French Middle School

April 1st-4th-- Reading KAP

April 1st-- 6th Grade Honor Roll @ 7:45 AM

April 2nd-- 7th Grade Honor Roll @ 7:45 AM

April 3rd-- 8th Grade Honor Roll @ 7:45 AM

April 10th-- PTO Meeting @ 5:45

April 14th-17th-- Math KAP

April 18th-- No School

April 23rd-- Late Work Due

April 23rd-- 5th Grade Parent Orientation

April 25th-- Midterms

April 28th-- No School

Happy Spring Falcons! We are looking forward to a Frenchtastic 4th quarter. Thank you to all parents that attended our conferences before spring break. It is always nice to touch base with parents. Please keep in touch with teachers, so your student can have a positive finish to the school year. We have updated our last day of the year and promotion on our school calendar. Due to snow days we will revert back to the original school calendar. MS students will have their last day of school on May 28th. Our 8th grade promotion will be May 29th at 8am in our gymnasium. Only 8th graders and their parents attend. Our ceremony lasts about an hour. There will be no busing on the day of promotion. Spring always brings the busiest time of the school year. We will keep our online school calendar up to date. We look forward to experiencing a positive end to the year.

6th grade - Tuesday, April 1 at 7:50

7th grade - Wednesday, April 2 at 7:50

8th grade - Thursday, April 3 at 7:50

All assemblies will be in the gym, families are welcome to attend, there is seating at the north end of the gym. Students will be recognized for earning 3.0 or higher. The AB with the highest percent of students on the Honor Roll will get a plaque to display outside their classroom. Students will get an Honor Roll card.

Students that kept all 10 eligibility points for the 3rd quarter will receive a Citizenship card and the AB with the highest percentage of students with cards will have a plaque to hang outside their door.

The AB with the highest percentage of daily attendance for their students will also be recognized.

Attendance is important, and is essential to good performance in school. Good attendance is a life skill that students need to be successful in school and life after school. Absences can add up and make it harder for your student to be academically successful. Students are required to attend all classes each day that they are scheduled to be in. Attendance is taken for each class. If your child is unable to attend class for any reason you can call or email the office to excuse them. Un-excused absences can cause your child to become truant. You can help your child by only keeping them home if they are sick, making appointments when possible when school is not in session, and planning vacations when school is not in session. If your student is absent from a class you will get an automated phone call in the evening to let you know they missed one or more classes. If you are having difficulties with getting your child to school and need assistance you can call our school counselors or social worker. Thank you for making attendance a priority for your child.

The 4th quarter brings our testing season. All students will take the state assessment (aka KAP) for reading and math. Our 8th graders will also take a science test. Please ensure your student is in attendance daily, they get a good night's sleep, eat a good breakfast and arrive at school on time. These small gestures will go a long way on a state assessment. Our testing schedule is listed below and also on our school calendar.

• Science KAP March 26-28 (8th grade only)

• Reading KAP April 1-4 (all grades)

• Math KAP April 14-17 (all grades)

Congratulations Mr. Apodaca

Please join the French MS Faculty in congratulating Mr. Brian Apodaca, FMS Building Operator. He is the recipient of the 2025 Distinguished Staff Award. He was honored last month with a surprise visit from the district office. We were lucky to have his family join us as he was named the DSA winner. Mr. Apodaca spends numerous hours keeping our building clean and ready for learning. He is dependable and always willing to lend a helping hand regardless of whether or not it falls under his normal duties. He will be honored at a district ceremony in late April. Again congratulations to Mr. Apodaca! The Falcons have known for a long time that he is Frenchtastic!

It is our plan to take our 8th grade class to Worlds of Fun, Friday, May 16, 2025. This is an event that has been a French Falcon tradition for many years. This trip is a reward for all 8th graders who earn it by demonstrating Falcon PRIDE throughout the second semester. The cost of the trip will be $35 per student. Students can use a season pass if they have one.

Eighth graders wishing to attend are expected to meet the following eligibility requirements…

• No more than 2 DRs between January 6th-May 16th

• No out of school suspensions for 2nd semester

• No in school suspension for tardies 2nd semester

• Maintain 90% attendance average for 2nd semester.

• Maintain at least one eligibility point 4th quarter

Students who purchase a ticket and become ineligible after we order tickets, will NOT be reimbursed for their ticket as it is non-refundable through WOF.

Students will leave French MS by 8:00 AM on the day of the trip. Students will be given ample time to explore the park independently with friends. They will be required to appear at two mandatory “check point” times. Students will need to bring money for lunch. Students will return to French around 6:00 p.m. We will leave and return from the back parking lot at French MS.

Please remember that this is a reward for students who meet the criteria, not an absolute for every 8th grader. Students who are not eligible to attend the trip or do not wish to go will follow an alternate schedule at French MS the day of the field trip.

If you have further questions, please call your student’s Advisor Base teacher at 438-4150.

French MS is lucky to have been chosen as a Sharefest site this spring. Local churches and community members volunteer their time to complete some campus beautification projects at FMS. Sharefest is Saturday, April 26th from 8-noon. Please sign up if you and your family are able to join us. We hope to see you there!

Sharefest Sign Up

Please consider joining the French Middle School PTO. We welcome everyone to attend the monthly meetings - you will get to hear from the principal and a teacher from each grade level, in addition to parents. The next meeting is Thursday, March 10, 2025 at 5:45 PM in the commons. Some of the topics will be Night of the Rising Stars, Teacher Appreciation and opportunities to provide support during the next school year.

In case you were wondering, we had 72% of our parents attend conferences with the AB teacher and over 800 other conferences. Thank you for taking time out of your busy day to talk to teachers about your student!

Over 400 kids from across the Topeka area gathered at Washburn Rural Middle School to compete in SUM day, a math competition, on March 29. We took 8 students from French who gave up a Saturday morning to take risks and persevere in their math skills. Of these students, 7th grader, Rian Deepan Sahaya Jerin, earned a top 10 finish in the Geometry test. We congratulate him in this accomplishment and all of the competitors for their dedication to growing their math knowledge.

Boys Tennis, Boys and Girls Track and Girls Soccer started March 25th, the day the students returned from Spring Break. Students wanting to participate need to pass 5 classes at the end of the 3rd quarter and have eligibility points. A sports physical signed by a doctor also needs to be on file before any participant may practice.

All meets and games are updated on our school website calendar. Admission for both track and soccer is $2.00 at the gate.

Head Coaches-

Boys Tennis- Mr. Renfro (drenfro@tps501.org)

Track- Mr. Mellen (bmellen@tps501.org)

Girls Soccer- Ms. Hirt(thirt@tps501.org)

Requirements for all athletics:

Must pass 5 classes the previous quarter to be eligible.

Must have an updated physical signed by a licensed physician and head concussion sheet signed by parents.

Must have eligibility points left for the current quarter, each student starts with 10 points.

Must participate in practice to participate in games/meets.

Must follow the coach's rules and guidelines to be in good standing.

Must be passing all classes the week of a game to be eligible to play in that week's game/meet.

General reminder:

French is a member school of KSHSAA and must follow and abide by the rules and guidelines set by the governing body of KSHSAA.

KSHSAA RULE 22 : A student who is a member of a school athletic, scholars bowl or debate squad effective Tuesday following Labor Day through Friday preceding Memorial Day may not participate as a member of an outside team or as an independent competitor in the same sport, scholars bowl or debate activity during the school season.

Athletes in the spring sports of tennis, soccer and track must know and abide by this rule.

All questions to be addressed by Tim Wilson- 438-4162 or twilson@tps501.org

Please see our school website for more detailed information as well as our calendar of events.

Winter is coming to an end and Spring cannot arrive soon enough! This Spring, challenge yourself to embrace healthy actions that promote happiness and healthiness!

Physical

• Do some Spring cleaning

• Go for a walk around the neighborhood

• Go for an evening bicycle ride

• Fly a kite

Intellectual

• Establish a goal and achieve it by Summer

• Read a book

• Try a new recipe

Emotional

• Pick yourself some flowers

• Open windows and let the sun in

• Listen to music

• Do something nice for someone else

• Write a “thank you” note

Social

• Have a game night with your family

• Make plans with a friend

• Visit a relative you have not seen in awhile

Spiritual

• Make a list of your skills and strengths

• Volunteer

• Watch the sunset

Topeka Public Schools is offering a variety of Summer Academic & Enrichment Programs for students in grades PreK-12, running from June 9-27, 2025.

These programs provide engaging and educational experiences to keep students learning and growing over the summer. Highlights include academic camps for grades K-5, enrichment activities like coding/robotics, cooking, and art, and a preschool program at Shaner Early Learning Academy.

Registration is open now through April 20, 2025, via Synergy ParentVue, with fees starting at $50 per week for TPS students.

Visit topekapublicschools.net to learn more and register today!

Save the date! Enrollment for the 2025-2026 school year will open online in April 2025. Families are encouraged to register early, as we anticipate classes filling up quickly again this year.

Information regarding enrollment, school supply lists, and other items for families to prepare for next year will be available in April at topekapublicschools.net. View the 2025-2026 Academic Calendar here.

As a reminder, returning families will receive an email to register their students from Synergy Student Information System and enroll through ParentVue. Families new to Topeka Public Schools will create a new account and register online.

GraceMed will be at French Middle School, providing dental cleanings during the school day on Wednesday May 14, 2025. If you would like your student to be seen by a hygienist, please complete the following link. A representative from GraceMed will contact you directly with more information. https://gracemed.org/dental-consent

6th Grade Students:

Students who will be entering 7th grade in the 2025/2026 school year are required to have updated immunizations including: Tdap (tetanus booster) and MCV (meningococcal). If your student has already received these immunizations, please send documentation to the nurse at this time. Students will be required to provide proof of immunization within 30 days of the start of school in the fall.

National Nutrition Month® is an annual campaign created 50 years ago in 1973 by the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. During the month of March, everyone is invited to learn about making informed food choices and developing healthful eating and physical activity habits. This year's theme is "Fuel for the Future." Visit National Nutrition Month® for tips on healthy eating and recipes to try.

• Enjoy more plant-based meals and snacks.

• Purchase foods with minimal packaging.

• Buy foods in season and shop locally when possible.

• Start a container or backyard garden to grow food at home.

• Ask your doctor for a referral to an RDN.

• Find an RDN who specializes in your unique needs.

• Learn how nutrient needs may change with age.

• Receive personalized nutrition information to meet your health goals.

• Plan your meals and snacks.

• See what food you have at home before purchasing more.

• Use a grocery list and shop sales when purchasing food.

• Learn about community resources such as SNAP, WIC and local food banks.

• Include your favorite cultural foods and traditions.

• Eat foods in various forms including fresh, frozen, canned and dried.

• Avoid fad diets that promote unnecessary restrictions.

• Practice gratitude for your body by giving it the fuel it needs.

• Learn cooking and meal preparation skills.

• Try new flavors and foods from around the world.

• Find creative ways to use leftovers rather than tossing them.

• Create happy memories by eating with friends and family when possible.

BULLYING POLICY

French Middle School will not tolerate bullying of any kind. Bullying is defined as any ongoing verbal or physical mistreatment where there is an imbalance of power, and the target/victim is exposed repeatedly to negative actions by one or more students. Bullying can be direct (physical or verbal), or indirect (exclusion, cyber-bullying, emotional). In order for everyone to feel safe and secure at school, every Topeka Public School has adopted the following rules against bullying. “I will not bully others. I will try to help students who are bullied. I will do my best to include students who are easily left out. When I know somebody is being bullied, I will tell an adult at school and an adult at home.” Students, staff, and parents should report any bullying that they are aware of to administration through the on-line bully report link on the French website. Students who bully others will receive consequences. Our counselors will be visiting 6th, 7th and 8th grade classes in August and September to remind students what bullying is, what we can do to prevent bullying, and what students should do if they or someone else is being bullied.

NOTICE OF NON-DISCRIMINATION

The Topeka Public Schools, Unified School District No. 501 is committed to affirmative action and equal opportunity. No person shall, on the basis of age, race, color, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, disability, national origin or ancestry be denied lawful access to any appropriate educational service, program or activity provided by the school district. The Title VI and Title IX compliance coordinator is the Assistant Superintendent for Teaching/Learning/Administration. The Section 504/Title II compliance coordinator is the Coordinator of College and Career Ready Services. For employment, the EEO/AA officer is the General Director of Human Resources. All compliance coordinators may be contacted at 624 SW 24th Street, Topeka, KS 66611-1294, (785) 295-3000. The clerk of the Board of Education has been designated to receive and redirect or handle inquiries regarding nondiscrimination policies, regulations and procedures. The clerk may be contacted by calling (785) 295-3045 or by writing to 624 SW 24th Street, Topeka, KS 66611-1294.