welcome to join us during the morning of March 22 as you never know what you might see. Past events have included musical performances, dancing, joke telling, and even some juggling. You are also guaranteed to see a staff member or twelve share a hidden talent that amazes and surprises the students.
Spring Break:
The month ends with Spring Break. To be honest, we are more focused on the Spring part of Spring Break as we are ready for some lasting sunshine and heat.
We hope to see you at some of these events. We also hope that by providing you with this information you can avoid the developmentally appropriate, yet frustrating, lack of response you receive to the “How is school?” question.
Thank your for your involvement in your child’s education!
Students of the Month
Award Winning Author, Kekla Magoon Visit
Author Kekla Magoon visited IMMS on Tuesday, March 5. She is the award winning author of over a dozen children and young adult books including The Seasons of Styx Malone, Camo Girl and The Rock and the River which our students have been reading in their ELA classes. She has received multiple awards in her career including: an NAACP Image Award, the John Steptoe New Talent Award, two Coretta Scott King Honors, The Walter Award Honor, the In the Margins Award, and been long listed for the National Book Award. She spoke to the entire student body on the topics of fitting in, friendship, and finding your voice. Be sure to ask your student(s) about her message.
Trees For Tomorrow Trip
49 7th and 8th graders enjoyed another trip to Eagle River for Trees for Tomorrow! Students spent 9 hours in the classroom then outdoors for classes. Students enjoyed classes such as Human Survival Skills, Skulls, Skins and Bones, Introduction to Field Based Science Skills, Radio Telemetry, Wildlife Signs, Introduction to Snowshoes, Thermal Adaptations, Animal Adaptations, Taking the Right Step and Ecological Succession. The different grades took different classes.
Students also enjoyed a campfire each night with smores on the last night. It was a lot of fun learning for the group!
Thanks to Ms. Eschmann, Mrs. Fisher, Mrs. Morris and Mr. Johnson for chaperoning the trip.
Wisconsin Regional Science Bowl Competition
On Saturday, Feb. 9th, ten Indian Mound Middle School students competed in the regional science bowl competition held at Chamberlain Hall on UW Madison campus. This is a highly competitive science education and academic event sponsored by the the Department of Energy. Students compete in a fast-paced verbal forum to solve technical problems and answer questions in all branches of science and math. There were 20 teams in this regional and both IMMS teams made it through 7 rounds of the double elimination tournament.
Robotics Competition
One of the optional projects for this year's robotic competitions is a video on the topic of math: how math can be used to help people.
They created an app that would help students solve math problems up to a sixth-grade level. Simple algebraic equations.
Braden Everson: wrote the code for the math app
Aaron Fasick: worked on the scrip
Henry Heasty: Helped with the script and filming
Yabo Zhou: Helped with the script and filming
Open Poetry Night
Poetry Open Mic (K-8): Thursday, April 11th
Poetry Showcase:
Any student wishing to submit poetry to be showcased at the McFarland Public Library should turn it into his/her teacher by Friday, April 5th. It must be on a 8.5 x 11 sheet of paper and can include illustrations. Student submissions will be showcased throughout the library through May 1st.
Poetry Open Mic Night: Thursday, April 11th - Registration and refreshments beginning at 6:00pm with poetry readings from 6:15-7:30pm.
This will be held at the McFarland Public Library. Any student/staff/class wishing to read a piece of poetry (original or someone else’s) is eligible. Students who submitted work to be showcased DO NOT need to read their piece and if a student only wants to read a piece of work that is fine also. In order to participate in this, all students need to do is show up at the event with what they would like to read and sign up.
McFarland Youth Center - March
Hello Parents and Guardians.
March is here and The McFarland Youth Center has a busy month of projects and activities for your middle school youth to look forward to.
On Tuesday, March 19th we will be hosting a day for 5th grade only! (rescheduled from last month's inclement weather). The 5th graders are welcomed to come and experience a day at MYC playing group games, using rec equipment, cooking a snack together and making some slime! (Open 3:00 to 6:00)
Attached is March's programming calendar, see below for key dates for the month of March.
Key Dates and Closings:
- Wednesday, March 13th: MYC closed for sign up service project. (Open to youth participating in service project only)
- Tuesday, March 19th: 5th grade day! 5th grade only! (Girls group will still take place from 6-7:30 for middle school girls)
- March 25th through April 1st: MYC CLOSED for spring break week.
Thank you and as always, please don't hesitate to call or email with any questions or concerns.
MYC is open Monday to Friday; 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm during the school year. **Schedule is tentative, check calendar.
McFarland Youth Center is a free nonprofit youth center for middle school youth, if your youth will be new to MYC please visit our website to access the required pledge form: https://www.mcfarlandyouthcenter.org/