Franklin e-Newsletter
Friday, November 16, 2018
Follow us on Twitter: @FranklinBolts
New Fax Number: (319) 558-2640
NO SCHOOL: WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 21-FRIDAY, NOVEMBER 23
No Tutoring on Tuesday, November 20
Hy-Vee Homeroom Receipt Challenge
Franklin Clothing Order
Franklin Staff IDI Work
On Monday, October 29 students completed a homeroom survey that reflects the work of the IDI. Teachers will use these surveys for entire staff and individual growth plans. Please take a look at the video students watched to introduce the work.
Follow the link to the IDI website for additional information:
https://idiinventory.com/publications/the-intercultural-development-inventory-idi/
Mock Trial
Welcome to the world of easels, demonstratives, exhibits, and brief cases. It’s a world where thinking on your feet is a necessity and helping your team out is expected and scored. It’s a world of witnesses and attorneys all working together as a team to have the very best outcome. Welcome to mock trial!
This year the case was a civil case titled Larry and Rita Ludgate as Parents and Next Friends of April Ludgate vs. Gryzzl Corp d/b/a Camp Morning Star. The case involved a girl by the name of April attending Camp Morning Star and getting bit by a tick. Her many visits to the nurse were not taken seriously and she ends up with Lyme Disease. There are other twists and turns in the case, but these are the main points.
Our Franklin mock trial teams this year included two 7th grade teams and two 8th grade teams. The Regional competition was held at the Linn County Court House on November 3rd. It was a long day of competing with trials both in the morning and afternoon for Franklin. All four were very well prepared, and one advanced to the state competition to be held in Des Moines at the Event Center on November 27-November 29th. There they will compete against teams from all over Iowa with a chance to compete in the final round on November 29th.
Here are the teams and their members:
State Qualifying Team
Franklin Teams
Dance Marathon
Friday, December 14th, will mark our thirteenth Franklin Dance Marathon. It will be held after school from 1:30 – 3:30PM. Admission cost is $5.00. This eighth grade service project has many components in addition to the dance. Please encourage your child to get involved in any way you can. Our dance is held in conjunction with the University of Iowa Dance Marathon and the Children’s Miracle Network. The money we raise helps to support families with children facing life threatening illnesses like cancer.
We began our dance marathon to support children battling life threatening illnesses in our community. We were surprised to discover our very first year that we had a cancer survivor in our own school. Unbelievably, we have continued to have a student affected by cancer as part of our Franklin community EACH and EVERY year. Some were survivors; some still in the midst of the battle. While some students preferred to stay in the background, others were willing to jump in and help in multiple ways.
Jack Hoeger, a current Kennedy student and former Franklin Bolt, inspired our students with his story captured in his own “Livestrong I Know Jack” YouTube video. His mom spoke to the entire student body about the importance of dance marathon activities and the support provided to families. Jack continues to inspire others and was crowned as Kennedy’s homecoming king this fall. The fact that Franklin has had a student/family directly affected by cancer for the entire 13 years of our dance fundraiser is a sad reminder of how much our help is needed. There are many ways for YOUR student to be involved in the coming weeks.
Franklin students have been instrumental in bringing dance marathons to both Washington and Kennedy over the years. Some have gone on to dance in college as well, and we have even been blessed to have some of our Franklin alumni return as University of Iowa Dance Marathon volunteers. This year we dance not only for our current Franklin student battling cancer, but for one of our Franklin alumni as well. We hope this service project allows your student to experience the pride and feeling of accomplishment that comes with giving back to the community. Aristotle once spoke of the importance of educating not just the mind, but the heart as well. It is our hope that every child will leave Franklin with both heart and mind enhanced.
For more information, please check the Franklin website or contact Mr. Jeffords at bjeffords@cr.k12.ia.us.
T-shirts
Purchasing a dance marathon t-shirt for $10 is one way to support the cause; it also eliminates any worries about what to wear to the dance! Order forms are in the main office and due back November 26th, the Monday after Thanksgiving. This may be a welcome opportunity for the relative who never knows what to get a teen for the holidays.
Money Mash
The "Money Mash" change war between homerooms begins Monday, December 10th and runs through Thursday, December 13th. Students may be scrounging for loose change as all coins count positively and all checks and paper money count as negatives. Your students will begin asking for money, and it's a great time to get extra chores done! There will be daily prizes and an overall winning home room at each grade level. Students in those top home rooms will receive donuts and juice during their home room time on the Monday after the dance.
Bake Sales
Bake sales will be held after school on both Tuesday, November 27th, Thursday, November 29th, Thursday, December 13th, and during the dance on Friday the 14th. We ask each eighth grader to provide a dozen baked goods or a 12 pack of pop or Gatorade. Drinks can be sent in any time; baked goods should be taken to the office or the eighth grade science teachers on the morning of the bake sale. Please mark any items that contain nuts or peanut butter, so we can separate these. While eighth graders are expected to provide donations as the official class sponsors for the dance, anyone wishing to donate baked goods is welcome to do so!
Spirit Dancers
Students wishing to do even more for the cause can collect $25 or more from friends and family and turn it into the office with a "Spirit Dancer" pledge sheet. These students are admitted free and a bit early, eliminating the wait in line to get into the dance. They receive some extra bling, a free slice of pizza at the dance, and have front row seating for the pie throw at the end of the dance. The top fundraisers also have the opportunity to put a pie in a staff member’s face! The effort of our spirit dancers is truly appreciated, and they have increased in number each year. We are hoping even more students will take on this challenge for 2018. Pick up a spirit dancer form and hit up those relatives over Thanksgiving!
6th Grade Career Day
On November 13th, Workplace Learning Connection and Franklin Middle School worked together to bring 6th grade students a career exploration event. The goal of this event was to give your child a chance to hear about careers that fall within the 6 Career Pathways that they are or will be studying with their school counselors and the Kuder Academy program. This event was meant to be exploratory in nature. Students have a variety of interests and it would be impossible for every student’s individual career choices to be represented. Our hope was that the students would approach this opportunity with an open mind and with an attitude that this is a chance to hear about something they haven’t considered before or about a career that they might have incorrect assumptions about. Our 6th grade students heard about careers such as, chef, paramedic, fire fighter, police officer, nurse, finance office director , education outreach coordinator, director of education, community relations specialists, and a human resource specialist.
Continuing Information
Waiting Before & After School
Tutoring Available
If you're interested in your child attending tutoring please contact our Counseling Office at (319) 558-2258.
Bolt Closet
Franklin Office Hours
Getting Messages to Your Child
Upcoming Events
- Girls Swimming @ Linn-Mar
- Boys' Basketball: 7th @ Prairie / 8th @ Home
Wednesday, November 21-Friday, November 23 (NO SCHOOL)
Tuesday, November 27
- Boys' Basketball: 7th @ Roosevelt / 8th @ Home
Thursday, November 29
- Boys' Basketball: 7th @ Home / 8th @ Iowa City Southeast
Franklin Middle School
Email: lptacek@cr.k12.ia.us
Website: franklin.cr.k12.ia.us
Location: 300 20th Street Northeast, Cedar Rapids, IA, United States
Phone: (319) 558-2452
Facebook: facebook.com/franklinms
Twitter: @FranklinBolts