Grizzly Growl
April 1, 2022
UPDATE FROM MR. RUTHFORD
Dear Fairhaven Friends and Families,
I trust this month’s edition of our Grizzly Growl finds you all well and ready for a restful Spring Break. Spring is a time of transition, and as such, this spring we are working hard to finish this year strong and get ready for next year. This past month, our 8th grade students and families met with counselors and enjoyed an amazing family night up at Sehome High School. As a parent of an FMS 8th grader, I can say first-hand we are all excited and positioned well to make the leap to high school. On the other side, we are working with our feeder elementary schools to begin welcoming and scheduling our incoming 6th grade students and families for next year. Middle school is a dynamic time of change, so we are excited to both welcome students and families to their next adventure.
Beyond transitions, this month brings a return of our PTSA family events. Please look through the Growl for more specific information on the April 22nd family night as well as other information on upcoming opportunities for students, family, and community.
I also want to take a moment to thank you, our students, and staff, for a smooth transition to optional masking and our new COVID processes. It feels so good to be making positive and successful steps forward.
In closing, thank you for remembering that next week is our district-wide Spring Break. We look forward to welcoming you all back on April 11th.
My best,
Steve Ruthford, Principal
VIRTUAL GRRS...
Jose Guzman
Ian Hernandez
Connor Blair
Henry Zaugg
Ayda Menard
Bailey Harris
Ian James
The Spring Sports Season will be here soon!
It is time to start planning for the spring season for middle school sports. The season will start April 11th, right after Spring Break. The season will last until the first week in June. Please sign up before April 1st . The following sports will be starting:
- Coed Football (7th and 8th grade)
- Girls Basketball (6th, 7th, and 8th grade)
- Unified Soccer (all grades, partnered with the Special Olympics)
- Coed Cross Country (6th, 7th, and 8th grade)
Teams will practice at Fairhaven and will play the other middle schools in Bellingham. All experience levels are welcome. If you are interested in joining, have your parents log into FinalForms and sign up . A current sports physical (within the last 2 years) is required, PhysicalForm .
If you have any questions, contact Karen Batt, our ASB Secretary at karen.batt@bellinghamschools.org
Message From Our Fairhaven PTSA
Hello Fairhaven Parents!
Join us at the next PTSA meeting!
Meetings are normally the second Wednesday of each month via Zoom.
This month’s meeting is:
Wednesday, April 13th, 2022 07:00-8:20 PM
Join Zoom Meeting
PTSA Zoom Meeting Link
The meeting link will also be posted on Facebook the week of the meeting. You don’t have to be a member to participate, and you are welcome to pop in for what time you can spare! This month we will be discussing upcoming PTSA events like the Spring Fling and 8th Grade Celebration and hearing updates from our office superstars Steve, Shari, and Tami!
Questions? Please reach out to FairhavenPTSA@gmail.com
Coming Friday April 22nd – Spring Fling Dance & Social!
You are invited!!
Friday April 22nd 6-8pm
Fairhaven Middle School dance and family social
· The event is FREE and food is for purchase
· Payment for food accepted at the door (cash or card) or by pre-order
· RSVP is encouraged and not required
All Fairhaven middle school students and their families are invited to our “Second-Hand Spring Fling” sponsored by the FMS PTSA. It is a middle school dance and family social all rolled into one night! The evening includes our favorite DJ Whatcom Sound, pizza, sweet treats, raffle & games, volleyball in the gym, and a teacher fashion show!! The theme of attire goes along with Earth Day and recycling- pretty much wear anything that is NOT new!! Some ideas for attire:
- Thrift store
- Upcycled
- Hand-me-downs
- Borrow something from a friend
- Cool and fabulous
- Earth Day
- Come as you are!
Watch for an RSVP and pizza order link on Facebook and coming via email soon!
PLEASE note this is NOT a drop-off event! Students must to bring their parent or designated adult. Siblings are welcome.
…Is that your Grandma’s coat?
Parents!! Sign up to help at the Second-Hand Spring Fling April 22nd 6-8pm!
The Fairhaven PTSA would LOVE your help to put on our first ever Second-Hand Spring Fling! *Consider* that your middle school child may like the idea of keeping you off the dance floor and busy with a job at the party?? Sign up fast to get your preferred job at the Spring Fling! #pleasemomdontdance Pick a job below! Save your kid’s cool factor!
Spring Fling Volunteer Signup HERE
Questions? Contact:
Cate Webb, Erin Rush, and Elizabeth Page at kinyounc@hotmail.com
· Join the PTSA!
Are you interested in helping with upcoming school events? Joining a committee and making new friends and connections, all while doing good things to help our kids? https://fairhavenmiddleptsa.memberplanet.com/home.html to sign up and reach out with membership questions to Jason at JoinFairhavenPTSA@gmail.com .
And to all of you who do so much for kids and to support the school, we THANK YOU for all you do!
Your PTSA Board
Family Survey
Dear families,
Every year, Bellingham Public Schools asks for feedback from all our families and from students in grades 3, 5, 7, 9 and 11. Our district’s strategic plan, The Bellingham Promise, guides our work and our collective commitment to our children. We believe that all children should be loved and that every child can learn at high levels. We need your feedback about what we are doing well and what we can continue to improve.
If you have more than one child enrolled in one school, you may answer the questions multiple times or just once, depending on what you think will best represent your family’s experience for your children. If you have children in different schools, please answer once for each school.
Please take 5-10 minutes to respond to our online feedback form by 5 p.m., April 1.
All responses are anonymous, and none of your responses are linked to you or your child.
If you need help filling out the feedback form, please contact your school office. We hope to hear from all our families. Thank you in advance for taking the time to share your thoughts.
Esta es información sobre la educación de su hijo/a. Solicite traducción o interpretación gratis si necesita al 360-676-6456.
April Reading Challenge
Read a “How To” Book and Create, Build, Perform, Perfect or Master something from the book you read.
Take a picture, video, bring to share with us and be entered in a drawing at the end of the month for prizes.
Strengthening Families
The second Strengthening family podcast episode describes key family communication and relational skills to support all families.
We are confident you will appreciate the reflection and encouragement.
Episode #2 – House Rules
Spanish, Episodio #2 – Las reglas del hogar
Whatcom CARE
I'm a founding member of Whatcom CARE.
Our grassroots organization was founded in 2020, and we have been working for the last ~1.5 years to support Equity, Diversity and Inclusion efforts and anti-racist work in Whatcom County public schools. We host monthly community meetings (anyone can attend) around topics relevant to our mission, often with guest speakers, on the second Monday of each month. Our May meeting will feature a panel of principals from Whatcom County schools, who we have invited to talk about the EDI work they are doing in their school buildings.
No matter where you and your school are in terms of incorporating EDI work into your schools, we are hoping this will be an informative session and an opportunity to collaborate, network, and learn from other administrators in schools who are all at different stages of their EDI journey. Our panelists include:
- Sonia Cole, principal, Sehome High School
- Miguel Perez, principal, Squalicum High School
- Troy Wright, principal, Mt Baker Junior High
- Arionda Feeney, principal, Carl Cozier Elementary
- Minh Nguyen, principal, Columbia Elementary
Here is a Zoom link to the meeting: https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88962384028?pwd=WE5zcDdZV1FNVVZkeFRIM0JqT2cvdz09
We will send a reminder closer to the date, but if you'd like to keep updated about our work in general, you can sign up for our e-newsletter here: https://www.whatcomcare.org/get-involved
I appreciate your time, and look forward to your participation! Feel free to forward the details about this meeting to your staff. If you are unable to attend, and would like to learn more about us and our work, feel free to reach out directly!
Warm wishes,
Teizeen Mohamedali
Co-founder, Whatcom CARE