Intermediate Center Update

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Hello IC Families,

We can't wait to start the 2024-25 school year and welcome your child to our school! The first day is an exciting and nerve-racking day for many. Please reassure your kiddo that the adults at school will take good care of them. If it would help them get a preview of the day, please see below.

During the first day, students will:

• Arrive after 7:40 AM and wait outside until the 8:00 bell rings.
• Go to class at 8:00. Teachers will make sure all students find their classes.
• Spend time in class getting to know their teachers and classmates.
• Learn their new schedule and classroom routines.
• Visit recess and lunch and learn the expectations for those spaces.
• Go to recess and lunch. Staff will help and make sure everything goes okay.
• Go to their Tuesday specials classes.
• Get to know the building.
• Practice the end of the day routine. Adults will make sure all riders find the right bus. Remember, dismissal takes more time the first week, so buses will likely get home later than usual.
• Last, but not least, have fun!

Enjoy the Labor Day weekend, and we'll see you soon!

Katie Hauge

IC Principal

Parents and caregivers of 3rd grade students we ask that you attend our 3rd grade orientation on Tuesday, Sept. 10th at 5:30 PM. Come meet our staff and learn about your child's day at school. Our goal is to inform families of practices and procedures that are new as students transition to 3rd grade and upper elementary school. Come learn how to succeed in 3rd grade!

On Thursday, Oct 3 at 5:30 PM, we invite all 4th and 5th grade students and their families to come to school and learn more about their child's teachers, academic goals, specials classes, and school programs. We would love to see all 4th and 5th grade families attend and continue building a strong school-home relationship with this year’s teachers.

For more details, visit our website: https://www.mounthorebschools.org/schools/intermediate/our-school/back-to-school-.cfm.

School Supply Lists - Check here to find each grade level's school supply list.

Updated IC Family Handbook - It's hot off the press and posted here.

Wondering about the IC schedule? How about drop off or pick up? What number to call about an absence? Check our school procedures page here.

Need to find the lunch menu, add money to your account, or apply for free or reduced price meals? The School Nutrition webpage is the place to go. This year, we will be using LINQ Connect for online payments and lunch menus.

Looking for transportation information? Here is the page for you. Find out general information and bus riding expectations. Route information will be sent out from the Bus Garage before the school year starts.

Need help getting school supplies? Send a note to Mr. Buddy, and he'll be happy to make a plan with you.

Need student insurance? - If you are interested in voluntary student insurance coverage for the school year, please go to the 1st Agency website here. The brochure will provide options and prices associated with their coverage.

One of the best ways to keep school safe is to report concerning behavior with school administrators and our police department when a concern arises.

If you have traveled by airplane, you are familiar with the regular announcements to report any suspicious activity to the Department of Homeland Security. “If you see something, say something” also applies at school.

When students hear of situations where someone might get hurt, or they see someone harming another person, they are taught to report the issue to the supervising adult. This could be the classroom teacher or the duty teacher at lunch or recess. If students hear something outside of school or on the bus, they can still come to the office to report the issue directly to Ms. Hauge, the IC principal, or share what they heard or saw to office staff.

Parents, guardians, and community members can also report issues of safety or concern to the school. This could be done:

• via phone at 437-7406
• via email to Ms. Hauge or another staff person
• stopping into the office in person
• through Speak Up, Speak Out (see below)

Speak Up, Speak Out is a free statewide threat reporting tipline available to all Wisconsin schools, providing students with immediate, accessible confidential adult support 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. SUSO harnesses the power of bystanders, addresses concerns early, and provides opportunities for early intervention and harm prevention. SUSO gives students a tool to break the culture of silence and connect with adults who can help.

How to report:
* Call 911 if this is an emergency or a crime in progress.
* Go to https://speakup.widoj.gov/ and “Submit a Tip”
* Download the Speak Up, Speak Out app from the Apple Store or Google Play
* Call 1-800-MY-SUSO-1 to speak to a live, trained SUSO Analyst (does not receive texts)
* Text “SUSO” to 738477 to receive a link to our anonymous P3 tip form

To learn more about SUSO, visit their webpage here.

From the Wisconsin DOJ’s Office of School Safety 2023 SUSO Annual Report:

“A healthy school climate promotes a sense of belonging and connectedness among students, prioritizes emotional skill building and coping during difficult times, and ensures that help is available to those in need. Tips to SUSO create intervention opportunities for struggling students. The promotion of SUSO as a safe place to report concerns is part of building a healthy reporting culture of help seeking over secrecy.”

Research shows that students who miss 9 or fewer days of school in one academic year in Kindergarten and 1st grade are more likely to be reading on grade level by 3rd grade. Building the habit of good attendance early on is key to academic and social emotional success long-term. Said another way, by letting your child miss today, you give them permission to ditch later. Missing school in the early grades teaches them it's okay to miss school when they are older.

Here is a resource to help your family build healthy school attendance habits.

Absences beyond a total of 10 days are considered unexcused. These absences may only be excused if a medical provider’s note is provided. Absences that are medically excused do not accrue toward the 10 allowable absent days. Families are encouraged to seek and provide a professional note in order for an absence to be marked as medically excused.

Students sent home from school due to fever, vomiting, or other symptoms of illness will also be marked medically excused.

Unexcused absences occur when a parent does not contact school to report the absence or a student exceeds their 10 allowable absent days without a medical excuse.

At the beginnging of every year, we ask all families to review our handbook to familiarize yourself with our processes and procedures, such as:

• Arrival and Dismissal
• Attendance

• Breakfast and Lunch
• Celebrations and Food
• Toys
• Anti-Bullying/Harrassment/Intimidation
• Safety Drills
• Speak Up, Speak Out

Sept. 3 - First Day of School

Sept. 10 - Third Grade Orientation - 5:30-6:45

Sept. 18 - IC School Photo Day

Oct. 3 - 4th & 5th Grade Open House - 5:30-6:45

Oct. 4 - Homecoming

Oct. 16 - Unity Day (Wear Orange)

Oct. 17 - IC Photo Retakes

Oct. 24-25 - No School

Oct. 31 - Fall Parties

Nov. 6 - End of First Quarter

Nov. 12 & 14 - Parent-Teacher Conferences

Nov. 22 - 5th Grade Music Program - 2pm, HS Auditorium

Nov. 27-29 - No School

Dec. 6 - IC Orchestra Debut Concert - 4pm, IC Location TBD

Dec. 20 - Winter Parties and All School Bingo

Dec. 23-Jan. 1 - Winter Break

Jan. 20 - Martin Luther King Jr. Day/Teacher In-Service - No School

Jan. 24 - End of First Semester

Feb. 14 - Friendship Parties

Feb. 28 - No School (Make-up day if needed)

March 7 - 4th Grade Music Program - 2pm, HS Auditorium

March 13 - Parent/Teacher Conferences

March 24-28 Spring Break

April 4 - End of Third Quarter

April 18 - No School

April 22 - Earth Day

April 25 - 3rd Grade Music Program - 2:00 PM, HS Auditorum
May 1 - 4th and 5th Grade Orchestra Concert - 7:00 PM, HS Auditorium

May 5-9 - Staff Appreciation Week

May 26 - Memorial Day - No School

May 27 - 5th Grade Tie Dye - Volunteers Needed

May 28 - 4th Grade Tie Dye - Volunteers Needed

May 29 - 3rd Grade Tie Dye - Volunteers Needed

June 6 - Field Day - Volunteers Needed

June 11 - Last Day of School

Every little bit helps, and there's no more cutting out!

Use the Box Tops for Education app to submit your receipt (paper or digital) and select the IC. We get $0.10 for every General Mills item you submit, and sometimes there are great bonuses for $4 or $5. Check out what products qualify here.

We use the money raised for school celebrations and recess equipment like kickballs, basketballs, chalk, etc. We'd really appreciate your support in this program. Thank you for considering!!

Need social-emotional support for your child? Need to problem-solve or check-in with our Student Services team members? We have a team of highly qualified staff who stand on the ready to support you and your student. You can call the main office at 437-7406 to be connected to our team, or you can send them an email directly.

Dean of Students: Megan Erickson, ericksonmegan@mhask.k12.wi.us

School Counselor: Buddy Sigmon, sigmonbuddy@mhasd.k12.wi.us

School Social Workers: Sophie Langkamp, langkampsophia@mounthorebschools.org, and Megan Handrick, handrickmegan@mhasd.k12.wi.us (Note - Megan Handrick is starting the school year on leave. Please contact Sophie Langkamp.)

School Psychologist: Patrick Kumke, kumkepatrick@mhasd.k12.wi.us

School Nurse: Christy Staats, staatschristy@mhasd.k12.wi.us

Intermediate Center Mission: Working together to develop lifelong learning skills in an encouraging environment where everyone is ensured high levels of learning.

Viking Vision - We see a school where:

• Our environment and practices are safe and positive for all.
• Learning is a lifelong process that involves the whole child and their well-being.
• Staff collaborate with each other to identify and best support all student needs.
• Students are resourceful problem solvers.

Principal: Katie Hauge

Secretary: Christine Swiggum

Website: mounthorebschools.org/schools/intermediate
Address: 200 Hanneman Blvd, Mount Horeb, WI
Office Phone: 608-437-7406; Attendance Phone - 608-437-7200 Option 3