Dear Parent or Guardian,

The Illinois Assessment of Readiness (IAR) and the Illinois Science Assessment (SA) are statewide assessments that measure students’ academic progress in reading, math, and science. The Illinois Science Assessment (ISA) is only for 8th grade students. It is important for students to take the exam seriously and to do their best, as the results are used to inform instruction and help schools identify areas where students may need additional support. This is also the measure that is utilized for our Illinois State Report Card.

Students at Sandwich Middle School will be taking the exams starting on Tuesday, April 2, 2024 through Friday, April 12, 2024. If any students are unable to take the exam during the scheduled testing window, make-up exams will take place during the week of April 15, 2024.

The following strategies will best support your child during the exam:

1. Encourage a regular sleep schedule. Make sure your child is getting enough sleep, especially the night before the test. It can be helpful to establish a regular bedtime routine in the days leading up to the assessment to ensure they are well-rested and alert. Make sure that your child arrives at school on time.

2. Provide a healthy breakfast. Eating a nutritious breakfast can help fuel your child’s brain and provide them with the energy they need to focus during the test. Consider offering whole grains, protein, and fresh fruit for a balanced meal.

3. Promote a positive attitude. Encourage your child to do their best, but also remind them that it’s okay to make mistakes. A positive attitude can help your child feel more confident and perform better on the assessment.

4. Help them with test-taking strategies. Discuss test-taking strategies with your child, such as reading instructions carefully, managing their time, and reviewing their work. This can help feel more prepared and confident during the test.

5. Provide support and encouragement. Make sure your child knows that you are there to support them and encourage them throughout the testing period. Celebrate their efforts and progress, regardless of the outcome of the assessment.

6. Bring headphones. Make sure your child brings headphones with them each day of testing so that they will be able to utilize these during portions of the test.

7. Charge Chromebooks. Please ensure that your child’s chromebook is FULLY charged. This is especially important on testing days as students will be testing on their chromebooks.

Best regards,

Andrew Heilemeier

Principal

Sandwich Middle School

Welcome back from Spring Break! The 6th graders will be keeping very busy during the month of April!

Math classes will be finishing up area, surface area, and volume and then attacking some statistics and representing data in various ways. Advanced classes are doing some review of topics already taught and adding to those concepts by going a little deeper with them, as well as moving onto some more 7th grade concepts.

Language Arts classes will be reviewing for the IAR test and continuing to utilize reading skills with informational text and fiction. Our novel projects are due on April 22. Instructional Language arts will be working on text structures and features and will be starting the novel unit Ghost, by Jason Reynolds.

Social Studies classes will be finishing up with their study of the Middle Ages before moving into the Age of Exploration.

Science classes are learning about different types of pollution and the impact humans have on Earth. After that we will explore orangutans and how palm oil can affect their ecosystem.

Students will be taking IAR tests on April 8th, 9th, 10th, 11th, and 12th in which students NEED headphones so please make sure they have them.

The 6th grade will be going to Medieval Times on April 26th!!! This is our big trip for the year, since the students have been learning all about castles, knights, jousting and other things in classes, what a better way to see what they learn in action. Please look for the permission slip and have them returned with money ($40) back to your students' 1st period teacher.

It’s time to support students who are participating in SMS’s mathathon fundraiser. You can sponsor any student or send $ in to Mrs. Sellers. Students are raising money and solving math problems to help families who need the help of St. Jude. If you would like to have your child participate, please have them see their math teacher for a math packet.

Congratulations to our April Students of the Month: Anahi Arreola and Dawson Hinckley! Keep up the great work!!

Happy Spring everyone!

We are now in 4th quarter, and the end of the year will be here before we know it. When we return from Spring Break, we will begin IAR testing. Math IAR testing will be from Tuesday, April 3rd through Thursday, April 5th. ELA IAR testing will be on Tuesday, April 9th and Wednesday, April 10th. Students will be taking the tests in the morning and then attending classes in the afternoon. The students need to make sure that they have earbuds or headphones, their Chromebook, and their charger for the tests. Anyone absent during IAR will need to make up the tests during study hall or PE/Explore.

Please remind your students to charge their Chromebooks at home every night. A charged Chromebook is a vital supply within the classroom and correlates with higher success. Many students are also very low on pencils at this point in the year, so please put in a good word with the Easter Bunny.

In Mrs. Kummer’s science class, we will be starting the Biology unit. We will be learning about cells - prokaryotic and eukaryotic, plant and animal cells, and the organelles and their functions within cells. We will also be learning how to use microscopes and doing labs to look at cells.

Mrs. Gudewicz’s science class will be moving forward in our Biology unit. We will be learning about genetics, Punett Squares, and DNA.

In social studies, students have been focused on the Antebellum Period in the 1850s and the run up to the American Civil War. After Spring Break, we will dive head first into the war between the states and its aftermath during the Reconstruction Period of the late 1800s.

Mr. Guilinger and Mrs. Nelle are currently covering informational text in ELA. This unit is comprised of National Geographic books on eight endangered animals. Students learn to identify main idea, text structure, text features, details, facts, and author’s purpose all while gaining some understanding on how human behavior impacts animal populations. The students also take part in a March Madness style competition based on quiz scores and fundraising. All funds go to the World Wildlife Foundation earmarked for the winning animal(s).

Mrs. Enerson and Mrs. Gudewicz’s math classes are currently working on plane geometry. During this unit, we are working on finding the area of two-dimensional figures, learning the characteristics of similar figures and scale drawings. Once we finish up this unit, we will move on to how to find the surface area and volume of three-dimensional figures.

In Mrs. Enerson’s AT and ACC pre-algebra classes, we are currently working on statistics and probability. During this unit, the students are learning about measures of center, how to analyze and compare data, and how to find the mean standard deviation of data sets. Also in this unit, the students will learn how to find probability of simple and compound events, along with the probability of independent and dependent events. Once we wrap up this unit, we will move onto geometry.

The 7th-grade Students of the Month are Ethan Phouangphidok and Sierra LaPorte. Congratulations to you both! Keep up the good work.

Spring has definitely sprung--and with that, the eighth graders are nearing the end of their middle school experience. Soon your students will be high school freshmen! The students have already chosen their high school classes. It won’t be long now!

History: We are finishing on Civil Rights and moving into our study of the Vietnam War Era. They will also learn about presidents John F. Kennedy, Lyndon B. Johnson, and Richard Nixon.

Language Arts: In Language Arts, we will begin studying the Holocaust. We will be reading The Diary of Anne Frank play by Albert Hackett and Frances Goodrich in addition to The Boy in the Striped Pajamas by John Boyne and The Boy on the Wooden Box by Leon Leyson. In our readings, we will focus on understanding a dramatization that utilizes primary sources for context as well as informational text. The students will also study visual media and listen to survivors of the Holocaust as they tell their stories.

Instructional Language Arts:

Instructional LA students just finished our novel study, The Cay by Theodore Taylor and are preparing for our IAR testing starting early April. We will begin our next novel study, The Watsons Go to Birmingham--1963 by Christopher Paul Curtis.

Math: We are finishing up on congruence and similarity of polygons. Next we will be moving into finding the volume of cones, cylinders, spheres, and some composite solids. Also, we will cover surface area including both lateral and total surface area of these solids. By the end of chapter 8 your student should be able to explain to you what is the difference between lateral and total surface area.

Instructional Math: In Instructional Math, we will be exploring relationships using rates, ratios, and proportions, focusing specifically on using proportions as a problem-solving strategy. As always, we will continue to work on our basic math skills through daily practice on iXL and periodic review of real-world problem solving strategies.

Science: Our science classes are working on a Physics Unit. They will be studying forces and motion along with Newton’s 3 laws of motion. We will be doing a water rocket project at the end of the year and your child will need a 2-liter bottle for that. There will be other supplies that are optional and we will make sure students have a list.

Students of the Month: Our 8th Grade Students of the Month are Keri Munch and Kollin Jungkans. We are so proud of these hardworking students. Not only are they hardworking, but they have great attitudes!

Dear 8th Grade Students and Families:

Eighth Grade Promotion night will take place at the football stadium on Thursday, May 23, at 6:00 p.m. Our current plan is to have all of the 8th grade students together on the football field at Sandwich High School. If we need to relocate due to rain, the ceremony will take place in the Sandwich High School main gym at 6:00 p.m.

All students that do not have to attend summer school to complete promotion requirements are invited to attend. If the weather cooperates and we are allowed to have an outdoor promotion, students should arrive at the SHS by 5:30 p.m. on Thursday, May 23. We will practice that morning, and students must attend the practice to participate in the ceremony.

The dignity of the occasion can best be observed by refraining from whistling or applauding for each student. Please hold your applause until the entire class has been awarded their certificates of promotion. Also, please silence all cell phones and electronic devices. Dress attire is casual (no blue jeans, t-shirts, shorts, etc.). Since the event will be on rougher terrain, high heels are not allowed. Should you have any questions regarding this, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely,

Andrew Heilemeier

Principal

Sandwich Middle School is proud to announce our Initial Group of Inductees. The Induction Ceremony will occur on Wednesday, April 17, 2024, at 6:30 pm. Congratulations to Abigail Johnson, Alexandria LaPorte, Allie Ohme, Annie Butler, Ashlyn Behringer, Bailey Brummel, Callie Kesselring, Charlotte Gregory, Chase Ward, Clair Anderson, Claire Keigher, Delaney Gauer, Ella Calvert, Ethan Phouangphidok, Eva Hernandez, Finnegan O’Neill, Gwen Minard, Josh Kotalik, Kendall Denny, Keri Munch, Kherington Killey, Landen Moss, Landon Pennington, Luke Englehart, Marcella Schultz, Monica Resendez, Olivia Holterhaus, Olivia Parisi, Sierra LaPorte, Sophie Halmagyi, and Yexi Arreola.

Dental Forms - Completed Proof of School Dental Exam forms are required for current 6th Grade students by May 15, 2024. If you are unable to fulfill the dental exam, please complete the Dental Exam Waiver Form.

April is Autism Acceptance Month! - Click here to learn more about autism, how you can help raise awareness, and find autism resources. You can also show your support by wearing blue on World Autism Awareness Day on April 2nd!

Registration for the 24-25 school year is now open. Returning families to the school district can complete the online application process in a few short minutes through their TeacherEase account. This will be a very similar process to last year. Please be sure that all information is entered correctly.

If you have an incoming kindergartener or a new student to the district you will follow a different process in which you verify your residency before registering on TeacherEase.

Student fees for the 24-25 school year are not due at this time. We ask that you complete the registration process by Friday, April 19. Please use the link below which will walk you through the process of registration.

• Registration 24-25 School Year

Since switching over to our new system, TeacherEase, we've been updating attendance codes, etc. needed for the state and we will soon begin sending out attendance letters again. Below you will find an abbreviated attendance policy to hopefully make things a little easier to understand, so if you receive a letter, it will hopefully make more sense. If you do have any questions, we will be happy to address them.

*Students are excused for 7 days per year regardless of why they miss. (This will not count if a student is marked truant from the previous year.) You will receive a letter at 5 excused and 7 excused, just as an update or reminder of your student’s attendance.

*Anything after 7 days needs a doctor note to be excused.

*Any time a doctor note is supplied, it is counted as an excused absence.

*After 3 unexcused absences, a letter will be sent home reminding the parents/guardians about the amount of unexcused absences.

*After 5 unexcused absences, school is required to notify truancy and truancy will usually set up a meeting to discuss needs and/or further actions.

*Parents/guardians must call the office to let school know their student will be absent that day.

Policy Found in the Middle School Handbook

"Students shall be permitted no more than seven (7) excused absences, including vacations, per school year based upon parental/legal guardian confirmation for the reasons of the absence. After the student has been excused seven times in one school year, additional excused absences for illnesses may only be verified through a written medical statement from a physician.

After seven (7) excused absences, the school office will notify the parents/legal guardians by mail. Other excused absences will be limited to death in the family, a family emergency requiring the absence of the student (this must be approved by the administrator at the building level), religious reasons that prohibit attendance for a given time and/or other reasons determined by the administration. The parent/legal guardian must verify the reasons for such absences. If a student is sent home due to illness documented by school personnel or if a student’s absence is verified by a doctor’s excuse before the student has reached the limit of seven days (or classes) of excused absences, that absence will not count towards the seven days permitted by this section. If the student was sent home from school with fever, vomiting, diarrhea or at the nurse/administrator discretion, they will not be penalized with an unexcused absence and will not count toward the seven parent/guardian excused absences. The following day may also be included in instances of fever, vomiting, or diarrhea. All doctor notes must be turned in to the office in a timely manner or the administration has the discretion not to accept the doctor’s note. For extended absences, the administration may ask for updated documentation of the absence.

When a student reaches three (3) unexcused absences, a letter will be sent to the parent/legal guardian warning of future consequences related to attendance. At five (5) unexcused absences, the student will be referred to the DeKalb County Truant Office for intervention.

When counting unexcused absences, the district will count back 180 school days (i.e. unexcused attendance days from the previous year will be counted towards the student’s current school year attendance records). When requested, the student will be required to provide a doctor’s note. Notes and letters will be placed in the student’s temporary file."

Our new Visitor Check-In System has been a welcome addition to our school. As you know, our number one priority is the safety of your students, and this impressive system is a great upgrade for our school. Using a visitor's ID (state ID or Driver's license), this system will complete a quick background check by searching the US sex offender databases & criminal databases. Now that we have a new visitor check-in system, we will no longer ask parents to fill out a volunteer packet.

The Sandwich School District needs your help! Please consider joining us as a substitute teacher. Did you know you can make $120 a day as a substitute teacher? You can create a work schedule that fits your availability through the use of our Frontline app. Earn $120 a day and work when you want to. Please click below for more information.

https://dekalbcounty.org/departments/regional-office-of-education/roe-services/educator-licensure/substitute-teachers/

Please feel free to follow our Sandwich Middle School Facebook Page at https://www.facebook.com/people/Sandwich-Middle-School/100044267353557/ This is a place where we share celebrations, community information and school reminders for various events. Please note that all important information and announcements will go home to you in our newsletter, classroom newsletters or in your student's backpack. The page is not intended to be your primary source for communication, but instead an extra one. Please avoid sending messages or posting school related questions as the page is only monitored intermittently. Instead, always contact our school office for school related questions or to communicate about your student. We appreciate it!

Last year our District Culture and Climate Committee created a set of district Core Values. These values are designed to be the cultural base of our learning community. We are using these core values as a set of expectations for staff and students. We want to ensure that our learning community not only supports academic growth, but that it embraces a high set of cultural expectations.

These District Core Values were presented to the District Leadership Team and the Board of Education for input. We continue to implement these Core Values with students on a monthly basis. Please take a few moments to familiarize yourself with our core values.

• District Core Values

For those who would like to apply for free/reduced breakfast and lunch (fee waivers), please do so using the following link: https://www.freereducedlunch.com/sandwich430. Families who qualify for free/reduced breakfast and lunch (fee waiver) will also have their registration fees waived or reduced.

Please note that if you are applying for free and reduced breakfast lunch that this will be for the 23-24 school year only.

Applications for the 24-25 school year will not be available until July. We will post this information on our Facebook page and our website once the application process is open fro the 24-25 school year.

PLEASE NOTE: EVERYONE WILL NEED TO REAPPLY IN JULY WHEN THE NEW FORMS ARE RECEIVED FROM THE STATE OF ILLINOIS.

The district calendar for 2024-2025 has been adopted by the Board of Education and accepted by the state. The following link will take you to the district website link for the calendar.

• 24-25 District Calendar

Please make sure you have the following important dates marked on your calendar.

• April, 19 2024 School Registration Due

• April 27, 2024 Casino Night (Sandwich Education Foundation)

• May 15, 2024 Senior Awards Night

• May 19, 2024 SHS Graduation

• May 23, 2024 8th Grade Promotion

• May 27, 2024 NO SCHOOL

• May 28, 2024 School is IN SESSION

• May 29, 2004 School is IN SESSION

May 30, 2024 School is IN SESSION

• Due to multiple snow/emergency days this Winter, the district has updated the calendar for the remainder of the school year.
• As a reminder: Monday, April 1st is a student attendance day.