February 29, 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:

Safety Request
School Course Fair
Book Fair
Course Fair Night Flyer
Camp Catch Your Breath
State Geography Bee
Student Led Conferences
FebJob Shadowing Month
Individual Graduation Plans

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Dates to Remember:
Mon 2/29
Book Fair: Media Ctr.
Tues 3/1
G40 Mtg. 7:45-8:10
Media Center
Book Fair: Media Ctr.
Wed 3/2
Delayed Opening Day
Classes begin at 9:18
Book Fair: Media Ctr.
Thurs 3/3
Book Fair: Media Ctr.
NYC Expedition
Parent Mtg. 6:30 Caf
Fri 3/4
FCA Mtg. 7:40-8:10
AM Room 904
Honor Band Field Trip

If you have news for the

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

Robert S. Jackson, Ed.S., Principal

https://twitter.com/IMS_Principal

Irmo Middle School Receives Palmetto Gold & Silver Award Again!!!
The South Carolina Department of Education announced Monday the recipients of the Palmetto Gold and
Silver Awards for the 2014-2015 school year. The South Carolina Department of Education recognized 589 schools and
career centers for general performance, closing the achievement gap, or qualifying in both categories. Irmo Middle is
proud to announce that we have once again been awarded
the Palmetto Gold Award for Outstanding Academic Performance out of 1,177 schools statewide. This is our fifteenth
consecutive year earning the Palmetto Gold and Silver Award at Irmo Middle.
According to State Education Superintendent Molly Spearman, I am pleased that so
many schools are being recognized for their excellent performance and closing the
achievement gap, said Spearman. These awards are well-deserved and indicate the
great strides administrators, principals, teachers, and students are making across the
state. We will continue to embrace the Profile of the South Carolina Graduate to
achieve educational excellence in every district.
The Palmetto Gold and Silver Awards program (PGS) began with the Education Accountability Act of 1998, giving recognition to schools for high levels of academic
achievement and high rates of improvement. The PGS recognizes schools based on
the criteria in the statewide Accountability Manual approved by the Education Oversight Committee (EOC) for both general performance and working towards closing
the achievement gap. Within those two categories, a school may be awarded either
the gold or silver designation. The EOC revised the criteria for Palmetto Silver General Performance this year, reducing the number of eligible schools.

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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

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Irmo Middle's Ian Bates Qualifies for SC State Geography Bee!

MIDDLE's IAN BATES Named South Carolina National Geographic State Bee Semifinalist
by National Geographic Society
Irmo Middle School's Ian Bates has been notified by the National Geographic Society that
he is one of the semifinalists eligible to compete in the 2016 South Carolina National Geographic State Bee. The contest will be held on Friday, April 1, 2016.
This is the second level of the National Geographic Bee competition, which is now in its 28th year. School Bees
were held in schools with fourth- through eighth-grade students throughout the state to determine each school
champion. School champions then took an online qualifying test. The National Geographic Society has invited up
to 100 of the top-scoring students in each of the 50 states, District of Columbia, Department of Defense Dependents Schools and U.S. territories to compete in the state Bees.
Each state champion will receive $100, the National Geographic book The National Parks: An Illustrated History and a medal, and will journey to Washington, D.C., to represent their state in the National Geographic Bee
Championship at National Geographic Society headquarters, May 22-25, 2016. The national champion will receive a $50,000 college scholarship and lifetime membership in the National Geographic Society. The national
champion will also travel (along with one parent or guardian), all expenses paid, to Alaskas coastal wilderness,
including Glacier Bay National Park, in recognition of the 100th anniversary of the National Park Service. Travel
for the trip is provided by Lindblad Expeditions and National Geographic. Visit www.natgeobee.org for more information on the National Geographic Bee.
The 2016 National Geographic Bee Championship final round, moderated for the first time by journalist and humorist Mo Rocca, will air on the National Geographic Channel and Nat Geo WILD on Friday, May 27, at 8 p.m.
ET, and later on public television stations. Check local television listings for air date and time in your area.
How would you fare as a Bee contestant? At the school Bees this year, students had to answer
such questions as:
To fish in Lake Winnipesaukee [wi-neh-peh-SAW-kee] and ski near Franconia Notch, you would travel to which
stateNew Hampshire or South Dakota? New Hampshire
Visitors to Biscayne National Park in Florida can go fishing and lobstering along the shore of which kind of habitatmangrove or desert? Mangrove
Sea kayakers can explore hundreds of islands off the Dalmatian coast of which European country south of Slovenia? Croatia
For centuries, the Chinese emperors lived in seclusion in the Forbidden City, which is located within what present
-day city? Beijing
MEDIA NOTE: Prior to the state finals on April 1, press materials with additional information about the stateand national-level contests will be posted at http://press.nationalgeographic.com/geo-bee/. To be notified when
these materials are available, or for other inquiries, contact Kelsey Flora (kflora@ngs.org / 202-828-8023) with
the National Geographic Society Communications office. You may also contact the State Bee coordinator, (insert
State Bee coordinators name/email/phone), for additional information.
ABOUT THE NATIONAL GEOGRAPHIC SOCIETY: National Geographic is a global nonprofit membership
organization driven by a passionate belief in the power of science, exploration and storytelling to change the
world. We fund hundreds of research and conservation projects around the globe each year. With the support of
our members and donors, we work to inspire, illuminate and teach through scientific expeditions, award-winning
journalism, education initiatives and more. For more information, visit www.nationalgeographic.org.

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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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Job Shadowing Month

Job Shadowinga great time to explore the world of work.
October 23, 2015 April 22, 2016 - Each year, Irmo Middle School students have the opportunity to participate
in Job Shadowing.
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 one-on-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 about Job Shadowing:
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.
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.
Students provide their own lunch during shadowing, if applicable.
Students should demonstrate punctuality, honesty, good grooming habits, appropriate dress and willingness
to learn.
Students serve as an observer, not a worker.
Students are not permitted to shadow teachers at Irmo Middle school
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 @ 476-3668 or email:
aredick@lexrich5.org
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Mathematics and Sciences Day for Middle School Girls

March 5, 2016, 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m.
Cottingham Theatre and Bush Science Center
A day of Collaboration, Competition, Creativity, Camaraderie
and Celebration of Women in Mathematics and Science
For more information and to register for this event, click on the link below:
http://columbiascmathandscienceday.weebly.com/
Columbia College
1301 Columbia College Dr.
Columbia, SC 29203
Telephone: 803.786.3844 or 803.786.3596, Fax: 803.786.3809
Email: nmcnulty@columbiasc.edu
If you choose to attend, you may receive an excused absence in place of a job shadowing day.

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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.