CARDINAL CONNECTIONS
October 31, 2022
Franklin Pierce High School Community Newsletter
FPS District Equity Statement
DISTRICT AREAS OF FOCUS AND IMPROVEMENT:
- Equity and Social Justice
- Improved Instruction
- Family and Community Partnership
Cardinal Parents, Students, and Staff:
"If you cannot see your final destination, just focus on your next step."
Sometimes, we get bogged down or overwhelmed when it feels like there are so many things we need to do in order to get ourselves on the right track or make it to our final destination. In the worst cases, this feeling of being overwhelmed leads us to take no action at all and we find ourselves stuck in place. When that happens, we should try to just focus on our next step. Sometimes, we can only move forward one step at a time. That's okay. Pay attention to the very best next move you can make rather than all the moves you need to make. Along these lines, Desmond Tutu once said, "There is only one way to eat an elephant -- one bite at a time."
Let's do this! Cardinal Strong!
- Oct 31: If you could share a meal and have a conversation with anyone, living or dead, who would it be?
- Nov 1: How much sleep do you get on an average night?
- Nov 2: What’s the strangest dream you’ve ever had?
- Nov 3: What’s the farthest from Tacoma that you’ve ever been?
- Nov 4: Would you rather be really smart or really good looking?
Hey, Cards!
Hey Cardinals! Don’t forget — if you ordered pictures from picture day, your picture packets have arrived and are available to pick up in the main office. And if you didn’t have your picture taken yet this year, mark your calendar for next Tuesday, November 1st, which will be picture makeup day. More about ordering pictures HERE.
Halloween is quickly approaching. We will allow costumes on Monday; however, full face coverings and props are not permitted. If a costume is a significant distraction in class, you will be asked to change clothes.
Scholarship Season is upon us: The 2022-2023 Willie Stewart Community Service Scholarship application is attached and available online at: http://www.uwpc.org/scholarship .
Attention seniors — an important reminder for you from yearbook — if you want your school photo from picture day replaced with a special senior portrait in the yearbook, you will need to submit that portrait. Our submission deadline is December 16th, so get those photos taken before then. For instructions about submitting your portraits, a handout is available from Ms. Rice in room 804 or in the main office.
GENERAL INFO:
All athletes and students joining clubs need to purchase an ASB card from the bookkeeper as soon as possible. ASB cards help us raise funds for our many school ASB programs and clubs.
- The schedule this week is ABABA. View our full A/B calendar HERE.
Current COVID Guidelines can be found HERE.
Student immunization requirements can be found HERE.
Interested in learning about our FPHS clubs? Look HERE.
If you ever need to see our Daily Bulletin announcements, use this LINK. Running Start and Pierce County Skills Center students, please use this link to keep up to date with FPHS announcements.
Looking for a career with Franklin Pierce Schools? We have openings for teachers, para educators, bus drivers, custodians, guest teachers, and more! Get started HERE.
Visit HERE to view previous Parent and Student Memos.
Staff Spotlight:
Name: Marylin Trujillo
My Role at FPHS: Spanish Teacher
Favorite Hobbies: Hiking and cooking
Favorite Book: Night, Educated, Pachinko
Favorite Quote: May I touch your heart? -Natalie Calzadilla
Staff Spotlight:
Name: Brooke Ulmer
My Role at FPHS: School Psychologist
Favorite Hobbies: camping, concerts, Netflix, being with friends & family
Favorite Book: The Hunger Games
Favorite Quote: “Intelligence plus character - that is the goal of true education.”
― Martin Luther King Jr.
What's your "E" (Enrollment, Enlistment, or Employment) after high school?
Take an aerial drone tour of Seattle University.
Social Justice, Equity, and Anti-Racist Resources:
In the video below: Learn more about Native American Heritage month.
The first step in ALLYSHIP is LISTENING.
The second step is BELIEVING.
The third step is ACTION. Get involved and create the positive change you want to see in the world.
CARDINAL SPORTS!
Congratulations to our Boys Golf Team who were selected as the SPSL 2A Sportsmanship Team of the year this season for Golf!
- Winter sports are right around the corner!
- The first day of winter sports is November 14th. If you are interested in Girls Wrestling, Girls Bowling, Girls Flag Football, Girls Basketball, Boys Basketball, Boys Wrestling or Boys Swim and Dive get signed up on final forms now! You will need a current physical on file along with paperwork signed by yourself and your parents on final forms.
- Did you know: Your grades from quarter 1 will determine your eligibility to play in games during the first 5 weeks of the season for winter sports. Remember, you must pass 7 of 8 classes in order to be eligible to compete in athletics. Student athletes who do not meet this criterion for Quarter 1 grades will start their season on the academic suspension list for the first 5 weeks.
- There will be an informational meeting for any girls and boys interested in wrestling this year on Tuesday, November 1st at 7:30am in the Mat room in building 18. Come by to get information on the season as well as learn about the sport if you are interested, no experience necessary!!!
- FP Spirit Gear Still Available Stop by the Cashier's Office during your lunches, before school, or after school to pick up your FP spirit gear. T Shirts and Sweatshirts are still available. Also, be on the lookout for your chance to own a Franklin Pierce football jersey of your own. Football will be selling used Jerseys for fans to have and wear when supporting ALL of our teams.
FPS Athletic Trainer Needed!
The Slingshot Challenge by National Geographic
The Slingshot Challenge is an environment-focused competition, where students ages 13-18 are invited to create a one-minute video explaining an innovative solution to address one or more of the competition’s five focus areas:
- Cleaning the air
- Restoring the ocean
- Protecting nature
- Reducing waste
- Addressing climate change
Here’s the blog post introducing the specifics of the challenge: https://blog.education.nationalgeographic.org/2022/08/16/introducing-the-slingshot-challenge/amp/
First step of the sign up process is getting on the newsletter list - which will allow students and educators to receive helpful resources throughout the course of the challenge (which goes until February).
An introductory video about the challenge, as well as the newsletter sign up are located here: https://www.nationalgeographic.org/society/projects/slingshot/
Submissions are accepted through a platform called Videos For Change. There are five $10,000 prizes as well as a chance to be personally invited to Nat Geo’s headquarters in D.C. and part of their Explorer’s Festival.
Daily Bell Schedules
Title 1, Part A
- What is Title 1? Title 1, Part A of the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) provides financial assistance to states and school districts to meet the needs of educationally at-risk students. The goal of Title 1 is to provide extra instructional services and activities which support students identified as failing or most at risk of failing the state's challenging performance standards in mathematics, reading, and writing. The Title 1 program will provides students with extra educational assistance beyond the regular classroom. The program serves students in our five secondary schools who have demonstrated that extra assistance is needed. Learn more HERE.
- The FPHS Report Card can be found HERE.
- Learn how to file a Citizen Complaint HERE.
- Copies of the 2022-23 School/Parent Compact were distributed at the beginning of the year. If you missed it, you can see it HERE.
- You can find the FPHS Handbook HERE.
- You can find the FPHS Parent and Family Engagement (PFE) Plan HERE.
NEW Performing Arts Center!
We are very excited about our new Performance Arts Center! We are in eager anticipation of the day that we can fully showcase the talents of our band, orchestra, choir, drama programs, and so much more!
- Part of the "cost" for a new Performing Arts Center is going to be a little dust, a lot of change, and even a few inconveniences. Please, bear with us as we work through the "under construction" phase with an estimated completion date of the start of the 2023-24 school year.
- Student and Staff Parking: All staff and students must park together in the parking lot alongside 112th St. The section nearest the tennis courts is reserved for staff parking. The section nearest the stadium is reserved for student parking. Students and staff must drive all the way around the school to access the new student/staff parking lot. Please, do not cut through the drop-off and pick-up zone to park.
- AM student drop-off and PM student pick-up and zones. Please, do not park in the drop-off and pick-up zones between 7:30am and 3pm. The drop-off and pick-up zones will be the same for 2022-23 as they were for the end of 2021-22.
- Main Entrance: The former main entrance to the building is no longer accessible. The new main entrance is on the south end of the main building near the student pick-up and drop-off zone.
- Handicapped Parking has been relocated to the stalls in the drop-off zone nearest the new main entrance.
- Bicycle Parking has been relocated to the 1400 building (outside the band classroom).
- Pedestrians in the drop-off and pick-up zone should use the pedestrian walkway along the fence line.
- As with all construction projects, almost everything is subject to change. We appreciate your patience and understanding.
Pierce County Skills Center:
Fall Newsletter HERE!
- PCSC Main Office: 253-800-4800.
Application Questions contact Paulla Hockaday - phockaday@bethelsd.org - 253.800.4800
Application links, in English and Spanish, can be found on our website. https://www.bethelsd.org/domain/4387
Resources
School Resources:
- District Website: https://www.fpschools.org/
- Franklin Pierce HS Website
- Attendance info HERE.
- IT Help Desk for Students and Parents: 253-298-4647, 7:30AM to 4PM. IT Website.
- Transportation Department website: 253-298-3865 or email to Transportation_Vendor@fpschools.org.
- Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI)
- FPS Breakfast and Lunch Program: www.fpschools.org/meals
- FPS Education Resources: https://www.fpschools.org/exended-closure-resources-and-information/closure-educational-resources
- Want to add Canvas to your phone? Android or iOS. Once you download the app, search "fpschools" to find our district.
- FPHS Facebook page.
- FPHS Twitter page.
- FPHS Instagram page.
- Information about GRADES and GRADING.
- Information about BUSES.
- District CALENDAR.
- How to access and use DORA.
COVID- 19 Resources:
- District Health Services Website
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
FPS COVID Dashboard HERE.
Community Resources:
- District resources and partners: https://www.fpschools.org/departments/family-engagement-office/community-resources
- Financial Resources: https://dfi.wa.gov/coronavirus/financial-resources