Scroll to the "Mark Your Calendars" Section for More Important Upcoming Dates!

Students and parents will be able to complete various tasks to get ready for the 23-24 school year. We look forward to seeing you at FMSA on your designated day!

**** CHROMEBOOKS WILL BE DISTRIBUTED THE 2ND WEEK OF SCHOOL ****

Information Contained in this Special Edition:

• Mark your Calendars
• 23-24 Administration & Counseling Contacts
• 23-24 Student Schedules
• Band Information
• Locker Information
• School Picture Information

• PTSA
  
• Purchase your Firebird Gear

Schedules will be available for pick up at the Check-In days from your grade level counselor. You will also be able to download or view a copy through your PowerSchool Student Portal or Parent Portal beginning July 21, 2023 as well. Schedules will not be finalized until the Check-In days begin, so anything that is viewed through the portal prior to these dates is likely incorrect. Counselors spend a great deal of time their first few days back looking over each student's schedule to ensure they are scheduled in classes that will best meet their academic needs.

Please remember that students are all assigned a grade level team. This year, we will have 2 teams at each grade level (Red and Gold). Teams are assigned randomly. For our incoming 6th grade students, we work to jumble all students from all four of our elementary feeder schools onto the these teams to help students meet many new people. It is our goal that we bring all four schools together as one new Firebird class of 6th grade students.

Teams have a Reading, Writing, Math, Science, and Social Studies teacher that all share the same group of students. Teams work to plan interdisciplinary units and develop common classroom policies to help students get used to expectations. Due to our limitations toward balancing class sizes and meeting student needs, we are not able to accommodate team switches at this time. Remember that Explore classes are composed of students from both teams and we have common grade level lunch times. This helps students to be able to meet lots of new people, while also having some time to see friends from past years as well.

Explore classes are classes like Art, Music, PE, Spanish, etc. In 6th grade and during the first two quarters of 7th grade, our counselors work to help students take all of the different offerings so that they can see what classes they like. Band is an exception to this as this class is a full year long class in all three grade levels. After students have an opportunity to experience all of the different offerings in 6th and the first part of 7th grades, they will then be able to choose which Explore classes they would like to take for an entire semester. Counselors work with students during the later part of 7th grade and all of 8th grade to determine which specialized explore classes would best enrich their future academic study.

For Advisory, students will be assigned a class with a teacher for the entire year. This class serves as a "homeroom" and focuses their time on relationship building and social-emotional growth. Students participate in activities geared towards developing resilience, solving problems, and supporting others.

If you have any questions about your schedule, please talk with your grade level counselor.

As part of the 6th grade Check-In process, there will be a Band Instrument Test Drive in the Annex (Room 3202) during both days. All 6th grade students are invited to try out various instruments as their first step toward joining the FMS band program! Local music stores will be helping test students and guide them to an instrument they will enjoy and be most successful with. The Test Drive will occur Wednesday and Thursday (7/19-20) from 8-11am. Students who have already been playing in band previously are invited to come as well; there will be a sign-up for you to fill out so we know you are joining us, and you'll get to meet other band students!

Lockers for the 23-24 school year.

Each student will be assigned a locker at Falcon Middle School to store their belongings when at FMS. All 6th grade students will have access to their lockers during the Explore classes. 6th grade students will keep their belongings with them when at FMSA.

Remember that having a locker is a responsibility and a privilege. It is the student's responsibility to take care of their locker and use it appropriately. Lockers can be taken away for misuse. Each grade level administrator supervises the lockers for their grade level. Our Teams will also work with students on the appropriate times that students should be using their lockers.

Below is the Locker Agreement / Student Handbook Form to be completed by each student and parent/guardian. Please try to complete this prior to your Check-In day. If you have any questions, please contact the FMS Office.

If you are not able to attend one of the Check-In days, then we will have a retake photo opportunity on September 21, 2023. It is highly important that all students have their picture taken on either the Check-In days or on retake day so that the picture is included in the yearbook and for students to receive their Student ID.

We want everyone to get involved! PTSA is a great way to help out the Firebird Nation Community. Would you like to volunteer at the school? Would you like to help out at athletic or special events? Want to help problem solve issues that arise or create new programs at the school? If you answered yes to any of the questions and/or you just want to know what all is happening at FMS...then PTSA is for you! Our Principal really values the partnership with our PTSA and wants to continue to network with this group to continue to improve FMS. We hope you will join this important community group at our school.