FMS NEWSLETTER
ISSUE 4: DECEMBER 2021
A Note From Principal Cochran
As we enter into the winter season, I wanted to send a warm thank you to all of you, our Fridley Middle School families, who have and continue to do everything you can to support your students in their education. I am also thankful for our amazing Fridley Middle School staff who have gone above and beyond to meet the needs of students and are constantly thinking about how we best serve students and families. Thank you!
The education and wellbeing of our students is the utmost importance to us and we will continue to do everything we can to meet the needs of all our students. We are here to support, encourage, partner together and engage students in their learning. Please let us know if there is anything we can do to support you or your student.
With Gratitude,
Amy Cochran
Principal
763.502.5401
Feedback Needed!
Thank you for your continued partnership and support with our COVID mitigation strategies with masking and quarantines. This has kept our cases down and our school open. Thank you! We want students in school and enjoy seeing them grow both academically and as individuals.
We need your input! Our district is applying for federal pandemic relief dollars and we want these dollars to benefit your children. Feedback will help guide how the ARP – ESSER what funding we will apply for.
Past Fridley allocations to pandemic relief dollars included:
1. Sanitizing and Mitigation Strategies (Safe Environment)
2. Technology devices allowing the ratio of one device to one
3. Academic Resources
4. Transportation such as delivering school supplies and meals
5. Personnel for taking care of children of essential workers
6. Nutritional Services such as meal pickup
Ideas for future dollars (including input from our parent session) include:
· Enrichment opportunities
· After-school learning
· Field trips
· Hands-on learning
· Social emotional supports
· Keep class sizes small
Please provide input on what YOU believe we should apply for using one of the forms:
Input Form (English)
Input Form (Arabic)
Input Form (Hmong)
Input Form (Somali)
Input Form (Spanish)
Arrival Times
Nutritional Services
Hello Families-
If you have not completed the annual Application for Educational Benefits, please complete as soon as possible. If the application is approved your student is eligible for reduced priced activities fees and you must complete a 2021-22 application to potentially be eligible for P-EBT benefits. The application can be found on the Nutritional Services webpage at https://www.fridleyschools.org/about-us/departments/nutritional-services/meal-applications A paper application can be obtained from the school office and if you have questions please contact Kathy Backstrom at 763-502-5021
Reminder: breakfast and lunch is free to all students this year. We encourage all students to come and eat breakfast with us. Students need to have their bar code to help the breakfast and lunch lines move quickly. Please come and eat with us so your student can be their best in class. Extra milk, double entrees and Ala Carte are NOT FREE and your student must have money in their lunch account to purchase those items. Money can be added online or given to Kathy Backstrom (High School) or in the office. If you have questions, please contact Renee Arbogast at 763-502-5022.
District Treat Policy
Please see policy below-
Fridley Public School District Policy 533 Student Wellness prohibits parents and families from bringing birthday or celebratory treats such as cupcakes, cookies, cake, chips, and juice into the school. Instead, to celebrate special events, parents often send non-food items, such as stickers, pencils and erasers that their child can share with his or her classmates.
Screening Tool
Immunizations
As a school, we are required to collect school immunizations on each student. Per our district policy, all immunizations must be current. Please call the health office at 763-502-5426 if you have questions.
Influenza Season!
Connect with your child clinic to schedule a flu shot with your primary doctor. Good hand washing is the BEST PREVENTION!
Covid 19 Updates and Reminders
Notification
Fridley Public Schools will continue its practice of notifying the Minnesota Department of Health of any lab confirmed positive case in its schools. Parents/Guardians will also receive direct communication if their child is identified as a close contact of a confirmed positive case. Notification will include the most current information on symptoms that parents can watch out for and monitor.
Health/Safety Reminders
- Please keep your child home if he/or she is not feeling well. Notify the school if someone in your household has been exposed to, has symptoms of, or has tested positive for COVID-19.
- Properly wearing a face covering/mask is a universal protection strategy that can help minimize the spread of COVID-19.
- Remember to send your child to school every day with a mask. They are required on school buses and inside our school/buildings.
- If your child is 12 years and older, consider having him or her vaccinated. COVID-19 vaccines are free and are available to all Minnesotans ages 12 years and older.
- COVID-19 Vaccines
- COVID-19 vaccines are currently available free of charge to all Minnesotans ages 12 year and older.
- Please follow this link to learn more, to schedule a vaccine for yourself, family member or child who is 12 years or older: COVID-19 vaccines
COVID-19 Testing
- COVID-19 saliva tests are available to all Minnesotans at no cost.
- Regular screening testing is an important mitigation strategy to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in schools.
- Any parent/guardian who wishes to order a test kit for their children and/or family members can use this link to order a free COVID-19 saliva test kit through Vault Health.
Masks
Fridley Middle School Theater Auditions
Fridley Middle School Winter Sports
Please click on the following link for lots of information including sports schedules and how to register for sports and fine arts activities.
*If you have any questions please contact either:
Matthew Engelhardt, 763-502-5413, matthew.engelhardt@fridley.k12.mn.us
Michael Reynolds, 763-502-5418, michael.reynolds@fridley.k12.mn.us
Transportation Update
Winter brings an expectation of extreme cold temperatures and/or heavy snow. The Fridley Transportation Department would like to share a few winter-weather transportation reminders with you that will help keep our students safe.
- Please ensure that your child is dressed appropriately for the winter weather.
- Your child is required to be at the scheduled stop 5 minutes prior to bus pick-up time. We do not expect the student to stay at the stop any longer than 10 minutes after the scheduled time. Should the bus be late by more than 10 minutes, the student should go home and call the assigned bus company (see below).
- Information and updates on late busses are communicated through our messenger program, so please make sure that your contact information is accurate. You may log in to your Parent Portal account and update your email or phone number.
- If school buildings are closed due to severe weather, the district will communicate with families ahead of time through email, phone call, and will also post the announcement on the district website, local news channels and district social media.
- For more information on school closures, click here.
Our Bus Companies:
- Voigt’s – 763-571-1241 #2 (Route #’s 1- 19)
- 1st Student – Champlin 763-421-5785 (Route #'s 20-32)
- R & D Transportation – 763-767-1804 press #2 (Van)
- Halo Transportation – 763-432-6806 (Van)
Cindy McKay
Transportation Coordinator
Fridley Public Schools
763-502-5026
Dressing for the Cold Weather
STUDENT LEARNING DURING SCHOOL BUILDING CLOSURE
As we plan for winter, we want to share this annual information with you regarding our procedure for school building closures and student learning when school buildings are closed.
Notification of school building closure
In the event that school buildings have to be closed, the school district will inform parents/guardians through multiple channels. District/school will send parents an email, text message and will also call parents directly. In addition, the closure will also be posted on the district website as well as local television channels. The district uses the parent contact information on the Campus Parent Portal to communicate with parents/guardians. Please make sure that your contact information is accurate on the Parent Portal.
School building closure due to inclement weather
When severe weather conditions create hazardous conditions that pose life-threatening risks for students and staff, the superintendent of schools may need to close school buildings and implement the district’s E-Learning Plan.
- The district’s E-Learning Plan will support learning for students in grades PreK-12 for up to five days a year when school buildings are closed due to inclement weather.
- There may still be a need for a traditional snow/cold day, but the district will make every effort to utilize E-Learning days to continue learning.
- An E-Learning day is considered an instructional day and attendance is taken.
- On an E-Learning day, students will learn from home through online instruction provided by students' individual teachers through SeeSaw (PreK-K) or Google Classroom (Grades 1-12).
- Students in grades 7-12 who are enrolled in the full-time Fridley Online Academy will have no change in their learning day.
- As we near winter, each school will share more information with parents/guardians prior to any school building closure.
School building/classroom/program closure due to COVID-19
The Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) has approved the provision of short-term online learning to allow for flexibility in learning formats during the pandemic. In case of a COVID-19 situation that requires a school, program or classroom to temporarily transition to online learning, Fridley Public Schools will implement its MDE approved Blended Learning Plan for students.
- We will follow our district’s Blended Learning Plan that will allow students to continue to learn at home.
- Blended learning “blends” short-term online learning in place of regular in-person learning in the event groups/buildings need to isolate due to a COVID-19 spread.
- Students will learn from home through online instruction provided by students' individual teachers through SeeSaw (PreK-K) or Google Classroom (Grades 1-12).
- Our district has been provisionally approved to provide short-term online learning in order to allow flexibility during the pandemic.
- Each school will share more information with parents/guardians prior to any classroom/program or school building closure.
2022 Minnesota Student Survey
Fridley Public Schools, in partnership with the Minnesota Department of Education (MDE) will be administering the Minnesota Student Survey (MSS) this school year. The Minnesota Student Survey began in 1989 and is one of the longest-running youth surveys in the nation. It is conducted every three years across Minnesota’s secondary schools. The survey is anonymous and is conducted to gain insights into the world of students and their experiences. The results of the survey will help our schools understand the health and well-being of students and may be especially beneficial amidst the COVID-19 pandemic.
Fridley Public Schools students in grades 5-12 will participate in this survey during school in February 2022. Families may preview the survey when it becomes available from MDE in mid-January and may also choose to opt their child out of taking it. We will send you more details prior to the survey being administered.
Resources Available
- Are you staying with a friend or family member? Currently in a hotel, shelter, or car? Are you displaced and not sure of what to do next? We have resources for you! Under the McKinney-Vento Law, your student is eligible for transportation provided by the district. Please reach out to your school social worker via phone or email to connect about next steps.
- Whether in person or online, our district-wide backpack program is up and running! If you are in need of additional food resources, please reach out to Ms. Beran she will coordinate getting items to you. It might look a little different this year, but please do not hesitate to reach out. If you have students in other buildings, please feel free to reach out to the school social worker as well!
Jaimie Beran – Fridley Middle School Social Worker
Phone: (763) 502 – 5400 ext. 5575 | jaimie.beran@fridley.k12.mn.us
Employment Opportunities
Ever wanted to work in a school or work with school-aged children? Are you awesome at communicating with children and love being around them? If so, please consider applying for our ParaEducator positions. These are 32.5 hours a week, eligible for full benefits and paid time off. In this position, you would have the same days off as students and be at work during the same hours as students. The pay ranges from $14.99-$16.71 an hour depending on previous para work experience. We currently have 5 positions open across the school district. Visit our website at https://www.applitrack.com/fridley/onlineapp/ to review the job duties and qualifications and apply today!
Do your holiday shopping and give back to your school at the same time with Shutterfly!
Peachjar
This 'green' initiative will save our schools tons of paper and reduces copy costs by thousands of dollars. In addition, posting school flyers in this electronic backpack removes a significant administrative burden from teachers, office staff, and volunteers.
Social Media
Fridley Middle School
Email: amy.cochran@fridley.k12.mn.us
Website: www.fridley.k12.mn.us
Phone: 763.502.5400