Maize South Intermediate School



December 2021
Mavs Run Together!
Hello Maverick Families!

I can’t believe Winter Break is around the corner! As we approach the end of our first semester at Maize South Intermediate, it is with great pride that we look back at what our students, staff, and families have accomplished to make this such an amazing school. 
  • Developed and implemented an innovative and effective intermediate school that is cohesive, systematic and meets the unique needs for 5th and 6th grade students. 
  • Developed and implemented tiered levels of support for students with academic and emotional needs.
  • Implemented engaging and rigorous curriculum in Math, ELA, Social Studies, and Science. 
  • Developed and implemented exploratory opportunities for all students.
  • Given students opportunities to be engaged in fine arts such as band, orchestra, choir, drama, and art.
  • Given students opportunities to be engaged in creative design activities such as crochet and macrame. 
  • Given students opportunities to be engaged in physical education activities such as soccer, basketball, juggling, ultimate frisbee, etc…
  • Given students opportunities to be engaged in math enrichment activities.
  • Given students opportunities to be engaged in airplane design.
  • Given students opportunities to be engaged in different modes of communication such as broadcasting, creative writing, newspaper, and yearbook. 
  • Given students opportunities to be engaged in service and leadership activities such as STUCO, K.A.Ys Club, Circle of Friends, and Kindness Club.
  • Given students opportunities to be engaged in coding.
  • Given students opportunities to be engaged in investigative science and engineering activities.
  • Given students opportunities to be engaged in skilled strategy and team building activities through board games.
  • Collaborated with an amazing MSIS PTO to bring students, families, and staff together to support the needs of our MSIS Community.
  • Mav Bash, Back-to-School Family Event
  • Monthly Family Spirit Nights throughout the community
  • Fundraising events 
  • Mavs Care, support MSIS families in need
  • Purchased 4 complete Project Lead the Way Robotics Modules
  • Teacher Grants

We have truly brought to life what our school motto means, Mavs Run Together. Thank you for your patience, support, and encouragement as we continue on this journey. As we enter the new year, we will continue to set new goals that will help Maize South Intermediate continue to grow and develop to be the best we can be. 


I would like to wish all of our families a holiday season that is merry and bright! I look forward to seeing you all again in 2022!
Best regards,
Karen LaMunyon
Principal, Maize South Intermediate School
High 5's for the Fresh 5!
Principal's Lunch Bunch
Once a month, I meet with students to gather their hopes, dreams, and wishes for Maize South Intermediate. Teachers select one student each month that would like to come together and eat lunch with me as a leadership team. I look forward to this time each month with students. This month, our students shared some of the things they love the most about our school are their teachers, making new friends, and spending time in the collaboration spaces. We will continue to meet and collect feedback from these amazing students!
December Principal Lunch Bunch
Caught KEEPin' It FRESH
We are excited about rolling out a new behavior incentive program after Winter Break! Our goal is to notice as much positive behavior from students as possible. All students will start with a white “Caught You Keepin it Fresh” punch card. If they get 5 positive punches they’ll level up to a green card, which has 10 positive punches. If they fill this card up they’ll level up to a gold card, which has 15 positive punches! We’ll have drawings, prizes, and incentives throughout the quarter for students who fill up punch cards. The grand prize will be a celebration where students get to sign up for a fun activity with a staff member. As long as students don’t have any strikes on their punch card they can attend! Students will get a strike for: 3 tardies to one class, an office referral, or being on the D/F list when we run it towards the end of each quarter. Strikes aren’t permanent! If they earn 5 positive punches their strike will go away. We want all students to be at the celebration! We encourage parents to ask their kids about the Fresh 5 character traits (Family, Responsibility, Empathy, Self-Control, and Honesty) and how they demonstrated these traits with positive behavior at school!
Health Office
Breakfast:
Please ensure that your student is eating a healthy breakfast before coming to school. We have FREE breakfast in our cafeteria until the bell rings so if your child does not have time in the morning, then they have an option to get breakfast here at school!

Covid vaccine notification:
Please continue to upload a COVID-19 Vaccination Record Card in Skyward if your student has received both doses. You can always email this to me too!! A child is fully vaccinated two weeks after receiving their second dose!

Medications:
If your child needs to take any medication at school, a consent form must be filled out every school year before any medication is administered at school. You can find this form on the USD266 website by clicking here and clicking Authorization for Medication. If this medication is prescribed by a physician, I need their signature as well in order to administer.

Please feel free to contact me by stopping by my office, calling, or emailing me if you have any questions or concerns about your student. I hope you and your student have a safe, healthy, and happy holiday season! Looking forward to serving you in 2022!

Hannah Weston, RN, BSN
Phone: 316-462-8506
Fax: 316-462-8502
Mavs and the Media Center
December greetings to our Maverick family from the library here at MSIS! We have been busy using our class time to learn how to apply filters to search and find books independently. Students are enjoying some Drop Everything and Read time this week. Our last bit of time together before the break will be spent practicing library standards using the Gimkit platform; students answer questions to accrue points and run investigations to find the impostor among us.

Battle of the Books participants have until January 31st to read at least 6 of the titles on the list. If your child is needing a specific title that continues to be checked out, please have them visit with me. I can sometimes find creative ways to help them out.

I continue to encourage reading as a life-long habit and often explain that this habit will look very different for all of us. The written word is priceless regardless of its’ form, so a magazine subscription or how to book would make great gifts any time of the year. I am always happy to give specific title suggestions for narrative text as well. Feel free to email me at krodell@usd266.com for some great picks.
Counselors Corner
Happy December!

It is hard to believe we are almost halfway through our first year together. Our December lesson was over mindfulness and showing gratitude as a way to relieve stress. We are also excited to announce that we will now have a school based therapist. Jacob Asbridge will join our Maize South Intermediate team in January. Here is a little about me from him:

  • Hello! My name is Jacob Asbridge and I am a Kansas Licensed Master Social Worker (LMSW). I am very excited to be the new Therapist for the Intermediate Schools! I have over 10 years of combined experience in trauma informed care, family centered practice, medical social work, individual, and group settings. I have experience in working with at-risk youth, children in the foster care system, families, trauma, behavioral concerns, and substance abuse issues. I am a graduate of Wichita Heights High School. Following graduation I attended Coffeyville Community College (CCC) where I earned an Associates Degree in Science. While attending CCC I was active in the theatre program. I was also active in Phi Theta Kappa, the honors society for 2 year colleges, where I served as the Eta Gamma Chapter President and Kansas Regional Vice President of Alumni Relations. In addition to my activities I worked for a County Mental Health Center in an after school program. I moved back to Wichita and attended Wichita State University where I obtained my Bachelors Degree in Criminal Justice. While attending WSU I worked in the child welfare system. This is where I found my passion for Social Work, empowering others, and working with children. I went back to WSU and in 2017 earned a Masters in Social Work, while continuing to serve the community by working in the child welfare system. Following graduation I left child welfare and worked as a Therapist for The Caring Center of Wichita. After a few years in private practice I decided to mix things up. I shifted gears and worked for Wesley Medical Center as a Surgical Oncology Case Manager until leaving and coming to Maize! While serving the maize community I plan to continue my education and expand my knowledge by working towards my clinical licensure.
  • I am married and live in Wichita. My wife and I serve the community as foster parents. We have 4 children ages 12, 4, 2, and 6 weeks old. We have 2 fur babies, so our house is always busy! Fun fact about myself is I am also an Eagle Scout. I look forward to working in the Intermediate Schools and serving the Maize district and community.

We are so excited to have Jacob here and hopeful this will remove a barrier for some of our students who may benefit from therapy and not have the opportunity to receive services outside of school.

During the month of January the fifth and sixth graders will be watching films with regard to Human Growth & Development in their classrooms. Boys and Girls will watch the films separately. If you have questions or prefer for your student to not watch these films please contact your counselors Caitlin Hamilton, Tyler Slattery or MSIS nurse Hannah Weston at 316-462-8508. We are also happy to send the films if you would like to preview them ahead of time. 

We are excited to be taking part in the Great Kindness Challenge Week in January! It will run from January 24th to January 28th. You can learn more about it by visiting thegreatkindnesschallenge.com. 

Wishing you a safe and happy holiday season!

Tyler and Caitlin

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@Maizesouthintermediate
Find Events, Opportunities on District's Online Bulletin Board
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Maize South Intermediate School PTO

For those interested in joining the Maize South Intermediate School Parent Teacher Organization, please click the link to learn more.

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