FC Junior High Journal
October 26th
Franklin Central Junior High
Mrs. Catherine Whitson - Principal
Mrs. Elizabeth Crumble-Graham - Assistant Principal (Curriculum & Instruction)
Mr. Courtney Scott - Assistant Principal (School Environment) & (A-F)
Ms. Danielle Zink - Counselor (A-F)
Ms. Margaret McGrann - Guidance Director & Counselor (G-N)
Ms. Jessica Addy - Dean (G-N)
Ms. Anna Sutter - Guidance Counselor (O-Z)
Mr. Steve Douglas - Dean (O-Z)
Mrs. Tahirah Purifoy - Home School Liaison
Mr. Jacob Smalley - Athletic Director
Ms. Andrea Zappia - Athletic Director
OFFICE HOURS: Monday - Friday 7:30am to 3:30pm
ATTENDANCE LINE: 317-803-8190 or laura.walker@ftcsc.org
Email: catherine.whitson@ftcsc.org
Website: https://fcjh.ftcsc.org
Location: 10440 Indian Creek Road South, Indianapolis, IN, USA
Phone: (317) 803-8100
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FCJHFlashes
Twitter: @FCJHFlashes
UPCOMING DATES TO KNOW
September/October
September 30th: Chicago's - PTO Spirit Night - Order dinner here!
September 30th: Red Line - PTO Spirit Night
9/28: School Board Meeting: 6:00 PM
10/2: End of Quarter
10/5-10-16: Fall Break: No School
Final Common Assessments Schedule
9/28 - 9/29 Science and Language
9/30 - 10/1 Math and Social Studies
9/28 - 10/1 Related Arts selects days - look for communication from your teacher
Important - Changes to In Person Learning Option
Dear FCJH Families,
Last Friday the Marion County Public Health Department (MCPHD) announced that they were updating their Return to School mandate for Junior High students. MCPHD did not make any changes to the schedule for students in Elementary, Intermediate or High School. MCPHD did make a change of schedule for Junior High students. The MCPHD stated that Junior Highs are now allowed to move away from the Hybrid Model. The Franklin Township Teachers Association and the administration have met and worked through different options on how we can best begin the transition of bringing our students back to FCJH full time. The purpose of this email is to inform you how this change may impact your child's learning option.
Since we were unaware that the MCPHD update for Junior High students was coming this past Friday, we had already sent out our "Changing Your Child's Learning Option Survey" for the 2nd quarter. We understand that the new information below may change your mind on the learning option that you feel best meets your child’s needs. In this email you will find a new survey link that is only for Junior High parents. The survey link will allow you to make a change for your child from Online to In Person or from In Person to Online based on the new information below.
FCJH In Person Learning Option:
● In collaboration with our Franklin Township Teachers Association and administration, we believe the best option to begin bringing our Junior High students back in the safest structure is to have In Person learning on Monday-Thursday and continue Virtual learning on Friday. Franklin Central Junior High’s last day on the hybrid model will be October 2nd. On the first day back from Fall Break, Monday, Oct. 19th, we will transition into 4 days of In Person learning, Monday-Thursday, and 1 day of Virtual Learning, Friday. The Friday Virtual day would continue to operate as it currently is. Teachers will be able to use Friday to plan instruction and will be able to meet with students online to help students make the transition from a Hybrid Model back to In Person school. These changes are possible because the structure of a Junior High and High School student's schedule is different from the Elementary/Intermediate student. In the Junior High/High School we are not able to cohort students like we can in the Elementary/Intermediate school. Students in the Junior High and High School switch classes each period with different students and walk freely in and out of different areas, for example: the hallways, the restrooms and the cafeteria. This creates additional challenges on contact tracing, cleaning and keeping students safe that is unique to the secondary level. Continuing with a virtual Friday provides our staff with an additional day to clean and prepare the buildings for the following week. We will monitor our new data once we bring back almost 1,400 students to school four days a week. At the end of the 2nd quarter we will use that data to make a decision on returning students to a full, five day week.
FCJH Online Learning Option:
● The Franklin Central Junior High Online Learning option will not change from its current format. Students will continue to use Edmentum for their Online Learning coursework.
Please Complete the new "Change Your Child's Learning Option Survey":
● Parents will have until Thursday noon to change their child’s learning option. Based on the new information shared above, if you would like to change your child’s learning option, please click on this link - Change Your Child's Learning Option Survey
****If you already filled out the previous “Change Your Child's Learning Option Survey" this survey still needs to be completed to confirm your changes.
We appreciate your patience and support as our teachers and administration continue to work closely together to create the best learning environment for your child.
#WeAreFlashes
Sincerely,
FTCSC Administration and Franklin Township Teachers Association
Attendance Reminder
Remember to all learners: take Attendance EVERY AT HOME LEARNING DAY!!!!
#weareflashes
Tips on how to email a teacher
Since many of you are using email more often to communicate with your teachers and administrators during at home learning, the tips below maybe helpful in order to expediate and clarify your communication.
Hybrid Learners
ONLINE-ONLY LEARNERS
Do You Need A Little Extra Help?
Call & Learn Hotline - IRTA
The Call & Learn Hotline links K-12 students across the state with volunteers from IRTA, the American Federation of Teachers Indiana, and the Indiana State Teachers Association.
The Call & Learn Hotline will be open on Tuesday, Wednesday, and Thursday, from 1:00-5:00 p.m. ET starting September 15, 2020.
Students and parents can call toll-free (877) 45-STUDY (877-457-8839) to request assistance from a volunteer educator. After identifying the student’s grade level, middle and high school students are matched to educators with expertise in math, science, language arts and social studies, while elementary students are paired with general education elementary teachers.
In compliance with stay-at-home guidelines, Call & Learn volunteers operate from their homes, and while calls are recorded to protect the students and volunteers, no identifiable personal information is collected, ensuring anonymity for both the child and educator.
The Creek Appreciates Education Staff
PTO CORNER:
The next PTO meeting is November 17th at 6pm in the FCJH Media Center.
Upcoming Spirit Nights--tell them your order (take out or dine in) is for Franklin Central Junior HIgh.
September 26 Shakers
BOOKSTORE NEWS
Flashes should keep in mind that the Bookstore carries more than just gym uniforms! Whether you need earbuds and a chromebook sleeve or poster board and pencil lead, we’ve got you covered at the Flashes Bookstore! Open daily from 7:45 AM - 8:10 AM, the Bookstore can cover lots of your school supply needs, so stop by before classes begin and ensure you’re showing up prepared to learn!
New Item - FC Face Masks for $7. Show your Flashes pride and buy one today!
Devices
Keep your charging cord in your backpack for easy access in case you need it. If you have an issue with your device, please use the following link to turn in a Cyberflash Ticket and get some help.
FCJH CLUB INFORMATION
Robotics Club: Meeting in the Media Center: Pick up at 4:30 PM
Jazz Orchestra: Pick up at 4:15 PM
Tuesday:
Jazz Orchestra: Pick up at 4:15 PM
Thursday:
Robotics Club: Meeting in the Media Center: Pick up at 4:30 PM
Book Club News
"Small Spaces" and "The Girl I Use To Be." Both titles look a little spooky!
Art Guild
National Junior Honor Society
Date - Tuesday 10/20 : All Members
Time - 3:15 - 4:00
Location - Cafe (please social distance) near the glass wall of windows
Parent Pick Up - 4:00 at door 25E
Agenda - Introduce Officers, Talk about Sign Up genius, Location of NJHS materials, Induction Ceremony prep
*If you were inducted into the NJHS at "East" as a 6th grader, please join us! We want you there.
Let's get this year started right!!
Mrs. Irwin
What story do you have to tell?
Do you love telling stories? Are you interested in writing your own songs, poems, short stories, novels, articles, or flash fiction? Consider submitting a piece to the Scholastic Writing Awards! Franklin Township 7th and 8th graders have won awards for the past 3 years and their works have been featured at Butler University. Win a chance to have your work on display at Butler or to win scholarship money! See Ms. Belting (kyle.belting@ftcsc.org) for more information.
SCHOOL ENVIRONMENT
Another Student Shout Out!
"Today Kaitlyn Pettet (7) had a super positive attitude when talking with Mrs. Woodrow that helped us both to change our attitudes to a more positive outlook."
**You never know when your attitude will make the difference in someone's day.
Mrs. Gaffin's Art class is busy being super creative!!
Visual Communication students (8th graders) have been learning about Modern artists that work with flowers both in the 2D and 3D platform. Each student has chosen an image and used the grid technique to transfer the contour lines of their image onto black paper. They've also learned how to work with and blend oil pastels. As you can see, students have begun laying down color onto their black paper. The black paper helps the oil pastel colors show more vividly.
Kahoot
Elizabeth Cribbs-1
Abby Mikus-2
Savannah Smith -3
7th Graders bring "The Outsiders" to life!
The teachers joined the fun too!
Snack Tectonics Lab! This was a FUN one.
7th grade science did a lab to demonstrate and gain deeper understanding of Plate Tectonics.
We used white (vanilla) frosting to represent the Asthenosphere. The students spread the icing over a piece of wax paper.
The Fruit Roll Up was used to represent the Oceanic Crust because it is very dense (the molecules in the Oceanic Crust/Fruit Roll Up are very close together and so are dense.) We placed the Oceanic Crust/FRU pieces in the asthenosphere/frosting and added pressure, so that the density was considered. The students then pulled the Oceanic Crust/FRU away from each other (divergent boundaries) and some of the asthenosphere/frosting popped up - forming new Igneous rock - or new Oceanic Crust.
Then a piece of Oceanic Crust/FRU was removed and the students were permitted to consume the removed piece. In its place, a piece of Continental Crust/graham cracker was placed aside the Oceanic Crust/Fruit Roll Up. The students then pushed the less dense Continental Crust over the Oceanic Crust/Fruit Roll Up to demonstrate SUBDUCTION.
The second piece of FRU was removed and consumed (or placed aside) and the Continental Crust/graham cracker was removed.
Students then make Folded Mountains, by dipping the 2 pieces of Continental Crust in a cup of water (for a second) and placing the wet ends together in the Asthenosphere/Frosting and pushing them slowly together. (I looked gross and lots of disgusted noises were made!)
Lastly, we scraped off the graham cracker mountainous mess and placed the Continental Crust/graham crackers dry side together and scraped them opposite directions, recreating the Transform boundary movements that create earthquakes all over the world!
Afterward, students could eat the tectonic plate snack, if they wanted to!
Project Lead The Way
PLTW Automation and Robotics began the semester building 11 different mechanisms. Our first challenge, using the design process, was to create a pull toy. Students were required to create a toy combining 3 of the mechanisms we already built. Students worked hard and the results are amazing!!
7th Grade Wellness: Flashesball
Suicide Prevention Month:
A short lesson from Ms. Zink on how to manage stress.
FCJH Health Services - Notes from our Nurses
FC JUNIOR HIGH ATHLETICS
Athletes vs Teachers
Final score was 188 to 164 with the teachers taking the win. Low scorers for the evening were Emma Connor with a 42 for the athletes and Mr. Rowland with a 38 for the teachers!