The first month of school was a success for Fridley High School. The staff and students were engaged in learning and the school spirit is high.

Homecoming week was a blast! The students really came through on dress up days. Unfortunately, the game was called short on account of weather. Luckily all students, staff and spectators saw a Tiger victory before the rain came!

We are looking forward to conferences and meeting with families in October.

Please feel free to reach me anytime at 763-502-5601 or email at kelly.mcconville@fridley.k12.mn.us

October 6th - Free Family Movie Night - The Little Mermaid @ 7:00pm in FHS auditorium

October 18th Conferences from 7:15am-11:15am

October 18-20th - NO SCHOOL (MEA Break)

October 26th - MN Honors Society at 7:00pm @ FHS auditorium

October 27th - FHS Picture Re-take Day

November 6th - NO SCHOOL

November 7th - NO SCHOOL

November 10th -11th - FHS Fall Musical @ 7:00pm in FHS Auditorium

November 17th-18th - FHS Fall Musical @ 7:00pm in FHS auditorium

November 23-24th - NO SCHOOL (Holiday Break)

Conference dates are:

Tuesday, October 17th from 4 - 7 pm

Wednesday, October 18th from 7:15 am - 11:15 am

Please join us for Parent-Teacher Conferences

Hello Fridley Families!

We are so excited for another school year! As we are preparing your seniors to graduate we have some resources for parents.

Here are a few links this you can use during the month of October to get more information regarding the Financial Aid, Applying to College, Creating your FSA ID and searching for scholarships. 10th, 11th and 12th graders are strongly encouraged to attend.

All sessions will be on Tuesday evenings and approximately one hour long with a short presentation from college and financial aid experts.

Interpreters will be available in Spanish, Hmong, Somali and Karen.

Please register here for all the info sessions and attend the ones that are most convenient for you.

Get Ready is hosting FSA ID creation workshops for Fridley families during FHS conferences on:

October 17th 4pm -7pm

October 18th 7:15am – 11:15am

12th grade families can come to the high school media center to work with a Get Ready coordinator to create or recover your FSA ID. The FSA ID will be required for at least one parent or guardian to complete the FAFSA form.

If you are interested in attending or have questions about the FAFSA please complete this Google form.

If you have any questions please reach out to our Get Ready team:

burrows@isd14.org

kiefer@isd14.org

(763-502-5790)

On Monday, October 9th, Fridley Schools students and staff are celebrating Indigenous Peoples day through discussion, learning and projects though out the district.

Fridley’s Land Acknowledgement Statement: We collectively acknowledge that Minnesota is located on the traditional, ancestral, contemporary and occupied lands of the Ojibwe Anishinaabe and Dakota Oyate Indigenous peoples.

We make this acknowledgement to honor and respect the Dakota Oyate and Ojibwe Anishinaabe people, the original stewards of lands and waters, their ancestors, descendants, traditions as well as the land itself. We have a moral responsibility to advocate and be in alliance with our Indigenous communities as we continue our equity and inclusion journey.

We look forward to November’s Native Heritage Month.

Last picture day for FHS students is October 27th from 7:30a.m.-12:30p.m. in the FHS auditorium!

Felix Roberts

Ahsia Freels

Khadijo Adan

Basmala Kabtoul

Ashley Cardoza Mejia

Shiloh Mendoza

Brianna Espinoza

Representing the Freshmen class:

• Prince Isaiah St. Marie
• Princess Karema Husien

Representing the Sophomore class:

• Princess Amera Husein
• Princess Sajah Chehber

Representing the Junior class:

• Princess Aliyannah Tresvant
• Prince Olamide Ayodele

Representing the Senior class:

• Princess Ana Cerda

• Princess Faith Taylor

• Prince Ezra Diederich

• Princess Emily Oftedahl

And your 2023 Homecoming King and Queen are…..

Deo Gbadoe

Soyome Getachew

It seems as though the first day of school was yesterday and now we are talking Winter Sports Registration!

Winter Sport Start dates are as follows, REMEMBER TO CHECK YOUR SPORTS PHYSICAL AND GET IT UPDATED SO YOU CAN PARTICIPATE STARTING ON DAY ONE!

Sport: Dance Team

Grades: 7-12

Start Date: 10/23/23

Coach: Brooke Brose brosebrooke@gmail.com

Sport: Girls Hockey

Grades: 9-12

Start Date: 10/30/23

Coach: Jeremy Lewis LewisJ@district279.org Coop with Park Center/Osseo

Sport: Gymnastics

Grades: 7-12

Start Date: 11/13/23

Coach: Tammy Hoff Tammy.Hoff@hotmail.com Coop with Osseo

Sport: Girls Basketball

Grades: 9-12

Start Date: 11/13/23

Coach: Drew Reiter Andrew.reiter@fridley.k12.mn.us

Sport: Boys Hockey

Grades: 9-12

Start Date: 11/13/23

Coach: Jerry Hayes jerry.hayes@district196.org Coop with Irondale

Sport: Boys Basketball

Grades: 9-12

Start Date: 11/20/23

Coach: Bryce Richter Bryce.richter@fridley.k12.mn.us

Sport: Wrestling

Grades: 9-12

Start Date: 11/20/23

Eric Anderson Eric.anderson@fridley.k12.mn.us

Sport: Boys Swim/Dive

Grades: 7-12

Start Date: 11/27/23

Coach: Kyle Syverson kylrogsyv@yahoo.com

Sport: Competitive Cheer Team

Grades: 9-12

Start Date: 11/6/23

Coach: Kahnnie Gbor gbor@isd14.org

Student Spectators

• Only student spectators who attend FHS and the visiting school will be allowed to attend. All high school students are required to present a student ID (either physical ID or via Infinite Campus on their mobile device) to purchase a ticket.

• No backpacks are allowed. Fridley event workers are not responsible for backpacks and will NOT hold backpacks at the front entrance. Do NOT bring backpacks to the game.

• All bags/purses are subject to being searched, clear bags recommended.

• Elementary and Middle school students will not be able to purchase a ticket without their paid parent or guardian present. These students must sit with their parents or guardian and be supervised at all times.

All Spectators

• The game will be live streamed for other fans at fan.hudl.com.

• Persons leaving the stadium during the game will not be allowed re-entry.

• All gates will close at the end of halftime and no one will be allowed to enter.

All Spectators are encouraged to purchase tickets in advance using this Link.

Ticket Sales/Prices: All tickets are general admission - $6 for adults and $4 for students. Gates will open at 5:15pm. We will check the student's ID with ticket. There will be no re-entry once fans leave the stadium. Additionally, no one will be allowed entry into the stadium after halftime.

Class of 2024- Senior Credit Update & Senior Checklist:

Letters were sent in the mail during the week of 9/25 indicating that a senior is currently on track to graduate. If you did not receive a letter, it’s possible your scholar needs credit recovery. Letters for seniors who are currently not on track will be sent in October along with credit recovery information. If you have questions about the credit status of your senior, please contact the student’s academic dean.

Mr. Cummings - A-F jim.cummings@fridley.k12.mn.us

Mrs. Lewis G-M kimberly.lewis@fridley.k12.mn.us

Ms. Miller-Johnson N-Z jessica.miller-johnson@fridley.k12.mn.us

Class Meetings

The deans will continue meeting with students during grade-level class meetings. These meetings will take place during advisory. Deans have met with juniors and seniors and will meet with sophomores and freshmen in the coming weeks.

Schedules for 1st Semester

When students request courses during the registration process in February, they agree to pursue the chosen courses to completion. Since schedule changes have a serious impact on class sizes, teacher assignments and the overall master schedule, they need to be kept to a minimum. Because we have completed one month of school, schedule changes for first semester will no longer be permitted.

We appreciate your understanding on this matter.

Letters of Recommendation (12th Grade)

Students may need letters of recommendation for some college applications or for scholarships. Typically, recommenders may be teachers (current or former), employers, coaches, or other adults who can highlight the leadership and/or academic qualities of the student. Students are asked to fill out the Letter of Recommendation Form and give the completed form to the recommender. The form can be found outside of the SSS office or linked here:

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-VZIJoeDaaF3M_XYKWYKawndBKIgK479EhGnbM_BQy4/copy

If the application requires a school counselor, please use the academic dean to complete that portion.

Things for students to remember:

Talk to the recommender early! 2 weeks is generally a good minimum amount of time for a recommender to complete a well-written letter.

• Give recommenders the exact details—What/who is the letter for? When is it due? How is the letter submitted?·

• Always ask the recommender permission to use them as a recommender on an application. Ask in person, if possible. Email is generally acceptable as well.

• · Use recommenders who will be able to highlight positives.

• · It’s ok for a recommender to say no. They may not have the time to devote to a letter right now.

ACT Exams

Fridley High School will NOT offer the ACT this fall. Stay tuned for more information as we offer the ACT later in the spring. Students are always welcome to take the ACT outside of the assigned district testing day. The ACT test does have a fee ranging from $50-$67. Fee waivers are available in the SSS office for students who qualify for free/reduced lunch. Please see your dean with questions.

Upcoming ACT tests/registration deadlines:

Test: December 9 Deadline: November 3

ACT Test Information for juniors and seniors:

In the past, it has been recommended that students who plan on attending a four-year college or university take the ACT exam in the spring of their junior year. As of today, two thirds of the colleges/universities in the United States are test optional for admissions. This means that an ACT score is no longer required for admission at those colleges. This is a permanent change at some colleges and a temporary change for some colleges for students applying fall 2021. With that being said, there may still be some advantages to submitting an ACT score. Here are some things to consider:

• Does the college/university use ACT scores for scholarship or honors consideration?

• Are you a good standardized test taker?

• Is your ACT score a good reflection of your academic ability and potential?

If the answer is yes to any of those questions, you may want to submit an ACT score regardless of test optional admissions. Register to take the ACT at www.actstudent.org

To see if a college/university is test optional, check the individual college website or www.fairtest.org for a list of test optional colleges.

Minnesota Honor Society

Fridley’s Minnesota Honor Society will have its Induction Ceremony for new members on Thursday, October 26th at 7:00pm in the high school auditorium. All juniors and seniors who meet the GPA requirement of 3.4 or above were invited to apply for membership. All applications were reviewed by a faculty reviewal committee based on students community involvement for the 4 pillars of MHS: Leadership, Scholarship, Service and Character.

Fridley’s Minnesota Honor Society members take part in a variety of volunteer opportunities within the school and the Fridley community. MHS will host its first American Red Cross Blood Drive this fall on Friday, November 17th!

Adam Berg, MA, is a school-based mental health therapist with Lee Carlson Center for Mental Health & Well-Being who is based at Fridley High School. Adam can provide individual, family, and group therapy based right out of the school! All services are provided through insurance. For families without insurance or with financial hardship, we have options for financial assistance that can be discussed with the front desk staff at Lee Carlson Center. If you believe your child may benefit from mental health support, please connect with the school your child's academic dean (Jim Cummings, Kim Lewis or Jessica Miller-Johnson) or contact Lee Carlson Center directly at 763-780-3036 to discuss options and referrals.

Adam will also be running peer support groups that are free to students/families and insurance is not collected. If your child struggles with mental health concerns such as anxiety, depression, anger, hyperactivity, or acting-out behaviors, these groups may be a good fit. Please connect with your child's academic dean for more information.

Parent/Guardian Update on Legislative Changes to Exclusionary Discipline Practices

If you have questions about Fridley Public Schools disciplinary procedures, or about the new legislation, please contact the director of special services, Laura Seifert-Herting, at laura.seifert@fridley.k12.mn.us or 763-502-5024.

___________

Opting Your Student out of School Photographs and "Directory Information"

Under state law, “directory information” may be released to the public without permission of the student, parent or guardian. Directory information includes a student’s name, school of attendance or grade level, participation in officially recognized activities and sports, weight and height of members of athletic teams, dates of attendance, diploma and awards received, photograph, and the most recent previous educational agency or institution attended. It also includes the name of the student’s designated guardian. Directory information does not include a student’s home address, telephone number, email address or other personal contact information, or data that reference religion, race, color, social position or nationality.

If a student or parent/guardian does not want some or all of this information to be made public, they must complete Form 515F (Directory Information Opt-Out Form) and submit the form to their child’s school each school year. Fridley Public Schools designates certain records as directory information to be used only for school or district-approved programs, publications, yearbooks, cablecasts, webcasts, athletic teams, clubs, activities and other public presentations. Those records include but are not limited to student: photographs, videos and other visual representations.

If you have not completed the 2023-2024 Application for Educational Benefits, please complete the form through the Campus Parent Portal at https://fridleymn.infinitecampus.org/campus/portal/parents/fridley.jsp

Families that are approved for free/reduced priced meals can receive additional benefits such as reduced park and rec fees, reduced internet fees, discounted activity fees, and discounted metro bus passes. The completion of the form also helps fund important programs within the district including additional para support and teachers in the classroom. A new application should be completed each school year.

Did you know that all students can receive one breakfast and lunch each day at no charge? Breakfast is served in the classroom or hallway depending on the grade. We offer a variety of breakfast options during the week and students must take a ½ cup fruit at breakfast time.

Lunch is served in the café. We offer multiple entrée options each day. In the coming months we will be introducing more cultural dishes to our students.

If your child is bringing a cold lunch, milk is not free of charge. We will ask students who want just a milk to come through the lunch line to take a reimbursable meal. All students must take a ½ cup fruit or vegetable at lunch time. If your student comes back for a second breakfast or lunch they will be charged for that meal, so please check your student's meal balance on the Campus Portal. Please remind your students to remember their bar code for breakfast and lunch service. This helps the lines move faster.

Students must have lunch money in their account to purchase Ala Carte or an extra entrée. Please see the cashier before asking for an extra entrée. Cash is not accepted in the cashier line and must be turned in to Kathy Backstrom in the main office before 11:00 am.

If you have an outstanding lunch balance from last year, please go to the Campus Parent Portal to pay off the amount owed. The outstanding lunch balances carry over from year to year. If you have any questions regarding Nutritional Services, please contact Renee Arbogast at 763-502-0022 or Kathy Backstrom at 763-502-5021.

This year, the transportation department will not require previously enrolled families to fill out our Transportation Request Form unless they fall under one of these four categories:

• They are new to the district
• Their address has changed since the last day of school (June 9th, 2023)
  
• They require a different drop off or pick up location including a daycare. If your student needs transportation from a daycare, please fill out the daycare information on the form
• They are entering Fridley Preschool

If any of these conditions apply to your student(s), please make sure to fill out the form so that we may ensure you get transportation right away in the fall. Please only fill out one form per student.

All parents/guardians will need to have a Parent Portal account in Campus. The Parent Portal provides secure access to your child/children’s information such as class assignments, attendance, calendar, and grades. You can also use Parent Portal to pay for meals, fees, or school supplies.

There are many advantages of signing up for and using your Parent Portal account. It is convenient and easy to use, and gives you instant access to important information:

• Nutritional Services: Manage your child/children’s meal accounts
• Meal Benefits Application: Annual renewal made easier
  
• Activities & Athletics & School Store: Now includes shopping for school supplies
  
• Transportation: Access important updates and information
  

How to Activate your Parent Portal Account:

1. Go to Fridley Public Schools Home Page: www.fridleyschools.org

2. Select the Campus Parent Portal Login link in the top right-hand corner of the webpage.

3. On the Parent Portal login page, select New User.

4. Enter the Campus Portal Activation Key provided here: <this is the GUID>

5. Choose SUBMIT.

6. You will be asked to create a Username and Password.

7. Choose SUBMIT.

8. Your Campus Portal account will be activated.