FMS @ a Glance
October 16-20, 2017
Making our school look good for our parents ....
Please think about things that you and your students can do to make our building look extra impressive as we head into conference times and have a large group of people walking through the building.
Thank you.
Interpreters & Conferences
Conference night - remember the Free and Reduced Lunch forms:
Good day,
As you may be aware, we are stressing the importance of receiving the Application for Educational Benefits (known as the free and reduced applications) from each family this school year. Our school board recognizes that hungry students often struggle in the classroom and it’s important to the school board that our students know that they’ll always receive breakfast and lunch when they come to school. As you can imagine, this comes at a cost; last school year we had $25,000 in unpaid lunch balances for students who did not qualify for or did not submit a free or reduced application. We know that not all families will qualify for free or reduced price meals, but it’s also clear that we have families who are unable to pay but don’t complete the application. Our hope is that by asking all families to complete the application, we may reduce the stigma, fear, or whatever cause is restraining families from submitting the form.
Not only do students who qualify receive free breakfast and lunch, there is also a huge amount of funding to schools based on free and reduced status. Each student that qualifies generates nearly $2,000 in revenue for our school district. This funding helps pay for our nursing services, EL services, kindergarten teachers, social workers, Title I teachers, preschool programming, AVID curriculum, CAST programming, Respect Retreats, reduced price or free field trip transportation and entrance fees, the list is extensive.
We need your help in this initiative. Teachers, your principal will be giving you a list of students that we haven’t yet received a form from.
- Please take a few moments at conferences to ask parents to complete the form.
- If they know that they don’t qualify, we don’t need to have their income – they can simply write “DO NOT QUALIFY” or “NOT ELIGIBLE” in the income area.
- If parents don’t come to conferences, please send these forms home with students and explain why we’re asking families to complete the form.
Parents only need to complete the form once; if they have sent the form in with another student, they do not need to complete it again.
Thank you for your help in this important endeavor. If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out to me.
Andi Johnson, CPA | Director of Finance & Operations
Faribault Public Schools, ISD 656
710 17th St SW, Faribault, MN 55021-0618
office: (507) 333-6059 | cell: (507) 380-8896
Week @ a Glance
Monday, October 16
Student Picture Day
9:00 am Student Services meeting
10:30 am student iPad support available in Media Center
3:00 pm Collaborative Inquiry Team meeting (TBD)
3:30 pm Curriculum Committee meeting
Tuesday, October 17
Student Led Conferences
Student Picture Day
Student Services Team visits CPT's
6:45 am SITE Team meeting
8:30 am District Leadership meeting (Meihak and McDermott at D.O.)
Wednesday, October 18
Student Led Conferences
No School
Mrs. McDermott out of the building
Thursday, October 19
MEA Break - No School
Friday, October 20
MEA Break - No School
A look ahead:
10/23 Student Services meeting
10/23 McDermott out of building
10/23 Hearing and Vision Screening
10/24 McDermott out of the building
10/24 CPT with Student Services
10/25 PLC meeting with Willow Sweeny
10/25 Problem Solving Team meeting
10/26 Principal PLC with Colleen C.
10/26 Department Chair meeting
10/27 FMS Technology Committee meeting
Notes from the District Office
Principals,
This is a friendly reminder that the school district LSN and RN (Amy Schak and / or Correen Bronstad) must be notified about field trips at least 10 days prior to the field trip taking place. There are several reasons for this:
- Districts are required to accommodate school children receiving medication on field trips by state and federal statue. For most children, this means that school have to allow them to take their medication while on a field trip. During a regular school day, this is not a concern because teachers send the students to the school LPN and the LPN administers the medication. LPNs are trained to do this. On most field trips, there is no LPN. In order to administer medication, one needs to be trained. The only individuals who are qualified to train teachers in medication administration are the LSN and / or RN.
- Because Faribault only has two individuals qualified to provide this training, they need time schedule and train the teachers. Ten days’ notice will give them enough time to review the class list, determine who needs medication, connect with and train the teacher on medication administration. While LPNs can package and give the medication to the teacher to bring on the field trip, only the LSN or RN can provide the training.
- For any number of reasons, medical things for kids are becoming more complex. Faribault is seeing a rise in children who have allergies and diabetes and may need medication (like an epi pen) administered. The LSN and / or RN need time to identify if students have severe allergies and train teachers on where the child keeps their medication and how to administer it.
Please take time to continually remind teachers that it is important that the LSN and RN be notified at least 10 days prior to any field trip about the trip. It is best if this notification is in writing through email. If you have field trip checklists, this item should be added to those checklists.
Thank you,
Rob
Phones
Staff,
Over MEA break starting on Thursday, October 19th we will be working with our vendor on phone system and voicemail updates. Please note, that telephone calls and voicemail services may be inaccessible during the building updates. Please plan accordingly.
Updates are required to ensure our systems are current and running efficiently. We apologize for any inconvenience. Please let me know if you have any questions.
Thank you.
Maria Hanson, District Technology Coordinator
710 17th Street SW Faribault, MN 55021
507-333-6065
Attention Team Leads - please discuss with your teams and let me know a date that would work to conduct this survey.
Good morning Mike and Kelly,
I thought I would reach out via email regarding this year’s Developmental Assets Profile. Colleen and I have been working on a plan to survey all students 6th – 12th in the district this year. As you may recall, we’ve been surveying just certain grades each year as part of our grant requirement for the last nine years. I was able to meet with the High School leadership team last week and they are interested in surveying their students on Tuesday, October 10th.
Just some background info…. The survey focuses on the strengths and supports that youth have and need in their lives. The collective results from this survey will provide our schools and community with valuable information, ranging from how students spend their time to their perceptions of school and community life. Students will also be surveyed on their participation and views on alcohol and other drugs. The survey is an anonymous tool and is completely voluntary.
Colleen and I have agreed to present the data to Leadership in November (or as soon as we get it back) to come up with specific strategies for how to use/showcase the data in the District and community. Some ideas already discussed are Collaborative Inquiry in PLCs, school/parent communications, School Board goals around climate, Worlds Best Workforce, etc. Your school would receive a school specific report and a district-wide report. Our Coalition will also receive an aggregate report that incorporates results from all the participating schools in the community (B.A, CRSS, Discovery, FHS and ALC.)
The survey is conducted online and could be pushed out through I-Pads. It takes about 15 minutes. Maria Hanson is already aware and I am prepared to work with her on the technology piece. We would need to determine a date (and then a makeup date/s) fairly soon in order to get those links set up. I realize Tuesday, October 10 is just around the corner, so if you would prefer to tackle this after MEA, that is just fine!
Thank you for all your energy and commitment to FMS and Faribault youth.
Becky Ford
Faribault Youth Investment
Rice County Chemical Health Coalition
507-838-1788
For the latest on FYI, “like” us on Facebook.
PBIS
Staff,
As part of PBIS our building needs to have all staff take the SAS (Self-Assessment Survey). We need the survey completed by October 30th. Please take time during your CPT in the next few weeks to take the survey.
https://www.pbisassessment.org/Anon/MZ020By01O0
The survey results will help us set building goals in order to help support PBIS in the building. It will show our strengths and areas for improvement.
Thank you!
FMS PBIS team
***** Reminders from past newsletters. *****
Staff and Student Photos
For school pictures this year, students will be coming out of their Science class. I have placed “save the date” flyers in the mailboxes of the science teachers. If a student does not have a science class, I have placed the flyers in their EL class, case manager, etc. Please hand out the flyers on Monday, October 9th. Let me know if you need more or if I missed someone.
I will get the picture schedule out to you early next week. I will also get the picture order envelopes to you for hand out on Wednesday, October 11.
Reminders:
· Students will need to bring the order envelopes with payment on picture day. Students may also order online.
· Students are not required to purchase pictures, but all students must have their picture taken for use in Infinite Campus.
New this year!!
All staff are asked to have their picture taken. This picture will be used for Staff ID badges and in Infinite Campus as well. J
Judy G. Johnson
Secretary
Faribault Middle School
* 704 17th St SW, Faribault, MN 55021
(507.333.6316 7507.333.6400
Staff Development Class Proposals
We are looking for energetic individuals to share their knowledge and to provide our staff with exciting learning opportunities. If you are interested in teaching a class, please follow the procedure below to submit a proposal. The staff development committee will review proposals and communicate with you the next steps in the process. Those selected to teach classes will receive compensation for the class plus a half hour per hour prep. Attending staff will receive CEU certificates.
Advisory / Academic Seminar supplies
If you have a wish list of supplies needed for advisory or academic seminar, please let me know. We have a local business that is willing to donate $100 each month to FMS for these sorts of teacher/classroom needs.
Public Information Meeting
There will be a Public Information Meeting on Tuesday, October 10, 2017, 5:30 pm, Faribault High School Performing Arts Center, 330 9th Avenue SW, Faribault, MN 55021.
Agenda: Public Information Meeting on Operating and Building Levy
Thank you.
Kathy Matejcek
Administrative Assistant
Faribault Public Schools
710 17th Street SW
Faribault, MN 55021
Phone: 507-333-6010
FAX: 507-333-6050
E-mail: kmatejcek@faribault.k12.mn.us