September 2018

Our Student Handbook can be found on our website or at the link below.

Please reference the handbook at any time to review policies and procedures.

Student Handbook

NEWSLETTER I September 2018

Avon Middle School North “Preparing for Tomorrow . . . Today”

1251 N. Dan Jones Road I Avon, IN 46123 I Phone: 317-544-5500 I Fax: 317-544-5501

AMSN Administration

Susan Green Principal

Ginger Davis

Assistant Principal

Josh Keller Dean/Athletic Coordinator

Andrea Davasher

Grade 8 Counselor

Allison West Grade 7 Counselor

Principal’s Message :

Upcoming Events:

September 6

Picture Re-take Day

September 12

Staff Development - One

Hour Delay for Students

Voter Registration Information:

Are you registered to vote? November 6th

is General Election Day. Click here (https://

www.indianavoters.in.gov/) to visit the State of Indiana Voter Portal website to register or check

your voting status. To find out where to vote in Hendricks County, click here (http://

www.co.hendricks.in.us/department/index.php?structureid=40). The deadline to register for the

general election is October 9, 2018

Dear Parents,

Welcome to school year 2018-2019! The staff and I look forward to getting to know you as we

work with your children. Middle School years are a special time for students and families as

they bring more freedoms and responsibilities to the middle schoolers. The students are be-

ginning to become more independent but certainly need both of us to guide them. Working

together, the school-parent team can help our students achieve academically in a nurturing

environment.

Communication is key in understanding what is happening at school. Schoology is Avon

Schools’ learning management system, which shows students’ homework assignments. Stu-

dents have been given log-in information along with parents who were given a Schoology

code to set up an account. If you do not have this, please call North’s office (544-5500) to ob-

tain it. You will want to check this regularly as well as PowerParent, which shows grades stu-

dents have earned for their work on assignments and tests. North’s web page will keep you

updated on school events and you are invited to follow us on Twitter @avonnorth1

In addition, this newsletter arrives to you electronically on a monthly basis. It shares infor-

mation on a variety of topics and often alerts you to special announcements. In this issue, be

sure to read the ILEARN Assessment Information for Families. The ILEARN assessment replaces

ISTEP+ and will be administered during the window of April 22-May 17, 2019.

With students, parents, and staff working together, we expect to celebrate many successes!

Susan Green

September 2018

AMSN News and Reminders:

September 2018

AMSN News and Reminders:

athletic reminders:

Requirements for Athletic Participation - PRIVIT

For the 2018-19 school year ACSC is continuing to use a completely paperless clearance pro-

cess. The process includes a paperless IHSAA Pre-Participation Physical. A parent/guardian and

student-athlete will be required to create an account and manage the necessary documents

using the Privit Portal. This process will provide a higher level of security and efficiency than the

previous process. This process will be for everyone including those coming to ACSC Physical

Night and those students who are going another place to get a sports physical. Detailed in-

structions to complete the new process can be found by visiting the following link: ACSC 2018

Physical Information

Cafeteria news:

Cafeteria funds may be added to your student’s account at any time online through

the Titan Family Portal. https://www.avon.avon-schools.org

The TITAN Family portal is a secure, online system that allows parents to: – Make an

online payment to their children’s cafeteria meal accounts – Remotely monitor their

children’s accounts – Set up automatic recurring payments – Set up low balance e-

mail message alerts – And submit an online application for free and/or reduced meals. A mobile app is available on

Google Play or the App store. There is a processing fee to use this online system. The cost for Titan credit card pay-

ment is $2.60 per transaction. Electronic checks (bank drafts) cost a reduced fee of $1.60. These fees are for pro-

cessing and the funds are not given to the district. Checks and cash payments are accepted anytime.

Reminder! Students will not be allowed to charge meals or al a carte items.

Volunteers needed:

Are you looking to volunteer within the school? We have a great opportunity for par-

ents to work morning shifts in our bookstore. The shift only runs from 7:30-7:45 a.m.,

but it is a busy time! Please contact Mrs. Baker at 317-544-5500 if interested!

After School Activities Club:

Your child is welcome to attend AMSN’s After School Activities’ trip to U Paint Pottery Studio in Plain-

field on September 25, 2018. The students will have the opportunity to decorate and paint a bowl or

mug. The cost per student is $13.00. We will be leaving at 3:00 pm and will return to the school at

approximately 5:00 pm. This activity is open to the first 12 students that turn in a permission slip to

ride the bus; additional students will need their own transportation. If you’re interested in going, stop

by the Guidance Office to pick up a permission slip and return it to the Guidance Office by Wednesday,

September 5.

September 2018

AMSN News and Reminders:

Monthly Perfect Attendance Drawing:

School attendance is important for students to be successful! We are recognizing students who

have perfect attendance with a monthly drawing for free movie tickets.

Congratulations to the following “Perfect Attendance Drawing” winners:

Morgan Hite, Anna Merritt, Ethen Chen, Hannah Long

Important Updates from the Nurse:

Avon Schools uses the online service CareDox as a tool for parents to provide medical infor-

mation. This service has replaced the paper medical forms that had been submitted by families

every year. If you have not completed the online CareDox forms for your child, please do so as

soon as possible. If you are having problems completing your online forms, please contact ac-

tivation@caredox.com or the school nurse, Sarah Murphy, RN, 317-544-5500.

College & Career Readiness Night:

College & Career Readiness (CCR) Night for middle school parents will be on Tuesday, Sep-

tember 25, at 6:30 in the Middle School South Auditorium. Please plan to attend to gather val-

uable information to help you plan as your middle graders transition to AHS and many post-

secondary opportunities.

Water Testing:

All ACSC school buildings recently participated in a voluntary State program to test drinking water

for lead. This program was offered to all Indiana public schools, and it specifically tests water fix-

tures that provide drinking or cooking water to students. In our school, the fixtures tested did not

present lead levels that exceed the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA)’s “action level” of

15 parts per billion (ppb). Please contact us with any questions.

FCA Club:

The Fellowship of Christian Athletes Club is a student-run club in which students encourage each

other in their Faith and plan service projects. These students will meet again after school on

Wednesday, September 5th in B104 until 3:30pm. Students do not need to be on an athletic team

to participate. Questions may be directed to the club sponsors, Mrs. Lott or Ms. Stafford.

Mark your calendar for our second meeting which will be Wednesday, September 19!

September 2018

AMSN News and Reminders:

Choir classes are off to a

great start! Your choir stu-

dent should have reminded parents to check

their choir Schoology page and get the concert

dates from the choir handbook. In addition, if a

new short-sleeved black polo shirt is needed,

order forms can be found either in the handbook

or in the choir room. I will be taking those or-

ders through Monday, October 8, and you will

receive your new shirt before our Holiday Con-

cert.

The 8th grade choir will be singing for the Veter-

an’s Day program on Monday, November 12, so

you will want to attend that if possible, and ALL

the choirs will be performing on our first official

concert on Tuesday, December 11 at 6:30pm in

our North auditorium.

Keep yours eyes open for information that will

be coming home about a trip opportunity to see

the Purdue Christmas Show.

Private voice and piano lessons are in full swing,

and information can still be obtained if your

choir student is interested.

Sometime after September 20…the high school

choir director, Rick Gamble, will be holding after

school auditions for an honor concert choir. This

will be open to any 7th and 8th grade choir stu-

dent that is interested in an after school, ad-

vanced singing opportunity. Once selected, they

will meet 1 time each week, alternating between

before and after school practice at North and an

evening practice at the high school. At the end

of the year, they will compete at Kings Island and

then attend the park following the competition.

Don’t forget to ask your choir student what kinds

of things they are learning about each day in

class and have them sing their songs for you!

Director’s Corner

If you are interested in private les-

son and have not yet turned in a form,

students can obtain a form from Mr.

Storey.

Reeds are now being sold in the school

bookstore. Reeds are available to purchase from

the school bookstore before school and during

lunch.

All band students will need khaki pants, Avon Per-

forming Arts polo shirt and dress shoes for our up-

coming Winter Concert. Please plan ahead to

make sure you have these items. Performing Arts

polo shirt orders will take place in October.

Avon Middle School Wind Ensemble-auditions will

take place the week of September 10th, more de-

tails to come. Once the audition results are post-

ed, rehearsals will begin the week of September

17th.

Students should be practicing their instrument on

a regular basis. Instruments should be coming

home 4-5 times a week, and one of the days of the

weekend. Setting a routine is extremely im-

portant.

If you have a repair and need a loaner, please let

Mr. Storey know by 2:30 on Wednesday of every

week. Paige’s Music will pick-up and deliver on

Thursdays.

News from the

Music Department

September 2018

News from the Guidance Office:

Back to School Night was a Huge Success! We enjoyed meeting all of our new families and seeing all of

our returning families again. Please contact Guidance if you have any questions or concerns or need any

help accessing PowerSchool, Schoology, etc. We are happy to help in any way that we can!

Counselors enjoyed meeting with all students new to the Avon School District. It looks like we are off to a

wonderful start to a successful school year!

In Gear for a New Year!

As the new school year gets under way, encourage your middle grader to set himself up for success with these strategies:

Sticking to my routines

Let your tween experiment with routines until he finds those that work best. If he’s often rushing to catch the bus, he might set

his alarm 5 minutes earlier, then 10 minutes earlier, until his mornings go smoothly. For his evening routine, perhaps he’ll do

homework after dinner on days he has sports practices and right after school on other days. Once he has routines he likes, have

him write them down so he’ll remember them.

Expecting my best

Encourage your child to decide what he expects from himself. Where does he want to improve? He might focus on paying atten-

tion to detail if he lost points last year by not filling out science lab reports thoroughly. Or maybe he’ll create a plan for spread-

ing out long-term projects so he’s not scrambling at the last minute. He’ll gain satisfaction from a job well done when he follows

through.

Watching my progress

Suggest that your middle grader hang a school year “timeline” in his bedroom. He could string yarn from one corner to another

and use clothespins to clip on assignments or tests he’s proud of. Perhaps he’ll display an essay on a favorite novel or a self-

portrait he drew in art. Seeing his progress can motivate him to keep working hard. Make sure your child is regularly using his

agenda, checking PowerSchool, and accessing Schoology to track progress and help with organization. There are apps available

for both programs that are very helpful and easy to use!

Andrea Davasher 7th Grade Counselor

(317) 544-5500 ext. 5517

September 2018

Andrea Davasher 7th Grade Counselor

(317) 544-5500 ext. 5517

News from the Guidance office:

AMSN counselors visited the Area 31 Career Center at Ben

Davis High School to prepare to teach students about

many wonderful opportunities that will be

available to them!

September 2018

Andrea Davasher 7th Grade Counselor

(317) 544-5500 ext. 5517

News from the guidance office:

Kroger Plus Card

Please consider registering your Kroger Plus

Card online at

www.krogercommunityrewards.com to help support Avon

Middle School North! Already have your card registered

to support AMSN? Fantastic! You’ll just need to re-enroll

each year. You will know your card has been successfully

enrolled because your Kroger receipt will include “At your

request, Kroger is donating to Avon Middle School North”

printed at the bottom of each receipt. Members must

swipe their registered Kroger Plus card when shopping for

each purchase to count. North certainly appreciates dona-

tions that come to us via you who shop at Kroger. We

feel fortunate that you name North when you sign up for

Kroger’s Community Rewards Program. If you have not

signed up at Kroger and wish to, the number to use

that represents North is MC146.

Schoology

Schoology can be accessed through any computer

with internet access, cell phones, and tablets with the

Schoology App.

Students will use Schoology to do many things such as:

Receive assignments from teachers

Access documents such as worksheets and

PowerPoint presentations

Submit assignments to teachers

Keep track of missing assignments

Ask teachers questions

Communicate with classmates about

assignments take quizzes and tests

Important Reminder

Families who need school supplies,

Avon Community Church (Rev. Bill Sandifer) will main-

tain a stockpile of school supplies and any teacher or student may

make contact via the website, (www.avonchurch.org) or phone, 272-

6289 and place an order. The requested supplies will be delivered.

A requesting student or teacher may also come by the facility and

"shop" if that would be better for them.

Semester Grading Periods

Avon Middle School North operates under semester grading peri-

ods. Parents are asked to stay aware of their children’s academic

progress via their access to Power Parent. Grades posted in Oc-

tober and March reflect the midterm grade for semester courses

and the final grades for Family and Consumer Science, Art, Tech.

Ed, Computer Applications, and Wellness. The report cards in

January and June reflect the final grades for all courses.

Clothing Voucher Program

The Washington Township Assistance Program has launched a

Clothing Voucher program for school-aged children enrolled in a

school within Washington Township. The process is similar to the

current process for applying for Township Assistance. One must

come into the office to pick up an application and set an appoint-

ment. The household will need to verify all pertinent information

the same as any other application: Identification, Household ex-

penses, Resources, Income. In addition, for clothing, verification of

school enrollment within Washington Township will be required.

The income standards are set at the same level as Free Lunch Pro-

gram, 130% of poverty level. If approved, a voucher will be issued

for Burlington Coat Factory in Plainfield to purchase school cloth-

ing. Permitted items are: Shirts, Pants, Shorts, Dresses/Skirts, Under-

clothes, Shoes, Socks, winter outer clothing, and belts. Clients who

are approved are eligible for up to $300 a calendar year per child.

This, at the discretion of the Assistance Director, may be distributed

in 2 separate vouchers of $150 each. This is to ensure that children

have enough and appropriate clothing throughout the seasons of

the school year. The program will begin in July. Apply at the Wash-

ington Township Trustee, 311 Production Drive, Avon or call 317-

272-1835 with questions.

Mental Health Resources

Middle school is an exciting and challenging time for most stu-

dents. Sometimes it’s difficult for parents to distinguish between

the normal ups and downs of adolescence, and more difficult

issues that may require intervention. Are you concerned about

your child’s mental health? ACSC Counselors have created a flow

chart that may help answer some of your important questions

and provide valuable mental health resources for children. If you

feel your child may need help and you’re not sure where to start,

please refer to this link for more information:

https://www.avon-schools.org/cms/lib/IN01001885/Centricity/

Domain/37/Appendix%20A.pdf

PowerParent-Progress Report Emails

PowerParent gives parents an option to have daily or weekly

“Progress report” emails sent for each of their student’s clas-

ses. Please know that this reporting is active for semester classes

but not nine week classes. If you have chosen to receive email

updates, you will need to login online or through the Pow-

erParent app to get current grades for the nine week classes.

September 2018

office procedures:

Attendance:

If a student is absent from school, a

parent or guardian must call the

school at 544-5500 by 9:00 AM to

report the absence.

Early Dismissal:

When students have to leave school

early for special appointments, a

note from a parent or guardian must

be brought from home to secure an

“Early Dismissal” slip from the office.

The note must be brought to the front

office before school starts.

Tardy to School:

If a student arrives after 7:45 am, he/

she must sign in at the office before

going to class. If a student reaches 5

tardy slips to school, he/she will re-

ceive a before or after school deten-

tion for each tardy after the fifth one

(per semester).

Morning Car Rider Procedures:

Students may be dropped off and may

enter the main entrance after 7:10 am.

Students will continue to unload on the

sidewalk directly in front of the school.

Please remember that students may

not be dropped off in the parking lot.

At approximately 7:20 am, a supervisor

will direct all cars to pull forward to the

farthest north cone. All cars in the un-

loading area will unload at the same time.

That group of cars will be released and

the next group of cars will be directed to

pull forward and unload at the same time.

The outside, or passing lane, is NOT

available for use. All cars will remain

in a single file line. Following these pro-

cedures will ensure safety for our stu-

dents and parents. Your patience and

cooperation are sincerely appreciated.

Homework Request:

Parents and students may obtain home-

work assignments through Schoology and

monitor grades through Power Parent. If

a student is absent for 3 consecutive

days, a homework request can be made

through the guidance office before 7:45

am for homework to be picked up.

Student Pick-up North Side:

Any student who is picked up on the

north side will need to be picked up in

the football parking lot. The students

may be athletes or ones involved in

extra-curricular clubs/activities. We will

block the north drive coming off of Dan

Jones Road from the Northwest corner

all the way to the tennis courts. We will

also block the entrance/exit into the

football parking lot from this street.

This restriction in traffic will occur from

4:00 until 5:30 pm. In a discussion with

Sargent Lewis of the Avon PD, we feel

this is the best way to keep our stu-

dents safe without having to look for

other legal avenues. If you enter off of

Dan Jones Road, please know that

you will need to proceed all the way

around the building using the front

drive to get to the football parking lot.

The best way to enter will be off of 10th

street.

We are asking for all parents to wait

for their children in the football parking

lot spaces for safety concerns. Due to

the amount of athletes and students

involved in other extra-curricular

events walking to and from the build-

ing, it is important that we keep curbs

clear of cars. This allows for drivers to

see children better. This also allows

for our student athletes to see traffic.

All of our students’ safety is of utmost

concern, so we are asking for your

help in making our campus as safe as

possible. Thank you from the entire

Avon North Administrative staff.

News from the Transportation Dept:

Here Comes the Bus is FREE for Avon Families

Here Comes the Bus is FREE again for Avon families for the 2017-18 school year! Download the app from the App Store or Google Play from your smart phone. Be sure to sign up so you will know exactly where your child's bus is during the route. You can even receive alerts when the bus is near your home.

What you'll need:

School Code: 78330

Active Email Address

School assigned student ID number (this may be found on a student report card)

Smart Phone or Computer

For additional details, please visit the ACSC Transportation Department. Click here.

September 2018

AVON MIDDLE SCHOOL NORTH Important Dates 2018-2019

September 3 (Monday) LABOR DAY No School

September 6 (Thursday) Picture Re-take Day

September 12 (Wed) Staff Development (K-12 on one-hour delay)

October 5 (Friday) Midterm grades available to view via PowerParent

October 10 (Wed) Staff Development (K-12 on one-hour delay)

October 15-26 FALL BREAK No School

November 6 (Tuesday) Professional Development Day/Student E-learning Day

November 14 (Wed) Staff Development (K-12 on one-hour delay)

November 12 (Monday) Veterans Day Program

November 16 (Friday) Last Picture Re-take Day

November 22, 23 THANKSGIVING BREAK No School

December 6 (Thursday) Band Concert 6:30pm/7:45pm

December 11 (Tuesday) Choir Concert 6:30 pm

December 12 (Wed) Staff Development (K-12 on one-hour delay)

December 13 (Tuesday) Orchestra Concert 6:30 pm

TBD Quarterly Exams

December 21 (Friday) Last day of Second Grading Period/S1

December 24 (Monday) WINTER BREAK BEGINS No School

January 7 (Monday) Teacher Record Day No School - Students

January 8 (Tuesday) Students Return to School

January 9 (Wed) Staff Development (K-12 on one-hour delay)

January 11 (Friday) Report cards emailed to parents

January 21 (Monday) Teacher Work Day No School - Students

* Dates and times are subject to change.