and Thursday, Nov. 3rd. Staff are

very excited about the opportunity

to talk with you about your child’s

progress.

All Staff have voicemail extensions

and email addresses and you may

contact a teacher at any time with

questions, suggestions or concerns.

These are just a few ways to stay

connected and involved in your son/

daughters middle school experience.

Please feel free to contact us at any

time with suggestions or concerns.

Sincerely,

Wayne E. Piercefield III

Principal

Dear Parents/Guardians:

It is hard to believe that we are

almost at the end of 1st Marking

Period. I am sure that you feel as I

do and are surprised at how fast the

school year is moving. The students

are off to a wonderful start and

involved in many of the activities

that IMS has to offer.

I want to take a moment to stress the

importance of staying involved with

your child’s academic and social

progress. The middle school years

are very important and exciting

times for students. As parents and

educators, this is the time when we

begin to encourage students to

become independent thinkers and

learners, but balancing this

development of independence with

support and guidance. I want to

make you aware of the many

opportunities that we provide to stay

informed and involved in your

child’s social and academic

progress.

Biweekly progress reports are sent

home with students from each of

their classes. The dates that reports

are sent home are listed in the

newsletter.

All parents/guardians should have

received their user ID and password

for using the Skyward Parent

Viewer. This service allows you to

monitor your child’s grades and

attendance for each class.

Parent-Teacher conferences are

scheduled for Wednesday, Nov. 2nd

PRINCIPAL’S POINTS

IONIA MIDDLE SCHOOL

OCTOBER 2016

OCTOBER 21 Progress Reports to Students 27 IMS Fall Choir Concert 7:30 p.m. Watt Auditorium 28 END 1ST MARKING PERIOD NOVEMBER 2 IMS Picture Retakes 2 Parent Teacher Conferences- 4:30-8:00 p.m. 3 Parent Teacher Conferences- 4:00-8:00 p.m. 4 NO SCHOOL STUDENTS 9 Cyber Safety Assemblies 8-11 a.m. 11 Progress Reports to Students

15 NO SCHOOL STUDENTS 16 Students Attend AM only (10:53 a.m. release) 23 Progress Reports to Students 24 Thanksgiving Break - No School 25 Thanksgiving Break - No School DECEMBER 2 IMS Fun Night 7-9 p.m. IHS 11 Progress Reports to Students 15 PLC Day-Students attend AM only. Release at 10:53 a.m. 19 Winter Break Begins (return Jan. 4)

IMS CALENDAR

IMPORTANT DATE CHANGE:

The IMS Fun Night that was scheduled for Nov.

18 has been changed to:

December 2

QUIZ BOWL

The Quiz Bowl team of Megan

Ransom and Trevor Stedman

with Joel Cairns and De'Angelo

Barr (8th grade) compiled a 5-3

record at the White Cloud

Invitational on Saturday,

October 15. They competed

against 11th-grade competition

and won two of those matches

on the final question of the

match. They next compete at

the Holland Invitational in

November.

Effective Parents Get Involved!!! .... But how?!

We know just how important parent involvement is in our students’

success and we want to partner with you to help your child succeed.

This pledge really narrows down how to get involved in your child’s

education. Will you take the pledge?!

I will…

I --- Impress on my child the need for regular school attendance

N --- Notice my child’s progress

V --- Volunteer to help at school

O --- Oversee my child’s activities to insure adequate study time

L --- Learn from teachers what is expected of my child

V --- Visit my child’s school and teachers as an expression of interest

E --- Expect my child to behave appropriately

D --- Declare the need for and support a positive climate of high

expectations

If we can be of any help to you or your child with any of the above,

please do not hesitate to contact us in the Counseling Office!

Mrs. Buxton and Mrs. Kingsbury

Page 2

PHYSICAL EDUCATION ON THE RUN! Mrs. Kraatz and Mr. Amell

The physical education classes and fitness classes have run a mile every Friday this quarter. Each student sets a

goal prior to running and if they achieve a new personal record for that mile run, their name is posted in the

gymnasium for that specific mile. Keep up the great work students!

Page 3

8th Grade Math Mr. Brighton and Mr. Nevins

In Pre-Algebra, students will be finishing up a unit called “Thinking With Mathematical Models”. In this unit, students have developed the ability to represent data using tables, graphs, equations or inequalities, and rules. Students have also extended their understanding and skill in dealing with linear and inverse functions and equations. Next, students will begin a unit called “Growing, Growing, Growing”. In this unit, students will learn about exponential functions. The class will investigate models of exponential growth and decay involving bacteria, radioactive material, and money. In Algebra, students are finishing a unit in which they are using “algebra tiles” to represent expressions and equations physically and visually. This is helping students to establish a strong foundation for simplifying expressions and solving equations that they will need and build upon throughout the year. Next, students will be working on a unit that focuses on linear relationships and building connections between multiple representations of linear functions.

Fall season sports are just wrapping up their season. What a start our young athletes have had! Coach Riccius and Coach Groom lead our large team of 55 middle school students to Cross Country meets all over central Michigan. These young people really did an extraordinary job not only as athletes and team members…but also as IMS Students. Thank you to Coach Riccius and Coach Groom for your many hours of training and events traveled all in order to give these young people the opportunity to grow …and succeed! More thanks go to our Girls’ Volleyball coaches. 7th Grade Coaches were Mrs. Swinehart and Ms. Spitzley. 8th grade coaches were Coach Klein and Coach Rogers. These coaches gave our many young ladies opportunity for intense practices, skill building, and comradery. To watch their team commitment grow along with improved skills is always an exciting experience. We will kick off our next season of sports the end of October. Our Winter Sports season is made up of Boy’s Basketball and Cheerleading. Returning as coaching partners for our 7th grade boys Basketball, Coach Nevins and Coach Gage. Coaching our 8th grade boys will again be Coach Amell along with Coach VanSyckle. Coach Havenstein will once again be coaching our Cheer team. This is always such an exciting season of sports at IMS! **Please don’t forget that all students participating in any of our League sports must first have a “Sports Physical” on file at the school. Physical forms are available on-line under MS or HS Athletics and in our building offices. Please come and welcome these teams during our MEET THE TEAM night, Thursday Nov. 3rd, 6:00 pm at the IMS Gym. The Boy’s Basketball schedules is attached to this newsletter. Cheer will take place during every HOME event. Marilee Buxton Ionia MS Athletic Director

Please come, Cheer and Enjoy… Go DAWGS!

IMS BULLDOG SPORTS…. OFF THE LEASH!

ELA Classes—Mrs. Pishea

Happy October! We are making our way through several curricular skills this month, with an added bonus of participating in the Global Read Aloud project. For more information on this great activity, go to https://theglobalreadaloud.com/ or on Twitter search #GRA10#PAX. We may be Skyping with other schools and asking the author questions. Students should be on their second or third independent novel, depending on their hour. Many students are on their fourth or fifth book, which is so impressive! This is a group of readers! We should be having our first unit assessment by the end of the month and also start on our first major writing piece. Watch for e-mails and look in your students' agendas for more information. If you have not been receiving updates regarding my

class, please feel free to e-mail me with your

student's names as the subject line to

apischea@ioniaschools.org and I will add you to the

list!

Mrs. Williams IMS Leadership Happenings

Purple Week at IMS

This year the IMS leadership groups worked hard to get IMS involved with the annual Community Awareness Week and were very successful!! Students sold various fun items like purple beads, bracelets, and the community awareness purple shirts at school and at IMS home athletic events, as well as at several of the lunch periods throughout the week. They organized the first annual IMS purple color run, a mini carnival, and held a 3 on 3 tournament before school. IMS also participated in a coin drive held by the purple committee. All of our efforts raised a total of $1800 to donate to the community awareness cause!!! WOW well done IMS!!!

Homecoming & Spirit Week at IMS This year the IMS leadership group is working hard to get IMS involved and show some school spirit! Students were invited to dress up and show school spirit by participating. Leaders sold various spirit items like spirit beads, bracelets, hair painting, and face tattoos during all three lunches this week. Friday’s lunch had special tailgating theme and some fun treats. The leadership kids organized and held our very first IMS pep assembly at which the students and staff all participated in a variety of fun events!! We crowned our spirit Prince – Caden Brownell and our Princess was Michaela Castle!! Congratulations to everyone!!!

IMS Pride Shirts New this year, we are offering IMS Pride t-shirts for $15. When a student purchases one of these shirts and wears it to any IMS athletic event they will get in free for the entire school year. So hurry and buy a shirt today and show your school pride!

IMS 7th Grade Teen Leadership The 7th grade teen leadership class has designed their class t-shirt. If you are in this class and would like to purchase a t-shirt please send $10 into Mrs. Williams as soon as possible. As always, I would like all parents and students to sign up for my Remind app. This allows a great line of communication and gives me the ability to keep everyone up to date on happenings in my class and at IMS. See me or ask your student how to sign up! If you have any fun pictures you would like to share, please feel free to send them to me for consideration in our IMS video announcements.

IMS is on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter so like us or follow us today!

Page 4

Page 5

IMS FUN NIGHT Our next IMS Fun Night is December 2

7:00-9:00 p.m. at Ionia High School

CSI—Michigan Cyber Safety Initiative

The Attorney General’s Office will be conducting an assembly at the Middle School on November 9th. The assembly

features two customized programs to protect children across the state. The Michigan Cyber Safety Initiative (CSI) is a

national, award-winning program and has been presented to over one million students across the state. It teaches children

the importance of being safe, making smart decisions, and protecting themselves and others all while online. The student

safety hotline, OK2SAY, is a confidential way to file reports on potential harm or criminal activity that is involving students,

school employees, and schools. Tips can be submitted 24/7 via telephone, text message, email, mobile app, or the

OK2SAY website.

The 6th-8th grade students get a presentation that combines both CSI and OK2SAY. The students first get an in-depth

explanation of OK2SAY on how it works, what types of incidents they can report, how to submit a tip, and what will

happen with the tip. Students then get detailed explanations about bullying, cyberbullying, suicide, sexting, sexual abuse, the

predator threat, and how to protect themselves online. Students will see videos on the stories of teenage Internet predator

survivors, the stories of Michigan teens that have died by suicide, and the impacts of sexting. If you choose to have your

child opt out of this assembly, please fill out and return the opt out letter that has been sent home with your child.

IMS NOTIFICATIONS Don’t forget to sign up for Enotify and se-lect the following 3 options to get all of the most current event and cancellation info for IMS: Ionia Middle School Events Home Page News You will receive texts or emails (your choice, or both) when important infor-mation is updated or released! Simply go to www.dawggle.net and look for

Page 6

8TH GRADE

Isabella Seigo

Maira VanBeveren

7TH GRADE

Holden Brenner

Jewels Conn

6TH GRADE

Riccius/Schumacher

Tess Griffith

Sally Ruehs

6TH GRADE

Rodgers/Walter Savannah Clark

Brianna Fuentes

Frias/Gensterblum/Hyde

Elijah Hatfield

Abbey Lowery

Evan Williams

Hammer/Powell/Proctor Monserrat Mendez-Camacho

Ethan Bowen

STUDENTS OF THE MONTH

Meijer Dignity and

Respect

Brooklyn Challender

7th Grade Boys Basketball Schedule- 2016

11/7/16 Away Portland

11/9/16 Away Grand Ledge

11/14/16 Home St. Johns

11/16/16 Home Mason

11/21/16 Away Fowlerville

11/28/16 Home Owosso

11/30/16 Away Waverly

12/5/ 16 Home Portland

12/7/16 Home DeWitt

12/12/16 Away St. Johns

All games start at 4:30 pm “B” games are played first.

8th Grade Boys Basketball Schedule- 2016

11/7/16 Home Portland

11/9/16 Home Grand Ledge

11/14/16 Away St. Johns

11/16/16 Away Mason

11/21/16 Home Fowlerville

11/28/16 Away Owosso

11/30/16 Home Waverly

12/5/16 Away Portland

12/7/16 Away DeWitt

12/12/16 Home St. Johns

All games start at 4:30 pm “B” games are played first.

**8th Grade Messages due March 15**

Pre-ordering is the only guaranteed way to reserve a yearbook~~very few extras are ordered. Last day to pre-order is March 20, 2017 $17.00 for full color 80 page book ordered by March 20, 2017 $18.00 I ordered after March 20. Pre-order with cash or check in Mrs. Hammer’s room #230 before or after school Also pre-order online @ www.yearbooksforever.com

Parent of an 8th Grader? Would you like to include a

personalized message in the yearbook for your student?

**Complete the following and return to Mrs. Hammer (room 230) or to the IMS

Main Office along with a fee of $5.00 by March 15, 2017.

8th Grade Parent Message

Student Name-Who is the message for? _________________________________________________

Who is the message from? _____________________________________________________________

Message EXACTLY as you wish it to appear. (25 words or less)

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________________

Parent phone number or e-mail in case there are questions regarding your message ____________________________________

Please enclose $5.00 per message- checks to IMS Yearbook or cash. Sorry--Messages submitted without payment will not be

published.

________ payment enclosed _________ cash ________ check number

Halloween Party

Green Acres

Retirement Living

Monday, October 31st

3:30 to 5:30 pm

Free hotdogs, chips,

and games

2550 Commerce Lane

616.527.3300

This is not an Ionia Public Schools

Sponsored Event

Ionia High School

1st

Annual Veterans Day Ceremony

November 11, 2016

Is there a veteran who has a special place in your heart? Ionia High School Bulldogs would like to honor your

veteran and invite you to join us on November 11, 2016, as we honor and remember all those who served our

great nation.

Our Veterans Day Ceremony will be held at 7:00 pm on November 11th in room 304. Veterans are encouraged

to be present, but their names will be called to honor their service whether or not they are in attendance. Family

members and friends are encouraged to attend as well. Please arrive by 6:45 pm as our ceremony will

commence promptly at 7:00 pm. Refreshments will be served following the ceremony.

To allow us to honor your veteran, email, mail, or bring us the information below by November 1st. We will

announce each veteran’s name, rank, branch of service and the dates of service; we will ask each veteran to

stand when their name is called. You are not limited to honoring just one veteran; you may provide us with

information for multiple veterans. You may also provide a photo that we will include as part of the ceremony.

You can email the below information to Ms. Weller at mweller@ioniaschools.org or mail/bring it to 250 E.

Tuttle, Ionia, MI 48846. Please call Ionia High School at 616-527-0600 if you have questions.

Name of Veteran: ____________________________________________________________________

Branch of Service: ___________________________________________ Rank: _________________

Dates/Years of Service: From __________________________ to _____________________________

If you provide a hard-copy photo, write the address to which it should be returned:

___________________________________________________________________________________