FMS SMORE PARENT NEWSLETTER

• OUR COVID PARAMETERS HAVE CHANGED!! But a nurse will need to explain it to you.
• If an FMS student tests positive or a family member living in the same household tests positive, please report it immediately to the school.
• We will send the information to the nurses.
• Someone will call you to let you know what your next steps are according to the new parameters.
• Please remind your child to ALWAYS wear their mask correctly, covering their nose and mouth.
• Thank you for working with us to keep the school open and students learning!

JANUARY 4

• Remind your child to find out when the last day to hand in work will be - teachers can cut off taking in work before the last day of the quarter, which is January 14th.

JANUARY 5

• FMS PARENT GROUP MEETING 6 PM MASON & MAIN

JANUARY 6

• BASKETBALL HOME GAME VANCE MS VS FMS

JANUARY 10

• BASKETBALL FMS @ NORTHERN GRANVILLE

JANUARY 11

• I-Ready testing - Reading (testing will happen during regular ELA class period)

JANUARY 12

• I-Ready testing - Reading (testing will happen during regular ELA class period)
• BASKETBALL FMS @ TERRELL LANE

JANUARY 13

• I-Ready testing - Math (testing will happen during regular Math class period)

JANUARY 14

• LAST DAY OF QUARTER
• I-Ready testing - Math (testing will happen during regular Math class period)

JANUARY 17-18

• NO SCHOOL

JANUARY 19

• **NC CHECK-INS - READING (see testing schedule below)

JANUARY 20

• **NC CHECK-INS - MATH (see testing schedule below)
• BASKETBALL FMS @ CEDAR CREEK

JANUARY 21

• **NC CHECK-INS - SCIENCE (8TH GRADE ONLY)

JANUARY 25

• BASKETBALL FMS @ BUTNER STEM

JANUARY 27

• BASKETBALL HOME GAME VS HAWLEY MS

FEBRUARY 1

• BASKETBALL HOME GAME VS BUNN MS

It is hard to believe we have reached the middle of the year already! Please make sure you are aware of when we are testing this month (see above) - there are seven testing days! We use student data to identify student gaps for reteaching as well as to measure student growth towards the end of grade expectations. Please encourage your child to do his/her best as they complete these important assessments.

Franklin County Schools has a mask policy in place. All players and spectators MUST have a mask on to enter the event, and wear that mask with fidelity throughout the event.

Let's keep it fun and safe! Wear that mask!

• Passing for any class is 60% or higher.
• Check PowerSchool regularly to see what is going on academically with your child.
• If you see a zero, that means that your child did not hand in that assignment. Check to see where the assignment is, or if your child still needs to complete that assignment
• Note: when your child is turning in late work, they MUST email their teacher and list the assignments they have handed in by the name of the assignment. Teachers do not get an automatic notification. They use the email with the assignment names to go in and find them. If you have a child telling you that teachers are not putting assignments in, check with them to make sure they are doing this step.
• Teachers have two weeks to get grades in once an assignment is turned in, and all assignments must be graded and in PowerSchool by the end of the quarter.
• Email teachers if you have a question - and please remain respectful.
• See athletic eligibility rules below - semester grades establish eligibility for athletes!

90 to 100 = A

80 to 89 = B

70 to 79 = C

60 to 69 = D

below 60 = F (failing grade)

FMS has a clear policy that students are not to leave campus without permission while they are under our care. This includes before athletic practices and games. We have had reports that a few of our athletes have been seen on Main Street and near Main Street going to the store and grouping up to fight after school. Obviously, this is unsafe and not allowed! While students are under the care of the school, they must remain on campus and supervised.

When athletes are released at the end of the school day, they are to report immediately to the gym for practice, even if practice is not until 5pm. Students, if you often get hungry before practice, make sure you ask your parents to provide you with a snack that you can eat at the gym while waiting to practice. Students are not allowed to go home to eat or go to the store to get food unless they are bused home or driven home by an adult. Parents of walkers, please call the school and let Ms. Harris or Ms. Boardman know that you are giving your child permission to walk home to eat before going to practice.

With the exception of walkers, no other students will be released by the school to leave school campus at any time during the school day, including after school and before practice or games. Parents, we cannot allow students to leave to go to get a snack, even if you would like to give permission. Students cannot leave campus unless an adult picks them up or a bus takes them home.

Students who leave campus without permission will have consequences. The first offense is 3-5 days ISS, and that student will not be allowed to practice or play during those days. The second offense is 1-5 days OSS and automatic dismissal from the team.

The Franklinton Police Department will be patrolling near the school to make sure that students are where they are supposed to be, and we will be monitoring students closely. Coaches have also been notified that this might be an issue. We work hard to make sure that all our students are safe and supervised. Parents, please talk to your child about this policy and let them know that the expectation is to remain on campus the entire day, including before practice and games.

Thank you for your support!

Ms. Gilbert’s Google Site: click here

Helpful Resources

NC211.org (or call 211)

Food Finder (FoodBank of Central NC)

Hope4NC (or call 1-855-587-3463)

TransitionsLifeCare.org (or call the Grief Line 919-719-7199)

National Domestic Violence Hotline (or call 800-799-7233)

SuicidePreventionLifeline.org (or call 800-273-8255)

National Alliance of Mental Illness/NC (or call 800-451-9682)

Cardinalinnovations.org (or call 800-939-5911)

How to Contact Ms. Gilbert:

Complete and submit this form: Counselor Request Form

Or send email to: marygilbert@fcschools.net

8th Grade Parents and Guardians!

The application process for Early College High School will begin in January. The deadline for 8th grade students to apply is usually in late March and it’s an online application process. Students are chosen for the program by lottery. I’ll be posting all the details and links in my 8th grade google classroom when I receive updated info for this year. ECHS staff and students will present info about the program to our 8th grade some time later this month.

Early College High School is a free opportunity to earn college prep and college credits in a high school. It’s a five year commitment but students can graduate with a high school diploma AND a two-year Associate's degree (or at least several college credits) which they can then transfer to a four-year university. The program is free! The ideal candidate is a potential first generation college student (but not a requirement), not necessarily a straight A student, but a mature, motivated, hard working student who is open to honing their academic skills in a diverse community college environment. High school students who attend Early College may participate in sports and marching band at their base high school, but transportation to practice is not provided by the school.

Check out Early College here: Franklin County Early College High School

Jan. 17-21 No Name-Calling Week:

This is a good time to reflect on the use of name-calling and how it affects our children.

Name-calling is a form of verbal abuse in which insulting or demeaning labels are directed at an individual or group, to put someone down (demean them) or hurt their feelings. Name-calling is a form of bullying because someone is trying to make themselves seem more important or powerful than their target.

Children (and adults) use name-calling when they are trying to hurt someone by insulting their looks, their size, their race, ethnicity, or nationality, their gender, their orientation, their religion, their abilities, their financial status, their politics, their clothes, etc. People tend to resort to using name-calling when there is poor anger management skills, poor coping skills, poor communications skills, or in an effort to be funny at someone else’s expense.

As adults, it’s also important to keep in mind how it affects our children when we use name-calling in their presence. For instance, when using negative female terms to insult boys, how does this affect how boys view girls and women? When girls hear these types of insults, how does this affect girls feelings about themselves? How do boys and girls feel about the person using these types of insults? To earn the respect of the children in your lives, it’s always best to be positive and constructive rather than negative and destructive.

How Did No Name-Calling Week Come About? www.jameshowe.com/parents-teachers

Anti-Defamation League: Educational Resources for Everyone & Definitions and Terms to Understand

MakeYouThink.com: 6 Negative Effects of Name Calling

For the New Year, Can You and Your Family Resolve to Stop Name-Calling?

Call each other on it. Hold your family accountable for name-calling. Be the person you want your child to be. Help your child take this pledge.

Or call FMS at 919-494-2971 ext. 298

MR. SMITH - BAND/CHORUS

Happy New Year!

We are in the final weeks of this first semester. Please make sure that any and all missing assignments are submitted by THURSDAY JANUARY 13. As we transition into the second semester, I would like to remind everyone that band is a YEAR-LONG course here at FMS. Students currently enrolled in band will remain enrolled through the end of the school year. Exceptions will be made at the discretion of myself as the band director, along with a legal guardian, and/or school administration. Any student interested in joining the FMS band for the spring semester is invited to do so. Please contact Ms. Harris AND me to be added.

**If you have any questions, please contact me: jimmiesmith@fcschools.net. **

Band 6: Prior to winter break, this group was making some great improvements. We are getting more comfortable playing as a collective ensemble and it is making for a very fun class. We will be in full review mode for these next two weeks. This will include reviewing the Foundation Warm-ups set 2 and transitioning to the Foundation Warm-ups set 3. We will also continue to explore and work a bit more in Smartmusic. Moving ahead to the second semester, I would like to begin exploring potential music for our spring concert.

Band 7: In these final weeks of the semester, we are going back to the basics of musicianship. Our focus will be on improving overall tone quality and incorporating the elements of music through our warm-ups, chorales, and sight reading sheet music. We will also be focusing on learning a number of major scales that all middle school band students across the state are required to know.

Band 8: In these final weeks of the semester, we are going back to the basics of musicianship. Our focus will be on improving overall tone quality and incorporating the elements of music through our warm-ups, chorales, and sight reading sheet music. We will also be focusing on learning/reviewing a number of major scales that all middle school band students across the state are required to know. Last year, we went through quite a few scales, so this may just be a refresher of some students.

Vocal Music 6-8: As we close out this semester, we will explore some new vocal exercises/warm-ups with great attention to incorporating 2-3 part vocal harmony.

Looking ahead to the second semester: Unlike band, this year's vocal music classes are only semester-long. For the spring semester, students who are truly interested in singing are invited to join this class. If that is you, please contact Ms. Harris AND me to be added. If any student who is currently enrolled would like to re enroll in vocal music for the spring semester, please let me know so that I can add your name on the list as well.

2022 FCS ALL-COUNTY CHORUS: Before winter break, we were informed that the FCS All-County Chorus will take place the week of March 21. Students who register for Vocal Music for the spring semester will be expected to attend the rehearsals and performance for this event. More details will be available in the coming weeks.

MS. HATTEN - DRAMA

This week we wrap up our Shakespeare studies in all classes.

8th grade will be watching the Columbus University production of Midsummer Night’s Dream.

7th grade will be watching the PBS Great Performances production of Much Ado About Nothing.

6th grade will be watching the Royal Shakespeare Company production of The Tempest.

Students will need to complete ALL assignments (missing or late assignments are accepted) in preparation for the end of the first Semester. Students will be changing Electives this month!

MS. DOWNUM - SCIENCE

I hope you had a restful and relaxing Winter Break. I know I caught up on all of my sleep and am ready to get right back into the swing of things. Thank you to all of those that made contributions to our science experiment supplies. You parents helped out in a big way and I truly appreciate your support. In addition my homeroom class tied with another class in the food drive and earned a pizza party!!! Thanks for all your support you guys rock.

We started a new unit today called Matter. It’s all about the phases of matter (solid, liquid, and gas), the Periodic Table of Elements, solubility, volume, and mass. I am working out a new date for the test with our inclement weather day and 2 hour delay. I will have to move things around that will work for our timeline. It might stay the 21st as planned and I will rearrange some of my plans. This will give us more time with our last two units. The 6th unit is Earth Systems Processes and covers a lot of material so extra time is perfect.

A reminder that our quarter closes on the 14th so please have your student show you their PowerSchool and check for any missing assignments. I am so proud of all the work the students have done. They have worked really hard this quarter and it shows. We are nearly halfway there for the school year, keep up the great work students and of course you too parents we couldn’t do it without your help and support.

MR. MITCHELL - MATH

We are back and better than ever! We ended the month of December with a Unit test, so we will be beginning January with a new unit. Grades will be finalized in the next few weeks for Quarter 2. Please keep in mind that late work is only accepted if your student has an excused absence. Other than that, the main option for extra credit is through the completion of 45 minutes and 1 lesson passed in iReady. Please reach out with any questions at brandonmitchell@fcschools.net

MS. BROOKS - SOCIAL STUDIES

In social studies, we are concluding our unit on ancient China. Students will take their test on ancient China tomorrow, Wednesday, January 5, 2022. Students can review for their test by using the information posted in Google Classroom. We will begin our unit on ancient Greece on Thursday, January 6, 2022. We will start by discussing the key vocabulary terms that we will discuss throughout the unit.

MS. MCINTOSH - ELA

• We will begin our novel “Bud, Not Buddy” very soon.

• Please continue to work on i-Ready weekly at home and at school. It really helps our students fill in the gaps of lessons they might have missed or misunderstood during these past two years. HELP US, HELP THEM GROW!

Get at last 45 minutes and 70% passing rate in both math and reading lessons.

• We will be finishing up Data Talks this week before I-Ready Diagnostic next week!

• We will start small groups to help students feel comfortable asking questions and understanding ELA standards and “I can” statements.

NEED HELP? Please contact me at chasitymcintosh@fcschools.net if you have any questions.

MS. NEUJAHR - SCIENCE

In science this week and next, we will be wrapping up the second nine weeks with pedigrees and factors that contribute to diseases and survivability. Students will learn how lifestyle choices can affect the quality of life. After we complete this week's unit, we will begin the third nine weeks learning about all of the human body systems and how they function and work together to make an organism.

MS. JENKINS - MATH

Happy New Year and Welcome Back!

We wrapped up 2021 strong and on track. January will be a busy month for us, however, we are planning to make a smooth transition into the new year. We will have I-Ready diagnostic testing January 13-14 in class. Be sure to get to class on time and ready to work. This week we will continue to review reasoning with rational numbers. Next week we will begin Unit 3.

We look forward to a fresh start.

MR. LEMONS - SOCIAL STUDIES

Over the next couple weeks we will be talking about the emergence of Nationalism in Germany, Japan, China and Italy. This will lead into WW1. Students have an essay due this Friday the 7th. Make sure this essay is turned in because it is a large part of students’ grades.

MS. BAECHLE - ELA

The next two weeks we will be closing out Q2 and beginning Unit 2: Frederick Douglass and Slavery. Please remind your student(s) that Q2 closes next Friday, 1/14. Grades will also be pulled for athletes this Friday, 1/7. Anything in Powerschool that is a zero can still be made up for full credit.

The second ELA reading diagnostic will be taken in class next Tuesday, 1/11 and Wednesday, 1/12 to assess students reading levels and comprehension (Lexiles). The Following week from Wednesday 1/19 through Friday 1/21 students will be taking their second NC Check-in’s. I will be covering specific skill-sets during review with them the next two weeks to prepare in the form of exit tickets and mini-lessons.

Just a reminder that students' “Social Issues” letter/Q2 project is due this Friday 1/7, students have had roughly a month to complete this and work time in class. This assignment with directions is located on Google classroom under upcoming assignments. This project is a compilation from a social issue in our first text “Lyddie,” and we will continue the focus on their chosen “social issue” for our Q3 research paper and Google slides presentation.

Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions or concerns at kimberlybaechle@fcschools.net

MS. HEAD - SCIENCE

Welcome back! We are finishing up Earth history with evidence of change to Earth’s surface and life forms. We will be looking at the geologic time scale and different ways to date rock layers.

MR. HURD - MATH

Happy New Year everyone! We will be coming back to slope and understanding how to solve for slope, y-int., and x-int. This is a long unit that will last throughout this month. Because of the previous, we will be returning to reviewing what we learned prior to the break as well as reviewing classroom expectations. This also gives students the opportunity to catch up on missing work before the end of the semester and before grades are pulled for sports.

MR. DOWNUM - SOCIAL STUDIES

First of all, I would like to extend a welcome back to the students, and I hope that everyone had a great holiday season. We are going to hit the ground running and start on the next unit of study. The previous unit we covered was The Constitution and government. We will now be moving into The New Country. We have figured out how the government has been formed. Now we are going to talk about the growing pains of being in a new country.

For all parents with a student athlete, they have until Friday January 7th to get grades up before they are pulled from the team. In my class they can do any assignment that is past due as long as they send me an email with the name of the assignment. This cannot say “I finished all of your work please grade”, I need the actual name of the assignment. The end of the quarter is the following Friday, so please make sure the students are getting all of their work done.

MS. FROST - ELA Pic is Linked… To New Beginnings!

Grades:

**Please remind your child that grades close on January 14th. The protocol for submission of late assignments is to send an email to me with the titles of the late assignments completed. Please encourage your child to check PowerSchool for missing assignments.

Also, ask your child to go to Edulastic.com (Links to an external site.) for past assignments / assessments to make-up missing work.

I-Ready Updates and Expectations:

**It is an expectation that your child completes at least 45+ on the I-Ready Learning Pathway with passing grades (75% or higher) to receive a 100% test grade per week. The lessons assigned to your child are customized based on the beginning of year Diagnostic Assessment and the growth they demonstrate as they progress through the program.

Next week, your child will take the mid-year diagnostic assessment. It is incredibly important that your child takes this assessment seriously to ensure the data is accurate. I will share results with students and discuss areas of strengths and highlight standards in need of imprvement. This data will inform my instruction in preparation for the End of Grade State Assessment at the close of the school year.

Please communicate to your child that the diagnostic reading test provides you as parents and myself with valuable information regarding each student's readability level to target lessons based on your child's needs.

Below are some highlighted testing tips:

• Show what you know! Try your best so you can show what you’ve learned.

• The results include what your child already knows and is able to successfully complete work independently, as well as gaps that your child may need additional support.

• Determines what each child needs to learn in alignment with Grade 8 Standards.

• The results of your child's Diagnostic test decides what lessons your child will be assigned.

• IMPORTANT NOTE: If your child tries his/her best on the diagnostic test, lessons will accurately match what your child needs to learn.

• I encourage you to watch this video with your child for review at https://i-readycentral.com/view-resource/?id=20217

Review of Grade 8 Classroom Expectations:

**As a team, we created classroom norms universal to all classrooms so students know what is expected in each classroom throughout the day. We worked hard to make sure students are clear about what is expected of them across all disciplines, so students can move from class to class with the same expectations. Please review these norms with your child. The Eighth Grade Team wants your child to be successful!

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1ozowJwfkRUV4km4aT6RKyaLjHtJW0UBaA151H01Y1wA/edit?usp=sharing

Please continue to contact me at Annafrost@fcschools.net

Faulkners Bitmoji Classroom

At this time the plan is to have a face to face competition for Battle of the Books.

The only thing I need is a team!!

Please encourage your students to participate!!

Battle of the Book List

**We now have copies of all the titles.

Your students have been very busy this past month creating monsters using their knowledge of genetics in the Science 2 Students Virtual Lab, “breaking” out of a digital breakout, making replicas of plant and animal cells, learning about programming and coding using Wonder Workshop Cue robots, learning the ins and outs of SORA while doing a scavenger hunt and competing against staff in a volleyball tournament after school!!

FMS is in desperate need of subs. Happily, the district has changed the job requirements for being a sub in Franklin County to allow more people to be eligible!

The new requirements:

• High School diploma or higher
• At least 21 years of age
• Complete an application on TeacherMatch (click here)
• FCS will need to complete a criminal background check
• Completion of the FCS effective substitute training (click here to do the training)

Once you are hired you will be able to work in any school in the district. We hope you choose FMS! Being a substitute teacher is not for the faint-hearted, but it's also not as scary as some people think it is. Call the district office for information on the pay rate.

• Meets every 2nd Tuesday of the month from 3:30-5:00pm

• Need at least one parent on the team - more than that are welcome!

• Works on implementing the school improvement plan

• Deals with big picture FMS initiatives and changes (years long)

Interested? Email heidiboardman@fcschools.net

DPI ELIGIBILITY (added so there is no confusion about eligibility vs FMS eligibility)

• Eligibility to become a member of an athletic team hinges on the DPI rules for eligibility.

• Regardless of the school organization pattern, a student who is promoted from the fifth grade to the sixth grade automatically meets the courses passed requirement for the first semester of the sixth grade.

• Regarding academics, DPI states “the student must pass at least one less course than the number of required core courses each semester and meet promotion standards.” This means passing 3 out of 4 core classes with at least a 60%.

• DPI also states, “if an athlete is academically eligible or academically ineligible at the beginning of any semester, that status is retained through the full semester.”

• That means that fall sports and winter sports eligibility is based on the second semester final grades from the previous year.

• That also means that when first semester report cards come out, athletes in winter sports can become ineligible to play during the season.

• Spring sports eligibility is based on the first semester final grades.

• Note from DPI: an athlete becomes eligible or ineligible on the first day of each new semester.

FMS ELIGIBILITY

• FMS strives to maintain high academic standards for athletes, paired with support for athletes to make sure that they are successful in both sports and academics.

• Grades will be pulled three weeks before the end of each quarter.

• When grades are pulled, if a student is not passing at least 3 out of 4 core classes and at least 1 out of 2 Elective classes, that student will be put on academic probation. *Exception: when first semester final grades are in, students will automatically become ineligible for the remainder of the year if they are not passing 3 out of 4 core classes and eligible if they are passing 3 out of 4 core classes.

• Any student on academic probation will have two weeks to get their grades to FMS eligibility standards. If they prove that their grades are going to meet standards for that quarter, they are fine until the next grade pull.

• Students are encouraged to ask their teachers to go to the Alternative Learning Center to get help from Ms. Perry to get caught up.

• At the end of two weeks, if a student on academic probation has not pulled up grades to meet the standards, the principal will recommend dismissal from the team unless there is a firm plan in place to address academic concerns.

• This ensures that our athletes are supported with the goal to be eligible year-round for any sports they are interested in.

ATTENDANCE & PAPERWORK EXPECTATIONS

• If the athlete is out of school for the full school day, they may not attend a practice or game scheduled for that day.

• Being in quarantine means the athlete can't engage with the team until the full quarantine is completed.

• Every athlete should have a physical exam on record clearing them to play.

• Every athlete should be up to date on immunizations.

BEHAVIOR EXPECTATIONS

ISS or minor referral Alternative Learning Center (ALC) Time Out:

• 1st and 2nd referral resulting in serving at least one full day in ALC or ISS: no practice/game any day that the student is serving a full day.

• Third referral resulting in serving at least one full day in ALC or ISS: the principal will recommend dismissal from the team.

Major referral with Out of School Suspension (OSS):

• Immediate dismissal from the team.

GRADE PULL DATES FOR THE 2021-2022 SCHOOL YEAR:

• December 10

• February 28

• May 9

• The May 9th grade pull will be a general pull to remind students interested in participating in athletics next year that they need to focus on finishing the year as eligible to participate in athletics in the fall and winter.

FMS VISION: WE ARE A COMMUNITY OF CHOICE!

R - Respectful

A - Accountable

M - Motivated

S - Safe

C - Character

H - Honor

O - Opportunity

I - Inclusivity

C - Compassion

E - Excellence

FMS MISSION:

FMS is a vibrant and caring school that empowers students to become lifelong learners and responsible citizens who are college and career ready.

FMS VALUES:

• All children, regardless of race, ethnicity, socio-economic circumstances, or cognitive level, can grow and achieve.
• Strong collaborative teams with a shared vision can reduce achievement gaps and raise growth levels for all students.
• Forging strong relationships between the school, the parents, and the community is crucial in achieving a well-rounded education that addresses each student’s needs.
• A learning environment based on trust, integrity, and commitment is vital for student success.
• Discipline, safety, and accountability are important parts of a school culture that reflects intellectual, emotional, and social growth.