Principal's Monthly Newsletter
December 2018
Appreciation
Thank you,
Jamie
No School
2nd Quarter Grades
Holiday Concerts
Band: Tuesday, December 18th @ 7:00 P.M.
Freshmen Orientation
8th Grade Civic Center Visit
Art Club
PTO
Chipotle Fundraiser
Kalahari Resorts
Independence PTO Family & Friends Fundraiser!!
*A portion of the proceeds from each room booked, will benefit Independence Middle School.
Reservations call: 1-877-525-2427
Homework Club
Yearbook Club
If anyone wants to include a club or sports picture in the IMS yearbook, please email the pictures to Ms. Hannah ahanna@independence.k12.oh.us. Yearbook club is now beginning to create the 2018-19 yearbook.
Visit: ybpay.lifetouch.com
ID Code: 11626519
cost $22.00
All students are receiving info cards to take home, as well.
Any question: ahanna@independence.k12.oh.us
School Nurse
It's flu season! We must do our best to keep our school community healthy. If your child becomes ill at school, we will contact you using the emergency contact information you provided to the school. Please remember to keep these tips in mind when deciding whether or not to send your child to school:
- If your child has a fever, he or she must stay home until he or she is fever free without the use of fever-reducing medications (Advil, Tylenol, etc).
- Sore throat, fever, headache, enlarged glands in the neck, and a rash are all symptoms of strep. Please keep your child at home and contact your doctor for advice, if your child has any of the above symptoms.
- Please remember: If your child is sent home from school for vomiting or having a fever, he or she must remain at home for at least 24 hours from when the illness began, before returning to school.
Remember, hand washing is the single most effective way to prevent the spread of flu and other illnesses!
Intramural Football
The 2018 Intramural Football season ended in dramatic fashion as Team 1 (Evan Solar, Braeden Lisowski, Andrew Stamp, Matty Jirmasek, Danny Lockhart, and Lucy Spencer) came from behind to beat Team 3 (Sam Crooks, Owen Szymanski, Charlie Meyer, Anthony Sobonya, and Vinnie Zygmunt) 21-15 in the championship game. Down 15-12 with under three minutes on the clock, Lucy Spencer intercepted a pass and put her team in position to win the game. Team 3 responded with some solid defense on first, second, and third downs, but Braeden Lisowski found the end zone on the final play as those who braved the weather (there were 9 fans) went wild! Lucy Spencer was named MVP of the game thanks in part to her interception!
This year's intramural football playoffs were played in some brutal weather conditions. Teams seemed to embrace the bitter cold, ice, snow, gusting winds, and freezing rain. Ryan Mack led all scorers in the playoffs with 29 points, including 3 touchdowns. Sam Crooks led all receivers with eight receptions.
The season started at the beginning of October and went until the end of November. The goal of the program was to promote teamwork. The scoring was a little different from the typical football game as points were awarded for receptions, first downs, interceptions, and teams earned bonus points when every member of the team has a reception.The entire season was run by the forty boys and girls during their recess. When participants weren't playing, they were helping officiate and keeping score. Based on their stats, the following are some of the leaders of the 2018 Intramural Football season.
Total Points: Braden Lisowski (162), Charlie Meyer (148), Charlie Puklavec (146), Matty Jirmasek (143), Andrew Stamp (139). Touchdowns: Braden Lisowski (12), Charlie Puklavec (11), Andrew Stamp (9), Mosha Durden (9), Charlie Meyer (9).
Most receptions: Charlie Puklavec (46), Mosha Durden (43), Braden Lisowski (43), Matty Jirmasek (41), Charlie Meyer (41).Interceptions: Charlie Puklavec (7), Andrew Stamp (5), Matty Jirmasek (5).
Builder's Club
Any questions: mkoussa@independence.k12.oh.us
Pep Club
Class In Action
The 7th graders in Mrs. Vincz-Miller's enriched-reading class have been trained as public health experts, as the students recently finished engaging in a simulation meant to enhance authentic problem-solving skills and connect to their current reading. In The Ghost Map, a grizzly and scientific true story, the year is 1854 and cholera is terrorizing a London neighborhood. The disease is thought to be caused by miasma, or "foul air", by all contagion experts. But is this truly the case? John Snow didn't think so.
Just as John Snow made breakthroughs in the containment and eradication of cholera, in the classroom simulation students acted as teams of physicians, complete with lab coats and proper titles, to diagnose a mystery disease, determine the source, design a future contagion prevention plan, and outline a list preventative-medicine safety guidelines for a 4th grade audience.
The several-week simulation climaxed on Monday before Thanksgiving break as the research teams presented their plans to the esteemed Board. Research Team 6, of Dr. Alana Nowak, Dr. Maggie Panichi, and Dr. Alaina Teare, reigned supreme and was chosen to help contain the mystery disease.
Canned Food Drive
Veterans Day Presentations
The eighth-grade honored veterans during the week of November 12-16. Students researched family members and friends that served in our nation’s military and created presentations about the sacrifices that were made for the good of our country. Several veterans spoke to the students in Mr. Schuld's reading class about their military service. Thank you to the following veterans that shared their personal stories with the eighth-grade class:
Brad Borowy - US Air Force - Uncle of Nick Lucas
Cameron Colaric - Air Force - Uncle of Jillian Mintz
Ray Farris - Army - Great Uncle of Natalie George
Tim Franko - Marines - Grandfather of Ella Fleming
Rick Hamad - Army - Grandfather of Erica Massey
Richard Laut - Army - presented by Angie Strauchan - Mother of Maia Aumuck
JD Meyers - Father of Braden Meyers
Bob Sliwinski - Army - guest of Mr. Schuld
Tom Wolf - Army - Uncle of Rocco Allega
Rich Wright - Army - Father of Mia Wright
iMovement Program
Pen Ohio
Book Drive
SHARE WORDS WITH FRIENDS!
Girl Scouts are collecting used books to benefit the Cleveland Book Bank.
Books will be used with students at Cleveland Public Schools.
Used or new children/teen Books will be collected at IMS until
December 14.
Drop off books in the IMS lobby.
Campus Life
Athletic's
The girls basketball teams will begin practice in December. Coaches will be distributing schedules to the girls interested in playing! Just a reminder that any girls looking to play basketball must have an updated physical on file with the school.
Wrestling will start the season at home on December 5th; the match starts at 4:30 P.M. in the IMS gym.
Drama Club
Wonderland! premiered Friday November 16th to an audience of over 400! The cast and crew really came together, helping each other to perform well! Our closing night was an equal dose of fun! So many students, parents, faculty and families helped in countless ways to prepare for the performances. Thank you all!
Best wishes to all the 8th grade Drama Club members on their final IMS performance!
Cast - Ella Fleming, Ty Roberts, Sammie Johnson, Christian Tripodi, Sydney Wilson, Alex Firlik, Avery O'Bryant, Avery Paynter-Mullen, Alexis Hurchanik, Olivia Wright, Addie Westerburg, Alyssa Novak, Emma Konopa, Autumn Hawley, Aidan Zambito, Isabel Bonanno
Crews - Daniel Skrocki, Ethan Ciurlik, Alex Firlik, Madeline Kitagawa, Ivy Socha, Ty Roberts, Anna Zdolshek
Grandparents Day
Preventing Emergencies Among Teens - Health Class
In October, four IHS students reinforced a drug awareness health unit about prescription drug use to fifth and sixth-grade health classes. As members of a newly formed, student-based organization, named PEAT (Preventing Emergencies Among Teens), these high-schoolers formed a club to help educate students about prescription drug use. The idea behind the formation of PEAT was to incorporate a “student-to-student” educational approach with the intent of modeling good prescription drug awareness among adolescents. The group was formed with help and funding from the Cardinal Health Grant.
Mrs. Jessica Crooks and Mrs. Jill Wagner coordinated these drug awareness ideals and presentations at IMS, which also support the NIDA initiative, began by the district and the City of Independence two years ago.
Lastly, PEAT also presented drug awareness facts to IHS students during lunch in honor of Red Ribbon Week in October. Stay tuned for more stories from PEAT and their work to help strengthen the student body in the Independence Schools.
Ohio Internet Crimes Against Children Task Force (ICAC)
Officer Repicky School Resource Officer
Helpful reference article for parents on this topic: https://www.cnn.com/2018/11/17/health/vaping-ecigarette-fda-parenting/index.html
Student's of the Month
Back Row (L-R): Camryn Mazzola, Amanda Kaufman, Alberta Moreal, Christian Tripodi, Mia Wright, Drew Becker
Staff Spotlight: Mrs. Lisa Ferguson
Staff Spotlight: Ms. Alicia Hanna
Hello! I reside in North Royalton with my children: Brooke, Johnathon and our 5-year-old Havanese named Toby. Brooke is a sophomore at O.U., and Johnathon is a senior at North Royalton H.S. I love spending time with my family and friends, working out, listening to country music, dancing and baking. Chocolate chip fudge brownies and banana bread are my specialties.
This year is my 28th year in education! Twelve of these years were as the middle-school counselor at IMS. My degrees are in elementary education with a specialization in art, as well as a master's degree in school counseling. Currently, I teach art and design at IMS and am loving it! I love to see how talented my students are and enjoy watching them grow as artists throughout their middle-school years.
I feel honored and thankful to be working at IMS with such great colleagues and learning daily lessons from my students, especially the ones that I shake my head at and make me laugh.
Safe School Helpline
Access Link: https://www.safeschoolhelpline.com/
800-4-1-VOICE ext. 359
800-418-6423/ Text:66746, TIPS
Independence Middle School
Email: jvanek@independence.k12.oh.us
Website: http://www.independence.k12.oh.us/independencemiddleschool_home.aspx
Location: 6111 Archwood Road, Independence, OH, USA
Phone: 216-642-1247
Twitter: @CoachVanek