Hello Students and Families,

I hope everyone is ready to return to school next week! Typically, I will share our LIS Weekly newsletters on Mondays, but I wanted to share all of our Back to School Night information with you again. Monday, August 12th, is our Back to School Night from 4:00-5:30. Teachers will be in their classrooms and are so excited to meet their students. During Back to School Night, you are welcome to tour the building and practice opening your locker. You can also meet members of our PTO, which will be meeting the second Tuesday of each month. Our Instructional Coach, Mrs. Smith, will also be in the library and can assist you with becoming a parent observer in Canvas and also help you sign up to get grade notifications in Skyward.

Liberty Campus will also have another Open House on Tuesday evening from 5:00-7:00. This will only be an opportunity to get more familiar with our building, find your classrooms, and practice opening your locker. Staff members will not be here to greet families at this event. Our first day of school is next Wednesday. We are all looking forward to our first day back with our students.

Together we shine brighter!

Have a wonderful weekend,

Mrs. Hardwicke

Principal

The Liberty Campus has been undergoing many improvements over the last two years. Next week, we are excited to begin our journey as a 5-8 campus. While our building is ready to welcome our staff and students back to school, there are still some areas where contractors will be finishing-up over the next 4-6 weeks. This will be noticeable near the main gym area and outdoor athletic complex. There will be minor disruptions to programming in those spaces as we begin the school year. These will be temporary and students and staff will move back into their regular area(s) as soon as the improvements are completed.

LIS (5th/6th) Back-to-School Night will be on August 12th from 4:00-5:30.

LMS (7th/8th) Back-to-School Night will also be on August 12th from 6:30-8:00.

Students and their families are invited to visit your classrooms, meet your teachers, find and practice opening your locker, visit the PTO table, and tour the building.

Liberty Campus will also host an Open House where families can tour the building, find classrooms, and practice lockers on Tuesday, August 13 from 5:00 - 7:00.

With the addition of new students to our building this school year, we are also are thrilled to welcome the newest members of our school family. Our new staff members bring with them a wealth of experience, enthusiasm, and fresh perspectives that will undoubtedly enrich our school community. We look forward to the positive impact they will make at LIS. Here’s to a successful and inspiring year ahead.

Mr. Jack Wilson - Assistant Principal

Mrs. Jamie Ellis - 5th Grade Teacher

Mrs. Katie Thomas - 5th Grade Teacher

Mrs. Hannah Morrow - 5th Grade Teacher

Mrs. Michelle Mercon - 6th Grade Teacher

Mrs. Heather Wood - 6th Grade Teacher

Mrs. Kayla Sullivan - Exceptional Learning

Mrs. Ellie Mellin - Exceptional Learning, Applied Skills

Mrs. Maddie Smith - Instructional Coach

Mr. Vince Arizzi - Band

Mrs. Kristen Garrett - Choir

Mrs. Alana Mossell - Orchestra 1st Grading Period

Mrs. Sam Hunter - School Nurse

Back to School Night

Stop by the LIS front entrance during Back to School Night to visit the PTO table. Get information on upcoming fundraisers, volunteer opportunities, and more!

PTO Meetings

PTO will meet monthly on the second Wednesday of each month. Meetings are held in the LIS Media Center after school. Our first meeting will be on September 11th. All parents and guardians are welcome to join. We hope to see you there!

Spirit Wear

Be on the lookout for Liberty spirit wear information coming home soon. PTO will be sponsoring a spirit wear sale in September.

Cell Phones, Smart Watches, Earbuds, & Earphones Usage

5th and 6th grade students are not allowed to use their personal communication devices (cell phones and smart watches) during the instructional day. Items used for communication should be stored in lockers to be kept safe throughout the day. If students need to contact a parent/guardian during the day, they are welcome to do so from the office. Classrooms also have phone access. Similarly, students are not permitted to wear personal earbuds with bluetooth capabilities attached to their phones (e.g. Air Pods, etc.). Students will need to use their school-issued iPad earphones for Exact Path lessons and select ILEARN testing sessions. The only time audio ear pieces are permitted are for teacher-assigned classwork and medically-approved needs.

iPad Use

• iPads are the property of Duneland Schools. Students should keep the devices in operable condition.
• Students should refrain from downloading apps, pics, etc. that are not permitted under school and/or corporation policy.
  
• Students are required to bring their charged iPads to class. Intermediate curriculum is designed to utilize iPads for lessons and enrichment activities.

How do returning Duneland Students Register?

• Go to Skyward to register online. Parents are encouraged to use a computer instead of a cell phone mobile app to complete the registration process.

Where do I find my student's schedule?

• Schedules will be available in Skyward on the afternoon of Friday, August 9th.

Will bus service be provided?

• Yes, however riding the school bus is a privilege. School busses are extensions of the school environment. To maintain safe student transportation, proper bus conduct is required of all student riders. Discipline for poor behavior can range from a simple warning to suspension of bus services.

Where do I find bus information?

• Bus information was available on your student's Skyward account on Tuesday, August 6th.
• In Skyward, navigate to the Portfolio and the Transportation drop-down.

Will students be provided lunch by the corporation?

• Families not already utilizing Duneland's food assistance program will pay for lunch this school year.
• More information regarding free and reduced lunch can be found below: https://www.duneland.k12.in.us/programs-services/dsc-child-nutrition-services
• In addition, students will need to memorize their student identification numbers for presentation during checkout in the lunch line. Students' numbers can be found in Skyward under Student Info.

Is LIS a food allergy aware school?

• Yes, several students at our school have life-threatening food allergies. Trace amounts of foods like peanuts, tree nuts, milk, egg, fish, shellfish, soy and wheat may cause hives difficulty breathing, vomiting, diarrhea, or swelling of the lips/mouth/throat, which in turn can lead to anaphylaxis and even death. Even touching contaminated surfaces may cause a reaction. LIS faculty and staff have been trained to recognize such a reaction and to administer medication (epinephrine) in an emergency.
• What can you do to help?
1. Instruct your child to not share lunch items with classmates.
2. Remind your child about the importance of hand washing before and after eating.
3. Tell your child to get help from an adult immediately if a classmate has a reaction.
   

Will students have lockers?

• Yes, all students will be assigned a locker where they will keep all of their personal items throughout the day.
• If they cannot remember their combination, they can look it up on their student Skyward account. Teachers also have locker keys to unlock and open lockers.

Can students decorate their lockers?

• Yes, students can decorate the inside their lockers with magnetic items. Stickers, tape, and other adhesives are not allowed.

What information does my student need to know for the first day?

• Students will need to know how they will get home each day - bus or car rider.
• Students should at least know the name of their Trojan Time teacher. This is one of their core teachers that they will have throughout the day. They can help them find their correct classroom if needed.
• Our teachers are so excited to meet our new students! We hope you are excited to have a wonderful year.

Sixth grade students will have the opportunity to participate in both LIS intramural sports and Liberty Middle School athletics. If your child wants to participate in middle school sports, they must have a current physical on file, dated after 4/1/24. Sixth grade students can ONLY participate Middle School Cross Country, Westling, and Track and Field. Below is a link to the Liberty Fall Sports page. This fall, students can participate in Middle School Cross Country. Mr. Nick Bamber is the athletic director for Liberty Campus. Please reach out to Mr. Bamber with any questions.

Our Trojan Cafe has a new look! Our kitchen and serving areas will be ready for students when they arrive on the first day of school. Each grade level will have their own lunch and recess time with their classmates.

Please help your student memorize their student identification number, as they will need to know this number in order to purchase their lunch.

Here are the meal prices for the 2024-25 school year:

Intermediate/Middle Breakfast Price: $1.60

Intermediate/Middle Lunch Price: $2.95

For more information about our Child Nutrition Department and school menus, please visit the link below.

The State of Indiana requires 6th grade students to be immunized with Tdap (tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis vaccine) and Meningitis vaccine. The Tdap and Meningitis vaccines must be received after the student turns 11 years of age and not before, to be considered valid. Please make an appointment with your physician or the health department as soon as possible to get started on this process if you have not done so already.

If your child is 11 years old and has already received these immunizations please send in a copy of their immunization record or email a scanned copy to the school nurse.

Please contact the LIS nurse, Mrs. Erika Judy, with any questions or concerns.

219-983-3690

ejudy@duneland.k12.in.us

DuneNews

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LIBERTY INTERMEDIATE SCHOOL

School Website: https://www.duneland.k12.in.us/Domain/13

Address: 50 W. 900 N. Chesterton, IN 46304

Phone: 219-983-3690

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