The Faubion Lion Pride Press
Week of January 18, 2021
Dear Lion Pride,
Please read this week's installment of the Faubion Lion Pride Press. In this edition, we start with a school holiday, include reminders about the registration process, and celebrate several members of our school community including our three Teacher of the Year finalists.
Each year on the third Monday of January we observe Martin Luther King, Jr. Remembrance Day and reflect on the work that still needs to be done for equality. Reverend King was an influential civil rights leader, best known for his work on racial equality in the 1960s and ending racial segregation in the United States.
Leading up to 1983, six million signatures were collected for a petition for Congress to pass a law to make Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday a national holiday. This is considered the largest petition in favor of an issue in US history. President Ronald Reagan signed this bill into law, and the first MLK Remembrance Day took place in 1986. Parents, please know that we do not have school on Monday, January 18 in remembrance of MLK.
For all students, laptop assurance fees are due January 22. More details can be found under the "Annual Payment for Laptop" section. The end of the three-week grading period is Monday, January 25. Grades will be submitted to IPR (Interim Progress Report) on that date. Please check with your child to be sure that all assignments, exams, and classwork are turned in before grades are submitted.
Please read the Counselors' Corner update for important information about registration for next year.
Aristotle once said, "We are what we repeatedly do. Therefore, excellence ought not be an act but a habit." At Faubion Middle School, we make excellence a habit, and we are kind to each other. Parents, thank you for instilling those values in your children so they can make a lasting and positive mark on our community.
Go Lions!
-Mr. Boom
teacher of the year finalist - mr. perez
Mr. Perez is a charismatic and engaging science teacher! In addition to his exemplary work in the classroom, he is also helping to beautify our courtyard. Winning grants through both Lowe’s and AI, Mr. Perez seeks ways to bring funds and ideas to our amazing campus. On an annual basis, Mr. Perez presents at CAST, which is a conference dedicated towards members of the Science Teachers Association of Texas.
Mr. Perez has a Masters in Science Education and is a 25-year educator, which are evident in his teaching. As the science department chair, Mr. Perez supports all learners in his lesson design and leadership. This impact extends far beyond middle school, as our students are well equipped for the demands of high school and college.
On a personal note, Mr. Perez loves to barbeque. He has two sons, both of whom are college graduates. Mr. Perez is also an incredible athlete. He played football at Austin College, was a standout pitcher, and now enjoys being able to bowl. Once the COVID restrictions are lifted, our staff will be able to see Mr. Perez in action. Scholars, please give Mr. Perez an air-five to celebrate.
Teacher of the Year Finalist - Mrs. Sinclair
Mrs. Sinclair is a teacher who gives every ounce of herself to her students. Her students walk into her room happy to be there and eager to see her. Teachers describe her as an incredible listener and the perfect team leader. Before being the 7th grade ELAR team lead, she taught the Reading Elective and World Cultures at FMS. Mrs. Sinclair has also taught at the elementary level and was Teacher of the Year at McGowen Elementary.
Mrs. Sinclair is a master knitter; in fact, she started the knitting club at FMS. She has three sons, all of whom have graduated from high school and two are college graduates. As an AVID reader and writer, Mrs. Sinclair appreciates the work of Jason Reynolds and Steve Sheinkin. We are deeply appreciative of Mrs. Sinclair. Please send her a note of appreciation, or better yet, read some work from her favorite authors!
teacher of the year finalist - mrs. willardson
Mrs. Willardson - our Library Media Specialist - is heavily involved with the Boy Scouts of America. With four children, her youngest child is a high school senior this year. Like Mrs. Sinclair, she is also an avid reader. Mrs. Willardson taught elementary school for four years before earning a Master’s in Library Science to become a librarian.
Mrs. Willardson has been a huge asset for us, especially during the 1:The World transition and the challenges of remote learning and synchronous instruction. She constantly supports our teachers with technology assistance and instructional technology ideas. Scholars, please give Mrs. Willardson a virtual hug when you see her!
Youth and Government
Our students have spent numerous weekends debating their bills and have been recognized for their debate skills. District for Dallas district was November 14th and had over 700 students attend this year via Zoom. Students that were recognized as Distinguished Delegates were: Benjamin Bokmeyer, Juett King, Jacqueline Recker. This past weekend, McKinney ISD hosted an invitational event with over 100 students. Kaden Langton, Sophie Phillips, and Leo Ziman were recognized as Distinguished Delegates.
Faubion students pictured above are: Mrs. Nicolle, Tyler Moon, Sophie Phillips, Benjamin Bokmeyer, Jacqueline Recker, Kaden Langton, Joel Sanchez, Henrik Storaker, Jordan Awad, and Leo Ziman.
Photosynthesis
Life Cycle of a Star
Scholars in Coach Neal's science class learned about the life cycle of a star through reading and student discussion. Students first read a passage closely, annotated, and then shared their findings with other students. Pictured are Katherine Cadorine, Ashley Cortes, Jacob Garcia, Jeremhie Aglibot, and Eamon Newsom.
Conversations in math
Scholars in Ms. Hobbs's class discussed how to find the distance of a line segment given two points on a coordinate plane. Specifically, they applied the Pythagorean Theorem by first determining the horizontal and vertical distance between points. Students independently solved their given problem, then compared answers and methods for utilizing the Pythagorean Theorem for a real world scenario.
Pictured are Leonardo Rodriguez and Axel Gomez Cardenas.
choir sight reading
The sixth grade choir uses Curwen hand signs while sight reading. Doing so engages kinesthetic processing of music in conjunction with visual and aural. Pictured are: Hailey Ford, Lesslie Estrada, Sheila Castillo Leiva, Keely Warren, Ellie Fish, Briana Rodriguez, Liam Menefee, Leo Frias, Chloe Briones, Evie Usher, Haydee Gomez.
Vocabulary development in history
Student Spotlight - Phuc Pham
This week's student spotlight features a true scholar, Phuc Pham! Phuc is the epitome of a student who shows up to school every day, works incredibly hard, and looks for opportunities at home to deepen his understanding.
The oldest of three brothers, Phuc sets a wonderful example for his brothers in how to be a scholar. After moving from Vietnam, Phuc and his family have been in McKinney for a year. Phuc's proficiency in English has flourished due to the support of his teachers and his diligence.
Phuc likes his brothers because they are nice. He expressed that they share well. For instance, if Phuc needs a pencil, they share with him. Phuc likes to help both of his brothers do homework. As soon as Phuc gets home, he immediately begins his homework. He likes doing his science homework the most because he likes science and learning about something new. One of his favorite topics in science class is the solar system.
Outside of school, Phuc likes to learn English. He also likes helping both of his brothers do homework. Phuc's favorite foods are pepperoni pizza and chicken nuggets. Phuc enjoys watching football, but he does not have a favorite team - aside from the Faubion Lions - yet.
At Faubion, Phuc says that he has good classes, good teachers, and he likes the music playing in the hallways during passing periods. He also likes his friends at school. Phuc wanted to highlight that Coach Neal and Mrs. Wolf are great teachers in that they really help him with his English development. They make him produce the academic vocabulary in class and take extra time to support him with sentence stems and word banks.
Here are some words from Coach Neal: "Phuc Pham moved to the United States last year from Vietnam. He works extremely hard with Mrs. Wolf and our ESL teachers to learn English. He told me his goal this year is to understand English and to grow in reading, writing and speaking. Today, Phuc wrote a paragraph over atomic structure. He then read it out loud to Mrs. Boss and his peers over zoom. I am so proud of this young man and his work ethic. It is a privilege to be his science teacher."
Pictured is Phuc with Mrs. Wolf.
Registration for next school year
Counselors have now met with all 8th grader student and went over 9th grade course selection forms as well as 4 year plans. During these meetings, students were given their Freshman card and a four year plan to complete. These forms are due back to your child's math teacher on January 20th.
These documents can also be found on your child's math teacher's CANVAS page. Virtual students can access their freshman card through their math teacher's CANVAS page. Students/parents should save a copy, fill it out, and email it back to their math teacher.
Remember, a Parent High School Registration Canvas course is available to all parents and should have ALL the answers to ALL your questions regarding registration. (It will have information on advanced courses, clubs/activities, electives, and so much more.) We encourage you to reference that course. The link to this course is available on the FMS counselor webpage for easy access. Our webpage is: https://fmscounselors.weebly.com/
Final note of emphasis - ALL STUDENTS need to turn in a 9th grade course selection card and a 4 year plan by January 20 to their math teacher. These will then go to the high schools. You will have a chance to verify and make changes in May.
As always, check out the Faubion MS Counselor Website for more info and counselor contacts:
german and latin programs
Due Jan 22 - Annual Payment for Laptop
McKinney ISD is uniquely positioned to not only address the challenges presented by the pandemic but also to create an environment where students can become producers in an increasingly digital world.
Please emphasize to your child that the district-issued MacBook is property of the district, and as such, students are not allowed to download programs or circumvent district security measures. If your child has done so, please ask him/her to bring the device to the library so we can assist. Please watch this VIDEO with your child to see the district's expectations for student MacBook use.
In order to provide the very best technology for our students, parents pay a nominal annual fee for insurance on their district-issued laptop. These fees can be paid in HAC through either the parent or student account. The deadline to pay laptop fees is January 22, 2021.
The district has developed a comprehensive resource for parents, including payment details. This file provides instructions for how to pay the fee, including troubleshooting suggestions. Also included in the file is the 1:The World handbook (in English and in Spanish). Please pay the assurance fee at your earliest convenience.
If you would prefer to pay in person with cash or check, please check HAC for the amount first. You may send payment with your child to the library. If you have any questions, please email Melissa Willardson at mwillardson@mckinneyisd.net
Yearbook Deadline - Friday, January 29
The FINAL DEADLINE to order a yearbook is Friday, January 29th for $40. We do NOT purchase extra copies due to publishing costs. Students can turn in order form and money to the front office or D101. Parents can also purchase online at www.jostensyearbooks.com.
If you have any questions, please reach out to Mrs. Marshell at tmarshell@mckinneyisd.net.
Drug Use Prevention Resources
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.
Cheer Tryouts - Sign-Ups end February 5
Upcoming Events
Wednesday, Jan. 20
7th boys' basketball (home) vs. Cockrill - Gold - 5:00 / Navy - 6:00 / White - 7:00
8th boys' basketball @ Cockrill - Gold - 5:00 / Navy - 6:00 / White - 7:00
Thursday, Jan. 21
7th girls' basketball (home) vs. Cockrill - Gold - 5:00 / Navy - 6:00 / White - 7:00
8th girls' basketball @ Cockrill - Gold - 5:00 / Navy - 6:00 / White - 7:00
We learned about several African American heroes, such as Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, Harriet Tubman, among many others. Pictured here working on their project are Jackie Ruano-Hernandez and Precious Vasquez. In the background are Jalen Washington, Quinn Foster, and Bianca Guerrero.
Checking Your Child's Grades and Attendance
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. Soroa - rsoroa@mckinneyisd.net or 469-302-7005
H-O: Mrs. Gonzalez - amgonzalez@mckinneyisd.net or 469-302-6911
P-Z: Mrs. Dedman - odedman@mckinneyisd.net or 469-302-6917
Jack C. Faubion Middle School, the best middle school in the State of Texas
Email: mvandenboom@mckinneyisd.net
Website: faubionmiddleschool.com
Location: 2000 Rollins Street, McKinney, TX 75069
Phone: 469) 302-6900
Facebook: facebook.com/FaubionMS/
Twitter: @FaubionMS