FPHS Parent and Student Memo
April 19, 2021
Franklin Pierce High School
FPS District Equity Statement
AREAS OF FOCUS AND IMPROVEMENT:
- Equity and Social Justice
- Improved Instruction
- Family and Community Engagement
Our Equity Team would like to partner with our parents and students to fulfill our mission to support our students, staff, and families by identifying and dismantling systems that perpetuate, exacerbate, or produce inequities based on race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, religion, etc. If you would like to collaborate with us, please let us know HERE. If you want to learn more about our commitment to EQUITY and ANTI-RACISM, feel free to contact any of our FPHS Equity Team members: Hartley, Marzano, Wright, Laban, Hackney, Apelu, Brist, Call, Chapman, Detweiler, Fineman, Goodrum, Inman, Kaunda, B. Lee, Martin, Plaskett, Quill, Roscoe, Scroger, Shoopman, Washam, and C. Lee.
A Reflection on Recent Events
As we continue to try to re-establish what "school" looks and feels like during this pandemic, let’s all please continue to be mindful that many within our community are experiencing pain, sadness, and grief over the recent killing of Daunte Wright and the on-going trial of Derek Chauvin for the killing of George Floyd. To some, it may feel like these events are taking place 2000 miles away in some other community. However, for many of our staff, students, families, and community members, it feels like these tragic events are happening much closer to home. The pain associated with these events is personal, frightening, on-going, and exhausting.
As a district, we must remain committed to supporting our students, families, and staff by dismantling racism and other systems of oppression and inequity by empowering each individual to be successful by valuing race, gender identity, sexual orientation, ability, culture, and environment.
Dear Parents and Students,
Would you like to know if your student’s bus is going to be late? Bus Bulletin will send you text messages to your cell phone with real-time updates on your child's route. For instance, if your child's route is running late, Bus Bulletin will let you know. Log onto the website http://busbulletin.com/parents/ and look to the right side of your screen. Click on “Sign In”, click on "Register Here," and answer the prompts.
Make sure you're following us on Social Media: FPHS Facebook page; FPHS Twitter page; FPHS Instagram page.
Visit HERE to view previous Parent and Student Memos.
Please, make sure you have all the info below. We miss you and wish you all the very best. Stay safe and be well!
Schedule:
Hey, Freshmen!
Hey, Seniors!
- Graduation Info: Find Senior Info and Grad Info HERE.
- Distinguished Portfolio Essays due: April 19
- Graduation Eligibility Walk List Posted: May 3 (updated weekly)
- Senior Exit Interviews due: May 19
- Last day for on-track Seniors: June 11
- Senior Awards Night: June 14
- Graduation Rehearsal (required): June 15, 9am, WA State Fairgrounds
- Graduation Parade: June 15, 10:30am
- Graduation: June 17, 6pm, WA State Fairgrounds
ALL DATES AND EVENTS ARE SUBJECT TO CHANGE BASED ON GUIDELINES FROM THE TPC HEALTH DEPARTMENT.
April Culture Calendar
April is ...
AUTISM AND DISABILITIES AWARENESS MONTH: Learn more HERE.
4/4: EASTER: Learn more HERE.
- 4/12: RAMADAN STARTS: Learn more HERE.
- 4/13 KHMER, THAI, CAMBODIAN, LAOS NEW YEAR: Learn more HERE.
- 4/21 HOLOCAUST REMEMBRANCE DAY: Learn more HERE.
- 4/30 CHILDREN'S DAY (DIA DEL NINO): Learn more HERE.
New Schedule for High Schools in 2021-22!
Dear Franklin Pierce Students and Families:
As we work through challenges and opportunities related to the 2020-2021 school year, we continue to plan for the future and consider different ways to promote student achievement. After considering the requirements of the state’s Core 24 model, consulting with other districts, and gathering input from teachers and building and district leaders over the past few years, our two comprehensive high schools (FPHS and WHS) will transition our current 6-period schedule to a 4x8 block schedule (4 class periods/day and 8 courses/semester) beginning in the Fall of 2021.
Through this transition, we hope to take advantage of the following opportunities:
- Build on the momentum of the block schedule that we implemented through remote and hybrid learning during the 2020-2021 school year.
- Create additional capacity to make up for this year’s lost learning opportunities as a result of COVID-19.
- Provide greater opportunities for more students to access our core curriculum.
- Provide students with more opportunities to explore a greater variety of subjects that advance their personal and professional aspirations.
There will be many details to work out in the weeks and months ahead, but we wanted to take this opportunity to share this information with you. Know that this decision was not taken lightly and that we are committed to working with staff, students, and families on a successful transition.
LIFE AFTER HIGH SCHOOL:
Discover Success: Looking for Something Different?
Hear From a Successful Woman in Construction. Hannah Carter, an ironworker, shares how she found her way to the construction industry and how it has changed her life. Watch the video to hear about her journey in the industry.
Family and Community Engagement
The Franklin Pierce High School Food & Hygiene Pantry is available for all students and their families.
Use this LINK to view our current food & hygiene pantry options. Please mark the items you need and staff will put together a bag or box. We will contact you when your bag is ready for pick up or delivery.
Additional ways to request items: You can request a paper copy of this form by contacting Bonita Lee at blee@fpschools.org or call 253-298-3837 to request items via phone.
Social Justice, Equity, and Anti-Racist Resources:
- In the video below, author Bettina Love explains what she sees as the difference between being an "ally" and being a "co-conspirator."
The first step in ALLYSHIP is LISTENING.
The second step is BELIEVING.
The third step is ACTION. Get involved and create the positive change you want to see in the world.
FPHS Sports
FPHS Athletes and Families,
Season 2 is now entering the third week. Please continue to social distance and wear masks when attending our athletic events. With Pierce County rolling back to phase 2 there could be potential changes in guidelines regarding fan attendance leading into next week. Any changes will be communicated out to coaches, athletes, families, and community members.
Girls Flag Football
Registration is now open for flag football! If you are interested in being a part of the program please register in FamilyID like you would for any other sport at Franklin Pierce HS.
The creation of Pierce County Girls Flag Football Club in partnership with Nike, the Seattle Seahawks and the Tacoma and Bethel Schools. The teams will include (Foss, Wilson, Mt. Tahoma, Lincoln, Stadium, Franklin Pierce, Washington, Spanaway Lake, Bethel and Graham-Kapowsin.) The season will start on April 26th and go until June 13th. Nike is sponsoring 25 uniform sets for each school.
Track and Field (Boys and Girls)
On Wednesday, April 14th both the boys and the girls track team hosted Clover park HS. The boys were led by an amazing performance from sprinter Albert Lee who won the 400meter, 200meter, and 100meter races that day. Albert also was the opening leg of the men’s 4x400m relay which also won on Wednesday. The ladies were led by a strong core of jumpers. Senior Savannah Sheridan won the long jump with a mark of 13’-3” and sophomore Hattie Lindow placed 3rd in the event with jump of 12’ -07.25”. Both girls also competed in the 4x400m relay.
Baseball
The Cardinals beat Washington on Wednesday 17-0. The team was led by 2 sophomores. William Hutchens and Dallas Boler. Will go the win from the mound only allowing 2 hits, 1 walk, and 11 strikeouts. Dallas had a multi-hit game and also smashed his first homerun.
Softball
The Cardinal softball team is young with 7 out of 12 of the varsity athletes being freshman. Gracie Higgins is the leader on the mound and will be playing at Bethel University in Kansas next year. Rebecca Klumpenhower went 4 for 4 last Wednesday against WA which helped lead the team to an 11-7 win. Gracie’s sister Raya is her dynamic duo as a catcher and a power hitter!
Soccer (Boys)
Boys varsity soccer is 2-1 with wins over Orting and Eatonville and a loss to White River.
Captain Eduardo Salazar Sandoval leads the team in points. Freshman twins Preston and Marvin Soeum lead the attack and at least one of the Soeum’s has scored in every game.
Tennis (Girls)
The tennis team has start off strong with a 2-1 record and wins over Foss and Clover Park. A shining star of the team with a 3-0 record is Lexi Sams. Lexi is the number #1 singles player and is a integral part of the team. Kathleen Nguyen and Bailee Disney had a really great start as well with a record of 2-1 at #1 doubles. They have faced some tough competition and have held their ground. Look out for these two in the upcoming weeks.
Athletics video below about fans at games and competitions:
FPHS Club Info:
- ESports Team: Do you play CS:GO, Overwatch, Rocket League, Super Smash Bros, Rainbow Six: Siege, Hearthstone, NBA 2K21, Minecraft, Valorant, 10 Minute Chess, Call of Duty? Join our ESports Team. Contact Mr. Lindsey at jlindsey@fpschools.org for more info.
- Black Student Union: The BSU Meets every other Wednesday from 2:00pm-3:00pm. We are currently meeting on Zoom. If students are interested in joining a meeting, please email Blee@fpschools.org
- Latin@s Unid@s: Culture, resources, support, friends; Cultura, recursos, apoyo, amistad. We meet on Mondays at 1:55pm in room 404 or on Zoom. For more info, contact Mr. Call at dcall@fpschools.org.
- KPOP Club: FP Korean Club was formed so students at the high school can gather and have the opportunity to take part in learning the Korean language, Korean culture and KPOP dances. We will start meeting in person every Thursday starting April 1 in room 902 at 2:15pm.
- Pacific Islander Club (PIC): Welcome back! We will be meeting on Mondays from 2 - 4 pm in the Cafeteria. All are welcome, and we look forward to seeing you there.
FOR MORE INFO, SEE THE CLUB FLYERS BELOW.
Yearbooks!
Homework Center: Free Tutoring Daily
Hours:
- Monday, Tuesday, Thursday, Friday: 11am to 12pm and 2pm - 4pm.
- Wednesdays: 9am to 12pm and 1pm to 4pm.
HW Center LINK.
Assessment Center!
Assessment Updates:
State Testing
Washington State is currently working with the Biden administration to seek a waiver to "skip" state testing this year. If this does not get approved at the federal level, we will conduct the Smarter Balanced Assessment (SBA) in Math and ELA as well as the Washington Comprehensive Assessment of Science (WCAS). If this is the case, state assessments will be administered this Spring. We've also learned that assessments will have fewer questions and prompts than previous non-Covid years. More information to come.
College Board Testing
These exams include PSAT, SAT, and AP exams. In Fall, FPS decided not to offer PSAT or SAT due to Covid restrictions and College Board requirements. Recently, our region has moved to the moderate Covid phase which allows us to bring more students back in a variety of settings. We are reviewing our current safety protocols and testing guidelines to see how we can provide opportunities for students to access these assessments this Spring.
At this time, you can expect that students enrolled in AP courses will be taking the AP exam in Spring. Testing may take place remotely or in person. We are currently in the planning stage and will notify families as soon as our plan is set.
For all College Board exams, preparation materials and resources can be found on their website. https://www.collegeboard.org
Update on AP testing!!!
If you haven’t heard, we’re going digital, and students get the option to choose their testing location. Students can either test at home or on campus no matter which cohort they are in. Please use the link below to select your choice. For students who wish to change their previous selection, please email Mrs. Plaskett- Rosario at lplaskett@fpschools.org. The deadline to make your selection is April 15. For students who do not complete the survey, you will automatically be assigned in-school testing.
Beginning April 8, students can preview College Board’s digital testing application and practice multiple-choice and free-response questions. Be sure to check it out through your College Board accounts.
Resources
School Resources:
- District Website: https://www.fpschools.org/
- Franklin Pierce HS Website
- FPS Remote Learning Website
- IT Help Desk for Students and Parents: 253-298-4647, 7:30AM to 4PM.
- Washington Office of Superintendent of Public Instruction (OSPI)
- FPS Breakfast and Lunch Program: www.fpschools.org/meals
- FPS Education Resources: https://www.fpschools.org/exended-closure-resources-and-information/closure-educational-resources
- Want to add Canvas to your phone? Android or iOS. Once you download the app, search "fpschools" to find our district.
- FPHS Facebook page.
- FPHS Twitter page.
- FPHS Instagram page.
- Information about GRADES and GRADING.
- Information about BUSES.
- District CALENDAR.
- Information about ATTENDANCE.
- How to access and use DORA.
- Zoom Tutorial HERE.
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