April 8, 2024
Dear Indian Hills Middle School Community:
We welcome everyone back to school from what we hope was an enjoyable, rejuvenating spring break!
The warming weather reminds us that the final lap of the school year is now stretched out before us. This is a time when we celebrate student achievements and learning.
It’s a time when 8th graders begin to feel some trepidation about going to high school. It’s a time when 6th and 7th graders continue to settle into their groove as middle schoolers. It’s a time to enjoy performances and presentations. It’s a time when we celebrate the learning that has happened for all of our students this year!
Congratulations to our Debaters! Here are the results from the debate tournament prior to spring break. Our school had an excellent showing, and we won several awards:
Novice Policy (Speaker Awards)
1- Tony Law
3- Landry Tonks
4- Melanie Hansen
5- Kate Madsen
6- Ryan Raemer
7- Sully Osborn
Novice Policy (Placement Awards)
1- Daniel Craig and Jackson Yrungray
4- Isa Oliver and Giselle Sullivan
5- Kate Madsen and Dax Gallacher
6- Tony Law and Oliver Seal
7- Vartan Fanaeian and Kameron Cross
8- Jordan Ireland , Kylie Taylor and Xander Newman
9- Dexter Tonks and Santi Ruiz
10- Cruz Nicholson and Zayden Williams
Varsity Policy (Speaker Awards)
1- Racer Buchmiller
3- Jonathan Olsen
Varsity Original Oratory (Qualified for State)
3- Ellie Houtz
4- Ashlyn Fry
7- Macy Sackewtiz
12- Ana Sayer
Varsity Extemporaneous (Qualified for State)
2- Millie Otvos
3- Cameron Barnes
4- Miller McDonough
RISE Testing begins at the end of April: A reminder that testing season is on the horizon for our students. This is a time when students can showcase their learning in ELA, reading, language, science, and math. These tests help us to determine how well our students have mastered this content, and it also helps us to know where to improve our instruction in the classroom. This information also provides a useful measure in terms of how our students are performing relative to other students in our district and throughout the state. More specific information will be provided about the testing dates, the plan for testing, and other options as this window approaches at the end of the month.
April Library Events: March Madness Book Tournament. And the winner is … Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone by J. K. Rowling! Congratulations to Mrs. Freer who won the staff competition and William Whitney who won the student competition. Both will receive a $40 shopping spree to Amazon. A winner of the staff selection competition will be forthcoming. Thanks to everyone who participated!
Book Blitz: On Wednesday, April 10th, students from the Rabbit-Turtle Readers team (June Chandler, Phoebe Fullmer, Malia Woodward, Andrew Sweat) and The Winning Reading Team (Audrey Bluth, Lizzie Frutos, Rachel Jones, Katelyn Larsen, and Cash Nickelsen) will compete at the district Book Blitz competition. Additionally, Jordan Ireland will be entering the individual competition, having read all 20 of the book blitz books. We wish each of these students good luck in the competition. Thanks to the parent volunteers who came to help us with the school competition last month!
Digital Literacy for April: When everything claims to be educational, it can be difficult to determine which media content is appropriate for your kids. We know that reviewing everything on your own can be a very time-consuming and frustrating process. Common Sense Media publishes reviews on movies, TV shows, books, games, and apps to help families make educated decisions on content curation. They even have a Star Wars Age-by-Age guide.to help you introduce your favorite characters in an age-appropriate manner. Families can access 3 free reviews monthly without creating an account. Consider including your children in the decision-making process and let them pitch why they feel the movie, show, game, or app is a good use of their time.
Upcoming Events
- April 8th
- PTSA Board Meeting—welcome new members! 9:00 a.m. in the Warrior Room
- April 9th
- School Community Council Meeting 4:00 p.m. in the Warrior Room
• April 11th:
- Sewing Guild in Ms. Smith’s room after school
• April 25th
- RISE Testing begins for 8th grade students (writing)
• April 29th-May 3rd
- ELA RISE Testing begins for all students
We are better together at Indian Hills Middle School! Indian Hills Middle School Administration
Warrior Support
What it looks like for Students:
- ● Students MUST arrive between3:00-3:15 in order to participate inWarrior Support.
- ● Students sit at the front of the library at the tables.
- ● Students scan a QR code that takes them to a Google Form they fill out.
- ● Students ask the teachers questions and work on homework quietly.
- ● If teachers are not immediately available, students work on what they can while waiting patiently for help.
- ● Only students who need help stay for Warrior Support. Students who do not need the support will head home after 3:30.
- ● Students who are not following expectations for library behavior will be invited to return another day for help.
- ● Students should submit the Google Form at the END of the time they spend in the library to report what they accomplished with the time.
- ● Students must exit the library through the doors to the outside, not back into the building.
What it looks like for Teachers:
- ● Teachers come to the library immediately after 7th period.
- ● Teachers help students with the QR code to sign into the Google Form.
- ● Teachers circulate among students, offering help.
- ● Teachers invite students who are not following expectations to leave and try again another day.
- ● Teachers ensure that every students who is in the library after 3:30 is here for Warrior Support.
- ● Library doors will be locked at 3:30when Miss McGowan leaves. After this, teachers ensure that students in the library are here for Warrior Support only.
- ● Teachers have students submit the form to report what they accomplished during the Warrior Support time. Then students exit through the outside door (not into the hallways), tidy up the library, and turn off the lights before leaving.
Warrior Support Time is …
Homework time ⚫ Help Time ⚫ Study Time ⚫ Quiet time
Warrior Support Time is not …
Friend Time ⚫ Goof Off Time ⚫ Hang Out Time
Warrior Support
Tuesdays – Thursdays ⚫ 3:00 P.M. – 4:00 P.M.
Purpose: To give students extra support from a teacher to help with homework or concepts not understood during class time.
