Firebird Newsletter 2024-2025
Farb Middle School
Farb Staff
Farb Firebirds
Farb Firebirds are Soaring Higher with AVID
The USS Essex Partners with Farb Middle School
Important Dates for 2024-2025
March 12: College Kick Off Assembly
March 14: End of 9 weeks/Progress Reports
March 14: Advance Choir Festival at Challenger Middle
March 18: 7th Grade AVID Classes visit UCSD
March 19: 8th Grade AVID Classes visit USD
March 21: Lunch with a Loved One an d Kona Ice at Lunch
March 21: Progress Reports Posted in PowerSchool
March 24: Group 1 6th Graders visit SDSU
March 25: Group 2 6th Graders visit SDSU
March 27: 8th Grade Panoramic Picture
March 31 - April 4: Spring Break - No School
April 17: Spring Open House
April 21-25: Month of the Military Child Celebration/Spirit Week
April 26: AVID Academy/Saturday School 8-12
April 28 - May 2: State Testing (SBAC in Math and English)
May 3: AVID Academy/Saturday School 8-12
May 12 - 16: ASB Spirit Week
May16: Lunch with a Loved One
May 21: 8th Grade Awards
May 23: 8th Grade Bowling Fieldtrip
May 26: No School - Memorial Day
May 27: 6th and 7th Grade Field Day
May 29: 8th Grade Promotion (9:30 am)
May 29: Last Day of School
Sunday Update for March 9, 2025
Good evening Farb Families! I hope you all had a great weekend. Just a friendly reminder that today is Daylight Saving and we move our clocks forward. Also, Spring Break is right around the corner. Spring Break is March 31-April 4 and school will be closed that week.
Progress Reports
Remember that the 9 week progress check ends this Friday. Students should have all work submitted and any quizzes/text completed. Grades will be posted in PowerSchool for parents on Friday March 21, 2025. Please reach out to your students’ teachers for questions.
College Month Kick Off
We will be kicking off this year’s college month with a pep rally this Wednesday. We will have the SDSU cheerleaders along with our band cheering as our advisory classes share their college they are researching. We encourage students to wear college gear all month. We will be concluding our month with student presentations on the colleges they learned about. Parents will be able to see all of our student’s college projects at this year’s Spring Open House on April 17th.
Middle School Sports
Spring sports include boys and girls flag football, wrestling, and cheerleading and practice is Monday and Wednesdays.. Please see the flyer in the firebird newsletter or the Middle School Sports Webpage to sign up. Please visit the Middle School Sports web page for more information. You can also contact Mr. Hundley for any questions jhundley@sandi.net.
If you ever have any questions or concerns, do not hesitate to reach out. You can email me (crizzo@sandi.net) or our Associate Principal, Mr. Silva (dsilva1@sandi.net).
Have a wonderful evening.
Courtney Rizzo
Principal
Farb's Student Handbook 2024-2025
To Receive the link to the Firebird Newsletter Weekly via Text
Farb's Clubs and Afterschool Support Schedule
Monday
Homework Center in Library 2:30-3:50 (Homework Center is a quiet place for students to work)
ASB 2:30-3:30 in room 56
Spin Club 2:30-3:30 Behind 500 Building on Blacktop
Girls and Boys Flag Football Practice 2:45-4:15
Cheerleading Practice 2:45-4:15
Tuesday
Homework Center in Library 2:30-3:50
Sunrise Club 7:30-7:55 in Library
Anime Club at lunch in the library
AVID Club at 7/8 Lunch room 33
Good News Club 2:30-3:30 in room 56
Yearbook: 2:30-3:30 in room 25
Farb Firebird Drawing Club: 2:30-3:00 room 44
Spin Club 2:30-3:30 Behind 500 Building on Blacktop
Spanish Club 2:30-3:30 in room 55
Esports Club 2:30-3:30 in room 32
Wednesday
Homework Center in Library 2:30-3:50
Comic Book Club 6th grade lunch in library
Teens Make Health Happen 2:30-3:30 room 62
D and D Club 2:30-3:30 in room 32
Girls and Boys Flag Football Practice 2:45-4:15
Cheerleading Practice 2:45-4:15
Thursday
Neurodiversity Club 7/8 Lunch in room 43
Military Kids Club 1:05-2:05 (Meeting in the lunch Court)
Friday
Science Club Friday during advisory
JS2S Club: Lunch in the library
Upcoming Clubs: We will keep you posted when the club below being
Safe Club
Other Clubs will be added through out the year. If a student is interested in starting a club, please see Mrs. Rizzo.
School Office Contact Information
Farb Office Support: 858-397-6750
School Office Hours
Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday 7:30 am - 4:00 pm
Thursday and Fridays 7:30 am - 3:00
(Please note: 1st and 3rd Thursday's of the month the office closes at 2:00 for meetings)
Attendance and General Questions (Spanish)
Melissa Cantua: mcantua@sandi.net
Enrollment, Moving, or Request for Records
Monica Cortez mcortez@sandi.net
Attendance or Contracts
Cherri Hill chill3@sandi.net
Parent Portal/Powerschool Questions
Greg Zambrano gzambrano@sandi.net
Health Office
Health Tech: Liz Martinez (TWF) lmartinez9@sandi.net
Health Tech: Christi-Ann Gifford (Thursdays) cgifford@sandi.net
Nurse: Lisa Sacco (M and Th) lsacco@sandi.net
Finance and PE Clothes
Marbella Acosta macosta4@sandi.net
Associate Principal
Dave Silva dsilva1@sandi.net
Principal
Courtney Rizzo crizzo@sandi.net
Counseling Corner
Message from our Counselors
Welcome to a new school year parents and guardians! As School Counselors, we want to make sure that you know we are here to support you and your child. The Counseling Corner will provide you with updates so that you can stay informed. We will post resources that will be available to help support your child throughout the year. At this time, we are still getting everything set up, so be sure to check back in the future for more information.
We will continue to use a google form called the SSR (Student Support Request Form) that students can fill out when they would like to make an appointment to see a Counselor or the Associate Principal for non emergencies. Of course, we are always here for students when they are experiencing an immediate need, however, we ask that students use this form if they would like to see a Counselor sometime within the school day. This will ensure students will be seen in a timely manner without missing more class time as they wait.
We would like to give a warm welcome to Ms. O’Brien. She is Farb’s new Counselor bringing a restorative justice approach to the team. Restorative justice techniques are used as a way to repair harm amongst students without placing blame or being punitive. All perspectives are heard on neutral ground and everyone takes responsibility for their actions. It is a way of connecting actions with consequences by developing strong relationships and problem solving skills.
We are looking forward to working with your students. Please contact us if you need anything.
Ms. O’Brien kobrien1@sandi.net
Mrs. Schad aschad@sandi.net
MFLC: On Site Military Counselor at Farb
Farb Middle School
Email: crizzo@sandi.net
Website: https://www.sandiegounified.org/schools/farb
Location: 4880 La Cuenta Drive, San Diego, CA, USA
Phone: 858-397-6750
Principal at Farb Middle School