November 23, 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.

Inside this issue:

Career Day
2-3
CREW
4
Interim Pick Up Night
5
Summer School
6
ChicFilA Calendar Card Info 7

ChicFilA Order Form

8
Counselors Corner
9
Parent Portal
9
Job Shadowing
9
Individual Graduation Plans 10

Dates to Remember:
Tues 11/24
G40 Mtg. 7:45-8:10
Media Center
Wed 11/25-Fri 11/27
Thanksgiving Holidays
No School

Dec. 3rd:
5:30-7:30 PM
Interim Pick Up
Night

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

National Beta School of Distinction.

The National Beta Club has recognized the Irmo Middle Junior Beta Club with achieving National Beta School of Distinction for the 2015-16 school year. This award is given to Beta
clubs who show an increase in membership. The National
Beta Club is committed to academic excellence and dedicated
to preparing student for college and career readiness. The
Beta Club students at IMS
understand the
importance of
these qualities
and exemplify
the Beta motto,
Let us lead by
serving others.
The Junior Beta
Club at Irmo
Middle provides
students with a unique opportunity to fulfill our magnet programs EL education principle of service and compassion, which states, students and teachers are strengthened by acts of consequential service to others. The IMS Beta Club has demonstrated this EL component in the last year by raising money for the Make a Wish Foundation, volunteering their time at school events, and raising money for the District 5
Foundations flood relief fund. The IMS Junior Beta club is a true example of our EL
magnet theme, we are crew, not passengers!
************************************************************************************

IMS Career Day

45 plus Career Presentations

On Friday Nov.20th IMS and Community Representatives
presented our students with over 40 career presentations.
This is a wonderful experience and real life exposure to
help our students explore and learn more about their interests and career opportunities.

THANK YOU to our Community Volunteer Speakers, IMS Teachers and Staff, District
If you have news for the
Buzz, email Allison Redick
at aredick@lexrich5.org.

5 and all who participated in this successful and beneficial experience for our students.
Please see more information about this successful event on pages 2 and 3.

The Buzz at Irmo Middle

The Buzz at Irmo Middle

Page
Page22

Presentations and Presenters

Thank You to All!!!
Career Area

Presenter

Akido Instructor

John Carer

Applications Developer, SCANA

Christine Tanner

Attorney, SC Supreme Court

Blaire Camp

Attorney, SC Supreme Court

Brett Stevens

Biomedical Engineer

Thomas Solet

Business Owner, Subway

Michael McNeil

CATS Center

Mechatronics Students

Chaplain City of Columbia

Billie Bright

Chief Information Officer, District 5

Mark Bounds

Chiropractor

Dr. Michelle Fox

Coordinator of Certified Personnel,

District 5

Winnical Brown

Counselor, IMS

James Fanning

Director of Technology, WIS TV10

Emir Hadziahmetovic

Education Coordinator, SC Attorney

Joe Ryan
Generals Office
Financial Advisor, Edward Jones InTina Warner
vestment
Funeral Services

Amanda Mulalley

Homeland Security

Daniel Ostergaard

Information Technology, SoutheastTanika Dunlap

ern Freight
Javis Tax Service

Charlene Moultrie

Javis Tax Service

Teresa House

Law Enforcement, K9 Unit

Kurt Stevens

Lex/Rich School District 5

Don Earle

Marketing Manager, Bojangles

Joe Polek

Law Enforcement, K9 Unit

Robert Clay

The Buzz at Irmo Middle

The Buzz at Irmo Middle

Page
Page33

Presentations and Presenters

Thank You to All!!!
Career Area

Presenters

Network Engineer, USC

Jon Shurett

Orthodontist, Pitner Orthodontics

Dr. Katie Bullwinkle

Outreach Coordinator, SC State Library Jason Broughton

Canine Country

Kelly Winfree

Pharmacist, Walgreens

Stephanie Wise

Physical Therapist, Lex. Med.

Katie Smyers

Physical Therapist, Drayer PT

Marisol Clark

Program Coordinator, Nickeldon Thea- Pedro Lopez DeVictoria

Public Relations, NASCAR

Erin Gregg

Public Service

Irmo Firefighters

Publix Bakery

Nicole Ritzel

Registered Nurse

Jermaine Gordon

Registered Nurse

Krista Vaughan

Registered Nurse

Lashawn Drayton

SC Department of Corrections

Captain Keturah Gause

SC Department of Corrections

Sgt. Tishiro Inabinet

SC ETV

Craig Ness

SC Forestry Commission

Jonathan Calore

SC Forestry Commission

Stephanie Kolek

SC Soil Conservationist

Bill Melven

SRO IMS

Officer Eastman

Store Manager, Publix

Meredith Skidmore

USC School of Business

Marc Himes

Page
Page44

The Buzz at Irmo Middle

The Buzz at Irmo Middle

CREW gives students a voice at Irmo Middle School

Eighth grade students at Irmo Middle School gathered Nov. 12 for a community meeting as part of a school-wide initiative
giving students a voice in their education and building their school community.
The international academic magnet school earned the prestigious Expeditionary Learning designation in 2014, joining more
than 150 U.S. schools to get the designation. Chartered by the national Outward Bound group, the Expeditionary Learning
model encompasses traditional curriculum like math, science, English and other subjects; but also requires students to answer a question, address a problem and take action on an issue unique to the schools community. Irmo Middle School
underwent a year-long application process, training for staff and in-depth screening to earn the EL status.
Through EL, our magnet programs and the programs weve implemented; students at Irmo Middle School are immersed
in dialogues with their peers, there is a high level of student engagement, students are at the center of learning and teachers take on more of a facilitators role, Robert Jackson, principal of the Lexington-Richland District Five school. Its creating an environment at the school where teachers ask thought-provoking, high-level depth of knowledge questions that
force students to do some strategic thinking.
Community meetings are held once a month for each grade level, sixth through eighth. At the meeting, students learn to
facilitate and share ideas from small weekly group sessions called crews. EL school designer Dee Duncan attended the
Nov. 12 community meeting. She says community meetings and crews are all about getting students to have ownership
of their learning and education.
Community meetings allow students to model what community meetings use to look like, said Duncan. The benefit is
students beginning to feel that ownership and to begin to see that they are not just being spoken at constantly This is
not just the teachers school. This is their school, and EL activities give students a voice in it.
Educators say the model is a departure from rote instruction and highly effective in closing achievement gaps. Students become vested in subjects and take the lead in learning and teachers re-think the traditional ways of teaching, said Irmo Middle Magnet Lead Teacher Jennifer Cook.
We have student crews, where students come together and get inspired by each other. Today we had our third community meeting, and were starting to see students take over and stand before their peers to address issues around school,
Cook said. It gets all of our students involved and gives them skills for the 21st Century workforce.
During community meetings, students presented awards for top crews, received a glimpse of international students and
shared thoughts on community projects. After the gathering, students returned to scheduled classes, bringing what they
learned from the assembly into their classwork.
Students like Carleigh Duffie and Jo Gentry say community meetings and crews help them be more independent on classroom projects.
We work pretty independently in most of our classes, and we work in groups a lot too, said Duffie, while working on a
group project in her STEM class. They want us to find the answers and learn on our own so that were able to come up
with solutions. Gentry added, It all helps us prepare for college and our first jobs. At some point, we will have to do it
on our own. So, why not start now?
Helping students become global problem solvers is the cornerstone of both Irmo Middle Schools EL model and its international academic magnet theme, Jackson added.
With Expeditionary Learning, youll see a subset of teachers working together. Learning and teaching are not in isolation.
Math is not just math, science is not just science all subjects come together around a central focus, where students are
unpacking and grappling with a problem thats unique to their community.

The Buzz at Irmo Middle

The Buzz at Irmo Middle

Page
Page55

2nd Quarter Interim Pick-up Night

December 3rd, 5:30pm-7:00pm
We believe in active parental involvement at IMS. To ensure that takes place, we will be
sponsoring an Interim Pick-Up Night on December 3rd. During this event, 2nd Nine
Weeks Interim Progress Reports can be picked up by parents/guardians Thursday December 3rd, from 5:30-7:00pm in the Irmo Middle School Cafeteria. Parents will be able to have a brief conversation
with teachers and outline a plan for continued academic success in targeted areas. We will assemble all the
teachers in one location to make it efficient for parents and families.
If you have an active Parent Portal account, you may check your child's grades as often as you like. When you log
in to your account, the grades will automatically appear on the screen. It is important to monitor your child's
progress through Parent Portal before regularly throughout the grading period to celebrate their growth and
accomplishments. Also, by doing this, you are able to catch any problem areas and immediately rectify them.
You can access Parent Portal here: https://powerschool1.lexrich5.org/public/. If you need access to Parent Portal
please call Ms. Erica Crumlin at 476-3603.
A parent account allows you to view the information for one or more students with a single sign in. You can also
manage your personal account preferences.
How to Create a Parent Account:
Enter the following information:
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.

Name - Your first and last name.

Email - Student notifications and correspondence related to your parent account will be sent to this email.
Desired Username - Your username is your unique PowerSchool identity.
Password - Your password must be at least 6 characters long.
Student Access Information - Information for a minimum of one student, including the student name,
Access ID, Access Password, and your relationship to the student.

If you have any questions regarding your child's grades, please contact Glenn Hutto, Assistant Principal for Instruction (476-3663) or your child's counselor:
Sheila Inabinet - Last Names A-E (476-3670)
James Fanning - Last Names F-M (476-3671)
Tina Stevens - Last Names N-Z (476-3669)
We are looking forward to seeing all parents on December 3rd from 5:30-7:00pm. As always, we truly appreciate your continued support.

Page
Page66

The Buzz at Irmo Middle

The Buzz at Irmo Middle

Summer School 2016

The following dates have been approved for students who will
be attending Summer School 2016 at Irmo Middle. We are
sharing this information early with students, parents, and families so everyone can plan for their summer vacations. We are
very confident that our interactions and interventions throughout the year will minimize and/or eliminate the need for summer school for most (if not all of our students). If you need any
information about summer school, please contact Mr. Glenn
Hutto, Assistant Principal for Instruction at 476-3663.
Summer School Information
The Middle School Summer School Program is designed for students in grades 6, 7 and 8 who have not mastered
the course standards in English, Social Studies, Math, or Science. This program is streamlined to concentrate on
academic mastery.
Who attends summer school?
Rising 7th ,8th, and 9th grade students who have failed either one or two academic subjects. Those students who
have failed three or more classes are ineligible to attend summer school and may be retained in their current grade. Out
of district students cannot enroll in this program.
Where will summer school be held?
Summer School will be held at Irmo Middle.
Rising 7th Graders attend Irmo Middle
Rising 8th Graders attend Irmo Middle
Rising 9th Graders attend Irmo Middle
What are the dates for summer school?
Current 6th, 7th, and 8th graders will take courses offered only on the following dates:
June 13, 14, 15, 16, 20, 21, 22, 23, 27, 28
What times will students attend?
Students will attend from 8:30am 1:30pm. There will be no afternoon sessions.
How will my student get to summer school?
Parents are responsible for transportation arrangements (to and from summer school).
How do I register my child for summer school?
Registration packets will be available in the spring on our website and in the main office at the school.

Page 77
Page

TheThe
Buzz
Buzz
at Irmo
at Irmo
Middle
Middle

Page 88
Page

TheThe
Buzz
Buzz
at Irmo
at Irmo
Middle
Middle

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.

Page
Page 99

TheThe
Buzz
Buzz
at Irmo
at Irmo
Middle
Middle

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.

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 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:
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-YourDaughter/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.

Page 10
10
Page

TheThe
Buzz
Buzz
at Irmo
at Irmo
Middle
Middle

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.