French Middle School

May 5th-6th-- Math MAP

May 8th-- PTO Meeting @ 5:45

May 9th-- 8th Grade Dance

May 12th-13th-- Reading MAP

May 12th-- Art Show @ 4 PM

May 12th--Band Concert @ 6:30

May 12th-- Choir Concert at Jardine @ 6:30

May 15th-- Save the City Rally @ 3 PM

May 15th-- Orchestra Concert @ 6:30

May 16th-- 8th Grade World's of Fun Trip

May 21st-- Late Work Due

May 22nd-- Night of The Rising Stars (NORS)

May 26th-- No School

May 28th-- MS Last Day

May 29th-- 8th Grade Promotion @ 8 AM

The end of the 2024-25 school year is just around the corner. We have many end of year events in May, so be sure to keep your eye on the online school calendar. All TPS middle schools will hold their last day on May 28th. It will be a full day with a regular schedule. On behalf of the French MS Faculty, I want to thank all Falcon Families for a successful school year. I hope your summer is peaceful and restful. I look forward to seeing all returning Falcons in August.

Have a great summer Falcons!

–Mrs. Hoffman

Yearbooks will be distributed on May 23rd. We received quite a few yearbooks with a slight flaw. We are selling them for a small discount. They can be purchased in the front office for $18. Reserve your student’s copy soon.

We will honor our 8th graders at 8th Grade Promotion on May 29th at 8am. Promotion will be held in our gymnasium at French MS. It is for 8th grade families. Sixth and 7th graders wishing to attend must be accompanied by a parent. There will be no transportation provided. Our ceremony typically lasts about an hour. We look forward to seeing all 8th grade families on May 29th.

Falcon Fun Day will be Friday, May 23 during school hours. Students will sign yearbooks, participate in classroom activities, go to the YMCA for swimming or gym time. Students will participate if they have at least 1 eligibility point and their chromebook/charger check in for the summer. Students will wear swimsuits under clothes and bring a towel. We will walk to the Y and back so that time will help to dry swim suits!

A huge thank you to all Sharefest volunteers who spent time sprucing up the school grounds at French MS on April 26th. We had many volunteers working on our landscaping, painting rails, planting trees, building shed, replacing tennis backboards and fixing our long jump area. The volunteers worked hard all morning helping to beautify our campus. We really appreciated their time and dedication in support of French MS and public schools!

One hundred schools in Kansas are recognized with a Challenge Award. The Challenge Awards recognize schools for outstanding achievement and uncommon accomplishments of students based on the Kansas Assessment Program (KAP) results in math and reading, especially those students of an ethnic minority group and who qualify for free and reduced-price meals. The graduation rates when calculating high school results and chronic absenteeism rates for middle and high schools are also included in the award criteria. These students are making a notable difference in their achievement despite facing significant challenges in their school population. TPS was awarded six of the one hundred Challenge Awards. Be sure to congratulate the incredibly hard working teachers at these six schools and ESPECIALLY FRENCH!

• Landon Middle School

• Lowman Hill Elementary School

• Marjorie French Middle School

• McCarter Elementary School

• McEachron Elementary School

• Scott Dual Language Magnet

8th graders, are you ready for a magical night under the sea? Get ready to dive into a night full of shimmering lights, sea-inspired elegance, and dancing beneath the waves! We hope that 8th graders can join us for our “Under the Sea” dance! The dance is scheduled for May 9th from 6:30-8:30pm. The 8th grade dance is for French 8th graders only, no outside guests are allowed at middle school dances Tickets will cost $3 per person. 8th graders must have eligibility points to attend this dance. We hope to see all of our 8th graders at the dance this year. This should be a fun night for all!

The week of May 5 to 9 we will be celebrating our staff! Each day will have special events with the overall theme of the week Beach/Tropical. If you would like to help with donations for prizes or treats, see the attached flyer for details.

We are looking for a secretary for our PTO, will that be you? Middle school PTO is low key in comparison to elementary school. We meet once a month for no more than 1 hour. The principal and teachers give reports about what we are currently working on in school. Plans are made for special events - T-shirt sales, food for dances, Teacher Appreciation, a meal during conferences, etc. We welcome ALL parents/guardians to come to the meetings to learn more about French. Meetings are the second Thursday of each month in the commons. For more information, the current president is Tracy Galloway, tracy.gallaway81@gmail.com.

PTO is funding the Ever Present Falcon drawings that will be held in May. If a student has at least 90% attendance for the previous month, they get a treat at lunch and their name goes into a drawing for $100 gift card, 1 for each grade level.

Orchestra

The French Middle School Orchestras have two exciting concerts coming up in May!

• Friday, May 2: The 6th and 7th hour orchestras will perform at the State Contest, held at White Concert Hall. The French Orchestra will take the stage at 10:45 AM.

• Thursday, May 15 (6:30 PM at French MS): Join us for our final concert of the year at French Middle School! All of our orchestras will perform, concluding with a special glow-in-the-dark finale featuring all three groups.

We hope to see you there to support our talented musicians!

Band

We are excited to announce that the FMS Band Spring Concert will be held on Monday, May 12, at 6:30 p.m. in the French Middle School Gym. Band members should arrive by 5:45 p.m. to warm up and tune.

The concert will feature performances by:

• The 6th Grade Band

• The 7th/8th Grade Band

• The 7th/8th Grade Percussion Ensemble

Concert Attire: Students should dress nicely to help us present a professional appearance.

• Girls: A nice pair of pants or a long skirt (knee-length or longer) with a blouse, or a dress (knee-length or longer).

• 
  

  Boys: Nice slacks with a dress shirt or a sweater. A tie is encouraged but not required.

  Please do not wear tennis shoes, shorts, jeans, or T-shirts.

  
  

Attendance is required for all band members, as this performance serves as their final exam for the semester. We encourage you to bring the whole family and enjoy a wonderful evening of music! If you have any questions, feel free to contact Mr. Evans at 785-633-8922, 785-438-4045, or by email at bevans@tps501.org. We look forward to seeing you at the concert!

Choir

The French Middle School Choirs will present their spring concert jointly with Jardine Middle School Choirs on Monday, May 12th. The concert will begin at 6:30 pm in the Jardine Middle School Commons. The concert will feature the Jardine 6th Grade Choir directed by Mrs. Rowe, and the combined 6th-8th Grade French & 7th/8th Grade Jardine Choirs under the direction of Mr. Stipcak. Both choirs will present seasonal works from both winter and spring that we have worked on all of the second semester. Please join us on May 12th at Jardine Middle School to celebrate our students' wonderful singing talents!

Mr. Stipcak

Get ready for the most unforgettable event of the year — Night of the Rising Stars is happening on Wednesday, May 22nd, from 6:00–8:00 PM!

This special celebration is just for our amazing 6th, 7th, and 8th graders who have shown outstanding behavior and academic achievement. To receive an invitation, students must meet the following criteria:

• No more than one office referral

• No out-of-school suspensions

• Good academic standing

• Sufficient eligibility points

  
  

  
  

Invitations will be going out this month — so keep an eye out!

We’re rolling out the red carpet for a night filled with music, dancing, delicious food, a chocolate fountain, cotton candy, fun games, awesome prizes, and the always-popular Say Cheese photo booth! It’s our biggest party of the year, and we can’t wait to celebrate with you.

We need your help!

Let’s make this a night to remember! ✨

Join us for the Save the City Rally on May 15th in the FMS commons and gym! Our 8th grade students will be showcasing their ideas on how to make Topeka a better place. Presentations will take place from 3:00 to 4:00 PM. Come support these young changemakers and hear their innovative solutions for our community!

As the sports year comes to an end some things to keep in mind for the upcoming year.

-Sports are only offered to eligible 7th and 8th graders.

-Students wishing to participate in athletics must pass 5 classes from the previous quarter. In the case of next year, that would be their grades from the 4th quarter this year, not final overall grade. Summer school does not count for this rule. If you did not pass 5 classes, you are not eligible to participate.

-Students will need to have a sports physical signed by a doctor dated after May 1st in order to be allowed to play for that school year. Forms and information can be found at http://www.topekapublicschools.net/

Or

http://kshsaa.org/

-Stay active over the summer months. It will be much easier on your body at the start of the school sports season if you are in shape. Some easy exercises to do at home are sit-ups, push-ups, lunges, stretching and jogging. See our school’s website for some examples on how to stay in shape and be ready for our upcoming sports season.

Have a fun and productive summer. Stay safe!

A sensory diet is a unique plan used to meet an individual’s sensory input needs. For example, some people may feel overwhelmed and need calm sensory input to relax. Others may be tired or sluggish and need movement activities to become alert. The goal of a sensory diet is to meet the nervous system’s needs which can help to calm and regulate a person so that they are better able to focus, be attentive, and interact with others.

Some summer sensory input activities include:

Lifting, pushing and pulling

• Swimming

• Playing hopscotch

• Vacuuming

• Pushing/pulling a stroller, cart, or wagon

Spinning or Swinging

• Lying in a hammock

• Rolling

• Dancing

• Jumping jacks

Touching

• Hand massages

• High fives

• Messy play

• Crocheting, knitting, sewing

Auditory

• Listening to music

• Listening to sounds in nature

• Using noise canceling headphones

• Playing an instrument

Visual

• Organizing clutter

• Keeping a space clean

Smell

• Smelling calming scents

• Smelling flowers

• Sniffing different herbs and spices

• For those who do not like scents - find smell less products to use

Taste

• Eat crunchy foods if you like to chew

• Or chewy foods such as beef jerky or marshmallows

• Popsicles, ice cubes and straws are great for people who like sensory input by sucking or licking

Each person’s sensory diet will be different and specific to their unique sensory input needs. By meeting these needs people can feel calmer and in control of their emotions. This can be especially helpful for children who may experience difficulty transitioning from their school routine and into the summer.

Enrollment for the 2025-2026 school year is now open at topekapublicschools.net! 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 is available at topekapublicschools.net. View the 2025-2026 Academic Calendar here.

As a reminder, returning families will register their students through the Synergy Student Information System and by logging in to ParentVue. If you're an incoming 6th grader currently attending a 501 School, you are a returning student and not a new student. Families new to Topeka Public Schools will follow the steps to create a new account and register.

For questions about online registration or your ParentVue account, please email SISHelp@tps501.org or call 785-438-4750 between 7:30 AM - 4:30 PM for assistance.

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). Students will be required to provide proof of immunizations within 30 days of the start of school in the fall. Letters will be mailed home in May for the students who need to provide proof of immunization to the school nurse.

If your student has brought medication to school this year, please make arrangements with the nurse to have these medications picked up by a parent/guardian prior to the last day of school. Any medication not picked up by the last day of school will be destroyed, as they are NOT stored over the summer.

Health &/or Medical forms are required to be completed each school year. This includes Crisis Plans, Medication forms and Health History forms. Forms may be found on the district website https://www.topekapublicschools.net/departments/health_services or you may contact the nurse at the beginning of the school year to discuss student health history or current conditions to determine which forms may be needed.

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 You may contact GraceMed directly at (785) 861-8800 or via their website: https://gracemed.org

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.