CBE News - September 2024

I would like to extend a thank you and appreciation for attending our Back to School Night! It was wonderful meeting so many of you and hearing your enthusiasm for the year ahead. Your support means everything as we kick off a successful school year together. We value your partnership in ensuring each student has the tools and encouragement they need to thrive.

The safety of our students is our top priority. Throughout the month, we will be conducting various emergency drills to ensure that students and staff are prepared for any unexpected situations. These drills include evacuation drills and shelter in place drills.

Please assure your child that these drills are routine and designed to help us all be ready to act swiftly and safely. We will also take time to explain the procedures to students beforehand to avoid any anxiety. Your support in reinforcing the importance of these drills at home would be greatly appreciated.

If you ever have questions or concerns, don’t hesitate to reach out to our teachers or administrative team. We’re here to support your child’s success in any way we can.

Thank you again for your involvement and support in making the start to the school year a success. Your involvement and encouragement truly make a difference. Let’s continue to work together to help our students continue to grow.

Dear Parents of Middle and High School Students,

Beginning Friday, August 30, Fargo Public Schools will require middle school and high school students to scan their ID when they get on and off school buses. During the first days of school, school administration will teach students this process.

The decision to have middle school and high school students scan on and off the bus has been made for the following reasons.

● Enhanced Safety and Security: Scanning IDs provides real-time data on which students are on the bus and when they board or leave. This information can be crucial in emergencies, ensuring that all students are accounted for and quickly locating any missing students.

● Parental Peace of Mind: Parents can use the “Here Comes the Bus” app on their phone to receive notifications of when and where their child has boarded or exited the bus, offering reassurance about their child's safety.

● Efficient Bus Management: Schools and bus operators can track bus routes more accurately, monitor the number of students on each bus, and adjust if needed. This data can also help in optimizing routes and schedules.

“Here Comes the Bus” is the application used for bus scanning. When school photos are taken, each student will receive an ID card with a barcode that is to be used to scan on and off the bus. Since the timeline for pictures is different in each middle and high school, attached to this email is a temporary Bus ID for your student.

If your student has a cell phone, they can simply take a photo of the Bus ID and use the photo to scan on and off the bus. If your student does not have a cell phone, please print the Bus ID and have your student keep it in a place where they will have access when they enter and exit the bus.

Your student will scan each time they enter the bus. When the students arrive at the school, they will not scan off the bus, and the bus driver will complete a walk-thru of the bus to make sure all students are off the bus (this saves valuable time each morning). At the end of the day returning home, your student needs to scan on and off the bus.

Please encourage your child to participate in the scanning process onto the bus in the morning and scanning both on and off the bus after school. Bus routes run on a timed schedule, and students without barcode IDs may cause delays.

Instructions for downloading and setting up the phone app “Here Comes the Bus” can be found by clicking on this link. Once downloaded, parents can adjust app settings to receive alerts for when students scan on and off the bus.

Please call your student’s school office if you have any questions.

Thank you,

Robert Grosz, Associate Superintendent for Secondary Schools

Fargo Public Schools

Carl Ben Eielson’s calendar software has an awesome feature where the parents can sign up to be notified of any changes made to athletic schedules. Once on the Carl Ben Eielson Middle School home page, open the calendar by clicking on the "Carl Ben Eielson Online Calendar" link. Click on the Notify Me link. Follow the instructions to be reminded of events &/or to be notified of any changes via email or text message. It is a great tool to keep everybody “in the know.”

Tuesday, October 15th

ALL STUDENTS need to be photographed for their Student ID Card, even if they are not ordering a picture packet. There is NO CHARGE for your initial Student ID Card. Picture make up day is scheduled for the morning of Tuesday, October 15th. Additional order forms are available in the main office.

If you would like your student pictures retaken, please contact Scherlings Photography to schedule directly with them.

Scherling Photography

2801 13th Ave S

Fargo, ND 58103

(701) 232-9493

To use a credit card to order school pictures go to: www.scherling.preorderphotos.com .

Make up picture day access code: T69QM4 (code is open from October 5th to the 15th at 11:59 pm)

September 9

• PTA Meeting - 7:00 in the Library

October 11 & 14

• No School

October 15

• Make up picture day - 8:45 - 9:45am

October 17 & 22

• Parent Teacher Conferences 4:00-8:00

Fargo Public Schools wants to hear from you! We are conducting a research project to learn what our community thinks about a number of important issues for our school district, including our Long-Range Facilities Plan. FPS has hired an independent research firm, Creative Entourage Research, to gather input, and a representative from that firm will lead input sessions with various community stakeholders. From the input sessions, questions will be developed for a phone and electronic survey of our larger community. Survey results will be presented to the Fargo Board of Education in January to assist them in decision-making for a potential bond referendum to fund the Long-Range Facilities Plan.

A total of 20 current parents of FPS students are needed to participate in an input session on Thursday, October 3 at 6 p.m. at the District Office PD Room, located at 700 7th Street South in Fargo. If more parents volunteer than the session can accommodate, a randomized selection process will occur. Participants must live within the Fargo Public Schools attendance boundary.

To volunteer for this input session, please complete this form. The form will close on Wednesday, September 18 at 7 p.m. All volunteers will be contacted after the form’s closure.

Listening to our community is a high priority for the future of our schools; please volunteer to participate in this important effort! Contact Director of Facilities James Hand at handj@fargo.k12.nd.us with any questions.

We are so proud that Carl Ben Eielson Middle School PTA achieved the 2023-2025 National PTA School of Excellence designation for our work to in the 2023-2024 school year to create an environment where families feel welcomed, included and empowered to support their children’s success. Please reach out at carlbenpta@gmail.com to find out how you can get involved and support our PTA in the new school year!

Why become a member of PTA?

You get the digs on what’s happening in the school before non-members! You get the meeting minutes and you don’t even need to show up to the meetings in person we have a zoom option every month!

You get to know your students’ teachers, office staff, support staff and other parents.

Help provide the following:

Dip n Dots at back to school night
Student Assemblies

Team Purchases

Library resources

Teacher Appreciation

Conference meals for our teachers and staff

Year-End picnic and more!

Easy to join just click here https://fargocbe.givebacks.com/store?limit=21&live=true

Join us on the following dates. We meet in the Carl Ben library at 7pm. Get entry for a door prize for being a member, an entry for a door prize each time you volunteer the month before. What is the door prize? You have to show up to find out!

September 9th

November 4th

January 6th

March 3rd

April 28th (special meeting for elections and wrap up)

First Annual Glow Run Friday October 4th

President: Darla Bakko

Co-VP’s: Amy Korbinsky and Lisa Goodman

Treasure: Jodi Sorenson

Secretary: Amanda Leichty

Membership Chair: Nikki Lamb

Picture Day Chair: Katy Barnum

Teacher Appreciation Chair: Cheyanne Cotton

Communications Chair: Liz Carlson

Glow Run Co-Chairs: Amber Parnow and Corwyn Knutson

Concession Stand Co-Chairs: Darla Bakko and Jodi Sorenson

Hospitality Co-chairs: Katy Barnum and Jodi Evanson

Chairs still needed for the following committees and we welcome anyone who would like to be a committee member.

Reflections Chair, this committee promotes the arts. Works with teachers and office to hang posters, promote the categories of dance, visual art, composition and photography. More info can be found at National PTA website.

Spring Picnic, this committee organizes the end of the year picnic for Carl Ben teachers, staff, students and families.

Fundraising Chair, this committee is responsible for arranging the dine to donates with local businesses.

If one of these committees interest you and you would like to help, please email the carlbenpta@gmail.com we can never have to many members on the committee

Did you know that when you order school pictures that a percentage comes back to the Carl Ben PTA. This is our biggest fundraiser besides concessions. So please take the time to fill out those order forms online or paper copy and turn them into the school.

Dine to Donate at Crooked Pint September 16th 5pm-10 pm 15% comes back to the PTA

Each month the PTA is going to host a night out at a local restaurant and a percentage of the proceeds comes back to the PTA. Make sure you tell your friends, neighbors and co-workers and please share on social media.

PTA holding 50/50 Raffles

This year the PTA thought we would spice up Parent Teachers Conference and sponsor a 50/50 raffle. This money is going towards bringing in an assembly for the students. There will be a table at the front of the school to buy your tickets $20 gets you 25 tickets or a $1 for one. The winning number will be drawn at the end of the Second day of conferences and posted to the Carl Ben PTA Facebook group and announced in morning announcements. You have two days to claim your prize and if no one claims the pot will rollover to the Spring Conference.

Our front doors open daily at 8:00 a.m.

All Students should enter through the main entrance, door number 8, and will proceed to the Hangar/lunchroom. Students will be dismissed from the Hangar at 8:35 am.

Teachers are available in their classroom each day for make-up work or extra assistance. Appointments must be made with your individual teacher in advance and you must obtain a pass from the teacher to allow you to their classroom on that morning.

8:45 a.m. Period 1 class begins.

3:30 p.m. End of last Class/Period 8 (Students may remain in the building if they are in a supervised activity.)

BACKPACKS

Students will be allowed to use backpacks to carry books between school and home, but the backpack must be left in the student’s locker during the school day.

CELL PHONE POLICY

Students can use cell phones and electronic devices only in the commons, hallways and locker bays before the beginning of the school day or after the end of the school day. After the first bell and before the last bell, all cell phones and all non-school issued electronic devices will be put away unless they are deemed to be educationally appropriate by the classroom teacher.

ID CARDS

Students will receive their ID card a couple weeks after school picture days. The card is coded with an identification number for each student. Displaying your ID at all times is not required. Students who purchased a high school season pass will receive an activity pass ID card to get into FPS high school sporting events. Replacement cost for an ID is $5 in the main office. ID cards will be used to pay for student meals/extras, check out books from the library, school parties, for school bus identification as a FPS student, and for season pass to FPS activities if purchased by parent/guardian. The student ID will display an “A” on the card if a $30 fee is paid. Activity pass cards will be available on the first day of school to allow entrance into sporting events.

LOCKER LOCK

Each student will be provided with a padlock for his/her locker(s). These lockers are for individual use only and may not be shared with another student. Locks have individual combinations and should be kept confidential. If the padlock does not open or close properly, your child should bring it to the office for a replacement. The replacement charge for a lost padlock is $5. Students must use school locks.

Fargo Public Schools use a visitor management system in all of our schools to strengthen our program of campus safety for students and staff. Part of keeping students and staff safe is knowing who is in our buildings at all times, and this system will allow us to do so. This system will allow us to better screen visitors, contractors, and volunteers in our schools to provide us with a safe environment for our students and staff.

Upon entering the school building, visitors will be asked to present an ID, such as a Driver’s License, which can either be scanned or manually entered into the system. If a parent or guardian for any reason does not have a US government-issued ID, the school staff member can use any form of identification and manually enter the person’s name into the system. Once entry into the building is approved, the system will issue a badge that identifies the visitor, the date, and the purpose of their visit. A visitor’s badge will not be necessary for those who visit our schools simply to drop off an item in the office or pick up paperwork.

Your bus route information can be found online at www.fargo.k12.nd.us/transportation . There is no cost for busing.

Period 1 8:45 to 9:32

Period 2 9:36 to 10:20

Period 3 10:24 to 11:08

Period 4 11:12 to 11:56

Period 5 12:00 to 1:06 6th Grade - Lunch/Bruin Time

Period 6 1:10 to 1:54

Period 7 1:58 to 2:42

Period 8 2:46 to 3:30

Period 1 8:45 to 9:32

Period 2 9:36 to 10:20

Period 3 10:24 to 11:08

Period 4 11:12 to 12:18 7th/8th Grade - Lunch/Bruin Time

Period 5 12:22 to 1:06

Period 6 1:10 to 1:54

Period 7 1:58 to 2:42

Period 8 2:46 to 3:30

Thursday, October 10th

Friday, December 20th

Friday, February 14th

Friday, March 14th

Period 1 8:45 to 9:14

Period 2 9:18 to 9:47

Period 3 9:51 to 10:20

Period 6 10:24 to 10:53

Period 7 10:57 to 11:26

Period 4 11:30 - 11:59

Period 5 12:03 to 12:57 6th Grade - Lunch/Bruin Time

Period 8 1:01 to 1:30

Period 1 8:45 to 9:14

Period 2 9:18 to 9:47

Period 3 9:51 to 10:20

Period 6 10:24 to 10:53

Period 7 10:57 to 11:26

Period 4 11:30 - 12:24 7th/8th Grade - Lunch/Bruin Time

Period 5 12:28 to 12:57

Period 8 1:01 to 1:30

AD-Ventures is a district publication intended to help families find activities for their children throughout our community. It is published on the first of each month during the school year (September through May).

AD-Ventures for Kids is for youth in grade levels K-5.

AD-Ventures for Teens is for youth in grade levels 6-8.

Website: www.fargo.k12.nd.us/cbe
Location: 1601 13th Avenue South, Fargo, ND, USA
Phone: 701-446-1700
Twitter: @FPSCarlBen

The Fargo Public School District is committed to maintaining a learning and working environment free from discrimination and harassment in all employment and educational programs, activities, and facilities. The District prohibits discrimination and harassment based on an individual’s race, color, religion, sex, gender identity, national origin, ancestry, disability, age, or other status protected by law.