French Middle School
February 2024
Upcoming Events
February 1st-- HPHS Parent Meeting @ 6
February 5th-- Orchestra Performance @ 7 at Topeka West High School
February 5th-9th-- District Writing Assessment
February 5th- 8th-- KELPA for English Language Learners
February 6th-- NAEP Science Test for select 8th grade students
February 7th-- Late Work Due
February 8th-- PTO @ 5:45
February 9th-- Midterms Posted
February 20th-- FMS Papa Johns Night
February 21st & 22nd-- Parent Teacher Conferences
February 22nd & 23rd-- No School
A Note from the Principal
The start of February brings the beginning of our assessment window. It is extremely important for students to be present each day and in a good frame of mind for upcoming assessments. The following are good habits to build into a student’s routine but especially during assessments.
Get a good night's rest the evening before an assessment. (Turn off screens)
Wake up in a timely manner the morning of an assessment so there isn’t a feeling of being rushed and anxiousness
Eat a healthy breakfast
Bring water, stay hydrated
Our assessment window includes a variety of tests. Below you will find assessment name, date, and group of students it is administered to at French MS.
Feb. 5-9: District Writing Assessment for grades 6-8
Feb. 5-8: Kelpa for English Language Learners in grades 6-8
Feb. 6: NAEP Science test for select students in grade 8 (parents notified through Synergy email)
We will continue with state assessments in March after spring break and the early part of April. We appreciate your support in helping your child be present at school each day and prepared to do their best on upcoming assessments. –Mrs. Hoffman
School Attendance: Is It Important To a Student’s Success?
The answer is a resounding YES! Our goal in Topeka Public Schools is to have a chronic absentee rate of less than 20%. A student is considered chronically absent if they miss 10% or more of enrolled school days for any reason. Chronic absenteeism has drastic effects on student academic performance in a negative manner. Did you know missing 1-2 days a month is equivalent to 18 days–almost one month of instruction? If students are chronically absent from year to year, missing 1-2 days a month beginning in kindergarten is the equivalent of missing a full year of instruction by the 12th grade. Multiple absences have a ripple effect on…
The student: missed instruction, relationships, social interactions
Other students: Re-teaching slows down the entire class
Student groups: Relationships and collaboration is delayed
Teachers: Lost time explaining what was missed and re-teaching
Schools: Decreased instructional time means decreased achievement and increased remedial classes
Research shows that middle school attendance and GPA provide the best indicator of how a student will perform in high school classes. When students miss more than 10% of the school year they are at high risk of delaying high school graduation and even dropping out of school. Missing instruction puts students at a disadvantage of not having all the skills and time to practice so they are prepared for high school content. How does your student’s attendance look?
MAKE SCHOOL ATTENDANCE A PRIORITY
Talk about the importance of showing up to school every day.
Help your children maintain daily routines, such as finishing homework and getting a good night’s sleep.
Try not to schedule dental and medical appointments during the school day.
Keep your child healthy, and if you are concerned about Covid-19, call your school for advice.
If your children must stay home because they are sick or in quarantine, make sure they have asked teachers for resources and materials to make up for the missed learning time in the classroom.
Please contact our school counselors with any attendance questions or concerns. Mrs. Barnett kbarnett@tps501.org or Ms. Ryan jryan@tps501.org We want to work with parents in getting their students to school. Please remember a missed school day is a lost opportunity for students to learn. Teacher effectiveness is the strongest predictor of student success, but chronic absenteeism reduces even the best teacher’s ability to provide learning opportunities. We appreciate your efforts! For more information regarding the importance of attendance go to www.attendanceworks.org
Spelling Bee
Our spelling bee team has been working diligently after school to hone their spelling skills in preparation for the county-wide spelling bee on February 10th. As the competition date approaches, our students are not just learning words; they are absorbing the values of discipline, perseverance, and sportsmanship. The Spelling Bee serves as a platform for personal growth, teaching life skills that extend far beyond the boundaries of the competition. Our team recently participated in a scrimmage to select our FMS representatives for the county competition. We will be represented by eighth graders Tayla Goodman and Osbaldo Aguilar. Congratulations to our entire team for their hard work!
FAME
Session 3 will begin Jan.16-Feb. 15. The program runs each Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday that school is in session. Students will have tutoring and time to complete work before joining an enrichment club hosted by French staff. Clubs include: swimming at the YMCA, Diamond Painting, Art in History, Technology Fun, Creative Writing and others. You can click on the link below to sign up. Spots are limited and fill up quickly!
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0D44AEA928A4FAC43-38335165-fame#/
Orchestra Performance
The French Middle School Orchestras will all be performing in a pyramid concert called the Topeka West Festival this coming week on Monday, February 5th! All 6-8th grade orchestra students will rehearse with the Landon MS and Topeka West HS students during the school day. They will be bussed to T West and eat lunch at French MS. Students will report back to Topeka West HS at 6:00 PM in concert black for the concert.
All French MS families are invited to attend the concert! 5th-12th grade orchestra students from Topeka West feeder schools will be performing in combination with each other in mass orchestras. The concert is February 5th, at 7:00 PM in the Topeka West High School Gymnasium. We hope to see you there to support our students! Email Ms. Johnson EJohnson1@tps501.org with any questions.
Parent Teacher Confrences
Parent Teacher Conferences will be held on February 21 from 3:30-7:30 pm and February 22nd from 7:30am-7:30pm. We will close on the 22nd for lunch from 1-2pm. Advisor base teachers will reach out to schedule a conference time with you and then you are free to meet with any other teachers on a drop in basis. Students will attend the conference with their Chromebook as they will be leading the conference.
High School Enrollment Update
Eighth graders have been busy learning about what to expect in high school. Counselors are working with students on their 5 year plans. Students are planning for the courses they will take in their 4 years of high school. Their 5th year plan is what they want to do after high school (4 year college, 2 year college, tech school, military or enter the workforce).
Upcoming events:
-High school enrollment parent night with MS counselors at French MS will be February 13 5:30-6:30PM for 8th graders with last name A-K. Eighth graders with last name L-Z will have their HS enrollment parent night with MS counselors on Feb.15th from 6:00-7:00PM.
-May 1st students will visit the high school they are scheduled to attend.
If you have any questions regarding the high school enrollment process, please contact Mrs. Barnett (students last name A-K)at 438-5821 or Ms. Ryan (students last name L-Z) 438-5879.
8th Grade Independent Plan of Study
We are looking forward to seeing 8th graders and their parents at the French IPS (Individual Plan of Study) night. We will be covering 2 parts of your student’s IPS, their freshman enrollment and their 5 year course plan. The first session will be Tuesday, Feb 13 from 5:30-6:30pm for students whose last name starts with A-K. The second session will be Thursday, Feb. 15 from 6:00 - 7:00 pm for students whose last name starts with L-Z. Students should bring their charged Chromebook in order to access their Naviance account and work on their enrollment and 5 year course plan with their parents. All 8th graders' high school enrollment will be finalized by parent/teacher conferences.
8th Grade Worlds of Fun Spring Trip
It is our plan to take our 8th grade class to Worlds of Fun, Friday, May 17, 2024. This is an event that has been a French Falcon tradition for many years. This trip is a reward for all 8th graders who earn it by demonstrating Falcon PRIDE throughout the second semester. The cost of the trip will be $35 per student. Students can use a season pass if they have one.
Eighth graders wishing to attend are expected to earn points each week of semester 2, that they stay DR free. Students must also have at least one eligibility point and no suspensions during the second semester. Students will start collecting points beginning the week of January 16, 2024 and will continue until Friday, May 17, 2024. Students must earn 15 out of 17 points in order to be invited to attend. Students who purchase a ticket and become ineligible after we ordered tickets, will NOT be reimbursed for their ticket as it is non-refundable through WOF.
Students will leave French MS by 8:15 AM on the day of the trip. Students will be given ample time to explore the park independently with friends. They will be required to appear at two mandatory “check point” times. Students will need to bring money for lunch. Students will return to French around 6:00 p.m. We will leave and return from the back parking lot at French MS.
Money collection will begin on March 18- April 19th. Payment for the field trip must be paid in advance. Checks should be payable to French Middle School. Please remember that this is a reward for students who meet the criteria, not an absolute for every 8th grader. Students who are not eligible to attend the trip or do not wish to go will have an alternate schedule the day of the trip.
If you have further questions, please call your student’s Advisor Base teacher at 438-4150.
School Musical
The school musical, Finding Nemo Jr. will be March 5 & 7 at French MS beginning at 7:00pm. Tickets are $5 and we hope you will join us in the Big Blue World. This show features Marlin & Dory as they cross the ocean to find Nemo after he was caught in a net. Marlin & Dory have many adventures on their way to P Sherman 42 Wallaby Way Sydney while Nemo and the tank gang plot to escape the aquarium. The cast and crew: Kylie Babcock, Autumn Bays-Broils, Lily Beatty, Adaline Berthelson, Niamh Boaz, Amelia Bone, Ace Bowers, Isabel Christopher, Abigail Claspill, Bryson Connell, Ithan Davis, Atlas Doby, Leah Doherty, Abigail Dreher, Mia Emde, Adria Faunce, Ethan Frazier, Rosa Garcia, Aleigha Grumbien, Avery Huske, Allescia Kirtdoll, Kai Leal, Isaac McKinzie, Kris Morgan, Lily Nichol, Cole Petty, Emily Rank, Addison Rosencutter, Tallis Searcy, Logan Spencer, Aurora Thompson, Andrea Venegas, Emma Wheeler, Lily Buffington, Miya Field, Bloom Tork, Allie Wilson, Diondre Young, Kassie Young, Aubrey Best, and Nix Duddy.
Late Night in the Nest
We will be having our next Late Night in the Nest on March 1st from 6:30-8:30 pm. All 7th and 8th graders are invited, as long as they have passing grades and eligibility points. We will have a DJ, dancing, snacks/drinks, open gym, open computer lab, and board games. The cost is $3, or $2 if you have an honors card. We hope to see all 7th and 8th graders there!
SUMday
We will hold SUMday sessions in my classroom, Rm B on Tuesdays from 3:00 to 4:00 pm. We will also have the SUMday practice during Morning Boost every Tuesday and Thursday from 7:45 to 8:15. The seventh and eighth graders still have several slots to fill for the competition. However, the sixth grade is well represented and will have a test to determine who qualifies to go. The registrations are due next week. The registration fee is $5.00 and the awesome T-shirt (optional) is $15.00, so a total of $20.00 will cover all fees. Seventh and eighth graders may send in their fees now as those slots aren't filled, the sixth grade will need to wait until the qualifying test is graded which will be given soon. I have a Google Classroom site and the code is ig3bzia. Information can be found as well as the practice tests on this Google Classroom site. The SUMday competition will be held on Saturday, March 23, 2024, at Washburn Rural Middle School. There will be food trucks and a lemonade truck for parents to visit while waiting for their students to finish the test. The award ceremony will be held at Washburn Rural High School in the gym after the tests are graded and results are tallied. This will happen around 11:30 am. Good Luck to all Math Wizards.
Inclement Weather
As the weather begins to cool, we want to remind families and staff of school closing notification procedures.
As we make decisions about closing school, a number of factors come into play, including the safety of travel but also the safety of students who will be home during the day.
Should school be canceled, we will:
- Send a text, email, and/or phone call via SchoolMessenger
- Update the district social media pages
- Update the district website
- Contact our local media partners
To sign up for text message updates, text Y to 67587. To learn more about school delays and closures, please review our How We Communicate With Families document.
Here Comes the Bus App
Families can stay updated on transportation by downloading the Here Comes the Bus app!
- View the real-time location of your child’s bus.
- Access the app from your smartphone, tablet, or computer.
- Receive push notifications or email alerts.
- Send your child to the bus stop at just the right time, every time.
How to get started:
- Download the Here Comes the Bus app* or visit herecomesthebus.com
- Sign Up by going to the Here Comes the Bus website. https://login.herecomesthebus.com/SignUpConfirm.aspx
- Enter school code 29036 and click “Next” followed by “Confirm”
- Complete the “User Profile” box
- Under “My Students,” click “Add.” Enter your child’s last name and student ID number
- Once you confirm your information, you’re ready to begin using Here Comes the Bus
Living the Dream Competition
Several French Falcons were recognized earlier this month at the annual Living The Dream competition, held in conjunction with the Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. holiday. Students had the opportunity to submit essays, poetry, and artwork, all tied to a theme related to the late Dr. King. Congratulations, not only to those honored and listed below, but to all of our students who took a risk and submitted entries!
Art
Addison Mulsow/6th Grade (1st place)
Seamus Horsley/6th Grade (3rd place )
Poetry
Abby Claspill/6th Grade (1st place)
Essay
Brandon Lopez-Quinones/8th Grade (1st place )
Lucas Jackson/6th Grade (2nd place)
Christian Cervantes/8th Grade (2nd place)
Sports Update
Boys Basketball is off to a great start this year. We have 45 boys out at this time. All practices are after school this year with the Varsity/JV practicing after school from 3:00- 5:00 and B team from 5:00-6:00. The B team is using the after school time wisely with a study hall and workouts in the locker room.
Games are Mondays and Thursdays, with one varsity tournament on Saturday February 10th@ HPHS, and the final play night on Wednesday March 6th @ Highland Park HS @ 6:00. All regular games start at 3:15 PM and are usually over by 5:30 PM. Games cost $2.00 to enter. Students with an honors card get in for $1.00. Students must be passing all classes to come to games. Students that become a distraction at the games will be asked to leave and not return. If a student is asked to leave a game, they may not come to any more games the remainder of the season.
Failure Policy
Just a reminder that a district wide grade policy is in effect. Any student athlete with an F on their grade checks will be ineligible for the next game until the F is brought up. An F list will be created every Friday, with student athletes informed that day if they are on the report. It is then their responsibility to bring that grade up and communicate with the coach when that has happened with a note from the teacher.
Spectator expectations
We would like to remind spectators that French Middle School is a member school of the Kansas State High School Athletic Association (KSHSAA) and is governed by their rules. One of those rules which, we completely support is Rule 52 which states:
ALL ACTIONS are to be FOR, NOT AGAINST; POSITIVE, NOT NEGATIVE or DISRESPECTFUL
Section 1: General Regulations (apply to grades 7-12)
Art. 1: SPORTSMANSHIP is a general way of thinking and behaving. The following sportsmanship policy items are listed below for clarification:
a. Be courteous to all. (participants, coaches, officials, staff and fans)
b. Know the rules, abide by and respect the official’s decisions.
c. Win with character and lose with dignity.
d. Display appreciation for good performance regardless of the team.
e. Exercise self-control and reflect positively upon yourself, team and school.
f. Permit only positive sportsmanlike behavior to reflect on your school or its activities.
We hope that you can attend the games this year to cheer on the Falcons!
February is National Children's Dental Health Month:
According to the CDC; cavities (also known as caries or tooth decay) are one of the most common chronic diseases of childhood in the United States. Untreated cavities can cause pain and infections that may lead to problems with eating, speaking, playing, and learning.
Eating:
Once your child has bad oral health, they could encounter difficulties in chewing and swallowing. They could have a hard time eating. If they do not chew correctly, this will affect their digestive system. As a result, they can experience ingestion and belly discomfort. Other severe symptoms resulting from this include vomiting and gastric issues.
Speaking:
Bad oral health can contribute to issues with speech. For example, an overbite or underbite can affect how your child pronounces certain words, and as a result, your child will tend to withdraw from social groups both at school and home. This is likely to affect their academic performance and confidence.
Playing:
If your child has an orthodontic problem, their self-esteem could get affected. Children may be aware that their smile may not be as good, so if your child has an underbite or open bite, they may not be confident enough to smile and this can affect their overall performance at school since they won’t want to associate with other children. So, if your child has an orthodontic problem, seek help from a professional orthodontist, they can rectify this problem by merely prescribing brace treatment.
Learning:
Although dental health and school performance don’t seem to be visibly related, the health and wellbeing of a child can impact many other aspects of life. It can be very hard for someone to concentrate on school work and other tasks when they are in pain. In an American Public Health Association’s study, it was determined that children with dental discomfort performed significantly worse than other kids in school. Part of the reason for this is that kids who have dental issues often miss more school, resulting in poor grades. The other reason is that these kids are feeling uncomfortable while they are at school, and concentration and performance suffer as a result.
GraceMed Dental Clinic:
GraceMed will be at French Middle School, providing dental cleanings during the school day on Tuesday May 14, 2024. If you would like your student to be seen by a hygienist, please complete the following link. A representative from GraceMed will contact you directly with more information. https://gracemed.org/dental-consent You may contact GraceMed directly at (785) 861-8800 or via their website: https://gracemed.org
Immunizations:
6th Grade Students:
Students who will be entering 7th grade in the 2024/2025 school year are required to have updated immunizations including: Tdap (tetanus booster) and MCV (meningococcal). If your student has already received these immunizations, please send documentation to the nurse at this time. Students will be required to provide proof of immunization within 30 days of the start of school in the fall.
Covid Testing At School:
Test to Learn, Test to Know, Test to Play: FREE Covid tests are available for students at school. In order for your student to be tested at school, the Consent form must be completed before the test can be administered. You can find this form on the Topeka Public Schools website, located under the Health Services Department or by clicking the link: https://www.topekapublicschools.net/cms/One.aspx?portalId=8252843&pageId=12167711 Nursing staff will make every effort to contact you prior to any testing, even if the form is on file. Once the form is completed it will be good for the year.
Reporting a Covid Illness or Exposure:
Please continue to report all Covid Illnesses and Exposure to the school nurse as soon as possible. This includes Positive Tests, Close Contact and Household Exposure. In order to assure you have the most up to date Quarantine, Mask Requirements and Testing Options, information will be shared at the time of notification.
French Middle School
Kendra Besenyi, LPN
Ph: (785) 438-4156
Fax: (785) 271-3609
Email: kbesenyi@tps501.org
Bullying Policy
French Middle School will not tolerate bullying of any kind. Bullying is defined as any ongoing verbal or physical mistreatment where there is an imbalance of power, and the target/victim is exposed repeatedly to negative actions by one or more students. Bullying can be direct (physical or verbal), or indirect (exclusion, cyber-bullying, emotional). In order for everyone to feel safe and secure at school, every Topeka Public School has adopted the following rules against bullying. “I will not bully others. I will try to help students who are bullied. I will do my best to include students who are easily left out. When I know somebody is being bullied, I will tell an adult at school and an adult at home.” Students, staff, and parents should report any bullying that they are aware of to administration through the on-line bully report link on the French website. Students who bully others will receive consequences. Our counselors will be visiting 6th, 7th and 8th grade classes in August and September to remind students what bullying is, what we can do to prevent bullying, and what students should do if they or someone else is being bullied.
Notice of Non- Discrimination
The Topeka Public Schools, Unified School District No. 501 is committed to affirmative action and equal opportunity. No person shall, on the basis of age, race, color, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, disability, national origin or ancestry be denied lawful access to any appropriate educational service, program or activity provided by the school district. The Title VI and Title IX compliance coordinator is the Assistant Superintendent for Teaching/Learning/Administration. The Section 504/Title II compliance coordinator is the Coordinator of College and Career Ready Services. For employment, the EEO/AA officer is the General Director of Human Resources. All compliance coordinators may be contacted at 624 SW 24th Street, Topeka, KS 66611-1294, (785) 295-3000. The clerk of the Board of Education has been designated to receive and redirect or handle inquiries regarding nondiscrimination policies, regulations and procedures. The clerk may be contacted by calling (785) 295-3045 or by writing to 624 SW 24th Street, Topeka, KS 66611-1294.