'Ohana Newsletter

Message from Principal Dillon

9/5/2024

Mid-Quarter Grades: Parents/guardians should expect mid-quarter 1 report cards to arrive in the mail early next week. Questions and concerns may be shared directly to teachers. As always, parents are encouraged to monitor student grades using Infinite Campus.

Open House Next Week: Parents/guardians and students are invited to join us next week at Open House. 6th grade on Wednesday 9/11 and 7th and 8th grades on Thursday 9/12. At 5:30 PM in the cafeteria we will hold a School Community Meeting to share school performance data, our Academic Plan, and information about Title 1. Classes will open for visits at 6:00 PM. 

Federal Impact Survey: Please complete the form sent home with your child today and return it with them tomorrow morning. One form per student is needed. This survey helps us secure federal funding for our students. Students will give completed forms to their Homeroom teacher.

Uplink Update: Our after-school UPLINK program and REACH Middle School Athletics remain delayed indefinitely as we await state funding. We apologize for this inconvenience. Please continue to check emails and iaoschool.org for updates. There is still space available for students in our After-School STEMworks. For more information contact megan.medley@k12.hi.us or sign up at this LINK.

Partnering for Safety: Parents are encouraged to discuss reporting safety threats with their children. An overview of our emergency responses can be found on pages 35-36 of the Family Handbook. As partners in safety we rely on families and students to report any potentially dangerous situations by calling our Main Office at (808)727-5200 or by texting our confidential Text-A-Tip system at (808)793-7947. 

Laptop Computers Available: A limited number of laptops are available for students to borrow and keep at home for the school year. Parents or guardians must visit our Main Office to complete a request form. Once approved, students can take the laptop home. Please note that WiFi is not included.

Therapy Available: Hazel Health is a free mental health service available to all students to help them cope with anxiety, depression, loss, or other mental health concerns. ʻIao School Counselors are Kym Adams (727-5283), Jayme Kahoʻohalahala (727-5292), Ann Jimenez (727-5150), and Cathy Fitzpatrick (727-5291). They can help you with Hazel Health and other counseling and academic concerns.

Monster Mash Needs You: Join the fun and help make Monster Mash a success! We're looking for parent volunteers to assist with setup, dance chaperoning, and cleanup. We are also open to outside vendors. Please contact our PCNC Natalie Capitano at (808)727-5290 or natalie.capitano@k12.hi.us to participate. LINK to Monster Mash flier

Message from Principal Dillon

8/12/2024

Maui Little Leaguers: This past Friday the state championship team from Central Maui Little League went on to win the West Region Tournament in San Bernardino, CA. This team is headed to Williamsport, Pennsylvania for the Little League World Series! These young athletes are inspiring our community and we wholeheartedly support them as they represent Maui on the world stage. Congratulations to our families and to the players: ʻĪao School 7th graders Kamalei Leynes-Santos, Kanon Nakama-Ribao, Gauge Pacheco, Hayden Takahashi, Kellen Takamura, and Evan Tavares. We are proud of you!

Free/Reduced-Price Meals and Title 1: For the past 10+ years ʻĪao School has qualified for federal Title 1 funding. At more than $300K per year, this funding is crucial to support school programs, curriculum and technology. Title 1 qualification is determined by the percentage of our students that receive free/reduced meals based on household income, so we need your help. To receive free or reduced-price meals, and to help our school qualify for Title 1 funding, all families are encouraged to submit applications at https://secure.ezmealapp.com. Hard copies of the meal application can be picked up and returned to the Main Office. Applications are due September 17. 

Uniforms Reminders: Starting Monday 8/12 we will begin fully enforcing student uniform expectations. Students that arrive to school without a uniform must report to the E-Building Readiness Room immediately to borrow one. To purchase uniforms visit maui-tee-shirt-printing.com/iao-intermediate-school/.

Dress Code Changes: This year students may wear any non-ʻĪao pullover jackets or pullover hoodies over their uniform shirt. Logos and messages on hoodies must be appropriate for school. Black, white or gray undershirts, short or long-sleeved, may be worn beneath the uniform shirt. Refer to the Student and Family Handbook for a detailed explanation of our uniform and dress code policies.

Support for student mental health: The Hawaiʻi State Department of Education in partnership with the Cook Center for Human Connection, a national non-profit family foundation, provides families and staff statewide with access to ParentGuidance.org, a 24/7 online platform that offers parents and staff with resources and support for student mental health. See this LINK for more information.

Other news:

Student Readiness: Arriving at school ready to learn goes hand in hand with student success. Being ready means being on time to school & to classes, dressed appropriately and in uniform, and with their ID and other required materials. Starting Monday 8/12 we will begin fully enforcing our daily readiness expectations including uniforms. Students that get to school late after homeroom or without a uniform must report to the E-Building Readiness Room immediately.

Cell Phones: Student cell phones may not be visible or in use during the school day from 7:45 AM to 2:00 PM (1:10 PM Wednesdays). Phones should be kept off/silent and in student bags or backpacks. If phones are seen out, in pockets, or in use they will be confiscated and kept in the main office for parents to pick up. Please read through our Student and Family Handbook for more information about our cell phone and uniform policies.

Free After-School Programs: ʻĪao School offers UPLINK, After-School STEMworks and REACH middle school sports to any interested students. The tentative start date for UPLINK and After-School STEMworks is 8/19. More information and sign-up forms will be distributed next week for UPLINK and the flier for After-School STEMworks is at this LINK. Middle school sports information is shared to students on the morning bulletin and the seasons are listed below.

Basketball: August and September

Wrestling: October to December

Volleyball: start: October to December

Cross Country: start: January to March

Flag Football: start: January to March

Soccer: start: March to May

Getting To & From School: Every Fall ʻĪao School experiences traffic issues during drop-off and pick-up times until families adjust to being back to school. The busiest times are 15 minutes before/after school. Traffic backs up in both directions along Kaohu St. and Market St. with vehicles waiting for their child(ren). Our enrollment has grown so we are anticipating even greater traffic concerns this year. To help us alleviate some of these issues and keep our students safe, please adhere to these guidelines: Please load or unload passengers in the school driveway only and NOT on Market St. in front of the Main Office; Please remind your child(ren) to be ready and to promptly get in/out of the vehicle; and Please stay patient and aware of crosswalks and pedestrians. Students are encouraged to walk to school if possible and should use crosswalks and stay aware of their surroundings.

Handbook for Students and Families: Pertinent information for families can be found in our ʻĪao School Handbook for Students and Families. We highly recommend you read along with your child(ren). Hard copies of this handbook will be provided in the student planner. Included in the Handbook is information about important dates, grading, behavior expectations, learning and tech resources, staff contacts, attendance policies, safety, and so much more. The handbook can also be accessed via iaoschool.org.

Message from Principal Dillon

7/31/24

Our teachers returned to school this week and they are working hard to get their classrooms and lessons ready for students. For families, back-to-school can be a very busy time. Please read the following information to make sure you and your child have a smooth and successful transition to the new school year.

6th grade Orientation Event: We look forward to meeting all of our new 6th graders and their families tomorrow night in the Cafeteria from 5:30 PM to 7:00 PM. Class schedules will be available for pick-up, but if you already received your schedule at Registration you should bring it with you. There is also an orientation for new 7th and 8th grade students in the Library from 5:30 PM to 6:30 PM. This is for students and families new to ʻĪao.

Class Syllabi: In the first week of school students will receive a class syllabus from each of their teachers. A syllabus includes information about what students will be learning, classroom expectations, required materials, teacher contact information and more. Parents are encouraged to keep these syllabi so that they may refer to them throughout the school year. Students will also receive a number of items that we ask parents to read, sign, and return. 

Communication Folders: On the first day of school all students will receive a Communication Folder which contains a planner and other information. Students should keep these folders in their backpack throughout the year to bring forms between school and home. Planners are used daily in all classes to help students with organization. The following must be signed and returned to their Homeroom teacher: Emergency Card, MV-1 Eligibility, Free/Reduced Meal Application, Technology Responsible Use Form, and Student Publication Release Form. (The last two can be found inside the Student Information Privacy packet and families may also apply for free/reduced price meals at ezmealapp.com)

School Uniforms: Students are expected to be in uniform starting the first day of school. To purchase uniforms visit maui-tee-shirt-printing.com/iao-intermediate-school/. Please review our uniform and dress code policies, along with other important information in the Student/Family Handbook.

Getting To & From School: Every Fall ʻĪao School experiences traffic issues during drop-off and pick-up times until families adjust to being back to school. The busiest times are 15 minutes before/after school. Traffic backs up in both directions along Kaohu St. and Market St. with vehicles waiting for their child(ren). Our enrollment has grown so we are anticipating even greater traffic concerns this year. To help us alleviate some of these issues and keep our students safe, please adhere to these guidelines: Please load or unload passengers in the school driveway only and NOT on Market St. in front of the Main Office; Please remind your child(ren) to be ready and to promptly get in/out of the vehicle; and Please stay patient and aware of crosswalks and pedestrians. Students are encouraged to walk to school if possible and should use crosswalks and stay aware of their surroundings.

Link to iaoschool.org