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Fair Haven Union Middle School
January 14, 2024
Notes from the Principal
Dear Families,
As hard as it may be to believe, we’re quickly approaching what I like to call the “Spring Sprint.” This is a busy time of year when there’s always something happening, and it can be tough to keep track of it all.
Here are some important dates and updates to help you stay organized:
Upcoming Schedule
- Early Release Day: Friday, January 17
- No School: Monday, January 20 (Martin Luther King Jr. Day)
- End of Quarter 2: Friday, January 24
- Middle School Specials Switch: Monday, January 27
Student-Led Conferences
During early release days, our middle school teachers have been preparing for Student-Led Conferences (SLCs). These conferences, which we’re excited to bring back, offer students the chance to take ownership of their learning by reflecting on their classes, strengths, challenges, and goals.
Here’s how it works:
- Students create a slideshow to share their reflections and goals.
- During the conference, students lead the conversation with their families while advisors circulate and join in as needed.
- If you have questions that aren’t addressed, advisors can pass them on to the appropriate teacher.
This process helps build stronger connections between students, families, and staff. While it may not be perfect right away, it’s a meaningful step toward empowering students and fostering community.
Lifetime Activities (LTA)
This spring, we’re excited to bring back Lifetime Activities, a fun way for students to explore new interests and strengthen community connections. We run two sessions. Each session is comprised of three Friday afternoons and occurs within the normal school hours.
- Session 1: March 28, April 4, and April 11
- Session 2 (tentative): May 16, May 30, and June 6
Here’s what to expect:
- Teachers will offer a variety of activities.
- Students will choose their top three preferences, and we’ll do our best to assign them to one of their choices for the session.
- A session includes three Friday afternoons.
- Some activities will be off-campus and may require permission slips.
Through these sessions, we aim to inspire curiosity, strengthen connections, and create a stronger sense of community.
Spring Assessments
Spring also brings VTCAP testing for middle school students.
- 7th & 8th Grade: ELA and Math assessments
- 8th Grade Only: VT Science Assessment
We’ll share more details about dates and how to help your child prepare. While testing is only one measure of student learning, it provides valuable insights for students, educators, and the school. Encourage your child to give their best effort, persist, and stay focused during these assessments.
Additionally, we’ll administer local assessments to continue tracking student growth. More information on these will be shared soon.
Chromebook Use
A quick reminder about Chromebooks:
- Students can take their Chromebooks home to work on assignments, but they should primarily be used for school-related activities like email, Google Drive, and classwork.
- Misuse (e.g., games or non-educational videos) can drain the battery and lead to unpreparedness for the next school day.
- Please remind your child to handle their Chromebook carefully, as we’ve seen an increase in damage.
If a Chromebook isn’t needed at home, students should leave it in the school’s charging station to ensure it’s ready for the next day.
Thank you for your support as we head into this busy and exciting time of year.
Sincerely,
Jennefer Paquette
FHUMHS Co-Principal
Night of the Elephant - Thursday, January 23rd
Night of the Elephant Talent Show
We are excited to announce our upcoming talent show, Night of the Elephant, taking place on January 23, 2025! (working on a time) This event promises to be a night filled with incredible performances, showcasing the diverse talents of our school community. This opportunity has been shared with students since before break through announcements and with flyers posted in the hallways.
Registration deadline for performers was January 8th.
Auditions were on January 9th.
Family and friends are warmly encouraged to attend and cheer on our talented performers. Let’s show our support and make this a memorable evening for everyone!
We look forward to an enchanting night that celebrates the unique talents of our school community. If you have any questions or need further information, feel free to reach out to Samantha Adams, sadams@svuvt.org
Night of the Elephant Art Competition
Along with the talent show, there will be an art competition the same evening. All student artwork welcome. Art pieces accepted until Wednesday, January 15th at the end of the school day. Any questions on this portion of the evening can be directed to Alyssa McMahon at amcmahon@svuvt.org
Design Class
Design students made the most of the two day week by building Spaghetti Towers in preparation of starting their larger Future City projects the week of January 6th.
Eligibility Check - Jan 24th
Important Notice: Marking Period 2 and Eligibility Check
The end of Marking Period 2 is approaching on January 24th, which is also the date of our next eligibility check. With the winter sports season in full swing, we want to remind students and families about the guidelines for maintaining eligibility for participation in athletics and clubs.
Eligibility Guidelines
Academic Performance Requirements
- Students failing (below 2.5) more than one class at the time of the eligibility check will be deemed ineligible.
- Ineligible students may:
- Attend practices only after completing 45 minutes of Academic Success for a minimum of 8 days.
- Participate in practices with a pass from the Academic Success monitor after fulfilling the above requirement.
- Ineligible students may not:
- Travel with the team or club.
- Wear any part of the uniform.
- Sit with or assist the team/club during games or performances until their Academic Success requirements are met and academic standing improves.
- Once eligibility requirements are met, full participation in co-curricular activities may resume.
Attendance Requirements
- Students must be present for the entire school day to participate in co-curricular activities.
- Students are ineligible if they:
- Cut classes.
- Arrive late to school.
- Leave early.
- Exception: Students with medical appointments may participate if they provide appropriate documentation for the absence.
Our Commitment to Academic Success
These guidelines emphasize that learning is the top priority for all students and serve as the foundation for all school-related activities, including athletics and clubs. We value the role of extracurricular involvement and aim to balance support with accountability.
While eligibility checks are in place, our ultimate goal is to help students develop consistent study habits that allow them to monitor their academic progress and grow continuously—rather than making last-minute efforts to meet participation requirements.
Thank you for your partnership in supporting this goal. Together, we can help students achieve their best both academically and beyond the classroom.
Developmental Basketball Program through VT State University with Paul Culpo
Mrs. Haley & Amigos de Honduras
After a 10 year break, Mrs. Haley is traveling back to Honduras with a New Hampshire Rotary Club. Mrs. Haley started traveling to Honduras when she was 17 years old, as a senior at FHU. She has been to Honduras on 7 different Rotary trips and is excited to travel there again in 2025! While there, she will help provide medical and dental care to residents of remote villages, work on a construction project (generally a school) and install water purification systems in Honduran homes. This year's trip is from January 25th - February 2nd and over the course of the week the team, of about 30 members, will see well over 1,800 patients, complete as much of a build as possible and install many water filters serving dozens of families. On January 3 and January 7th, Mrs. Haley did a presentation to 7th and 8th grade students sharing the purpose of her trip and the work there.
Stay Connected - Slate Valley Listserv & Slate Valley App
FHUMS PTO
Join us on Facebook or at our next meeting! Thank you all for supporting our Slater Middle School Students! If you have any questions about the Middle School PTO, or their events, please reach out to the individuals listed below.
NEXT MEETING IS January 16th.
Officers:
President: Kim Lemois, berlyJay06@comcast.net
Vice President: Ashley Bruce, Abruce86@icloud.com
Treasurer: Nicole Rice, nicole.rice1515@gmail.com
Secretary: Amanda Crowningshield, galvin1110@yahoo.com
Participate virtually through this link: FHMS Monthly Meeting Link
🏅FormReleaf Sports Registration for 24/25
The 2024-2025 Sports Registration (on Formreleaf.com) is open for the Fall 2024, the Winter 2024-2025 and the Spring 2025 athletics for grades 7-12.
Please be aware that all athletes MUST have an UP TO DATE Physical form on file. Slate Valley School District recommends a yearly check up, but the VPA rules are every two years.
Ben Worthing, High School Principal ~ bworthing@svuvt.org
33 Mechanic Street
Fair Haven, VT 05743
(802)265-4966, ext 2503