FUEL School Newsletter

Dear FUEL Families,

The after-school club season is really heating up this week at FUEL - Girls on The Run will begin on Tuesdays/Thursdays, Playlabs & FUEL Robotics are up-and-running, and we have four Ferndale Youth Assistance mini-clubs run by FUEL staff beginning this week. Please check back through your FUEL announcements in ROOMS - or see the Student Groups box below - for more information. Please also remember to make sure your student is aware of their after-school plans each and every day - that is part of the growing independence for 3rd-5th grade students!

I hope to see many of you at the Ferndale School Board Candidate Forum scheduled for this Monday, September 30th at 7 pm @ Ferndale Lower. See the flyer here and the PTA box below for more information - please remember this is an excellent opportunity for you to learn more about the candidates courtesy of our PTA Advocacy Committee.

It's also important that you take a moment to read through the PTA box below for reminders about our big K-5 Field Day & Walk-A-Thon event on Wednesday, October 9th. Volunteer sign-up is HERE and closes very soon - if you would like to support the event, be sure to sign-up ASAP.

Finally, please remember to contact me via Rooms, email, or phone if you need anything. We are here for you!

See you soon!

- Mrs. Jeffrey

We are dedicated this year to working on our students’ social-emotional growth in addition to their academic growth. This week we continue with Module 1: Building Our School/Class Family. Our focus this week:

Self-Regulation & Motivation: Intrinsic v. Extrinsic

This is an interesting article that I like to share from Psychology Today on rewards for students and intrinsic motivation - important in both parenting and education! “Motivating Children Without Rewards”

**5th Grade Band/Orchestra Schedule beginning 9/23; 5th Grade STEMi Field Trips - all week

**FYA Clubs begin this week - contact lead teachers for more information

• Mon. 9/30 - YMCA Sportport, 3:45-5:15 pm; FPS School Board Candidate Forum, 7 pm @ Lower
• Tues. 10/1 - Girls on the Run begins

**Save the Date: K-5 Walk-A-Thon & Field Day, Wednesday, 10/9, 9-12:30 pm

The following student groups have started (or will be starting) in the coming weeks:

• FUEL Robotics - contact Mr. Fennig for information - maisson.fennig@ferndaleschools.org
• Playlabs - begins 9/23; contact - Michigan Stage
• Girls on the Run - begins 10/1 - contact: Coach Sophie, sophie.martin@ferndaleschools.org
• PACE Boys' Running Club - begins 10/7
• FYA Clubs:
• 4th & 5th Grade Photography Club - contact Mrs. Fox - kristiana.fox@ferndaleschools.org
• 5th Grade Walking & Tutoring Club - contact Mr. Davis - vaughn.davis@ferndaleschools.org
• All Grades Board Games & Books Club - contact Mrs. Jones & Mrs. Carp - melanie.jones@ferndaleschools.org & lauren.carp@ferndaleschools.org
• 3rd Grade Girls STEAM Club - contact Mrs. Nagaj - shannon.nagaj@ferndaleschools.org

This week we welcome our new Student Support Coordinator, Denazia Pettway, from our Communities in Schools partnership. More info coming soon!

Ferndale Elementary PTA's events and meetings are open to all our school families!

To learn more about FE PTA:

Facebook: fb.me/FerndaleElementaryPTA

Email: ferndale.elem.pta@gmail.com

Instagram: instagram.com/ferndale_elementary_pta

Website: ferndaleschools.org/page/parent-organizations

To become a FE PTA member: ferndaleelementarypta.givebacks.com/store

Upcoming FE PTA Events - Everyone is welcome!

Board of Education Candidate Forum

September 30, 2024 7PM Location: FLower

This year there are three open seats for the Ferndale Board of Education. The FE PTA Advocacy Committee invites everyone to attend our Candidate Forum to meet the candidates, ask questions, hear their proposals, and prepare to VOTE! Everyone is welcome! Voter registration and childcare will be available. This is event is open to the public - please share the flyer: https://tinyurl.com/3u5x8u9p

Please RSVP and /or sign up for childcare at actionnetwork.org/events/ferndale candidate-forum/

FE PTA Meeting

October 8, 2024 6:30-8:00PM Location: FUEL

Come and learn about other groups in the District serving families and students. Onsite, free babysitting available.

Walk-A-Thon and Field Day

October 9, 2024 8:30AM-12:30PM Location: FUEL

This fun-filled event brings our two elementary schools together for games, physical fitness challenges, and a picnic lunch!

This is also the FE PTA’s fall fundraiser. Students will participate in our Walk-A-Thon – how many laps can they complete? We have a goal of raising $10,000, which provides every student with a school t-shirt for field trips and spirit days and supports our programming throughout the year.

Pledge forms will be in student folders this week. You can also donate online: app.givebacks.gives/feptafieldday2024. Please share the donation link with family, friends, and local businesses!

Volunteers needed! We need volunteers to make this day a success – from set up, overseeing stations, snack donations, and chaperones – there are so many ways to help! Sign up here to be a part of this fun event: https://tinyurl.com/yzhebsrc. Volunteer forms must be on file: https://www.ferndaleschools.org/forms/8271

Elementary Connections Group Updates

What is the Elementary Connections Group?

Please see the attached flyer for more information about the Elementary Connections Group.

For drop-off in the morning, please be sure to pull ALL the way up in the school driveway in the drop-off line. We will help students walk towards the entrance. This will help us to keep the line moving. Doors do not open until 8:20 am - there is no student supervision until 8:20 am. Also, please note that if students are not eating breakfast, they do not need to arrive at school until 8:28 pm. Students who arrive at 8:28 a.m. can head directly to their lockers and classrooms. Otherwise, students should report to the cafeteria for breakfast or to the gym. Car Line Safety Reminders HERE.

Please remember that the BUS driveway is ONLY for buses. This is a safety issue. Please only use the car line in the front of the building on Rosewood.

For pickup, please be sure to have your yellow identification card with student name and grade available and easy to see.

Please call the attendance line each day your child will be absent from school. Any absence will remain unexcused until the office has been notified. The teachers appreciate an email reminder, but you must still call the office. Please call the attendance line at 248.547.0880, press the #1 option & leave a message with a reason for the absence.

Thank you for helping to keep all of our students SAFE at FUEL by following our safe snack guidelines. This is a reminder that FUEL is a nut-, tree-nut, and sesame-restricted building - please double-check all ingredients before sending in a lunch or snack to school to ensure the safety of all students. Sample safe snack lists can be found ​here​. ​Reminder: NO food birthday treats this year due to our allergy policy.

If your student has a medical need, it is vitally important that our office staff and teachers are aware. Please complete the medical forms available in the main office (or in the link below) and return to school ASAP.

Medical Authorization Form & Medical Treatment Form

All adults interested in volunteering during the 2024-2025 school year must have a Volunteer Form on file. This form should be submitted at a minimum of two weeks prior to the event in order to accommodate processing times. No adult will be allowed to volunteer or chaperone unless they have an approved form on file. Forms are available at the link below. Please note: all volunteer forms must be turned into the main office. In addition, you only need to fill out a volunteer form for one school - it will then cover all FPS campuses.

Volunteer Form

Breakfast and Lunch are free again this year as part of the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP). Please return this form to school ASAP in place of the normal Free and Reduced Lunch application.

Household Information Form