Starr-Iva Middle School

Wrestling Interest Meeting for 7th and 8th grade students and parents on 10/7 at 6:45pm at the CHS Commons.

Ms. Pujols’ 8th grade math students at Starr-Iva Middle explored transformations by ROTATING shapes on the coordinate plane! 🔄 ✨📐 Using graph paper, plotting points, and different colored pencils, they watched their shapes turn through 90°, 180°, and 270°. 🎉✏️ Through this activity, students practiced describing how figures move and change when rotated, all by tracking the coordinates of each point.

We are proud to spotlight Mrs. Hanna for the month of September as she models our ACE vision so well for her colleagues and students. Thank you, Mrs. Hanna, for making a positive difference! ❤️

SIMS Girls and Boys Basketball Interest Meeting on Friday, October 3rd, during ACE Time!

🎃 Pumpkin Carving and/or Decorating Contest 🎃

Thanks to our amazing counselors (mental health and guidance), we have a wonderful gratitude tree in our library where students can LEAVE the negativity behind and focus on the things they are grateful for. Today, we are grateful for ALL of our students, especially those who get recognized for making a positive difference in our school. If you see your student, check your email to see why they received a positive office referral this week! Have a great weekend!

All eighth-grade students currently enrolled in English I honors and/or Geometry honors will take the PSAT on Oct. 21st. Please make sure your student is in attendance. If you have any conflicts regarding the date, please contact the Guidance Office.

Sunrise at SIMS this morning❤️

🌿 Our 7th grade Intro to Ag students kicked off their Natural Resources unit with a special guest today! 🌿 Mr. Brandon Henry, a DNR agent, joined us to share his knowledge and experiences in the field. We are so thankful for him taking the time to invest in our students and give them real-world insights into protecting and managing our natural resources. 🍃✨

Another Friday means another positive referral post! If you see your student, be sure to check your email to see why they got this honor!

📚✨ Classroom Spotlight: Ms. Smith’s 8th Grade English I ✨📚 Ms. Hannah Smith’s 8th grade English I students are diving into Fahrenheit 451 — and they’re already on fire 🔥 with curiosity and critical thinking! To kick off their study of this dystopian classic (yes, we see you, Ray Bradbury! 😉), students participated in an engaging gallery walk activity designed to build essential reading skills. Using a series of thought-provoking images curated by Ms. Smith, students practiced: 🔍 Making predictions 🧠 Drawing conclusions 💡 Developing and modifying inferences From burning books to futuristic tech, each image sparked deep conversation and reflection on the themes they’ll encounter in the novel. What better way to get ready for a world where knowledge is power — and sometimes, rebellion? Way to go, scholars! 📖👏

📚🌍 Cross-Curricular Learning at SIMS! 🌍📚 Mrs. Bowen’s 6th grade Social Studies scholars are integrating ELA skills into their Social Studies work. While studying Greek mythology, students identified the story elements authors use to create these timeless myths. ✨⚡️ Way to connect learning across subjects, scholars! 💡👏

🎲✨ Learning + Fun in Mrs. Pendleton’s class! ✨🎲 8th grade students are reviewing word parts through interactive games like Memory and Spoons. These activities help them sharpen their skills so they can break down and solve the meaning of unfamiliar words when they encounter them while reading. 📚💡 Way to make learning engaging, Mrs. Pendleton! 👏

✨ FCA at SIMS is in full swing! ✨ Last week, students reflected on the theme of carrying burdens and supporting one another. FCA meets Wednesdays in the gym at 7:30 AM, with grade levels rotating: • 8th grade started two weeks ago • 7th grade gathered on 9/10 • 6th grade is up this Wednesday, 9/17 🎉 Also pictured: an epic Rock-Paper-Scissors tournament! 🪨📄✂️ A big thank you to our student leaders for organizing FCA and to our advisors—Mrs. Bowen (sponsor), Ms. Van Vlake (co-sponsor), and Ms. Dotson (area advisor)—for guiding and supporting them!”

Another week of school at SIMS means another group of students making great choices and getting recognized for it. Congrats to these students for receiving positive office referrals this week. Parents, check your email to see why!

🌟 Classroom Spotlight 🌟 Big shoutout to Mrs. Thompson’s 7th grade ELA class! While Mrs. Thompson was away, one of our wonderful subs, Mrs. Peterson, was so impressed with the class that she wanted to give the entire group a positive referral for consistently doing the right thing each day. 🙌📚 Way to go, 7th graders—you showed responsibility, respect, and pride in being SIMS students! 💙💛

🚧 Slippery Slopes Ahead! 🚧

Christy Upton, Anderson 3’s Mental Health & Wellness Coordinator, recently talked with students at Starr-Iva Middle about slippery slopes like friends, bullying, attendance, dating, drama, and social media. Her reminders were simple: choose good influences, be a good influence, don’t bully others, date slowly, avoid drama, and stay off social media.

Thank you, Mrs. Upton, for helping our Tigers make positive choices every day! 💛🖤

Welcome to the #A3TeachingTeam, Ms. Amber Magyari! 👋🎉

Ms. Magyari has joined the 6th Grade Team at Starr-Iva Middle as a Math teacher! Amber’s journey in education began in Anderson 5, where she taught for the past two years at Whitehall Elementary. Before pursuing a degree in Education, she served Anderson 3 as a Bus Driver and Nutrition Services Operator.

A proud Starr native, Amber loves being part of the Anderson 3 family once again. Outside of school, you’ll often find her kayaking, tackling creative projects, and spending time with her close-knit family and friends.

Welcome back, Ms. Magyari! 🐾✏️

🔬✨ Our 6th grade scientists are zooming in on the microscopic world! Students worked with both hand lenses and microscopes to compare what each tool reveals. They observed living cell samples and non-living materials, recorded their findings, and discussed how microscopes allow us to see the fine details of cells that a hand lens just can’t capture. A big shout-out to our 6th grade science teachers for guiding students through this hands-on learning experience that brings science to life at SIMS! 🌱🔍🧫

📸 It may not be the best picture, and Mrs. Wilson may not have the best photography skills… but her favorite view is always from the back of a classroom—watching teachers powerfully present instruction and students ACE their learning through Attendance, Commitment, and Engagement! Today’s beautiful view came from Mrs. Pujols’ 8th grade math class, where students were actively engaged in learning about angles and triangles. Way to go, Mrs. Pujols and our 8th grade mathematicians! 👏✨