The Firebird Flash
November 4, 2022
NEWSLETTER HIGHLIGHTS
- Principal's Update
- Mark your Calendar
- Tutoring Available at FMS
- EmpowerFZ Updates
- Support the Firebird Band Program
- Open Gym for Boys Basketball
- Girls Basketball Info
- FHS 8th Grade Showcase
- Toys for Tots
- Order your FMS Yearbook
- Firebird Nation Campus Expansion Update
- From Nurse Nelda - Important Tdap Information
- PTSA
- Purchase Firebird Gear
Updates from our Principal
Greetings Firebird Nation Families -
Happy Friday! What an exciting week this has been!
First and foremost, I want to express how excited I am to be moving forward as the new principal at Falcon Middle School. Over the past 27 years in education, I have held the positions as teacher, department chair, dean of students, assistant principal and athletic director. Now, I am eager to take on the challenging but rewarding opportunity to be called principal. My last three years at Falcon Middle School as a grade level assistant principal and athletic director, have offered enormous learning opportunities for me to grow. I have strived to build strong relationships with students, staff, and parents. I look forward to broadening that reach as I get to know all grade levels and families.
I want to assure you, our admin team will continue to move forward together to create a culture of safety and creativity, encouraging our students to have voice and choice in their learning.
This week at Falcon Middle School, we had a super fun day on Monday as we saw both students and staff members dressing up to celebrate Halloween. Mr. Smith traveled around the school, reverse trick or treating with all the teachers and staff on his final day before moving to his new position. Anime club also celebrated Monday afternoon by holding a
costume contest after school.
Mini-course sign ups continued this week for any student who was absent last Thursday. Mrs. Kovanda worked diligently, calling down students to ensure all students were signed up. Thank you, Mrs. Kovanda for your hard work! Monday, began the dubious task of collecting the waivers and permissions slips as well as proper fees for our mini-courses as well. Thank you so much to our office staff, counselors, and library para for helping with this task every day. Students will still have time next week to turn in both money and waivers. Please make sure to have correct change either in cash or check as well as the proper waiver for each mini-course. All fees and waivers must be turned in by November 9th.
Another reminder, we have two weeks left before Thanksgiving break. How quickly time flies! Students, please make sure you are checking PowerSchool to ensure assignments are finished and turned in. Also, students please continue to make good choices in every location on campus from the classrooms to hallways to the cafetorium. I want every student to have a successful next couple of weeks as we lead up to mini-courses and Thanksgiving Break.
Sincerely,
Elena Forehand
Principal
Falcon Middle School
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Mark your Calendar
November
7: PTSA Meeting @5:00pm
7: SAC Meeting @5:30pm
11: Veteran's Day Assembly at FMS
17-18: Mini Courses at FMS!
21-25: Thanksgiving Break - No School
December
2-9: Scholastic Book Fair
7: 8th Grade Choir Concert @ 5:30pm
8: FHS 8th Grade Showcase @ 6pm - 8pm
12: 8th Grade Fall Play @ 6 pm
14: 6th & 7th Grade Choir Concert @ 5:30pm
15: Band Concert @ 6:00 pm
16: Early Release @ 12:00pm
19- Jan. 3: Holiday Break - No School
Check the FMS website calendar often for the most up-to-date information.
All dates/events are subject to change.
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Tutoring Available at FMS
We wanted to reach out to all of of our Firebird Families as we continue our way through this 2022-2023 School Year at Falcon Middle School. We are spending more time working with all grade-level Firebirds on the mastery of their core contents. Due to this, FMS will continue to offer after-school tutoring and subject help.
FMS will be offering a 1-hr 15-min tutoring window on Mondays through Thursdays from 3:15-4:30 pm. These times will be used to:
· Master current standards and concepts
· Master former standards and concepts
· Work on current learning plans/Guided Support
If you are interested in attending a tutoring window, please fill out the following Google Form. Once you have signed up, we will look forward to seeing you at the tutoring session!
Any attending students ARE REQUIRED to have a plan for being picked up at 4:30 pm.
Please feel free to reach out to either of us or your child's teachers if you have any concerns or questions,
Corey A. Bates
8th Grade Gold Math Teacher
Falcon Middle School
cabates@d49.org
Carrie Clay
8th Grade Counselor
Falcon Middle School
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Our teachers continue to personalize learning for their students in awesome ways. This week, we'll highlight the great things our Explore teachers are doing to provide students with more voice and choice. In PE, students are working through a standard per week with a focus on a different skill each day. On Fridays, they get to choose which skill they want to practice again. In Band, students have a learning plan that allows them to review skills at home that they need more practice with. Our theater students have a variety of choices on their learning plans that relate to performance, voice, and movement. And our Engineering students are working hard to record their knowledge about STEM in their digital data notebooks.
Data notebooks give students ownership of their learning by giving them a place to include class notes, a portfolio of their best work in a class, and pre-assessment and post-assessment scores so that they can easily see how much they've grown from the beginning of a learning plan to the end. Watch the video below to learn more about how Ms. Brundage's 7th grade Engineering students record their learning in data notebooks.
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Support the Firebird Band Program
The Firebird Bands are working to raise funds for a set of chimes through Donors Choose. This would really help enhance our Band Program and expand the musical selections we are able to provide our students. We still need help reaching $5,000 by Nov. 29th. We would be grateful to anyone who shared our project link via social media and/or donated. Every contribution helps! Thank you for your support!
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Open Gym for Boys Basketball
There will be open gym time for 6th thru 8th grade boys basketball on the following dates:
November - 6:00pm - 7:30pm
Wed - 11/2
Mon - 11/7
Wed - 11/9
Any boys who are interested come on out and meet the coach(es)!!
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Girls Basketball Info
See below for information on open gym, the official start date, and tryouts for Girls Basketball!
Open Gym:
Wednesdays & Fridays (thru 11/11): 7:20am - 7:40am
Start Date:
Wednesday, Nov. 14th
(Please remember students must have a
current physical uploaded to rSchool by the season start date)
Tryouts:
Monday, Nov. 14th - Wednesday, Nov 16th
Check out our FMS Athletic webpage for Girls Basketball for full details.
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Yearbooks may be ordered at www.jostensyearbooks.com or by calling 1-877-767-5217.
Supplies are limited, so order and secure your 22-23 FMS Yearbook Today!
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Firebird Nation Campus Expansion
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from Nurse Nelda
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Your Parent Teacher Student Association (PTSA) has close to 100 members and is looking to engage additional families in our awesome organization!
Don't miss out! Join now for only $10 using the following links or get a form from the office to use cash or check:
Parent/Guardian: https://falconmsptsa.memberhub.com/store/items/105273
Staff: https://falconmsptsa.memberhub.com/store/items/104029
Student: https://falconmsptsa.memberhub.com/store/items/105101
Community: https://falconmsptsa.memberhub.com/store/items/104034
PTSA Meeting Schedule
We are looking for volunteers on Fridays to help with the PBIS store during lunches at the school. Use this link to sign up.
More opportunities for concessions will be posted soon on Signup Genius.
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Looking for Firebird Gear?
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Falcon Middle School
6th Grade Assistant Principal: Joy Kovanda
7th Grade Assistant Principal/Athletic Director: TBD
8th Grade Assistant Principal: Tim Scheck
Dean of Students: Patricia Kelly
6th Grade Counselor: Amber Villani
7th Grade Counselor: Lisa Murdock
8th Grade Counselor: Carrie Clay
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FMS Office Hours
7:15am-3:30pm
Email: fms@d49.org
Website: https://www.d49.org/fms
Location: 9755 Towner Avenue, Peyton, CO, USA
Phone: 719-495-5232
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/FalconMiddleD49
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