The IMS Connection

Some helpful phone numbers:

Main Office 631-650-8500 / Guidance Office 631-650-8550

Attendance 631-650-8510 / Health Office 631-650-8525

Wow! What a wonderful way to begin the new school year! The children came back full of positive energy and ready to grow. It is great to see their happiness being harnessed in the world of learning.

Our students were so excited to see our newly renovated dining rooms, now renamed the Fire Island Dining Room and the Montauk Dining Room. An excellent place for our teenage Buccaneers to enjoy a bountiful feast! You may have seen many more renovations during the open house visit such as HVAC, flooring, nurse’s office, main office suites, FACS, computer labs, digital clocks and PA enhancements, and miles and miles of wiring. On behalf of the Islip Middle School faculty and staff, I want to thank the community for the unwavering support for the past five years.

Our after school clubs begin in October. The Middle School keeps a current eBoard with a variety of information. Visit us on the Islip School District website, Twitter, and Facebook. There are many activities for every child to be involved in throughout the year. See the Middle School eBoard for club/activity information.

Lastly, we are excited about the fun children have while they celebrate Halloween. Children are welcome to dress up during the day on Halloween. Please refer to the costume guidelines in this newsletter so we can continue our tradition in a fun, appropriate IMS manner.

As a new school year begins, it is important to ask our parents for help in promoting student safety. Many children are permitted to explore all the Islip community has to offer once school lets out. It is essential for students to understand that Main Street is a busy road and crossing at walkways and street lights is imperative. Students are not permitted to take late bus transportation if they are patronizing the vendors and shops on Main Street; transportation is available for students who participate in IMS clubs and other school-sponsored activities. During the regularly scheduled school day, students cannot leave school grounds for any reason.

We look forward to this being a banner year.

As always, feel free to contact me at tmartin@islipufsd.org

Kind Regards,

Timothy P. Martin

We are excited for a new school year!

Remember to review the Renaissance guidelines in the planner. It's not only about your grades but your character here at the Islip Middle School.

Looking forward to celebrating all of our 4th quarter Renaissance card holders this month.

The 2018-19 school year is off to a fantastic start. We are thrilled to be enjoying the many renovations undertaken this summer as a result of your support through our bond. We are especially proud of our brand new dining rooms and kitchen, and we can attest to the fact that students are enjoying our new seating and dining options. If you’re interested in seeing more, check out our back to school video above.

Most importantly, our students have settled in to their new surroundings, and our teachers are hard at work to ensure a learning experience that is second to none. Over the past few weeks, Dr. Martin and I have had the opportunity to meet with each team to establish a shared vision for conduct at IMS. We talked about the true meaning of being a “buccaneer” – of being on the ship together with people from different backgrounds and cultures, looking out for one another and having one another’s back. I’m confident that our students have begun to internalize this message and that we have a great year ahead.

We are now in year four of our IMS Climate and Culture Initiative. In previous years, we focused on staff culture and family/community culture; this year, we are putting the spotlight on the students. Last spring, we surveyed all students to better understand what we could do to improve student culture. This fall, our Climate and Culture Committee has already met to analyze the results of that survey and strategize to make improvements.

I believe every day of school can be an amazing and transformative experience. I’m thrilled to be on this journey with our staff, students, and families.

October: Decision Making

The decisions we make define who we are, and each day Middle School students are faced with challenging decisions. This month we’ll be working with students on the decision-making process, whether it’s online, on social media, in the halls, or off campus. Please join us in discussing with your child how to make responsible and healthy choices.

1 PTA Meeting, 7:00 PM, MS Library

2 MS Clubs Begin - First Day

4 8th Grade Group Photo

8 Columbus Day - District Closed

9 Board of Education Meeting, 7:30* PM, MS Library

10 1st qtr. Progress Period Ends

17 Progress Reports Posted to Portal

23 Board of Education Meeting, 7:30* PM, MS Library

25 Internet Safety Night, MS Auditorium

30 Halloween Spooktacular Event @ Islip Middle School

*Unless otherwise noted, all Board of Education meetings will begin with an Executive Session at 6:45 PM. The public business meeting portion will begin at approximately 7:30 PM.

1 Emergency Sheltering Drill Early Dismissal (15 minutes before regular close of school)

5 MS Early Winter Sports Begin

6 No School for Students - Election Day/Superintendent's Day

8 Picture Make-Ups

8 MS Musical, 7:00 PM, MS Auditorium

9 MS Musical, 7:00 PM, MS Auditorium

10 MS Musical, 2:00 PM, MS Auditorium

12 District Closed - Veteran's Day (observed)

13 Board of Education Meeting, 7:30 PM* - CRES

13 1st Marking Period Ends

19 IMS PTA Meeting, 7:00 PM, MS Library

20 Report Cards Posted to Portal

21-23 District Closed - Thanksgiving Recess

27 Board of Education Meeting, 7:30 PM* - High School

29 SEPTA Meeting, 7:00 PM - HS Community Room

*Unless otherwise noted, all Board of Education meetings will begin with an Executive Session at 6:45 PM. The public business meeting portion will begin at approximately 7:30 PM.

Dress-up for the students and teachers is optional.

Please keep in mind that the school dress code is in effect and the guidelines below should help you maintain the integrity of our dress code and still join in the Halloween Spirit.

• All costume preparations are to be completed at home. (No dressing or applying of make-up or colored hairspray once students arrive at school.)
• Practical and Safe - Students should be able to work at their desks and move throughout the building without being physically inhibited or a hazard to anyone.
• Respectful/Not Controversial - They should not be offensive to a gender, nationality, race, or religious group.
• Modest - Students must wear costumes that cover themselves and adhere to the dress code.
• No masks are to be worn during the school day.
• No COSTUMES THAT DEPICT VIOLENCE OR VIOLENT CHARACTERS.
• Costumes that promote the use of illegal substances or activities or are derogatory or disrespectful are NOT allowed.
• Teachers may take away any accessory that is used improperly or is considered inappropriate for school.
• School rules regarding the dress code must be followed
• Students who have questions about the acceptability of their costume should check with their Advisory Teacher, their Guidance Counselor, Mr. Miltenberg, or Dr. Martin.
• Students wearing inappropriate costumes will be sent to the office to call home for a change of clothes. Not following the rules and guidelines may result in disciplinary consequences.
• It is important to remember that appropriate school behavior is expected on Halloween Day.
• BE RESPECTFUL AND RESPONSIBLE!!

Don’t Wait – Participate! Support SEPTA

We welcome you to Islip’s SEPTA. SEPTA is a local chapter of the National PTA and is a district wide organization open to everyone in the community. SEPTA is designed to build strong partnerships amongst parents, teachers, administrators, and the community, for the benefit of families and children receiving special education services. Our programs benefit our children with special needs or unique learning styles, as well as our children in general education settings.

The 2018-2019 school year will include presentations on a range of topics and fun events. Your membership dues and support of fundraising efforts directly benefit our students.

For more information please contact:
Kristy Evans, President – islipfam@gmail.com
Fred Henning Vice-President- islipsepta@gmail.com

ISLIP SEPTA 2018-2019 MEMBERSHIP

Name _______________________________Phone Number ___________________

Email ____________________________ (Must include email to receive mailings)

Please check: Parent ____ Faculty _____ (Building) _________________

Please note each membership must be accompanied by a check or cash in the amount of $10.00 representing the Annual Dues per person. Please return the above information and dues, through SEPTA’s mailbox in the main office of your child’s building. Please label SEPTA on your envelope.

Please indicate which of the committees you would be interested in working on:

Fundraising /Sweetheart Dance/ Wrestling Clinic / SEPTA Awards / Membership /

Special Olympics

In order to develop informative presentations, please indicate any topics of interest by circling. Autism, ADD/ADHD, Behavioral Interventions/Strategies, Family Support, Part 200 Regulations, Social Difficulties, My Child’s IEP, Transition, Other ____________________

IMS PTA is off to a great start and back in full swing!

Meet the Teacher Night was a great success. Thanks to everyone who stopped by our table and joined PTA! We are working really hard to increase membership and parent participation. Our PTA is successful when we all work together – parents, teachers, administrators, and students. We all have one common goal – success for our children.

Our first PTA meeting will be on October 1st at 7:00 PM in the MS Library.

Thanks to all who are participating in the Yankee Candle fundraiser. Orders are due October 5th. You can order online at www.yankeecandlefundraising.com and use Group #990017180. Our Spirit Wear Sale is next. Please look for the flyer coming home soon. Proceeds from both will go toward educational and fun assemblies for our students.

We need volunteers! Volunteers are needed for various committees including hospitality, yearbook, fundraising, and more. Please email IslipMiddleSchoolPTA@gmail.com if you are interested in volunteering. Have a question but don’t want to ask publicly? Email the PTA and we will address the question at the meeting during the Frequently Asked Questions portion. We want the PTA to be a valuable resource to all and to help bridge a connection between home and school.

If you have already joined, thank you. If you haven’t, please consider joining the Middle School PTA. There is no obligation to volunteer when you join. Your PTA dues are a donation and any money raised from dues and fundraising goes directly to our students. You can join by visiting nyspta.force.com/UnitLookup or downloading the membership form on the IMS website e-board and sending it into the main office.

A special thanks to our teachers for dedicating themselves to our children every day. We also thank our teachers for their involvement in the IMS PTA.

Our next meetings are October 1st and November 19th at 7 PM in the Middle School library. Please save the dates.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Sanders, IMS PTA President

Website: islipufsd.org
Location: 211 Main Street, Islip, NY, United States
Phone: 631-650-8500
Facebook: facebook.com/IslipMS
Twitter: @IslipMS