This year in an effort to improve our communication with families and students we will be sending out a newsletter every two weeks outlining coming events, as well as communicating relevant or helpful information. The newsletter is meant to be relatively brief so it fits into your busy day and will be sent via your email. It also may evolve a bit as we work through our formatting these first few editions. You will see a quick outlines of the weeks to come, brief descriptions of coming events near the top of the newsletter, and if your time allows resources and more extensive helpful information near the bottom. Hopefully this is helpful! Thank you for reading Fife High News!

Lets unveil to Washington what Cabbage Patch Friday looks like... Vote for us Game of the week Below!

We are thrilled to be recognized by ESPN and Special Olympics as Top 5 National Banner Unified Champion School. This means we have met the 10 national standards for inclusion, and are "on the right track" to making this world a better place. We are so proud of our students for leading the way in this movement at Fife. Having students with disabilities participating in every aspect of our Fife community along side their non-disabled peers is what Fife is all about! We are excited to have ESPN coming to FHS on October 2nd, while this assembly is only open to our students, staff, and invited guests, we will be sure to pass along the time and date our presentation of this award will air on the different ESPN platforms.

Get 'em Trojans!

Learn More about the National Banner Program

Here is a short video giving you glimpse at the students reaction to the news from ESPN!

We got off to a great start at Fife greeting our new students to the district and our Sophomores. Our Blue Crew leaders (11th and 12th grade mentors) began getting to know our new Trojans. The day ended with a celebration in the gym kicking off the school year. Want to get a quick glance at the day, check out this video from Trojan Digital Media!

Hundreds of parents and students packed the cafetorium at Fife on 9/10 to learn about how students can earn 4 year college credit taking various Honors, accelerated, or AP Fife High School classes. New this year is the relationship Fife High has forged with Central Washington University allowing our students to earn college credit in many different courses offered at FHS. Thanks to all that attended!

The month of September when you visit three of our local Safeway's in Milton, East Main-Puyallup, and South Meridan-Puyallup, you'll see signs about Hunger is fundraiser, and have the option to donate at checkout. Mountain View Community Center was selected to receive half of these donations, and a portion of those funds will directly benefit Fife High School students who are in need. Thank you for supporting Fife High and our local partner Mountain View Community Center.

Trojan Football Fans!

We have made some changes to our security and seating procedures to make the fan experience the best it can be at Fife High School. We have very limited seating capacity in our stadium, and these changes are being implemented to help us ensure equity in our fan's viewing experience.

• Bleacher Blankets. Effective immediately we will no longer allow for students, fans and families to tape down blankets to reserve seats. This practice has created some frustration and potential conflicts in the stands. Starting with the 9/20 home game, there will be designated sections for students, coaches, etc., but all other seating will be first come first serve beginning at 5:30pm when the gates open. All blankets that have been put down in the stadium to "save" seats prior to the gates opening will be removed. In addition, the stadium will be cleared prior to tickets being sold.

• With a heightened awareness on safety and security we are no longer allowing re-entry to Football home games for students, parents and friends. Once you enter the stadium you will not be allowed back in if you leave the gates.

• Surprise Lake Middle School students' ASB's will no longer be accepted for free admission for Fife High School events. The cost for middle school students is $4. This policy is consistent with all the schools in our league.
  

Thank you for your understanding and cooperation!

A note to our families regarding Cabbage Patch events. Sanctioned events are listed below in the "coming events" section of Fife High News. Please note that there is NO events Thursday night the 19th or before 6:45AM on Friday morning September 20th. We want our students to be safe, and staying out late on Thursday--especially out late and not at home-- or getting up extremely early Friday, is not something we endorse or promote in any way and are activities that are NOT associated with the high school.

Unfortunately Fife HS has a limited amount of parking passes available for students. They go on sale during Trojan Days, and once they sell out we can no longer offer parking. This is not a unique problem to Fife, but one that is frustrating for sure. This year we will be able to create some additional spots in February. In an effort to provide students with equal opportunity to get a parking spots, we will be implementing a raffle drawing for anyone who submits their request for a spot. Eligible students must have a drivers licence or have obtained a drivers licence before May. We will begin taking names of interested students in January with the drawing to be held soon after... so be listening for updates on this as the new year approaches.

One of our strengths at Fife is our incredible history. Did you know that the Fife History Museum, located just across from Columbia Jr. High, has an extensive Fife High School collection of artifacts and history on display? Well last year the museum agreed to bring exhibits to the high school in our front lobby. This is an incredible gift for us to have our history visible for our students and community right here at the school. This quarter come check out the display pictured here, its all about the history of Cabbage Patch!

Note: only home athletic events listed

9/16- Cabbage Patch Begins

9/16- Boys Tennis Home vs. Highline 3:30pm

9/16- Volleyball Home vs. River Ridge 7:15pm

9/18- Boys Tennis Home vs. Foss 3:30pm

9/18- Cabbage Patch Volleyball 6 - 8pm

9/19- Girls Soccer Home vs. Steilacoom 7pm

9/20- Cabbage Patch Olympics

9/20- Friday Night Lights Back to School Tailgate 5PM (see below for more details)

9/20- Football Home vs. Franklin Pierce 7pm

By Brandon Bakke

The school year is about to begin and like many of our students, I too get a little nervous energy. I experience some anxiety, I get excited to see our returning students, and am thrilled to meet our new Trojans. I love being a Fife Trojan, I lose a little sleep hoping that every student will share in my love for our school.

If you are a Fife Trojan, the start of the school year means another rite of passage is upon us... Cabbage Patch. For our sophomore families and new students, Cabbage Patch is a two week inter-grade level competition which started in 1980. The different grade level teams can earn points by participating in various activities, culminating in the “Olympics” held this year on September 20th, where our three grade levels literally compete in a field-day competition to see which class can earn the title as Cabbage Patch Champions. The name “Cabbage Patch” is our way of honoring the farming influence in our community, and to show thanks for the land where the school now sits. After seeing it myself for the first time last year, it is an event unlike anything I've ever seen, and is truly a unique aspect of the Fife High experience.

Last year our seniors did not win cabbage patch, and in the midst of some emotional moments, I was asked a question by many different people, “why do you even keep score if it causes people to get upset?” Being new I had to pause and reflect on that question a bit, but I can tell you without hesitation, as long as I am principal, we will be keeping score.

Why? Our students have come from a generation where everyone gets a trophy. While the values behind protecting one’s self esteem are really important, our students are now on the cusp of entering a world that keeps score, and we need to ensure we provide opportunities to safely reap the benefits of falling short. Yes, you read that correctly. The benefits that come from losing. Now, I am not sitting here advocating that we should try to lose to gain some benefit. After all, I’m the kind of guy who would take joy in beating my mother at Uno.

As I reflect on my life, however, some of the greatest growth I’ve experienced as a person came from falling short; from having to deal with adversity. Last year I met with our seniors after their defeat, and challenged them to use their Cabbage Patch loss to forge their character, and to bring them together as a group. I was so proud of the class of 2019 because that is exactly what happened, and they left a lasting positive imprint at Fife High School.

I believe that as parents and educators, one major responsibility of ours is to teach our students to grow from adversity...teach them to climb the mountain, not remove the mountain.

Winning matters, and our students are going to go out and battle each other on the field because they want to win; I love that, but more importantly is the effort they show. Some students will win, and some will lose, and from both outcomes students will be given the opportunity to flex their character muscles. Neither outcome will define their character, but the effort shown, and the growth that will come from these experiences are lessons we have to keep giving. So this year when your student undoubtedly runs into a mountain, pause before you pounce to remove it… teach them to climb!

Finally our online Webstore is available! You can make purchases and pay fees/fines for your student at your convenience. Click the link below to access the Webstore.

https://wa-fife.intouchreceipting.com/

Click here to learn more about how you can get involved with the Fife High School Booster Club!

Want to catch up on some past Principal's Messages from Mr. Bakke? Follow this Link...

Our Mission: To be a school that prepares all students for life beyond high school by developing their mind, body, and character

Email: tgieck@fifeschools.com
Website: https://fhs.fifeschools.com/
Location: 5616 20th St E, Fife, WA, USA
Phone: 253-891-5500
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fifehigh/
Twitter: @fifeHSTrojans