FMS Parent Newsletter
2/10-2/23 Edition
UPCOMING EVENTS - MARK YOUR CALENDAR!
NC Check-Ins #2 (benchmark tests) start tomorrow!! Prepare students for testing by making sure they get a good sleep, feeding them a good breakfast, and making sure they are wearing comfortable clothing. Also important: let them know that you are rooting for them to do their very best, and not to stress out too much!
Our next Early Release day is February 19.
IMPORTANT LINKS
Need to sign up for FCS FindOutFirst for bus changes, school closings, important messages from the county and our school? Click here to go to the county page.
Need to sign up to pay lunch or Chromebook fees online? Click here to get started.
Traditional school calendar for 2019-2020 CLICK HERE.
FMS school day master schedule - CLICK HERE.
FMS DOES CLUBS!
Ms. Faulkner - Media Center
Battle of the Books competition - March 10th at Terrell Lane Middle School
Mr. Smith - Band, Chorus, and Music Appreciation
Due to inclimate weather last Friday February 7th, our fundraiser kick-off has been rescheduled for Monday February 17th. This fundraiser will be for the purpose of helping to fund our Symphonic Band (7th & 8th grade) Kings Dominion competition trip that will take place on Saturday April 25, 2020. Information regarding the trip will be sent out soon. It is our hope that the fundraiser will help offset the out-of-pocket cost for the trip. We are looking for at least 5 more parent chaperones to join us on this trip. The more, the better. The symphonic band is currently preparing music for our district Music Performance Adjudication where they will be judged on their music performance. Field trip permission forms for that trip will be distributed once an exact date has been set by the Bandmasters Association. Additionally, we are preparing a separate set of music for our spring concert which will take place on May 12, 2020. Please mark your calendar for these dates.
The 6th grade beginning band has gone back to the basics. We are working on improving our overall music technique to become better musicians. The playing quiz originally scheduled for last Wednesday took place today. These exercises come from our Measures of Success band method book pg. 22 #3.26 and 3.30 & pg. 23 #3.32 and 3.34. As always, students will have until the end of the quarter to make up any missed work. All playing quizzes and tests are recorded uploaded to the student’s band portfolio after they have been graded. If you would like access to the portfolio to hear how your child is doing, please let me know. A new set of exercises (pg. 24 #3.36 pg. 26 #4.5 pg. 27 #4.8 p. 28 #4.14) have been assigned for another playing quiz next week.
6TH GRADE TEAM
MS. SMETANA - SCIENCE
Today in class, students took notes for Matter part 3 (chemical and physical changes). The quiz will be 2/25. Students can study their notes, review the slideshow on google classroom, and watch the video posted to prepare for the quiz.
7TH GRADE TEAM
MS. NEUJAHR - Students are working hard with this nine weeks unit on the Human Body Systems. Students have learned so far Chapter 1 and 2. Those sub-units include the integumentary system as well as the skeletal system. They are continuing to work on their third nine weeks project which contains all 10 systems written and drawn in a sketchbook. Access to all the materials, notes, and rubric for the sketchbook can be found on Google Classroom.
MS WOODS - MATH
Students will be focusing this week on the NC Check-Ins. Next week, we dive into Unit 5, solving equations and inequalities. The students have already been introduced to these topics and did very well. We will be able to have a lot of fun with these lessons. Remember to visit my canvas site for resources to help your student. bit.ly/KW-canvas
MS. KEITH - SOCIAL STUDIES
Students are wrapping up the Industrial Revolution this week in Social Studies. If your child has any missing assignments in Social Studies they can be found on Canvas and can be made up. This week we will be focused on benchmarks so please make sure that your child comes prepared. Please also remember that next Friday 2/21/2020 is our 2nd Field Trip to Galaxy Fun Park. As always, feel free to contact me at rebeccakeith@fcschools.net with any questions or concerns.
MS. BAECHLE - ELA: This week we will continue our focus on Frederick Douglass and The African American struggle throughout history. We are focusing highly on guided reading and strong annotations to break down and dig deeper within text. Students will receive their project for Q3 next week, which will be done in small groups with a short presentation at the end. Additional small pair projects and assignments will be given to allow a central focus on “Black History Month,” throughout this month and next as well in order to cover all content. Benchmark 2 will run this Wednesday 2-12 through Friday 2-14. Please make sure your students get a good night's rest, breakfast, and bring a charged chromebook! Any questions please email me at kimberlybaechle@fcschools.net or my google classroom page.
FMS is Working Hard!
Mr. Hooper Math 8
Tell Your Students to Test their Best!
8TH GRADE TEAM
MR. HOOPER - MATH
After benchmark testing is complete we will be starting our Statistics and Probability Unit where students will be able to:
Construct, analyze and interpret bivariate data that describes various patterns using scatter plots.
Model and assess relationships between bivariate data.
Interpret and solve problems involving bivariate data that uses linear representations.
Understand categorical data using two way tables and relative frequencies.
MR. DOWNUM - SOCIAL STUDIES
The students just took a quiz on westward expansion part 1, which leads us into the next unit which is The Civil War. Over the next few weeks students will learn the causes of the war and then work on The Reconstruction Era. NC check ins start on 2/12 and go right through until 2/14 (8th grade has a science check in). Please make sure that your kid is getting a good night's sleep, a big breakfast, and come in with a fully charged Chromebook.
MS. MOORE - GUIDANCE COUNSELOR
“The most attractive thing about you should have less to do with your face and more to do with your heart and how you treat people.” ~A quote from peacefulmindpeacefullife.org
How are you raising your children to treat others? If you didn’t start when they were babies and toddlers, teaching them about empathy (the ability to understand and be sensitive to other people's feelings) and teaching them about the importance of feelings, kindness, and compassion, it is not too late. Or perhaps, your older children just need reminders. It seems many middle school aged children think it’s not cool to be kind or compassionate, or they think it’s okay to repeat unkind things they’ve heard at home, on social media, or on tv, which hurt others and often times cause conflict in the classroom. No matter their age, children (and sometimes adults) let some mean comments or rude behaviors slip out of anger, frustration, and even fear. It is vital that children are taught about empathy throughout their childhood. Parents and children can learn a lot from each other on how to treat others, how to sincerely make amends when they’ve hurt others, how to lead by example, and become decent human beings.
Please read the following links about the importance of empathy:
https://www.parentingscience.com/teaching-empathy-tips.html
https://www.huffpost.com/entry/how-to-teach-kids-empathy_b_12673540
Eleven tips to raise children who care about others:
Show empathy to others - model it for your children, as they are always watching
Teach the importance of tone - especially with on-screen communications
Recognize acts of kindness - within the family or on tv or by others
Praise the positives each day - just don’t overdo it
Help your child write genuine thank-you notes
Boost your child’s feelings vocabulary - give them words and labels to describe their feelings
Address your child’s needs when they are tired, frustrated, hungry, scared, disappointed, etc.
Promote emotional literacy (FMS has social emotional lessons on Mondays during RAM Core - review with your kids what they are learning at school and support it at home)
Volunteer to help others in your community
Celebrate difference - teach acceptance and respect for those who are different
Be consistent - the most difficult aspect of parenting - avoid saying one thing and doing another!
***Reminder for 8th grade parents and students! The time to apply for Early College High School is now! Applications are online at www.fcschools.net/franklincountyearlycollege and are due by March 19th. Parent night is March 12th at ECHS at the VGCC campus in Louisburg from 6:00-7:30. Please let Ms. Moore know if you are applying or have questions about applying!***
FMS - A COMMUNITY SCHOOL OF CHOICE
Email: heidiboardman@fcschools.net
Website: fcschools.net/Page/25
Location: 3 North Main Street, Franklinton, NC, USA
Phone: 919-494-2971
Twitter: @FranklintonMS