December 20, 2024

Good evening, Liberty Middle School Parents.

We are proud to congratulate Mrs. Samantha Hunter, LMS Nurse, on her new position as Director of School Nursing for Duneland School Corporation! She did an amazing job as school nurse for CMS and LMS, and will now do great things in her new role with the district. Although we will miss Mrs. Hunter at LMS, we are also excited to welcome our new school nurse for LMS, Mrs. Marlene Rodriguez. She will be an outstanding addition to our school community!

Additionally, we are proud to congratulate Officer Mike Steege, our LIMS School Resource Officer, on his promotion with the Porter County Sheriff's Department! His last day as LIMS SRO was today. He, too, will be greatly missed at LIMS. However, we are excited to welcome Officer Tony Alfaro, from the Chesterton Police Department, as the new School Resource Officer at Liberty Intermediate/Middle School. He will also be a great addition to our school community!

The second quarter ends today, December 20. Report cards will be available to parents and students in Skyward on January 10 at 4:00 p.m.

Congratulations to our Band, Choir, and Orchestra students and teachers! They put on a tremendous winter concert last week at CHS! The Winter Recital on Monday was a hit, as well! We are so proud of our students and staff in our music programs!

Our online fan store is open with all kinds of LMS spirit wear and accessories! Items will be added periodically throughout the year and the store will remain open all year. Find the link below for all of the details!

Make sure to check out the LMS Student Announcements that are linked below! The students put a lot of work into it and do a great job!

I hope you all have a joyous holiday break and a Happy New Year!

***Duneland schools will be closed beginning December 21 through January 6. School will resume for students on Tuesday, January 7.

Respectfully,

Mike Hamacher, LMS Principal

In accordance with Indiana Code, please see the new cell phone policy below. Please take some time to share this with you child. Thank you!

Wireless Communication Devices

Per IC 20-26-5-40.7 - The use of wireless communication devices, including but not limited to cellular telephones, tablet computers, laptop computers, gaming devices, smartwatches, etc. is strictly prohibited during academic class periods unless explicitly authorized by the teacher for educational purposes.

Students are permitted to use a wireless communication device in the event of a health or safety emergency or to manage health care as specifically defined in the student’s Individualized Health Plan (IHP), Individualized Education Plan (IEP) and/or Section 504 Plan.

A wireless communication device is defined by Indiana law as any portable wireless device that has the capability to provide voice, messaging, or other data communication between two (2) or more parties.

Electronic devices can aid or hinder the learning experience in a school environment. With this in mind, cell phones are not permitted to be visible/audible in the classrooms, hallways or lunchrooms at any time.

WE WANT TO BRING TO YOUR ATTENTION THAT STUDENTS ARE NOT PERMITTED TO RIDE THE BUS HOME WITH FRIENDS THAT DO NOT SHARE THE THE SAME DESIGNATED BUS ROUTE. THE DECISION HAS BEEN MADE WITH THE UTMOST CONCERN FOR THE SAFETY OF ALL OUR STUDENTS.

• December 21 - January 7 - Winter Recess

• Saturday, December 21 @ 8AM - Wrestling - Rumble in the Region - Away
• Tuesday, January 7 @ 5PM - Basketball vs. Taft - MAKEUP GAME
• Thursday, January 9 @ 5PM - Basketball 7 A/B vs. WMS - Home
• Thursday, January 9 @ 5PM - Basketball 8 A/B vs. WMS - Away

This is an important notice regarding an upcoming change to the Duneland School Corporation Skyward system. We will be migrating Skyward from our on-premises servers to a hosted environment. This transition will take place from December 23, 2024 to December 31, 2024.

Why are we making this change?

Moving to a hosted environment offers several benefits, including:

• Improved system performance and reliability: Expect faster response times and greater system stability.
• Enhanced security: A hosted environment provides increased protection against data breaches and cyberattacks.
• Reduced maintenance: This allows our IT staff to focus on other critical tasks, improving overall efficiency.

What to expect during the migration:

Skyward will be unavailable during the migration period from December 23 - December 31, 2024. We understand that this downtime may cause inconvenience, and we sincerely apologize for any disruption this may cause. We have carefully selected this timeframe to minimize the impact on our users, as it falls within the school holiday break.

After the migration:

Once the migration is complete, you can access Skyward as usual. We will provide updated login instructions (if necessary) and any necessary information closer to the go-live date.

Duneland appreciates your understanding and patience as we work to improve our systems and services. If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to contact the IT Help Desk at helpdesk@duneland.k12.in.us.

ATTENTION!!!

2024-2025 ALL ATHLETES MUST HAVE A CURRENT PHYSICAL ON FILE TO PARTICIPATE!

Middle School Physicals will need to be turned coaches or the athletic department, prior to open gym, tryouts, or practices in order to participate.

There are a total of 6 forms that need to be completed. The actual physical is completed by the Dr. and the rest of the forms are completed by the parent(s) and the student. Physicals will not be accepted if there are forms missing! Physical packets are available in the main office.

*Physical Checklist*

• Physical Examination from the Doctor
• History Form
• Consent and Release Certificate (Make sure insurance information is complete)
• Concussion and Sudden Cardiac Arrest Sheet
• ALL FinalForms documents MUST be completed.

As part of our commitment to ensuring the safety and well-being of all our students, we want to inform you about an important update regarding students who are injured and wearing medical devices such as walking boots, crutches, casts, slings, or splints. Effective immediately, any student with a medical device will be required to provide a doctor’s note confirming that they are cleared to participate in both gym class and recess. If a doctor advises against participation for any specified duration, the student will need to provide a subsequent note from the doctor clearing the student to resume these activities once they are healed.

The Duneland School Corporation has adopted the Say Something Anonymous Reporting System for all grade 5-12 schools this year. The link to the Say Something Tip Line can be found on the DSC website, on the middle and high school websites, and on the DSC Safety and Security page located under Programs and Services.

BREAKFAST

$1.60

LUNCH

$2.95

The DSC Child Nutrition Department is now utilizing NutriSlice as its new menus program. This app is available for iphone and android through your mobile app store. Parents can also access the full website for Duneland Schools on a computer via this NutriSlice link.

This app will allow parents and students to view the menus as well as the nutritional info for each items at any of the Duneland Schools. This program will be developed further incorporating images of food items being served at each of the schools.

To make an appointment please call 219-763-8112. Let NorthShore know you are a Duneland School student or staff member and that you would like to make an appointment at the Duneland School Clinic located at the old CMS.

44 WEST 900 NORTH

CHESTERTON, IN 46304

OFFICE # - (219) 983-3740

FAX # - (219) 983-3753