FPHS Parent and Student Memo
October 11, 2021
Franklin Pierce High School
FPS District Equity Statement
DISTRICT AREAS OF FOCUS AND IMPROVEMENT:
- Equity and Social Justice
- Improved Instruction
- Family and Community Partnership
Our Equity Team would like to partner with our parents to fulfill our mission to support our students, staff, and families by identifying and dismantling systems that perpetuate, exacerbate, or produce inequities based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, etc. If you would like to collaborate with us, please let us know HERE. If you want to learn more about our commitment to EQUITY and ANTI-RACISM, feel free to contact any of our FPHS Equity Team members: Hartley, Marzano, Wright, Laban, Apelu, Brist, Call, Chapman, Detweiler, Fineman, Goodrum, Inman, Kaunda, B. Lee, Martin, Plaskett, Quill, Roscoe, Scroger, Shoopman, McNeil, Wacker, Tracy, T. Johnson, Henley, Hill, and Gilbert.
Dear Parents and Students,
- Parents, need a quick refresher or "how to" for Teacher Ease (our Gradebook) to see your child's current grades? Watch the short video below.
- Parents, please make sure your child is bringing a fully charged laptop and charger to school every day.
- Parents and Students, due to high enrollment numbers, you may still see some schedule changes to balance class sizes and assist with overcrowding. We have hired additional teachers and created new classes in order to help reduce larger class sizes. Adjustments should be completed by next week.
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On Monday, in honor of Indigenous People’s Day, the NICC (Native Indigenous Culture Club) will be conducting a small smudging ceremony for NICC members. This is a traditional cleansing and purifying ceremony.
- If you ever need to see our Daily Bulletin announcements, use this LINK. Running Start and Pierce County Skills Center students, please use this link to keep up to date with FPHS announcements.
- Homework Center: Need extra help in any of your classes? The HW Center is open Monday through Friday from 3pm to 4pm. Hours are extended on early release Wednesdays from 1:30pm to 4pm. You can attend in person in room 202 (next to the Library) or you can attend virtually at the same times using this LINK.
- Schedule this week: BABAB. Link HERE to see the A Day / B Day calendar for the year.
FPS COVID Dashboard HERE.
Visit HERE to view previous Parent and Student Memos.
Please, make sure you have all the info below. We miss you and wish you all the very best. Stay safe and be well!
Meet Our Cardinal Staff:
Name: Britt Vargas
Subject I Teach: Resource, Pre-Algebra, Algebra I
Favorite Hobbies: Painting, Gardening, Traveling, Writing
Favorite Book: "The Warmth of Other Suns" by Isabel Wilkerson
Favorite Quote: "Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever." -Mahatma Gandhi
Meet Our Cardinal Staff:
Name: Emmanuel Wright
Subject I Teach: Computer Science, Robotics, and Business Management
Favorite Hobbies: Cooking, watching movies, and home renovations
Favorite book: Instructional and Informational Books. Anything that will teach me a new skill
Favorite quote: “If you replace “I” with “WE”, even illness becomes wellness.” -Malcom X
FP Schools Quarantine and Isolation Guidelines:
Quarantine
A mandatory quarantine refers to those individuals who have been exposed via close contact to a student or staff member with a confirmed positive COVID test.
The CDC defines a close contact as under 3feet for more than 15 minutes.
- Students who have been exposed on campus will be notified by the school nurse or administrator and via a district letter.
- Students who are vaccinated and not feeling symptoms are not required to quarantine due to exposure.
- Students who are not vaccinated will be required to quarantine for 14 days from the last day of exposure.
Isolation
A mandatory isolation refers to those students or staff who are sick with symptoms (COVID positive or not).
- Students who exhibit COVID symptoms during school will be required to isolate for 10 days OR provide a Negative PCR Covid test AND be symptom free for 24 hours.
- Students who test positive will be required to isolate for 10 days from the start of symptoms, or date of positive test, whichever comes first.
OCTOBER Culture Calendar
OCTOBER is ...
- National Bullying Prevention Month. Learn more HERE.
- Breast Cancer Awareness Month. Learn more HERE.
- Filipino-American History Month. Learn more HERE.
- Italian American Heritage Month. Learn more HERE.
- LGBT History Month. Learn more HERE.
- Dwarfism Awareness Month. Learn more HERE.
Disability Awareness Month. Learn more HERE.
10/1: CHINESE MOON FESTIVAL
- 10/2: INTL DAY OF NONVIOLENCE
- 10/3 – 10/9: SUKKOT
- 10/5: WORLD TEACHERS’ DAY
- 10/10: WORLD MENTAL HEALTH DAY
- 10/11: NATIONAL COMING OUT DAY
- 10/12: INDIGENOUS PEOPLE’S DAY
- 10/24: UNITED NATIONS DAY
- 10/31: DIA DE LOS MUERTOS, HALLOWS EVE, HALLOWEEN
The Cardinal Character Trait for OCTOBER is COMPASSION. Learn more HERE.
LIFE AFTER HIGH SCHOOL:
Family and Community Partnerships:
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 items are ready for pick up or delivery. Items can be requested twice a month. 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.
In community with families and partnerships, we are here to help point you in the right direction to local resources. If you have a specific need, contact Bonita Lee at blee@fpschools.org or call 253-298-3837.
Social Justice, Equity, and Anti-Racist Resources:
October is Filipino American History Month. Started by FANHS in the 1990s, there's an important distinction to be made between "history" and "heritage". Happy FAHM!
How to know if you have ADHD and what that means.
The first step in ALLYSHIP is LISTENING.
The second step is BELIEVING.
The third step is ACTION. Get involved and create the positive change you want to see in the world.
Sports Medicine!
FPHS Sports!
Athletes and families,
We are half way through September and our programs are continuing to grow. Below is some important information athletes and families should know moving forward through the fall season and into the winter season!
Games and Officials Shortages
A number of sports this fall are experiencing officials shortages. This is especially true when it comes to football. The association for football is about 40 officials short to be able to cover all of the games happening on Friday nights. Games are now being moved to Thursdays and Saturdays when possible in order to help with the officials shortage. Be sure to visit the athletics website fphscards.com for the most recent schedule updates.
ASB Cards
ASB cards are now for sale at the bookkeepers office. ASB cards cost 40$ and are a requirement as part of athletic participation at Franklin Pierce HS. Revenue from ASB card sales go to fund our athletic programs and ASB leadership activities for our student body.
Schedules and Results
Results and schedules for your favorite athletic programs at Franklin Pierce High School can be found at www.FPHSCards.com Visit this website to see varsity and sub-varsity schedules and know where your favorite cardinal sports team is playing! The website also includes maps and directions to the facility of the competition you will be attending. This can be really helpful for away competitions.
FPHS Athletics Event Calendar
Winter Sports
Winter sports are coming fast. Below is a list of coaches for our winter sport programs. Please be sure to have had a physical within the last two years and to register in familyID. If you have questions about the season or practice times be sure to email the coaches below.
Hey, Freshmen!
Our class competition for the month of October is to design the C/O 2025 T-Shirt. The design will be printed on a white t-shirt and must include Tuffy (cardinal logo), graduation year, and FP. One lucky winner will receive a gift basket, which includes a free t-shirt. Please submit your designs to Mrs. Tracy (ttracy@fpschools.org).
Hey, Seniors!
FAQ:
- Do I do the FAFSA or WASFA or both?
- Students only submit 1 application based on eligibility.
- I haven’t even applied to schools yet; don’t I do financial aid after?
- Nope. You can send the FAFSA and WASFA to 10 colleges for free. You don’t have to be committed to complete the financial aid
- How do I get started?
- What is financial aid?
- A way to help you pay for college. Come to our Senior Meeting on 10/11/21 to learn about all the kinds of financial aid and how to access them!
- Still confused?
- Book an appointment with your counselor in the CCC 😊
Looking Ahead:
- October 11- Senior Meeting run by Counselors regarding Financial Aid and Early Decision/College Apps
Pierce County Skills Center:
Greetings from PCSC: Welcome back! Our back to school newsletter can be found HERE as well as our Facebook page.
- LINK for 2021-22 PCSC Student Handbook.
- PCSC Main Office: 253-800-4800.
Application Questions contact Paulla Hockaday - phockaday@bethelsd.org - 253.800.4800
Application links, in English and Spanish, can be found on our website. https://www.bethelsd.org/domain/4387
First Day of School - Tuesday, September 7th. Session Times: AM Session - 7:55-10:25; PM Session - 11:15-1:45.
Resources
School Resources:
- District Website: https://www.fpschools.org/
- Franklin Pierce HS 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.
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