IHMS Weekly News
September 10 - September 17, 2021
Upcoming IHMS Events
Monday, 09/13:
3:50 Academic Learning Lab
5:00 Volleyball @ Hocker Grove
Tuesday, 09/14:
3:50 Academic Learning Lab
3:50 Jazz Band
5:00 Cross Country Meet @ Blue Valley Southwest
5:00 Volleyball vs Indian Woods @ IHMS
Wednesday, 09/15:
8:00 Battle of the Brains
8:45 Panorama Survey during Knight Time
3:45 Multicultural Club
3:50 Academic Learning Lab
3:50 Board Game Club
Thursday, 09/16:
7:45 Junior Board in IHMS Library
3:50 Academic Learning Lab
3:50 Nancy Drew Club
3:50 Jazz Band
5:15 Cross Country @ Johnson County Community College
Friday, 09/17:
No School - Staff Professional Learning and Development
Upcoming Events:
09/21: IHMS Family Engagement Night - Supporting Your Middle School Learner: 4:30-6:30 p.m.
09/23: Cross Country @ Indian Woods 5:15 pm
09/27: Volleyball @ Trailridge 5:00 pm
09/28: Girls basketball parent meeting 6:00 pm in IHMS Cafeteria
09/29: Volleyball vs Hocker Grove 5:00 pm
09/30: Cross Country @ SM Park 5:30 pm
09/30: Choir Concert 7:00 pm
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Section 1: New and Important at IHMS
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The Knights' Walk: Our One and Only Fundraiser - Friday, October 1
The Knights’ Walk is less than three weeks away, and we are almost halfway to our goal of $40,000.
Online registration is going on now. Your student won’t want to miss this fun afternoon of friends, music, games, and prizes. The Knights’ Walk is our only fundraiser for the year, and it takes place during the school day, so all students can participate.
Sign-up is easy. Just click the link below to register and choose your donation level:
https://form.jotform.com/IHMS/KnightsWalk2021
All students get to participate in the walk around campus, regardless of whether their parents, friends, family, etc., donate. However, your student can unlock the chance to win additional grand prizes and other sponsor benefits with your donation. Money raised will be spent this year to benefit your student and IHMS teachers and staff.
Register now to enter your student into drawings for prizes – like gift cards to local hangouts, SME spirit wear, and more – throughout the registration period. Thank you in advance for your support!
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Get Involved with the Knights’ Walk
Events like the Knights’ Walk cannot happen without the support of our school community. Check out the links below to find out how you can become more involved with our one and only fundraiser:
- Gift cards: Please sign up to donate small gift cards for Knights’ Walk prizes to be given away throughout the event: Indian Hills Middle School: Knight Walk Raffle Gift Cards (signupgenius.com)
- Parent volunteers: Please sign up to help at a Knights’ Walk station during the event: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0B4AADA62FA46-ihms1
- Yard Games: Please lend us your outdoor games (corn hole, etc.) for use during the event: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0B4AADA62FA46-ihms2
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Parent Engagement Knight Head Count Needed: How to Support Your Middle School Learner - 9/21
In order to ensure the proper space is allotted and mitigating measures are followed, we need a general headcount of how many families to expect. Please fill out this brief (less than 1 minute) form to ensure our plans can be accurate.
Topics for the evening will include:
- Knight Time purpose and activities
- Getting to know your student's team of teachers and the purpose of teacher teams
- Supporting and understanding your middle schooler
- Parent Canvas overview and training (plus materials)
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IH Wrestling Information and Parent Meeting
Indian Hills Wrestling is open to all 7th and 8th grade boys and girls. Practice will begin on September 20th. Practices will take place after school in the auxiliary gym.
Our meets will be held at the Shawnee Mission high schools on week nights. Here is our Meet Schedule.
All athletes will need to complete their athletic paperwork, physical, and concussion forms before our first practice. These documents can be found here. Make sure they are turned into the front office before 9/20.
Check out our website for more information: IHMS Wrestling Website
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Girls Basketball Parent Information Meeting: 9/28 from 6:00-7:00 p.m.
Girls basketball parent information meeting will be hosted in the IHMS cafeteria on September 28th from 6:00-7:00.
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Section 2: Still Relevant From Previous Weeks
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Sign up for Battle of the Books!
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Panorama SEL Survey: September 15
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CORE College Advising Program for 8th Grade Students
What is it?
Core College Advising Program is a designated program created to help 8th-grade students in the entire district grow and expand their academic, social, and interpersonal skills. This program will prepare individuals to pursue their goals from mentors during these unprecedented times.
Who is it for?
The CORE College Advising Program works under SMN Coalition of Racial Equality, working to spread the impact of our mission to benefit diverse students in the SMSD school district. This program is designed for eighth-graders who seek higher education and benefit from the guidance.
Mission and Benefit
Our mission is to help eighth-graders grow and expand their academic, social, and interpersonal skills by preparing them to pursue their goals during these unprecedented times. The goal is to equip them with the tools to be successful in educational settings.
When and Where
This workshop will meet once a month - each month leaving the students with beneficial tasks to complete. The first month’s meeting will take place in person, following after, selected eighth-graders will receive a WebEx link by CORE mentors. The first meeting will take place on September 22nd from 6:00 to 7:00 pm.
To sign up or get more information, complete this form.
https://forms.gle/hebPg4RfKUh1qKzc7
For more information, please do not hesitate to contact Ore Oni (3079871@smsd.org) or Samantha Morinville (3076005@smsd.org)
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Student Activities/Clubs/Organizations:
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Athletic Physical Reminders:
All athletic paperwork complete with a completion checklist can be found on our IHMS Athletic page. Please allow 48 school hours for the processing of athletic paperwork. You will receive a confirmation email when your athlete’s paperwork has been approved or an email outlining any missing information.
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Vision and Hearing Screenings
Indian Hills nurse office will be scheduling vision and hearing screening for all 7th grade and new to the district 8th grade students, starting Monday, September 20th. If you prefer your student NOT be screened, please respond to the nurse office through email, phone call or by written request. If your child does not pass the screenings, you will receive a referral letter plus an attached referral form to be completed by your child’s eye care professional.
Please Note: Your student will need to wear their glasses or contacts the day of screening!
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Academic Learning Lab (A.L.L.) Now Monday-Thursday!
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After-school Activity Busing Now Monday-Thursday
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Say "YES" to YES Club!
Youth Engaged in Service (YES) is a wonderful opportunity for our Indian Hills students to give back to their communities and to take part in some very rewarding experiences. YES Club is more than just doing community service to accrue service hours. It is a way to help shape the children’s moral character and a great way to teach them empathy, a trait that will help them succeed both now and later in every area of their life. Use the following link to add yourself to our distribution list: https://forms.gle/426VJFNBfVD4HR4L8. We will be reaching out throughout the year with volunteer opportunities.
The first volunteer opportunity is right around the corner: October 22 from 10:00 a.m. - 12:00 p.m.
Questions? Contact Stacy Curtis (stacyscurtis@yahoo.com) or Tracy Dillon (Jeffandtracy@me.com).
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COVID and the Health and Safety of Your Athlete:
Athletes who test positive for COVID or are presumed positive will need to follow the outlined Kansas State High School Athletics Association protocol in order to return to play.
For more information, visit:
https://www.kshsaa.org/Public/pdf/ReturntoparticipationguidelinesFall2021.pdf
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Student Cell Phone Procedure Reminder
Additional information:
- There are times that teachers may allow students - during a specific task/activity - to utilize a student's phone (e.g. taking a picture of the whiteboard, engaging in a team-building activity, etc.), but cell phones are not to be otherwise utilized during classroom instructional time. In addition, cell phones are never a requirement for an activity.
- Students are able to check their cell phones during passing periods and during some lunch periods, but the emphasis from our staff this year is for students to "check" the cell phone - not "check out on" the cell phone.
- Speaking of lunch periods, students will start the year with two low-tech lunch periods built into each week where cell phones will not be utilized. One low-tech lunch period will consist of table-top conversation topics and starters and another lunch period students will be able to play table/card games.
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21-22 PTA Membership: Please Join Us!
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Section 3: SME Area News and Events
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SME Share Program Renovation Sensation: September 22
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Section 4: District Area News and Events
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Food Service/Transportation/Staffing Updates from SMSD
Dear Families,
We hope the start of the school year has been a smooth one for your family. We are excited to have our students return to school. We want to let you know about challenges we are facing in the 2021-22 school year due to local, regional, and national supply and labor shortfalls related to food and busing.
School Lunches
If you follow our Food Services menus, you know we have posted information about the possibility of menu changes and substitutions, which could happen with little advance notice. This is because of issues along the entire supply chain (how food comes from where it is produced to our cafeterias.) Because of these challenges, Food Services has had difficulty in receiving products - both food and paper supplies. Transportation is also a significant part of the problem, as companies complain about not being able to find staff to load trucks and drive those trucks to deliver products to schools and school districts.
Transportation
The driver shortage has also impacted school bus transportation. Our contracted bus providers are working hard to recruit and/or develop CDL-licensed drivers to support student transportation needs in our district, with schools across the country facing similar challenges. For the time being, your family may notice more students on buses, longer route times, and later starts for after school activities and athletic events that require transportation.
Employment Opportunities
Please understand that we are working hard to ensure students have the support services necessary to focus on their education. We continue to seek qualified and caring applicants to join our district team as well as our partner transportation contractors.
Thank you for your continued support of the Shawnee Mission School District.
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School Based Health Clinic Now Open at SMW
A school-based health clinic for all Shawnee Mission School District students and their siblings (3 to 20 years old) will open Thursday, September 2 at SM West High School, 8800 W. 85th St. The clinic will be open from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Thursdays, except when school is not in session.
Health Partnership Clinic (HPC) and the Shawnee Mission School District are partnering to provide access to primary and preventative health care, chronic disease management, mental health services, and dental care to district students and their siblings.
For more information about the Health Partnership Clinic, or to schedule a medical appointment, Shawnee Mission School District parents should call 913-648-2266. More information also is available here.
Services will include:
- Physical exams
- Sports physicals
- Immunizations, including vaccines for COVID-19
- COVID testing
- Age-appropriate health screenings
- Preventative education
- Referrals to specialty services
- Sick visits
- Management of acute and chronic problems and mental health services
- Dental Care including screenings, fluorides, and restorative care
Most insurance plans are accepted, including KanCare/Medicaid. As a community health center, HPC offers a sliding-fee discount program which is based on income and household size. Fees are waived for students experiencing homelessness. Free medicaid and Marketplace insurance enrollment will also be available.
“The idea is to break down barriers to health care,” Shelby Rebeck, health services director for the Shawnee Mission School District shared. “Barriers for many of our students include low income, lack of knowledge, lack of transportation and parents’/guardians’ inability to take time away from hourly jobs. Health Partnership provides a tremendous opportunity for our students to receive critical health care so they can be successful in school.”
The clinic offers pediatric-focused care to treat most health conditions that affect children and adolescents, Amy Falk, HPC’s chief executive officer shared.
“We basically function as a doctor’s office, but in a school building,” Falk noted. “Services are available in person or virtual, and walk-ins will be accommodated if the schedule permits. The primary goal is to provide easy, immediate access to quality and affordable health care.”
The goal is to serve as a medical home for students and offer an additional access point to primary care, Wael S. Mourad, MD, MHCM, FAAFP, and HPC’s chief health officer, shared.
“Beyond a focus on primary health care, it is important we meet the social and emotional needs of children and adolescents to help them reach their individual potential,” Mourad added.
The clinic will open across from the nurse’s office at SM West.
"The Shawnee Mission School District and Health Partnership Clinic are an example of how two organizations can come together to help improve the lives of children,” says Steve Loe, principal of Shawnee Mission West High School. “The school-based health clinic will greatly expand the resources of our school nurse and social worker and help support our goal to have every student succeed.”
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Section 5: Mainstay News
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Macbook Troubleshooting Tips
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IHMS Website Reminder
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Give us a Follow
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IHMS Peace Corner
The IHMS Student Services team has created a virtual calming room (click link) for students, staff and families to access in times of need.
We know that stress and anxiety can be high at times. This IHMS Peace Corner has videos and activities to help manage stress, calm down strong feelings and build resiliency. We hope that this will be another resource for our families to navigate this unusual school year. You can also find this page on our Student Services tab at https://indianhills.smsd.org/.
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e-Read Access Through IHMS
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Mental Health Support Option
Parents and Guardians, if your student is in need of mental health support, and you are unable to pay, there may be relief available to you. Please visit the following link to see if you could qualify for assistance from COVID Cares Act relief funds through Johnson County Mental Health. https://jocogov.org/dept/mental-health/accessing-services/covid-19-relief-funds
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1-800-CHILDREN
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COVID-19 Vaccinations Now Available for Ages 12 and Older!
COVID-19 vaccine opportunities are now open through the Johnson County Department of Health and Environment or Children’s Mercy Clinics for adolescents ages 12 and older.
For more information about scheduling an appointment click here.
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IHMS Communication Chain
1. Mass communication from IHMS:
- Mass communication will come each Friday or Saturday in the form of the IHMS Weekly News. This is an important review for your family each week as it outlines specific events, newsworthy, and/or action-oriented items relevant to IHMS.
- There are times throughout the week a stand-alone email may be sent via a Skyward blast - especially if an important event is taking place or if important information must be shared. You have already seen this in practice (i.e.Tuesday when I sent a reminder about the ice cream social).
2. Absences:
- Please communicate absences through attendance personnel. Avoid emailing administration or student services directly.
- Email debrahohly@smsd.org and constanceeddy@smsd.org to indicate the date(s) and nature of your student's absence.
- Call in your student's absence - including date(s) and nature of the absence - to the school attendance line: (913) 993-0412.
3. Grades/Classroom Questions/Issues:
- Please email your student's teacher directly for all questions/issues related to grades and/or the classroom.
- Staff email addresses can be found on our school website (click link). Unless specific circumstances
- Avoid emailing administration and/or student services with issues that have not been problem solved at the classroom level first unless extenuating circumstances merit direct contact.
4. General Contact Guidelines:
- The chart below provides parents with a general contact chart they can utilize to ensure communication remains streamlined: