CARDINAL CONNECTIONS

Email: bmarzano@fpschools.org
Website: https://franklinpiercehighschool.fpschools.org/
Location: 11002 18th Avenue East, Tacoma, WA 98445, USA
Phone: (253)298-3800
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/fphscards
Twitter: @FPHScards

March 21st--Multicultural Night!

April 1-4--Spring Conferences--3.5 Hour Early Release

April 7-11--Spring Break--No School

May 23-26--Memorial Day Break--No School

June 16--3.5 Hour Early Relase

June 17--3.5 Hour Early Release--Last Day of School.

Cardinals, it's time to select your classes for next year! Registration officially opens today, and students should have shared their course selections with families last week.

✅ Counselors will visit English classes this week to help students enter their course requests into Qmlativ.
✅ Students have until 11:59 PM on Sunday, March 23rd, to finalize and submit their selections.
✅ If you are absent during your counselor visit, it is especially important to log in and make your selections before the deadline.
✅ After March 23rd, counselors will finalize schedules based on graduation requirements.

⚠️ Schedule changes will be limited to extenuating circumstances, so please choose carefully!

📎 Attached to this message are two important resources to help guide your decisions:

• The 2025-26 Dual Credit Opportunities guide
• The Registration Presentation shared with students

If you have questions, reach out to your counselor.

Jostens will be on campus tomorrow, Tuesday, March 18th, from 11:30 AM to 2:30 PM in the Jostens Trailer, located in the front parking lot near the 1200 building. Seniors who ordered their cap and gown by March 1st are scheduled to receive their items during this first delivery.

Didn’t order yet? No worries! Additional deliveries will happen the week of May 15th, or items will be shipped directly to the address provided.

If you have any questions about your order, please reach out to Jostens directly.

Welcome to the third installment of Digital Wellness for Teens: Insights and Tips for Families. This week, we’re focusing on one of the most important (and overlooked) areas of teen health: sleep—and how screen time can disrupt it.

We all know how critical sleep is for teens’ growth, learning, and emotional well-being. But did you know that excessive screen time, especially before bed, can significantly impact the quality and amount of sleep teens are getting? Studies show that even 30 extra minutes of screen use before sleep can delay bedtime and reduce sleep duration, which in turn affects attention, mood, and academic success the next day.

Here’s a resource we recommend this week:
🛏️ https://www.rochesterregional.org/hub/teens-screen-time-sleep

This article by the Sleep Foundation provides an in-depth look at how technology use affects sleep and offers practical tips for setting healthy boundaries at home.

Why This Matters:

• 73% of teens report that they sleep with their phone next to their bed.
• Blue light from screens delays the release of melatonin, making it harder to fall asleep.
• Poor sleep is linked to lower academic performance and higher rates of anxiety and depression.

What Families Can Do:
✅ Establish screen-free zones or times—especially 30-60 minutes before bedtime.
✅ Encourage teens to use traditional alarm clocks instead of their phones.
✅ Talk as a family about the importance of unplugging to recharge.

Didn’t purchase your student’s photos when we had our picture days? Wish you had? You still can! School picture packages are still available to order through B&B/Perlers website by following this link: https://perlerphotography.simplephoto.com/. The code you need will be your student’s school ID number.

There will be a free vaccination clinic on Tuesday, April 2nd, at Ford Middle School from 4:00 PM – 7:00 PM. This is a great opportunity to get your student up to date on required vaccines. You can find more information and register here.

Questions? This event will be listed on the DOH Vaccinations website soon!

We’ve recently seen an increase in vaping and vandalism in the girls' restrooms. To help address this, we are asking all girls to leave their backpacks at the door when using the restroom. This same practice has already been in place in the boys' restrooms following a previous vandalism incident. Our goal is to ensure that all shared spaces are safe, clean, and respectful for everyone. Thank you for your understanding and support!

Franklin Pierce High School is looking for dedicated volunteers to make a difference in our school community. Whether you have a few hours to spare or want to get more involved, we’d love to have your support!

Interested? Reach out to Bonita Lee at blee@fpschools.org or call 253-298-3837. Click the button below to learn more about becoming an approved volunteer through the district. Let’s work together to make this school year unforgettable for our students! 🌟