FPHS Parent and Student Memo
February 22, 2021
Franklin Pierce High School
FPS District Equity Statement
AREAS OF FOCUS AND IMPROVEMENT:
- Equity and Social Justice
- Improved Instruction
- Family and Community Engagement
Dear Parents and Students,
REGISTRATION WEEK! It's registration week. Students, you will go over the registration process and videos below in your Advisory classes this week. Parents, please take some time to read the information and watch the videos below to help your child register for classes the s/he needs to graduate and that align with his/her future goals.
Please, visit our district website HERE to stay up-to-date on our Hybrid/In-Person Learning Updates.
- Report Cards were mailed out TODAY! You can also view your grades online through Skyward. If you receive an "I" (for Incomplete), you must coordinate with your teacher immediately to receive an extended semester opportunity and complete all required work by March 8. If you receive an "NC" (for No Credit), you must coordinate with your counselor immediately to arrange for Summer School, Online Classes, Alternative School, or repeating the course. Both "I" and "NC" mean you have not earned credit for the course and that you are off-track to graduate and must take action immediately.
- FPHS is a proud host for the Pierce County Emergency Management team as a Covid vaccination site. This will occur weekly on Wednesdays from 9am to 5pm. NOTE: Any and all questions about getting vaccinations and registering for vaccinations should be directed to the Pierce County Emergency Management team via their WEBSITE HERE. FPHS is only a host site. We are not organizing or staffing the event.
GRADING CLARIFICATION: Canvas is not used for daily grades. Canvas is used for accessing assignments, classes, etc. Teacher Ease is used for daily grades and assignment grades throughout the semester. Skyward is only used for final grades (quarter, semester) for report cards and transcripts. Skyward does not show daily assignment grades.
Make sure you're following us on Social Media: FPHS Facebook page; FPHS Twitter page; FPHS Instagram page.
Please, make sure you have all the info below. We miss you and wish you all the very best. Stay safe and be well!
Course REGISTRATON for 2021-22: It's time!
Timeline:
- Registration Window: You may register anytime between Feb 19 and March 1.
- Feb 19: Registration procedures covered in Cardinal Connections. (See video below.)
- Feb 22: Students can complete registration in Cardinal Connections.
- Feb 24: Live Zoom session with Counselors for additional help (link will be posted in Canvas).
- Feb 26: Ford MS Online course selection.
- Mar 1: Registration window closes for FPHS students.
- Mar 3: Live Zoom session for Ford families for extra help.
- Mar 4: Registration window closes for Ford students.
- Watch the video below to meet CTE teachers and learn about our CTE courses.
- CTE classes offered: Aerospace Manufacturing, American Sign Language, Biomedical Innovation, Business Management, Culinary Arts, Digital Photography, Early Childhood Education, Eco System Design, Family Health, Financial Literacy, Fitness Specialist, Glass Art, Graphic Design, Human Body Systems, Computer Science, Engineering Design, Medical Interventions, Pottery, Biomedical Science, Robotics, Sports Medicine, Teaching Academy, Technology Exploration, Video Editing, and Yearbook.
Pierce County Skills Center Classes:
- Juniors and Seniors can attend the PCSC three periods per day and FPHS three periods per day.
- PCSC General Overview Video below.
- PCSC Detailed Overview Video HERE.
- Program Brochure: ENGLISH or SPANISH.
Running Start Classes:
- Juniors and Seniors can take Running Start through Pierce College, Tacoma CC, or Clover Park Technical College.
- Make an appointment with your counselor to discuss your Running Start options.
If you want to take Spanish, but you're not sure which Spanish class to sign up for, please watch the video below.
Registration/Course Selection Forms:
These are the forms you'll need to register for classes. Please, do NOT register until you have read all the information above, watched all the videos above, and feel confident that you understand the process and what classes to register for. If you're not sure, wait for help from your Advisor this week or attend the Live Zoom with your counselor BEFORE you register.
Next Year’s SENIORS click HERE.
Next Year’s JUNIORS click HERE.
Next Year’s SOPHOMORES click HERE.
February Culture Calendar
February is ...
BLACK HISTORY MONTH: Learn more HERE.
2/2: GROUNDHOG DAY: Learn more HERE.
- 2/12: LUNAR NEW YEAR: Learn more HERE.
- 2/14: VALENTINE’S DAY: Learn more HERE.
- 2/15: PRESIDENTS DAY: Learn more HERE.
- 2/15: PARINIRVANA: Learn more HERE.
- 2/16: MARDI GRAS: Learn more HERE.
- 2/17: ASH WEDNESDAY: Learn more HERE.
- 2/19: JAPANESE DAY OF REMEMBRANCE: Learn more HERE.
- 2/20: WORLD DAY OF SOCIAL JUSTICE: Learn more HERE.
Cardinal Character Trait for February: COURAGE!
KUDOS and THANKS to our BSU for providing us with a "History of the Civil Rights Movement" video below!
Civil Rights Leaders:
Whitney Young Jr.
Head of the National Urban League, was at the forefront of racial integration and African American economic empowerment.
Andrew Young Jr.
Activist for the Civil Rights movement alongside Martin Luther King Jr. He became a member of Congress, mayor of Atlanta, and U.S. ambassador to the United Nations.
Dick Gregory
A pioneering comedian and Civil Rights activist who took on race with layered, nuanced humor during the turbulent 1960s. He continued his political activism throughout the 1960s. He unsuccessfully ran against Richard Daley in 1967 for the office of mayor of Chicago. A year later, he also ran for U.S. president as a write-in candidate with the Freedom and Peace Party during the electoral showdown between Richard Nixon and Hubert H. Humphrey.
SAT
On April 27, 2021 Junior and Senior students will have the opportunity to take the SAT exam on campus. While we usually offer this test for all Juniors, this year we are asking students to opt-in. Testing will take place during the school day, and Covid safety measures will be followed. Please follow this LINK to sign-up for testing.
If your student is a senior, they may consider taking the SAT if they have not yet met standard for the state test in English or Math. If you are unsure of your students’ graduation status, please contact their counselor.
LIFE AFTER HIGH SCHOOL:
Family and Community Engagement
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 bag is ready for pick up or delivery.
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.
Assessment Updates:
State Testing
Washington State is currently working with the Biden administration to seek a waiver to "skip" state testing this year. If this does not get approved at the federal level, we will conduct the Smarter Balanced Assessment (SBA) in Math and ELA as well as the Washington Comprehensive Assessment of Science (WCAS). If this is the case, state assessments will be administered this Spring. We've also learned that assessments will have fewer questions and prompts than previous non-Covid years. More information to come.
College Board Testing
These exams include PSAT, SAT, and AP exams. In Fall, FPS decided not to offer PSAT or SAT due to Covid restrictions and College Board requirements. Recently, our region has moved to the moderate Covid phase which allows us to bring more students back in a variety of settings. We are reviewing our current safety protocols and testing guidelines to see how we can provide opportunities for students to access these assessments this Spring.
At this time, you can expect that students enrolled in AP courses will be taking the AP exam in Spring. Testing may take place remotely or in person. We are currently in the planning stage and will notify families as soon as our plan is set.
For all College Board exams, preparation materials and resources can be found on their website. https://www.collegeboard.org
Homework Center: Free Tutoring Daily
Hours:
- Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 11am to 12pm and 2pm - 4pm.
- Wednesdays: 9am to 12pm and 1pm to 4pm.
HW Center LINK.
Assessment Center!
FPHS Sports
Parents and Athletes,
Here are the following guidelines in regard to fan attendance this season.
Fans
- Each suited up athlete will have the ability to invite up to two guests per home game.
- Each guest fan will be required to complete attestation form upon arrival.
- No food will be permitted.
- Masks are required with no exceptions.
- No visiting or away fans/Home fans only
- Number of fans per sport:
- Volleyball – 2 tickets per athlete on roster
- Soccer – 2 Tickets per athlete on roster
- Football – 1 ticket per athlete on roster (Due to Covid capacity guidelines and size of football teams we are only permitted to allow one guest per suited up athlete for the sport of football)
Schedules and Competitions
Competitions will be starting next week! If you are looking for sports schedules for your child’s athletic programs please visit FPHSCards.com. This is the new website for Franklin Pierce High school athletics and all schedules will be uploaded and shared to families from there. You can also subscribe to your particular team and get any importuning notifications about changes or cancellations as they occur.
We want to emphasize that this year all of our programs are conducting practices in a closed environment. This means that we will not have any person attending practice outside of the coaches and the registered athlete for that team. We are currently working on guidelines for fan attendance during competitions and will communicate those out as soon as we complete those items.
GIRLS SWIM
Practice is beginning on Monday, February 22nd at the Lakewood YMCA! Email Coach Morton with any questions you may have.
Location: Lakewood YMCA, 9715 Lakewood Dr SW, Lakewood, WA 98499 (self-transport is required, there will be no transportation provided by the district)
Schedule: Monday-Thursday from 6:30-8:30pm, Friday TBD will be a dryland day in a virtual or in-person format depending on space/availability
FALL SPORTS
If you would still like to join one of our fall sports programs there is still time! Those sports include (Volleyball, Cross Country, Girls Soccer, Girls Swim, Boys Golf, Girls Golf, and Cheer/Dance). If you wish to participate, then you will need to register in familyID and be certain you have a current physical submitted to the athletic office. You can turn a copy of your physical into the main office at Franklin Pierce HS or you can scan and upload a copy of the physical into familyID during the registration process. Here is the link to registration if you have not yet registered.
Link to athletics registration – Franklin Pierce High School
https://www.familyid.com/organizations/franklin-pierce-high-school
Here is also a list of our fall sports coaches! Reach out to them to get the most recent information on their program.
Fall Sports Coach Contacts (FPHS)
Football – Trevor Hanson - Thanson@fpschools.org
Cross Country (Boys and Girls) – Jesse McNeil jmcneil@fpschools.org
Golf (Boys) – Colin Horak - Chorak@fpschools.org
Golf (Girls) – Jeff Melvard - jmelvard@fpschools.org
Soccer (Girls) – Kyle Wynkoop - kwynkoop@fpschools.org
Volleyball (Girls) – Tiffany Disney – Tdisney@fpschools.org
Swim (Girls) – Jordan Morton – Jmorton@fpschools.org
New Athletics video below about fans at games and competitions:
Yearbook SENIOR Grad Ads!
Hello Seniors!
The deadline for Senior Grad Ads is 3/12/21. Below are instructions on how to upload them online (do not send photos via email). Please, remember this is for seniors only. Underclassmen who want to submit photos will have the opportunity to do so at a later date. Thanks!Resources
School Resources:
- District Website: https://www.fpschools.org/
- Franklin Pierce HS Website
- FPS Remote Learning 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.
- Zoom Tutorial HERE.
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