IHMS Newsletter - May 16, 2022
Important Upcoming Dates
May 23 - Ed Fund Meeting, 7pm

May 26 - PTA Meeting, 10:30am, Library

May 27 - Jaguar Day
May 30 - No School, Memorial Day

June 1 - M/T/F bell schedule (8:15-2:45)

June 1 - 8th Grade Six Flags Field Trip

June 2 - Last Day of School - Minimum Day

June 2 - 8th Grade Promotion, 6pm
Note: Gmail clips the What's Up newsletter. Look at the bottom of the newsletter for this message, "click to view the entire message"
School Updates
Jaguar Day - Friday, May 27th

Jaguar Day will be a day filled with fun activities, a variety show, field events, and our olympic awards ceremony. ALL STUDENTS MUST HAVE A WAIVER ON FILE TO PARTICIPATE IN FIELD EVENTS. If you already submitted a waiver for a dance or other prior activity, you do not need to submit another one. If you have NOT submitted a waiver already, please complete one here:
Remembering Student Passwords over Summer

We would like to encourage students to Enroll in the Password Portal with their cell phone number. This will allow them to reset their password in August if they happen to forget it. The more we can do now to make it easier in August the better. By adding a cell phone number, students will get a PIN code allowing them to set a new password.
2022 8th Grade End of Year Events
 
As we approach the end of the 2021-22 school year, we would like to share information on our upcoming end of year 8th grade class events celebrating our students. If your student will be participating in any of these events, please RSVP HERE
Six Flags Field Trip
Wednesday, June 1st
8:30am-4:00pm
Cost $85 per student
Deadline to RSVP is Friday, May 13th
Includes: Park Admission, Lunch and Transportation
**If your student will not attend this field trip, they must still attend school.
Please be mindful that these events are solely based upon community donations, so if you have not done so, please consider donating using the provided links.
8th Grade Promotion
Thursday, June 2nd
Iron Horse Middle School back field
Practice: 8:15-11:15am
All 8th graders will be required to participate in practice. Students must arrive on time and be signed out by a parent or guardian at the front office if leaving earlier than11:15.
Promotion Ceremony
6-7:30pm
 
Tickets are NOT required but seating is limited and will be on a first-come-first-serve basis. Seats may not be saved ahead of time. Parents can bring their own chairs. No shade structures please, as they may obscure the view of other families.
8th grade parents:

If you cannot locate your receipt from registration to show whether you purchased the 8th-grade bundle that includes the Six Flags field trip and the end-of-the-year party, you can verify whether you paid for it through Future Fund. Just go to the Future Fund Registration Store. Follow these steps:

1. Go to ihms.futurefund.com/store and log in.
2. Choose "Registration Receipt".
3. Look for 8th-Grade Bundle with Field Trip and End-of-Year Party. If you see it, you already paid for both events and you only need to RSVP at https://forms.gle/pNP4z9gYFQzuhn8a6 to say that your student is still planning to attend.
4. If you don't see the 8th-Grade Bundle WITH Field Trip and End-of-Year Party, you can still purchase either of the individual events in the store. Just go back to the main menu and select Store.
5. Once in the store, select "8th Grade Events and Keepsakes" in the list on the left to find the 8th-grade items.
Traffic Pattern Reminder

The safety of our students, staff, and parents is our number one priority during morning drop-off and afternoon pick-ups. Please review our procedures:

  • Drop-off/Pick-up is not allowed at the San Ramon Transit Center (“Intermodal”) along Executive Parkway, Bishop Ranch, or Alcosta Blvd.

  • Driveway 1 is closed, so please enter campus at the traffic light or the entrance closest to the fire station.

  • Our two drop off/parking areas are the parking lot directly in front of the school (Area 1), and the parking lot adjacent to the track (Area 2).

  • Please follow the directions of staff members, be courteous to other drivers, and refrain from using your cell phones.

Safety comes first!
Thank you!
Have You Ordered a Yearbook?

Yearbooks may now only be purchased at distribution. Check out the flyer below. If you have any questions, please email the yearbook adviser, Michelle Hamon at mhamon@srvusd.net.
PTA Updates
REFLECTIONS ART PROGRAM
2022-23 Theme - "Show Your Voice"
The 2022-2023 Reflection theme has been selected -- "Show Your Voice" - let's plan ahead and give our students plenty of time to sort and organize their artistic thoughts so they can "show their voice". Updates and deadlines will be available soon on school PTA websites and on the Council Website.
PTA Volunteers Needed

Iron Horse PTA is currently looking for volunteers to fill PTA Executive Board positions, as well as Committee Chair roles for the 2022-23 school year. 

We could use your help! Are you good with numbers and finances? Are you organized and good with details? Do you like doing things to assist and show appreciation to our amazing staff?

We are still looking to fill the following positions for our PTA next year.
  • Auditor
  • Legislative Rep
  • Membership
  • Run for Education
  • Webmaster
  • 8th Grade Party

There are many ways to get involved with the Iron Horse PTA, and we would love to have some new volunteers join us to support our school and our staff. If you are interested or would like more information, please email IHMS.CA.PTA@gmail.com.
Ed Fund
Do you like eating out? The Iron Horse Ed Fund is looking for a volunteer to coordinate its dine-out fundraisers for the 2022-23 school year.  We aim for no more than one dine-out per month, so it's a pretty small time commitment.  You can pick your favorite restaurants or choose from our tried and true list of past supporters. Simply arrange a date with the restaurant, create a flyer (Most restaurants provide one for you.), and publicize it to the school community. You can organize them each month or set them all up in advance at the beginning of the year. It's a fun way to raise money for the school, support our local businesses, and build community. If you're interested in helping out, please email ironhorse.edfund@srvef.org.
Legislative Advocacy
Raise The Base! Call To Action
Every year our schools get a 'base' amount of per-pupil funding from the State. Unfortunately, its never quite enough to provide for all of our District's needs. It is time to Raise the Base. California ranks well below the national average in per-pupil funding and our kids deserve more. Now is the time to make your voice heard while the Governor considers the State budget for next year.

What can you do? LEARN More, WRITE to your Legislator or the Governor and ATTEND a CAPTA web discussion with Kevin Gordon on May 24, 2022 to hear more about the Governor's budget.
2022
VOTER REGISTRATION
Voters Will Soon Receive Official Ballots for the
June 7, 2022, Primary Election

All registered voters in Contra Costa County should have received their County Voter Information Guides and will their Official Ballots (or will in the next few days) for the upcoming June 7, 2022, California Primary Election.

If you do not receive your ballot by May 20, email ballot@vote.cccounty.us or call 925-335-7800. State Voter Information Guides are also either in the mail or soon to be mailed, from the Secretary of State’s office.

Register to Vote:

To ensure you receive a ballot in the mail, confirm that you are registered to vote and that your address is correct at cocovote.us/myvotinginfo. If you need to register or update your registration, visit registertovote.ca.gov.

After May 23, new voters will need to register and vote in person at the Elections Division in Martinez, at one of the County’s early voting sites, or at a polling place on Election Day.

For information on voting by mail and where your neighborhood drop box is located, go to official ballot drop boxes

Know where your ballot is every step of the way! Sign up at WheresMyBallot.
Community News
SRVUSD is Hiring!
The Kids Need You. We Need You!
Do you have some extra time during the day?
Could you use additional income or benefits?
Are you looking for a job with hours that fit your family?

Consider coming to work at SRVUSD!

We have opportunities for:
  • Part-time
  • full time
  • mornings
  • afternoons
  • evenings
  • year round
  • school year
  • summer

We have openings:
  • Classroom paras
  • Child Nutrition
  • Clerical
  • Special Education
  • Custodial
  • Transportation
  • Summer School

Srvusd.net/jobs is the place to find all the information you need. On this page you can show interest, get additional information, read job postings, learn more about the benefits we offer, and much, much more!

Please consider sharing your talents and time
to make our school community a better place for all our children.
They need you! We need you!
SRVUSD Access to Excellence

San Ramon Valley Unified School District is excited to announce the launch of its new “Access to Excellence” Community Engagement initiative.

The initiative is focused on reconnecting our schools with the San Ramon Valley community after two challenging years in education. The purpose of the initiative is to re-engage with the community and reconnect with the sense of pride we all have in our schools. Our tagline for this initiative is “Success Reimagined,” which to us, means that both now and in the future, our students will:
  • achieve in academics and gain social and emotional health;
  • engage in opportunities to think, create, and solve real-life problems, and understand who they are and the importance of giving back
  • be curious, confident and independent;
  • appreciate being part of a community and understand the importance of relationships, empathy and compassion;
  • set and achieve goals, possess a sense of purpose and service, and love the process of learning, becoming leaders who positively influence the world around them; and
  • have access to the best education and brightest future possible.

Access to Excellence is about celebrating what our schools mean to our community, as well as providing opportunities for members of our community to support and partner with us.

The initiative includes visuals that will be seen on street banners, school banners, posters, social media posts, as well as a promotional video. The image above is an example of what our community will see around the San Ramon Valley as a reminder of what we are about, how the entire community benefits from great schools, and that “success reimagined” happens when communities are actively engaged.

To learn more about this initiative, visit www.srvusd.net/a2e or send an email to a2e@srvusd.net.
2019
Register TODAY for SUMMER IMAGINEERING Classes Hosted at Gale Ranch Middle School

We still have a few spaces left in our Summer Imagineering Program! We are offering 6 weeks of fun and engaging weeklong classes for young scientists, engineers, coders, zoologists, programmers, chemists, techies, artists and mathematicians starting June 13 and running through July 22, 2022. With over 25 weekly classes for incoming students from 2nd - 9th grade offered at Gale Ranch Middle School, you are certain to find something for your student.
IHMS Attendance Line
(925) 790-2599
Don't underestimate the power of a Jaguar!