FAPS #WeAreFenton Community Update

Welcome to the 2024-25 school year at Fenton Area Public Schools! I hope that you had an opportunity to relax, recharge, and enjoy the summer break. If you are new, welcome to what I consider an end destination for students, staff and families. If you are returning, welcome back!

It is with great enthusiasm that we welcome you back to the start of a new school year. Our school community is a special place where students, families, and staff come together to create a vibrant learning environment.

We are committed to providing our students with the highest quality education and support. Together, we can create a school year filled with success and unforgettable experiences.

In this newsletter, you will find some information to help transition from summer recess to the start of the school year. Our district also has many exciting things ahead, and we've shared some of those in this newsletter as well.

I wish everyone a great first day and an awesome school-year!

Sincerely,
Heidie Ciesielski
Superintendent

We will kick-off this exciting year for students on Tuesday, August 20, 2024. As we near the start, your student's building administrators will be communicating out important information that is relative to where your student is attending in Fenton. Please check our the FAPS website for further information to detail the start of the 2024-25 school year.

2024-25 Open House Dates & Times

• Fenton Horizon Academy - August 16, 2024 10:00-2:00 p.m.
• Y5/K-5 State Road, North Road, Fenton Virtual Academy & Tomek - August 19, 2024 from 5:00-6:30 p.m.
• World of Wonder Early Childhood - August 19, 2024 from 5:30-7:00 p.m.
• Fenton High School - August 27, 2024 6:00-7:30
• AGS Middle School - August 28, 2024 6:00-7:30

FAPS Athletics and Fall Sports kicks off on August 12, 2024. Please contact Ed Uhrik, FAPS Athletic Director or Renee Dailey, FHS Athletic Assistant

Calendar for 2024-25 is linked directly below!

We are welcoming a few new staff members to FAPS this fall. Please help me formally welcome and congratulate the following individuals on joining or serving in a new capacity the WeAreFenton Family.

Preparations are in full swing for the new school year as we approach the first day of school on August 20th. Part of that preparation is completing the 2024-2025 CURRENT Student Information Update task in the Online Registration feature of the ParentVue portal for each of your students.

Confirming/updating your student’s information is REQUIRED by the start of the new school year for ALL students attending Fenton.

Using the ParentVue portal, parents and guardians have the ability to electronically sign Handbook Acknowledgements, Acceptable Use and Chromebook Policies; as well as update student Demographic Information, Emergency Contact Information, Medical and Health information, and transportation needs. This process takes about 10 minutes per student. It is important that we have current information for each student enrolled, especially for planning bus routes.

Our building principals and office staff are busy getting all of the enrollments processed and placed in Synergy. Please know that 24-25 placements will not be finalized until August 16th @ 4:00 p.m. While you may see the process unfold in Synergy - it's important to check after this date and time to confirm as things will inevitably change as enrollments are finalized.

As a reminder, this form must be printed and signed prior to receiving a Chromebook at the 6-12th grade level. Copies will be available at schedule pickup. Most students still have their Chromebook from last school year; however, if you are new to a building or the district please ensure we have one of these on file.

Recently our school board adopted a policy change for our school district. After much research, and feedback from our staff our board of education voted to remove the ability for students to utilize their cell phones during the instructional day. Students are to have them turned off and out of sight during the instructional day, with the exception of their lunch period as well as before and after school. The district and board of education feel this change will increase student engagement in academic work as well as hopefully aid in the social media issues that occur during the school day that often times increase student anxiety and decrease student well-being. A copy of a letter that was sent out the day after the August Board Meeting is linked below.

Every year we try to add to our safety and security measures to create as safe and secure a learning environment as possible.

The safety and well-being of our students and staff remain our top priority at Fenton Area Public Schools. To further enhance our district's security measures, we are excited to introduce two new cutting-edge systems.

Safer Schools Together (SST) is a social media monitoring tool designed to proactively identify potential threats. This technology scans publicly available social media content for concerning language or behavior related to our school community. By detecting potential risks early, we can take appropriate steps to ensure the safety of everyone.

In addition to SST, we are implementing ZeroEyes, an advanced video analytics platform. This AI-powered system analyzes our existing security camera footage in real-time to detect the presence of weapons. If a threat is identified, trained experts immediately alert our school resource officers and local law enforcement, allowing for rapid response.

These new technologies represent a significant investment in our students' safety. We are committed to providing a secure learning environment for all as a part of our Strategic Plan.

Please let our transportation department (Dean Transportation) know if you have moved or have an address change. For more detailed transportation information, you can go to the link below.

Child Find is an active process for identifying students suspected of having a disability. The first step requires providing information to the public regarding the availability of special education services.

These notices must be posted annually to ensure all districts continue their efforts to seek out children and students who may need special education and related services.

When a parent, educator, doctor, other individual suspects a child may have a disability, a request for a special education evaluation can be made to the student’s teacher, counselor, administrator or Special Services Office.

Parents can request an initial evaluation of a student suspected of having a disability, and before any formal evaluations take place, the district will provide written notice and, when necessary shall request written consent to evaluate.

The district will provide information about your family rights and procedural safeguards. Upon receipt of signed consent, a district may evaluate the student and determine if there is a need for special education and related services. Child Find evaluations are conducted at no cost to the parents.

Many parents of elementary students may be hearing about the Science of Reading, and how our district is utilizing the collective research around these methods to help students read. Below is a great graphic that the National Center for Literacy created that illustrates this. Take a Look!

Our school board held the regular monthly meeting on August 5, 2024. The Board of Education has been very busy this summer with several sub-committee meetings as well as and helping us get ready by budgeting for a busy school year which will help to support our students and staff.

See our Board of Education Website for more information. https://www.fentonschools.org/page/board-of-education