FPHS Parent and Student Memo
May 11, 2020
Franklin Pierce High School
Dear Parents and Students,
Please, take the time to read through this memo carefully as we are trying to provide as much information each week as we can via this memo.
In this week's memo:
- Reminders from OSPI and FP Schools regarding grading.
- How to purchase Yearbooks!
- A video of our Cardinal Car Parade!
- A Parent Feedback survey.
- Senior Cap and Gown Pick-Ups!
- AP Testing.
- Student and Family Resources
On-going reminders:
- State guidelines recommend that high school students should be spending a maximum of 3 hours per day (or 30 min per class per day) on continuous learning.
- Teachers are hosting classes and office hours during the times listed below. Students should remain closely connected with their teachers to receive instruction, enrichment, and guidelines for improving grades.
- Our Homework Center is open daily from 11am to 12pm for live, remote tutoring from our Academic Support Team. See the link in the Resources section below.
- Communication is key: please reach out to your teachers, advisors, and counselors to address any needs regarding academics, resources, or technology.
As always, stay tuned for more information. We wish you all the very best. Stay safe and be well! We're all in this together!
Parent Feedback: We'd like to hear from you!
Parents,
We know these are challenging and unique times. We're all navigating through uncharted waters right now. Our staff is trying to make sure we're providing enough instruction to keep students progressing in their learning and prepare them for their courses next year while being mindful of the challenges students and families are facing at home with health, childcare, technology, and financial concerns. In addition, we're trying to create social opportunities to keep our students and community connected. So far, we've had contact with about 85% of our students, but far fewer than that are actually engaging with their teachers and academic course work regularly. It's difficult for us to know how our students and families are doing while we're apart. We'd like to gather some feedback from you in a brief survey so that we might better support your child.
If you have just a moment, please complete this Parent Feedback Survey.
Thank you! Take care and stay safe.
Seniors, Cap and Gown pick-ups are this WEDNESDAY!
AP Testing Reminders
- Testing begins Monday, May 11th. Be sure to verify your testing date and time by logging into your College Board account.
- What Students Need on Exam Days – This webpage includes a great summary of all the things students should be considering for exam day, including some helpful guides, reference sheets and printouts that students can use to support their preparation.
- Exam Day Experience –This link has a great YouTube video that gives a 4-minute walkthrough of what students will need to do on exam day.
- AP Exam Demo – AP Exam demo is officially live. Anyone is welcome to test the experience and practice with their submissions
For any questions or concerns, please reach out to Mrs. Rosario at lplaskett@fpschools.org
For this week:
- Check your school email daily. Email your teachers with questions.
- Check Teacher Ease for missing assignments and get those assignments turned in to your teacher. You must be passing your classes in order to earn credit.
- Make up any missing or late assignments for Advisory (portfolios).
- Check Canvas for class materials and resources.
- Work on the assignments provided by your teachers in Canvas.
- Attend your Canvas classes according to the schedule above.
Priorities for Parents:
- Check your email daily. Email teachers or staff with questions.
- Monitor your child's grade and progress via Teacher Ease.
- Designate specific blocks of time each day for your child to work on missing work and assignments.
- Your child should spend additional time reading for at least 30 minutes daily.
- Your child should be getting some exercise and physical activity each day.
- Your child's "screen time" should be limited each day. The American Heart Association recommends a maximum of 2 hours per day.
- Your child should still be getting about 9 hours of sleep per night in order to perform at his or her best.
- Your child should be learning new things each day: new cooking recipes, chess, backgammon, how to balance a checkbook, follow the stock market, listen to a podcast on real estate investment, learn how to change the oil in a car, learn the history of [fill in the blank], take a virtual museum tour, write a letter to a local legislator, research your family tree, plan a vacation, etc. The list is only limited by your imagination and your child's interests.
- Make sure your child is attending his or her online classes according to the schedule above.
Guidance from OSPI and FPS about Grading and Learning:
As the impacts of the virus have unfolded, OSPI continues to provide guidance to school districts and policymakers. Their work has been grounded in three core principles: compassion, communication, and common sense. OSPI has focused schools across Washington on continuous learning with a deep understanding that distance learning models often exacerbate existing inequities.
As the learning continues, K–12 system leaders, educators, parents/guardians, and students have asked OSPI to provide more detailed guidance related to student grading policies. This guidance and subsequent rule adoption will focus on the following framework:
Grades 9–12 will be graded using the following principles:
- Do no harm!
- Every student will get an opportunity to improve their grade with their March 17 grade as a baseline.
- No student will receive a “pass, fail or no credit" grade in an academic course, unless directed by an IEP.
- It is important for students to continue to engage in the learning being presented during the closure to reduce learning loss, prepare for the next year, and improve their grades from March 17.
- Every class taken during the closure period will be given a statewide designator on the high school transcript to denote the unique environment in which the course was taken.
- Students assigned an “INCOMPLETE” for a course will not receive credit for the course until a grade is earned and will be given multiple opportunities to reengage in the learning standards in order to earn credit.
2019-2020 Yearbook: You won't want to miss this one!
Yes, Cardinals, there is a 2020 yearbook! And it's epic!
This unpredictable and unusual year has thrown us all for loop, but it is also allowing us to create a unique, one-of-a-kind yearbook that includes plenty of coverage about this historic year: a COVID-19 spread, a national Year-In-Review, and a special senior supplement!
Purchase a yearbook using the link below and treasure positive memories of an unprecedented year in history! The cost of our 2020 Yearbook is $55, plus tax.
Purchase your yearbook HERE: Search for Franklin Pierce HS and follow the directions.
Additional Note from the Yearbook Staff: "The class of 2020 has sacrificed so much already. We are COMMITTED to giving seniors the yearbook they DESERVE to commemorate this year's special memories. Donate a yearbook to a Senior so they remember the last chapter of their high school career in a positive light. Let's make sure our seniors know THEY ARE NOT FORGOTTEN. Visit the same link above. Submit the order under the name of the Senior you want to donate a yearbook to. If someone has already bought your special senior a book, you may note the name as "Donation" or it will be gifted to a senior in need."
Check out the Cardinal Car Parade! It was great to see you!
Resources
School Resources:
- District Website: https://www.fpschools.org/
- IT Help Desk for Students and Parents: 253-298-4647, 7:30AM to 4PM
- TED Talks: a great place to learn from some of the world's brightest minds on a variety of subjects: https://www.ted.com/talks. Listen to a new one every day!
- Free library card with access to audiobooks: https://www.piercecountylibrary.org/services/library-card/library-card.htm
- FPS Breakfast and Lunch Program: www.fpschools.org/meals
- FPS Education Resources: https://www.fpschools.org/exended-closure-resources-and-information/closure-educational-resources
- FPHS Homework Center: Mon - Fri, 11am to 12pm. Connect with our Academic Support Team for assistance in any class. Join Here: HW CENTER. Password = cardinals
- AP Testing, SAT, ACT info HERE.
- Resources for Continuous Learning.
- Want to add Canvas to your phone? Android or iOS. Once you download the app, search "fpschools" to find our district.
- FPHS Facebook page.
- Info for Running Start 2020-21.
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
Seniors--Class of 2020 Resources:
We are committed to supporting you through one of the most significant disruptions in the history of public education in America. We recognize that in the midst of a global health crisis, you will miss out on opportunities to fully experience your senior year of high school. The questions found at www.fpschools.org/classof2020 represent some of the questions that we have heard over the past two weeks. While the responses represent our current thinking, it is likely that some of the answers will change in the weeks ahead. Please know that we will do our best to keep you updated of these changes so that you can plan accordingly.