Welcome back, SIS!
Allow me to reintroduce myself for all of our incoming 4th grade families. My name is Melissa Holtz and I am the principal at Solon Intermediate School (SIS). This is my third year at Solon, my seventh year as a principal, and my 20th year working fulltime in the field of education.
My family and I live in Solon. My husband, Dan, works at Wilton Precision Steel in Wilton, and I have two kids. My son Austin is entering his junior year of college at the University of Iowa and is majoring in Sports and Recreation Management with a minor in coaching. My daughter, Sara, graduated from Solon High School this past spring and will be a freshman at the University of Northern Iowa majoring in Athletic Training and Rehabilitation with a minor in coaching. We have two dogs, Champion and Chipper.
I look forward to seeing many returning faces as we welcome back our 5th grade students and can’t wait to get to know our incoming 4th grade families!
As we prepare to welcome the 23/24 school year, we are hard at work planning, preparing, and organizing. For now, we look forward to Unpack Your Backpack Night knowing we will have many more exciting events ahead of us yet this year!
Take a peek at some upcoming important dates and extra information to follow including meeting our new team members, checking out PTO, and the all-important lunch menus!
Parents, if you have any questions or concerns as the first day draws near, please let me know. I can be reached via email at [email protected] or my office phone, 319-624-3401, ext. 1502.
Ready or not the school year is just around the corner!
See you soon, Mrs. Holtz
SIS morning arrival routines and procedures
Because we know the beginning of the school year can be a little bit chaotic, we wanted to share our pick up and drop off procedures with you so you can feel confident sending your child to school knowing he/she is ready to tackle the day.
Key times:
7:30 a.m. – Doors unlock
7:58 a.m. – Morning announcements begin in the gym
8:00 a.m. – Student day begins
2:55 p.m. – Student day ends, bus students dismissed
2:57 p.m. – Walker, bikers, and parent pick up dismissed
What to expect:
Doors unlock at 7:30 – We do not have supervision prior to this time. If your child is dropped off early he/she will be unable to enter the building until doors unlock at 7:30 a.m.
Bus students – Busses arrive at SIS beginning at 7:45 a.m. Students should enter the east side of the building and report to the gym for breakfast, morning announcements, and wait to be released to their classrooms with their teachers. At the end of the day, students will exit the east doors to load their respective busses.
Parent drop off and pick up – Students who will be dropped off by their parents should utilize the 5th St. circle drive. Please drop students off at the front doors near the crosswalk. At the end of the day, parents may line up on the circle drive and drive through to pick up their child. If you prefer to park and wait for him/her to come to your car you may do so. School staff will help supervise the crosswalk. In order to keep the process as efficient as possible, we ask that parents remain in their cars.
Walkers & bike riders – In order to maintain student safety, students who walk or ride their bike to school will be released after the buses have left the parking lot. Students should exit the front of the building (west doors) to retrieve their bike from the bike rack or use the sidewalk to head home.
Change of plans – Should you need to change your child’s end of day plans, you will need to contact the office by calling our secretary, Mrs. Laurie Arwine, at 319-624-3401, ext. 1500 or you can email [email protected]. In order to ensure your message is received it is recommended that you contact the office at least a half hour before the end of the school day.
Welcome new SIS team members!
Ms. Deutmeyer, SIS and MS Music Teacher
My name is Courtney Deutmeyer and I am excited to join both the Intermediate and Middle School at Solon. After graduating from Wartburg College in 2020 I had the opportunity to teach in the Mediapolis CSD. I grew up in the small town of Worthington, Iowa and am happy to live a little closer to home. I also have a one year old goldendoodle puppy named Joey. He sure keeps me busy these days and I love it. Other hobbies that I enjoy are reading, taking Joey on walks, traveling and attending many Hawkeye football games. I cannot wait to start this school year and am honored to join the Solon community!
Ms. Hinrichs, SIS and MS Art Teacher
My name is Kelsey Hinrichs and I am excited to join both the Intermediate and Middle School at Solon. I grew up not too far away from Solon in a town called Swisher and went to Solon High School. For college, I attended Upper Iowa University where I got my degree of K-12 Art Education and played volleyball. For the past six years I have been teaching K-8 Art and coaching volleyball and basketball at North Linn CSD. I am extremely grateful and excited for this chance to return to Solon and get to know the amazing students and families here.
Mr. Posivio, SIS 5th Grade Teacher
My name is Luke Posivio and I am so excited to join the 5th grade team at Solon Intermediate School. I was born and raised in Iowa City and attended undergrad at Central College in Pella where I majored in Elementary Education with endorsements in middle school science, social studies, and K-12 coaching. I taught five years at West Branch Schools where I spent time teaching 4th grade, 5th grade, and 7th/8th grade social studies. I am currently in my master’s program for Educational Administration at Grand Canyon University. In my free time, I enjoy lifting weights, playing golf, spending time with friends and family, playing basketball, and playing with my dog, Beckett!
Ms. Schumaker, SIS 5th Grade Teacher
Hello Solon Community! My name is Emily Shumaker and I am so honored to be joining the Solon family this school year! I was born and raised in Mount Pleasant and am a recent graduate from the University of Northern Iowa. I completed my student teaching in December of 2022 in Burlington where I taught 3rd grade for the remainder of the school year. I enjoy reading, cooking, and spending time with friends and family. I am looking forward to a great school year and meeting so many wonderful people!
Support our kids: join the PTO
The Solon PTOs support Solon Community School District students through volunteering and raising money. Our efforts directly support classrooms and assist in providing an excellent educational experience for all students. PTO members are eligible to vote at PTO meetings representing students in which your child(ren) attend. PTO members also receive one complimentary Solon Student Directory with their membership. The PTOs sponsor the distribution of the Solon Student Directory (Orange Book), which is great for arranging parties or playdates and keeping in touch with classmates during summer break.
A few items to note:
• PTO dues are $10 (includes Orange Book) – Venmo accepted. Please add a comment when paying to denote what payment is for (ex. PTO Dues, Orange Book, etc.)
• Additional Orange Books can be purchased for $5 each
• First meeting is Thursday, Sept. 7 at 7:00 p.m. at the Lakeview Media Center
• Meetings are held the first Thursday of every other month (Nov. 2, Jan. 4, March 7, May 2)
• Childcare is typically available during the meetings (PTO is currently working on finding an individual or two to supervise the children)
• PTO Registration Forms will be available in the office and on the virtual backpack
• Registration forms are due back Sept. 16
Solon Library programs
All after school programs at the Solon Public Library begin in September. Our first BAM POW Thursday early-out program is Thursday, Sept. 7. Please note our weekly BAM-POW program is now for students in 1st through 8th grades. We’ll have activities for the different ages from 1:45-2:45 p.m. in the Library meeting room. A fall schedule of activities will be available soon, join us to Build and Make, Play or Watch this fall!
Teens (6th-12th graders) will be able to enjoy Your Space on Tuesdays after school beginning Sept. 5 from 3:15-4:30 p.m. and CATS programs Thursday, Sept. 14 and Thursday, Sept. 28 from 4:45-5:45 p.m.
Supervision is provided during the Library program in the meeting room, while children also have the option to enjoy the rest of the Library. These programs are drop-in, no registration. We recommend parents and care givers discuss their expectations, pick-up procedures, etc. with their children. Library staff are sharing these programs for participating children but this does not provide the need for supervised childcare.
Mark your calendars
August 21 – SIS Unpack your Backpack, 4:30-6:00 p.m.
August 23 – First day of school
August 24 – Early dismissal (1:32 p.m. every Thursday)
Sept. 4 – No school, Labor Day
Sept. 6 – Picture Day