Fridley High School Newsletter

Hello Families!

As we reach the end of the first quarter of the semester, we want to emphasize the importance of punctuality in school and class attendance. Arriving on time helps prevent the need to catch up on missed work and avoids the complications of truancy and family meetings to create school success plans. We also want to encourage our families to check in with their scholars about cell phone usage and how much time is being spent on their devices.

We would like to thank everyone for a fantastic turnout at our fall conferences! Your engagement is crucial for our scholars' success. Looking ahead, we're excited to offer opportunities for improvement through our Lunch & Learns and the upcoming PAUSE curriculum week. Let's keep the momentum going and work together to support our scholars in achieving their best!

Sincerely,

Mr. McConville & Mr. Zarlee

Kelly McConville

Principal

mcconville@isd14.org

Lamii Zarlee

Assistant Principal

zarlee@isd14.org

November 4th - NO SCHOOL

November 5th - NO SCHOOL (ELECTION DAY)

November 11th - Gymnastics (7-12), Girls Basketball (9-12), Boys Hockey (9-12) begin

November 15th - 16th - FHS fall musical, 7pm @ FHS auditorium

November 18th - Boys Basketball (9-12) and Wrestling (9-12) begin

November 21st - 23rd - FHS fall musical, 7pm @FHS auditorium

November 25th - Boys Swimming and Diving (7-12) begin

November 28th - NO SCHOOL

November 29th - NO SCHOOL

Dear Families and Staff,

I hope you are doing well as we enjoy the beautiful fall season in our community. As you may know, there will be two questions on the ballot for the Fridley Public Schools on Tuesday, November 5, 2024.

The first question is a voter-approved operating referendum of $424 per pupil unit. The second is a $30 million facility bond referendum to address our deferred maintenance needs. You can find more information on the district’s needs and the proposed solutions at www.fridleyschoolsreferendum.org.

We would like to provide some information on the several ways to vote in this election. Early voting is now available through the day before the election.

VOTE EARLY BY MAIL

One way to vote early is by receiving a ballot in the mail. You may request an absentee ballot from the Minnesota Secretary of State online or print an absentee ballot application, and your ballot will be mailed to your home. Your ballot includes a pre-paid return envelope, which goes directly to the Anoka County Elections Office for counting.

VOTE EARLY IN PERSON

Fridley Public Schools residents can vote early with an absentee ballot at the Fridley Civic Campus (7071 University Ave. NE). After submitting an Absentee Ballot Application, you will be given a ballot and can cast it in person that same day.

Early voting began on September 20 and will continue through November 4. For more information on this option, visit www.ci.fridley.mn.us/230/Elections.

ELECTION DAY VOTING

Voting precincts and polling locations are determined by your residential address. There are several polling locations within the Fridley Public Schools boundaries. For voting precinct and polling information:

• Use the Minnesota Secretary of State Polling Place Finder: Visit www.pollfinder.sos.state.mn.us

• Call Anoka County Elections at 763-324-1300.

• Send an email to the Elections Office at elections@co.anoka.mn.us.

Polls will be open from 7:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m. on Tuesday, November 5.

We appreciate the engagement of our community as we have worked to find the best possible solutions to our operating and facility needs in the Fridley Public Schools. We look forward to continuing this engagement right up to election day.

If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact me.

Sincerely,

Brenda Lewis, Ph.D.

Superintendent

On Wednesday, December 11, Fridley High School freshmen will take the PreACT test.

Students will take the PreACT online during hours 1-4 at FHS. All 9th graders must come to school on December 11 with a fully-charged Chromebook.

The PreACT assessments provide you and your child with information that can help you select the right high school courses, think about ways to target areas for improvement, and even begin discussions about college and career. These assessments helps identify:

• How a student is doing with the skills and knowledge required to succeed in college and beyond

• Areas where extra help or additional courses are needed

• Career possibilities on PreACT that match the student’s interests

The PreACT is free of charge for 9th grade students.

If you have questions, please contact your student's dean.

9th & 10th Grade Small-Group Check-In Meetings

Academic deans met with 9th & 10th grade students in small groups in October. It was so nice getting to know our 9th & 10th graders! Students should follow the grade-level Google Classrooms for important school-related announcements.

Academic Support - One Lunch

This is a reminder that students should visit teachers during office hours if they need help in their classes. Teachers have office hours during One Lunch and are available to help students with homework help, reassessments, study skills, and more. Students have time to eat lunch and receive support from teachers during this time. There is a scheduled Lunch & Learn for students on November 26th.

Minnesota Honor Society

Congratulations to the 29 new MHS inductees into the Fridley High School chapter on October 23rd. We are so incredibly proud of you and look forward to seeing your leadership this school year.

Letters of Recommendation (12th Grade)

Students may need letters of recommendation for some college applications or for scholarships. Typically, recommenders may be teachers (current or former), employers, coaches, or other adults who can highlight the leadership and/or academic qualities of the student. Students should use the Letter of Recommendation sheet if they want a staff member to write a letter.

https://docs.google.com/document/d/1-VZIJoeDaaF3M_XYKWYKawndBKIgK479EhGnbM_BQy4/copy

If the application requires a school counselor, please use the academic dean to complete that portion.

Things for students to remember:

• Talk to the recommender early! 2 weeks is generally a good minimum amount of time for a recommender to complete a well-written letter.

• Give recommenders the exact details—What/who is the letter for? When is it due? How is the letter submitted?

• Always ask the recommender permission to use them as a recommender on an application. Ask in person, if possible. Email is generally acceptable as well.

• Use recommenders who will be able to highlight positives.

• It’s ok for a recommender to say no. They may not have the time to devote to a letter right now.

ACT Exams

Stay tuned for more information as we offer the ACT later in the spring for students in 11th grade. Students are always welcome to take the ACT outside of the assigned district testing day. The ACT test does have a fee ranging from $50-$67. Fee waivers are available in the SSS office for students who qualify for free/reduced lunch. Please see your dean with questions. To sign up for the ACT, visit www.act.org

Upcoming ACT tests/registration deadlines:

Test: December 14th Deadline: November 8

Test: February 8 Deadline: January 3

Extended Day – Credit Recovery

Credit recovery information has been given to students in 10th, 11th, and 12th grade who need to recover credits for graduation. Credit recovery CLPs must be signed by a parent/caregiver and returned to the SSS office. Credit recovery starts on November 12th and is on Tuesdays/Thursdays from 3:15-4:15. Credit recovery is required for any student who fails a required course for graduation. If students need transportation home on these days, please use this link:

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSe4GvulpvgjULae6oez2BPXgvyXyY0U4j1y5GrTXUZr70wLGQ/viewform

The schedule for credit recovery is as follows:

• November: 12, 14, 19, 21, 26

• December: 3, 5, 10, 12, 17, 19

• January: 2, 7, 9, 14, 16, 21, 23, 28, 30

• February: 4, 6, 11, 13, 18, 20, 25, 27

• March: 4, 6, 11, 13, 18, 20, 25

• April: 8, 10, 15, 17, 22, 24, 29

• May: 1, 6, 8, 13, 15

How to Send a High School Transcript

All college applications will require the student’s high school transcript to be sent after the application is submitted and again after graduation. All transcripts are sent through our electronic service called Parchment. Students need to create an account. They will keep this account even after they graduate to request their transcript. For more information and help with parchment you can also visit the HS website: https://fhs.fridleyschools.org/students/academic-support-deans

1. Go to the Fridley Parchment website: https://www.parchment.com/u/registration/118798/account

2. Create an account. Registration codes were sent to each student (Fridley gmail). If they do not use the code, students need to make sure they are linked to Fridley High School and choose the correct graduation year.

3. Students may request a transcript. They search for the college, then click “Order”.

The order is not automatically sent. Our office secretary reviews the order, uploads the most current transcript, then sends the transcript.

Student Needs

Fridley High School has a small student-needs closet. This closet is supplied with clothing and personal hygiene items. We are always looking for donations in the form of new (not used) clothing or hygiene items of all sizes. If you have donations, please drop them off in the FHS office and someone will get them to the academic deans. If your student or family is in need of items, please email the academic dean. This process is handled with confidentiality.

cummings@isd14.org (Last Names A-F) klewis@isd14.org (Last Names G-M)

millerjohn@isd14org (Last Names N-Z)

FHS students eligible to take IB Diploma Programme (DP) exams with their courses will be registering for their exams this month.

- College credits are based on your EXAM SCORE, not your course grades.

- DP Exams are scored on a 1-7 scale.

- Minnesota State Colleges and Universities award credits for a 4 or higher on exams.

- Other college policies vary - check your college website or admissions rep.

- (If your score is less than a 4, nothing bad happens.)

The cost for DP Exams is $35 per exam.

Much of the cost of IB exams is paid for by the state of Minnesota and Fridley Public Schools. The school district requests that students pay for a $35 portion of the exam fee. Students qualifying for free or reduced lunch will have all exam fees covered. Scholarships are available to any student.

The entire IB exam fee is $123 per exam. The school district pays the difference beyond the $35 exam fee requested above. Once you are registered for these exams, the school district does not receive a refund if you decide not to complete all requirements. If you:

• Drop IB classes or leave Fridley High School after 1/15/2025,
• Fail to complete all assessment requirements including the internal assessment, or
• Are not present for the exam for any reason,

you will be charged a $75 penalty per exam. The $75 penalty applies to ALL STUDENTS, regardless of scholarship status.

Congratulations to our 2024 Academic Letter Recipients!

Students in grades 11 and 12 earned an academic letter from the 2023/2024 school year during advisory on October 31st. Students who earn an academic letter have maintained a weighted cumulative GPA of 3.75 or higher. These students were recognized in a small celebration ceremony with high school administrators, district staff, academic deans, and the college and career center specialist. Congratulations to these students on their amazing academic achievements.

Please click on the button above and fill out the survey regarding graduation. This survey is important! We will begin to take inventory of gown sizes, tickets and ADA seating availability. Please fill this out. This survey is due January 31st! If you do not fill this out I cannot guarantee the correct gown size for your child.

If you have any questions regarding graduation please contact Ashley Davis (Principal Secretary) at 763-502-5602 or shoot me an email at adavis@isd14.org.

Michelle Ortiz Riera

Rosalyn Brodersen

Mimi Fowler (Not Pictured)

Valentina Moua

Congratulations to these students for being recognized this month by their teachers for their incredible contributions to the learning environment and school community. These students demonstrate responsibility, respect, and realness in their classes at FHS. Way to go!

Fridley Drama is excited to announce Urinetown: The Musical as their fall production. Performances are November 15, 16, 21, 22 and 23 all at 7 pm at the Fridley District Auditorium. As a district employee you are entitled to a free pair of tickets to one of the performances. To reserve your seats, please reply to this email with the desired performance date and the number of seats that you would like. If you desire additional tickets for friends or other family members, or if you want to be seated with another party, please include all orders in one request. Additional tickets are $10 for Adults and $5 for Seniors and Students through High School.

Urinetown is a satirical comedy that tells the story of a not-so-distant future where a terrible water shortage has led to a government ban on private toilets and a proliferation of paid public toilets, owned and operated by a single megalomaniac company: the Urine Good Company. If the poor don’t obey the strict laws prohibiting free urination, they’ll be sent to the dreaded and mysterious “Urinetown.” After too long under the heel of the malevolent Caldwell B. Cladwell, the poor stage a revolt for the freedom to pee “wherever you like, whenever you like, for as long as you like, and with whomever you like.”

Please click on the button below to register your child for winter sports!

Dance Team - Begins 10/28

Boys Basketball - Begins 11/18

Girls Basketball - Begins 11/11

Boys Swim & Dive - Begins 12/2

Wrestling - Begins 11/18

Gymnastics (Co-op with Osseo) - Begins 11/11

Boys Hockey (Co-op) with Irondale - Begins 11/11

If you are interested in ordering a yearbook, scan the QR code below.

Cost: $60.00

Seniors, the deadline to submit your senior photo is December 6th! Please email it to matthews-baussan@isd14.org

MOBILE POLAR PLUNGE IS COMING TO FRIDLEY

November 21st 2024!

The Cool School Mobile Plunge gives schools the opportunity to rally around inclusion while participating in a unique and wildly fun fundraiser!

The concept is simple: staff and students register and fundraise money for both Special Olympics Minnesota and their school. In the process, participants earn awesome incentives and get the chance to jump into freezing cold water. The day of the event, we bring the Polar Plunge directly to your school with the Plungester, a custom-designed mobile Plunge pool!

Register Online https://reg.plungemn.org/register

You will get an “in-house” field trip permission slip that you must bring by the day of the plunge, along with any cash donations you have collected in addition to registering and creating your online profile.

As part of the National 4-H Lead to Change project, Green Superheroes of Science teen change agents want to share this exciting project with others. You are invited to:

Green Superheroes of Science Quick Start STEM Training

Where: Brookdale Library, 6125 Shingle Creek Pkwy, Brooklyn Center, MN 55430

Date: Nov. 14

Time:5:30-8:00 pm - A light dinner will be provided.

Who:Teen leaders and adults (4-H volunteers, teachers, afterschool programs)

Cost: None

Are you looking for engaging STEM activities to use in your program or groups? Do you have youth concerned about all the plastic in our world?

Join us for a 2.5 hour training on how 4-H teens are taking action to address the environmental impact of plastic waste through the Green Superheroes of Science (GSOS) program. This engaging STEM training will introduce the GSOS program, cover GSOS lessons and resources, and provide impactful strategies for implementation. Participants will hear from our teen 4-H Green Superheroes about how the "teens as teachers" model inspires younger youth to take action to care for the environment. We will also engage in 1 to 2 hands-on STEM experiments. You will receive a folder of/links to resources, including lessons, flyers, social media posts, curriculum materials.

To find out more, please visit, https://z.umn.edu/GreenSuperheroesofScienceInfo. To register, please visit: https://z.umn.edu/GSOSQuickStartTraining2024

Register by Nov. 11, 2024. Please email Anne Stevenson, Extension educator at steve020@umn.edu with any questions.

Don't want to miss an announcement from us, or want to be alerted if your child is absent from class, as well as stay up to date on their coursework? Complete your Campus Parent Portal account. The Parent Portal is designed specifically for parents, providing school information at your fingertips with real-time access to announcements, attendance, assignments, Transportation, grades (if applicable), schedules and more. Parents can view all children they are assigned as guardian to and that are currently enrolled in Fridley Public Schools, grades PreK 12. Each parent/legal guardian should create their own account for their children.

Click to find out more information and for instructions on creating your account today!