IMMS Family Flier

Dear Indian Mound Families,

We had such a fun and memorable day on Thursday celebrating Banner Day and Wacky Olympics! Students showed incredible spirit—supporting one another, working together, and having a great time building community as a school. It was wonderful to see our Spartans come together with such energy and positivity.

As a reminder from our recent email, for safety reasons all students are required to walk their scooters, bikes, and any other wheeled transportation while on school grounds, including sidewalks leading up to IMMS, the sidewalk in front of the building, and the path between the middle and high school. This expectation is in place to ensure everyone’s safety during busy arrival and dismissal times.

Thank you for your continued support in helping us make IMMS a safe and welcoming place for all students.

In Service,

Jamie Thomas, Principal

Brett Jondle, Associate Principal

1. Students are required to walk scooters, bikes, etc on school grounds

2. Family Conferences (Scroll down to the "Family Conferences" section for more details) :

• Families will receive an email to sign-up on 10/8/25
• The window to sign up will be Oct 8 through Oct 14th. Sign ups will close at midnight on Oct 14th. This allows time for our staff to properly prepare.

3. 7th and 8th Grade Boys Basketball Sign-Up is open

4. Successful Safety Drill

5. Don't forget to check out the Family Info for Student Learning

• October 1-2: Bridging Brighter Smiles. See Health Services section for more information.
• October 3: Monthly Celebration Assembly 8:30am
• October 6-7: Timber-lee trip for 6th graders
• October 6-10: Homecoming Week - see flyer below
• October 7: Boys Basketball Meeting
• October 8: 6th Grade - No School
• October 18: Trunk or Treat sponsored by the EC-8 PTO 1-3
• October 22 (evening) and October 23 (afternoon): Family Conferences
• October 23 & 24: No School
• 25-26 IMMS Sports: LINK

Dear IMMS Families,

Fall conferences are coming soon! Below is important information about scheduling a conference with your scholar’s teacher(s). Thank you for your ongoing involvement. A strong home-school partnership has always been critical to student success.

Conferences will be held on October 22 after school, 3:30-7:00 and on October 23rd 2:30-6:30. Please email the teacher if these times/days do not work for you.

6th Grade Families: For conferences, you will meet with your scholar’s “cored pair” (the two teachers that teach science/math and social studies/English language arts).

7th and 8th Grade Families: To streamline and simplify the middle school conference experience, each family who signs up for conferences will meet with their scholar’s core 2 teacher. The core 2 teacher will share information about academic progress in all core classes. If you feel it is important to meet with a teacher other than your scholar’s core 2 teacher, please email the teacher you wish to meet with directly

Related Arts & other specialists: Teachers will be available for drop-in conferences (no appointments required) on October 22nd after school 3:30-7:00 pm and on October 23rd 2:30-6:30, If you prefer to schedule a conference with a Related Arts teacher rather than dropping in, please email them to schedule a time. Here are the emails for Related Arts Staff.

We hope you can join us for Fall conferences. Conferences are not mandatory. To help make the conference efficient and effective, please communicate any questions and/or concerns to teachers before the conference. Sending this information in advance allows teachers to be better prepared to provide answers and/or strategies during the conference.

How to sign-up (see image below): You will receive an email from either your child’s cored pair (6th grade) or your child’s Core 2 teacher on October 8th. The sign-up platform will be Google Appointments. The sign-up for conference will close on October 14th at midnight. This deadline is important in order for our teachers to prepare.

If you have signed up for a conference and something comes up within 24 hours of the scheduled time/day and cannot attend, please contact the teacher directly.

As a reminder, we have many opportunities to communicate student progress with families throughout the year.

• Two family conferences. One is in the Fall, and the other is in the Spring. Families are encouraged to communicate with teachers beyond these scheduled conferences.
  
  

• Report cards are available on Infinite Campus after each semester (or quarterly for Related Arts classes).
  
  

• Infinite Campus is available for families to check on student progress

• Here are Infinite Campus “How to” videos and screenshots 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

We need your partnership in addressing an important safety concern. Recently, we have seen an increase in students riding e-scooters on school grounds. Riding them on campus poses a significant safety risk to students and staff using the sidewalks.

To ensure everyone’s safety, all scooters, bikes, skateboards, and similar items must be walked, not ridden, once on school property. Additionally, they are not allowed to be ridden through the grass/landscape. This includes:

• The sidewalk leading up to the middle school from Exchange Street

• The sidewalk/walkway in front of the middle school

• The path connecting the middle school and the high school

• The sidewalks directly in front of the high school

We ask families to remind their students of this expectation and support us in ensuring it is consistently followed. By walking bikes, scooters, and other wheeled items on school grounds, we can prevent accidents and maintain a safe environment for all members of our school community.

Additionally, we are collaborating with the McFarland Police Department to educate our students about scooter safety when they are off school grounds. Stay tuned for more information.

Thank you for your cooperation and commitment to keeping Indian Mound a safe and welcoming place for everyone.

6th graders wrapped up their Children and Families unit with a Child Development project. Each group of students brought in a favorite children's book from home. Groups picked an age group (preschool or school-aged) and developed 4 activities based around P.I.E.S (physical, intellectual, emotional and social) development related to the theme of their book. Some groups also brought in a book-related snack to share!

The First Meeting will be Tuesday Oct 14th, Afterschool - 4:15

Art Club is open to all students

It is an open drawing studio with many different media available each week.

Come and draw with your friends!

Things to know about Art Club:

• It meets every Tuesday

• You must fill out this google survey to apply

• There is a $5 fee to cover supplies for the whole year!

• It will be super fun!

Meets every Thursday - bring your lunch and learn about painting. Print this application or pick it up in Ms. Sandy’s room.

They are due Wednesday October 15th

Link to Application

Do you believe that art can change the world?

Art Ambassadors are 8th graders who use art as a way to build community. Come see what we are about on…

Thursday October 16th

Afterschool - about a 15 minute meeting

The Art Room

One of the most exciting things about IMMS is that we have multiple clubs and activities for students to be a part of. Check out our Daily Announcements LINK for clubs and co-curriculars. Try something that interests you!

This past Wednesday, September 24, 2025, IMMS participated in a Lockdown Drill. The students and staff did a wonderful job, in partnership with our local law enforcement! The drill lasted approximately 17 minutes from start to finish due to everyone's preparation. Our next safety drill will be in October to practice our evacuation skills (e.g. Fire Drill). More information to come your way next week!

If your son is interested in participating in the upcoming middle school boys basketball season, please make sure you and your son attend our IMMS Boys Basketball Meeting on Tuesday October 7th at 6:00 p.m at IMMS.

The athletes and parents will start in the IMMS Cafeteria for a short video on our code of conduct as well as information regarding sports registration. After that meeting is complete the 7th grade boys will stay in the cafeteria and meet with their coaches and the 8th grade boys will go to room 161 to meet with their coaches. The grade level meetings will go over the season practice and game schedule, season expectations, and provide you with information regarding the upcoming season. The season will start on Monday October 27th.

Online registration through Infinite Campus is now open.

IMMS SPORTS REGISTRATION INSTRUCTIONS

1.Complete the Winter Sports Registration on Infinite Campus.

2.Pay the $95 sports fee via Infinite Campus

3.Attend the sports meeting set up by the head coach at IMMS.

4.Have a current WIAA Medical Clearance/Eligibility form on file with the athletic department, dated after 3/31/2024. Physical forms need to have a doctor's signature, the date of exam, and a parent signature to be complete. Forms are available in the high school office or by accessing this link WIAA Medical Eligibility Form . Once the form is completed, please email it to Leah Poulos at poulosl@mcfsd.org as a PDF attachment. We will update Infinite Campus with your child's physical date and file the form. Physical forms are good for 2 school years.

NOTE: All steps need to be completed before an athlete can practice.

IMMS Sports Registration Instructions

1. Log into the Infinite Campus Parent Portal

2. Select "School Store" on the index.

3. Click "Shop" under IMMS

4. Click "Products" under Sports

5. Click "View" under the Sports Registration Product

6. Read all instructions

   1. Open Athletic Code link and read

   2. Open Concussion & Sudden Cardiac Arrest info and read

   3. If your child needs a physical, open and print the Physical Form link

7. Select the student you are registering in the "Recipient" drop-down

8. Select the sport for that student in the "Activity Options" drop-down

9. Click the link titled "Sports Registration Form" and fill out all information.

10. On the last page of the Sports Registration Form, sign the document by clicking on the red icon that resembles a piece of paper and pencil.

11. In the Sign/Decline Dialog box, click "Sign".

12. Click Submit

13. NEW

    : Under "Optional Uploads" you can upload your student's signed physical form, if applicable.

14. Click "Add to Cart"

15. Optional - if you have other children to sign up for sports, repeat the above for them.

16. IMPORTANT:

    Go to "My Cart" EVEN IF THE AMOUNT YOU OWE IS $0.00 . Enter in the payment information.

17. Click "Submit" on the cart checkout page. You should receive a receipt to the email that is displayed on that page.

Directions and Screenshots can be viewed with this LINK

How to locate your child's physical date on Infinite Campus

• Use the following link to login to Infinite Campus Parent Portal

• Click on the three horizontal bars (menu) located at the top left hand corner

• Select "More" and look for the selection "Athletic Registration"

• Make sure to have your child selected in the top right hand corner of the page

• If the physical date is listed after 3/31/2024 then the physical is good for the school year.

If you have any questions, please contact Leah Poulos at poulosl@mcfsd.org or 838-4505

Some kids are ready to go; others may need support. A parental mindset shift, trusting your child’s capabilities, can make the process smoother.

What to Consider Before Granting More Freedom

1. Maturity
What can your child do independently? Start with what they’re already capable of. For example, a child who hasn’t yet packed their own lunch or walked beyond the neighborhood may only be ready for small freedoms.

2. Conscientiousness
Does your child follow rules? Can you rely on them to meet expectations for safety and responsibility when unsupervised?

3. Challenges
Are there mental health, developmental, or learning considerations—like ADHD, anxiety, or autism—that might affect readiness? Chronological age alone doesn’t determine whether a child is ready.

4. Willingness to Learn
Will your child ask for help when they need it? Mistakes are inevitable, so it’s important that children feel comfortable saying, “I don’t know; I need help,” and that you’ve fostered an environment where that’s acceptable.

What is Chronic Absenteeism?

Definition: Chronic absenteeism means missing 10% or more of the school year

10% = 18 days or 2 days a month

Why It Matters: These absences, even if excused, can add up and impact your child's success.

If your child seems to be avoiding school, please connect with Student Services so we can partner with you to support them.

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

• IMMS Standards Based Grading Presentation

• Be on Time! School starts at 8:20am. Students who arrive after 8:20am (without a medical note/appointment note, etc.) will be marked as tardy. After five tardies in one quarter, a check in meeting with the student, as well as contact home will occur to partner on ways to get the student to school on time.
• Off and Away! Cell phones and headphones must be off and away starting at 8:15am.
• Caffeinated Drinks: students may not consume caffeinated drinks at school from 8:15am-3:30pm.
• Respect the Bubble: An area of focus this year is to teach and re-teach the importance of having students keep their hands, feet, and objects to themself. If you see this behavior, please continue to reinforce the "Respect the Bubble" expectation

McFarland High School athletes enjoy positive support from their fellow students, parents, and the community. We continue to welcome elementary, intermediate and middle school students to the high school games and we want to create the best possible circumstances for their safety.

In order to maintain a safe environment at our home games, the following practices will be enforced:

• Elementary, intermediate and middle school students need to be accompanied by an adult in order to gain entrance into the stadium. Adults bringing elementary and intermediate students must sit with those students during the game. Middle school students accompanied by an adult can sit at the top of the designated student section or sit with the adult that brought them.

• “Carry-ins” by all spectators will not be allowed. Items include bottled or canned beverages, soda fountain cups, footballs, frisbees, etc.

• All students are expected to be in the stadium seats cheering for the Spartans unless they are using the restroom or concessions. For everyone’s safety, no football games or similar activities that would encourage running and throwing of objects are allowed. It is expected that our students are NOT playing on the IMMS playground or running around the IMMS school grounds. Re-entry to the event is NOT allowed.

It's important to remember that while our high school football games are a wonderful community event, they are intended as an opportunity to support our Spartans by watching and cheering for the team.

Level 1 Archery Workshop

Ready to take aim? MRAP is partnering with NASP® to offer a beginner-friendly archery workshop for grades 4–8. Learn fundamentals of technique, focus, and concentration with certified instructors Chris Duerk (MHS PE) and Cyndy White (MSD Outdoor Education). All equipment provided—no experience needed!

Fri, Oct. 24 (No School Day) • 9–11 AM
MHS A-Gym
$45 Res / $58.50 Non-Res • Min/Max: 8–24
Register by Mon, Oct. 13 at MRAPNews.com

Run by McFarland Recreation, Aquatics & Play (MRAP). For questions or special accommodations, contact MRAP@mcfsd.org or 608-838-4666.

More to come...

• Blood Drive in Memory of Brooke Strattan - October 3

• Free Sales for Families Event - October 4

• McFarland Community Ice Arena Hocktober Fest - October 4

• Stoughton Health Grades 4-6 Safe@Home Program - October 9

• Madison Ballet Rock the Ballet - October 10-12

• Stoughton Health Grades 6-8 Safe Sitter Program - October 11

• WI Association for Talented & Gifted Facebook Group

• Southern WI Skating School Learn to Skate Program - September 6-October 25

• MGM Youth Wrestling “Give it a Try” Open Mat Dates - October 7 - November 5

• Madison Ballet 2025-26 Academic Year Information

• Futura 2025-26 Spanish Program at MPS and WIS

• E.D. Locke Library Teen Snack & Chat - Mondays

• E.D. Locke Library Teen UnBook Club - First Thursdays

• E.D. Locke Library VolunTeen Program - Third Tuesdays

• E.D. Locke Library Teen S.T.E.A.M. - Third Thursdays

• Free Triple P Positive Parenting Online Program for WI Families

Join McFarland students and community members in the McFarland Parade on Sunday, September 28!
Celebrate by wearing traditional clothing from our Hispanic countries or something that represents your culture—such as a T-shirt, national flag, hat, or musical instrument. You’re also welcome to bring candy to share with children along the parade route.

Bridging Brighter Smiles Dental Clinic will be back at IMMS on Wednesday & Thursday October 1st & 2nd for their fall visits! It's not too late to enroll! See flier information for more details and how to enroll; as well as the MSD Health Service website for additional Dental Resources.

⭐New this school year 2025-26, no cost for all students due to a grant fund for BBS!

• Online Enrollment Form – Spanish – Bridging Brighter Smiles

• Online Enrollment Form – English – Bridging Brighter Smiles

Attention 6th-Grade Families,

We are beginning our preparations for all-things Timber-lee, occurring on Monday, October 6th- Tuesday, October 7th. If your child will be taking medication during this trip, a medication consent form must be completed (all sections for prescription medicines and sections 1 and 3 for non-prescription medicines) and returned to the health office prior to Monday, September 29th. If your child currently receives medication at school during the day, this will be brought from school and given during the trip. If we have not received a medication form for your student with a parent/guardian signature and/or Physician signature, we cannot administer medication during the trip. Please review the Medication Consent Form Directions for more details and contact the IMMS Health Office with questions.

Lauren Neesam, School Nurse: neesaml@mcfsd.org

Krisy Oestreich, Health Assistant: Oestrek@mcfsd.org

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 “behind schedule”. 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 you can look them up on the Wisconsin Immunization Registry using your child's social security number and/or Medical ID. 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 and SSM Health to offer school 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 in Madison.

• Wed, October 1st: 3:00-7:00 pm: Professional Learning Center, Sun Prairie

• Sat, October 4th: 12:00-4:00 pm: Savannah Oaks Middle, Fitchburg

• Tues October 7th: 4:00-7:00 pm: Sugar Creek Elementary, Verona

• Sat, October 11th: 10:00-2:00 pm: Holtzman Center, Madison

• Fri, October 17th: 10:00-2:00 pm: Holtzman Center, Madison

• Sat, October 18th: 10:00-2:00 pm: Holtzman Center, Madison

• Mon, October 20th: 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.

Staff in the McFarland School District are committed to providing a safe, secure, and healthy environment that allows all students to maximize their learning potential. The board of education and school staff consider bullying to be detrimental to the health and safety of students and disruptive to the educational process.

What is bullying?

The Centers for Disease Control defines bullying as “any unwanted aggressive behavior(s) by another youth or group of youths, who are not siblings or current dating partners, that involves an observed or perceived power imbalance and is repeated multiple times or is highly likely to be repeated. Bullying may inflict harm or distress on the targeted youth including physical, psychological, social, or educational harm”.

Three consistent components of bullying are:

• imbalance of physical or emotional power,

• repeated across time or student who was bullied, and

• intent to cause physical or emotional harm.

Bullying can be physical (e.g., hitting, kicking), verbal (e.g., name-calling, threatening), or social/relational (e.g., purposeful exclusion, spreading rumors) and can occur in person or electronically (cyberbullying).

Are staff trained?
Schools are successful when they help children grow academically, socially, and emotionally. For this to happen, it is imperative that we have a safe environment that is supportive and conducive to growth. By setting clear social and behavioral expectations, it is our goal to create an atmosphere for learning. The McFarland School District takes bullying very seriously, including all instances of perceived bullying. These are documented, investigated, and addressed by building administration and student services staff. Numerous efforts have been initiated with our student body and staff to bring greater awareness to this topic, which includes our efforts to continue developing stronger student to student and staff to student connections.

What can caregivers do?

To be most effective, bullying prevention efforts are the shared responsibility of caregivers, staff, and community. Caregiver involvement in the school sets a positive example for children. As a caregiver, you can:

• Discuss the seriousness and negative effects of bullying behaviors.

• Work together with the school to develop a consistent approach to bullying behaviors.

• Set a good example. Children learn more by actions than from words.

• Contact the school to report bullying concerns that your child shares with you.

What is school policy on bullying?

Here is more information about our bullying policy.

What bullying prevention work is being done?

October is National Bullying Prevention Month. During the month of October, each school will engage in a variety of learning opportunities regarding bullying prevention and reporting with our students. Beyond the month of October we will continue our commitment to social-emotional learning, diversity, equity, and inclusion efforts as these initiatives have a direct impact on maintaining a positive school climate for all students.

Please do not hesitate to reach out to the principal of your child’s school to share concerns and ideas and discuss this topic further

The next School District of McFarland School Board meeting is scheduled for October 6, 2025.

Click HERE for a link to the McFarland School Board agendas and minutes.

Click HERE for a link to the McFarland School Board meeting recordings and upcoming YouTube live streams.

Attendance Awareness Month

Suicide Prevention Month

National Hispanic Heritage Month September 15-October 15

• September 1 - Labor Day

• September 1-5 - National Payroll Week

• September 11 - 9/11 Remembrance Day

• September 16 - Mildred Fish-Harnack Day

• September 16 - National IT Professionals Day

• September 17 - US Constitution Day

• September 17 - Wisconsin Day

• September 19 - POW-MIA Recognition Day

• September 22-24 - Rosh Hashanah

• September 28 - Frances Willard Day

Daily Schedule

Daily Announcements

Day A/Day B Schedule

Student Services Support Contacts

McFarland School District Website

McFarland School District App

McFarland Youth Center Website

IMMS Athletics Calendar

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.