Around 656

All Faribault Public Schools buildings will be following a two-hour early release schedule on Friday, October 4. Buses will also run two hours early.

• The Homecoming parade will begin at 2:15 p.m. and follow the usual route.
• The football game starts at 7 p.m. Tickets can be purchased at the door or on the GoFan App.
• McKinley half-day afternoon programs will be canceled.
• All Community School after-school programs will be canceled.
• Kid's World will open two hours early for registered families.

Go Falcons!

Mrs. Isaacson and Mrs. Mens' students got to sample books and figure out what genre the books were. We love it when our teachers get creative and make learning extra fun!

We are excited to introduce the 2024-2025 Faribault High School Peer Group Connection, featuring our dedicated juniors and seniors. This innovative cross-age mentoring program is designed specifically for 9th graders, helping them navigate the transition from middle to high school while fostering social and emotional skills.

Through 18 engaging weekly sessions, our 11th and 12th grade peer leaders will guide 9th graders in enhancing their student engagement and improving educational outcomes. Principal Joel Olson emphasizes the program's impact, stating, "This initiative creates a space for our students to build connections and ultimately achieve personal success within our school community."

Andrea Moyer’s 8th-grade AVID class got to learn from Jordan, a student-athlete from the University of Minnesota Twin Cities! Jordan shared that he was in the AVID program during his middle school and high school years. He spoke about academics, athletics, student expectations, and how AVID helps prepare students for the future. Then, as part of the College Football Playoff Foundation's Extra Yard for Teachers Week, and Big Day for Teachers, the U of M staff surprised Mrs. Moyer with a financial donation for her classroom. A representative shared, “We have selected Andrea Moyer because of her dedication to the AVID program and her commitment to making memorable experiences. We have enjoyed partnering with Andrea in these endeavors.” Mrs. Moyer was very surprised! The U of M even made a second donation to FMS Principal Stacy Fox to use for the building. What a great day!

Let's give a BIG shout-out to the Faribault Booster Club for partnering with the three elementary schools and the middle school on our PBIS and SOAR initiatives. PBIS is a proactive and positive classroom management system that not only creates a positive learning environment but also builds a positive school culture. Bri Isaacson, a 5th-grade teacher at Roosevelt Elementary School, presented to the Faribault Booster Club how both PBIS and student council go hand-in-hand. This proactive approach will help bring in more student voices, build leaders within our district, and inform more stakeholders in our schools and in our community. The Faribault Booster Club will order SOAR t-shirts for all our student council members at the elementary and middle school levels. Pictured below is our PBIS team at Roosevelt setting the bar high! Keep on SOARing, Faribault Falcons.

Jefferson Elementary School had their first SOAR Assembly of the school year! Students learned what it means to SOAR by being Safe, On-task, Accountable, and Respectful. Principal Jurrens did a skit with two students to show what it means to be accountable. Mrs. Cox swore in our safety patrols and had them demonstrate how to cross the street safely. We welcomed new staff, learned about the Golden Awards, led a SOAR cheer, and finished the assembly with our Jefferson School Song. It was a fun-filled afternoon!

Check out these Lincoln Elementary School SOAR Students of the Month for September! These outstanding students have been recognized for being safe, on task, accountable, and respectful throughout the month. From each classroom, one student has been chosen for their efforts in making our school a better place through their positive actions and attitudes. Help us congratulate these Falcons who truly SOAR!

Congratulations to our selected Roosevelt SOAR council who will help lead Roosevelt Elementary School and make a difference by being a voice for all students. Students were asked to turn in an application stating "why" they wanted to represent Roosevelt; a few students shared, "I care about making Roosevelt a better place to be for everyone;" "I want to be part of more events and be creative in our planning;" "I want to take Roosevelt even higher as we SOAR through the sky to success;" "I want every kid to have an amazing time at school." Roosevelt's SOAR council is led by: Mrs. Isaacson, Mrs. Mens, Mr. Ries, Mrs. Lund, and Mr. Vosejpka.

These 40 talented singers from FHS and FMS joined 500 students from various Minnesota schools to perform the Star-Spangled Banner before the Twins game. It was a fantastic opportunity for our students to showcase their talent on the field!

We want to determine the main reasons why parents and community members visit our website. What do you look for when you visit our site? Please click below to take the short anonymous survey.

Our Falcon Area Learning Center (FALC) students enjoyed a trip to River Bend Nature Center this month!

Thank you, Faribault Lions Club, for giving dictionaries to all of our third-grade students! The Faribault Lions Club has provided dictionaries to our third-grade classes for over 20 years. We are so grateful for their generosity!

As we kick off Homecoming Week, our Booster Club is hosting a fundraiser at Basilleo's Pizza on Tuesday, October 1, from 4 to 9 p.m. 10% of all sales — including the purchase of gift cards — will go back to the Faribault Booster Club! Take-out and delivery will be available in addition to dining in the restaurant. This is a great time to gather your friends and family around two hometown favorites: Basilleo's Pizza and our Faribault Falcons! We hope to see you there!

Teegan Embury, a junior at Faribault High School was recently recognized for completing the requirements of the Pre-Gold skating skills test conducted by US Figure Skating. Advancement through the various levels of skating skills tests requires many hours of instruction, practice, and disciplined concentration. Please join us in congratulating Teegan on this outstanding achievement!

We recently found out that our Faribault Multicultural Adult Driver's Education Program was selected as the Minnesota Community Education Association's "2024 Statewide Project Award." Joe Pienka, Yessica Velasquez, Cassie Riopelle, and Zach Pruitt have done a remarkable job of launching this new program over the past year. They set out to serve 25 adults and ended up providing adult driver's education in English, Spanish, and Somali to 346 adults last year.

Lincoln Elementary School had students "sign-in" at the beginning of the school year! Students enjoyed meeting their new teachers, showing their families around, and officially signing in for the year. Our staff also participated enthusiastically, contributing to the positive atmosphere.

Did you know that Faribault Public Schools offers online classes? Not only do we offer online classes for our students, but we also have a comprehensive program called Falcons Online Academy that is open to any 7th through 12th-grade students in Minnesota! This dynamic program provides unparalleled flexibility, allowing students to craft their own schedules and choose between part-time or full-time enrollment. Whether students are balancing jobs, extracurricular activities, or other commitments, FOA empowers them to tailor their education to fit their unique needs.

What sets Falcons Online Academy apart is our team of dedicated, local educators. Our experienced teachers, who live in or around Faribault, are not only available for virtual instruction but also offer the option for in-person meetings when necessary. This personal touch ensures that students receive the support they need, both online and offline. If you recognize any of our (pictured) FOA staff, you’ll know that they are committed to providing exceptional, individualized attention to each student.

Check out our website online.faribault.k12.mn.us to learn more!

Don't forget to register your child for Driver's Education classes! Our upcoming sessions are:

Oct. 21 – Nov. 1 from 3:30 – 6:30 p.m.

Dec. 2 – Dec. 13 from 3:30 – 6:30 p.m

Jan. 27 – Feb. 7 from 3:30 - 6:30 p.m.

Mar. 3 – Mar. 14 from 3:30 - 6:30 p.m.

Apr. 28 – May 9 from 3:30 - 6:30 p.m.

- Parent Class Dec. 4 from 6:30 - 8:00 p.m.

We also have Summer Sessions! Check out the flyer or visit faribault.ce.eleyo.com to learn more.

Our FHS yearbook staff got to go on an exciting field trip for a yearbook workshop. At the Taylor Business Center, they collaborated on plans and designs for the yearbook. They also took a tour of Walters Publishing, where they observed the printing process that our yearbooks go through. It was a valuable experience that inspired them for the year ahead!

New this year we are offering Homework Help both inside and outside of school. We have homework help at Evergreen Estates in the main office on Mondays from 3:45 - 4:45 PM and at the Faribault High School Media Center on Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays from 3:30 - 4:45 PM. This is FREE homework help open to ALL Faribault Public Schools students. We’re excited to provide this resource for our students. Come join us for some extra support with homework! Feel free to reach out if you have any questions at (507) 990-3644. We look forward to seeing you there!

We celebrated IT Professionals Day with some of the best technology staff around! Our IT team supports our students, parents, staff, and School Board. Superintendent Bente shared, "We are grateful for the work that our Technology team does. Their efforts, from securing our networks to resolving iPad issues and everything in between, help keep Faribault Public Schools running smoothly and securely. Thank you to our IT Professionals for their valuable insight and contributions."

Pictured: Sarah Lockerby, Mustafe Abdulahi, Mike Berding, Drew Tinaglia, and Brad Hofius.

Not pictured: Brian Klier, Tim Beedle, Nasko Tutrakanov, and Brenda Pittman.

Thanks to our Be Well 656 committee, we welcomed our staff "Back to the Grind" with coffee, tea, flavored water packets, and granola bars in all of our buildings!

Join us every Tuesday evening from 6:00 PM to 7:00 PM for Open Gym! This is a great opportunity for children aged five years and under to meet, play, and have fun with their peers. Please stay and supervise your child during the event. We look forward to seeing you there!

Roosevelt Elementary School Kindergarten students each got to pick an apple from the Johnson family trees! In class, they learned all about apples and did fun activities with them including counting, painting, and graphing. Mrs. Keilen, Ms. Emilie, Ms. Wels, and Mrs. Whannel's classes all got to participate in the apple-picking fun!

Let’s give a shoutout to our Falcon Cheer team! After years without a cheer team, FPS staff member and Head Cheer Coach Lisa Quimby brought Falcon Cheer back to life five years ago. We’re thrilled to share these fun photos from recent football games that capture the spirit and excitement of our Falcon cheerleaders! Don't miss the opportunity to support the team at their upcoming fundraiser on October 8 from 4-8 p.m. Details below.

If you haven’t already, please remember to complete the Education Benefits form. Eligible families can benefit from reduced fees for sports and activities, school supplies and more! Click here to complete the form.

My name is Ella Bettner and I’m an 8th grader at Medford. I started my charity No Tummies Left Behind back in 2021 to help combat negative lunch balances at schools. Since then I’ve been able to pay off 3 school district’s negative lunch balances, including Faribault! I’m now working to gain non-profit status and create an endowment fund that will help everyone in our communities who are food insecure!

I’m hosting a fundraiser on October 29th at the Owatonna Applebee’s. Best thing: all you have to do is eat! And, Applebee’s will donate a portion of the bill to us! Bummer thing: people must bring in the attached flyer for the money to go to my charity. Thanks for your consideration!

Don't miss a beat! Check out the Faribault Public Schools activities calendar to stay informed on all activities and events.

Do you have a story to share? Email communications@faribault.k12.mn.us for a chance to be featured in the next Around 656 Newsletter.