IMMS Family Flier

Jamie Thomas, Principal

Brett Jondle, Associate Principal

Daily Schedule

Daily Announcements

Day A/Day B Schedule

Student Services Support Contacts

McFarland School District Website

McFarland School District App

McFarland Youth Center Website

McFarland RADAR (Relevant Alcohol & Drug Awareness Resources) Coalition Newsletter

IMMS Athletics Calendar

Family information on IMMS Expectations

IMMS Sports and Clubs Eligibility Criteria

• October 23: Family Teacher Conferences
• October 24: No School and Family Teacher Conferences
• October 25: No School
• October 27: Referendum Information Session - 6 p.m. MHS Performing Arts Center
  
• November 4: 6th Grade Band/Choir/Orchestra Concert 7 p.m. MHS Performing Arts Center
• November 7: End of First Quarter
• November 8: No School PD Day
• November 11: Start 2nd Quarter
• November 19: 6th and 7th grade Orchestra Field Trip

Conferences will be held October 23 and 24th. Please click on this Link to get details about conferences.

We want to introduce you to a club at IMMS, Club Unified. This group promotes opportunities for peer mentors and leaders to engage in positive interactions to support inclusive activities.

• Mission: Club Unified is a group dedicated to helping & including ALL at IMMS. This group includes 6th, 7th & 8th graders whose mission is to promote & celebrate the uniqueness of ALL. This group recognizes & supports classmates of ALL abilities.

• Weekly Meetings: Thursdays 7:45-8:15 AM

• Goal: To foster relationships & to promote inclusiveness.

• We are a Unified Champion School

We are looking for students who let differences be a doorway to new opportunities. Please talk with your child about joining a great group of kids who want to make a real difference in the lives of others. Please let us know if you have any questions (Woodm@mcfsd.org or millerk2@mcfsd.org).

Respectfully,

Ms. Michelle Woodlock & Mrs. Katie Miller

To review a summary from October 17 Hold Drill, click here.

Below you will find "Hubs" (aka Task-List) for each grade level and Related Arts. You can click on the "Hub" to get information on what your scholar is doing in class, assignments, and assessments.

IMMS would like to give a HUGE thank you to the McFarland Optimist Club for funding this year's mentor program. The IMMS mentor program is entering it's 3rd year. Each year we recruit and train adult community members to become a mentor for one of our IMMS students. Mentors meet with their mentee once a week. The mentor program focuses on providing another positive, encouraging adult in a student's life that is cheering them on and encouraging them to work hard each and every day.

This year we will have 19 mentors working with students. The impact that those individual community members have can not be overstated. They work hard and make a commitment to their mentee. This commitment helps to build trust. With that trust, they are able to continue to have a positive impact on their mentee throughout the entire school year.

If you or someone you know might be interested in being a mentor at IMMS, you can reach out to Fred Bartman, School Counselor, at 608-838-4642 or bartmaf@mcfsd.org.

Thanks again to the Optimist Club for helping us continue to grow such an impactful program!

• McFarland DECA Trick or Can - October 21-31

• School’s Out Days - Lussier Family Heritage Center - October 24-25

• Badger Bots School Day Off Camps - October 24-December 31

• McFarland High School Presents: Elsewhere - November 1-3

• CEPS Food Drive - November 1-7

• E.D. Locke Library Grades K-2 Magic Tree House Book Club - September-May

• Free Triple P Positive Parenting Online Program for WI Families

We will gladly accept donations of snacks that we can give to students who may not be able to provide their own. We are specifically looking for nut-free, nonperishable, healthy snacks. You can drop off donations at the IMMS Student Services office. We will also accept donations for menstrual hygiene products.

‼️ Please review DHS update regarding increased Pertussis cases in Wisconsin‼️ You can also find information and resources linked in the article. Please reach out to your medical provider with questions, Thank you!

With the cold and flu season in full swing, please review our Guidelines for sending your child to school. Remember, if your child is sick please keep them home and seek medical evaluation as needed. Students will be sent home with the following symptoms:

• Temperature above 100.4°F

• Vomiting or diarrhea

• Frequent uncontrollable cough

Your child should remain at home until fever, vomiting/diarrhea has stopped for 24 hours without the use of medication. If they have been prescribed antibiotics, please see the MSD Health Services Handbook and DHS Wisconsin Childhood Communicable Disease guidelines for when they may return to school. As well, please notify the School/Health Office if your student has tested positive for a communicable disease such as: Influenza/Flu, Covid 19, Pneumonia, Strep Throat, RSV, Hand Foot & Mouth, Pertussis, etc.

Thank you for your partnership as we work to keep our students and staff healthy and safe each day!

Public Health Madison & Dane County is partnering with surrounding school districts and SSM Health in a few weeks to offer more school vaccine clinics to get students up to date on their school vaccines in time for the 2024-25 school year. These clinics will take place at multiple locations and dates. Find more information and to schedule an appointment see the attached flyer (English, Spanish), or via publichealthmdc.com/schoolclinics.

In this fast-paced digital era, our children are growing up surrounded by technology and the vast opportunities it brings. While this presents incredible potential for learning and growth, it also raises important concerns about their safety in the online world. In today's society, ensuring our children are equipped with the knowledge and tools to navigate the digital landscape safely has become more critical than ever. On average, kids with a smartphone received it by age 8, and those without one can expect to receive it by age 13 (FOSI Online Safety Across the Generations, 2018).

• Technology agreements. It is important for adults and kids to agree on how personal devices and technology will be used to ensure safe behavior and a positive online reputation. The Family Online Safety Institute offers helpful resources and talking points for families when establishing guidelines for device and internet use in the home.

• Family Online Safety Agreement: Ages 13 and under

• Family Online Safety Agreement: Teens

• Familiarize yourself. Among our student community, the most commonly used apps include Snapchat, TikTok, and YouTube. However, the landscape is constantly evolving with new apps and games emerging regularly. If you have reservations about a particular app or game, take the time to research and perhaps even test it out firsthand before reaching a conclusion. Included below are a variety of resources to delve into when assessing whether an app or game aligns with your child's needs, along with discussion points regarding digital citizenship and online safety.

• Common Sense Media

• Entertainment Software Rating Board

• Family Online Safety Institute

• See something, say something. Lastly, should you or your student come across any possible threat or safety issue on social media, we urge you to promptly report it. You can do so by informing a school staff member, reaching out to law enforcement, or utilizing this provided link, even if you feel it may not be that serious or may have already been reported.

In September, families of students in grades 3-8 and 10 received information about their children’s Forward Exam scores from last Spring. On October 9th, data about Forward Exam scores were released across the state and included in articles like this one from the Wisconsin State Journal.

We know that the Forward Exam is just one measure of what McFarland students know and are able to do, but we do look at the results carefully to find areas of celebration and growth as a District. Our District strategic plan puts literacy achievement front and center with a specific focus on closing gaps between students in various demographic groups (for example, between students with and without disabilities).

When looking at the Spring 2024 Forward Exam results, we noticed:

• More students are meeting or exceeding expectations in ELA, math, science and social studies than in previous years.

• In all subjects and grades, McFarland students perform better than the State average.

• When comparing our results to the rest of Dane County in most grades and all subjects McFarland improved or maintained their ranking in the county.

• McFarland School District had the #1 rank in Dane County in the following areas:

• 8th grade Math, Science and Social Studies (Congratulations Class of 2028!)

• 4th grade Social Studies

We will continue our work to close achievement gaps between students at our school and focus on research-based instructional practices in all subjects to help us meet our strategic plan goals.

If you have questions about your child’s Forward Exam results, please contact your child’s principal. If you have questions about McFarland’s Forward Exam results overall, please contact Melissa Pfohl, pfohlm@mcfsd.org

October is...

• Bullying Prevention Month
• LGBTAIQ+ History Month
• National Physical Therapy Month