Oriole's Nest
August 11, 2023
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
IMPORTANT UPCOMING DATES
August 22, 2023 - Fall Sports Pictures
August 23, 2023 - Volleyball Teacher Appreciation Night
August 24, 2023 - Football Tailgate
September 4, 2023 - Labor Day - NO SCHOOL!
UPCOMING ATHLETIC EVENTS
Mr. Will Mahan, Athletic Director/Dean of Students
Ms. Joni Johnson, Athletic Trainer
Football Tailgate - August 24, 2023
Our Athletic Department will be hosting a student tailgate on Thursday, August 24th, prior to the football game against Brownsburg East Middle School. If your child chooses to go to this event, they will simply stay after school and meet in the East Gym. School staff will then walk students from South to the football stadium which is located by Intermediate East. The cost for the tailgate is $5, this will include 2 pieces of pizza, a drink, and admission to the game. Payment will be cash only. Payment will only be accepted during lunch on Tuesday, August 22nd, and Wednesday, August 23rd. Payment will only be accepted during lunches on these 2 days. Money must be sent with students to school and not dropped off during the day. Concessions will also be available during the game. Admission to the game will be free for students.
If your child has a Student Season Pass, the student will not need to pay anything for the tailgate, their Student Season Pass will get them into everything mentioned above.
Students will be required to sit in a designated student section once the game starts, if not accompanied by an adult. The football games will end around 8:30pm. We ask that all parents are there to pick up their child at 174 South Avon Avenue (Football Stadium) before 8:30pm. You must pick-up your students from the main gate at the stadium no later than 8:30.
Thank you for your support in encouraging school spirit amongst our student body.
Fall Sports Pictures
Fall Sports Picture Day will be Tuesday, August 22nd.
Mr. Mahan will send out more information soon regarding Fall Sports Pictures.
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
AMS South Spirit Wear
Order are due to the main office by Wednesday, August 16, 2023.
Celebrating Birthday's This Week!
Happy Birthday
to our students celebrating a birthday this week:
Niseny Parfait
Abby Austin
Izzy Uhl
Bini Leulseged
Connor Smith
Cadence Cosby
Yaphet Gurmu
Moses Orobiyi
Audrey Fitzwater
Gemma Rehm
Isabella Stucker
Connor Highbaugh
Gurjot Saini
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 continue to read Ji-li Jiang's memoir and analyze her text about her time growing up during the Cultural Revolution. They will receive root word list #2 on Monday. In Social Studies, we will begin discussing Governments, Economies, and Population. In Science, we will finish up our Scientific Method unit with a project -- Scientific Method Comic Strip. Students will be working on this during class. LAST DAY FOR LATE WORK: AUGUST 17th. We will then begin learning about the metric system. In Math, we will be dividing integers and reviewing the order of operations. Pre-Algebra students will be finishing up Module 3 to get ready for our first test on Thursday/Friday.
Grizzlies News
Mrs. Barnes, Mr. Blackmore, Mrs. Boroff & Ms. Weinstein
In Language Arts, students began reviewing foundational Grammar knowledge through the study of narratives. Each day students are responsible for continuing their progress in researching various word stems, Next week we’ll pivot from Grammatical features into more Narrative heavy discussions as we prepare to start Red Scarf Girl. Math students will continue working on their computing integers by learning dividing integers and applying their knowledge to use the order of operations. The first test is scheduled for Tuesday, August 22nd. Pre-Algebra students will be wrapping up their rational numbers (integers, fractions, decimals) computation unit with a test on Thursday, August 17th. Social Studies students will be starting unit 2. We will be discussing what is culture!! What makes us like people from all around the world and what makes us different. We will learn about the characteristics of culture like language, religion, sports, activities, clothing, food, music etc. In Science this week, we worked on understanding how to write an If..then.. hypothesis statements and how to identify independent and dependent variables. We applied this new knowledge during our chocolate lab and watching a Mark Rober’s shark experiment. Next week we will complete a comic strip project for our end of unit assessment and then begin working on measurements and conversions to help us with recording data throughout the year. **Please make sure that your student has turned in their Lab Safety Form so that they are able to fully participate in labs. Labs account for 40% of their science grade.
Jaguars News
Mr. Leach, Mrs. Miller, Mrs. Ringham & Mrs. Schaffer
Mr. McDonald, Ms. Schaber, Mrs. Shambaugh & Mr. Thoennes
Language Arts
Mrs. Ringham - Language Arts students will begin reading the memoir “Red Scarf Girl” and explore her experiences as a child during the Cultural Revolution.
Mr. Thoennes - Students will continue reading Red Scarf Girl.
Math & Pre-Algebra
Mrs. Schaffer - In 7th Grade Math, students will continue to multiply and divide integers. Students in Pre-Algebra will continue to solve problems with rational numbers.
Mrs. Shambaugh - Students will continue to work on operations with integers.
Science
Mrs. Miller - Science students will be completing their first big project on the Scientific method. All Science late work is due by Thursday. Metric system unit begins Friday.
Ms. Schaber - Students will be completing their first big project on the scientific method, meaning all late work will be due on Thursday. They will then be starting the metric system.
Social Studies
Mr. Leach - Social Studies students will be finishing up Unit 1 and take a test on landforms and climate. They will then begin Unit 2 on governments and economics.
Mr. McDonald - Students will be finishing our unit on landforms and geography with a "build your own country" project.
Foresters News
Mrs. DeBow, Mr. Goson, Mrs. Mellen & Mrs. Zimmerman
Mr. McDonald, Ms. Schaber, Mrs. Shambaugh & Mr. Thoennes
Language Arts
Mrs. Zimmerman - Students will continue working through the "Going Solo" excerpts in unit 8A. Reminder, all PowerPoint can be found on Schoology along with what was due that day.
Mr. Thoennes - Students will continue reading Going Solo by Roald Dahl while working on writing dialogue and analyzing pace.
Pre-Algebra & Algebra
Mrs. DeBow - Algebra students will learn about functions, domains, and ranges. Pre-Algebra students will test over probability on Wednesday, August 16th.
Mrs. Shambaugh - Students will finish the probability unit and will take their first test on Wednesday, August 16th.
Science
Mr. Goson - Students will engage in activities to practice utilizing the scientific method in preparation for our quiz Friday, August 18th.
Ms. Schaber - Students will be continuing to learn about the scientific method, on Friday they will have a quiz over the scientific method. This means all late work is due Monday for 8th grade.
Mrs. Hood - Biology students will continue their ecology studies. We will be learning the importance of keystone predators and build a food web showing how their ecological disaster, they selected last week, impacts the food web they build.
Social Studies
Mrs. Mellen - We will be finishing Unit 1 over exploration and trade. We have our first unit test on Tuesday, August 15th. We will start Unit 2 on Wednesday, August 16th.
Mr. McDonald - Students will be finishing up Unit 1 on the Age of Exploration with the Mercantilism and Trade Games.
Greyhounds News
Mrs. Warthan, Ms. Kegley, Mr. Casey & Mr. Osen
In Science, students will be investigating the scientific method. Biology classes will be investigating Ecology principles through their chosen eco-disaster. In Algebra, students will work with functions, domains, and ranges. Pre-Algebra classes will take a probability test on Wednesday. They will also begin exploring algebra tiles. In Social Studies, students will be testing over Unit 1 (Worlds Meet) & beginning Unit 2 (Colonization). Language Arts classes will be learning strategies to control the pace of their writing and reading excerpts from Roald Dahl’s “Going Solo.”
Panthers News
Mrs. Hood, Mr. Rodgers, Mrs. Taylor & Mr. Williams
In Social Studies, the Panther team will have a test over Unit 1 on Tuesday. Students already have a study guide. We will begin studying the 13 colonies next. Pre-Algebra students will continue finish our probability unit with our test on Wednesday. We will review the order of operations and combining like terms the rest of the week. We will review the important vocabulary and concentrate on simplifying expressions. Algebra students will be finishing up the unit on functions. We will graph stories in context, create function machines and investigate growth patterns. Our test will be on Friday August 18th. Science students will continue working on the scientific method with a bug run lab. Friday, 8-18 we will be taking our first quiz over graphing and variables. Biology students will continue their ecology studies. We will be learning the importance of keystone predators and build a food web showing how their ecological disaster, they selected last week, impacts the food web they build. Language Arts students will read and work with multiple excerpts from Roald Dahl’s book Going Solo. There will be multiple assignments done online in the Amplify program.
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 (*Quarter 2 -4* Flight & Space and Medical Detectives),
and Mr. Tarnowski (Digital Literacy & Communication)
Spanish
Next week students will be learning numbers from 0-100 and having a quiz on spelling numbers from 0-20.
Japanese
The Japanese class topics will be: numbers 1-10, asking for items, and polite expressions.
Thank you to the parents who have sent in tissues and hand sanitizer! If you have not yet done this, please send these in soon, if possible. Thank you!
Computer Science
7th grade students will be starting and wrapping up their Captioned Scene project.
8th grade students will be working on inputs and outputs within the Microbit.
Art
Next week we are continuing our clay unit by finishing our slab building mug and moving into our coil building vessel.
7th grade Engineering and Design & 8th grade Gateway to Technology
7th Grade- We will be starting our puzzle cube project on Monday 8/14. Students will be making a bigger cube using smaller cubes that will fit together. They will be expected to draw and 3d model this cube before putting their pieces together.
8th Grade- We will be starting the phone stand project on Monday 8/14. Students will be measuring the dimensions of their phone then creating a sketch of a design that they want to make in the shop. They will do a Multiview sketch, 3d model, and then finally make it in the shop after passing the safety test.
Digital Literacy & Communication
Next week in Digital Literacy and Communication, the students are preparing a demonstration. At the start of the week, they'll be selecting "How To" topics, like "how to fold an origami crane," and throughout the week they'll be scripting and practicing until we all present on Friday!
Robotics
Robotics 1- Students will finish building and evaluating various gear mechanisms.
Robotics 2- Students will finish and present pull toy projects and will be introduced to the dragster build assignment.
PE/Wellness News
Mrs. Fair, Mrs. Lucas & Mr. Jackson
This is week we will be finishing up our units of flag football, soccer and components of fitness. We also will have our First unit assessment this Friday which will test knowledge of the current unit your child is in. Students will also see an assignment on Schoology that will need to be completed by Friday. It is important that students take time to study the study guides that are posted in Schoology to practice for what is on the assessment. As always make sure students are prepared with clean P.E. clothes ready to go on Monday! Thank you. Enjoy some pictures of students working out in the fitness unit.
Music Department News
Mr. Basso (Band), Ms. Szymkow (Band), Mr. Miller (Orchestra) & Mr. Nelson (Choir)
Band
In band right now, we are moving quickly through our new materials and continuing to learn new routines. The 4th period 8th grade class received two new pieces of music that we'll start to prepare for the Veteran's Day Program.
Choir
In choir, we have begun investing in our daily routine involving: Song of the Day, Sight Reading, then Repertoire work. All students have new music in their hands that we are working through! Show choir auditions will occur in two weeks time, forms going to those interested in-class this Friday.
Orchestra
7th grade has started their second piece and has been working hard reviewing techniques from last year and building upon them. Students should be reviewing note names.
8th grade has played through 3 of their 4 pieces for their September concert and have had a playing test already over the D Major Scale with more challenging rhythms.
Private Lessons start this week. Please make sure private teachers are paid in a timely manner.
Polo shirt forms and money are due Thursday.
Chamber orchestra auditions are due August 31s via video submission on Schoology.
Please continue to support your students by encouraging them to practice and by asking them to play for you at home!
Media Moments with Ms. Sever
Media Center
Ms. Sever
Next week in the library, 7th grade ELA classes will visit for their second checkout. We will go over expectations for being Accountable, Respectful, and Engaged in the library.
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.
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
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.
- Deadline to Purchase Coverage: September 4, 2023
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
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