FPHS Parent and Student Memo
December 6, 2021
Franklin Pierce High School
FPS District Equity Statement
DISTRICT AREAS OF FOCUS AND IMPROVEMENT:
- Equity and Social Justice
- Improved Instruction
- Family and Community Partnership
Our Equity Team would like to partner with our parents to fulfill our mission to support our students, staff, and families by identifying and dismantling systems that perpetuate, exacerbate, or produce inequities based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, etc. If you would like to collaborate with us, please let us know HERE. If you want to learn more about our commitment to EQUITY and ANTI-RACISM, feel free to contact any of our FPHS Equity Team members: Hartley, Marzano, Wright, Laban, Apelu, Brist, Call, Chapman, Detweiler, Fineman, Goodrum, Inman, Kaunda, B. Lee, Martin, Plaskett, Quill, Roscoe, Scroger, Shoopman, McNeil, Wacker, Tracy, T. Johnson, Henley, Hill, and Gilbert.
Dear Parents and Students,
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Parents and Students, we have been made aware of some Instagram pages and posts using the FPHS name and including posts or images that are harmful, hateful, and/or uncomfortable for other students. Please, be aware that if any student is identified as a creator, follower, or even someone who publicly “likes” these pages or posts, they can be disciplined and reported for bullying, hate speech, harassment, or intimidation. This is unacceptable, inappropriate, and not representative of the Cardinal community we are striving to create. Parents, please have a conversation with your child about the harmful effects of cyber bullying. As always, "If you see something, say something." Please, always report to a staff member if you are aware of any sort of bullying, harassment, or unsafe behaviors. Thank you!
As another important reminder: Please, know that making a threat to cause harm to a school or members of a school is a criminal offense and will be reported to the police. It's unfortunate that in the wake of the tragic school shooting in Michigan, we have seen copycat threats across the nation and even in our own community. Threats to cause harm to a school will never be considered a "joke" and will always be taken seriously. If you ever become aware of someone who may have intent to cause harm at any school, please report it to police or school staff immediately. We're all in this together.
Are you interested in coding? Want to learn more about coding? Go to https://girlswhocode.com/programs/clubs-program to learn more!
Family Resource Center / Vaccine Clinic info 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.
- Schedule this week: ABABA. Link HERE to see the A Day / B Day calendar for the year.
FPS COVID Dashboard HERE.
Visit HERE to view previous Parent and Student Memos.
Please, make sure you have all the info below. We miss you and wish you all the very best. Stay safe and be well!
From ASB ...
Hey, Seniors ...
Meet Our Cardinal Staff:
Name: Elisa Price
My Role at FPHS: College & Career Specialist
Favorite Hobbies: Travel and spending time with family
Favorite Book: Anything by Michael Connelly
Favorite Quote: “Whether you think you can, or you think you can't – you're right,” – Henry Ford
Meet Our Cardinal Staff:
Name: Matthew Pelandini
My Role at FPHS: Band Teacher, Imparter of Musical Knowledge
Favorite Hobbies: Writing music, hanging out with family
Favorite Book: Every Dead Thing, by John Connelly
Favorite Quote: “Better to remain silent and be thought a fool than to speak and remove all doubt.” Abraham Lincoln
DECEMBER Culture Calendar
December is ...
- Universal Human Rights Month. Learn more HERE.
Hanukkah. Learn more HERE.
12/3: International Day of Persons with Disabilities. Learn more HERE.
12/10: Human Rights Day. Learn more HERE.
12/12: Fiesta de Guadalupe. Learn more HERE.
12/25: Christmas. Learn more HERE.
12/26: Kwanzaa. Learn more HERE.
12/31: New Years Eve. Learn more HERE.
Cardinal Character Trait for December: GRATITUDE!
LIFE AFTER HIGH SCHOOL:
Family and Community Partnerships:
The Franklin Pierce High School Food & Hygiene Pantry is available for all students and their families.
Use this LINK to view our current food & hygiene pantry options. Please mark the items you need and staff will put together a bag or box. We will contact you when your items are ready for pick up or delivery. Items can be requested twice a month. Additional ways to request items: You can request a paper copy of this form by contacting Bonita Lee at blee@fpschools.org or call 253-298-3837 to request items via phone.
In community with families and partnerships, we are here to help point you in the right direction to local resources. If you have a specific need, contact Bonita Lee at blee@fpschools.org or call 253-298-3837.
Social Justice, Equity, and Anti-Racist Resources:
The basic idea of human rights is that each one of us, no matter who we are or where we are born, is entitled to the same basic rights and freedoms. That may sound straightforward enough, but it gets incredibly complicated as soon as anyone tries to put the idea into practice. What exactly are the basic human rights? Who gets to pick them? Who enforces them—and how? Benedetta Berti explores the subtleties of human rights in the video below.
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.
Winter Wishes is BACK!
In an effort to build community and promote selflessness, FPHS staff and students will be teaming up to spread some winter cheer for students at Central Ave Elementary School by giving each student a giftbag of goodies. We are looking for donations of new books, candy canes, individually wrapped cocoa, gift bags, elementary age toys like playdough, pop its, fidget spinners, or anything else that can be given to a whole class of elementary aged students. Please contact mshoopman@fpschools.org if you would like to help!
See what Winter Wishes looked like in the past when we visited Midland Elementary School HERE.
Pierce County Skills Center:
End of Trimester 1 - Tuesday, December 7 (Early Dismissal, No PM Session)
Calendar of Events
- December 7th - Early Dismissal - No PM Session - End of 1st Trimester
- December 8th - Staff PD - No School for Students
- December 15th - Late Start - No AM Session
- December 20-31 - Winter Break
- LINK for 2021-22 PCSC Student Handbook.
- 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
Cardinal Sports:
Resources
School Resources:
- District Website: https://www.fpschools.org/
- Franklin Pierce HS Website
- IT Help Desk for Students and Parents: 253-298-4647, 7:30AM to 4PM.
- 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.
- Information about ATTENDANCE.
- How to access and use DORA.
COVID- 19 Resources:
- District Website: https://www.fpschools.org/
- Gov. Inslee's COVID-19 updates web page: https://www.governor.wa.gov/tags/covid-19-coronavirus
- Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC): https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html
Community Resources:
- District resources and partners: https://www.fpschools.org/departments/family-engagement-office/community-resources
- Check with your phone and internet provider: many providers are offering free and/or unlimited data, internet etc. during the Stay Home, Stay Healthy order.
- Financial Resources: https://dfi.wa.gov/coronavirus/financial-resources
Covid Safety:
The guidance around how schools respond to COVID-19 is always changing. We continue to work with state and local health and education officials to incorporate convenient strategies to keep students, staff and families healthy and safe. This email provides important updates about new quarantine guidelines, the Test to Stay program, vaccinations and the FPS COVID-19 Hotline. To learn more, visit www.fpschools.org/COVID19.
Quarantine Guidelines
Exposure | No Symptoms | Vaccinated:
Students who are vaccinated do not need to quarantine unless symptoms develop. Testing is still recommended for these individuals at day 5-7 following exposure.
Exposure | No Symptoms | Testing | Not Vaccinated:
Students who have been exposed to someone with COVID-19 but have not experienced symptoms and have a negative test between days 5-7 can end quarantine and return to school after 7 days following exposure.
Exposure | No Symptoms | No Testing | Not Vaccinated:
Students can return to school after 10 days without testing if they have not experienced symptoms.
Exposure | Test Positive:
Students who test positive for COVID-19 will still need to isolate at home for 10 days. Students who present to school with symptoms of COVID-19 will need to isolate at home for 10 days, or can return sooner with a negative COVID PCR test and improvement of symptoms.
Test-to-Stay Program
If the exposure occurred at school, students can be enrolled in Test-to-Stay and complete a modified quarantine, while continuing to attend school. There is an option to access testing at school. Families must sign up to enroll in the program and schedule a testing appointment.
Vaccinations
Students who are vaccinated do not need to quarantine unless symptoms develop. Testing is still recommended for these individuals at day 5-7 following exposure. To learn more about child vaccines, please click here or log on to the Tacoma Pierce County Health Department Pediatric Vaccine Webinar tonight from 6-7pm.
Franklin Pierce Schools will be hosting vaccine clinics at 315 129th St. South Tacoma, WA 98444 for children ages 5-11 for interested families on the following dates:
- Wednesday, December 8, 2021 from 1-5pm (Pfizer Child Dose 2; Pfizer Adult Booster)
- Friday, December 17th from 1-5pm (Pfizer Child Dose 1; Pfizer Adult Booster)
- Friday, January 7th from 1-5pm (Pfizer Child Dose 2; Pfizer Adult Booster)
COVID-19 Hotline
Franklin Pierce Schools now has a COVID-19 hotline in English, Spanish and Tagalog at (253)298-3099 for FPS families with questions about COVID-19 information with Franklin Peirce Schools.
Stay safe and healthy!