September 5, 2023

We want to thank everyone for their cooperation and collaboration during our mandatory testing event on August 31. This comprehensive testing event helped us to identify COVID-19-positive students and colleagues, including those who had not yet shown symptoms, which allowed us to begin resuming activities on campus. Therefore, beginning Tuesday, September 5, we will resume all athletic and academic programs temporarily suspended last week.

We must remain vigilant to prevent further spread and help keep the community safe and healthy. If you do not feel well, please wear a mask and visit the Health Office or your RC office. For more information on how we can keep our campus safe, please review Sunday's COVID-19 update from the Health Office.

Welcome back, Titans! This year, we have made multiple changes to the attendance policies. These changes can be found in the 2023-2024 Student-Parent Handbook on pages 19-24. The updates are significant from last year, so it is important everyone reads the handbook and becomes familiar with the changes.

The math department is excited to open the Math Center in A156! The goal is to create a welcoming, supportive, and inclusive environment for students to receive math help. Starting Tuesday, September 5, the Math Center will be staffed by Peer Tutors for several mods on ABCD days and staffed by math faculty during S/E periods. The full schedule for the center is posted outside the door of A156. On the schedule, you will notice the classes for which the tutoring will be available.

We would like to give a special thank you to the Peer Tutors, Amy Keck, and Paul Gaszak who have agreed to help support the Math Center. If you have any questions or concerns regarding the operation of the Math Center, please contact Mr. Brummet.

If you're looking for more help in math or computer science, please stop in to see faculty during their office hours.

Introducing Resource Workshops

Starting Thursday, September 7, faculty and staff will host informational sessions on various topics to benefit the IMSA Community! Rotating topics will include tech support, becoming a better writer, time management tips, and incorporating academic research into your papers. Unless otherwise noted, these workshops will occur on Thursdays during the Support and Engagement Period in the AC Pit.

Mark your calendar for the first session:

"I Think There's Been a Glitch"

Hosted by the ITS Department

1:55 p.m. – 2:35 p.m. (Support and Engagement Period)

AC Pit

Learn how to access the wireless network, available resources, and general computer troubleshooting.

The Writing Center will open for the semester on Tuesday, September 5! Stop by the Writing Center (A109) to meet our tutors and grab a piece of candy!

The Writing Center Hours in A109 are:

A Day: 9:00 a.m. - 4:45 p.m.

B Day: 9:00 a.m. - 4:45 p.m.

I Day: 11:00 a.m. - 4:45 p.m.

C Day: 9:00 a.m. - 4:45 p.m.

D Day: 9:00 a.m. - 4:20 p.m.

Tutors will also be available in the halls during the evenings starting September 5. We look forward to helping students work through ALL stages of the writing process, from brainstorming essay topics to revising previously graded work. 

Evening hours will continue throughout the school year but will not include holidays or breaks.

IRC

Monday, Tuesday, Thursday

6:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m.

IN2

Monday - Thursday

4:00 p.m. - 6:00 p.m.

Fitness Center

Wednesday

7:00 p.m. - 9:00 p.m.

Presence.io is a platform designed to help streamline information on upcoming events, club meetings, and student activities. All students and staff should now be able to log into the app using their IMSA credentials. If you have not already done so, please log in using the button below.

Stay tuned for informational sessions on using Presence.io for your upcoming events!

Class of 2026

Your next LEAD elective module will take place on Wednesday, September 13, 2023, from 8:30 p.m. - 9:30 p.m. Please bring a laptop, notebook, and writing utensil to every LEAD session. Please read through the 2023-24 LEAD Syllabus before Wednesday to review the attendance policy and upcoming modules. If you need an excused absence, email LEAD Program Coordinator, Ms. Emma Wilson, by Tuesday at 4:30 p.m.

Class of 2024

Please remember to be vigilant about logging your service learning hours and meeting the 200-hour service learning hour requirement. Emails indicating current service hour breakdowns are coming soon. If you have received an email from Ms. Emma Wilson regarding concern about your hours, please schedule a meeting or email as soon as possible!

Questions or concerns? Contact LEAD Program Coordinator Ms. Emma Wilson.

National Community Service Award

The National Community Service Award opportunity from the United Nations Association has been released! All IMSA students can create an account, log completed service learning opportunities, and be recognized for their hard work and dedication to their community and other communities. Students can find more information about the award here! The deadline is April 15, 2024. Physical award packets will be mailed to IMSA in June.

Zero Hunger, Zero Waste Service Recognition Award

Have you served your community by helping address food insecurity (collection drives, food pantries, soup kitchens, etc.) or reducing waste sent to landfills (recycling, composting, donating)? If yes, you can register for the Zero Hungar and Zero Waste Service Recognition Awards! Please see here for more information.

Are you interested in learning leadership skills? Do you want to teach younger peers around Illinois about the STEM topics you’re interested in? If so, you should attend the STEMbassadors (formerly known as ALLIES) General Assembly.

You will learn more about what it means to be a STEMbassador, the events we hold all year round, and how you can get involved! There will also be a raffle with some really fun prizes for those who attend!

In a rapidly changing global society, IMSA must find ways to pivot so our students are adequately prepared to tackle future problems. Our emphasis on inquiry and innovation has been and will remain a cornerstone of an IMSA education. However, we also look for ways IMSA can be more accessible, broaden its reach, and pursue emerging technologies.

Additionally, IMSA also maintains a challenge of being sustainable into the future. With a budget that primarily relies on state public funding, we must pursue approaches that will provide sufficient revenue and/or policy that enable us to invest in the future for innovation and capital development.

Last spring, we invited parents to provide input on what an IMSA future can look like, along with 40+ focus groups on and off campus. Please join me for an overview presentation of IMSA 2033: Elevating IMSA Everywhere on Thursday, September 14, at 6:00 p.m. to learn about our strategic priorities and how you could help us progress.

Student Spotlight

For the last three years, Shivani Chirumamilla '24 has served as the Illinois Regional President and the National Website Director for a nonprofit called the International Youth in Tobacco Control (IYTC). IYTC is an organization that unites more than 200 students from middle schools, high schools, and colleges across Canada, China, Japan, Pakistan, the Philippines, South Korea, Saudi Arabia, and the United States, intending to create the world's first tobacco-free generation. The collective aim is to combat teenage tobacco use globally. IYTC has impacted over 120,000 young individuals and influenced legislation for 57 million adolescents. In her work with IYTC, Shivani has had the opportunity to engage in research and internships with organizations like Stanford University, collaborate directly with legislators, and undertake impactful initiatives that bring about positive change in the lives of countless individuals.

If you have questions or want to know how you can get involved, please contact Shivani.

Please complete the Academic Achievement Submission Form if you have been recently recognized in your field, published, or celebrated for your academic or professional achievements. If you have any questions, please contact Alex Johnson at ajohnson2@imsa.edu.

All IMSA students are expected to register their primary computing device (laptop) and any desktop computer with Information Technology Services (ITS). Juniors and seniors are expected to re-register their computing devices each school year. Failure to register devices may result in the student being unable to access certain vital computing resources, like printers while on campus.

To register a student’s computing device:

• Go to the Student Computing Services web page: https://imsa.edu/scs
• Find the instructions for the student’s computing device's operating system under the "Prepare Your Computer for Life at IMSA" heading.
• Follow the instructions to complete the registration.

All members of the incoming sophomore class must complete a Cyber Security and Safety Course within the first few weeks of the new school year. This is a self-paced class delivered via IMSA’s Canvas environment. This course must be completed by September 15. The class should take about an hour to complete.

Members of the Junior and Senior classes may also complete this course as a refresher

To Log In to Canvas:

• Go to the Student Computing Services web page: https://imsa.edu/scs
• Click on the button for Canvas.
• Log in using your IMSA username and password.
• Select the ITS Cyber Safety and Security Course from the available tiles.

Parent IDs

Parents can get updated Parent ID photos at Parent Day on September 23, 2023. Until then, parents can continue to use IDs from last year, and new parents can visit the Security desk for a temporary badge when on campus. Please contact Mr. Willie Mayes, Campus Safety and Security Operations Director, with questions regarding Parent IDs.

Bus Transportation Meeting

Learn more about the downstate bus transportation on Wednesday, September 13, at 6:30 p.m. Bus Pre-Registration is requested by completing the form available on the Transportation page on the PAC website or by clicking here.

Next PAC meeting

We look forward to seeing parents on Saturday, September 23, for Parent Day. Look for a resource table and refreshments courtesy of the PAC.

PAC Committees

Are you looking for ways to be involved, stay informed, and support your student? Learn more about the PAC Committees at https://www.imsapac.org/ or contact us at info@imsapac.org.

Mark Your Calendars! 

September 18 - 23 - Homecoming Week

September 22 - Shortened Class Schedule for Pep Rally; Homecoming Soccer Game

September 23 - Parent Day and Homecoming Dance