Mustang Messenger
Remembering on Patriot Day
All of Irwin IS gathered on the morning of September 11th to remember and honor those lost during the tragic events and the heroic rescues that took place on September 11th, 2001. To mark the 25th anniversary, first responders and families from our Fort Bragg community joined us. Dr. Kendall led us in the National Anthem, and Ms. Robinson-Ellis read us the book This Very Tree: A Story of 9/11, Resilience, and Regrowth by Sean Rubin. The assembly gave everyone the opportunity to reflect on the patriotic actions taken by many to strengthen and restore our American spirit.
October 2026 Dates
| Friday, October 2nd | Irwin Color Clash Spirit Day |
| Monday, October 5th | CCR Day - No School |
| Tuesday, October 6th | Picture Day |
| Wednesday, October 7th | Early Release |
| Friday, October 9th | Great Outdoors Spirit Day |
| Monday, October 12th | Columbus Day - No School |
| Friday, October 16th | Pink Out Spirit Day |
| Friday, October 16th - Thursday, October 22nd |
Book Fair |
| Monday, October 19th | Family Night - Book Fair |
| Wednesday, October 21st |
Family Night - Book Fair Unity Day (Wear Orange) |
| Thursday, October 22nd | End of Quarter 1 |
| Friday, October 23rd | Teacher Work Day - No School |
| October 26th - 30th | Red Ribbon Week (Spirit Days to be announced) |
| Friday, October 30th | Quarter 1 Report Cards |
Classroom Spotlights
Students in Ms. Carson's 3rd-grade class have been exploring aspects of Hispanic culture. After a new student moved to Fort Bragg from Puerto Rico, his classmates heard Ms. Carson explaining things to him in Spanish and became excited to learn the language themselves! Ms. Carson told her class they could practice Spanish at home using Duolingo. Since then, students have been picking up the language and writing letters to their new classmate.
Ms. Carson's students were eager to learn about different cultures and were thrilled to celebrate Mexican Independence Day on September 16. The class learned about the eagle perched on a cactus with a serpent in its beak, which sits at the center of the Mexican flag. Having previously taught in Rota, Spain, Ms. Carson has enjoyed sharing Hispanic culture with her students as they build connections with one another and the wider world.
Fifth-grade teacher Mr. Luckey recently gave his students the opportunity to write about themselves and learn more about one another. "I assigned those newspapers for the kids to express who they are and so we could get to know each other better," Mr. Luckey explained.
One of his students, Jazmine, enjoyed the project. "It was actually pretty fun! It was a way to draw what we liked and show what we enjoyed doing," she said. She also wrote about her favorite teacher: "I wrote about my favorite book, and who my hero is—which was Ms. Valente."
Jameson, another student in the class, shared similar enthusiasm. "I thought it was pretty fun because we got to draw and color in some stuff," he said. "We got to talk about ourselves. I talked about my favorite movies."
MackinVision Family Library Portal
Irwin Intermediate School is proud to offer the MackinVision Family Library Portal, designed to keep you informed and involved in your student’s reading journey!
With the portal, you can:
- View Live Checkouts: See the exact books your child currently has checked out.
- Explore the Catalog: Search through Irwin Intermediate’s entire book collection online anytime.
- Manage Visibility: Customize search visibility options for your family.
How to Access:
- Click the button below or scan the QR code.
- Enter the personal email address registered with the school.
- Enter the 6-digit access code emailed to you to log in instantly!
Nurse's Notes
Healthy Habit of the Month
Clean hands are healthy hands! Encourage your child to wash their hands with soap and water, especially before eating, after using the restroom, and after coughing or sneezing.
When Should My Child Stay Home?
Sometimes it can be hard to decide whether your child is well enough for school. Please keep your child home if they have a temp of 100, vomiting or diarrhea in the last 24 hours, draining skin sores that cannot be covered, or respiratory symptoms that are worsening or not improving. Children should also stay home if they are not feeling well enough to comfortably participate in their normal school day. Learn more about nursing services and student illness by clicking the "Nursing Services" button below.
When in doubt, give the school nurse a call. I’m happy to help!
Quick Medication Reminder
If your child needs medication at school, please contact the school nurse. Medications should not be sent in with the student. Please help us keep all students safe by following the school’s medication procedures.
Thank you for helping us keep our students healthy, safe, and ready to learn!
Nurse McAllister
Email: Jessica.McAllister@dodea.edu
Parent-Teacher Organization (PTO) Announcements
📚 The Scholastic Book Fair Is Coming! 📚
October 16th–22nd
Get ready for a week filled with books, smiles, and lots of excitement! We are so excited to welcome our students and families to this year’s Scholastic Book Fair!
🛍️ Family Nights
Come shop with your child during our special Family Nights:
📅 October 19th & October 21st
⏰ 3:00–6:00 PM
Families are welcome to come in and shop together. We will accept cash, and students can also use a Scholastic eWallet. To set up an eWallet, click the "eWallet" button below, and add money to your child’s account. Please remember that sales tax will be added to all purchases.
📖 Student Shopping
Students will have an opportunity to visit the book fair with their class and create a wish list of books and other items they would like. With their teacher’s permission, students may return to the fair at any point during the week to shop. We encourage students to choose a book first before purchasing toys or other items. We will also have a special table featuring books for $5 or less! ❤️📚
🙋♀️ We Need Volunteers!
The PTO is looking for parents, family members, and teachers to help make the book fair a success!
Volunteers will help with:
* 📚 Helping students with their wish lists
* 🔎 Finding books
* 💰 Checking students out
* 📦 Organizing and restocking books
* 👨👩👧👦 Helping during our busy Family Nights
All volunteers must sign in at the front office and present an ID. You can sign up to volunteer by clicking the "Book Fair Volunteer" button below.
Thank you for helping us make the Scholastic Book Fair a fun and exciting experience for our students! We can’t wait to see all the smiles, excitement, and love of reading throughout the week! 📚❤️
The appearance of external hyperlinks does not constitute endorsement by the United States Department of War Education Activity of the linked websites, or the information, products or services contained therein.
School Advisory Council (SAC) Information
Who we are
The SAC is made up of people just like you! We are a committee of parents, teachers, and other stakeholders who care about our school.
What we do
Our purpose is to advise the principal and installation commanders on policies and programs within their purview: foster communication among administrators, military leaders, parents, and students; and provide a coordinated process to address and resolve issues.
Get involved
Become a member! Parents and staff are eligible to become voting members. Contact our school to learn how to run in the next election.
Attend a meeting. Meetings are open to the public. All members of the school community are encouraged to attend meetings and submit agenda items.
More information
For more information about our SAC, including how to contact us, meeting agendas and minutes click on the "SAC Information" button below.
Irwin SAC Nominations
Irwin SAC is currently seeking nominations for community members to join the school SAC. Click on the "Irwin SAC Nomination" button below to offer a nomination.
5th Grade Yearbook Recognition
This year, we are excited to offer parents of 5th grade students the opportunity to purchase a Yearbook Student Recognition Ad. These ads provide families with a special way to celebrate their student's accomplishments and milestones as they complete their final year of elementary school.
Additional information regarding ad sizes, pricing, and submission deadlines will be shared with families soon.
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Contacts
| School Hours | Regular Hours | First Wednesday of the Month |
|---|---|---|
| Office Hours | 7:30 am - 4:00 pm | 7:30 am - 4:00 pm |
| Teachers | 7:30 am - 3:30 pm | 7:30 am - 3:30 pm |
| Students | 8:20 am - 3:05 pm | 8:20 am - 1:30 pm |
The first Wednesday of each month is an early release day
| Cafeteria Hours | Start | End |
|---|---|---|
| Breakfast | 7:45 am | 8:15 am |
| Lunch | 11:00 am | 1:00 pm |
