Franklin e-Newsletter
Friday, March 15, 2019
Follow us on Twitter: @FranklinBolts / Hashtag: #FMSBoltPride
New Fax Number: (319) 558-2640
Spring Break: March 18-22
8th Grade Awards Assembly
If the final day of school changes, the 8th Grade Awards Assembly will switch to that final day as well. Families of 8th Graders will receive a letter through US Mail about all the details.
Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress
IT'S EXTREMELY IMPORTANT FOR YOUR CHILD TO BE IN ATTENDANCE DURING THAT WEEK AND ON TIME.
Please see the schedule below we'll be using.
ISASP Test Prep
HRS Survey-Thank You
Spring Play
Spring Sports
Once we return from break, the spring sports' seasons will pick up. Coaches held sign-up meetings prior to break. However, if students are still interested, they can visit with the coaches to receive the appropriate information. A reminder that all athletes will need an updated physical, concussion form, and permit to practice card on file. Please see the coaches for each sport below:
- Girls' Tennis: Brian Jeffords & Allison Vallad
- Boys' Soccer: Kyle Clark
- Track: 7th-Mercedes Hayes & Josh Hetrick/8th-John Hebrink & Scott Brune
Scholastic Art & Writing Contest
Octavia Wright received an Honorable Mention (3rd place) in the category of cartoon story writing at this year’s Scholastic Art and Writing Competition. We are so proud of her accomplishments. She received recognition at the University of Iowa Belin Blank ceremony.
Horizon Lunchbox-Student Council
Fine Arts Recap
Jazz Band One
Jazz Band 1 completed their competition season this last Saturday at the NEIBA Jazz Band Festival in Waterloo. Jazz 1 received a “Superior” rating, which is the highest rating awarded by judges. Philip Perea was named the Outstanding Soloist of the Festival for his improvised solos on vibes and drum set. Miles Lapointe, guitar, received an Honorable Mention. Jazz Band 1 also competed at the Coe College Jazz Summit on February 22. This competition features middle schools from all over the state of Iowa and each group receives a clinic following their performance from a professional jazz musician. Franklin Jazz Band 1 placed 3rd in the middle school division, making it the 13th top 3 finish in the last 15 years.
7th Grade Band
On Wednesday, March 6, the Franklin 7th Grade Concert Band traveled to Lisbon Community School for the Northeast Iowa Bandmasters Association Large Group Band Festival. This is the first time that a Franklin band has participated in this event. The band, under the direction of Mrs. Shanley, performed two pieces for two guest clinicians. The professional music educators gave written comments about the performance and spent some time working with the band after their performance. Each band that performed earned a rating for their performance. The Franklin band earned a Superior rating, the highest rating a band can receive. After the performance, the students enjoyed lunch on the Cornell College campus at the Hilltop Café. Congratulations to these students for taking on this challenge and representing Franklin so well at this district music event.
Illumination
Franklin Middle School's "Classic Illumination" show choir had a very successful 2019 season. Coming off a grand champion prize last year at Xavier High School, the 2018-2019 choir received the Grand Champion prize at the Great River Show Choir Competition in Davenport along with Best Choreography, Best Vocals and the People's Choice Award; the Grand Champion prize at the Marion Masquerade Show Choir competition, along with Best Choreography and Best Vocals; First Runner-up at Kennedy's Raise the Roof Competition; and First Runner-up at Xavier's Xtravaganza Show Choir competition along with Best Choreography award. Seventh grade student, Abby Bunker, received best female soloist award at the Davenport competition and seventh grade student, Owen Kilgore, brought home three best male soloist awards at the Davenport, Marion and Xavier competitions.
Classic Illumination is under the direction of David Griffin. Choreographers for this year's show were Lovar D. Kidd, Alisabeth Von Presley, Jordan Webster Moore and student choreography assistant, Alyssa Below.
Winter Sports Recap
7th Grade Girls' Basketball
Patience and perseverance would be the words that sum up Franklin's 7th Grade Girls basketball season. The Bolts battled valiantly against not only their foes on the court, but also Mother nature.
The girls came together and made strides during the season. School cancellations and early outs slowed their momentum causing the last 3 games to be cancelled.
This was the first competitive basketball endeavor for many of the girls. These young Bolts practiced hard everyday and gave their best efforts in every contest. Although the season was cut short the Bolts grew leaps and bounds during the course of the season which was both lauded and appreciated by their coach.
8th Grade Girls' Basketball
The 8th grade girls basketball team made a tremendous amount of progress throughout the season despite having to dodge multiple cancellations during the season. The A team earned wins over Harding and Roosevelt this season. The A squad was led by Addy Alber, Lynice Perkins, Jazmine Martin, Katie Earl, Sage Slessor, Meridith Langton and Lainey Tattershall.
The B team won all five games we played this year and showed a great deal of improvement on the court. Contributions were made to the B team by: Keyaesha Williams, Amanda Beckett, Aliyah Madlock, Charisma Jones and DeNya Thurman.
Thanks ladies for a great season!
Boys' Swimming
Continuing Information
Attention 8th Grade Girls: HS Golf Season
Washington
As you know, the IGHSAU and our district allow 8th graders to practice on high school girls golf teams. We would welcome any of your 8th grade girls who are headed to Wash next fall and are interested in golf to practice with us. They cannot play in any meets, but they can practice with us. We have had three girls over the past two years do that and they are way ahead of the other 9th graders the next year because of it. We are not asking individuals to choose this instead of a middle school spring sport, although they are free to make that choice if golf is their top passion. They must find their own way to practice. We will meet at Washington or an indoor facility somewhere until we can get outside and then we practice at Gardner Golf Course (Squaw Creek Park) once the course opens.
Interested girls/families can contact: Dennis Goettel/319-329-9231/goettel@mchsi.com
Kennedy
8th grade girls are now allowed to practice with the high school team so they can learn a little more about the game and how practices work - no meets, practice only. When they sign up on the link below, I will contact the family to share more information. This is a new opportunity for the girls and I'm hoping it will encourage more participation since we don't have a MS program. It is not intended to pull kids away from your activities - only expose them to what golf is and how it works.
Announcement for 8th Grade Girls:
Any girls interested in practicing with the Kennedy High School girls golf team this spring, please fill out the following survey at: tinyurl.com/JFKGirlsGolf2019 More information will be emailed regarding practice after filling out the survey. Questions can also be emailed to Coach Buerman at jbuerman@cr.k12.ia.us
Supplies Refresher
With us being past the midpoint of the school year, it's a great time to check with your students and their supplies. See the notes below:
- Make sure your student has several pencils in their trapper and locker-a large amount of students coming to class without pencils.
- Needing donation of Kleenex for classrooms, please bring to the main office anytime.
Neighborhood Courtesy
After-School Tutoring
Cell Phone Policy Review
- 1st Time: Student turns over phone. It's checked in and documented in the main office and they can pick it up after school.
- 2nd Time: Student turns over phone. It's checked in and documented in the main office. A parent will need to pick up the phone and student will serve a 30-minute detention.
- 3rd Time: Student turns over phone. It's checked in and documented in the main office. A parent will need to pick up the phone and student will serve a 2-hour detention on Friday.
We encourage parents to contact our main office at 558-2452 if you need to get an immediate message to your student. We can get these messages to students throughout the day.
Waiting Before & After School
Getting Messages to Your Child
Spring Play-"The Play"
Thursday, Apr 4, 2019, 07:00 PM
Franklin Middle School, 20th Street Northeast, Cedar Rapids, IA, USA
Spring Play-"The Play"
Friday, Apr 5, 2019, 07:00 PM
Franklin Middle School, 20th Street Northeast, Cedar Rapids, IA, USA
Upcoming Events
Monday, March 25
- Boys' Soccer Season Begins
Wednesday, March 27
- Track & Girls' Tennis Season Begins
Monday, April 1
- Assessment Kickoff Pancake Breakfast
Tuesday, April 2-Thursday, April 4
- Iowa Statewide Assessment of Student Progress
Thursday, April 4
- Spring Play, 7:00PM
Friday, April 5
- Spring Play, 7:00PM
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