Around 656

Ms. Fogelson and Mr. Roiger took 25 of our Faribault Middle School 6th, 7th, and 8th graders to Mankato to compete in the Math Mania Competition. We are incredibly proud of the students who participated—one team even earned 4th place!

Check out Mrs. Murray's Kindergarten class inside our SMART room at Lincoln! We all know movement plays a big role in learning. Our SMART room is designed to help students develop the essential sensory, motor, and self-regulation skills they need to thrive in the classroom.

To celebrate I Love to Read month, our early childhood classes are having guest readers visit all month long! Superintendent Bente read to Ms. Erica and Ms. Jeannie's classes at McKinley Early Childhood Center. The students in Ms. Jeannie's class loved it so much that they kept bringing Mr. Bente books to read! The students were such good listeners!

Mrs. Megan's preschool class has had two guest readers so far: FPS Director of Community Education Zach Pruitt and School Board Member Lynda Boudreau. The three-year-olds loved hearing the stories these wonderful guests read to them!

We got to celebrate our students of the quarter with a family breakfast. Congratulations to these students, you are the leaders of your classes!

Mrs. Elvestad’s second-grade class recently learned about showing empathy. The students chose Mr. Zeke, our daytime custodian, to put themselves in his shoes. They reflected on how they feel when they clean their bedrooms or help with chores at home. The students shared that they appreciate being recognized for their hard work after cleaning. As a result, they decided to create thank-you cards for Mr. Zeke to show their gratitude for all the hard work he does every day at Jefferson!

Our FHS students and staff did an outstanding job showcasing our course offerings and programs to our 8th-grade students. They introduced our incoming freshmen (current 8th graders) to the registration options available to them, gave them a tour of our building, and hosted engaging breakout sessions in both the Welcome Center and Media Center. We can't wait to welcome the future Class of 2029 to FHS this fall!

Our Roosevelt students were in for a WILD surprise! Former NHL Minnesota Wild player, Nate Prosser, and former PWHL player and Olympian Natalie Darwitz visited Roosevelt to teach our students about the importance of exercise and healthy eating. Some of our students even got to take shots against Nordy (the MN Wild mascot) and Superintendent Bente! The Wild gave our school some hockey gear that our students can use in PE class! We want to thank Ms. Darwitz, Mr. Prosser, and the Wild for this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity!

We officially opened our Welcome Center at the Faribault Area Learning Center! Thanks to all the students, families and community partners who helped celebrate!

Check out these Lincoln Elementary School January SOAR Students of the Month! These outstanding students were recognized during an all-school assembly for showing what it means to SOAR every day. As a special celebration, they had the chance to play dodgeball with the Faribault Police—and let’s just say, it was a total hit!

Is your child ready to start Kindergarten in the fall? Starting kindergarten is a milestone filled with excitement for both children and their families. At Faribault Public Schools, we are dedicated to partnering with families to ensure a seamless transition to elementary school. We believe that a child's success in school relies on the support of their families, teachers, and the broader community. That's why we are committed to harnessing these resources to provide a high-quality educational experience that is tailored to meet the unique needs of each child. You can register your child online or by visiting any school office, Monday-Friday 8:00 a.m.-3:30 p.m.

New Parents: Are you looking for support during those early weeks with your newborn? Join us at Baby Stop every Thursday from 10:30 AM to 12 PM at the Faribault Education Center! This week, Nicole, the lactation consultant from Northfield Hospitals, will be joining us to offer valuable insights on feeding your little one. Plus, our Public Health Nurse will weigh your babies and answer all your questions about newborn care.

Our kindergarten classes had a blast celebrating 100 days of school. While each of our elementary schools celebrated in their own unique way, they all did a wonderful job incorporating the theme of '100' into their learning!

Our Faribault Emerald Dance Team got 3rd place at their section competition and advanced to the State Tournament where they took 11th place. Congratulations on a wonderful achievement!

We had a great morning celebrating our November and December students of the month at our Student of the Month Breakfast. Thank you to all the students, parents, and staff that were able to join us to make it an extra special time for our SOARing students! Keep up the great work everyone.

Thank you to Kwik Trip for the donation of bananas and Hyvee for the bagels and cream cheese.

We will be having a Question and Answer information session about our English-Spanish Dual-Immersion Program on March 17 from 3:30 to 4:30 pm at Roosevelt Elementary School.

We want to thank the Faribault Area Chamber of Commerce & Tourism and all of our local businesses who participated in the Faribault Business Mixer! Having our staff members connect with our local businesses helps support school-community partnerships and provides new collaborative opportunities. We want to emphasize what the Chamber said, "We appreciate our community's commitment to Faribault Public Schools and look forward to seeing the impact of these connections!"

Falcon Educational Enrichment Program (FEEP) grants were awarded in December to staff at Jefferson, Lincoln, Roosevelt, the Area Learning Center, middle school, and high school. Students from preschool to high school are using new materials to enhance learning opportunities because a teacher or group of teachers submitted a FEEP grant request. Grants support materials that stay in the Faribault Public Schools to be used not just this year, but into the future.

Jess Williams-Peters wrote a grant for a classroom set of Love That Dog. As a new-to-fourth grade teacher she will use the book to add a poetry element to the reading curriculum. Other fourth grade teachers and students will be able to use the texts as well.

Students in Andrea Glynn’s Family and Consumer Science classes will do a project to benefit the community using the grant money. FEEP Board member, Sarah Lockerby, is presenting the check.

If you are looking for a way to impact Faribault Public School students and support teachers in a long term, hands on, exciting way consider a donation to FEEP. FEEP operates under the umbrella of FAPSETA which is a 501(c)3 that provides scholarships for Faribault Public School seniors for further education. You can learn more about FEEP, the Falcon Educational Excellence Program, by visiting fapseta.org and looking under “Your Support at Work” tab. Your generosity in donating is greatly appreciated!

We are excited to offer this amazing program again this summer to all Faribault Public Schools students in grades 1-8.

When: June 16-July 31, 2025, Monday-Thursday from 8 AM - 3 PM

Where: Grades 1-4 at Lincoln Elementary & Grades 5-8 at Faribault High School

The Cannon River Royals U15B girls’ hockey team has reached an impressive milestone this season, securing 30 wins to date. The team, a youth girls’ hockey co-op between the Faribault and Northfield Hockey Associations, is composed of players from seven area schools. Their dedication and teamwork have led to championship victories at the Bloomington and Maple Grove tournaments.

As the season progresses, the Royals continue to build on their success and represent their communities with pride. To learn more about the program, visit Cannon River Hockey Association. Go Royals!

This photo was taken after winning the 'Winter Warm Up' tournament at the Bloomington Ice Garden on Sunday, December 8. It was hosted by the Bloomington Amateur Hockey Association.

Information and photo were submitted by Sonny Wasilowski

Yearbooks are on sale now! You can buy them online at faribaultyearbook.com for $20 by clicking, "Order your middle school yearbook online here." Get yours before prices go up to $25 on April 1st! If you have any questions, please contact Hayley Fogelson or Erin Tutrakanov.

The Faribault Booster Club will once again host a Blood Drive, an event that is both a service project and a fundraiser for the Booster Club. This year's drive will be held from 12 p.m. to 6 p.m. on Thursday, March 6 at the South Central College Event Center.

If they get at least 30 people to participate, the Red Cross will donate $10 to the Booster Club for each pint of blood donated. This is a great way to support two fantastic organizations!

Donating blood takes about one hour. We strongly recommend that you register ahead of time. You can schedule your appointment by calling 1-800-RED CROSS or by going to this link at redcrossblood.org.

Thanks to the generosity of our donors, over 2,100 Faribault students in preschool through eighth grade started the school year with the school supplies they needed! We are incredibly grateful for your contribution, partnership and commitment to our local students.

As a reminder, here is what we do if a Falcon Flex Day is called:

Falcon Flex Day procedure:

School buildings are closed, there will be no in-person classes. Pre-K, elementary, and middle school students should check their take-home folders or binders for work that teachers have given students in advance. High school students should log into their Schoology accounts from home for their assignments.

• Kids World child care is canceled/closed.

• Adult Basic Education classes are canceled.

• All daytime and after-school Community Education programs including Falcons Beyond are canceled/closed.

More information about our Falcon Flex Day procedures can be found on our website: Closings and Alerts. Please check your student's take-home folder or Schoology account for assignments or communication from teachers. Teachers will do their best to upload assignments as soon as possible. We ask that teachers post assignments by 10:00 a.m. and are accessible to students and parents from 10:00 a.m. to 3 p.m. If your student needs tech assistance from home, please follow our Tech Help procedure.

(Please note: Falcon Flex days count as instructional days and do not require extended school year make-up days.)

Why work as a Substitute Teacher at Faribault Public Schools?

- Make an Impact: Directly influence students' success.

- Flexibility & Variety: Choose your grade levels and subjects.

- Career Growth: Gain experience, expand skills, and network with educators.

- Pay: $200/day or $40/hour.

- Qualifications: Teaching license or short-call substitute license.

Paraprofessional positions available at $18/hour!

Don't miss a beat! Check out the Faribault Public Schools activities calendar to stay informed on all activities and events.

Do you have a story to share? Email communications@faribault.k12.mn.us for a chance to be featured in the next Around 656 Newsletter.