March 7, 2016

The Buzz at Irmo Middle School

Irmo Middle School

6051 Wescott Road
Columbia, SC 29212
(803) 476-3600

Creating successful students for the challenges of tomorrow

www.lexrich5.org/ims
School Hours:
8:20 a.m.3:35 p.m.

rsjackso@lexrich5.org

Inside this issue:

Late Night Irmo High
Camp Catch Your Breathe
Safety Requests
Course Fair
Course Fair Flyer
Student Led Conferences
Individual Graduation Plans

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Robert S. Jackson, Ed.S., Principal

https://twitter.com/IMS_Principal

Registration 2016-17
Spring Hill High School
Students selected to attend Spring Hill High School, through
District 5 Choice, will register on Monday, March 7, 2016.
Counselors from SHHS will meet with selected 8th grade
students to present course options and help select courses
based on the students identified Academy of Study.

Irmo High School

Dates to Remember:
Mon 3/7
Spring Hill HS Reg.
Late Night with Irmo
High: rising 9th grade
6:30 PM Irmo High
Center for the Arts
Tues 3/8
G40 Mtg. 7:45-8:10
Media Center
Irmo High Reg.
IT/STEM Colonial Life
Field Trip
IMS Course Fair Night
@ 6 PM
Wed 3/9
Irmo High Reg.
6th Grade field trip
Thurs 3/10
Orchestra Field Study
All State Band
C Team Track Meet
@ Irmo High 5 PM
Fri 3/11
FCA Mtg. 7:40-8:10
AM Room 904
Student Govt
Convention

If you have news for the

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

Registration for students attending Irmo High School next

year will occur on Tuesday, March 8 for students with math
class 1st, 2nd and 3rd period, or Wednesday, March 9 for
students with math class 4th, 5th and 6th period.
Irmo High School will host a rising 9th grade information
meeting on Monday, March 7th from 6:30pm-7:30pm in the
Center for the Arts.

Irmo Middle School

All rising 6th, 7th and 8th grade IMS students will receive a classroom lesson on the registration process and
a presentation of Exploratory/ Elective Course Offerings
on Monday, March 7, 2016. Student registration materials will also be provided for students to bring home.
Please ask students about this information and be sure
to attend IMS Course Fair on Tuesday, March 8 at 6:00pm, to
get additional information about the registration process. Exploratory/ Elective Registration Forms are due back to school by Monday, March 14, 2016.
Registration for IMS Core Classes will occur in April, 2016.

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Dear Parents and Guardians,

We need your help with a few observed safety concerns relating to arrival and dismissal at Irmo Middle. Over the past few weeks, we have noticed an increase in the
number of children (not attending Irmo Middle School) being allowed out of their parents automobiles as they wait for dismissal. These children have been observed playing,
running in between vehicles, entering the building to get water, and disrupting classes.
We have to ask that everyone immediately discontinue this practice as it is a safety issue and disrupts classroom instruction at the end of the school day. We are asking all
parents at dismissal to keep their small children in their vehicles where they can be properly supervised.
Also, we continue to observe parents dropping off children in the bus loading zone and staff parking lot in the
morning. To ensure that our students are safe at all times, we have designated separate drop-off and pick up locations for buses and vehicular traffic. Parents and guardians who bring and pick up students from school are
asked to use the designed car rider lines (adjacent to subway for 6th and 7th graders and adjacent to Wescott
Acres Pet Resort). Utilizing these car rider locations will enable us to keep students from running in front of
buses to get into the buildings.
Finally, we are noticing that some parents are using the staff parking lot and bus lane to turn left, to avoid circling
the car rider line at arrival and dismissal. Vehicles are being observed speeding through our lot and endangering
staff members who are arriving to or departing from campus. Again, we are asking that this practice be discontinued immediately.
We are hopeful that we can garner your support as we strive to keep all students, parents, and staff members
safe at Irmo Middle. By utilizing the designated drop off and pick up locations along with established vehicular
traffic patterns, you will do your part to help us keep everyone safe.
Your cooperation is greatly appreciated.
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School Course Fair

March 8th, 6pm!

Families of rising 6th, 7th and 8th-graders who will be attending the International Academic Magnet at Irmo Middle School next fall are invited to our
2016-17 Course Fair on Tuesday, March 8, 2016 at 6:00pm in the Irmo Middle School cafeteria.
We will share information on how to register for your student's classes as
well as describe the terrific array of programs and educational opportunities that are being offered at Irmo Middle for your child.
Teachers will be available to describe the many exploratory class options that include STEM Systems, Gateway
to Technology, World Languages, Art, Chorus, Band, Business and Computer Applications, Global Leadership,
Orchestra, Multimedia, and Music Technology.
The Irmo Middle School team will be on hand to answer questions about how we incorporate international
themes into our core curriculum, our Algebra Readiness, STEM Systems and Literacy labs, our foreign language
offerings, and the many choices in our International Arts programs.
Please join us for this excellent opportunity to learn about the variety of classes offered at Irmo Middle School
and how you can register your student for the courses that will best enhance his/her educational experience
while attending our International Academic Magnet program.

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We are pleased to announce that this year we will be facilitating student-led conferences (SLC's). For those of you who may be new to this procedure, the student-led
conference process empowers the student to direct and report on his/her progress at
school that specifically addresses certain learning targets and our school-wide Habits
of Scholarship. SLC's are research-based and used in many exemplary middle
schools. Our Crew leaders have been trained to assist, direct, and support our students throughout the preparation process. They have coached, critiqued, and evaluated their students in order to have them ready to present to their parents and guardians. In short, the students will be leading the conference while reflecting on their progress and setting goals for advancement.
During the conference process students will report on academic progress, articulate goals, report on assessment
data when appropriate, and share examples of their course work. They will present samples of schoolwork from
all of their classes.
The student-led conference process is much different from the traditional parent teacher conference in which the
teacher does most of the talking and the parent does the listening. Often in such conferences, the student is not
even present. The role of the Crew leader in a student-led conference is one of coach, mentor, and advocate. It
is likely that there will be several conferences will be taking place at one time within the same room. The Crew
leader will circulate and be present for specific questions related to the process and support students as they reflect on their work. If a parent wants a parent teacher conference with any particular teacher, they may request
one at any time.
We believe that the student-led conference process allows students to take ownership of their learning and possess the responsibility for creating goals and identifying support structures needed to achieve their desired level
of success. We are pleased with the learning that is happening at Irmo Middle School's International Academic
Magnet and know that our students are eager to present their progress to their parents.
We thank you for working with them in this journey. Below we have included some frequently asked questions
and answers.
Why are we doing them at Irmo Middle School? How does it impact student achievement? When students
are a vital component of student-led conferences, they have more ownership in the learning process with opportunities for increased student success. Students have an opportunity to present their work, reflect on learning,
revise goals, and determine specific strategies for continued growth.
When: Student-led Conferences will take place in March 2016 for all IMS students.
6th Grade March 7-11, 7th Grade March 21-24, 8th Grade March 14-18
Where: Crew leaders classroom, or another location decided upon by the Crew leader.
*Parent/guardian(s) will be given different times (20 minute time slots) during that week that they can sign up to
attend.
What Should Parents Expect: Parents will be welcomed, and then invited to sit with their student as their child
communicates their progress towards academic learning targets and Habits of Scholarship.
How can parents assist: Please support your child by signing up for a 20 minute time slot the week of their student-led conference. Your attendance at their student-led conference will mean so much to them! Our goal is for
100% of parents to attend. Sign up information will be sent home the first week in February.
For a sample of how these work, take a moment to watch the video at the following URL: https://
vimeo.com/45140230

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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.