Cardinal Family Newsletter
It's A Great Day to Be a Cardinal!
January 13-17
Dear FFMS Students, Parents and Guardians:
It was a great first week back after break. Students and staff were excited to be back and no time was missed getting back into routines.
Report cards went home on Friday. Your child's grades reflect your student's progress and achievement. We are half way through the school year, so it is a great time to do some goal setting with your child.
Have a great week!
Mrs. Hiler
Mark Your Calendars
January 17- 8th Grade Visit Grant
January 24- Pep Assembly
January 27-31- Great Kindness Challenge Week
January 28- Family Break Out Night
January 29- HS Scheduling Fair
Thank you School Board Members
January is School Board Recognition Month and on behalf of Felicity Middle School, I would like to thank our school board members for devoting their time to supporting and serving our school. They make a difference everyday by establishing a vision for our school and helping to design a structure to achieve that vision while advocating for continuous improvement with student learning. Thank you for making a difference everyday and helping to make Felicity- Franklin Local Schools a great place for students and staff.
Yvonne Baker- President
Randy McElfresh-Vice President
Jenny Broadwell- Student Achievement Liaison
Andy Ninichuck- Legislative Liaison
Terry Lowe-board member & DLT member
Second Quarter Perfect Attendance
Fifth Grade Donovan Blevins Garet Hall Ronnie Harra Bre Idlett Khloie Martin Raymond Painter Trenton Rohrbacher Olivia Scarlatella Robbie Smith Sixth Grade Alex Barolin Kenzie Blakely Benjamin Brueggemann Caitlin Chandler Kaylyn Hively Samantha Johns Caleb Kahle Abigail Masterson Alysa Meade Landen Miller Dayna Moore Conner Redden Millie Schnarrenberg Elijah Simpson Summer Young Seventh Grade Bryce Baker Jordan Blevins Brooklyn Caudill Aiden Cooper Lexie Creager Riley Eling Payton Fulton Lucjan Grider Logan Harless Briley Idlett Savannah Metzger Jayden Proffitt Nathan Ritchie Jr. Cayley Young Eighth Grade Sophie Blake Joeseph Brueggemann Joanna Hamilton Hayley Lane Riley Laubach Elizabeth Lindsey Aidan Lykins Noah Menser Jacob Propes Savannah Smith
Kicks for Kindness
Cardinal Escape Room Challenge
What is an Escape Room?
An escape room is a physical adventure game in which players solve a series of puzzles using clues, hints and strategy to complete the objectives at hand. Players are given a set time limit to unveil the secret plot which is hidden within the rooms. They are increasingly popular as team-building exercises as well as a fun leisure activity.
More information will be sent home soon.
High School Scheduling Fair- 8th Grade
On January 29th, 8th grade students can attend the High School Scheduling Fair from 5pm-8pm. During this time, students can learn about course offerings, and pathways as well as schedule their classes for their freshman year. The eighth grade teachers will be there to help guide your child. There will also be information on the College Credit Plus Program.
3rd Quarter Slump: 6 Expert Tips to Help Parents Survive
Hard to believe we are the second week into the third quarter! Since August, our students have demonstrated tremendous amount of academic and social growth. However, these times can also result in some stressful situations, where students may be feeling tired, or anxious about upcoming academic demands. Being a parent of a middle school student. Here is an article that gives advice on how to survive the third quarter slump.
Six Tips to Help Parents Survive the 3rd Quarter Slump
1. Back off but don’t back off.
How is that for a mixed message! But seriously, take a step back and recognize that this phenomenon is not just infecting your teen. It’s time for them to dig in and push through; this is where grit is learned. As for parents, this is where you learn to practice patience and grace. You need to stay involved, but try to avoid scrutinizing everything they do. You have to remember that they are burned out and if you don’t talk to them in a way that they will listen, you both lose.
2. Live the 3 C’s — Communication, Compromise, and Choose (your battles).
The 3 C’s are the cornerstone of any relationship, and being intentional with your actions teaches your teens that you are human and willing to engage in a mutual problem-solving process with them. This is where I make a plug for the old phrase of “talk to them, not at them.”
3. Acknowledge that you are powerless.
I think this is probably the hardest part of the slump. Sometimes there is no amount of begging, pleading, taking away, or threatening that works. They don’t want to dig in. Again, this is where communication, compromise, and choosing your battles comes in. This is also the time where you may want to have the counselor on speed-dial!
4. Younger students may need extra guidance.
Show them what it looks like to dig in and push through. Help them organize their backpack, sit with them at the computer while they check their grades, and teach them how to communicate with their teachers. If they are older, expect that they already know how to do these things. If you have to remind them what it looks like, do it, and then let them take over. Natural consequences sometimes come with a big price tag and you want them to learn it now, not in college. Getting a less than desirable grade on a quarter report card in high school costs a lot less than that same grade on a college transcript.
5. For the love of all things good in this world, please stay away from the online grading portal.
I know it has the ability to suck you in like the last 60 seconds of a bidding war on eBay, but try to resist the temptation to check it every 15 minutes. Checking the online grading system is their job. If you want to be involved, sit with your teen while they access it. Schedule a time each day for both of you to view and discuss their academics, but put a time limit on it — maybe 30 minutes. Once the time is up, move on and resist the urge to bring it up later.
6. On those days when you just can’t believe this person was once a compliant, hard-working, tenacious child, remind yourself that you were also once a teenager.
I truly believe that if we let them own this process, they will figure it out. Our kids have an uncanny way of finding their path in life as long as we get out of their way. In the meantime, support them, trust them, stand by them, and love them. They will get through the 3rd quarter slump. And on that rare occasion that you find yourself feeling the overwhelming urge to send them packing, just remember there is a light at the end of the tunnel — it’s called Spring Break
Thriving Learning Communities
Character Trait for January- Honesty
Final Forms
If you and/or your child haven't had the opportunity to complete your final forms please try to update them as soon as possible.
Box Tops
Charge the Chromebooks!
Please make sure your child gets in the habit of charging their chrome books each evening. It is important that they come to school prepared and the chrome books are as important to class as bringing paper and pencils. They will need their computers to fully participate in instruction in most classes.
2019-2020 School Calendar
Clear Water Bottles
OPT-OUT OF NOTIFICATION SYSTEM
Attendance
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To Contact Me
email- hilert@felcityschools.org
Phone- 513-362-5382