IMMS Family Flier
September 20, 2026
A Note from Ms. Thomas and Mr. Jondle
Dear Indian Mound Families,
What a great week at IMMS! Our students have been bringing wonderful energy and school spirit to the building and to after-school activities like volleyball and cross country. It’s exciting to see them building friendships, working as teams, and representing our school.
We’re also looking forward to Banner Day and Wacky Olympics on September 24th! Students are preparing during ARRE and building community with their teams as they get ready for a fun day of games, teamwork, and friendly competition.
Thank you for your continued support of our scholars and our school community. We are proud of all they are accomplishing!
In Service,
Jamie Thomas, Principal
Brett Jondle, Associate Principal
Top Topics :)
😀 Save the date for Family Conferences: October 28th and 29th
😀 Picture re-takes Sept 22. See more information below.
😃Banner Day and Wacky Olympics on September 24th
😃 No school on September 25th (staff professional development day)
😃Lockdown drill on September 21 at IMMS
Special Event
Important Dates
September 24: Banner Day and Wacky Olympics
September 25: No School
Oct. 12: Boys Basketball Registration 6:30
Oct.12-13: Timber-lee - 6th Grade
Oct. 14: 6th Grade No School
Oct. 26: Boys Basketball - First Day of Practice
Oct. 28: Family Teacher Conferences 3:30-7
Oct. 29: No School - PD Day
Oct. 29: Conferences 2:30-6:30
Oct. 30: No School
Looking ahead:
Nov. 4: 7th/8th Band Solo Festival 4:15-8:00 @ IMMS
Nov. 5: 6th Grade Band/Choir/Orchestra Concert 7:00
Nov. 18: Choir/Orchestra Solo/Ensemble 4:15-8:00 @ IMMS
Nov. 25-27: No school - Fall Break
Dec. 3: 7th-8th Orchestra Concert 7:00 @ PAC
Dec. 16: Choir Concert IMMS/MHS 7:00
Jan. 13: 7th/8th Band Concert 7:00
September Safety Drill: Lockdown Drill at IMMS
As a reminder, this week, IMMS will engage in a Lockdown Drill. More information can be found here.
Attendance information and tips
Ways to Submit a Doctor’s Note for Absences:
Text a screenshot of the MyChart appointment or document to (608) 579-0991
Email a screenshot or document of the MyChart appointment/doctor’s note to immsattendance@mcfsd.org
Bring a physical copy to the IMMS front office
If your child is sick but does not see a doctor in person, you can use the MyChart message center to submit your child’s symptoms and request a doctor’s note.
7th Grade Attendance Updates
This week, the 7th grade team identified and implemented schedule changes to address times of day when students were having difficulty arriving to class on time. Thank you for your patience as we work through these adjustments to our new schedule!
All 7th grade tardies recorded during the data-gathering and adjustment period, through Friday, September 18, will be excused. Regular procedures for marking students tardy when they are not in class on time will resume on Monday, September 21.
Family Information Regarding Student Learning
Below, you will find the "Hubs" (aka Task-List) for each grade level and Related Arts. You can click on the "Hub" to get information on what your scholar is doing in class, assignments, and assessments. As always, please use Infinite Campus to look up progress grades and turned in assignments.
Here are some helpful tips and videos that may be useful:
How to log-in to Infinite Campus (38 second video) or HelpDoc
How to check your scholar’s missing assignments (2 min. video) or HelpDoc
What are Conduct and Effort Scores? (2.5 min. video)
How to check your scholar’s Conduct and Effort Scores (3 min. video) or HelpDoc
Sixth Grade Information
⛺Camp Timberlee
Our 6th grade students will have an outdoor education experience at Camp Timber-lee on October 12 and 13 . We will be spending one night at Camp Timber-lee! We will leave school on the morning of Monday, October 12th, and return to school in the evening on Tuesday, October 13th.
Picture Retakes - September 22nd
Worth Repeating
😀Dropping off a student lunch at school? Please enter IMMS' main entrance (A Doors), and there you will find the "Lunch Cart" (image shown to the right). Please use a provided tag to label the lunch, and your student will be able to pick it up in the cafeteria at lunch time!
😀Opportunity to Support IMMS Staff Through Coffee Donations: Parents will often ask for ways to support the staff here at IMMS. If you are someone wishing to do just that, we have a great idea for you. Please consider providing caffeinated ground coffee or K-cups for our staff. You can either pick some up and drop it off at the main office at school or purchase it off of our registry on Amazon. Here is a link to our Staff Coffee Donations List on Amazon.
Thank you in advance.
😀 State Issued ID or Driver's License required: A quick reminder that all visitors to our buildings must have a state issued photo ID card or a valid driver's license with them the first time they register on the campus' Visitor Aware system. If a visitor does not have either form of identification, they will not be allowed into the building. Please keep this in mind as you visit any campus of the McFarland School District.
Health Services
6th Grade-Timberlee Health Information
If your child will need medication administered during Timber-lee camp, a medication consent form needs to be completed and medication turned in by Monday, October 5th.
Prescription medication requires a physician signature and a parent signature.
Non-prescription medication requires only a parent signature.
Any medication already at school that your child receives during the school day (emergency, daily, as needed) will be brought from school and does not need an additional consent form. Medication not currently at school/outside the school day requires completion of the medication consent form.
Medication must be sent in the original labeled prescription or over-the-counter container. Turn medication into the front office, health office, or a Unit 6 teacher (exact amount needed). Only emergency medication (EpiPens/Inhalers) and over-the-counter vitamins/melatonin may be self-carried and administered by the student, although a medication consent form is still required if not already on file.
If you are a parent volunteering for a portion of the trip, please keep and administer medication to your student. No consent forms are needed in this case. For any medications needing to be administered by health office personnel outside of your volunteer hours, the above procedures and consent form apply.
Over-the-counter medications (Tylenol, Ibuprofen, Tums, cough drops, allergy eye drops) will be available and administered based on parent consent provided during 2026-27 online enrollment.
IMMS Health Office (608)838-4672 & IMMS School Nurse (608)838-4671
WI School Immunization Requirements
Every school in Wisconsin is required by law to report their student’s vaccination status to the local health department 30 days after the start of school. See WI Student Immunization Law by Age/Grade Requirements (Spanish). Your student’s school health assistant will be sending out legal notices at that time if the school has no record or if your student’s immunization status is noncompliant. If you are not sure if your student is up to date with immunizations, you can contact your doctor's office/My chart, view on Infinite Campus, or look them up on the Wisconsin Immunization Registry. If you need access to a waiver (for personal, religious or health reasons) for any vaccination, please utilize the student immunization record (English, Spanish) see step 4 and return it to your student’s health office.
Vaccine Clinics: Public Health Madison & Dane County is partnering with neighboring School Districts to offer vaccine clinics to get and keep students up to date on their school vaccines. These clinics will take place at the below dates and times.
Tues, Sept. 29th: 4:00-7:00 pm: Sugar Creek Elementary, Verona
Tues, Oct. 6th: 3:00-7:00 pm: Sun Prairie Professional Learning Center, Sun Prairie
Sat, Oct. 10th: 10:00-2:00 pm: Savannah Oaks Middle, Fitchburg
Sat, Oct. 17th: 10:00-2:00 pm: Holtzman Center, Madison
Sat, Oct. 19th: 8:00-12:00 pm: Holtzman Center, Madison
To find out more information and to schedule an appointment, see the attached flyer, or visit publichealthmdc.com/schoolclinics.
Community Events and Programs
Village of McFarland Comprehensive Plan McFarland Youth Softball - Registration Closes November 1 Futura Spanish Classes at WIS - Register by September 28 Futura Spanish Classes at MPS - Register by September 30 Autism Society Madison Area Football Camp at MHS - October 10 E.D. Locke Library 6-12 Crochet Club - 1st and 3rd Wednesdays E.D. Locke Library 6-12 Un-Book Club - 1st Thursdays E.D. Locke Library 6-12 Teen S.T.E.A.M. - 3rd Thursdays E.D. Locke Library 6-12 Teen Hangout - 2nd and 4th Thursdays E.D. Locke Library 6-12 Snack & Chat - Mondays E.D. Locke Library 6-12 - Volun-Teen Program E.D. Locke Library 3-5 Graphic Novel Book Club - 3rd Tuesdays E.D. Locke Library 3-5 Dungeons & Dragons Club - 4th Tuesdays E.D. Locke Library K-5 LEGO Club - 2nd and 4th Wednesdays E.D. Locke Library 3K and 4K Little Bodies Big Feelings - September-April E.D. Locke Library Magic Tree House Book Club - September-May Free Triple P Positive Parenting Online Program for WI Families
A Message from the McFarland EC-8 PTO
Thank You, McFarland!
We are so excited to see so many Spartan shirts making their way into our community! We’ve already received SO MANY shirt orders, plus we had even more shirts sold during Picture Day. Seeing our students and families showing their Spartan pride means so much to us!
A very special THANK YOU to the amazing PTO volunteers who helped organize orders, coordinate Picture Day shirt sales, sort shirts, and make this fundraiser happen. We truly couldn’t do it without the time and energy our volunteers give to our school community. Order form stays on our website and socials and will continue.
As a reminder, we have a new website and email address, so be sure to check your spam for anything from mcfpto@gmail.com.
SAVE THE DATES — PTO MEETINGS
All meetings will be held at 7:00 PM in the McFarland Municipal Center Training Room.
• September 8 (Tue): Trunk or Treat, WIS Family Fun, Fall Fundraiser — Coffee
• October 7 (Wed): Conference Meals
• November 12 (Thu): Open House Nights
• January 5 (Tue): Conference Meals
• February 3 (Wed): Open House Nights, Spring Fundraiser — Read-a-thon
• April 8 (Thu): Staff Appreciation, No Hassle
• May 18 (Tue): All Parent/Principal
Trunk or Treat is coming!
We’ll soon be looking for volunteers to help make this year’s event a fun and memorable night for our students and families. Keep an eye out for more details and volunteer opportunities coming soon!
Thank you for continuing to support the McFarland PTO and our schools. We’re so grateful for this community!
Go Spartans!
District News
Suicide Prevention Month
September is Suicide Prevention Month. Suicide can affect anyone of any age, gender, or background. It’s the second leading cause of death for people ages 10-34.
Know the Signs
Suicide doesn’t usually happen out of the blue—most often, there are warning signs for others to see or hear. Get the FACTs (Feelings, Actions, Changes, Threats) and know the signs of suicidal thinking in your students, friends, and family members.
Feelings: Hopelessness, Rage, Uncontrolled anger, Seeking revenge, Feeling trapped, Having no sense of purpose in life
Actions: Acting reckless or engaging in risky activities, Withdrawing from friends, family, society, and typical activities, Increased use of alcohol or drugs, Giving away prized possessions
Changes: Decline in quality of school work, Dramatic mood changes, Anxiety, Agitation, Change in eating/sleeping habits
Threats: Threatening/talking about hurting self
If you are interested in learning more about suicide prevention the Department of Public Instruction has many resources including emergency resources on their website.
🎓McFarland School Board
Summary from the 9/14/26 School Board Meeting:
In addition to their regular duties of approving minutes, staffing, and expenses, here are some highlights from the meeting:
Dean Swanlund shared the first MHS student report of the school year
Dr. Sara Cutler, WVA Heads of Schools presented the annual WI Virtual Academies annual performance report.
Meredith Hughey and Bruce Fischer provided an update from the recent joint School Board-Village Board Planning Committee meeting
Megan Chatman gave a legislative update
Jeff Mahoney shared a 2026-27 budget and annual meeting update
Action items that were acted upon included:
Approval of notice of annual meeting and budget summary
Approval of a MHS International Trip request to Egypt in 2028
The next School District of McFarland School Board meeting is scheduled for October 5, 2026
District Recognition Days
September is......
Attendance Awareness Month
September is Attendance Awareness Month. Coming to school each day counts for a lot. Let's make sure we're here to learn, grow, and have fun.
Suicide Prevention Month
September is Suicide Prevention Month. This is a time to spread hope, share resources, and raise awareness. If you or someone you know is struggling or needs support, help is always available. Call or text 988 or chat 988lifeline.org to reach the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline
September 7: No school- Labor Day
Happy Labor Day! On this special day, we celebrate all the hardworking people in our communities and the achievements of the labor movement.
September 7-11: National Payroll Week
Thank you to our fantastic payroll and financial services staff!
September 11: 9/11 Remembrance Day
9/11 Remembrance Day is a time to reflect and honor those who were lost and the heroes who emerged during this tragic event. Let's always remember the strength that comes from unity and compassion.
September 15-October 15: National Hispanic Heritage Month
It's time to celebrate Hispanic Heritage Month! Learning about the histories, amazing cultures, and awesome contributions of Hispanic people from places like Spain, Mexico, and more is a fantastic way to discover how wonderfully diverse our world is!
September 15: National IT Professionals Day
Thank you to our Technology Services staff for doing the critical and often unseen work keeping our networks, applications, and services running.
September 16: Mildred Fish-Harnack Day
During WWII, Mildred Fish-Harnack became a spy and provided important secrets and information to the United States and Allied forces. Today we recognize her integrity and bravery.
September 17: U.S. Constitution Day
Today we recognize the document that created the foundation for our country's laws and government.
September 18: POW-MIA Recognition Day
POW-MIA Day recognizes those who were captured or went missing while in active military service. We always hope for knowledge or a safe return home.
September 23: Wisconsin Bullying Awareness Day
Bullying negatively impacts student connection, engagement, and sense of self. Let's work together to create a school where everyone feels safe and respected.
September 28: Frances Willard Day
Frances Willard was an educator and women's rights activist from Janesville, Wisconsin
The McFarland School District does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, ancestry, creed, pregnancy, marital status, parental status, sexual orientation, sex, (including gender status, change of sex or gender identity), or physical, mental, emotional, or learning disability (Protected Classes) in any of its student program and activities.