Friendly Friday Update

Please continue to check your students' grades, it is making a difference. However, we are entering the most difficult time of year for students as Spring begins and the weather starts to warm up. Students have done a terrific job getting their assignments finished in their various classes and they are seeing the results in their grades. Thank you for being diligent with grades throughout the year and for your assistance in helping us prepare your student for high school!

If you are picking up your student early at school, we will call them out of class once you are in the office. We are trying to make sure they receive all the instruction they need before leaving.

• April 25 - District Choir Festival, 7 p.m.
  
• April 26 - No school, Professional Development
• May 7 - Art Show Open House, 5:30-7:30 p.m.
• May 7 - Grades 5-8 Band Concert, 6 p.m.
• May 8 - LGBTQ+ Parent/Guardian Meeting @ Heritage, 6 p.m.
• May 9 - Grades 5 & 6 Orchestra Concert, 6:30 p.m.

We would greatly appreciate donations of spiral notebooks and backpacks (new or gently used). Please drop off any items to the main office, thank you!

Who: 7th Grade Choir Students and Parents/Guardians

What: The second-annual District 197 Choir Festival Concert

When: Thursday, April 25th (two parts: daytime field trip and the evening concert)

Details: Students will leave Friendly Hills at 9:15 a.m. and arrive at Two Rivers by 9:30 a.m. Once there, they will rehearse with the high school chamber choir and Mr. Countryman. The evening concert is at 7 p.m.

Complete information is on the permission slip, which has been sent home via Campus email, Talking Points, and given to your student via hard copy. Please sign and return by April 23rd in whatever way is easiest for you.

Do not hesitate to contact me with any questions.

Thank you!

Ms. Pearson

The PTA's Teacher Appreciation Committee is requesting gift card donations from FHMS families as part of Teacher Appreciation Week, May 6-10. We are looking for a total of 50 gift cards in denominations ranging from $10-$20 (essentially covering the cost of a purchase).

Possible locations:

• Local coffee shops
• Local fast food establishments
• Target, Amazon, Barnes & Noble, Walmart
• Gas stations
• Movie theaters, etc.

Families can drop off gift cards in the office or send a financial donation via PayPal (friendlyhillspta@gmail.com) or Venmo (@FriendlyHillsPTA) with "teacher appreciation" in the description. Donation deadline is Friday, May 3. Thanks for your generosity!

Parents/guardians are welcome to come during school hours to retrieve their student's items from the lost and found. Please check in at the office.

Reminder: starting the week of April 15th, students in grades 5 – 8 will begin their MCA Assessments. It is helpful for students to have a good night’s sleep the night before and breakfast the day of testing (breakfast is served daily at FHMS from 8:30 - 8:45am and is free). Please remind your student to charge their iPad. They will be taking their assessment using their iPad. Students will need to bring headphones for testing as well. Please help your child remember headphones. Airpods ARE NOT able to be used for testing, they must be wired plug-in headphones. They are also not allowed to have cell phones in the testing room, or smart watches with them while testing. We ask all students to either leave their devices and smart watches at home or lock them in their lockers.

Testing dates are as follows:

• April 16: MCA Reading Grades 5-8; (during their scheduled Language Arts class)
• April 17: MCA Reading Grades 5-8; (during their scheduled Language Arts class)
• April 18: MCA Reading Grades 5-8; (during their scheduled Language Arts class)

• April 23: MCA Math Grades 5-8; (during their scheduled Math class)
• April 24: MCA Math Grades 5-8; (during their scheduled Math class)
• April 25: MCA Math Grades 5-8; (during their scheduled Math class)

• May 7: MCA Science Grades 5 and 8 only; (during their scheduled Science class)
• May 8: MCA Science Grades 5 and 8 only; (during their scheduled Science class)

Respect. Readiness. Relationships. Responsibility.

Friendly Hills Middle School educates students in grades 5-8 and is part of the tight-knit community of Independent School District 197.

Follow ISD197 on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter!

#TogetherWeThrive197

Email: christopher.hiti@isd197.org
Website: friendlyhills.isd197.org
Location: 701 Mendota Heights Road, Mendota Heights, MN, USA
Phone: 651-403-7600
Facebook: facebook.com/FriendlyHillsMS

Instagram: @friendlyhillsmiddle