IMMS Family Flier
June 7, 2026
A Note from Ms. Thomas and Mr. Jondle
Dear Indian Mound Middle School Families,
As the 2025–2026 school year comes to a close, we want to take a moment to express our deepest gratitude to all of our families. Thank you for your continued partnership, support, and dedication to making this a fantastic year of growth and learning for our students. We are incredibly proud of everything our Blackhawks have accomplished!
To celebrate all of their hard work, our students will be participating in some exciting traditions on the very last day of school:
8th Grade: Heading out for an action-packed celebration at the Urban Air field trip (dismissed from school at 1 pm).
7th Grade: Enjoying a day of fun, games, and community at the 7th-Grade Carnival.
6th Grade: Capping off their first year of middle school with the highly anticipated 6th-Grade Auction.
We want to wish our 8th graders the absolute best as they transition to high school—we know you will do amazing things! To our returning 6th and 7th graders, we already look forward to welcoming you back in the fall.
We hope you all have a safe, relaxing, and wonderful summer filled with fun and rest.
Go Spartans!
With appreciation,
IMMS Administration
Jamie Thomas
Principal, Indian Mound Middle School
Brett Jondle, Associate Principal
😀Top things to know for this week: 😀
- Info on 8th grade Recognition and Dance June 8, 2026
- Chromebooks to be turned in on June 8
- Last Day of School June 9th (8th graders leave at 1:00 pm)
- ❗Students/families will need to provide their own transportation home on June 9th for 8th graders as there will be NO BUSES at 1:00 pm. ❗
- Buses will run at the regularly scheduled time after school at 3:30
- Sneak Peek of 26-27 School Year
Important Dates
June 8: Chromebook Collection
June 8: Monthly Celebration Assembly
June 8: 8th Grade Recognition/Dance
- June 9: Last day of School. 6th Grade Market Finale. 7th Grade Carnival.
- June 9: 8th Grade Field Trip & 1:00 pm dismissal
- 25-26 IMMS Sports: LINK
Sneak Peak for the 26-27 School Year
Looking ahead:
August 4th-19th : On-line Registration
August 25 and 26: District-wide photo days at MHS
August 25: IMMS 6th Grade ONLY Welcome Back Night
- 5:00-6:00 Last name A-K
- 6:15-7:15 Last name L-Z
August 26: 7th and 8th Grade ONLY Welcome Back Night
- IMMS A-K 5-5:50 pm
- IMMS L-Z 6:10-7:00 pm
September 1: First Day of School for 6th Graders Only
September 2: ALL Students Attend (first day for 7th-8th)
26-27 School Year
- Building opens at 7:55 am (students should not arrive prior to 7:55 as there is no supervision available)
- School Begins at 8:20 am
- School Releases at 3:30 pm
- Our class day-to-day schedule will be changing a bit- MORE TO COME
- 26-27 Supply List,
- 26-27 Fees
June 8: 8th Grade Recognition & Dance
Date - Monday, June 8, 2026
Line Up - 5:30 pm students arrive at the High School and report to the “A” Gym.
Ceremony - 6:00 - 7:00 pm, located at the “B” Gym at the High School. All are welcome to attend.
Dance - 7:00 - 8:30 pm Students walk up to IMMS for the dance, open gym, and light refreshments.
The 8th Grade Recognition Night will be held on Monday, June 8th. Families are invited to attend a program honoring the students. Following the program, the students will walk up to the middle school for a dance with light refreshments. The dance will only be available to IMMS 8th-grade students and parent chaperones. Students from other schools or other grade levels may not attend. Students are not required to attend the ceremony or the dance; however, only those who attend the ceremony may attend the dance. The purpose of this event is to provide a simple, fun evening to celebrate the “end of the middle” for this class without costing much and adding stress.
Attire:
Please wear attire suitable for an evening school concert. We want all students to feel comfortable and appreciate your support in keeping this event tasteful, inexpensive, and casual.
Dance Cost:
We request a $10.00 donation per student to cover the cost of the party/dance. This optional fee will be added to your Infinite Campus account and will be active to be paid from May 18 to June 1. See this LINK for instructions. Every student is encouraged to attend this celebration. If you can assist another family with this cost, we appreciate it, and you can pay on IC as well (see donation options).
Chaperone:
We are looking for chaperones to help serve food, supervise the open gym, dance, and clean up. See the
Sign-Up Genius LINK if you are interested in volunteering.
⭐Students can bring cell phones and cameras to the event, but may only take pictures of people who have permitted them to do so.
⭐Once students leave the dance/building, they will not be allowed back in.
Chromebook Collection June 8
Students must put their Chromebooks. Students must use a Charging Cable to put device into storage mode
Storage Mode Steps: Video tutorial link from Mrs. Ogodogu or use these helpful screenshots.
1. Charge Chromebook to at least 80%
2. Connect device to a charger and turn it on
3. Hold refresh and power buttons at the same time
4. While holding these two keys, remove the power cable and then release the two keys. The device should shut down and remain off.
5. Attempt to turn the Chromebook on by pressing the power button. If it turns on, repeat steps 2 through 4. If the device does not turn on, you have successfully put it in storage mode.
June 9th: Last Day of School Events 6th, 7th, 8th
We are very excited to share the students’ last day details to allow for you to plan accordingly!
The last day of school will be Tuesday, June 9! This last day is an opportunity for us to celebrate the successes of a wonderful school year! The most important thing for you to know is that sixth and seventh grade students are dismissed at 3:30pm, while eighth grade students with approved permission to leave early will be dismissed at 1:00pm (or whenever they return from their field trip!).
- Sixth grade students will be having Related Arts classes, watch a movie in their Homeroom class, and then have their Money Unit Auction!
- Seventh grade students have core classes (cores one, two, five, six, and eight) and within these classes will be watching a movie, receiving the PE track meet awards, and having their annual seventh grade carnival!
- Eighth grade students will have their class trip to Urban Air before returning to IMMS at 1:00pm. Upon returning to IMMS, eighth grade students (who have had parent/guardian permission) may leave at 1:00pm (or whenever they return from their trip!).
Last but not least, we want to thank you for your continued involvement in your child's education during this school year. We are grateful for the partnership we have between all of you and all of our staff. We truly can't thank you enough. We are looking forward to another great school year during the 2026-2027 school year. For those of you with eighth graders heading off to McFarland High School (or other area schools), know that you will be missed, but certainly never forgotten.
June 9: 8th Grade Urban Air Trip with a 1:00 Dismissal
Reminder: there will be no buses at 1:00 pm to take 8th graders home from school
Field Trip Participation Criteria- All students must meet the following criteria in order to attend the field trip:
From the start of the student vs. staff basketball game (5/22/26) until the buses arrive for the field trip
No ISS or OSS
1 or fewer office stays
3 or fewer office resets
10 or fewer tardies to class
Disruptions/safetyDisruptions / safety issues during the student/staff basketball game and/or Recognition Dance.
This includes not sitting in the assigned area, throwing items, negative cheering, keeping hands/feet to self, or any other unsportsmanlike conduct.
Details: Students will begin the day by reviewing expectations and the day's information. Around 9:30, we will load buses and go to Urban Air Adventure Park (indoor). Students will eat lunch at Urban Air. Buses will return to IMMS around 1:00, and 8th graders will be able to leave school early. If you do not want your child to be dismissed early, please select that option in the permission form. We will go rain or shine!
What to bring: A sack lunch or money for lunch at Urban Air. If interested, a school cold lunch will be available to order on the permission form.
What Not To Bring: Please do not bring any expensive items; we will not be responsible for any lost or stolen items. Urban Air encourages students to not bring their phones as they are easily lost. We will not wait an excessive amount of time for a lost phone.
Permission/Waiver: Here is the PERMISSION FORM that must be completed to attend the 8th Grade End-of-Year field trip. In addition, the URBAN AIR WAIVER must be filled out as well. Students will receive a paper copy in ARRE Time. Please have the permission form and waiver completed by Wednesday, 5/27, to ensure your students' attendance. All students must have completed the waiver to participate. Even if your student has been to Urban Air before, they will need to fill out a new waiver.
Fee/Payment: The field trip fee is $30 and can be paid in your Infinite Campus account. If you would like to sponsor another student to attend the trip or need help finding the fee, please follow these directions. If you would like to request a scholarship, please contact the 8th-grade school counselor, Lauren Noriega at 608-838-4578 or noriegal@mcfsd.org
Health Information: Please contact the health office at 608-838-4672 with any specific health concerns that our staff should be aware of to ensure this is a safe experience for all our students. Emergency Medication and Scheduled Daily Medication will be sent on the field trip. If you have not already, please contact the health office for the end of year medication return.
Early Dismissal: 8th graders will be dismissed to leave school upon their return from the field trip at 1:00.
June 15: Grades will be available in Infinite Campus
We are excited to share that it is time for our 4th Quarter/Semester 2 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
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!
Mega Math Meet
7/8th Grade Mega Math Meet In January, a group of IMMS students stepped up to a challenge and entered the Greater Dane Anthology Project. This collection celebrates the best art Art, Writing, Cartoons, and Poetry from 5th–8th graders across 42 districts. This year’s theme was Crossroads. Out of 26 amazing entries from IMMS, 10 of our students were selected for publication and attended the Anthology Celebration at Madison College on May 20th. Congratulations to our Published Authors & Artists:
Emma Carmichael - Art
CeCe Zheng-Cartoon
Xander Nipper- Art
Emily Zhang Zhou - Narrative Short Story
C.J. Hulse - Poem
Gwen Otteson - Poem
Hasiet Mulugeta - Poem
Sylvia Hoks - Narrative Short Story
Betsy Lord - Poem
Molly Rodesch Phillips - Art
Prevent the Summer Slide
Summer usually allows families to spend more time together. This can be a great opportunity to read with your kids.
Trips to the library together can be a great source for such material. Reading a book that your child is reading communicates your interest powerfully and facilitates deeper and more meaningful discussions. The point is to share the reading experience.
Even if you are not reading the same books, talk to your children about what they are reading. Ask questions such as what happened in the story or what might happen next, who is their favorite character, or who is the villain and why. This builds summarization and recall skills.
Create a summer reading nook or spot in your home. Make sure there is good light and comfortable seating and try to set aside one TV/video-game-free night per week for family reading.
If you are taking a trip this summer, send for brochures and maps and have your children read them with you. They love to be involved in that kind of planning
Kids often prefer to read fact rather than fiction, including books and articles about the environment, animals, current events, sports, and other factual topics.
Consider taking on a family cultural study… reading some books about or from a particular country and then supplementing this reading with examinations of relevant art, visits to museums, meals at ethnic restaurants or cooking experiments at home, etc.
Take on a genealogical study. Kids love finding out about their families and there is a lot of reading and writing involved in that kind thing.
The links below provide specific book recommendations for children of various ages, and more ideas and resources on how to encourage summer reading.
Taken from Tim Shanahan’s June 25 blog
Helpful Links
Student Services
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
Student Expectations
- 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 while at school.
- 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
Health Services
Summer Opportunities
Take a look at these awesome SUMMER Opportunities for our students!!
District News
Staff Survey Highlights & Next Steps
This spring, 237 McFarland School District staff members completed our district check-in survey. Their feedback helps us celebrate successes, identify areas for growth, and guide planning for next year and beyond. Here are some highlights:
What’s Going Well
Strong School Culture
95% report positive working relationships with coworkers
88% are proud to work in McFarland Schools
Staff highlighted collaboration, support, and caring colleagues
Communication & Leadership
91% agree the district communicates clearly about important issues
88% feel comfortable sharing feedback with administration
Staff noted supportive leadership and increased transparency
Student Support
95% believe staff do a good job educating students
91% agree students are respected for their values and beliefs
Staff highlighted commitment to student well-being and equity
Safe & Supportive Environment
95% report feeling safe at work
90% feel supported by parents and the community
Resources & Technology
96% report having the technology needed to do their jobs
93% report having the materials and supplies they need
Areas We’re Continuing to Improve
Staff also identified several important areas for continued focus:
Compensation and benefits
Workload and work-life balance
Student discipline and accountability
Meeting students’ academic, social, and emotional needs
Staff recognition and feedback
Professional development and instructional alignment
Looking Ahead
District and building leadership teams are continuing to review the results and use the feedback, along with student and family survey data, to guide strategic planning and continuous improvement efforts.
You can find additional information in this slideshow and the board presentation here
Thank you for your continued partnership and support of our students, staff, and schools.
McFarland Schools Equity Collective
Join us at the next MSEC Meeting on June 10!
Bill Garvey Memorial Golf Outing
Hello McFarland Families,
We are pleased to announce that the 13th Annual Bill Garvey Memorial Golf Outing is open for registration! We hope you are interested in participating by golfing, being a sponsor of the golf event, and/or donating a prize for day-of raffles. We had a fantastic turnout last year from our McFarland community and would love to see the same level of enthusiasm this year!
Registration is $145 per player; $580 for a foursome.
Attached is information on how to register for the event and information on sponsorship. The event will take place on Saturday, August 1, 2026, at The Oaks Golf Course in Cottage Grove. We hope to see you out on the course!
Bill Garvey Memorial Golf Outing Registration Website
Sincerely,
Paul Ackley and Michelle Garvey
🎓McFarland School Board
Summary from the 6/1/26 School Board Meeting:
In addition to their regular duties of approving minutes, staffing, and expenses, here are some highlights from the meeting:
Anna Coan shared the final MHS student report of the school year
Aaron Tarnuzer shared the results of the 2025-26 staff survey
Aaron Tarnutzer provided a Strategic Plan progress update
Action items that were acted upon included:
Approval to name the theater in the high school the “Bill Garvey Theater” and to rename the “Bill Garvey Performing Arts Center” the “McFarland Performing Arts Center”
Appointment of Thomas Murwin, MD as the District Medical Advisor for the 2026-26 school year.
The next School District of McFarland School Board meeting is scheduled for June 15, 2026.
District Recognition Days
June is….
LGBTQIA+ Pride Month
We recognize the month of June as LGBTQ+ Pride Month. We take seriously our responsibility to provide safe, non-discriminatory, and inclusive environments for people of all orientations and identities as they reflect the diverse community around us. Let's celebrate and learn about the LGBTQ+ community and work to create a more inclusive world.
June 6: Hunger Awareness Day
Today is a time to help out and think about those who may not have enough. Let's always be thankful and supportive.
June 14: Robert La Follette Sr. Day
Today we remember Robert LaFollette. He served in the U.S. House of Representatives, as governor in Wisconsin, and in the U.S. Senate. He was one of the founders of the Progressive Party.
June 1 - 7: Juneteenth
Today is Juneteenth, a day to commemorate the full emancipation of enslaved African Americans. We celebrate the progress we've made as a country while also recognizing the ongoing work needed to realize equity and justice for all.
MYC and McFarland Optimist Club Summer Ride Ready Event - June 9
4H Scoops and Pops at Bands by the Boardwalk - June 11
Madison Mallards K-8 McFarland Schools Appreciation Day - June 11
2026 Chamber of Commerce Bands by the Boardwalk Lineup - June 11-August 13
McFarland Ice Arena Intro to Hockey - June 17-August 19
Tri 4 Schools 2026 Event Series May-August
Bill Garvey Memorial Golf Outing August 1 - Registration and Sponsorships Open
McFarland Youth Soccer - Registration Open
Greater Madison Writing Project Youth Summer Sessions
Summer Learning Opportunities
Madison Ballet - Summer Session
Free Medical Clinic - Verona Area High School - August 1-2
Futura Spanish Classes at WIS - Register by September 28
E.D. Locke Library 500 Books Before Middle School Program
E.D. Locke Library 3-5 Graphic Novel Book Club - Third Tuesdays
Free Triple P Positive Parenting Online Program for WI Families
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.