FMS PARENT INFORMATION SMORE
FEBRUARY 7
CALENDAR DATES
FEBRUARY 22
- Bus Driver Appreciation Day - show your appreciation for our very hard working bus drivers!
FEBRUARY 24
- Say Something assembly at school - working to keep our school safe!
MARCH 3
- Employee Appreciation Day and Maintenance Appreciation Day
MARCH 6-10
- Social Worker Appreciation Week
MARCH 8
- FMS Parent Group 5:30pm (virtual)
MARCH 12
- Daylight Savings
MARCH 15
- Remediation Week (assembly schedule)
MARCH 16
- EARLY RELEASE - STUDENT RELEASED AT 12:30 PM
- Remediation Week (assembly schedule)
MARCH 17
- TEACHER WORKDAY - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS
- Happy St. Patrick's Day
MARCH 20
- Remediation Week (assembly schedule)
MARCH 21
- Remediation Week (assembly schedule)
MARCH 22
- SCIENCE NC CHECK-IN TESTING (8th Grade Only)
MARCH 23
- ELA NC CHECK-IN TESTING (all grades)
MARCH 28
- FCS Parent Summit
APRIL 3-7
- Assistant Principal Appreciation Week
APRIL 5
- FMS Parent Group (virtual) 5:30pm
APRIL 7 - APRIL 16
- SPRING BREAK - NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS
APRIL 24
- MATH NC CHECK-IN TESTING (all grades)
APRIL 26
- Administrative Profession Appreciation Day
MAY 1-5
- Teacher Appreciation Week
MAY 1
- i-Ready Testing ELA (all grades)
MAY 2
- i-Ready Testing Math (all grades)
MAY 3
- FMS Parent Group (virtual) 5:30 pm
MAY 5
- Cafeteria Worker Appreciation Day
- Cinco de Mayo
MAY 10
- EARLY RELEASED - STUDENTS RELEASED AT 12:30 PM
- School Nurse Appreciation Day
MAY 14
- Mother's Day
MAY 20
- SPRING SEMI-FORMAL DANCE (more information closer to the date)
MAY 29
- NO SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS - MEMORIAL DAY
MAY 31
- ELA END-OF-GRADE (EOG) TESTING TODAY
JUNE 1
- MATH END-OF-GRADE (EOG) TESTING TODAY
JUNE 2
- SCIENCE END-OF-GRADE (EOG) TESTING TODAY
JUNE 9
- LAST DAY OF SCHOOL FOR STUDENTS
- 8TH GRADE CELEBRATION
JUNE 12
- EOG REMEDIATION DAY
JUNE 13
- EOG REMEDIATION DAY
JUNE 14
- Last day for teachers
- Flag Day
FMS HAS FREE TUTORING!!
Our teachers are available Monday, Wednesday, and Thursday to tutor students after school from 3:30-5:00 pm. Students simply report to the cafeteria after school. Parents need to fill out a form before the second visit. Take advantage of this FREE one on one help! Pick-up is on Vine Street at the cafeteria entrance.
Please talk to your child about spraying perfumes during school. We have many students and adults in the building who have sensory issues, allergy issues, and sensitivity to strong smells.
Lots of students are learning about hygiene and wearing deoderant in middle school. They also need to learn to be aware of how much scent they are putting on :)
SCHOOL COUNSELOR CORNER WITH MS. GILBERT
SEE HELPFUL LINKS AT THE BOTTOM OF THIS NEWSLETTER
8th Grade Parents! It’s Time To Plan For High School!
Did your 8th grade student apply to Early College High School or Louisburg Magnet High School? Be expecting information about what to do next! Student interviews will be happening soon! Selection for these programs will happen later in the semester.
High school websites: Franklinton High School Louisburg Magnet High School Early College HS
9th Grade Registration for Franklinton High School:
***Registration packets were distributed to our 8th grade students on Monday 2/20.***
Please do not lose them!
Registration Forms are to be completed and returned to your student’s homeroom teacher.
FHS Spring Showcase is Tues., Feb. 28th
5:00 pm - 7:30 pm.
Attend a Parent information session at 5:00 or at 6:30 in the auditorium
Parents and rising freshmen can meet teachers and coaches and learn about classes, electives, athletics, etc.
FHS will have a registration night at FHS on March 7th from 4:00 pm - 7:00 pm to complete 9th grade registration in powerschool. Students will be able to sign up for this after the Showcase.
ALL of our 8th grade students will register for 9th grade at FHS even if they’ve applied to ECHS or LMHS
Say Something Anonymous Reporting System (SSARS)
On 2/24/23, FMS students and faculty will participate in the annual training provided by Sandy Hook Promise regarding the Say Something Anonymous Reporting System. This program teaches middle and high school students to recognize the warning signs of someone at-risk of hurting themselves or others and how to say something to a trusted adult to get help.
The Say Something program aligns seamlessly with any school’s existing social-emotional learning (SEL) curriculum, instruction, and programming. Students build essential SEL competencies, including how to empathize with others and seek help when needed (relationship skills) and how to identify problems and analyze situations, as well as solve problems in an ethically-responsible manner (responsible decision-making). This is a proven, life-saving program available nationwide at no cost. Students learned the importance of three steps to help save themselves and others from harm.
3 Steps of Say Something:
Recognize The Signs: Learn about different types of warning signs or threats and how to spot them, especially on social media.
Act Immediately, Take It Seriously: Understand strategies to take action and overcome potential barriers to being an “upstander” rather than a “bystander.”
Say Something: Learn how to intervene by telling a trusted adult or using the anonymous reporting system.
Students usually know more about threats of violence from other students than adults do. Our students are empowered to stand up and report information so a timely response to a potential crisis can be made. It is NOT “snitching” when students are trying to help someone avoid harm.
Here at school, students, parents, and community members can report threats of harm to Ms. Boardman, our principal, Ms. G, our assistant principal, or Ms. Gilbert, our school counselor, or any teacher or adult working at the school, by talking to us in person, calling or emailing us, or by using our Counselor Request Form or this Anonymous Tip Report from our website.
Students, parents, and community members can also use the Say Something Anonymous Reporting System by calling 1-844-5-SAYNOW or by going online at SaySomething.net or by using the new Say Something App. Our school as well as local Law Enforcement will receive notification from SSARS so an appropriate and timely response can be made. SSARS is especially helpful after school hours during nights, weekends, and breaks from school. Look for these posters and stickers around campus:
i-READY IS A LARGE PART OF YOUR CHILD'S GRADE IN MATH AND ELA
Make sure your child is completing their i-Ready assignments weekly - this is something they can do at home, anytime, and the expectation is that they do it on their own. All you need to monitor is that they are completing two assignments for ELA and two assignments for Math, with a passing grade that is set by their teacher.
UPDATES FROM THE ELECTIVES TEAM
ART: MS. CLIFTON
Your Art students learned about the 1784 Tignon Law, and about the 2021 Crown Act. They created head wraps pictures with zentangled patterns. This brought awareness to both Tignon Law and Crown Act while supporting our lessons on lines.
From there the art students have been working on creating line and contrast cityscapes.
DRAMA: MS. HATTEN
8th grade students have done a great job working on shoe designs based on their favorite book characters. We have Percy Jackson, Goku, Junie B. Jones, Harry Potter, Katniss Everdeen, and more! Great Job Students!
NEWS FROM THE 6TH GRADE TEAM
SCIENCE: MS. DOWNUM
We are finishing up our Energy unit with the test today. We will start the new unit called Matter Properties and Change on the 24th. We are taking a brief pause to finish up our third unit for SEL (Social Emotional Learning) all about Thoughts, Emotions, and Decisions. We will start our fourth unit called Managing RElationships and Social Conflict. We are also working on something pretty exciting and engaging called March Mammal Madness. This is a competition in March with mammals. It is similar to the Who Would Survive books where there are two animals who have a hypothetical battle and one will “win” the battle. Except this is on a much larger scale with a bracket that students use to predict the outcome of the battles. Students have looked forward to these in the past.
Last week we used a Van De Graaf Machine to extend on our static electricity knowledge. It was a lot of fun and the students were able to learn more about closed and open circuits as well as conductors and insulators. I will add some of the pictures I was able to take below to share with you. It was a hair raising experience and helped to really make connections with what we were learning in class to a hands on experience.
SOCIAL STUDIES: The students have been working on ancient India in Social Studies.
MATH: MR. MITCHELL
Having just completed Unit 5, we are now moving into Unit 6. Unit 6 is the first time students will be introduced to negative numbers and practical concepts like monetary debt and underwater elevation.
As always, please ensure your students are completing 60 minutes and 2 lessons of iReady each week. This is a great way to ensure your students are having their learning gaps filled.
Please reach out with any questions at brandonmitchell@fcschools.net
I will do my best to respond in a timely manner.
ELA: MS. JONES
We are currently in week five of quarter three and working towards finishing our class reading, “The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind.” We are learning about figurative language by using modern examples found in music and movies! Students practiced writing using figurative language by making candy hearts for Valentines day.
In the coming weeks, we will be focusing on research methods, outline writing, and will be finishing up our book with a research paper. Students will be working hard to learn about reliable and unreliable sources. Then they will find their own and do their own indepth research. I will update parents with more information about our research paper soon.
Students have been given the opportunity to earn extra credit this month, which will be due on February 24th, 2023.
PLEASE BE SURE TO COMPLETE I-READY WEEKLY REQUIREMENTS (2 lessons passed + 45 minutes)
UPDATES FROM THE 7TH GRADE TEAM
SCIENCE: MS. NEUJAHR
So far students have learned numerous topics in physics such as Newtons Laws of Motion, Gravity, Simple Machines, and how force acts upon an object. Students have been working in class to complete their 5 part project on a famous scientist who has influenced society.
Part 1: Research Questions (Past Due)
Part 2: Canva Poster (Due 2/17)
Part 3: Script and Green Screen (Due 3/3)
SOCIAL STUDIES: MR. JONES
Students took their World War One tests and will complete make ups on Thursday (2/23). We are going to enter the Roaring 20’s and Great Depression in the coming week. Students have shown growth in their test scores and seem to have learned that studying leads to improvement. They will be assigned a project on the Holocaust soon that will be due at the end of the quarter. If you see a 0 in Powerschool, it is because the due date for the assignment has come and gone and I never received the work from the student. If you have any questions about your student, feel free to reach out to me at hunterjones@fcschools.net
MATH: MS. JENKINS
This week we will continue working on Unit 5, Reasoning with Equations and Inequalities. Part 2 of this unit will focus on angle relationships. We are learning to describe what it means for angles to be complementary, supplementary, and vertical. Students are encouraged to study the vocabulary daily. Students should expect data discussions to review NC Check-In 2 results and individual performance. Please encourage our students to complete their daily classroom assignments and homework. Homework is only issued if students do not complete their work in class, or have make-up assignments. The Unit 5 Test is tentatively scheduled for next Thursday.
Things to remember
Bring your materials (Chromebooks(charged), notebooks and pencils) to class daily.
Get a good night's rest and come to class prepared to learn.
Math I-Ready assignments are important. You are required to complete 45 minutes of study time with two passing lessons each week.
Believe in yourself, you can do it!
Our students are working hard to master these concepts. Keep up the good work. If you have any questions please feel free to contact me at litishajenkins@fcschools.net.
ELA: MS. BAECHLE
We are currently in week five of quarter three, and at the end of our second text, “A Long Walk to Water” as of this week. On Thursday, 2/23 and Tuesday 2/28, we will be watching an anchor movie entitled, “The Good Lie,” which connects directly with the text, and it is rated PG13. If you would not like your child to watch the film, they will be given an alternative assignment. Please let me know through email if this is the case.
We continue to develop our skills with locating and citing textual evidence with analysis, identifying unknown vocabulary terms, identifying several forms of text structure, and identifying several examples of figurative language within different types of texts. Each week
In addition, poetry will be a strong focus within out next unit (Unit 3 on Frederick Douglass and Slavery), as well as our final project of the year a social issue research paper and presentation (this will likely take place middle of Q3 to middle of Q4), more info to come soon. Our next unit will roughly begin the middle of next week.
Please be sure students are completing I-Ready weekly (2 passing lessons and 45 minutes) in both ELA and Math in order to receive full credit. I-Ready is a key element in their overall comprehension success and maintaining and or building up to grade-level lexile. Also, please make sure students are regularly checking Powerschool and making up any missed work to avoid a ton of work at the end of the quarter.
A friendly reminder that tutoring at FMS is free and available each week on: Monday, Wednesday, and Thursdays. I tutor each Monday and Thursday; I am more than happy to support with homework, challenging concepts from class, or just extra skill-set practice.
Please do not hesitate to reach out with any questions at: kimberlybaechle@fcschools.net
UPDATES FROM THE 8TH GRADE TEAM
SCIENCE: MS. HEAD
We are finishing up Evolution with a post test on February 27th. In the Second Step lessons, we will be finishing the second unit this week before Mr. Downum starts the third unit. Please encourage your student to get online and work on IXL (through classlink) and complete at least 15 correct questions per week. Please let me know if any questions come up (my email: nadinehead@fcschools.net). Thank you!
SOCIAL STUDIES: MR. DOWNUM
We have started the unit on The Civil War/Reconstruction this week and will be working on that unit for the foreseeable future. Please make sure that your students are checking Powerschool daily to make sure that all work is turned in and graded. If there is a zero in the gradebook that means I do not have the assignment from your student.
Please be aware that the school does offer tutoring Mon., Wed., and Thur. You must fill out a form for your student to attend which can be found in the main office.
MATH: MR. HURD
Good afternoon, we are still midway through the slope unit. We have plenty of time before the test in early March, I did want to let everyone know we are currently reviewing some of the most missed questions and will be doing so and practicing similar questions throughout the week.
In regards to that, grades will be caught up this week in response to the upcoming grade alerts. Apologies to the parents who have contacted me recently some emails have ended up in the spam folder. I am trying to catch up on those and grades this week. Also just to follow up, the school is doing grade alerts later at the end of the week.
Make sure students are keeping up on their iReady, just a reminder because I do get a lot of questions on the matter. iReady is required, and students are required to have 1 lesson and 45 minutes each week. I do not put this in until the end of the quarter due to instances involving broken chromebooks. They are expected to be done entirely regardless of issues, I allow the entire quarter for it to be done so there is no excuse.
ELA: MS. FROST
We are halfway through our second novel study! It is a memoir titled, A Mighty Long Way by Carlotta Walls Lanier. “When fourteen-year-old Carlotta Walls walked up the stairs of Little Rock Central High School on September 25, 1957, she and eight other black students only wanted to make it to class. But the journey of the “Little Rock Nine,” as they came to be known, would lead the nation on an even longer and much more turbulent path, one that would challenge prevailing attitudes, break down barriers, and forever change the landscape of America.”
“In this novel study, students study the U.S. civil rights movement, focusing particularly on The Little Rock Nine. They will consider the question “How can stories be powerful?” as they learn about segregation, the civil rights movement, The Little Rock Nine, and the role of the various mediums in shaping perceptions of events.”
Friendly Reminder… (Nightly Homework) Please make sure your child is reading our novel titled, A Mighty Long Way at home via Sora for 30+ minutes per night. Again, students can download the novel if internet access is an issue. All students should have completed reading Chapters 1-8 and continue reading Chapter 9 - Chapter 10. At the end of this week, students should complete text-dependent questions / vocabulary for Chapters 1-8.
Shout Out to Parents! Thank you for encouraging your child to read daily at home. I applaud students who come to class knowing the content to proceed with daily lessons aligned with the novel. Yet, there is a gap with students reading independently at home for extended periods of time for homework as compared to students not reading at home as expected. Please carve out some time out for your child to read at home.
Students Working Collaboratively… (Click link below to view)
https://tinyurl.com/FMSWorkingTogether
Encourage your child to continue working on Learning Pathway in I-Ready. Remember, to receive credit your child must complete 45+ minutes with a 75% or higher rate on completion of lessons to receive credit for each week. Many students go above and beyond to make up missed minutes. Keep up the work ethic! It pays off with your child’s grade %.
UPDATES FROM THE MEDIA CENTER & STEAM LAB
Kim Faulkner
Follow me on twitter @FMSreader
SORA is a great reading resource….have your student show it to you!
I am here to help your student find “their” book!!
Click on the link in the books below to watch a book trailer!
Click on the book to watch a book trailer!
Click on the book to watch a book trailer!
Click on the book to watch a book trailer!
Making bird seed suet!
How simple machines impact warfare (click on the picture)
We were having so much fun learning about thermal energy transfers that I forgot to take pictures. Here is the teapot we used for hot water!
HELPFUL LINKS FOR ALL PARENTS
Ms. Gilbert’s Google Site (School Counselor): 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)
SuicideCrisisLifeline.org (or call 988)
National Alliance of Mental Illness/NC (or call 800-451-9682)
Vaya Health (or call their Behavioral Health Crisis Line at 800-849-6127)
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
DOWNLOAD THE NEW FCS APP!
- View grades
- View attendance
- View bus info
- View the lunch menu
- Access school and staff info
- Receive important alerts
- View news stories
- View calendar info
IT'S EASY! GO TO THE FCS WEBSITE, LOOK FOR THE AD FOR THE APP, CLICK ON THE LOGO FOR THE APP STORE YOU USE FOR YOUR PHONE, AND DOWNLOAD THE APP. EASY!
*ONCE YOU ARE IN THE APP, CLICK ON THE PARENT PORTAL ICON, PUT IN YOUR PHONE NUMBER THAT YOU HAVE IN POWERSCHOOL, AND YOU WILL BE ABLE TO SEE YOUR CHILD'S GRADES AND ASSIGNMENTS. EASY!