IHMS Newsletter | August 21, 2026

Meet Me in the Middle

Next week on Thursday, August 27, we are excited to host our annual

Meet the Teacher night!

You will get to meet each of your students' teachers and hear about their curriculums and expectations. You'll want to have their class schedule handy, you can access this on the PowerSchool app.

This is a great time to bring in tissues and Clorox wipes for your students advisory class too!

The evenings timeline is below, we look forward to seeing you there!

August 27 - Parent Information Night

6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Important Dates

August 24-25: MAP Testing
August 26: Fall Pictures
August 27: Meet Me in the Middle: Parent Information Night
September 2: Meet Me in the Middle: Getting Organized for Middle School
September 7: No School, Labor Day
September 24: First Semester Fees Available

Bulletin Board

Meet Me in the Middle Parent Series

Thank you for sharing your interest about a variety of important topics relevant to parents of middle school students! Based on your feedback, I'm excited to launch the "Meet Me in the Middle" Parent Series. All events will take place at Indian Hill Middle School. Here are a few upcoming opportunities coming our way, please RSVP when necessary to help us plan the presentations, thanks!

August 27 - Meet Me in the Middle: Parent Information Night

6:00 p.m. - 8:00 p.m.

Follow your child's schedule and hear a short presentation from each teacher and class. No RSVP needed.

September 2 - Meet Me in the Middle: Getting Organized for Middle School - Canvas, Clubs & Communication

9:00 a.m. OR 1:00 p.m.

Join us for coffee or tea and an informal presentation and conversation around Canvas, Clubs, and Communication here in middle school.

RSVP HERE

September 30 - Meet Me in the Middle: Wellness in a Wired World - Raising Healthy, Connected Teens

6:00 p.m. - 7:30 p.m.

Join us for a formal presentation by Nicole Pfirman, Executive Director of MindPeace Cincinnati and parent to four teenagers on how to support healthy habits for teenagers in an increasingly digital world.

RSVP HERE

(RSVPs will help us plan for participation in this new series! Change your plans? No need to let us know, and you're always welcome despite your RSVP!)

What you need to know!

Here is some information that will hopefully help make the back-to-school transition as smooth as possible.

Final Forms - Action Needed! Please log in to Final Forms to complete the necessary paperwork for the 2026-27 school year. This is where you will review our handbook, update emergency contact information, and sign consent forms. Students in middle school are also required to sign Final Forms. Parents should sign off on Final Forms prior to your students first day on campus. Students will be asked to sign when they pick up their Chromebook.

This year, school pictures will take place for all middle school students during the school day on Wednesday, August 26. Our IHMS Picture Day is August 26th with retakes scheduled for October 6. See the flier below for more details!

Once your student has their Chromebook you'll be able to pair your parent Canvas account to their student account by following these steps.

Here is the School Supply List for grades 6-8.

Mark your calendars for Thursday, August 27 from 6:00pm-8:00pm. This is our IHMS Meet the Teacher Night, where parents follow their child's schedule, spend about 10 minutes in each class to see the classroom, meet the teacher, and gather information about that course of study.

IH-Sponsored Club Information

We are excited to begin student registration for clubs running during the 26-27 school year! You will have the ability to sign your student up for clubs through Final Forms starting Monday, August 24.

Please click this link to view this year's club offerings, students will be introduced to these clubs during Advisory next week. The parent walkthrough instructions provide step-by-step guidance on how to add your student to a club’s official roster.

To ensure a smooth process for club advisors, we kindly ask parents to confirm with their student that they are interested in participating in a specific club before completing the registration on Final Forms.

Please note that signing up for a club on Final Forms does not replace the need for students to stay informed. Students should continue to listen for updates in Advisory, through school announcements and regularly check their "Class of" Page for club communications and updates.

My School Bucks

Effective July 31, 2026, the fee for cafeteria credit and debit card payments will increase to $3.75. You are still able to send lunch checks or cash in with your student for the cafeteria for no additional charge. Checks should be made out to Indian Hill School District and include your students school ID in the memo. You are able to download the MSB Parent app using the QR code above or the following links below.

Apple or Google Play

Lunch at IHMS!

Middle School lunch operates as a fully à la carte cafeteria. This means there is no set lunch meal served each day. Instead, students have the flexibility to build their own meals and purchase items individually. Our cafeteria offers a variety of healthy and delicious options! You can find our lunch menus here, this link is housed under the quick links section of our newsletter every week.

Please see this note for Adam Lupp, our Food Service Director for Aramark to learn more!

Fees for Technology

Every Student is accessed an Annual Technology Fee to cover the use and maintenance of our district Chromebooks, this includes extensive warranty coverage. Below is a list of fees Chromebooks can accrue due to accidental damage or misuse. These are rare but we wanted to make you aware of them, thanks!

Cell Phone Policy Reminder

We believe in cultivating a school environment where all students are physically and emotionally safe while intellectually inspired and challenged. As a part of this, we have a no-phones policy at Indian Hill Middle School.

Students’ cell phones should not be used or seen at school (including classrooms, hallways, lunch, and recess) during school hours unless the student has received direct permission from a staff member. Smart watches with communication features can be worn, but should not be utilized to send messages, access social media, etc. during the school day. Phones can be carried in pencil pouches, kept in lockers, or in backpacks - but should not be carried on the person's body (ie, in pockets) and must remain out of sight at all times. Students can use their communication devices before school, after school, in the main office, or if given specific permission by a staff member.

Additionally, for the safety of our students, headphones and earbuds (like “Airpods”) may not be used during school unless a teacher has given students permission during a learning activity.

1st Offense - Phone is sent to the office for safekeeping and can be picked up by student after 2:45 p.m.
2nd Offense - Phone is sent to the office for safekeeping and can be picked up by the parent or guardian
3rd Offense - Phone is sent to the office for safekeeping and a team meeting is scheduled with administrators, parents, and student for support plan

Parents, we need your help! If you need to get your child a message, you can email them at their @ihsd.us email address or call the main office. When parents text their child during school hours our students struggle to maintain the balance between the impulse to check and wanting to stay out of "trouble" at school.

Please remind your child they cannot have their phones out during school hours, and let them know you will email them or contact the main office if you need them to get a message.

Drop Off and Pick Up Traffic Patterns

Here are the Middle School traffic patterns for morning drop off and afternoon pickup. Thank you for your help with keeping our students safe!

Morning Dropoff

Pull into the parking lot and follow the arrows on the image below.
Students may only be dropped off on the sidewalk
Please pull up along the sidewalk as far as possible so more vehicles have access to it.

Afternoon Pickup

Anyone picking up a student must get in the car line. Students will not be permitted to enter the parking lot to enter a vehicle and parents will not be able to walk through the car line to pick up their child.

When you arrive at the sidewalk, please pull forward as far as possible so as many students as possible can access their vehicles. Staff members will be on the sidewalk directing vehicles forward and instructing students to look for their vehicle.

Some High school students have been assigned spots closest to the gym (you may not see them until later in the year). Any student riding with a high school sibling will need to utilize the sidewalk and crosswalk to access their sibling’s vehicle.

The image below shows the traffic pattern:
Red arrows show the line entering. You’ll notice there are two red lanes once you get closer to the school. This allows more vehicles in the lot in order to keep vehicles off Drake Road. A staff member will direct traffic near the sidewalk.
White arrows show the line leaving after you pick up your child. Please use all three lanes to exit as this helps keep the line moving.

Transportation Information

The Middle School does not use Pick Up Patrol. Please communicate with your student any transportation changes. If your plan changes during the school day, call the front office at 513-272-4642 and we can get the message to your student(s).

If you have any questions about transportation, visit the Transportation page of our District site. Thanks!

Bravesline

Looking to update your Indian Hill Spirit wear selections? The Bravesline store is open! You can shop all your favorite Braves items Fridays from 8:30 a.m.-3:00 p.m. You can access the Bravesline store through the foyer of the

Sue Harder Memorial Performing Arts Center.

You can also check out the online store using the link below.