Immokalee Middle School

(Perseverance - Responsibility - Integrity - Diversity - Excellence)

Dear Immokalee Middle School Families,

As we step into September, I want to thank you for a strong start to the school year. Our students are settling into routines, building relationships, and engaging in meaningful learning experiences. This month, we begin our first round of Progress Monitoring (PM1) assessments in ELA and Math, scheduled for September 10th and 17th. These assessments help us understand where each student is academically and guide our instruction to meet their individual needs.

We ask for your continued partnership in supporting student success. Please help us by:

• Monitoring attendance – Every day counts! Students who attend regularly are more likely to succeed.
• Checking grades – Stay informed through our parent portal and encourage your child to stay on top of assignments.
• Supporting learning at home – A quiet space, regular routines, and encouragement go a long way in helping students complete homework and study effectively.

Together, we can ensure that every student at Immokalee Middle School reaches their full potential. Thank you for your ongoing support and commitment to our school community.

Warm regards,

Jose L. Hernandez
Principal, Immokalee Middle School

SPANISH

Mensaje del Director – Septiembre 2025

Estimadas familias de Immokalee Middle School:

Al comenzar el mes de septiembre, quiero agradecerles por un excelente inicio de año escolar. Nuestros estudiantes ya están estableciendo rutinas, formando relaciones y participando activamente en experiencias de aprendizaje significativas. Este mes realizaremos nuestra primera ronda de evaluaciones de Monitoreo del Progreso (PM1) en Artes del Lenguaje Inglés (ELA) y Matemáticas, programadas para los días 10 y 17 de septiembre. Estas evaluaciones nos ayudan a comprender el nivel académico de cada estudiante y a adaptar nuestra enseñanza para satisfacer sus necesidades individuales.

Les pedimos que continúen colaborando con nosotros para apoyar el éxito de sus hijos. Pueden ayudar de las siguientes maneras:

• Monitoreando la asistencia – ¡Cada día cuenta! Los estudiantes que asisten regularmente tienen más probabilidades de tener éxito.
• Revisando las calificaciones – Manténganse informados a través del portal para padres y motiven a sus hijos a mantenerse al día con sus tareas.
• Apoyando el aprendizaje en casa – Un espacio tranquilo, rutinas constantes y palabras de aliento son clave para que los estudiantes completen sus tareas y estudien de manera efectiva.

Juntos podemos asegurarnos de que cada estudiante de Immokalee Middle School alcance su máximo potencial. Gracias por su continuo apoyo y compromiso con nuestra comunidad escolar.

Con aprecio,
Jose L. Hernandez
Director, Immokalee Middle School

Haitian Creole

Mesaj Direktè a – Septanm 2025

Chè fanmi Immokalee Middle School,

Nou kòmanse mwa septanm lan ak anpil rekonesans pou bèl demaraj ane lekòl la. Elèv nou yo ap mete tèt yo nan bon jan abitid, ap devlope relasyon, epi ap patisipe nan aprantisaj ki gen sans. Mwa sa a, nou pral fè premye evalyasyon Siveyans Pwogrè (PM1) nan Lang Angle (ELA) ak Matematik, ki pwograme pou 10 ak 17 septanm. Evalyasyon sa yo ap ede nou konprann kote chak elèv ye akademikman epi pèmèt nou adapte ansèyman nou pou satisfè bezwen yo.

Nou mande sipò w pou kontinye ede pitit ou reyisi. Men kèk fason ou ka ede:

• Siveye prezans yo – Chak jou konte! Elèv ki vini regilyèman gen plis chans pou yo reyisi.
• Tcheke nòt yo – Rete enfòme atravè pòtay paran an epi ankouraje pitit ou pou li fè devwa li.
• Sipòte aprantisaj lakay – Yon espas trankil, abitid regilye, ak ankourajman se kle pou elèv yo fè devwa yo epi etidye byen.

Ansanm, nou ka asire chak elèv nan Immokalee Middle School rive nan tout potansyèl yo. Mèsi pou sipò w ak angajman w pou kominote lekòl nou an.

Avèk respè,
Jose L. Hernandez
Direktè, Immokalee Middle School

Morning student drop off time, update.

Student morning drop off will be at 8:00 A.M.

Do not drop your student off at school before 8:00 a.m.

IMS Main Office hours will be 8:00 A.M.- 4:00 P.M.

🧠 Brain Builders

Hello IMS Families!

Here’s what your amazing students are building in math class this month:

🧮 6th Grade: We’re exploring how fractions, decimals, and percents connect in real-world ways.
Standards: 6.NSO.2.3 & 6.NSO.3.5

🔢 7th Grade: Students are evaluating numerical expressions and strengthening their number sense.
Standards: 7.NSO.1.1, 7.NSO.2.1, 7.NSO.2.2

⚖️ 7th Grade Advanced: We’re solving equations and inequalities—a big step into algebraic thinking!
Standard: 7.AR.2.2

🚀 8th Grade Pre-Algebra: Learning how scientific notation helps us work with really big and really small numbers.
Standards: 8.NSO.1.3–1.6

📈 8th Grade Algebra: Transitioning from solving linear equations to solving linear inequalities.
Standard: 9.12.AR.2.6

📊 Fun Math Fact:
The number zero wasn’t always part of math! Ancient civilizations like the Romans didn’t use it at all. It was first used in India over 1,500 years ago and changed math forever!

Thanks for partnering with us to grow strong math minds. We’re excited for a great year ahead!

Warmly,
Tamzon Reed-Hamilton
IMS Math Coach

September 1 -Labor Day No School

September 9 -Eye Screening 6th Grade

September 11 & 12 -Naples Artis 7th Grade

September 18 SAC meeting 8:15 a.m. room 3-108

September 23 Teacher Planning Day (No School for Students)

September 25 & 26 School Pictures

Science

6th: September is a busy and exciting month in 6th grade science! Students will be exploring the vastness of space and learning just how enormous the universe truly is. They'll discover that space is filled with billions of galaxies, each containing billions of stars, and begin to understand the incredible distances between celestial objects using concepts like light travel. Students will also dive into the physical properties of stars—such as brightness, temperature, size, and luminosity—and create models to explore solar features like sunspots, solar flares, and the Sun’s rotation. Additionally, they'll learn how Earth compares to other objects in our Solar System in terms of gravity, movement, temperature, and atmosphere. By the end of the month, students will have a deeper understanding of how our planet fits into the larger structure of the solar system, galaxy, and universe.

7th: In science class this month, our 7th graders will continue diving into the fascinating world of cells! Students will explore how cells function to keep organisms alive and balanced—a process known as homeostasis. They'll learn how cells extract energy from food, eliminate waste, and reproduce. Additionally, students will compare plant and animal cells, examining the structure and role of key organelles such as the cell wall, cell membrane, nucleus, cytoplasm, chloroplasts, mitochondria, and vacuoles. Through hands-on activities and engaging discussions, students will build a strong foundation in life science and begin to understand how microscopic processes impact living organisms.

8th: September is full of discovery in 8th grade science! Students will begin by exploring atomic theory, learning that atoms are the smallest units of elements and are made up of subatomic particles—protons, neutrons, and electrons. They'll also investigate the differences between mixtures and pure substances, and learn how to classify compounds such as acids, bases, and salts based on their properties. Through hands-on labs and engaging discussions, students will build a strong foundation in chemistry that will help them understand the building blocks of matter and how substances interact in the world around them.

In addition, our advanced science students in all grade levels will begin preparing for the school-based Science Fair, which will take place later in the year. Winners will have the opportunity to advance to the Collier County Regional Science Fair and potentially qualify for the Florida State Science and Engineering Fair—the largest academic competition in the state! Past winners have even earned scholarships, making this a prestigious and rewarding experience for our young scientists.

If your student is interested in an after-school science club, please be on the lookout for more information from our science coach, Ms. Palmatier

ELA

We’re off to a fantastic start this school year, and the ELA Department is thrilled to welcome each and every one of our students! As we move into the second month, our classrooms are buzzing with energy, collaboration, and a love for learning.

🎯 Instructional Focus: SWIRL
Our instructional focus is SWIRL – Speaking, Writing, Interacting, Reading, and Listening. Through engaging, student-centered activities, we aim to foster critical thinking and meaningful learning experiences.

📘 Grade-Level Highlights

6th Grade
Students will dive into the short story "Eleven" by Sandra Cisneros.

• Spotlight Benchmark: ELA.6.R.3.1
• Focus: Figurative Language
• Clarification: Students will explore metaphor, simile, alliteration, onomatopoeia, personification, hyperbole, and idiom to understand how figurative language shapes tone and meaning.

7th Grade
Students will explore Rudyard Kipling’s "Rikki-Tikki-Tavi."

• Spotlight Benchmark: ELA.7.R.3.1
• Focus: Figurative Language & Allusions
• Clarification: Students will analyze metaphor, simile, alliteration, onomatopoeia, personification, hyperbole, idiom, and allusion to deepen their understanding of tone and meaning.

8th Grade
Students will read "A Night to Remember" and "Address to the Nation on the Explosion of the Space Shuttle Challenger."

• Spotlight Benchmark: ELA.8.R.1.3
• Focus: Perspective
• Clarification: Students will analyze how authors develop and individualize character perspectives, understanding the difference between perspective and point of view.

✍️ Writing Focus Across All Grades
This month, students will be working on expository writing, including:

• Planning essays
• Crafting strong introductory paragraphs
• Citing sources
• Writing body paragraphs with clear topic sentences

📖 Encouraging Independent Reading
We’re also encouraging students to read a variety of books and take AR (Accelerated Reader) quizzes to build reading stamina and comprehension.

Thank you for your continued support in helping our students grow as readers, writers, and thinkers. We’re excited for all that’s ahead!

Warm regards,
The ELA Department

Social Studies

Welcome to September, a month filled with meaningful and required instruction in social studies for Florida middle school students. This time of year brings a focus on foundational topics like the Declaration of Independence, the U.S. Constitution, and the Bill of Rights, as well as a deeper understanding of the events and impact of September 11, 2001. Guided by Florida Statute 1003.42, these lessons help students explore the core principles of our democracy, such as natural rights, the rule of law, and civic responsibility. During the last full week of the month, schools also observe Celebrate Freedom Week, where students engage more deeply with the Declaration of Independence and its lasting significance. Parents can support this learning at home by asking questions about what their child is learning, watching short videos or reading together about these topics, and sharing personal reflections, especially surrounding 9/11 or the values embedded in our founding documents. These conversations help make history relevant and encourage students to think critically about their role as informed and engaged citizens.