FMS SMORE PARENT NEWSLETTER
OCTOBER 19 - NOVEMBER 2 EDITION
WEAR ORANGE TOMORROW AND STAND AGAINST BULLYING!
ADD THESE DATES TO YOUR CALENDAR
OCTOBER 20
- WEAR ORANGE FOR WORLD UNITY DAY!!
- FOOTBALL FMS VS CEDAR CREEK MS AT FRANKLINTON HIGH SCHOOL 5:30 PM
- SOCCER FMS VS CEDAR CREEK AT FRANKLINTON PARK FIELDS 4:30 PM
OCTOBER 25
- SPIRIT WEEK: Jersey Day - wear gear showing your favorite team!
OCTOBER 26
- SPIRIT WEEK: Spirit Day - Wear school colors or any FMS swag. Face paint allowed!
- LAST DAY OF THE FIRST QUARTER
- HOMECOMING - COURT WILL BE ANNOUNCED DURING FOOTBALL GAME
- FOOTBALL FMS vs Butner Stem MS at FMS Football field
OCTOBER 27
- SPIRIT WEEK: Wacky Wednesday - dress in colorful, wacky, fun outfits!
- NC CHECK-IN TESTING: ELA *see below for testing schedule today
OCTOBER 28
- SPIRIT WEEK: Throwback Thursday - dress in clothes from back in the day!
- NC CHECK-IN TESTING: MATH *see below for testing schedule today
OCTOBER 29
- SPIRIT WEEK: Pajama day - wear pajamas and fuzzy slippers and bring your favorite small blanket!
- NC CHECK-IN TESTING: GRADE 8 SCIENCE *regular schedule today
OCTOBER 30
- FRANKENFEST IN FRANKLINTON! * see below for more information
- FMS BOOK SCHOLASTIC BOOK FAIR DURING FRANKENFEST 12pm-3pm
- FMS FOOTBALL VS TERRELL LANE MS AT 11:00 AM *LAST GAME
OCTOBER 31
- HALLOWEEN
NOVEMBER 3
- ELECTION NIGHT - VOTING IN THE GYM IF YOU ARE IN THIS VOTING DISTRICT
TESTING SCHEDULE FOR 10/27 & 10/28
OUR VIRTUAL PARENT NIGHT WINNER OF THE DRAWING FOR A $50 VISA GIFT CARD WAS:
CONGRATULATIONS MR. BURT AND THANK YOU FOR BEING A PARENT WHO IS AN ACTIVE PART OF THE FMS FAMILY!
FMS WATER BOTTLE $3.00 IN THE MAIN OFFICE
OUR NEW CHANDELIER!
FMS HAS A NEW FOOTBALL SCOREBOARD!
THANK YOU MRS. GRISSOM!
THANK YOU MR. AND MRS. HEILMAN!
THANK YOU MS. GOSWICK AND MRS. MCGEE!
FMS ATHLETIC GUIDELINES - PLEASE READ THESE OVER WITH YOUR CHILD
MAINTAIN GRADES
- Grades will be pulled every halfway point of the quarter and at the end of every quarter.
- Athletes need to be passing at least 4 out of 6 classes at that moment to be able to continue being in games/matches.
ATHLETE GRADE PULLING DATES:
9/23
11/02 * this next date is coming right up! Winter sports athletes pay attention!
12/1
1/25
2/17
3/29
5/3
MAINTAIN ATTENDANCE & PAPERWORK
- If the athlete is out of school that day, they may not attend practice/game
- Quarantine means the athlete can't engage with the team
- Every athlete should have a physical exam on record clearing them to play
- Every athlete should be up to date on immunizations
MAINTAIN BEHAVIOR
If an athlete gets a major referral with (OSS) they should be immediately let go from the team
Below are consequences for minor referrals:
- First time in ALC: no practice that day
- Second time in ALC: sit out the next game
- Third time in ALC: dismissed from the team
ATHLETES WHO ARE NOT PASSING AT LEAST 4/6 CLASSES WHEN GRADES ARE PULLED
- As long as the athlete is not passing 4/6 classes, they cannot play games/matches.
- Students should be given two weeks to get their grades up, during which they can still practice.
- After two weeks, if grades are not acceptable, the athlete will be let go from the team.
- The athlete needs to show proof of acceptable grades to the coach before being allowed to play games/matches. Once an athlete shows proof that they are passing 4/6 classes, they can participate fully and there is no need to check grades until the next grade pulling date.
- This cycle will reoccur every 4-5 weeks (every half quarter).
RULES FOR HOME GAMES
- Masks are mandatory for everyone unless you are 6 ft or more away from everyone
- Gate fee is $5.00 (SOCCER IS FREE)
- Students should have an adult with them when they attend a game
FOR ATHLETIC UPDATES GO TO THE FMS WEBSITE AND CLICK ON THE ATHLETICS TAB
SOME RULES FOR DROP-OFF, PICK-UP, AND MASON & MAIN
DROP-OFF & PICK-UP
- Drop-off & Pick-up should ONLY be done in the Baptist Church parking lot at the beginning of the day and the end of the day.
- Please do not come into the school after 2:45pm to pick up a child. Go to the church parking lot and wait for dismissal.
- It is unsafe to drop-off or pick-up students off outside of the designated drop-off/pick-up area - please take the time to do this in the safest way possible!
MASON & MAIN
- Mason & Main is a VERY popular place for students - it's super cool to walk into class holding a latte.
- However, students are not allowed to leave campus once they arrive on our campus and throughout the school day. Consequences start at 3-5 days ISS.
- Students who arrive on campus on the bus or who are dropped off on campus are not allowed to leave the campus from that point on.
- The two allowances for Mason & Main are: (1) parents have the right to drop their child off at Mason & Main (not on campus!!) in the morning, and at that time students have the right to be there, and (2) students who are walkers to school are allowed to go to Mason & Main before they enter the school campus.
- Students are responsible for crossing the street safely on their own and getting to homeroom by 8:30 am.
- We have had students almost get hit crossing the street - if you choose to drop your child off at Mason & Main in the morning talk to them about how to cross the street safely!
PARKING DURING ATHLETIC EVENTS
- We are anticipating some large crowds this year for football and basketball
- Parking starts in the Athletic Facility parking lot
- The smaller parking lot on the way in can also be used
- The Franklinton Baptist Church parking lot (drop-off/pick-up parking lot) on Cheatham street can also be used (FCS owns that lot)
- You can also park on Hillsborough next to the school.
- Please don't park in "no parking" zones - you will likely get a ticket!
OUR STAFF HAS COMPLETED OUR ACES/RESILIENCE TRAINING
We are dedicated to helping your children to be successful in ALL areas of school life!
SCHOOL COUNSELOR - MS. GILBERT
Ms. Gilbert’s Google Site: click here
Helpful Resources
NC211.org (or call 211)
Food Finder (FoodBank of Central NC)
Hope4NC (or call 1-855-587-3463)
TransitionsLifeCare.org (or call the Grief Line 919-719-7199)
National Domestic Violence Hotline (or call 800-799-7233)
SuicidePreventionLifeline.org (or call 800-273-8255)
National Alliance of Mental Illness/NC (or call 800-451-9682)
Cardinalinnovations.org (or call 800-939-5911)
How to Contact Ms. Gilbert:
Complete and submit this form: Counselor Request Form
Or send email to: marygilbert@fcschools.net
Or call FMS at 919-494-2971 ext. 298
October is Bullying Prevention Month and Domestic Violence Awareness Month
“As we mark Domestic Violence Awareness Month, along with Bullying Prevention Month, it’s the perfect time to examine the connection between domestic violence and bullying. Studies show that children exposed to violence at home tend to participate in higher levels of physical bullying than young people who were not witnesses to violent behavior.” ~Youth Crisis Center
Read more here: the connection between domestic violence and bullying
article/how-to-help-your-child-get-emotional-support-at-school
article/domestic violence effects on children
article/alarming effects of children's exposure to domestic violence
FMS FRONT DESK PHONE NUMBER 919-494-2971
6TH GRADE TEAM UPDATES
MS. DOWNUM - SCIENCE
We have started our Forces in Motion unit this week. We just call it waves because that is what they will be learning about during this unit. I broke the unit up into two parts to make it easier on the students to understand such an abstract topic. The first part is the introduction to what waves are and we launch into sound waves and the human ear. The test for that part will be November the 9th. The second part we talk about light waves and the human eye. The test for this unit is November the 23rd. We will be completing the cow eye dissection that students have been so excited for this year tentatively on December the 1st. Your child’s safety and education are my first priorities and as such the students know that they need to have all of their assignments for me completed and they need to show they can follow directions safely in the labs leading up to this lab in order to participate. If a student is unable to participate in the actual lab they will have an alternate assignment to complete. I am excited for this lab and to see them really dive into it.
MR. MITCHELL - MATH
Students have officially made it through Unit 1. In hopes of providing students with some added opportunity, we will be re-taking the Unit 1 Test this Thursday. Resources can be found in the Google Classroom! Along the same lines, students still have an opportunity to raise grades before the end of quarter by submitting missing assignments for credit. This will be the last quarter that I will be accepting late work so please encourage your students to take advantage of it while they still can. Last day to submit assignments is this Friday, October 22nd!
7TH GRADE TEAM UPDATES
MS. JENKINS - MATH
This week we continue our work on percentages. We are learning to identify percentages using double number lines, tables and proportions. We are diligently preparing for the Unit 1 assessment. We have discussed the many ways we see percentage calculations in everyday life. Our goal is to understand that the topics we study are relevant, practical and fun.!! Be sure to complete all assignments, take good notes and ask questions. Everyone has done a great job attacking the new concepts and we plan to finish strong.
Please remember to complete your I-Ready time each week. I-Ready assignments count as weekly classwork grades. Friday, Oct. 22 is the last day to submit make-up work.
MR. LEMONS - SOCIAL STUDIES
Over the next couple weeks, we will be going over the renaissance period. We will be talking about art, science, history, economics, exploration and disease. We will be working on an art project this week that will require water color paint. Make sure students are ready to paint, and either wear clothes that can get dirty or are careful with the paint. Also make sure that students check their grades on Wednesday and Thursday, as I will be periodically updating grades.
MS. BAECHLE - ELA
Happy Fall Ya’ll!! We are coming to a close with Q1 this Friday, time has surely flown and my students are doing well maintaining their focus and with their work completion overall. As stated prior their Q1 project is due this Friday, 10/22. I will include the link below: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Ey4PRCrPqOy3T2Dm-2oCVhLqjM_vI6rFVXFqaKHPnF0/edit?usp=sharing
Students have been provided several opportunities in class to work on their project as well. I will not take any make-up work for Q1 past this Friday, 10/22.
Over the next couple of weeks students will focus on skill-sets such as:analyzing quotes with a deep dive into the text “Lyddie,” providing the gist of the text and focusing on key vocabulary. In addition, they will continue to develop their “skittles” annotation skills and (POE) processes of elimination with a School Net practice assessment and middle of Unit quiz as well.
In addition, we are working on a school-wide competition for which class per grade and as a whole school can complete the most I-Ready pathway assignments with accuracy ay 70% or greater for both ELA and Math. Please make sure you are completing 45-50 minutes weekly for both classes. Also make sure you are checking Powerschool regularly to make sure your grades are up to date.
Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions as kimberlybaechle@fcschools.net
8TH GRADE TEAM UPDATES
MS. HEAD - SCIENCE
We are continuing our study of energy. This week we will be starting an energy project on renewable and non-renewable sources of energy. All late work needs to be turned in by October 20th to be counted for this quarter. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns. Thank you!
MR. HURD - MATH
We are currently working on a new unit. This new unit is an intro to algebra, but can be very difficult for many students. Expect to see many similar assignments for a while to make sure this foundation is fully practiced. Expect to see grades caught up this weekend as well as an email if anyone is missing any work. Because we have finished the 1st unit and are on pace for the new unit we will be following the weekly schedule that I originally sent out, feel free to email me if you have any concerns.
ELECTIVES TEAM UPDATES
MR. SMITH - BAND/CHORUS
All students should have access to their respective Google Classroom course whether band and/or vocal music. I have sent out invites to students who have not yet joined. A lot of information has been posted in Google Classroom including our course syllabus, classroom expectations, and units that we will be covering throughout the course. This week, we are working on completing missing assignments.
**If you have any questions, please contact me: jimmiesmith@fcschools.net. **
Band 6:
We have begun working with instruments! Students have started learning how to finger and play various notes on their instrument. I hope to soon transition into having them playing together as a full band. If you are unable to get an instrument for your child, please let me know. I need every student to have an instrument ASAP. Students should always be reviewing note identification. Yesterday, we began a note identification challenge via musictheory.net. The instructions for this challenge are available in Google Classroom. This will be a weekly challenge to monitor their progress.
Band 7:
We have been spending a lot of time on warm-ups to aid in developing better, more characteristic sounds on our instrument. These warm-ups and much more are available in Google Classroom. We have also begun rehearsing sheet music for a potential winter concert. More information will be provided as we get closer to that time. I recognize that many of our students have a lot going on after school, but please encourage your child to practice at home. This does not necessarily mean they have to play at home every night, but if they simply look over the music that we are working on, focusing on rhythms and notes/fingerings, that will make a huge difference in how our time is spent in our in-class rehearsal.
Band 8:
We have been spending a lot of time on warm-ups to aid in developing better, more characteristic sounds on our instrument. These warm-ups and much more are available in Google Classroom. We have also begun rehearsing sheet music for a potential winter concert. More information will be provided as we get closer to that time. I would like for us to move a little faster during our in-class rehearsals and get a lot more done than we have been. I recognize that many of our students have a lot going on after school, but please encourage your child to practice at home. This does not necessarily mean they have to play at home every night, but if they simply look over the music that we are working on, focusing on rhythms and notes/fingerings, that will make a huge difference in how our time is spent in our in-class rehearsal
Vocal Music 6-8:
I am really liking the level of participation I am getting from many of these students. In such a short time, they are already becoming more comfortable singing in front of one another. They basically have our vocal warm-up sequence memorized and can sing independently. We are continuing to work on multi-part harmony to help with learning concert music, which we have begun working on. Music for a potential winter concert was distributed last week and they are already running with it. I am very excited about how this group will be sounding over the next few weeks!
MS. HATTEN - DRAMA
8th grade:
8th grade students are beginning a new puppetry unit on World Drama with Shadow Puppets. They will be choosing an area of World Drama to research. For this project, students may work with a partner or they may do this as an individual assignment. Students will be writing a 3 to 5 page research paper on the world drama topic. Students will need at least 3 sources as references. (the red textbook can be one of them if there is information there. You MAY NOT use Wikipedia) This research paper will need to be in a google doc to turn in (and shared between partners). Once the paper is complete and turned in, students will begin working on a presentation.
7th grade:
Students are continuing to work on our papercraft project in class. As students complete their individual project, they are beginning to work on several class projects, including trophy heads for some grade level competitions. Pictures to come soon!
6th grade:
I am always excited to pair up with the ELA teachers to work on drama projects that have a base in the book they are reading in ELA. This week we are working on some Greek Mythology. Students have had a brief overview of the Greek gods and monsters and began working to create their own original, new Greek god and Greek mythological monster. This will be set up in a slide show to share with the 6th grade ELA classes. We will also be working on some ideas for Percy Jackson, the Lightning Thief, as well as reviewing some of the music from the Broadway Musical, The Lightning Thief. Look for some samples of work to come out next SMORE!
AIG - MRS. HAWTHORNE UPDATES
Did you know that 20% of AIG students struggle with perfectionism?
Many advanced students struggle from this point of view. Some of these tendencies can be great because they propel a person towards success, but like many things in life you can sometimes have too much of a good thing.
Here is a short introductory video about four helpful tips that can get us thinking differently about perfectionism. As a follow up, here is a document with further reading for all stakeholders. Please let me know how we can best support your child as an advanced learner.
Your partner in education,
Valerie Hawthorne
AIG Facilitator CCMS/FMS
valeriehawthorne@fcschools.net
MS. FAULKNER - MEDIA CENTER / STEAM LAB
BOOK FAIR - COME BUY A BOOK DURING FRANKENFEST!
The Scholastic Book Fair is coming the week of October 25th!!
We will be open the day of Frankenfest so come on in and pick up a good book!
"BREAKING OUT" AND LEARNING ABOUT INTERNET SECURITY!
OTHER FUN STUFF FROM MS. FAULKNER
WE NEED A PARENT ON OUR SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT TEAM
Meets every 2nd Tuesday from 3:30-5:00pm
Need one parent on the team - more than that are welcome!
Works on implementing the school improvement plan
Deals with big picture FMS initiatives and changes (years long)
Interested? Email heidiboardman@fcschools.net
FMS PARENT GROUP - LOOKING FOR NEW MEMBERS!
If you are interested in being a part of a new parent group, please click on the button below and sign up to be a facilitator, a member who attends meetings, or a helper who helps out once in a while. No matter what, we are glad to have you!
R - Respectful
A - Accountable
M - Motivated
S - Safe
C - Character
H - Honor
O - Opportunity
I - Inclusivity
C - Compassion
E - Excellence
FMS MISSION:
FMS is a vibrant and caring school that empowers students to become lifelong learners and responsible citizens who are college and career ready.
FMS VALUES:
- All children, regardless of race, ethnicity, socio-economic circumstances, or cognitive level, can grow and achieve.
- Strong collaborative teams with a shared vision can reduce achievement gaps and raise growth levels for all students.
- Forging strong relationships between the school, the parents, and the community is crucial in achieving a well-rounded education that addresses each student’s needs.
- A learning environment based on trust, integrity, and commitment is vital for student success.
- Discipline, safety, and accountability are important parts of a school culture that reflects intellectual, emotional, and social growth.