The FAST Flyer

Teasing is a common social challenge for middle school students, as peer interactions become more complex during adolescence. While some teasing may be lighthearted, it can often escalate into more hurtful behavior, causing distress. Helping middle school students develop strategies to cope with teasing is essential for their emotional well-being and resilience. Here are some strategies:

1. Teach Emotional Regulation

• Help Students Stay Calm: Encourage students to practice staying calm in the face of teasing. Techniques like deep breathing, counting to 10, or mentally stepping back from the situation can prevent immediate emotional reactions, which may fuel further teasing.

• Validate Their Feelings: Let students know it’s normal to feel hurt, angry, or upset by teasing. Validating their emotions helps them feel understood and supported, which is key to building resilience.

2. Promote Self-Confidence

• Focus on Strengths: Help students build confidence by encouraging them to focus on their strengths and interests. When students have a strong sense of self-worth, they are less likely to be affected by negative comments.

• Positive Self-Talk: Teach students to counter negative teasing with positive self-talk. For example, if they are teased about their appearance, help them practice affirming statements like “I like who I am, and that’s what matters.”

3. Teach Assertive Responses

• Respond Without Reacting: One of the most effective ways to handle teasing is through assertive, non-reactive responses. Students can be taught to say something like “That’s not funny to me” or simply walk away without showing strong emotion. This often deflates the teaser, who may be seeking a reaction.

• Using Humor: In some cases, light humor can be a way to diffuse teasing. For instance, if teased about a haircut, a student might say something like “Well, at least it’s unique!” This shows confidence and deflects further negative comments.

4. Encourage Seeking Help

• Know When to Involve an Adult: It’s important to help students recognize when teasing crosses the line into bullying. If the teasing is persistent or becomes cruel, students should feel empowered to seek help from a trusted adult, whether it’s a teacher, counselor, or parent.

• Create Safe Spaces for Discussion: Encourage open communication at school and home. Students should feel comfortable discussing their experiences without fear of being dismissed or misunderstood. Let them know that asking for help isn’t a sign of weakness.

5. Teach Perspective-Taking

• Understanding Why Teasers Tease: Sometimes, understanding the motivations behind teasing can help students feel less affected. Explain that teasers may be insecure themselves, seeking attention, or not understanding the impact of their words. This doesn’t excuse the behavior but helps students depersonalize it.

• Encourage Empathy: Encourage students to think about how their words affect others, promoting a culture of kindness. By fostering empathy, students are more likely to support each other in teasing situations and create a more positive social environment.

6. Role-Play and Practice

• Practice Responses to Teasing: Role-playing different teasing scenarios can help students practice how to respond. This builds their confidence in handling difficult interactions when they arise in real life.

• Teach De-escalation Strategies: Students should be taught how to defuse situations rather than escalating them. Avoiding retaliation and showing maturity in the face of teasing can sometimes stop the behavior altogether.

7. Foster a Supportive Peer Group

• Encourage Positive Friendships: Having a strong, supportive group of friends can buffer the effects of teasing. Encourage students to develop friendships with peers who share similar interests and values, as these friends can offer support when teasing occurs.

• Teach Bystander Intervention: Encourage students to stand up for others who are being teased. Bystanders who speak up can prevent teasing from escalating. Teaching students how to intervene safely (e.g., by redirecting a conversation or expressing disapproval) creates a more inclusive environment.

8. Address Online Teasing (Cyberbullying)

• Discuss Digital Etiquette: With the rise of social media, teasing often extends beyond the school walls into the digital realm. Teach students how to handle online teasing by blocking or reporting individuals, avoiding unnecessary online confrontations, and understanding when to seek adult help.

• Encourage Digital Balance: Encourage students to limit screen time and engage in positive, real-life activities to avoid the negative effects of constant online interaction, which can amplify teasing.

9. Model Healthy Responses

• Adults Should Model Appropriate Reactions: Whether it’s a parent or teacher, adults should model how to handle difficult situations with calmness, respect, and confidence. This gives students a reference point for handling teasing maturely.

• Share Personal Experiences: Sharing stories of how adults or older students dealt with teasing or bullying can provide relatable examples. These stories can illustrate resilience and positive ways to handle adversity.

10. Build a Positive School Environment

• Promote Anti-Bullying Policies: Schools should have clear anti-bullying policies and a zero-tolerance stance toward teasing and harassment. Regular discussions about kindness, inclusivity, and the impact of words help create a more supportive school culture.

• Encourage Peer Support Programs: Programs like peer mediation, buddy systems, or counseling groups give students opportunities to discuss social challenges like teasing in a supportive environment.

By empowering middle school students with the tools to handle teasing effectively, we help them build resilience, self-confidence, and strong social skills that will serve them well throughout their lives. Equipping them with strategies to manage teasing fosters emotional well-being and a more positive peer culture.

This is a friendly reminder that all volunteers on campus are required to complete the Mandated Reporter Training before participating in any school activities. This training must be completed at least every two years. You can find the training on our school website, and we encourage you to complete it as soon as possible. Thank you for your cooperation and continued support in making our school a safe and welcoming place for everyone.

We are excited to share that the FAST family grew even bigger this week as two of our staff members welcomed new additions to their families. Paraprofessional, Ms. Huff gave birth to her third child this week. The very next day, Mr. Torres, our coding teacher, and his wife welcomed their second child. Please join us in wishing both families all the best as they embrace the joy of their new little Astros.

Your child's Fall MAP (Measures of Academic Progress) scores were sent home yesterday with your student. These tests are administered three times a year—fall, winter, and spring—to help us assess where each student is academically, identify any gaps, and provide the necessary support for their growth.

The MAP assessments are just one of the tools we use to tailor instruction to meet your child’s individual needs. If you have any questions about the scores or how they are used to support your child’s learning, please feel free to reach out to your child’s teacher.

The results of the Spring 2023-2024 Milestones are now available to parents. You can access your child's individual score through the parent portal. Please note that due to the changes in curriculum last year, math scores are not yet available. They are expected to be released next month. Please refer to this document for instructions on how to access your child's scores.

Students should never be walking between or behind cars during carpool. This is a serious safety issue. Students should only load and unload on the passenger side of cars. If you are asked to pull around to the holding area, please be sure to pull into a parking space to load your student. We understand this may seem unnecessary and take a few extra minutes; however, we cannot risk having a student hit by a car.

Morning carpool: Students are expected to be in class by 7:40am or they are considered late. Simply being on campus and in the carpool line is not considered on time for school. We are experiencing a large volume of cars in the last few minutes before school starts which makes it nearly impossible to get all of the students unloaded and to their classroom on time. Please be sure that you are allowing yourself time to navigate the carpool queue for your student to be on time to school.

Check out these fall break camps offered by FAST business sponsor Little Yogis.

ABSENCES: Please report student absences to both attendance@fastk8.org and your student's homeroom teacher. You may send doctors' notes for absences directly to attendance@fastk8.org

TRANSPORTATION CHANGES: If your child’s transportation arrangements need to change for the day, please notify both your child's homeroom teacher and Ms. Cadogan at gail.cadogan@fastk8.org by no later than 11:30am.

CURRICULUM/CLASSROOM CONCERNS: If you have questions or concerns regarding your child's class, your first point of contact should be your child’s classroom teacher. If further clarification or assistance is needed, you can contact the respective assistant principal (anesha.james@fastk8.org or elementary or demetria.walker@fastk8.org for middle school.)

TRANSPORTATION CHANGES: If your student will have a change to their afternoon transportation (whether it is for a day or long-term), please be sure that you are communicating any changes to your student's afternoon dismissal to both their homeroom teacher and Ms. Cadogan (gail.cadogan@fastk8.org).

There is currently an uptick in Covid in the area. If you have Covid in your home and your child is not feeling well, we encourage you to keep them home to avoid spreading it at school. Please keep in mind that if a student is running a fever they are expected to remain out of school until they have been fever free without the use of medication for a full 24 hours.

Please remember that FAST is a nut free school. Students should not bring any foods for lunch or snack that contain any nut products including, but not limited to, peanut butter or almond butter.

This is a serious risk to those students with severe allergies. Your cooperation in this matter is appreciated.

As a reminder students are not permitted to use their cell phones or Bluetooth devices throughout the day. Students who have a cell phone out after school begins at 7:40am through 3pm will have their phone confiscated for the day. Please remind your students of this policy so that you will not have to come to the office to retrieve their phone.

Students must be in homeroom by 7:40am each day. Please be sure that you are allowing time to navigate carpool and your student to get to class on time. If you arrive after 8am, you will need to come into Innovation Hall to sign in your student.

Early dismissals are not permitted after 2:40pm (M-Th, 1:40pm Fridays). If you need to pick up your child for any reason, please plan accordingly.

All students are expected to be in full uniform every day. The full uniform code can be found on our website at: https://www.fastk8.org/fast-apparel-and-supplies/

Students who are not in full uniform will have their parents contacted.

Due to a Membership Toolkit Error with the update of the 2024-2025 class lists, not all parents received the newsletter. If you did not receive the newsletter please follow the process below.

The FAST PTO uses Membership Toolkit for our directory, event registrations and online sales throughout the year.

At the beginning of each year, it is important that all parents update their information to continue to receive PTO communications.

IF YOU ARE RETURNING TO FAST, please log into Membership Toolkit to update your family contact info:

• Go to https://fastk8pto.membershiptoolkit.com/
• Click on the "Login" button.
• Click "My Account"
• Update your Parent and Student Information
• Once complete, you will be presented with forms for PTO Back to School Packet. This packet includes information on joining the PTO, spirit wear order forms, volunteer opportunities and more!
• Download the Membership Toolkit app on your apple or android device for quick access anytime!

IF YOU ARE NEW TO FAST, please create a free Membership Toolkit account by following these steps:

• Go to https://fastk8pto.membershiptoolkit.com/
• Select "Create Account" and enter the name, email, and password information.
• Click "Verify My Email" and then check your email for a link to complete the process. The link expires in 2 hours. If you do not receive the email, check your spam or junk folders.
• Once you have verified your email address, log back in and finish the registration process.
  • Complete the Parent/Family and Student Information.
  • Complete the Directory/Publish Preferences.
  • Once these forms are complete, you will be presented with forms for PTO Back to School Packet. This packet includes information on joining the PTO, spirit wear order forms, volunteer opportunities, and more!
• Download the Membership Toolkit app on your apple or android device for quick access anytime!

Questions? - If your 2024-2025 membership is not correct or you have any other questions, please don't hesitate to contact us at pto@fastk8.org

Our PTO Membership Drive has started for the 2024-2025 school year! Please join us in making a difference in our FAST school community. By becoming a member of the PTO, you can become an important part of supporting our school. PTO memberships raise funds that support FAST students and staff. This includes programs like field day, our learning garden, school assemblies, teacher grants, staff appreciation events, and more! This annual membership drive is our main fundraiser for the school year.

The FAST Family PTO is a non-profit organization, composed of volunteers, focused on supporting the educational experience of all FAST students.

The new school year is quickly approaching and we need a few great volunteers! Please reach out by contacting pto@fastk8.org to find out more.

What's a PTO volunteer? ANYONE who can help out within their capacity. We are looking for parents who can lead projects to parents that can volunteer an hour here or there. There is something for everyone!

Why volunteer? You are providing valuable support and building the FAST community! Be a positive impact to our school by clicking below to learn more.

Sept. 2: Labor Day (SCHOOL CLOSED)

Sept. 3-4: Professional Development (STUDENTS OFF)

Sept. 13: Spirit Night @ Sweet Charlie's

Sept. 24: Town Hall with Ms. Miller

Oct. 10: School Picture Day

Oct. 14:-15: Fall Break (STUDENTS OFF)

Oct. 16: Parent/teacher conferences (STUDENTS OFF)

FAST leverages various means of communications to keep our families up to date with what is happening at school. Since most people are on social media, we post to different platforms to keep you up to date. If you aren't already following us, check us out on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.

To keep up to date with the most recent information available from our district offices, please click on the image below.

Email: info@fastk8.org
Website: www.fastk8.org
Location: 11365 Crabapple Road, Roswell, GA, USA
Phone: 678-321-1100
Facebook: facebook.com/FASTK8.School/
Twitter: @fastk8charter

The FAST Flyer is the electronic newsletter at FAST. Feedback is always welcome. If you have any questions, please call the school (678-321-1100) or email the FAST Communications Director at marie.emerson@fastk8.org.