Fall in Love with Falcon Friday
January 10th, 2025
"FHS staff member here - I have worked & interned at many different schools and districts. I knew leaving my interview with the admin team at FHS that FHS was my #1 pick. I have never seen more passionate, collaborative staff members at any other school I've been at. And as we know, students do better when the staff all love working together! As a family, my kids love going to the school events whether it's a sporting game, a play/musical, or a show choir performance (& Tie Dyed hats with Mrs. Samp). All of my kiddos are Gifted students, athletic, and into the arts so I love that FHS has something for everyone! They are so excited to be future Falcons!"
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"I have the privilege of working in the district as well as having both of my sons attend Falcon Schools. My youngest son is a 5th grader at MRES and my oldest is in 7th grade at FMS. Our experience in the falcon zone has been truly great, and it is the reason we will continue to have our boys stay in Falcon zone schools. FMS has been great about meeting my students ALP needs, whether it is advanced classes, or independent studies, he has been challenged and also found his "people" within the gifted program. My 7th grader is also on a 504 plan and the teachers are great with meeting his educational needs and creating accommodations that benefit him individually. I think most importantly for both of my boys has been the teacher relationships they have been able to create within the schools. There are some amazing teachers at MRES and FMS and I send them both to school knowing that they are being taught by people that genuinely care about them."
FMS Staff Member
"Speaking to our kids, they love being WHES Tornadoes! The Principals know them by name and give encouraging kind words throughout the day. Their teachers show them compassion and interest in their feelings. And speaking as parents, we notice our kids almost always come home reporting they had a good day.
We have a 5th Grade student at WHES who started as a Preschooler in 2018, and currently have multiple children enrolled at WHES. Through the years, and through volunteering at the school, we have seen the effort and love the teachers, principals, and staff devote to their students. We appreciate the encouragement our children receive as they learn new and ambitious curriculum. We like that students are given responsibilities and challenges, and held to realistic expectations that push them to expand their capability to manage challenging tasks. WHES hold students to an academic standard and give them the responsibility to meet their goals. Yet as kids, they are also allowed to have bad days. On these bad days, the kids are given compassion and time to compose themselves; and then the teachers gently encourage them to persist. The students learn that compassion is important, realistic self-imposed expectations are important, but also, that our responsibilities do not disappear when we are not feeling our best.
We love the small town feel of Falcon, CO and WHES. Not only do our kids see their friends at school, they see their classmates down the street from their home. They see them at the local pool and playgrounds. They run into them at the grocery store. They are teammates and opponents on the rec center basketball teams. Their parents become our friends. When our kids receive a birthday invitation from a classmate, the party is almost always in a familiar location with familiar faces. For our family, WHES is a big part of our Falcon community.
The school is very transparent. They invite parents into the school, to have lunch with their child, to sit through a lesson in the classroom, to volunteer in the office, to participate in meetings, or to attend one of the family friendly events held at the school (like veteran's breakfast, talent shows, bingo for books, showcase performances, field day, movie night, and more). These activities offer parents a chance to engage and see into their child's life outside the home. We also appreciate the school does not conform to, or subject students to, impetuous political and social trends or curriculum. As far as we have seen, curriculum has been age appropriate and fact-based; while students are still encouraged to think critically, expand their creativity and develop their own ideas. WHES prioritized students returning to class and normalcy immediately following the Government imposed lock downs of 2020. At a time many other school districts across the state did not show any urgency or desire to return.
We are aware that D49 plans continuing complementary curriculum throughout Elementary, Middle, and High School. WHES has been a great first step and given us high expectations of what we hope to see at Falcon MS and HS. We are thankful to raise our kids in a community among teachers and Falcon Zone staff, who not only reside in Falcon, but also raise their kids here."
-WHES Parents
What is the difference between bullying and negative middle school behaviors?
Bullying is intentional, repeated, and involves a power imbalance where one individual or group seeks to harm or intimidate another. Negative middle school behaviors, while inappropriate, are often isolated incidents or conflicts without malicious intent or a power imbalance, typically stemming from developmental challenges or peer misunderstandings.
What does Falcon Middle School do to proactively foster positive relationships, addresses behaviors, and combat bullying?
What happens when a report of bullying is made?
The process involves speaking with the reporting student and gathering information, contacting their parents to loop them in and gather additional information , identifying and interviewing witnesses, speaking with the accused, assigning appropriate consequences (while maintaining confidentiality about the specifics with parents), and involving the SRO if necessary.
Every student is subject to due process and each and every report of bullying is taken seriously!
How does Falcon Middle School work to keep all students safe?
To ensure student safety after an incident, Falcon Middle School offers schedule changes if needed, restorative conversations & circles, counseling support for all students involved, no-contact contracts if needed, and continuous supervision by security staff, the admin team and FMS staff. The Security Team builds relationships, and multiple reporting options like Google Forms, emails, and Safe2Tell empower students to voice concerns and keeping ALL students safe 100% of the time is a priority.
What can parents do when their child is reporting bullying at home?
Parents can support their child by promptly reporting bullying incidents to school administration, avoiding discussions on social media, and fostering relationships with teachers and staff to ensure their child has a trusted, safe adult at school.
There have been lots of questions/comments about how "students are just on their laptops all the time in school".
Check out this video to find out more about how teachers balance their instruction at Falcon Middle School and create opportunities both on and off technology for students to learn and apply their learning!
- We have some of the top programs in the state here at FHS in Wrestling and Baseball!
- Students in graphic design classes create logos for other programs in the school and sometimes help with other advertising needs in the school!
- Our broadcasting program is just getting started, but really cool promotional things are already starting to happen.
- Our foreign language teachers are amazing. They not only teach how to communicate in a new language but also incorporate food and culture into their courses. So cool!
- Ms. Hepworth is participating in the Butterfly Project through her Holocaust courses.
- Graphic design students have the opportunity to earn an Adobe Professional Certification.
- Our women's wrestling team is showing that hard work pays off. I wouldn't want to mess with any of them.
- Mr. Mendell teaches students how to earn and save money with real-world examples in his Personal Finance class.
- Art students are given the opportunities to participate in (and win) many art competitions like the Scholastic Art Awards, Young People's Art Exhibition and D49 Art Show plus more independent contests like the Farmer's State Bank Art Contest and the PPLD Library Card Design Contest. There are always lots of ways for student work to be seen and celebrated.
- You can get a chance to work with certified coaches who have competed at the college and professional level, trained professional athletes like Kalen Ballage and Christian McCaffrey, and have produced state champions.
- 6th Grade students made rock candy in Mrs. Wells' class.
- Students in gifted education design their own projects--one student even raised money to buy presents for youth patients in the hospital during the holidays. She was featured at the Maker's Mind Event this year.
- 8th Grade students had a visit last week from the high school choirs. They loved seeing them perform.
- 8th grade gifted ed students will get to have a Q and A session with high school GE students. They will also get to meet the high school GE teacher as well as Mr. O'Connor, the principal.
- Students have the opportunity to be student-aides for their teachers or office staff.
- Many cool explore offerings to include Partners in P.E.
- FACS class made stuffed animals for elementary school buddies.
- All of the career field trips (mircro-chip, the courthouse, AG Day)
- Proximity of BRES and FMS--so great when you have kids at both schools. Older ones can meet younger ones at pickup.
- Co-taught classes with time with resource teachers for additional support.
Electives
- FHS Counselors visit 8th graders at FMS in the Spring to choose their Electives. Students in Grades 10-12 choose their electives each Spring as well.
- Students who would like to take an AP class can register. The class will only be offered if there are enough students enrolled. AP exams in May can count for college credit and typically carry a $95 cost. AP English, SS, Science, Math are available.
- Offered to Freshmen (English and Biology) and Sophomores (English, SS and Chemistry).
- Application process begins the semester before the class begins.
- Recommended for Sophomores and up.
- Courses offered through Pikes Peak State College (PPSC) and most courses are offered at FHS.
- These are FREE college courses and students receive both high school and college credit.
- Some students even graduate high school with an Associate's Degree!
PPSC Career Start Courses
- Offered for Junior and Seniors and are completely free.
- Geared towards students that want to go into a trade after HS.
- Bussing is offered to PPSC.
- Students earn credit at both PPSC and FHS and typically earn some sort of industry qualification/certification.
- Welding, Vet Assistant Certification and Cybersecurity are some of the most popular options
- Hair and Nails Certification offered at the International Salon and Spa Academy (ISSA) in the Springs, with some bussing availability.
- Culinary and Construction Pathways at Patriot High School can also be an option for FHS students.
- Freshmen and new students complete a career aptitude assessment with YouScience Discovery to uncovers students' aptitudes and match best-fit in-demand career and educational pathways.
- Counselors can support with FAFSA completion and college applications.
- Students in grade 11-12 meet 1:1 with counselors to plan for post high school life.
- FHS FAFSA Completion Night & Senior Night supports FAFSA completion, discusses scholarships and all things "college".
- Students must qualify in high school and meet new and different requirements separate from middle school.
- Students learn how to create and maintain a budget and learn real-life job skills like resume building.
- Sports can count as PE credit. Requirements: must complete the entire season, obtain coach approval and can only be done twice (2 semesters).
Social Studies (FMS & FHS) - Savvas
ELA FHS - Currently in the Curriculum Adoption Process for next school year
Math FMS - Currently in the Curriculum Adoption Process for next school year
