IMMS Family Flier

Dear Indian Mound Families,

October is a busy month at IMMS! We have several exciting opportunities for our scholars, including Anti-Bullying/Harassment Month, Family Conferences, and our 6th grade Timber-Lee trip.

October is Anti-Bullying/Harassment Month. Scholars will learn how to recognize and report bullying and harassment and understand their impact. We remain committed to creating a safe, inclusive school where every scholar feels respected and belongs.

Family Conferences are coming up at the end of the month! We look forward to connecting with families to celebrate each scholar’s learning, growth, and contributions. Please review the conference information below.

Timber-Lee Reminder: Our 6th graders will attend outdoor education on Monday, October 12, and Tuesday, October 13. Please expect increased traffic near IMMS and the staff parking lot around 8:00 a.m. on Monday, October 12, as students drop off luggage. There is no school for 6th graders on Wednesday, October 14.

Thank you for your continued partnership in making IMMS a community where every scholar can belong, achieve, and grow!

Thank you for your continued partnership and support in making IMMS a safe, welcoming, and inclusive place where every scholar can belong, achieve, and grow.

In Service,

Jamie Thomas, Principal
Brett Jondle, Associate Principal

😀 Save the date for Family Conferences: October 28th and 29th

😀 6th Grade Timberlee: October 12 and 13 (no school for 6th grade ONLY on Oct 14)

😀 7th grade Community Day and Community Building On 10/16

On Friday, October 16, all 7th graders will kick off our year-long theme of serving and building community! Students will read with first graders at McFarland Primary School in the morning and participate in a "Grounds Workshop" team-building experience led by UW–Madison’s Adventure Learning Program (ALPS) at IMMS in the afternoon.

Please sign and have your scholar return the ALPS permission form to their science teacher by Wednesday, October 14. Students should wear comfortable clothes and shoes suitable for outdoor activities on Friday.

We look forward to a fun day of service, teamwork, and connection!

Select the photo to fill out the form or follow this link

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 28 after school, 3:30-7:00 and on October 29th 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 28th after school 3:30-7:00 pm and on October 29th 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 13th or 14th. The sign-up platform will be Google Appointments. The sign-up for conference will close on October 21st at midnight. This deadline is important in order for our teachers to prepare.

If you sign 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

Afterschool Art Club is Starting!

The First Meeting will be Tuesday Oct 20th, Afterschool - 4:30

• 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! If needed, please request a scholarship from your school counselor.
• It will be super fun!

Tech Crew Applications DUE Monday 10/12 by 6pm

NOTE: 6th graders should submit Tech Crew application BEFORE Timber Lee

Cast Applications DUE Saturday 10/17 by noon.

All 6th, 7th and 8th graders are welcome to apply to be in the Cast or Tech Crew.

Now is the time to seize the day - APPLY HERE to be a part of the cast or tech crew!

There’s lots happening with the McFarland EC-8 PTO, and we’d love for your family to be part of it!

Trunk or Treat — Coming Up Soon!
Get ready for a fun night of decorated trunks, costumes, treats and time together as a school community! We need volunteers and donations to help make Trunk or Treat a success. Whether you can decorate a trunk, donate treats or supplies, help with set-up, or lend a hand during the event, we’d love your help!

https://m.signupgenius.com/#!/showSignUp/10C084DA9AC2A1-65712461-ptovolunteer?useFullSite=false

November 12 —PTO Meeting for Open House Nights
We’ll be supporting our school community during Open House Nights and would love to have families involved.

Save the Date for Upcoming PTO Meetings:

• January 5 — Conference Meals / Open House Nights

• February 3 — Spring Fundraiser: Read-a-thon

• April 8 — Staff Appreciation / No Hassle

• May 18 — All Parent/Principal

Every Bit Helps

You don’t have to attend every PTO meeting or make a big time commitment to make a difference. An hour of your time, a donated item, or helping spread the word can go a long way toward creating memorable experiences for our students and supporting our staff.

Watch for volunteer sign-ups and event details, and come be part of the McFarland PTO community!

​On October 7 at approximately 3:10pm, we conducted an Evacuation Drill which was our second school safety drill of the year.

To ensure students felt prepared and at ease, we shared announcements last week explaining the Evacuation procedures. During the drill, which lasted about 13 minutes, we clearly communicated to students that this was a practice exercise.

Before and after the drill, staff reminded students that these preparedness skills apply both in and out of school. Our goal is to make these experiences a useful practice of safety procedures without causing alarm.

If you have any questions about the drill, please feel free to contact Ms. Thomas or Mr. Jondle at any time at 838-8980.

Understanding the difference between conflict and bullying helps ensure that situations are addressed in the most appropriate way.

Conflict is a disagreement or argument between students who have relatively equal power. While conflict can be upsetting, it is a normal part of learning and growing. With support, students can often resolve conflicts, repair relationships, and build important communication and problem-solving skills.

Bullying is different. It is intentional behavior meant to hurt, intimidate, or humiliate another person. Bullying often happens repeatedly and involves a real or perceived power imbalance, such as physical size, social status, age, or a group targeting an individual.

How We Respond

Because bullying and conflict are different, they require different responses.

• Conflict may be addressed through conflict resolution, restorative practices, or problem-solving conversations that help students repair relationships and learn from the experience.

• Bullying is not resolved through mediation or by asking students to "work it out." Our priority is to ensure the targeted student's safety, stop the bullying behavior, and provide appropriate support and accountability.

Our message to students is simple: Bullying is never acceptable, and no one deserves to be bullied. We are committed to taking reports seriously and responding in ways that help keep all students safe.

More information about the difference between bullying and conflict can be found at this resource.

Parents of 7th & 8th Grade Boys,

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 Monday October 12th at 6:30pm 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 26th.

Online registration through Infinite Campus is now open.

1.Complete the Fall Sports Registration on Infinite Campus.

2.Pay the $100 sports fee via Infinite Campus

3.Attend the specific Fall sports meeting set up by the head coach at IMMS. This information is listed below.

4.Have a current WIAA Medical Clearance/Eligibility form on file with the athletic department, dated after 3/31/2025. Physical forms need to have a doctor's signature, the date of exam, and a parent signature to be complete . Forms are available 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.

If you have questions regarding fees, please access this LINK for more information.

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. Please note that if all required dates/signatures are not on the upload, the form will be declined.

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 3/31/2025 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

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

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 @ PAC

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 @ PAC

Dec. 21 - Jan. 1: No School - Winter Break

Jan. 13: 7th/8th Band Concert 7:00 @ PAC

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

⛺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.

😀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.

😀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.

My name is Angie Bazan and I am a social studies teacher at McFarland High School! When I came to MHS in 2014 I created an international trip program where I offer all high school students the opportunity to travel every other summer to different places and learn about the world! I am very excited to announce that our next trip in June, 2028 will be to EGYPT!! !

In the past 13 years at MHS I have taken almost 400 students on trips around the world, and the experience of visiting the places you have learned about in textbooks, trying new foods, experiencing new people and cultures is like none other! This trip is open to all CURRENT 8th, 9th, 10th and 11th grade students, and we would travel June 16-25th, 2028!!

I have taken this exact trip to Egypt last summer with my college-aged daughter and we were in awe of all we saw and experienced!

On this 10 day trip we will:

-See the Egyptian Pyramids and the Sphynx

-Ride Camels at the Pyramids!

-Fly to Luxor where we board a Nile cruise ship for 5 days; travelling down the Nile River and getting off each day to experience different Egyptian wonders!

-Visit the Luxor and Karnak Temples

-Hands-on workshop how to make papyrus

-Temple of Queen Hatshepsut

-Valley of the Kings!!! (explore the ancient underground tombs and see where KING TUT was found!)

-Cruise to Edfu, try local cuisine, have a cooking lesson, Crocodile temple

-Sail to Aswan where we board a wooden sailboat and go to Elephantine Island

-Visit a traditional Nubian Village for a cultural exchange- learn to dance with villagers and see their ancient way of life

-Fly back to Cairo to experience the Grand Egyptian Museum, see King Tut and other wonders of the world

This trip is truly a once in a lifetime adventure and I'm excited to offer the opportunity to our students! I have always travelled with ACIS Tours and there is no one else I trust with the safety and well-being of myself and my students. Our trips are always safe, there are no hidden fees when we get there, and we work to make them affordable for all students with fundraising opportunities and planning well in advance to spread out payments and make a plan!

We will have an informational meeting for all students and parents/guardians on Tuesday, October 6th at 7pm in the high school library! I will share information about the trip, the cost, fundraising opportunities, our exact itinerary, etc.

Please feel free to reach out with any questions you may have, and I hope to see you on October 6th!!

Angie Bazan

bazana@mcfsd.org

--

Angela Bazan
Social Studies Teacher
McFarland High School

If your child will need medication administered during Timber-lee camp, a medication consent form needs to be completed.

• 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

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.

• 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.

• Village of McFarland Comprehensive Plan

• McFarland Youth Softball - Registration Closes November 1

• MGM Wrestling Give It A Try Open Mats - October 12-November 12

• E.D. Locke Library Teen Twilight Interactive Movie Screening - October 16

• IMMS Fall Craft Fair - October 24

• E.D. Locke Library Grades 6-12 Skeleton Fashion Show - October 29

• The Younger Brain Blueprint Dementia Presentation - October 30

• E.D. Locke Library 6-12 Dungeons & Dragons - Registration opens Nov. 6

• 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

Upcoming PTO Events & Volunteer Opportunities

There’s lots happening with the McFarland EC-8 PTO, and we’d love for your family to be part of it!

🎃Trunk or Treat — Coming Up Soon!
Get ready for a fun night of decorated trunks, costumes, treats and time together as a school community! We need volunteers and donations to help make Trunk or Treat a success. Whether you can decorate a trunk, donate treats or supplies, help with set-up, or lend a hand during the event, we’d love your help! SIGN UP HERE

🏠November 12 —PTO Meeting for Open House Nights
We’ll be supporting our school community during Open House Nights and would love to have families involved.

Save the Date for Upcoming PTO Meetings:

• January 5 — Conference Meals / Open House Nights

• February 3 — Spring Fundraiser: Read-a-thon

• April 8 — Staff Appreciation / No Hassle

• May 18 — All Parent/Principal

Every Bit Helps 💙

You don’t have to attend every PTO meeting or make a big time commitment to make a difference. An hour of your time, a donated item, or helping spread the word can go a long way toward creating memorable experiences for our students and supporting our staff.

Watch for volunteer sign-ups and event details, and come be part of the McFarland PTO community!

Hello McFarland Families,

If you are looking for a different way to give back this season, please consider being one of the MHS Art Department’s supporters for The Memory Project.

The Memory Project is a nonprofit organization that invites art students to help cultivate global kindness by creating portraits for children around the world who have faced substantial life challenges, including war.

In order to be involved in the program there is a small Classmunity fundraiser fee plus the cost of $17 for each portrait. We currently have over a dozen High School students participating, but expect more to join next semester.

I hope you will consider sponsoring one of the portraits for this amazing opportunity and international movement. Here is the link to our Classmunity page.

For more information please visit the Memory Project website at:

https://www.memoryproject.org/

Stay Cozy

MHS Art Department

Join us at the next MSEC Meeting on October 14

6 p.m. - McFarland High School - District Office Board Room

The School District of McFarland is seeking a fifth member to complete the term of a board member who has resigned. The term will run from the date of appointment to April of 2027. The board functions as a decision making body, providing policy and financial oversight to the district. The board seeks a collaborative individual, one who is able to represent and be open to diverse views, and interested in making a thoughtful and powerful contribution to the school district and the children it serves. Eligible candidates must be a U.S. citizen, at least 18 years of age, and a School District of McFarland resident for at least 28 consecutive days at the time of the appointment.

Declaration of Candidacy forms, including statement of interest and qualifications may be picked up at the McFarland High School main entrance - 5103 Farwell Street McFarland, WI and must be submitted by 4 p.m. on Monday, November 9, 2026.

Candidates will appear during the 7:00 p.m. November 16, 2026 McFarland School Board meeting.

The School District of McFarland Annual Meeting and Budget Hearing is scheduled for October 26, 2026 at 7 p.m. to follow their 6:00 p.m. regular meeting of the School Board. The Annual Meeting is a meeting of the School District stakeholders to take action on items such as approving the budget for the 2026-27 school year, approving the District to dispose of surplus property, and determining the salaries for our elected School Board Members. Please join us to participate in this meeting if you are a U.S. citizen aged 18 years old or older and have resided in the School District of McFarland for at least 28 days. The Annual Meeting and Budget Hearing will be held in the District Office Board Room located in McFarland High School.

Summary from the 10/5/26 School Board Meeting:

In addition to their regular duties of approving minutes, staffing, and expenses, here are some highlights from the meeting:

• Clint Landerud shared a MHS student report

• Emily Kintzer presented the Forward Exam Data, Annual Student Assessment Program, Annual Reading Report, and Act 20 Update

• Board members discussed their self-review results

• Action items that were acted upon included:

• Approval of application for Girls Hockey WIAA Cooperative Team renewal

• Approval of 2028-2030 66.0301 Girls Hockey cooperative contract

Bullying Prevention Month

October is Bullying Prevention Month and “Keeping Kids Safe Online Month in Wisconsin. Standing up and speaking out is one way for all of us to build a happier and safer community for all.

LGBTQIA+ History Month

October is LGBTQIA+ History Month! Let's learn about the wonderful people and moments that have contributed to and impacted our diverse society.

National Physical Therapy Month

It's National Physical Therapy Month! This is a time to embrace the physical therapy profession, spotlight the many benefits of physical therapy, and show how those in the profession can help anyone make changes to improve their quality of life.

• October 2: School Custodian Appreciation Day

• We appreciate the hard work of all our school custodians! Thank you for keeping our learning spaces ready each day!

• October 4-10: WI School Board Appreciation Week

• This week, we join the Wisconsin Association of School Boards (WASB) in celebrating Wisconsin School Board Week! Thank you to our wonderful board for their leadership and dedication to the McFarland District.

• October 6: National Coaches Day

• Thank you to all of our fantastic coaches for their dedication to helping students develop skills beyond the classroom.

• October 9: Leif Erikson Day

• Leif Erikson was an adventurous explorer who braved the oceans and became the first European to walk the shores of North America.

• October 10: World Mental Health Day

• It is always okay to talk about your feelings and ask for help if needed. Let's spend some time today learning ways to keep our minds healthy and supporting each other in being healthy and strong!

• October 11: National Coming Out Day

• Always be proud of who you are. Happy National Coming Out Day!

• October 12: Christopher Columbus Day

• Today we recognize Christopher Columbus. His explorations started the sustained contact between peoples in the Eastern and Western hemispheres.

• October 12: Indigenous People’s Day

• Wisconsin is home to 11 federally-recognized Native Nations and one federally unrecognized Nation. The historic sacrifices and great cultures of each Nation bring Wisconsin insurmountable value to the State of Wisconsin.

• October 12-16: National School Lunch Week

• The National School Lunch Program serves close to 30 million children every day. Take a moment to thank our wonderful food service staff for all they do to provide a healthy lunch for all of us daily.

• October 15: White Cane Awareness Day

• White Cane Awareness Day recognizes the independence and achievements of people who are blind

• October 21: Unity Day

• To uplift the message of unity schools across the country will wear orange to symbolize acceptance, inclusion, and belonging.

• October 31: Halloween

• Stay safe this Halloween! If you are heading out tonight, make sure someone knows your plans and watch out for traffic.

• October 31 and November 1: Hmong New Year

• Hmong New Year is celebrated at the end of the harvest season between October and December. It’s a time to celebrate the harvest, rejoice in the community, and thank ancestors for their sacrifices.

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.