October 30, 2023
Dear Indian Hills Middle School Community:
It’s Halloween Eve and we can’t wait for the energy, enthusiasm, and sugar rush that awaits us this week. To ensure everyone’s safety, we ask that students, staff, and community members adhere to the costume guidelines that can be found on our website included below in this newsletter.
We are also looking forward to a new term, which begins today, October 30th. We encourage parents and guardians to continue to support and monitor your student’s progress throughout this term as historically we see our middle and high school students struggle more during this term than in any other. On the positive side, we also see students gain traction during 2nd quarter as they master classroom routines and build their academic skills.
Let’s make this week a memorable one for all of the best of reasons!
✔ Red Ribbon Week is this week! Our PTSA is sponsoring the activities this week, which can be located in the flyers below. We remind our community about the Classic Skating event on Thursday, November 2nd from 5:00-8:30 p.m.
✔ Congratulations Debate Team! This past week our debate team competed against other Canyons District schools at Butler Middle School. Our Debate One Novice Policy students swept the field: Tommy Nguyen, Lincoln Hansen, Young Park, Leah Davis, Thomas Deckhart, and Ryan Clark. Debate Two Varsity Extemporaneous students Millie Otvos and Dexter Tonks earned awards for their efforts. Varsity LD Ellie Houtz and Varsity Policy Speakers Ashlyn Fry and Maggie Bradley also earned awards. Way to go debaters!
✔ Halloween Costume Contest & Costume Guidelines: We want everyone to have a positive experience at school on Halloween day. Please ensure your student does not wear a mask or full face paint to school so that we can identify who everyone is. This applies to all adults who enter the building as well. Please see a list of other restricted items on our website:https://indianhills.canyonsdistrict.org/halloween-costume-rules-for-school/
✔ College Week November 6th-10th: Our counselors want to remind you that College Week is coming up next week, which will include some spirit days as we encourage students to start thinking about college.
✔ Library Announcement: Miss McGowan, our teacher-librarian, recently attended a meeting with a county library representative and learned something exciting! Did you know the county offers FREE live tutors? As long as you have a library card, the library offers live online tutoring from 1:00-11:00 P.M. every day. These tutors can provide homework help in math, science, reading/writing, social studies, PSAT/SAT, ACT, AP and state standardized tests. They can help with skill building, too. There is a 24- hour writing lab available. You can submit homework questions for expert guidance. There is an adult learning center and Spanish-speaking support, as well. Click here to register with your library card.
✔ Sweepers Needed: Canyons District is looking for students who wish to be sweepers in our schools. Students must be at least 14 years of age to apply. Pay starts at $11:45/hour. If students are interested or would like more information, call Nicole Holland at 801-826-5185.
✔ IHMS Annual Food Drive: Attention Indian Hills Community! Our annual food drive is right around the corner. Last year, the Utah Food Bank distributed 67.3 million pounds of food across the entire state. That is the equivalent of 56.1 million meals. We were part of that amazing number last year when our school donated over 11,000 non-perishable food items. This year, we are again going to do our part to help our neighbors in need by donating to the IHMS Food Drive. The Utah Food Bank reports that peanut butter, canned meat, boxed meals, soups, SpaghettiOs, canned fruits and canned veggies are always in high demand. The food drive will start on Monday, November 6th and end on Friday, November 17th. Each team at Indian Hills will have competitions and offer prizes for the teams who gets the most food donated. Please donate what you can to help ensure no one in our state goes hungry!
✔ Internet Safety: Canyons School District has updated information regarding internet safety and student devices in schools. The flyer below includes specific information, including FAQ’s. The district has also provided valuable up-to-date information about Technology for Families on their website: https://www.canyonsdistrict.org/familyconnections/ .
✔ Dual Language Immersion (DLI) Intent to Continue: The window to complete the intent-to-continue process closes this week on November 3rd. Parents who have not completed this process must do so in order to continue with DLI at the high school level.
✔ Warrior Support: Once again, a reminder that after-school academic support program run on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays throughout the school year. Any student who wishes to get extra help in math—or any subject—can go to the library from 3:00-4:00 p.m. for help from teachers. Our Warrior Support expectations are outlined below to ensure that this time is respectfully utilized.
- October 30th-November 3rd
o Red Ribbon Week (see flyers below!) - October 31st
o Costume Contest sponsored by our PTSA & lunch time Activities - November 1st
o Honors Choir & Band Festival at Butler Middle School - November 6th- 10th
o College Week - November 6th-17th
o Food Drive sponsored by IHMS National Junior Honor Society - November 17th
o Citizen of the Month Award Ceremony (7:30 a.m.Warrior Room)We are better together at Indian Hills Middle School! Indian Hills Middle School Administration:
Shelly Karren Karlie Aardema Joeseph Olson
Red Ribbon Week
October 30-November 3
Monday- Wear Red -Rally in Red
Tuesday- Halloween Costume Scare off Drugs
Wednesday– Spirit Day- Wear School Colors or Spirit Wear
Thursday– Wear Tie- Dye or Neon Too Bright For Drugs
Friday– Crazy Sock Day No One Eats Alone
Free Family Skate Night! Thursday Nov, 2nd 5-8:30 P.M.
Dear Parents,
This coming week is Red Ribbon Week October 30-November 3rd. At school, students will be participating in activities and discussions that highlight the importance of staying drug free. We have a theme for each day, check the attachments for the schedule.
Did you know that 13 is the average age when alcohol and drugs are used for the first time? Armed with the right information and concrete strategies, we can support our kids in making good choices.
Family bonding is a protective factor against delinquency for children of all age groups. It is a significant source of protection against drug and alcohol abuse in adolescents. Positive attachment to parents is a strong protection and factor in keeping your child drug free.
Please try this week to engage in some good quality family activities like movies, bowling, skiing, game night, ice skating, Roller Skating at Family Skate Night at Classic Fun Center Thursday 5-8:30pm (Free Entry! See attached flier) and use them to talk with your kids about the dangers of drug use, and ways they can stay drug free.
We are also encouraging family meals together. Parents Empowered has a link to some fun family activities that can be done at dinnertime. https://parentsempowered.org/how/have-fun/ Here is a link to Family Conversation Starters that can be used for dinner time conversation.https://www.thesuburbanmom.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/03/Family-Conversation-Starters-1 .jpg
We will have a tic tac toe activity for students this week (attached below). If they turn it in on Friday at lunch in the cafeteria they can get a prize.
We encourage you to talk with your children this week, to spend time with them and to ask those important questions to help them be drug free. Family bonding is a very effective tool in staying Drug Free. Thank you for your support!
Sincerely,
Indian Hills Middle School PTSA Red Ribbon Week Committee
Indian Hills Red Ribbon Week Random Acts of Kindness Tic-Tac-Toe Challenge
| Pick up litter | Hold the door open for someone | Write a thank you note to a parent or friend |
| Donate a toy, book, food or clothes | Smile at everyone you see for a day | Compliment at least 3 people |
| Sit with someone new at lunch | Use chalk to write positive messages on your sidewalk | Let someone in front of you in line |
The goal is make a tic-tac-toe (Complete at least 3 in a row) and have a parent sign it. Bring it to lunch on Friday, Nov. 3rd for a prize.
Name_____________________________________ Parent Signature____________________________
Warrior Support:
What it looks like for Students:
- ● Students MUST arrive between
3:00-3:15 in order to participate in
Warrior 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 3:30
when 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.
