FMS Parent Newsletter

10/21: Asynchronous Workday - No Google Meets

10/23: Last Day of the First Quarter

10/23: NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS

10/28: Asynchronous Workday - No Google Meets (most Wednesdays - but keep checking for changes during the upcoming Holidays)

10/28: CHECK POWERSCHOOL FOR FINAL GRADES FOR THE QUARTER - REPORT CARDS WILL BE MAILED OUT TODAY

10/31 HAPPY HALLOWEEN

11/3: ELECTION DAY - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS

11/4: This is a regular school day even though it's a Wednesday! Make sure your child logs in and attends class.

11/11: VETERAN'S DAY - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS

11/16: STUDENTS BACK IN THE BUILDING STARTING TODAY - Group A Monday & Tuesday, Group B Thursday & Friday *be patient with transportation, it will be like the first day of school all week!

11/23: A GROUP only Monday this week

11/24: B Group only Tuesday this week

11/25-11/27: THANKSGIVING VACATION - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS

• EARBUDS/HEADPHONES (students will need to do online learning videos and such in the classroom with earbuds or headphones)
• WATER BOTTLE - PRE-FILLED EVERY DAY BEFORE COMING TO SCHOOL (fountains are closed for use and there is only one water bottle fill station in the cafeteria for use)
• MASK ON THE FACE & AND AN EXTRA IN THE BAG JUST IN CASE
• CHARGED FMS CHROMEBOOK

That's it, really! If your child has been taking notes in a paper notebook have them add that to their bag.

NEED PAPER AND PENCIL SUPPLIES? JUST COME BY THE SCHOOL AND WE WILL GIVE YOU A FREE BAG WITH SUPPLIES IN IT FOR EVERYTHING YOU NEED!

REMEMBER - BREAKFAST AND LUNCH ARE FREE EVERY DAY FOR ALL STUDENTS FOR THE REST OF THE YEAR!

Instead of having two electives a day for 45 minutes, we are moving to an A/B plan (please don't confuse this with A/B groups) where students will have one elective each day for 90 minutes.

Example two-week schedule for a student who has Art & Band:

WEEK ONE

Monday - Art

Tuesday - Band

Wednesday - Art

Thursday - Band

Friday Art

WEEK TWO

Monday - Band

Tuesday - Art

Wednesday - Band

Thursday - Art

Friday - Band

This schedule will allow students more time to get work done during their class, and there will be fewer transitions for students during the school day. Please explain this whole idea to your child - this is likely something new for them!

We would like to put a shine on those people who make working, learning, and caring at FMS a special thing. Go ahead and click on the button below, and leave a positive, Twitter length shout-out for someone who has made school a little more fun, special, or interesting, or someone who has been helpful, amazing, or just plain nice. This can be a guardian, a teacher, a student, or a staff member. Thanks for bringing smiles to FMS!

October is Bully Prevention Awareness Month:

On Wednesday, October 21st, we will wear orange for Unity Day! Encourage your student to wear orange at home to help show their support for Unity Day and discuss the importance of kindness, acceptance, and inclusivity.

From stopbullying.gov:

Some signs that may point to a bullying problem are:

• Unexplainable injuries

• Lost or destroyed clothing, books, electronics, or jewelry

• Frequent headaches or stomach aches, feeling sick, or faking illness

• Changes in eating habits, like suddenly skipping meals or binge eating. Kids may come home from school hungry because they did not eat lunch.

• Difficulty sleeping or frequent nightmares

• Declining grades, loss of interest in schoolwork, or not wanting to go to school

• Sudden loss of friends or avoidance of social situations

• Feelings of helplessness or decreased self esteem

• Self-destructive behaviors such as running away from home, harming themselves, or talking about suicide

Kids may be bullying others if they:

• Get into physical or verbal fights

• Have friends who bully others

• Are increasingly aggressive

• Get sent to the principal’s office or to detention frequently

• Have unexplained extra money or new belongings

• Blame others for their problems

• Don’t accept responsibility for their actions

• Are competitive and worry about their reputation or popularity

Why don't kids ask for help?

• Bullying can make a child feel helpless. Kids may want to handle it on their own to feel in control again. They may fear being seen as weak or a tattletale.

• Kids may fear backlash from the kid who bullied them.

• Bullying can be a humiliating experience. Kids may not want adults to know what is being said about them, whether true or false. They may also fear that adults will judge them or punish them for being weak.

• Kids who are bullied may already feel socially isolated. They may feel like no one cares or could understand.

• Kids may fear being rejected by their peers. Friends can help protect kids from bullying, and kids can fear losing this support.

Parent Resources:

www.pacer.org/bullying/resources/facts.asp

www.pacer.org/bullying/resources/cyberbullying/

www.apa.org/topics/prevent-bullying

www.khou.com/article/news/education/october-is-national-bullying-awareness-prevention-month/285-8c240c0e-ec76-40cb-847b-972ae421222a

Student Resources:

www.pacer.org/bullying/resources/sites-for-kids-and-teens.asp

Remember: “It’s not our job to toughen up our children to face a cruel and heartless world. It’s our job to raise children who will make the world less cruel and heartless.” ~L.R. Knost

October is also Domestic Violence Prevention Awareness Month

Domestic violence is a pattern of behaviors used by one partner to maintain power and control over another partner in an intimate relationship. Domestic violence affects millions, both women and men, of every race, religion, culture and status. Nearly 3 out of 4 Americans know someone who is or has been the victim of domestic violence. Domestic violence can be:

• Physical harm

• Threats

• Emotional abuse

• Financial control

It’s not just punches and black eyes -- it’s yelling, humiliation, stalking, manipulation, coercion, and isolation. It’s stealing a paycheck, lack of trust (keeping tabs on you online, non-stop texting you, checking your phone), constant use of the silent treatment, or calling someone stupid so often they believe it. It also may be insulting/demeaning/shaming you, excessive jealousy, deciding if/where/when you will work or attend school, accusations of cheating, threatening harm or separation from your children, use of weapons, etc.

Domestic violence creates a toxic experience for the children who witness it, who can learn to perceive this as a “normal” expectation in human relationships. It’s then easy for them to become involved in bullying and abusive friendships and dating relationships, either as the abuser or the victim. This is why it is so important to break the cycle.

Resources:

Ncsafespace.org (In Louisburg)

www.webmd.com/mental-health/mental-domestic-abuse-signs#2

www.breakthecycle.org

www.thehotline.org

Sixth grade students worked in groups to write their own Greek myths. Wow! They really brought their creativity! I was proud of their ability to collaborate given the obstacles of remote learning. We will be presenting those myths this week. Ask your child to show you their work. I promise it will be good.

Seventh grade students are beginning a companion book to A Long Walk to Water. This book by Katherine Applegate, entitled Home of the Brave tells the story of a different Lost Boy of Sudan. Students will analyze the book’s symbols, themes, and characters. The culminating project will be abstract art. I can’t wait!

Our Canvas page remains our central location for accessing all instructional materials that include lessons, Google slide presentations, study guides (hyperdocs), instructional videos, announcements, and assessments. And, I have created Google Classrooms for each core class to use with new technology platforms that are compatible with EdPuzzle and Edulastic; additional instructional resources.

Please encourage your child to join Google Classroom via the links below.

• Core 1 https://classroom.google.com/c/MTQ4MDM4NzA2MTE5?cjc=pbf56gi

• Core 2 https://classroom.google.com/c/MTQ4MDY1MDIzMjQ1?cjc=be7dotv

• Core 3 https://classroom.google.com/c/MTQ4MDM4NzA2NTM4?cjc=xfzd4i4

• Core 4 https://classroom.google.com/c/MTQ4MDcyMDQ0MTcw?cjc=bqajry2

Current Novel Study

We are currently working on the following skills / standards using the novel, Inside Out and Back Again…

• Making inferences

• Analyzing character traits

• Building a vocabulary bank of tone vs. mood terms

• Making connections with informational texts to build background knowledge around the historical fiction text, Inside and Back Again

Reminder…

Daily Expectations for Students: Please encourage your child to meet our ultimate reading goal... Read for 20 to 30 minutes daily for enjoyment.

Digital Access to Books! Your child now has access to online reading material from Franklin County Public Libraries, as well as, Sora; FMS Digital Library. Your child can access these sites by logging into Clever. (Both username and password are your child’s student ID number)

NOTE: Reading independently for sustained periods of time increases student vocabulary bank, background knowledge, comprehension skills, and the ability to build stamina when faced with complex texts.

Thank you for all your support. Sincerely, Ms. Frost

We are starting a brand new nine weeks material. Everything we learn in this nine weeks is LIFE Science based! Students that are attempting to correct grades or bring grades up should email their teacher today about bringing grades up! My grades will be finalized by Wednesday of this week! Today and next week, we will begin our units on Cell Theory, Parts of the Microscope, Protists, and Parts of a cell. Please ensure your students are doing their daily assignments every single day and that they know how to navigate the Google Classroom.

MR. COBB - MATH

Unit 2 starts this week!!! The focus is on Rational Numbers. We will begin by looking at absolute value and negative numbers. Please make sure that your students have turned in ALL missing assignments by Tuesday, October 20th. Any missing assignments can be handed in for FULL CREDIT!!

If you have any questions about how to access any missing assignments please email me or have your student email me with questions.

MS. BAECHLE - ELA

Happy Monday students and families, we in the final week of Q1 and just beginning Unit 2 of our text “A Long Walk to Water.” Our AIG class will also be reading an anchor text called, “Home of the Brave,” while making strong textual connections among texts. For the weeks of 10/19 and 10/26 we will continue reading in our first text, “A Long Walk to Water,” will be deep diving into Unit 2 and continuing to enhance our reading comprehension skills, by utilizing key textual evidence and vocabulary within the text.

In addition, we continue to do a deep dive into the content and focus on a series of data-driven skills including: context clues, vocabulary in context, informational text, theme, process of elimination with multiple choice questions, and citing and analyzing (explaining) textual quotes.

Parents/guardians, please make sure to have your students check Power school regularly to see what work they are missing. It is critical that ALL students take accountability for their work, come to class regularly, and turn in work on a consistent basis.

I also have office hours Monday -Thursday from 2:30-3:00pm for any additional support with work. Please encourage your child to read a text of interest for at least 20 minutes daily to further enhance their reading comprehension skills, and to develop a lifelong love for reading and learning! If you have any further questions please contact me at: kimberlybaechle@fcschools.net

MR. LEMONS - SOCIAL STUDIES

Over the next few weeks we will be ending the first quarter and beginning the new one. Monday will be a review day for the final test of the quarter on Tuesday. The test on Tuesday will conclude the unit on Spain’s expansion into the New World. Starting Wednesday we will begin studying Portugal’s role in the establishment of early colonies in Africa and how the rest of Europe approached colonialism.

Do not forget that all assignments that are incomplete or were submitted as blank documents are due on Tuesday and so are the projects given last week. Parents and students should check grades on powerschool and contact me if they would like a little more help raising grades before Wednesday.

• We will continue reading for our first novel “Percy Jackson and The Lightning Thief”.

Students study the purposes and elements of mythology. Students read Rick Riordan’s The Lightning Thief with a focus on the archetypal hero’s journey and close reading of the many mythical allusions. They also read complex informational texts about the elements of mythology. As a whole class, students will closely read several complex Greek myths, and then work in small groups to build expertise on an additional myth. Students then develop their narrative writing skills as they create their own hero’s journey narrative.

• Students have been given access to online books in Sora.
• Is it a challenge to understand parts of Percy Jackson. Don't worry I have you covered.
• Listen to the story of Percy Jackson. I have already provided the links in google classroom.
• Have extra time and don’t know what to do?!
• Do I-Ready reading lessons to help you close the gaps in what you missed in 5th grade.
• Make sure you are completing your FFM (First Five Minutes) questions daily. FFM’s help your grade.
• Please have ELA Notebooks with you daily.
• Missed class? No worries! Go to google classroom for daily instructional videos.

If you have any questions or concerns you can email me at chasitymcintosh@fcschools.net

If your student would like to check out a book please click on the Follet Destiny link in their fcschools.net bookmarks. I will deliver the book to your house. No distance is too far!!

SORA Tutorial

(public library)

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1HOh4M-8aVjn7zXJ8fiPojAclf0N-MVle/view

You can always contact me by phone at 919-494-2971 or by email at kimfaulkner@fcschools.net

“A reader lives a thousand lives before he dies . . . The man who never reads lives only one.” – George R.R. Martin

Check out the upcoming events below!

Last year we had GoGuardian - this year we have Aristotle. This program allows teachers to see student screens while they are using their Chromebooks. If students are using their own personal devices, then teachers are unable to see what they are doing.

Note: if a teacher contacts you and says that they saw your child on other programs/games while they were supposed to be in class, they saw it clear as day on Aristotle! Usually teachers will send a private message to a student who is on other programs/games and tell them to pay attention to class. If it keeps happening they will likely contact you. If they are doing something against the district use policy then it becomes a discipline issue and you will likely hear from me or Mr. Jones.

Email: heidiboardman@fcschools.net
Website: fcschools.net/Page/25
Location: 3 North Main Street, Franklinton, NC, USA
Phone: 919-494-2971
Twitter: @FranklintonMS