The Faubion Lion Pride Press
Week of April 1, 2024
Dear Faubion Family,
In this edition of the Faubion Lion Pride Press, we celebrate our Faubion Rhythmettes, and we preview the plan for the Total Solar Eclipse on April 8. Permission forms for the Total Solar Eclipse are due back to 5th period teachers by Wednesday, April 3. Next week we will feature the work of our music UIL adjudications.
Aristotle once said, "We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, then, is not an act but a habit." At Faubion Middle School, we make excellence a habit, and we are kind. Parents, thank you for partnering with us in helping your children build quality habits so they will become the leaders of our future.
Go Lions!
- Mr. Boom
4X Defending National Champions!
Over the weekend the Faubion Elite Drill Team competed at MA Dance Nationals in Arlington. The team performed five team dances and four solos. The girls did an amazing job, earning superior ratings in all of their routines. We are extremely proud of their hard work, and would like to celebrate our fourth consecutive National Title! Congratulations to Coaches Muñiz, Brannon, and Blessing and to our dancers!
Pictured with the Elite Team are:
• Lyla Bartok (8th Grade)
• *Zoe Bradley (8th Grade- Captain)
• Ava Branch (8th Grade)
• *Alexis DuPre (8th Grade Lieutenant)
• CJ Joy (8th Grade)
• *Katie Gavin (8th Grade- 1st Lieutenant)
• Marissa Harizanov (7th Grade)
• *Kolby Kristufek (8th Grade Lieutenant)
• Anessa Moore (8th Grade)
• *Suzanne Santamaria (8th Grade Lieutenant)
• Anna Scott (7th Grade)
• McKenna Trotter (7th Grade)Solar Eclipse Permission Form
During the school day on April 8, our teachers will bring students outside to witness the total solar eclipse. Grown-ups wanting their child to participate must complete and return the PERMISSION FORM (English version) or (Spanish version) to their 5th period teacher by April 3. Students received a paper copy in class today (Friday, March 28). Please ask to see it. It is somewhere in their bag :). You are welcome to print out one of the forms and return it instead.
The campus will be closed for visitors from 1:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. You will not be able to check out your child during this window. Our campus safety is our top priority as your child experiences this amazing one-in-a-lifetime event.
Spring Week of Kindness
What makes the Faubion culture great? We give our students the space they need to grow and learn while holding the highest academic and behavioral expectations. Kindness Week is just another example of how our staff and students (the Student Council for this one) contribute to the work. Please participate in these fun themes!
Opportunity for Sponsorship
Are you interested in providing a service to our PTO while also advertising your business? Our PTO is in need of a climate-controlled storage space to store materials for all the wonderful things our PTO does for our school. Providing this service to our PTO would give you the opportunity to advertise your business on PTO correspondence, school correspondence, and t-shirts. If you have an interest, please email Mr. Boom and mvandenboom@mckinneyisd.net.
PTO Board Positions Available
Are you interested in joining the amazing PTO board? We have a handful of vacant positions for the upcoming school year. Please email current PTO Co-Presidents Amelia Phillips (ameliaowensphillips@gmail.com) or Stacey Miller (staceykmiller@yahoo.com).
New Spirit Wear from our PTO!
As the weather gets cooler, please consider shopping from our PTO! The PTO recently refreshed their inventory, which includes sweatpants. Please go to www.faubionpto.com and shop at your convenience!
Copy Volunteers Needed
We are needing volunteers to help our fabulous Faubion teachers by making copies for them! You are welcome to come at any time during the school day on the date you signed up. There are multiple opportunities to help, so click on the link to find a time that works for you! We appreciate you!
Link for Copy Room SignUp: https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0E4AACA62AAAF8C16-copy#/
Link to MISD Background Check: https://www.mckinneyisd.net/human-resources/volunteer/
The WOW Positive Behavior Program
Stanford University professor Carol Dweck conducted a study to determine the impact of recognition. She found that applauding effort is more beneficial for students in building a growth mindset than recognizing positive outcomes. Since we want our students to do their best every day, we celebrate effort by acknowledging students both in the classroom and throughout the entire school. We hold random drawings every Wednesday to select winners.
So far this year, over 9,000 positive student actions have been acknowledged by teachers!!
Ayla Richey, 6th grade Faubion student, has earned more WOW recognitions than any other student on campus. She received the "Every Student, Every Day" award this Monday night from Assistant Superintendent Dr. Amber Epperson. Additionally, we use the WOW program to select the winners of our quarterly Lions Pride Award.
Chick-Fil-A, Dillas, Market Street of McKinney, Jeremiah's in McKinney, CUTX, New York Life, our PTO, the Faubion Orchestra, and Tropical Smoothie Cafe are contributing to the cause! If you know of a local for-profit or non-profit business or individual that would like to donate items or money, please let us know. We would love to highlight those who impact our work in building the leaders of our future!
Faubion PTO
Our PTO goes above and beyond time and time again. From showing love to teachers to organizing school dances to helping with school programming, our PTO is the best! Parents, if you have not contributed/joined the PTO, please go to the Faubion PTO website and join! We also need parent volunteers to come help this fabulous team of hard-working and organized parents. Please visit www.faubionpto.com for all of the latest and greatest information! Our PTO meets the second Tuesday of every month at FMS, so please help contribute to our school community.
Cell Phone Policy
Cell Phone Policy - At your convenience, please listen to the Simon Sinek video (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xNgQOHwsIbg) about the harmful effects of cell phones and the importance of interpersonal communication. We do not allow cell phones or ear buds to be out during classroom periods. We also do not allow cell phones in restrooms. Please help us reinforce this expectation, as we want to engage your child in high-quality instruction from bell-to-bell in every class, every day.
McKinney ISD Student Handbook
All students in McKinney ISD are to follow the rules set in the student handbook. Please visit https://www.mckinneyisd.net/wp-content/uploads/2023/08/2023-2024-Student-Handbook-Final-Revised-080323.pdf for the handbook that you signed for your student as part of registration.
Traffic and Pick-Up Guidelines
As you are planning for picking up your child after school, here are FMS expectations:
1) Adhere to the "No Parking" signs, which means no parking/stopping/standing. Streets affected are southbound Paula, northbound Isola, northbound Hollis, and southbound Duvall.
2) Do not enter the McKinney ISD Central Office parking lot or the FMS gym parking lot.
3) You may use parking in front of Ron Poe stadium, where there is ample parking and access to go north, east, or south after picking up your child.
4) Duvall is one-way street (southbound only) on the south side of Josephine.
5) Dropping off children in front of the cafeteria is not allowed in the mornings.
Note: The speed limit for the entirety of the one-mile block surrounding Faubion, Central Office, and Al Alford Field has a speed limit of 20 miles per hour during drop-off and pick-up hours. Please adhere strictly to this law, as there are several school buildings in the vicinity.
Clubs and Organizations
We have several well established clubs and organizations on campus, including Academic UIL, Student Council, Youth and Government, the Kindness Club, and more. All clubs are student-led and guided by a faculty sponsor. Please follow this LINK for a listing of our clubs.
Mental Health Awareness for Parents
Keep Talking: Mental Health Awareness for Parents https://tinyurl.com/misdcares
We invite you to explore our self-guided course to learn about common mental health conditions, resources for assistance, and wellness practices that will support your family. You’ll be empowered to teach your child positive coping strategies and resiliency skills. This course can be accessed on-demand from the privacy of your home.
How to Stay Updated
Staying current on information is easy, if you know where to look! For school-wide information, you can visit us at:
School website - schools.mckinneyisd.net/faubion;
Twitter - twitter.com/faubionmiddle; and
Facebook - facebook.com/faubionms.
Our counselor webpage is https://fmscounselors.weebly.com/, and our PTO website is faubionpto.com.
Please visit all of these sites regularly to stay updated. Make sure to check your child's grade regularly in Home Access Center (HAC) at https://hac.mckinneyisd.net and view coursework in Canvas at https://canvas.mckinneyisd.net.
You may monitor your child's grades and attendance by using the Home Access Center.
Here are the steps to follow:
1) Please make sure that you are using Google Chrome as your browser.
2) Go to https://sso.mckinneyisd.net
3) Enter your login credentials. If you need assistance with your login information, please reach out to your child's house secretary:
A-G: Mrs. Olvera - dolvera@mckinneyisd.net or 469-302-7005
H-O: Mrs. Perea - lperea@mckinneyisd.net or 469-302-6911
P-Z: Mrs. Dedman - odedman@mckinneyisd.net or 469-302-6917
Nurse Megan Ganter - mganter@mckinneyisd.net or 469-302-6914
Drug Use Prevention: McKinney ISD offers a Canvas course called "Talk it up! Prevention resources for parents," which is full of drug prevention resources. Please visit the following LINK, bookmark it, and review it at your convenience. Our district truly embodies the "Live Kind" mindset in taking care of the entire child. Our district Substance Use Prevention Committee works hard to make the content relevant, engaging, and timely. Our counselors are also equipped with lots of resources to assist you, so if you need anything please reach out to us.
Faubion Model of Learning
Thursday, March 28
Lion's Pride / Merit Scholar Awards Ceremony for Quarter Three
*Merit Scholars must have a 93% or higher in all classes at the end of the quarter *
Friday, March 29
School Holiday - No school for students or staff
Monday, April 8
Viewing of Total Solar Eclipse during the School Day - School closed for visitors from 1 p.m. - 2 p.m.
Wednesday, April 10
6-8 Reading STAAR
Monday, April 15
Bad Weather Makeup Day - No School for students or staff
Wednesday, April 17
8th grade Science STAAR
Thursday, April 18
8th grade Social Studies STAAR
Wednesday, April 24
6-8 Math STAAR and Algebra 1 STAAR
Monday, April 29
Bad Weather Makeup Day - No School for students or staff
Wednesday, May 22
8th grade trip to Hawaiian Falls
Thursday, May 23
Last Day of School and 8th Grade Promotion Ceremonies (in the morning)
Jack C. Faubion Middle School
Email: mvandenboom@mckinneyisd.net
Website: schools.mckinneyisd.net/faubion
Location: 2000 Rollins Street, McKinney, TX 75069
Phone: 469) 302-6900
Facebook: facebook.com/faubionms
Twitter: @FaubionMiddle