July/August 2015

Dear Parents,

Ryan Rich
Principal
Vicki Rardin
Assistant Principal
Robert Williamson
Assistant Principal
Jenn Schott
6th Guidance Counselor
Lizette Baumann/Drinan George
7th Guidance Counselors
8th

Lisa Lain
Guidance Counselor
Rick Fields
Athletic Director

I am excited to welcome you to the 2015-16 school year at

Noblesville East Middle School. I look forward to partnering
with you to insure your child has a fun, engaging, and
successful experience at NEMS! In this back-to-school
edition of Miller Matters you'll find important information to
help you prepare for the start of school. Please also do not
hesitate to contact our office if you have any other questions
or needs. Our goal at the start of the year is always to make it
smooth and easy for our families.
Look for Miller Matters to come at least once per month to
inform you of important happenings at school. We will also
continue to post daily student announcements and important
information on our NEMS website. I also encourage you to
follow me on Twitter @NEMSprincipal, visit my Principal's
Page here, and my Principal's blog here, where I often
comment and write about the exciting things happening at our
school and in the world of education.
I am proud of our entire NEMS school community and want to
be sure we are always improving to best meet the needs of
all our students and families. Please feel free to contact me at
any time this year with any needs you may have. Together I
know we will provide a great 2015-16 experience for your
child!
Go Millers!

1625 Field Dr.

Noblesville, IN 46060
Ph: 317-773-0782
Fax: 317-776-6261
Attendance:
317: 776-6258
www.noblesvilleschools.org

Ryan Rich
Principal

Immunization records

Meet @ the Middle 6th grade orientation July 28

Our nurse will be in her office on July 30 and

July 31 from 7:30 11:30 am and 1:00 3:00
pm to assist parents with medical needs for the
upcoming school year.

While students are participating in these activities with their team teachers,
parents will be participating in a detailed and informative session on student
iPads (iPads will be provided to 6th grade students during the first
week of school). Prior to distributing iPads to 6th graders, we want to be
sure we provide you the most important information about student iPads,
including expectations, responsible use, tips for managing the iPad at home,
and how the iPad is used to support learning at school.

The State of Indiana requires additional

immunizations as students enter sixth grade; a
tetanus booster and the meningococcal
vaccine. Updated immunization records must
be on file in our nurses office by the first day of
school on August 3. The records may be
mailed or turned into our nurse at either Meet
@ the Middle or the first day of school. If your
child has an exemption on file, it must be
renewed each school year.

Bus routes

Parents will be able to access information

regarding bus stops, bus numbers, and
approximate pick-up and drop-off times
for their children by visiting the districts web
page at www.noblesvilleschools.org and
clicking bus routes" under the parent section.
This information will be posted late July. The
NEMS bus zone is located on the west side of
the building.

Car rider drop-off and pick-up

The student drop-off and pick-up area is on the

southeast side of the building at door #15 near
the football field. Parents should enter the
parking lot from Field Drive and proceed to the
area marked by the large cones. Students must
only be dropped off between these cones.
Drop-off time is no earlier than 7:00 am.
Students arriving before 7:20 am should report
to the cafeteria until the 7:20 bell rings.
We appreciate your cooperation and patience
in following this procedure put in place to keep
our students safe.

Walkers & bike riders

Students who walk or ride bikes to school

should use Gate #19, near the bus zone on the
west side of the building.

Volunteer procedures

Safety is a top priority for us! Please see the

aaaaaa
attached
document for the changes in
volunteer procedures at Noblesville Schools for
the upcoming school year.

We will hold our back-to-school orientation, Meet @ the Middle, for 6th
grade students and parents on Tuesday, July 28 from 6:30 8:30 pm.
Meet @ the Middle is a required orientation session held for all incoming 6 th
graders. At least one parent must attend with their child. During this session,
students will receive their team assignment, schedule of classes, and locker
assignment. We will also provide students the opportunity to tour the school,
try out their locker, and learn more about all the different opportunities and
programs at NEMS. Most important, students will be given the opportunity to
meet their team teachers and participate in some fun activities to help them
get to know their new teammates and teachers.

NOTE: We will also be providing parents who are not able to attend the July
28 session an alternative date/time on August 4 from 6:00 - 7:00 pm so they
may participate in this iPad meeting. We also ask parents of students who
are not able to attend Meet @ the Middle to contact our school prior to the
first student day in order to receive the students team assignment.

iPad distribution for 7th & 8th grade students

iPads, team assignments, & schedules will be distributed to 8th grade

students on July 29 and 7th grade students on July 30. Students should
arrive with a parent and a signed copy of the technology agreement from
the NS Student Technology Handbook and Acceptance Form at the times
listed below:
Arrival time
4:00 pm
4:30 pm
5:00 pm
6:00 pm
6:30 pm

8th grade Wed. 7/29

Last Name A-C
Last Name D-H
Last Name I-N
Last Name O-S
Last Name T-Z

7th grade Thurs. 7/30

Last Name A-C
Last Name D-H
Last Name I-M
Last Name N-S
Last Name T-Z

First day of school meeting locations

On the first day of school students should go directly to their team meeting
locations. Teachers will be posted throughout the building and at all car and
bus zone entrances to help all students find these locations as they enter
the building. Team assignments will be given to 6th grade students at Meet
@ the Middle, and to 7th & 8th grade students during the iPad distribution
days. If your child is unable to attend either of these events, please call the
school prior to August 3 for the team assignment. Team meeting locations
on the first day of school are as follows:
6th Grade
Stanford-Band Room
DePauw-Strings Room
West Point-Choir Room
Wisconsin-LGI Room

7th Grade
Butler-East Cafeteria
Franklin-West Cafeteria
Hanover-Media Center

8th Grade
Ball State-East Gym
Northwestern-West Gym
Wake Forest-West Gym

NEMS upcoming events

July 28
6th grade Meet @ the Middle (6:30-8:30 pm)
July 29
8th grade iPad distribution
July 30
7th grade iPad distribution
July 31
Back to school bash downtown (5-8 pm)
August 3
First day of school (7:35 2:35)
August 12
Early Release Day (2:05 pm dismissal)
6th grade Parent Information Night (6:30 pm)
August 13
7th & 8th grade Parent Information Night (6:30 pm)
August 14
School Pictures
September 7
Labor Day NO SCHOOL

NEMS Parent Information Nights

Please plan to join us for our annual Parent

Information Nights at 6:30 pm on Wednesday
August 12 for sixth grade parents, and Thursday,
August 13 for seventh and eighth grade parents.
Our teachers will be sharing with you what your
child will experience at Noblesville East Middle
School this year.

Daily announcements

Student announcements will occur at the end of

each school day. Students should pay close
attention as they will learn about sports tryouts,
meetings, cancellations, upcoming events, and
other information. The announcements are also
posted daily on the NEMS webpage.

NEMS athletics information

Please click the Athletics tab on our webpage for

information on specific sports offered and the
required participation paperwork. This paperwork
includes an athletic physical signed by a licensed
Dr. dated after April 1, 2015. See the attachment
for information on the transportation fee.

eLearning and Early Release Days

Noblesville East and West Middle School students will participate in four
eLearning days during the school year. They are scheduled on September
30, November 11, March 2, and April 27. On these days, students will
attend school through the last lunch period, and then be dismissed at
12:25 to go home to continue their learning by participating in learning
activities electronically through their school device and Canvas. These
eLearning days will allow teachers to participate in professional
development focused on teaching and technology in the classroom. See
the attachment for frequently asked questions regarding eLearning Days.
In addition to these four eLearning days, East and West Middle Schools
will also continue to participate in our traditional early release days. They
are scheduled for August 12, August 26, September 9, September 18
(Homecoming Friday), October 28, December 2, January 20, February 3,
February 17, March 16, April 13, and May 11. On these days, students will
be dismissed at 2:05, and a supervised study hall will be provided for
those students who must remain at school for after school activities.

Attendance procedures

If your child will be absent from school, please call our 24-hour attendance
line at 776-6258 before 9:00 am on the day of the absence and follow the
prompts. If no reason for the absence is given, the absence must be
recorded as unexcused.
When your child needs to leave for an appointment during the day, please
send a note stating the time you would like to pick up your child from
school and the reason. Your child should take this note to the Student
Services Office between 7:20 and 7:35 am to secure a pass to leave
school. At the designated time, your child should show the pass to the
teacher and will be dismissed to meet you. You must come in the building
to sign your child out and provide identification. When your child returns
from the appointment, he or she must check back in with a doctors
excuse before returning to class.
Pre-arranged absence request forms are to be completed should your
family have an activity or event that will force your child to miss school.
Please submit the form at least 5 days prior to the absence.

Cafeteria information

Our school's cafeteria utilizes a prepay/debit system. This system will

allow you to prepay for meals by depositing money into your childs
account. The cost of lunch at NEMS is $2.
Noblesville Schools also uses an online payment system as a
convenience. PayPams is a parent account management system that is
available online at www.PayPams.com
Students are not allowed to charge a lunch at the middle school level. If a
student does not have money, they will receive an alternate meal. An
alternate meal consists of either a cheese sandwich with milk or a soy
butter sandwich with milk. We do not charge for these alternate meals.

Noblesville School Corporation

2015-2016

July 15
Su M Tu W
1
5 6 7 8
12 13 14 15
19 20 21 22
26 27 28 29

Th
2
9
16
23
30

F
3
10
17
24
31

Sa
4
11
18
25

September 15
Su M Tu
1
6 7 8
13 14 15
20 21 22
27 28 29

W
2
9
16
23
30

January 16
F
1
3 4 5 6 7 8
10 11 12 13 14 15
17 18 19 20 21 22
24 25 26 27 28 29
31

M
2
9
16
23
30

Tu
3
10
17
24
31

W
4
11
18
25

November 15

Su M Tu W Th F Sa
1 2 3
4 5 6 7 8 9 10
11 12 13 14 15 16 17
18 19 20 21 22 23 24
25 26 27 28 29 30 31

Su
1
8
15
22
29

February 16
Sa
2
9
16
23
30

May 16
Su
1
8
15
22
29

APPROVED
November 18, 2014
October 15

Th F Sa
3 4 5
10 11 12
17 18 19
24 25 26

Su M Tu W Th

School Year Calendar

Th F Sa
5 6 7
12 13 14
19 20 21
26 27 28

Su M Tu W Th F
1 2 3 4 5
7 8 9 10 11 12
14 15 16 17 18 19
21 22 23 24 25 26
28 29

M
2
9
16
23
30

Tu
3
10
17
24

W
4
11
18
25

Th F Sa
5 6 7
12 13 14
19 20 21
26 27 28

March 16
Sa
6
13
20
27

Su M Tu
1
6 7 8
13 14 15
20 21 22
27 28 29

W
2
9
16
23
30

Th F Sa
3 4 5
10 11 12
17 18 19
24 25 26
31

August 15
Su M Tu W Th

Sa
1
2 3 4 5 6 7 8
9 10 11 12 13 14 15
16 17 18 19 20 21 22
23 24 25 26 27 28 29
30 31

December 15
Su M Tu
1
6 7 8
13 14 15
20 21 22
27 28 29

W
2
9
16
23
30

Th F Sa
3 4 5
10 11 12
17 18 19
24 25 26
31

April 16
Su M Tu W Th

F
1
3 4 5 6 7 8
10 11 12 13 14 15
17 18 19 20 21 22
24 25 26 27 28 29

Sa
2
9
16
23
30

School Day
Teacher Work Day / No Students (July 30-31)
First Day of School (August 3)
Early Release / eLearning Day
Labor Day / No School (September 7)
Fall Break / No School (October 12-23)
Thanksgiving Break / No School (November 25-27)
Winter Break / No School (December 21-January 1)
Teacher Work Day / FLEX DAY* (January 4)
Martin Luther King, Jr. Holiday / FLEX DAY* (January 18)
President's Day / FLEX DAY* (February 15)
Spring Break / No School (March 28 - April 8)
Memorial Day / No School (May 30)
Last Day of School (June 1)
Last Teacher Day / FLEX DAY* (June 2)
FLEX DAY* (June 3)
Summer Vacation - No School
*On FLEX DAYS, students will attend school only if make up days are
needed due to closing of school.
*Parents: Please avoid scheduling non-school activities on FLEX DAYS
since it may be necessary for students to attend school.

Early Release / eLearning Day

Please check school newsletters and/or websites for dismissal times and

June 16
Su M Tu W
1
5 6 7 8
12 13 14 15
19 20 21 22
26 27 28 29

Th F Sa
2 3 4
9 10 11
16 17 18
23 24 25
30

other information.

July 16
Su M Tu W Th

F
1
3 4 5 6 7 8
10 11 12 13 14 15
17 18 19 20 21 22
24 25 26 27 28 29
31

Elementary Early Release: 8/12, 8/26, 9/9, 9/18, 9/30, 10/28, 11/11, 12/2,

Sa
2
9
16
23
30

1/20, 2/3, 2/17, 3/2, 3/16, 4/13, 4/27, 5/11

Middle School Early Release: 8/12, 8/26, 9/9, 9/18, 10/28, 12/2, 1/20, 2/3,
2/17, 3/16, 4/13, 5/11
Middle School 1/2 eLearning Days: 9/30, 11/11, 3/2, 4/27
High School Early Release: 8/12, 9/9, 9/18, 10/28, 12/2, 1/20, 2/17, 4/13, 5/11
High School 1/2 eLearning Days: 9/30, 3/2, 4/27

1st Semester - 86 days

2nd Semester - 94 days

High School Full eLearning Days: 8/26, 11/11, 2/3, 3/16

End Quarter 1: October 2015 (Date To Be Determined)
End Quarter 2 / Semester 1: December 18, 2015
End Quarter 3: March 2016 (Date To Be Determined)
End Quarter 4 / Semester 2: June 1, 2016 (if FLEX DAYS are not needed)
Calendars by Vertex42.com
2007 Vertex42 LLC

Noblesville East Middle School

6th Grade Supply List 2015-16

Pencilsmechanical or regular (20) & individual sharpener

Pens (black, blue, and red)

Large pink eraser

Highlighters (pack of assorted colors)

Loose-leaf college ruled paper

5 spiral notebooks

Organizational tool to be shared between all classes (binder, accordion, or folder)

(5) 2-pocket folders

Earbuds & Stylus to use with iPad

Package of colored pencils

Pencil pouch

Students in Wellness class will need a two pocket folder, plain black school appropriate athletic shorts,
a plain or Noblesville Millers yellow, grey, or black crew neck t-shirt (no V neck or Scoop neck), tennis
shoes & socks. If your child has Wellness 2nd semester, please buy the uniform in August, it can be
difficult to find inexpensive shorts in the Winter.

*It is possible that individual teams may have other items to be picked up after school begins. Teams will
notify students/parents as needed.
Revised 5/15

Noblesville East Middle School

7th Grade Supply List 2015-16

Pencilsmechanical or regular (20) & individual sharpener

Pens (black, blue, and red)

Highlighters (pack of assorted colors)

Loose-leaf college ruled paper

1 binder for math with 5 tab dividers

Personal calculator

Several 2 pocket folders with clips (at least 4)

Earbuds & Stylus to use with iPad

Composition Notebook for science (college ruled, 100 pages)

Journal/Composition notebook for Language Arts

Package of colored pencils

Small bottle of glue

Art supply box

Students in Wellness class will need a two pocket folder, plain black school appropriate athletic shorts,
a plain or Noblesville Millers yellow, grey, or black crew neck t-shirt (no V neck or Scoop neck), tennis
shoes & socks. If your child has Wellness 2nd semester, please buy the uniform in August, it can be
difficult to find inexpensive shorts in the Winter.

* It is possible that individual teams may have other items to be picked up after school begins. Teams will
notify students/parents as needed.
Revised 5/15

Noblesville East Middle School

8th Grade Supply List 2015-16

Pencilsmechanical or regular (20) & individual sharpener

Pens (black, blue, and red)

Highlighters (pack of assorted colors)

Loose-leaf college ruled paper

Notebook & scientific calculator for math

Several 2 pocket folders (at least 6)

2 Composition Notebooks one for Science & one for Spanish

Earbuds & Stylus to use with iPad

Post it notes

Glue stick

Students in Wellness class will need a two pocket folder, plain black school appropriate athletic shorts,
a plain or Noblesville Millers yellow, grey, or black crew neck t-shirt (no V neck or Scoop neck), tennis
shoes & socks. If your child has Wellness 2nd semester, please buy the uniform in August, it can be
difficult to find inexpensive shorts in the Winter.

*It is possible that individual teams may have other items to be picked up after school begins. Teams will
notify students/parents as needed.
Revised 5/15

Middle School eLearning Days Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)

What are eLearning days?
eLearning days offer students access to online instruction provided by their middle school
teachers. Teachers create learning activities in Canvas, the schools learning
management system accessible anywhere from the internet. These activities are aligned
to the curriculum of specific middle school classes. If students do not have internet at
home, they may attend either a supervised study hall hosted by the middle school where
internet access is available, or with the permission of a parent use a location where
internet is available such as the public library.
What will these days look like for students?
A school issued device, Canvas online learning management system, and access to the
internet together allow for anytime, anywhere learning opportunities. Middle school
teachers will use these resources to provide instruction to students in place of traditional
classroom instruction on eLearning days. Students will be responsible for accessing
Canvas on their school issued iPad or through a computer to complete learning activities
created by their teachers in Canvas. These activities will be a continuation of in class
instruction. There will not be a rigid schedule for students to follow, but they will be
expected to complete all learning activities by the next school day.
What will these days look like for teachers?
Teachers will participate in professional development activities during eLearning time.
This professional development will focus on teaching and technology to further improve
the learning experiences of our students.
Why do we have eLearning days?
Noblesville Schools has committed to providing the most relevant learning experiences
possible to help engage, inspire, and empower our students and prepare them for
success in the 21st century. Technology and technology-based learning are becoming an
increasingly important part of post-secondary experiences and careers. Below are some
facts to consider:

According to a study completed in 2011, 32% of college students take at least

one online course.
Even face-to-face courses in college require work to be submitted electronically.
An article in the Indianapolis Recorder reports that employers feel that 35% of
new hires/applicants do not have adequate computer skills.

Corporations are using eLearning for training purposes

Most companies require online applications
eLearning provides new opportunity for teachers to collaborate and engage in
professional development, which are central to improving teaching and learning

How will attendance be taken?

Teachers will take attendance by recording the online participation of the students when
they complete learning activities in Canvas, which records each students amount of
activity. Teachers and administrators have access to these analytics. If a student is too
sick to complete the work, parents will need to call the office and report this as they
would for a student who misses school for illness. Just as with traditional sick time, a
student is still responsible for the work and will need to complete it by the class period
following their return to school as outlined in the student handbook.
Will transportation be provided during dismissal on eLearning days?
The students regular bus transportation routes will run at dismissal at 12:25 on
eLearning days. Students expected travel times to their bus drop off locations will be the
same as on a normal day. Parents may also pick up students, or allow their child to walk
home just as on any other normal school day. Bus transportation will only be provided at
the 12:25 dismissal. Bus transportation will not be provided to students who stay at
school for a supervised study hall until normal 2:35 dismissal time.

Noblesville Schools Visitor and Volunteer Background Check Procedures

Safety is a top priority at Noblesville Schools and we are continually evaluating
and enhancing our safety procedures. As you know, we recently strengthened
security measures for physical entry into our school facilities and we will now
be implementing another phase of our safety enhancements.
Starting in August 2015, a more robust background check procedure for
school visitors and volunteers will go into effect. Currently, visitors to our
facilities are screened against sex offender registries and a limited background
check is performed for volunteers with substantial access to students.
The new process identifies three different levels of requirements based on the
type of access to students. Generally speaking, the new procedures will
require more comprehensive checks to be performed on a wider population.
For activities that require background checks, the checks will need to be
performed in advance of visiting/volunteering. Volunteers will be able to
submit their registration through the Student Services area of our website
starting this summer
The limited check is free, but the more comprehensive (level 3) check, which
includes a national screening, will cost $12.95. Both types of checks will be
good for two years. The process will be coordinated at the district level so an
approved check will be good at all Noblesville schools.
These parameters were developed in the interest of balancing the safety needs
of children versus cost and convenience for school visitors. The most cost
effective and adequately thorough options were selected.
Volunteers are a critical component of our success and we appreciate and
encourage your participation at school. To ensure seamless access to
volunteering in the 2015-2016 school year, we suggest you complete your
background check prior to the start of the new school year in August. We will
send a reminder communication over the summer when the website area to
submit is live.
If you have any questions or concerns about the new procedure, please dont
hesitate to contact your principal.

Noblesville Schools Visitor and Volunteer Background Check Procedures

Level 1

Level 2

Level 3

Requirements

No background check
required

Limited background
check and sex
offender check
required (no charge)

Full background check

required ($12.95)

Definition

Visiting office area;

observer at a special
event; no sole care,
custody, or supervision.

Access to students
during the school
day under
supervision of
Noblesville Schools
staff. Volunteers with
classroom exposure
who work with
children and are
generally supervised
by school staff.
These occasionally
include short solitary
time with children
and short duration of
obstructed view.

Sole care, custody,

and supervision. This
volunteer can possibly
have direct and
unsupervised
interaction with
children.

Examples

Examples:
Grandparents Day,
performances, guest
speaker, convocations

Examples: lunch,
class parties

Examples: field trips,

classroom/building
volunteer,
tutors/mentors, select
PTO/special event
volunteers (per
principal), field day

Required
Notification

None

One week required

advance notification

One week required

advance notification

Frequency

N/A

Every 2 years

Every 2 years

Volunteer status can be revoked at discretion of school administrator or designee

May 2015

ECA Transportation Fees / Effective 2015-2016 School Year

At the Regular School Board Meeting on Tuesday, May 19, 2015, the Board of School
Trustees approved the ECA Transportation Fee effective the 2015-2016 school year.
This ECA Transportation Fee is replacing of the previously titled Pay to Play fee that
was approved at the August 16, 2011 Regular School Board Meeting. This was
approved to be used only at the high school level, but is now being extended to
include the middle schools.

ECA TRANSPORTATION FEES 2015-2016:

High School Student-Athletes will pay $50 per student per season
Family Cap for HS Student-Athletes is $200 per family per school year
Middle School Student-Athletes will pay $25 per student per athletic season
Family Cap for MS Student-Athletes is $100 per family per school year

REIMBURSEMENT TABLE:
In regards to a Student-Athletes who quits a sport after they have indicated the intent
to participate:
Reimbursement Timetable
100% reimbursement from Day 1 of IHSAA allowed practices through the first week
(Saturday).
50% reimbursement from Monday of week 2 of practice through the following Saturday.
0% reimbursement from day after the first contest within his/her sport.
In regards to Exchange Students who participate in sports:
ESC absorbs the cost of this particular Student-Athlete.
In regards to an academically ineligible student:
The student would follow the guidelines of the above-listed Reimbursement Timetable.
In regards to a student who has a medical concern:
100% reimbursement if the Student-Athlete has not participated in any contest or meet.
50% reimbursement if the Student-Athlete has participated in 50% of the contests.
Reimbursement is proportional to the percentage of the year yet to be completed.

Questions regarding the ECA Transportation Fee may be directed to the Athletic
Departments at Noblesville High School, Noblesville East Middle School, or Noblesville
West Middle School.

NOBLESVILLE STUDENTS
For your convenience and in an effort to expedite inputting deposits on the first day of school, you may prepay
for your lunches by returning the deposit slip below, along with your check, to Noblesville Schools - Lunch.

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

CAFETERIA DEPOSIT

Student's Name: __________________________________

Student ID#: ______________________________________
School Name: _____________________________________
Amount Enclosed: $________________________________

A SEPARATE CHECK FOR EACH STUDENT

MUST BE MADE OUT PAYABLE TO
"NOBLESVILLE SCHOOLS - LUNCH"
CHECKS MUST BE WRITTEN FOR LUNCH DEPOSITS ONLY.
DO NOT INCLUDE ANY OTHER AMOUNTS ON THIS CHECK!