Bethel Park School District - Independence Middle School

Independence Middle School houses 781 students in grades 7 and 8. We are committed to providing opportunities for all students to grow intellectually, physically and socially. Developmentally responsive activities and community experiences are combined to meet the diverse needs of our learners. To that end, IMS utilizes a team approach that fosters a smaller school within a school concept, allowing students to be nurtured by caring and supportive adults who work closely with families to ensure success in these transitional years.

The curriculum is challenging, integrated and exploratory in nature, while meeting the high expectations of state and national standards.

IMS is proud of its two National Blue Ribbons of Excellence, which reflect the outstanding staff and their dedication to children.

• Support IMS at the Panera Bread Fundraiser--Every time you visit a local Panera Bread between now and March 31, 2009 and save $1 when you order a You-Pick-Two! Please click here to print off a flyer! For every flyer redeemed, Panera will donate $1 back to Independence Middle School. So print off a bunch of flyers and enjoy a delicious, discounted meal at Panera! You MUST present the ENTIRE FLYER at Panera in order for IMS to get credit. Do NOT cut the coupon out of the flyer or IMS will NOT get credit!

• District Receives Grant for Dairy Machine in IMS Cafeteria--Food Service Director Joe Consolmagno submitted a successful grant application to the Mid-Atlantic Dairy Association to receive a 3-A-Day vending machine for the Independence Middle School Cafeteria. The machine, valued at $4,500, will dispense 100% dairy products. Currently the machine will be stocked with 1% white and flavored milk pints, string cheese and three varieties of yogurt. This high-tech machine possesses sensitive controls, so that in the even of a power outage, the machine will not dispense any products if the temperature rises to a danger range for an extended period of time. This machine will help everyone to meet their goal of getting three servings of dairy products a day!

• Cafeteria Earns 6 Black Diamonds--The Allegheny County Health Department awarded the IMS Cafeteria 6 Black Diamond Awards during its fall inspection of the facility. Diamonds are the highest award bestowed by the ACHD and are awarded for Exceptional Practices. Congratulations!

• H1N1 Update--On October 14, the school district was notified of two test-confirmed cases of H1N1 at Bethel Park High School. Cases have also been confirmed at Neil Armstrong Middle School, Lincoln Elementary School, Memorial Elementary School and Franklin Elementary School. There have also been several students throughout the district who have exhibited flu-like symptoms and have been diagnosed by their doctors as having H1N1 or H1N1-like symptoms, but their conditions were not officially confirmed via laboratory testing. Please click here to read a letter to all Bethel Park families from Dr. Knight, that outlines what parents can do to help keep their children from getting/spreading H1N1 or other viruses. If you or any member of your family experience flu-like symptoms, you are encouraged to contact your family physician. As always, the best defense against communicable disease is proper hand washing. We ask parents to keep their children home if they are exhibiting symptoms or do not feel well. Please click here to learn more about H1N1/Flu Tips. Please click here to go to the Bethel Park Health Services web page.

• Parents Can Monitor Their Child's Cafeteria Purchases via PayForIt.net--All Bethel Park cafeterias are using the QSP point of sale system. With this new system, parents will able to log on to see what your child is eating, how much money is in your account and to set up email reminders to let you know when your account is running low. For more information, please go to the BPSD Food Services web page.

• Donate Your Used Consumer Electronics and Help IMS and the Environment--The IMS World Savers is participating in a recycling fundraiser. Please protect the environment by donating you used cellular phones, ink jet cartridges, DVD movies/video games, portable DVD players, laptop/notebook computers, MP3 players, video game consoles, digital cameras, digital picture frames and portable navigation and GPS devices. Your used items may be tax deductible and will be recycled in accordance with EPA regulations or refurbished and resold. 100% of the proceeds will help fund the Home Again Program. Please drop your items off at the IMS office.

• District to use ALERTNOW Notification Service as an additional communication tool between the school district and parents--Please click here to learn how you can stay up to date with what is going on in your child's school electronically via ALERT NOW.

• IMS Earns Keystone Achievement Award! For the fifth consecutive year, Independence Middle School has been awarded the Keystone Achievement Award by the Pennsylvania Department of Education for making Adequate Yearly Progress (AYP) on the PSSA Exams for two consecutive years. This year's award is for PSSA Scores in 2007-2008 and 2008-2009. Congratulations to our seventh and eighth graders and their teachers for their outstanding work on these tests and keep up the good work! To see the district's PSSA scores for 2008-2009, please click here.

• Edline Now Available for Independence Parents—IMS parents now have electronic access to their child’s academic progress through Edline. Parents are encouraged to go to www.edline.net and activate their child’s account to see their child’s interim grades posted for the 2^nd, 4^th, 6^th and 8^th weeks of each quarter for assignments, tests and quizzes, as well as attendance and final report card grades. Parents who have difficulty accessing Edline can contact Cindy Stalder (412-854-8677) or Ann Ball (412-854-8678). Parents who do not have access to the Internet can do so at the Bethel Park Library. Librarians are available to assist.

• Did you know that many textbooks used at IMS can now be accessed on-line? Click here to see how!

Welcome to
Independence
Middle School

A U.S. Department of Education National Blue Ribbon for Excellence in Education School
1992-1993 and 1997-1998

Welcome to IndependenceMiddle School

A U.S. Department of Education National Blue Ribbon for Excellence in Education School 1992-1993 and 1997-1998

Welcome to
Independence
Middle School

A U.S. Department of Education National Blue Ribbon for Excellence in Education School
1992-1993 and 1997-1998