October 12, 2015

Irmo Middle School

6051 Wescott Road
Columbia, SC 29212
(803) 476-3600
www.lexrich5.org/ims
School Hours:
8:20 a.m.3:35 p.m.

The Buzz at Irmo Middle School

Creating successful students for the challenges of tomorrow
rsjackso@lexrich5.org

Robert S. Jackson, Ed.S., Principal

https://twitter.com/IMS_Principal

Inside this issue:

Parent Teacher Conferences 2
IT-ology
3
Irmo Spirit Shirts
4
ChicFilA Calendar Card Info 5

ChicFilA Order Form

6
Parent Portal
7
Box Top Competition
7
Reading Season
8-9
Health Careers Academy 10
Sports Schedules
10
Career Day
11
Job Shadowing
11
Individual Graduation Plans 12

Dates to Remember:
Tues 10/13
G40 Mtg. Media Ctr.
7:45-8:10 AM
G40 Student Installation
Media Center 6 PM
Volleyball Game 5:30 pm
@Home vs. White
Knoll
Wed 10/14
PSAT Exam
Football Game 5:30
pm @ Meadow Glenn
Fri 10/16
FCA @ 7:40 AM
Room 904
Report Card Pick Up
Night
Thursday, Oct. 29th
5:30-7:30 PM IMS Gym

Teen Read Week is coming up October 18th -24th, and this years theme is Get
Away @ Your Library. Students are invited to Read Around the World, using a
passport to keep track of the number of books they read. For every book read the
student will receive an entry for a prize drawing. Come and check out Irmo Middle
Schools Media Center!
Students participating in Read Your Way to the Big Game may also participate in
Teen Read Week - you can never read too many books!
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Science and Engineering

Dear Parents, is your job related to
Science and Engineering? If so, we
would love for you to consider being a guest presenter for the Irmo
Middle School Science Team. We
will be competing against other middle schools from South Carolina in
2016 Science Olympiad at
Newberry College. Events range
from Human Anatomy to Robotics.
Please visit the Science Olympiad
website linked here to review the
wide variety of events offered. We
will meet after school on Wednesdays and would love for you to join and help us prepare for the competition. Sincerely, IMS Science Team. https://
www.soinc.org/2016_div_b_events.
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If you have news for the

Buzz, email Allison Redick
at aredick@lexrich5.org.

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Parent/teacher conferences are an excellent opportunity to gauge your

childs academic progress and create an ongoing dialogue with your childs
teacher. Here are some ways to make parent-teacher conferences as beneficial as possible.
Prepare
Ask your child if there are topics he/she would like discussed with his/
her teacher.
Write notes to yourself about your childs personality, learning difficulties and study habits aspects that you feel the teacher should know.
Take these notes with you to the meeting.
Questions to Ask at the Meeting
What is your classroom homework policy? Is homework graded?
What are the skills that you expect my child to master this year?
Is my child working up to his/her ability?
How can I stay involved in my childs learning?
During the Conference
Be respectful of the teachers time and arrive promptly.
Begin the conversation on a positive note.
Discuss your notes concerning your childs learning habits.
Ask your most important questions first in case time runs out.
Listen to the teachers comments and be open to feedback and suggestions.
Ask the teacher for specific suggestions on ways to help your child reach his/her potential. This is the most
important part of the meeting.
If the teacher says something that you dont understand, ask for clarification.
Take notes so you can discuss the meeting with your child.
End the meeting by reiterating the actions that will be taken by the teacher or you.
If needed, schedule a time to meet again.
After the Conference
Tell your child what you discussed.
Develop an action plan, and then work with your child to implement it. Be sure to make learning fun!
Stay in contact with the teacher and continue to discuss your childs progress.
To help students learn the skills, habits and attitudes needed for lifelong success, teachers need your assistance
and input. Working together, you can both ensure your child has a great school year!
Visit our blog, Sylvan Source, to learn about hot educational topics and get grade-specific resources, advice and
educational news from experts.

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Calendar Card Order Form

Only exact cash or check accepted.

Checks payable to IMS PTSO and include your child's name on the check.
Limited quantity available.
First come first serve.
If you have any questions please email them to jmkgordon@me.com.
Thank you for supporting the Irmo Middle School PTSO.

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We are well on our way with the 2015-16 school year. Students have established routines and are all working
on academic goals. Now is a great time for parents to check in with students and outline any areas of support
needed. Interim reports were sent home with students on Friday, September 25. Review with students their
grades and engage them in a discussion about what academic goals they have for the year. Have them set up a
plan to reach those goals. If you or your student needs assistance from a School Counselor, please let us know.
If you have not set up your Parent Portal Account, come by the school bring your ID and someone at the front
desk will be happy to assist you.
If you set up a Parent Portal account and have forgotten your password and or user name, click on the Having
trouble logging in link on the Parent Portal Login page. You will receive an email with instructions on how to
reset your password and or user name.
If this does not resolve your issues, and you are still in need of assistance, please complete the Parent Portal
Assistance Form. For other questions refer to the Parent Portal Guide for suggestions.
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All you have to do:

Bring in Box Tops to raise money for our school!
The CREW from each grade with the most by the end
of the quarter earns a prize!
Prizes (Choice of):
Choice of seating during lunch
First in line at lunch for a week
Eat lunch outside for a day

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Health Careers Academy

8th Grade Medical Explorers Program
Mid Carolina is now recruiting for the 2015-2016 Health Careers Academy
Deadline: September 30, 2015. Orientation: October 27, 2015 at 6 PM
Location: Midlands Technical College Airport Campus
Schedule: One Tuesday night a month from 6-8 PM starting in October
The South Carolina AHEC Health Careers Program works to increase the number of students
entering the health professions in South Carolina. The Health Careers Program (HCP) is designed to promote
resiliency, improve overall academic success and foster a sense of purpose in the student participants. It provides students with a practical link between academic studies and preparation for the participation in the workforce.
The South Carolina AHEC Health Careers Academy (HCA) is a health career exploration experience. Activities
demonstrating the use of communications, math and science make up the curriculum specifically designed for
future health professions students of South Carolina. The 8 th Grade Curriculum includes Leadership, Career Exploration, Study Skills & Networking, Resume Set-Up & Development and 10 hours of Service Learning.
Participants will enhance soft skills that will prove useful in the professional world while broadening their
knowledge of health professions, networking with practicing health professionals, AND creating a project that
will introduce younger students to careers in health. Participation hours will be applied to South Carolina AHEC
HCA service learning hours, and can be classified as volunteer experience on college and job applications.
For an application or more information contact Allison Redick, Career Specialist at IMS, aredick@lexrich5.org or
(803)476-3668.
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Career Day at IMS

November 20th, 8:30-10:30 AM
November is National Career Month. The month is
designed to highlight the importance of lifelong career development and the personal empowerment of
all people. It also gives us another opportunity to
show students how what they learn in school is related to the skills they will need in the workplace.
On Friday, November 20th from 8:30-10:30 AM, IMS
will be hosting Career Day. All students will have the
opportunity to listen to multiple speakers from various career paths.

Parents, if you are willing to share you career experiences with our students on Career Day, we would
appreciate your participation in this program. Please contact Allison Redick at 803- 476-3668 or email at aredick@lexrich5.org.

Job Shadowing
October 23, 2015 - April 22, 2016
Job Shadowing is a great time for your student to explore the world of
work. Job Shadowing gives students an opportunity to see that the skills
they learn in school are related to the skills they will need in the workplace. Job Shadowing is considered a short-term experience to introduce a student to a particular job by a oneon-one pairing of a student with an employee in a work environment. The student shadows the worker up to
one day to better understand the requirements of a particular career. All students are encouraged to participate
in this activity.

Important Information:
1. Students and their parents/guardians will make arrangements for the student to shadow a parent/guardian,
friend, relative or another person in a career of interest at the work site to include Transportation. This Job
Shadowing opportunity is offered in lieu of Take-Your-Daughter/Son To-Work Day and Groundhog Shadowing Day.
2. Students are only eligible to have ONE day per school year for this activity. Job Shadowing can be completed
in a couple of hours, an entire day, weekends and/or holidays.
3. Students provide their own lunch during shadowing,
4. Students should demonstrate punctuality, honesty, good grooming habits, appropriate dress and willingness
to learn.
5. Students serve as an observer, not a worker.
6. Students are not permitted to shadow teachers at Irmo Middle School or Crossroads Middle School.
7. Any school work missed as a result of being absent for shadowing is the responsibility of the student.
If interested, please have your student contact Allison Redick, Career Specialist to pick up a packet or go to our
IMS Website under the Guidance Department/Career Specialist to print a packet. Also, if you need assistance for
a particular career to job shadow please contact Allison Redick @ 803- 476-3668 or email: aredick@lexrich5.org.

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What are Individual

Graduation Plans (IGP)?
The Economic Development Act (EEDA) was passed in 2005. The implementation of this law was designed to
better prepare yourself for what you want to do after high school and to help you and your parents/guardians
make informed decisions about your education and future. The core of this law is the idea of planning. You,
along with your parent, will begin to create an IGP in the 8th grade as you prepare to enter the high school. During this time, you will select a cluster of study as you map out courses to take in high school. A career cluster is a
way of organizing classes around an occupational group. Each year in high school, you will review your IGP with a
guidance counselor and changes can be made based on your interest.
The Guidance Department will be scheduling the IGP meetings for 8th graders. You will receive a letter in the
mail over the next few of months which will have a scheduled appointment time. This meeting will allow your
student to choose a cluster of study. This plan can be changed and will be re-visited each year during registration. If you have a conflict or unable to attend the assigned appointment time, please contact Allison Redick at
803-476-3668 or email at aredick@lexrich5.org.

Tips for Parents

In helping your child
chose a Career path:
Start young. Develop career awareness by discussing career opportunities when reading books and
newspapers, watching television and observing
worksites.
Support you childs efforts to assess his or her own
interests, aptitudes, values and work styles.
Share your job experiences. A child delights in hearing about his or her parents jobs.
Encourage participation in job shadowing and internship opportunities.
Help your child understand the value and importance of his or her academic courses for success in a future
career.
6. Advise your child that there is more than one education pathway to a good job. More than 50% of the fastest growing jobs require an associates degree. There are a variety of routes to success: on the job training,
technical college, four year college, apprenticeships or the military.