IMMS Family Flier

Dear Indian Mound Middle School Students and Families,

Our Family Fun Night is quickly approaching on February 27th from 5:30-7:30 pm. We need several volunteers to help at the Family Fun Night to ensure it goes off without a hitch. Please click on this Family Fun Night Volunteer Sign-UP and see below for details.

Also, you will be receiving Family Conferences sign-up information next week. Please look for those emails in your in-box.

Thank you for your continued partnership in making IMMS a place where all students feel supported and empowered. As always, please reach out if you have any questions or thoughts to share. We are grateful for your involvement and look forward to a great month ahead!

Warm regards,

Jamie Thomas, Principal

Brett Jondle, Associate Principal

2-hour delay schedule

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

McFarland RADAR (Relevant Alcohol & Drug Awareness Resources) Coalition Newsletter

IMMS Athletics Calendar

Family information on IMMS Expectations

IMMS Sports and Clubs Eligibility Criteria

Feb. 19: 7th-12th Jazz Ensembles

Feb 22: Orchestra String Fling 2:00-7:00 Concert at 5:45 pm

March 6: Family Teacher Conferences

March 7: No School, Family Teacher Conferences

March 11: Choir Concert Grades 6-8, 7:00-8:00 pm at the PAC

March 24-28: No School, Spring Break

Family Fun Night

Thursday, February 27, 5:30-7:30

Indian Mound Middle School

This event is for everyone! Not just IMMS families!

Family Fun Night is an opportunity to meet Indian Mound Middle School’s teachers, students, and clubs and have a great time with your family. There will be a variety of events and activities staged throughout the school. Many are sponsored by clubs, students and community organizations. These include many fun experiences for folks of all ages. Come out to Family Fun Night and see what IMMS has to offer our community. There is something for everyone!

No experience needed! We are looking for adults or families to help with activities. A great way to meet others and support your community. Here is the sign up LINK

Come Celebrate with the McFarland School District. Visual artwork will be on display at the Public Library for the whole month. There will be a reception on Thursday March 6th from 5:30- 7:00 pm. The music department will showcase student performances during the evening. We hope to see you there!

Conferences will be held the evening of March 6th and the afternoon of March 7th. More information will be emailed to you on February 21st. Spring conferences are optional. This means if you are feeling comfortable with the success of you scholar, you are not required to schedule a conference.

More to come in a couple weeks....

We are excited to share that it is time for our 2nd quarter / Semester 1 report cards. The purpose of grades in the McFarland School District is to communicate the learning, growth, and achievement of individual students about necessary academic standards with a focus on critical thinking, creative thinking, and communication skills. In addition to the ongoing communication that teachers and families have throughout the school year, we formally communicate four times yearly on your child's academic, behavioral, and social progress: twice at Parent/Teacher Conferences and twice with semester report cards. Our Q1 and Q3 report cards are an opportunity to share a snapshot of your child's progress toward learning standards each year, and spring report cards are now available on the Infinite Campus Parent Portal. Note: If the class is a 9-week long class, the grades at each quarter are the final grades.

***HERE is a 90-second video on how to check your scholar’s grades on IC.

Final Grades for 9-week classes: The following courses are only 9 weeks long and the grades are final: Art, Family and Consumer Sciences, Futures, General Music, Technology, and Engineering.

Final Grades for other classes: All remaining courses have final grades that reflect student progress throughout the first half/second half of the school year, with the most recent evidence (assessments) being the most important.

There are three areas assessed for student progress:

• Conduct: Reflecting our empathy and respect goals.

• Effort Reflecting achievement and responsibility regarding completed/ missing/ late work and effort in participating in class activities and learning.

• ELO Standards: These reflect the course's academic standards (“Essential Learning Outcomes”).

Student progress is reported using the following scale:

Extending the standard (ES) My performance extends the standard at this time. I consistently apply and/or extend a thorough understanding of the concept or skill being assessed.

Meeting the standard (ME) :My performance meets the standard at this time. I consistently demonstrate an understanding of the concept or skill being assessed.

Approaching the standard (AP):My performance is approaching standard at this time. I demonstrate a basic understanding of the concept or skill being assessed. I may need more time to practice before becoming independent.

Significantly below the standard (SB):My performance is significantly below standard at this time. I demonstrate a limited understanding and/or misunderstanding of the concept or skill being assessed. My performance indicates significant gaps in understanding that are needed to meet the grade level standard at this time. I need more time and support before becoming independent.

Not Assessed or Blank (NA)The standard is not assessed at this time.

Not enough evidence (NE): I have not yet provided enough evidence of understanding at this time.

• Not assessed NA The standard is not assessed at this time.

• For the conduct grade and the effort grade, students' goal is to perform at the “ME” level. If your child is not meeting these expectations, please talk to them and their teachers about how to improve.

• For final grades, the goal for students is to be performing at the “ME” level at the end of the semester/school year

• You should not expect to see grades of “ES” as this is an extremely high standard and not the equivalent of an A in a traditional grading system. Please understand that teachers are doing their best to provide opportunities for students to demonstrate higher levels of learning as they build their foundational skills.

• Not all ELO’s are assessed at a given time. ELO’s not assessed enough for a teacher to assign a score are either left blank or listed as “NA” for “not assessed.

• Should you have questions about your child’s grades, please contact their teacher for that course directly.

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

How to view grades on Infinite Campus:

1. Log into the Infinite Campus Parent Portal.

• If you do not have an Infinite Campus portal account, please contact Gina Pili at pilig@mcfsd.org or 838-4580 and request your Portal Activation code.

• If you have forgotten your username and/or password and previously set your Security Preferences, you can click the orange HELP button on the portal login screen and choose either 'Forgot your password?" or "Forgot your username?'

• You can also send an email to Eversomm@mcfsd.org for help with either of these issues.

2. Select your child from the “Select a student” drop-down menu at the top. If you have only one child in the district, this won’t be necessary.

3. You have 2 options to view the final grades and in-progress grades.

a. Grades Tab:

• Go to the top left 3 bars to bring down the menu and select Grades and Term 2

• You will notice some grades are “in progress” and those that are final grades are in bold.

b. Documents Tab:

• Go to the top left 3 bars to bring down the menu and select Documents, Report Card, IMMS Report Card.

• Please note that only final grades are on the report card (versus in-progress grades

• Select Progress Report " to see the current "in progress" grades in your child's other classes.

Fastbridge Information: FastBridge assessments are a universal screener that students in grades K-8 participate in three times per school year. These results provide a snapshot about what our students know and are able to do in the core academic areas of English/Language Arts and Math, and spring results are available for families to view in Infinite Campus.

To access your child's Fastbridge results, please follow these steps:

• Log into the Infinite Campus Parent Portal

• On the left-hand side menu, click More and then Assessments

• All of your child's historical FastBridge scores will be displayed. The number under Score is a raw score and the number under Result is the national percentile rank of that score for your child's grade level. A percentile shows the percentage of students nationally who scored at or below your child's score. The lowest value is 1 and the highest is 99.

• If you have more than one child in the District, you can click in the upper right to change which child's scores you are viewing

• If you would like additional information about your child's FastBridge scores, you can email one of us to request a FastBridge Family Report that includes more detailed information

If you would like additional information about your child’s FastBridge scores, you can reach out to your child’s principal and request a FastBridge Family Report that includes more detailed information.

Please contact the main office at 838-8980 if you would like a printed copy of your child’s grades. Thank you for your involvement in your child(ren)’s education!

Sharing one's location with partners and friends is increasingly seen as an indicator of closeness, and denying someone access is sometimes interpreted as distrust, possible dishonesty, or a lack of commitment. Though there are some upsides depending on the situation and relationship, location sharing does have privacy, safety, and interpersonal risks.

Discuss the potential risks: Not only can location sharing cause FOMO and distrust, but it can also pose real safety risks if you share widely or don't update settings often.

Ask kids: In what circumstances and relationships can location sharing truly boost safety (car-share rides, walking home alone, etc.)? If someone you care about asks you to share your location (and you don't want to), what can you say?

We may not be jumping into a frozen lake, but we are gearing up for an icy good time to support Club Unified & Special Olympics! Instead of the traditional Polar Plunge, we’ll be taking on water balloons, ice buckets, &/or super soakers – because why freeze alone when we can share the chill?

If you’d like to support our brave (and slightly crazy) participants, we’d love donations! Every dollar helps us continue building an inclusive community at IMMS. Click HERE to donate.

Thanks for helping us make a splash for a great cause!

Stay warm (we won’t),

We are so excited to say that TWO of our teams qualified for the Robotics State Tournament!

We will be competing in Appleton this weekend with the McFarland High School teams. State will be in mid-March. Link to Fundraiser (You don't have to donate, but check out our great video!)

As the weather continues to cool down and the seasons change, we wanted to provide a few reminders that we will/have been sharing with your scholar:

• Students should take their coats/sweatshirts/hats with them to lunch to avoid having to have to go to their locker/backpacks after being dismissed from lunch to recess
• To allow students the chance to eat at their own pace, there are two waves of dismissal from lunches. The first wave of dismissal happens 15 minutes into lunch (for those who are finished and want to get outside right away). The second wave of dismissal occurs twenty minutes into lunch (lunch/recess is thirty minutes total).
• The expectation is that at this point, all students must go outside for recess. Please continue to encourage this with your scholar

Below you will find "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.

• E.D. Locke Library Star PJ Storytime - February 20

• E.D. Locke Library Teen After Hours Karaoke Party - February 21

• WI Assoc. for Talented and Gifted Four Corners Free Madison Workshop - February 22

• PICADA Virtual Dangers of Human Trafficking Program - February 26

• Stoughton Health Safe@Home Program for Grades 4-6 - February 28

• Stoughton Health Safe Sitter Program for Grades 6-8 - March 1

• Youth Apprenticeship Info Nights 2025 - February 12 and March 3

• E.D. Locke Library Card Design Contest - March 1-April 4

• CESA 2 MHS Driver Education Program

• ACT Prep Plus - Registration Open

• Futura Grades K-2 Spanish Language Program

• E.D. Locke and Galin Education Free ACT Diagnostic Test Day - March 11

• McFarland Youth Baseball Organization 2025 Season Registration Open

• McFarland Youth Softball 2025 Season Registration Open

• Badger Precollege Grades 6-8 Latino Youth Summit - March 24-25

• i9 Sports 2025 Spring Season - Register by March 28

• McFarland Soccer Referee Course - April 19

• E.D. Locke Library Teen Dungeons and Dragons One-Shot Adventures - January-April

• E.D. Locke Library VolunTeen Program - January-April

• E.D. Locke Library Teen S.T.E.A.M. - January-April

• E.D. Locke Library Teen Hangout - January-April

• E.D. Locke Library Teen UnBook Club - January-April

• E.D. Locke Library Teen Snack & Chat - January-April

• E.D. Locke Library Grades 3-5 LEGO Club - September-May

• E.D. Locke Library Grades 3-5 Graphic Novel Book Club - September-May

• E.D. Locke Library Grades K-2 Magic Tree House Book Club - September-May

• Free Triple P Positive Parenting Online Program for WI Families

• WI School of Business - Grade 8 & 9 Free Precollege Summer Camp: Business Basics

• Badger Bots Kids Summer Camps

McFarland Recreation Aquatics & Play (MRAP) and the McFarland Performing Arts Center (MPAC) offer a wide variety of recreation and aquatics programs for community members of all ages. To learn more, visit MRAPNews.com

Questions about specific MRAP or MPAC programs?

Reach out to the staff contacts listed below:

Stu Schaefer, Director of Community Services

schaefs@mcfsd.org | 608-838-3168

Kayla Eliasson, Aquatics Supervisor

eliassk@mcfsd.org | 608-838-3168

Alisha Fix, Recreation Supervisor

fixa@mcfsd.org | 608-838-4666

Zachary Franczak, Performing Arts Supervisor

franczz@mcfsd.org | 608-838-4461

Free COVID-19 tests available

U.S. households are still eligible to order four free COVID-19 tests through the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services at COVIDTests.gov. The COVID-19 Tests will detect current COVID-19 variants. Many COVID-19 tests have extended expiration dates, so you may be able to use your COVID-19 tests after the expiration date that is printed on the box. To find out if your test has an extended expiration date, check the FDA’s list of extended expiration dates.

Looking for Covid and Flu testing?

From our community friends at Forward Pharmacy – Speedy Swab Rapid COVID-19 + Flu A&B Antigen Self-Test are now available at Forward Pharmacy. These easy-to-use self-tests provide you with rapid results right in the comfort of your home. Whether you're feeling under the weather or just want to be proactive, these tests can help you check your health status. Stop by Forward Pharmacy today to get your kits and be prepared for whatever the flu season may bring! Prefer us to do the testing? We also offer rapid tests for COVID/Flu, Strep, RSV, and Lyme Disease at our Cottage Grove location. Get reliable and rapid results in only 15 minutes—spending less time at the clinic waiting for appointments and lab results.

Parents and Families: as a reminder, please do NOT send any medication to school with your child-this is a safety risk and is not allowed. The only medication that students can carry with them at school are emergency medicines such as an EpiPen or Inhaler. Even then, the health office must be notified of this and have signed documentation by the student's physician and parent/guardian (Medication Consent Form: Prescription, Over the Counter). OTC medication such as Tylenol and Ibuprofen are stocked in the health offices for student use if needed. Please call or email with questions about this or if you would like your student to take medication at school.

February is...

Black History Month

Kindness Month

Career & Technical Education Month

• February 15 - Susan B. Anthony
• February 17 to 21 - School Crossing Guard Week
• February 19 - President's Day
• February 22 - George Washington's Birthday

Ramadan is the ninth month of the Islamic calendar and begins on the evening of February 28 and continues until March 29. During this time, many Muslim followers will participate in fasting by not consuming anything (water, food, medicine, etc.) from sunrise to sunset. Ramadan is more than abstaining from food and drink. It is observed as a time for reflection, community, charity, and renewal of faith.

To encourage an atmosphere of inclusivity and understanding the district is committed to providing provisions and accommodations to students who observe.

• All buildings will provide a dedicated space for students to access throughout the day, including during lunchtime.

• CEPS - Main office and space will be provided

• WIS - Main office and space will be provided

• IMMS - Library

• MHS - SLC (Library)

• All staff have been asked to remain aware of the physical and mental needs connected to fasting.

If you have any other specific needs or requests outside what we are currently providing, please contact your building principal or a member of student services. We value and support our diverse community and as a District, we want to ensure our environment is inclusive, respectful, and committed to student belonging, achievement, and growth.

If you are interested in learning more about Ramadan:

• Information about Ramadan

• History of Ramadan

• How Teachers Can Support Students

• Ramadan facts for younger students

A common greeting during Ramadan is "Ramadan Mubarak" which loosely translates to "Have a blessed Ramadan." Here is how to pronounce Ramadan Mubarak.

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.