The FAST Flyer

I wanted to take this opportunity to touch upon student privacy. It is understandable that when a situation arises at your child’s school, you want as much information as you can get. We all want to ensure students are in a safe and secure environment when they are at school. Part of that safety comes from how information about students is handled and shared. There are federal laws that are designed specifically to safeguard the privacy of student records and information which dictate what can or cannot be shared.

We cannot share information about another child in the class due to the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA). FERPA is a federal law that protects the privacy of students' educational records. It prohibits schools from disclosing personally identifiable information (PII) about a student to anyone other than the student’s parents or legal guardians, unless specific exceptions apply.

Here’s why:

1. Protection of Student Privacy: Just as you wouldn’t want other parents knowing sensitive information about your child, other students' information is also protected. This includes things like grades, disciplinary actions, or any behavioral issues. Sharing such information without consent would be a violation of that child’s right to privacy under FERPA.

2. Limited Exceptions: Schools can share information without parental consent in certain cases, such as with school officials who have a legitimate educational interest, or in emergencies involving health and safety. However, sharing information about one student with another student’s parent is not one of these exceptions.

Example:

If another student in your child’s class is involved in a disciplinary issue (e.g., bullying, a fight, or cheating), the school cannot tell you the details of how that student is being disciplined or any private information about them. The principal can, however, talk to you about your child’s involvement, any actions taken that affect your child, and the steps being taken to ensure your child’s safety or well-being.

FERPA ensures that the privacy of all students is respected, and schools must adhere to these guidelines to avoid legal violations.

Mr. Hendry has requested that all students in grades 3-5 have a notebook for music class. If your student does not already have one, please send them with one. It can be any type of notebook, but they need to have something to write in during music class.

The middle school talent show is coming up soon! Students in grades 6-8 are invited to audition for the talent show after school on Wednesday, September 18.

Please remember that carpool drop-off begins at 7:10am. All parents should follow carpool procedures. Under no circumstance should students be dropped off in front of Innovation Hall prior to carpool beginning, as staff members are not available to supervise them. Unsupervised children can face significant safety risks, and ensuring their well-being is our top priority.

If your child participates in student council, you should go through the carpool lane. Student council is scheduled to begin after carpool starts. If your child misses the bus and you drive them to school, you should join the carpool line.

This is a friendly reminder that all volunteers on campus are required to complete the Mandated Reporter Training before participating in any school activities. This training must be completed at least every two years. You can find the training on our school website, and we encourage you to complete it as soon as possible. Thank you for your cooperation and continued support in making our school a safe and welcoming place for everyone.

ABSENCES: Please report student absences to both attendance@fastk8.org and your student's homeroom teacher. You may send doctors' notes for absences directly to attendance@fastk8.org

TRANSPORTATION CHANGES: If your child’s transportation arrangements need to change for the day, please notify both your child's homeroom teacher and Ms. Cadogan at gail.cadogan@fastk8.org by no later than 11:30am.

CURRICULUM/CLASSROOM CONCERNS: If you have questions or concerns regarding your child's class, your first point of contact should be your child’s classroom teacher. If further clarification or assistance is needed, you can contact the respective assistant principal (anesha.james@fastk8.org or elementary or demetria.walker@fastk8.org for middle school.)

TRANSPORTATION CHANGES: If your student will have a change to their afternoon transportation (whether it is for a day or long-term), please be sure that you are communicating any changes to your student's afternoon dismissal to both their homeroom teacher and Ms. Cadogan (gail.cadogan@fastk8.org).

There is currently an uptick in Covid in the area. If you have Covid in your home and your child is not feeling well, we encourage you to keep them home to avoid spreading it at school. Please keep in mind that if a student is running a fever they are expected to remain out of school until they have been fever free without the use of medication for a full 24 hours.

Please remember that FAST is a nut free school. Students should not bring any foods for lunch or snack that contain any nut products including, but not limited to, peanut butter or almond butter.

This is a serious risk to those students with severe allergies. Your cooperation in this matter is appreciated.

As a reminder students are not permitted to use their cell phones or Bluetooth devices throughout the day. Students who have a cell phone out after school begins at 7:40am through 3pm will have their phone confiscated for the day. Please remind your students of this policy so that you will not have to come to the office to retrieve their phone.

Students must be in homeroom by 7:40am each day. Please be sure that you are allowing time to navigate carpool and your student to get to class on time. If you arrive after 8am, you will need to come into Innovation Hall to sign in your student.

Early dismissals are not permitted after 2:40pm (M-Th, 1:40pm Fridays). If you need to pick up your child for any reason, please plan accordingly.

All students are expected to be in full uniform every day. The full uniform code can be found on our website at: https://www.fastk8.org/fast-apparel-and-supplies/

Students who are not in full uniform will have their parents contacted.

Due to a Membership Toolkit Error with the update of the 2024-2025 class lists, not all parents received the newsletter. If you did not receive the newsletter please follow the process below.

The FAST PTO uses Membership Toolkit for our directory, event registrations and online sales throughout the year.

At the beginning of each year, it is important that all parents update their information to continue to receive PTO communications.

IF YOU ARE RETURNING TO FAST, please log into Membership Toolkit to update your family contact info:

• Go to https://fastk8pto.membershiptoolkit.com/
• Click on the "Login" button.
• Click "My Account"
• Update your Parent and Student Information
• Once complete, you will be presented with forms for PTO Back to School Packet. This packet includes information on joining the PTO, spirit wear order forms, volunteer opportunities and more!
• Download the Membership Toolkit app on your apple or android device for quick access anytime!

IF YOU ARE NEW TO FAST, please create a free Membership Toolkit account by following these steps:

• Go to https://fastk8pto.membershiptoolkit.com/
• Select "Create Account" and enter the name, email, and password information.
• Click "Verify My Email" and then check your email for a link to complete the process. The link expires in 2 hours. If you do not receive the email, check your spam or junk folders.
• Once you have verified your email address, log back in and finish the registration process.
  • Complete the Parent/Family and Student Information.
  • Complete the Directory/Publish Preferences.
  • Once these forms are complete, you will be presented with forms for PTO Back to School Packet. This packet includes information on joining the PTO, spirit wear order forms, volunteer opportunities, and more!
• Download the Membership Toolkit app on your apple or android device for quick access anytime!

Questions? - If your 2024-2025 membership is not correct or you have any other questions, please don't hesitate to contact us at pto@fastk8.org

Our PTO Membership Drive has started for the 2024-2025 school year! Please join us in making a difference in our FAST school community. By becoming a member of the PTO, you can become an important part of supporting our school. PTO memberships raise funds that support FAST students and staff. This includes programs like field day, our learning garden, school assemblies, teacher grants, staff appreciation events, and more! This annual membership drive is our main fundraiser for the school year.

The FAST Family PTO is a non-profit organization, composed of volunteers, focused on supporting the educational experience of all FAST students.

The new school year is quickly approaching and we need a few great volunteers! Please reach out by contacting pto@fastk8.org to find out more.

What's a PTO volunteer? ANYONE who can help out within their capacity. We are looking for parents who can lead projects to parents that can volunteer an hour here or there. There is something for everyone!

Why volunteer? You are providing valuable support and building the FAST community! Be a positive impact to our school by clicking below to learn more.

Sept. 13: Spirit Night @ Sweet Charlie's

Sept. 24: Town Hall with Ms. Miller

Oct. 10: School Picture Day (all students required to wear cobalt blue FAST polo)

Oct. 14:-15: Fall Break (STUDENTS OFF)

Oct. 16: Parent/teacher conferences (STUDENTS OFF)

FAST leverages various means of communications to keep our families up to date with what is happening at school. Since most people are on social media, we post to different platforms to keep you up to date. If you aren't already following us, check us out on Facebook, Instagram, or Twitter.

To keep up to date with the most recent information available from our district offices, please click on the image below.

Email: info@fastk8.org
Website: www.fastk8.org
Location: 11365 Crabapple Road, Roswell, GA, USA
Phone: 678-321-1100
Facebook: facebook.com/FASTK8.School/
Twitter: @fastk8charter

The FAST Flyer is the electronic newsletter at FAST. Feedback is always welcome. If you have any questions, please call the school (678-321-1100) or email the FAST Communications Director at marie.emerson@fastk8.org.