Achieving excellence by educating and empowering all students to succeed.

This message is about school start and dismissal times for the 2022-23 school year. The start and dismissal times for all elementary buildings will be adjusted and the secondary buildings will remain the same for the fall of 2022. The amount of time between the elementary bus routes and secondary bus routes needs to be expanded to ensure that all students can arrive at school at appropriate times in a safe manner. This also assists Valley Bus to adjust routes when driver shortages occur. Currently, when there is a driver shortage the available drivers may drive two different routes. This delays the secondary bus route and has resulted in many secondary students being dropped off later than the school start time. The length of the elementary school day does not change; elementary students will start and end their day seven minutes earlier than the 2021-22 school year.

FPS and Valley Bus will make the following adjustments to elementary start times and bus routes starting Thursday, August 25, 2022 (first day of school for the 2021-22 school year).

• Each elementary bus route will be running seven to 10 minutes earlier each day beginning Thursday, August 25, 2022.
• Elementary students are allowed in the building 15 minutes before school starts each day. They will have the option to pick up breakfast and then report to their classroom.

• Secondary students should be at their bus stops at the times posted at the beginning of the year. The affected routes should no longer be late.

Parents can check their child’s pick-up time using the “Bus Route by Address” option on the FPS Transportation website at this link, beginning in August of 2022.

Although the 2021-22 school year has been challenging, the transportation department and staff at Valley Bus are responding to these challenges and working hard to keep students safe.

Please contact your child’s school if you have any questions.

Sincerely,

Bob Grosz & Missy Eidsness
Associate Superintendents of Fargo Public Schools.

Recently, Fargo Public Schools made the decision to continue its Virtual Academy for the 2022-2023 school year. For planning purposes, we need to gather information regarding interest for next year.

Elementary (grades K-5): The elementary model will stay the same through the North Dakota Center for Distance Education (NDCDE).

Secondary (grades 6-12): Secondary students will utilize a program called Edgenuity for core classes. This program, currently used at the high schools for credit recovery coursework, provides greater flexibility to meet students’ academic needs. In addition, secondary students will have the opportunity to meet via Zoom with an FPS instructor at scheduled times throughout the day. Elective courses will be offered through NDCDE at the secondary level.

Please complete the survey linked below to indicate your interest in attending the Fargo Public Schools Virtual Academy for the 2022-2023 school year: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfFZEu1-qzxbzL7xn_Pq_txT2LnKXhJfURO9Kkx76Y7OtGGyg/viewform?usp=sf_link

More information on the Fargo Public Schools Virtual Academy can be found on our webpage: https://www.fargo.k12.nd.us/virtualacademy.

If you have questions, please contact the Virtual Academy administrators listed below:

Lori Nappe (Grades K-5)

(701) 446-1601

nappel@fargo.k12.nd.us

Holly Fiechtner (Grades 6-12)

(701) 446-1602

fiechth@fargo.k12.nd.us

School counselors and staff are available during the school day to assist students. After hours and during weekends and holiday breaks, families need to utilize community supports. If you are in need of assistance for yourself or someone else, please contact the following resources:

FirstLink: Dial 2-1-1

(24/7 hour help line for community resources and emotional support)

Suicide Lifeline (answered locally): 1-800-273-TALK (8255)

Red River Regional Dispatch: 701-451-7660

If you have an emergency, call 9-1-1