Oriole's Nest
April 19, 2024
Avon Middle School South
Email: msattendance@avon-schools.org
Website: https://www.avon-schools.org/mssouth
Location: 7199 East US Highway 36, Avon, IN, USA
Phone: 317-544-5700
Twitter: @avonsouth
ACSC 2023 - 2024 School Calendar
ACSC 2024 - 2025 School Calendar
IMPORTANT UPCOMING DATES
4/23 - ILEARN Testing Starts - see schedule below
5/7 - Orchestra Concert - more information to come
5/9 - Band Concert - more information to come
5/14 - Choir Concert - more information to come
ILEARN Testing Schedule
ELA
Computer Adaptive Test (CAT)
- Tuesday, April 23 & Wednesday, April 24
Performance Task (PT)
- Thursday, April 25 & Friday, April 26
Math
Computer Adaptive Test (CAT)
- Tuesday, April 30 & Wednesday, May 1
Performance Task (PT)
- Thursday, May 2
Biology
Computer Adaptive Test (CAT)
- Thursday, May 9
UPCOMING ATHLETIC EVENTS AND INFORMATION
Mr. Will Mahan, Athletic Director/Dean of Students
Ms. Joni Johnson, Athletic Trainer
Baseball
4/22 AWAY vs. Zionsville Middle School 5:30PM
4/25 AWAY vs. Brownsburg East MS 5:30PM
Good luck!
Softball
4/22 AWAY vs. Zionsville MS 5:30PM
4/25 AWAY vs. Brownsburg East MS 5:30PM
Good luck!
Track & Field
4/22 HOME vs. AMS North/Brownsburg East/Tri-West 5:30PM
4/25 HOME vs. AMS North 5:30PM
Good luck!
Girls Tennis
4/23 AWAY vs. Brownsburg West MS 5:30PM
4/24 HOME vs. Plainfield Community MS 5:30PM
Good luck!
Boys Golf
4/22 HOME vs. AMS North 5:00PM
4/25 AWAY vs. Brownsburg West MS/Lebanon JHS 5:30PM
Good luck!
Athletic Physicals 2024/2025 School Year Important Information
In an effort to help prepare for the 2024-2025 school year, Hendricks Regional Health has set up physical days to provide high quality, low-cost pre-participation physical exams.
Who
2024-2025 middle school and high school students from Hendricks Regional Health-partnering schools needing a pre-participation physical.
When/Where
- Sunday, April 21 at HRH YMCA Avon – 301 Satori Parkway, Avon {Enter Door 15 on East side of the building}
- Sunday, April 28 at DePauw University (Indoor Tennis and Track) – 100 W Hanna St, Greencastle {Enter off of W. Hill Street}
- Sunday, April 28 at Wabash College Knowling Field House {Enter off Jennison Street Parking Lot}
- Sunday, May 5 at Hendricks Regional Health Danville Hospital –1000 E. Main Street, Danville {Enter through East Entrance}
Sign-Up Here!
https://www.hendricks.org/sportsphysicals
Cost
$25.00 A portion of the fee goes back to the schools.
What to Bring
- Physical Form — Completed printed paper copy of the IHSAA Pre-Participation History Form (updated form link to come after April 1st from IHSAA)
- Glasses/Contacts for vision testing (if necessary)
Student Season Passes - South Hosted Athletic Events
The season pass for students is offered through EventLink. EventLink is the online ticket platform that we use for athletic events at South. The student will simply need to show the barcode via cellphone to the ticket taker when entering a game.
The link to purchase this ticket is below:
https://websites.eventlink.com/s/avon-middle-school-south/Tickets/Passes/2900/276
STUDENT INFORMATION
Celebrating Birthday's This Week!
Happy Birthday
to our students celebrating a birthday this week:
Gaige Gillett
Gloria Kamuanya
Tyson Berry
Lorelai Marks
Steven Tapia
Antonio Rodriguez
Logan Highfield
Tom Babalola
Conner Feeney
Matthew Stamm
Mya Smith
Tatum Zinyemba
Ai My Le
Study Tables
National Junior Honor Society will offer after school study help sessions on Wednesday’s after school from 4:10 - 5:00PM. Students will then go to the front commons area and wait for the late bus or parent pick-up. During this time, there will be a supervisor with the students while they wait for the late bus to arrive. Students that will be a car rider home on these days can be picked up at door 1 at 5:00PM.
If your student will be staying for the study session and they need bus transportation home they must sign up for the late bus in the Guidance Office at lunch that day. For those students taking the late bus home, the bus will leave AMS South at 5:10pm.
TEAM NEWS
Each week your child's team will give an update about the current week or week ahead. Please find your child's team below for that information. In addition, you will find news from our Encore teachers, Media Center, and PE/Wellness teachers.
Cardinals News
Mrs. Dugan, Mrs. Williams, Mr. Schubert & Mr. Uhl
In Language Arts, students will be taking the Language Arts ILearn test next Tuesday-Friday! Please make sure everyone eats breakfast and gets plenty of sleep. In class, students will be working through a checklist of activities related to Edgar Allan Poe and Sherlock Holmes. Next week in Social Studies we will begin learning about Japan and Korea. In Math7, we will be learning about probability. In Pre-Algebra, we will be learning about Algebraic Functions. Next week in Science, we will finish our CSA and complete a lab where we identify minerals through various tests!
Grizzlies News
Mrs. Barnes, Mr. Blackmore, Mrs. Boroff & Ms. Weinstein
Next week students will be taking their Language Arts I-LEARN Exam! Make sure students get ample amounts of rest before testing so they are prepared to do their best. In English Language Arts next week students will largely be working through a series of Edgar Allen Poe brain teasers and application puzzles to keep them engaged after they are done with testing. Social Studies students will be starting our unit over Japan and the Koreas. Starting with the history of the feudal system, samurai, shoguns, through the imperial rule. In Science, we will be finishing up our end of unit performance task of creating a detailed diagram of the rock cycle. These are due on Tuesday, April 23rd. We will also be investigating minerals and how they differ from rocks. Math students will begin their unit on relative and theoretical simple probability. The test is scheduled for Friday, May 10. The last day for all MATH late work will be Friday, May 3. Pre-Algebra students will be taking their transformations test (translations, reflections, rotations, and dilations) on Tuesday, April 23 and Wednesday, April 24. After the test students will begin a unit on algebraic functions with the test scheduled for Friday, May 10. The last day for all MATH late work will be Friday, May 3.
Jaguars News
Mr. Leach, Mrs. Miller, Mrs. Ringham & Mrs. Schaffer
Mr. McDonald, Ms. Schaber, Mrs. Shambaugh & Mr. Thoennes
Language Arts
Mrs. Ringham - Language Arts will be discovering the impact of Poe’s invention of the genre “Murder Mystery” and how it inspired other authors to create famous detective stories such as Sherlock Holmes.
Mr. Thoennes - Students will be continuing to learn about Edgar Allan Poe.
Math & Pre-Algebra
Mrs. Schaffer - In Math 7, students will be practicing determining the likelihood of simple events. We will use data to determine and compare experimental probabilities to theoretical probabilities. These topics will highlight and help us review key skills like working with fractions and percents during ILEARN. Pre-Algebra students will be learning about what a mathematical function is and how to identify a function from a table, maps, graphs, and equations. We will learn how to represent functions with different models, and how to use those models to compare rates of change.
Mrs. Shambaugh - We will begin our unit on Probability.
Science
Mrs. Miller - In Science students will be finishing up our Dynamic Earth unit with a project on the Rock Cycle. We will then be headed into talking about renewable and nonrenewable resources.
Ms. Schaber - We will be finishing and turning in our CSA for the rock cycle on Wednesday. We will then be discussing minerals and their properties.
Social Studies
Mr. Leach - Social Studies students will be starting unit nine on Japan and the Koreas. All late work for unit eight China is due by the end of next week.
Mr. McDonald - Students will learn about early Japanese History.
Foresters News
Mrs. DeBow, Mr. Goson, Mrs. Mellen & Mrs. Zimmerman
Mr. McDonald, Ms. Schaber, Mrs. Shambaugh & Mr. Thoennes
Language Arts
Mrs. Zimmerman - On Monday students will review their 7th grade ILEARN scores for ELA before testing starts on Tuesday. They will then continue reading Frankenstein Volume II chapter 7.
Mr. Thoennes - Students will be reading Volume III of Frankenstein.
Pre-Algebra & Algebra
Mrs. DeBow - All students will review state standards as we prepare for ILEARN testing next week.
Mrs. Shambaugh - We will review 8th grade standards as we prepare for ILEARN testing.
Science
Mr. Goson - Next week we will continue our chemistry unit by taking a look at balancing chemical equations.
Ms. Schaber - We will be continuing our unit on reactions. We will be learning how to write out chemical reactions.
Mrs. Hood - Biology students will be presenting their “Human Genetic Disorder Projects.”
Social Studies
Mrs. Mellen - Next week, we will be studying Sectional Differences, Important Compromises Pre-Civil War, and the presidencies of Taylor, Fillmore, Pierce, and Buchanan.
Mr. McDonald - Students will learn about the causes of the Civil War.
Greyhounds News
Mrs. Warthan, Ms. Kegley, Mr. Casey & Mr. Osen
In Science, students will be mastering the fine art of balancing chemical equations. Biology classes will be reviewing for their I-Learn exam. In Pre-Algebra, students will be pulling it all together: students will review and make connections between all the 8th-grade standards. Algebra classes will be studying biased Questions and Misleading statistics. In Social Studies, students will recognize how sectional differences led to the Civil War. In Language Arts, students will be continuing to read Frankenstein and taking the ELA portions of the ILearn test.
Panthers News
Mrs. Hood, Mr. Rodgers, Mrs. Taylor & Mr. Williams
In Language Arts, students will take their quiz over Frankenstein Volume II on Monday. They will then be reading the third and final volume of the book the rest of the week. Science students will be counting atoms and learning vocabulary terms to chemical equations. Biology students will be presenting their “Human Genetic Disorder Projects.” Pre-Algebra will continue our unit on transformations. We will be focusing on writing in math, reviewing our skills with Review/Previews, and gearing up for the big ILEARN test next week. Algebra students will continue working on our last unit covering Data and Statistics. We will be discussing sampling methods and biased questions. We will also spend a few days solving equations that have WAY too many variables. We will continue to brush up on topics covered in ILEARN that are not part of the Algebra curriculum. Social Studies: This week, we will explore the causes of the Civil War, focusing specifically on the "Decade of Conflict" that spanned between 1850 and 1860.
Encore News & World Languages
Señora Barker (Spanish), Mrs. Hauptmann (Japanese), Mr. Parr (Computer Science),
Mrs. Leonard (Art), Mr. McFarlin (Engineering and Technology), Mr. Wolf (Robotics),
Mrs. Snyder (Flight & Space and Medical Detectives),
and Mr. Tarnowski (Digital Literacy & Communication)
Spanish
Students continue to practice Ir (to go) verb usage and conjugation. Students will also take notes over question words and practice asking and answering questions. Students will practice asking questions about where they are going (ir) and what they are going to see (ver).
Japanese
The Japanese class topics will be recognizing kanji, drawing katakana from memory, declining invitations, settling on agreeable times.
Computer Science
7th graders will be finishing up on inputs for keyboard and mouse, and then moving on with the interactive card project.
8th graders will be wrapping up their safe project presenting them on Friday.
Art
Next week students will create a sculptural pinch pot bowl.
7th grade Engineering and Design & 8th grade Gateway to Technology
7th and 8th grade - Students will be finishing up their Toaster Tong activity and will start working on new projects. 7th Grade will be starting the puzzle cube project, and the 8th graders will start working on the Light box project.
Digital Literacy & Communication
This week in Digital Literacy, we started our second unit – Narrative Writing – by learning the components of a good story and how they are interconnected, using short films, dialogue, and texts as examples.
Robotics
Robotics 1- Students will work within groups to design and build a wind turbine.
Robotics – Students will continue working in groups to design, build, and test dragster projects.
Medical Detectives
Medical Detectives will finish their first project. We will then begin learning about the nervous system.
Flight & Space
Flight and Space will be finishing their first project for flight. We will then begin our space unit.
PE/Wellness News
Mrs. Fair, Mrs. Lucas & Mr. Jackson
PE students are on their second rotation of pickleball, ultimate frisbee and fitness. We will also take a break from units for a few days during the shortened classes due to ILEARN testing. Students will still need to change clothes each day.
Music Department News
Mr. Basso (Band), Ms. Szymkow (Band), Mr. Miller (Orchestra) & Mr. Nelson (Choir)
Band
All band classes are working on their 3 songs for the spring concert slated for Thursday, May 9th. Please get this date added to your family calendar if it isn't already.
Choir
In choir we are getting our 8th graders ready for their high school auditions. We are also working towards the music in our Spring Concert, May 14, 6:30pm in AMS South auditorium. Free admission, so come hear some singing before we go to summer!
Orchestra
Students are hard at work on their new music! We only have a short time before our May concert. Keep encouraging these students to play for you at home, even if it is only a couple of measures. All recordings are on Schoology for the students to be listening at home as well.
8th Grade/Chamber King's Island Trip: Money/Permission slip past due. Trip is on Saturday, May 18th. Students need to report to South at 7:45am. More info to come.
Spring Concert: Tuesday, May 7th @ 6:30pm. Students report at 5:45pm. All students are required to stay for the entirety of the program. 7th Grade students will wear their all black concert polos, pants and shoes. 8th grade students are encouraged to wear their own version of nice concert clothing. In the past, students have worn nice dresses, khakis with a shirt and tie, etc. This is their last concert at the MS, and we want to have them look their own personal best.
8th Grade HS Audition/Playing Test Final: Mr. Powell has visited our classes to hand out high school audition and final information. This information on Schoology as well. This is a required part of students' grades, and it is due May 8th by midnight. Students should have completed the 3 scales already and should be focusing on the "General Etude" or "Symphony" excerpt, and should primarily be working on this on their own. There are practice videos to go along with the materials to help students that were created by the HS orchestra students.
Paige's Music Step-Up Night: Paige's Music is hosting an Instrument Step-Up night here at South on Monday, April 29th from 5 - 7pm in the Library for those interested in a nicer instrument.
SUMMER CAMP REGISTRATION: Avon MS Summer Camp is June 24-28 at AMS North from 9-11:45am. Registration forms have been passed out to students. Camp Fee is $115, and the form is due by May 17th.
Chamber Orchestra End-of-Year Party: We will have a combined Chamber Orchestra party at North on Tuesday, May 21st from 5:45 - 7:15pm. We will play our instruments altogether as one big chamber orchestra, play some games and then we will be providing students with pizza, cake and ice cream. Check ParentSquare for more updates.
Thank you!
-Mr. Miller
Media Moments with Ms. Sever
Media Center
Ms. Sever
April is National Poetry Month. In the library and on Sora, we have a variety of poetry books and novels written in verse. Novels in verse are typically fiction stories written in poems. They are accessible to many readers because of the short and descriptive nature in which they are written. Some novels in verse that your student might like to check out include:
Other Words for Home by Jasmine Warga
The Crossover by Kwame Alexander
Starfish by Lisa Fipps
Red, White, and Whole by Rajani LaRocca
Garvey’s Choice by Nikki Grimes
To try out a book of poetry or a novel written in verse, check out any of these titles from the AMS South Library or Sora!
OFFICE PROCEDURES
AMS South's Attendance Policy
ABSENCE PROCEDURE
If a student is absent from school, the PARENT must call the school by 10:00 A.M. to report the absence. If no call is received, the automated school system will make an effort to contact the parent, but if NO PARENT CALL has been received by 3:00 P.M. the day following the absence, the student will be charged with an unexcused absence. You may also send an email to us to notify us of your child's absence at msattendance@avon-schools.org.
EARLY DISMISSAL INFORMATION
** Please be advised that we cannot take early dismissal information over the telephone. **
If your child needs to leave school early during the school day please send a note in with your child to bring to the office first thing in the morning or email us at
msattendance@avon-schools.org with all the necessary information: students name, date and time picking up, and the name of the person picking your child up if someone other than a parent or guardian will be picking up. This email will go directly to the front office secretaries and they will be able to get your child an early dismissal pass so that they can be in the front office when you are ready to pick them up. If you are unable to email us we will need you to come into the office with your valid ID, once we verify it is a parent/guardian picking up we will be able to call the student down for dismissal.
If someone other than a parent or guardian will be picking up your child we MUST have this information in writing from a parent/guardian. Please include his or her name on the note or email. Once we verify their photo ID then the student can sign out and leave.
If leaving early for a doctor/dentist/orthodontist appointment, please provide verification note from the appointment to the main office to ensure that the absence is excused.
Using this email will ensure your child will get a pass out of class to be in the office. Please do not use Parent Square to send a message to your child's teachers as we cannot guarantee that this message will get to the front office to get your child a pass. Our teachers are very busy throughout the day and may not be able to check Parent Square often, or if the teacher is out that day we would not get that message in the front office in time to get your child an early dismissal pass.
We want to make sure that your information is getting to the right person in a timely manner, and hopefully prevent any miscommunication or missed messages.
Pre-Arranged Absence Form
• I-Learn
• During semester exams
• When the requested absence would push the student’s attendance record into excessive absence status or if the student has surpassed the allowable number of absences.
Below is our Pre-Arranged Absence form.
AMS South Visitors Policy
For Visitors to our Building
Avon Schools require all visitors to check-in at the front office using our visitor management system, Safe Visitor. This system requires visitors to scan their driver's license or state identification card for a check of their record. A temporary badge is provided to all visitors to wear while in our buildings. As our visitors leave school, they scan and return that badge to front office staff.
Entering the Building
Anyone entering our building beyond the front office will need to have a valid photo ID with them so that they can be checked in through our Safe Visitor Solutions system. You will be given a badge to wear while in the building so that you are identified as a visitor. When leaving you will return to the front office so that we can check you out of Safe Visitor Solutions and take your badge.
Visiting Students during Lunch
At this time, we are allowing parents/guardians to have lunch with their child during their specified lunch time in our commons area outside of the cafeteria. Parents must follow our policy for entering our building listed above; present a valid photo ID and be checked into our Safe Visitor system. Please take note that this process may take a few minutes to get you checked into our system so please allow for a few extra minutes for that process.
**If someone other than a parent/guardian would like to have lunch with your student, we MUST have that information in writing in advance from a parent/guardian. You can either send a note in with your student to bring to the office when they arrive at school in the morning, or you can email our attendance line with the information at msattendance@avon-schools.org
GUIDANCE OFFICE NEWS
21st CENTURY SCHOLARS
7th and 8th grade parents: Your children may be eligible for a college scholarship!
If your child qualifies for free and reduced lunch they are automatically enrolled in the 21st Century Scholars Program.
View the form below for more information.
STUDENT LAPTOP RENTAL INSURANCE
Worth Ave. Group Laptop Insurance
Avon Community Schools has chosen Worth Ave. Group as the vendor of choice to insure school-issued laptops. Insurance with Worth Ave. Group will protect the device against: Accidental Damage, Theft, Fire, Flood, Natural Disasters, Power Surge and Vandalism. This insurance policy will provide full replacement cost coverage and will protect the item worldwide (on and off school grounds). The policy is also transferable to a replacement unit. Insurance plans may be purchased online. Please note this insurance does not cover accidental loss of the laptop, and families will be charged the full replacement cost for a lost device.
- Coverage Term: July 18, 2023 - July 18, 2024
- It is up to you to renew yearly.
STUDENT HANDBOOK
COMMUNITY NEWS
Homework Hotline
Need help with Math and Science homework?
Call the Homework Hotline
1-877-ASK-ROSE
Click below to visit their website
Mary Lee Maier Community Pantry Information
The Mary Lee Maier Community Pantry is available to Avon school families and employees.
Every Thursday from 5:00 - 6:00PM (when school is in session)
at Avon Intermediate School East
Please do not arrive before 4:30PM due to AIS bus/school traffic
Enrollment is simple. Please complete your 2023 - 2024 enrollment before you shop. Below you will find more information for enrollment, please click the link below.