Dear Franklin families,
It looks like some cold weather is in our future. While there’s no forecast for snow or ice, it’s a good time to remind everyone how you will know iif school is closed or delayed for weather. Franklin is not part of Buncombe County or Asheville City schools, and we make our own weather decisions. Here are a few guidelines to keep in mind as we head toward colder weather:
- Closures or delays are announced via email and phone call. We will use the messenger system in Infinite Campus - the same way the weekly newsletters are sent. Parents/guardians are responsible for making sure contact information is correct in Infinite Campus.
- We also announce closures or delays on WLOS.
- We make decisions as early as possible but please remember that mountain weather is not predictable. Our buses leave campus around 7 am and we do our best to make a call before they leave.
- We serve students from a large region and conditions can vary a lot across the area. If conditions are not safe for your family, send in an attendance note for an excused absence.
- Schools are allowed up to 5 remote days for weather closures. We will use remote days to minimize calendar changes. We also have several weather makeup days in our calendar (Feb 12, Feb 15, and June 7 - 9). If we do not need to make up days, we will not have school on those days.
Finally, please remember that we cannot respond to individual emails or phone calls about conditions in your area. We are busy making a safe determination for the school. We will send weather information to all parents and will not respond to individual questions.
10th and 11th grade families - remember that 10th grade students take the PreACT tomorrow during the school day. All 11th grade students will have a remote day so that we have enough rooms for the 10th grade testing. Testing will start at 9:30 am. Regular classes will be held following the test. Make up tests will be held on Thursday Nov 12.
This Wednesday is Veterans Day, a day to remember and give thanks to all military veterans who have served our country. There is no school on Wednesday. We would love to recognize and celebrate the veterans in our FSI families! Please send (virtual) photos of family members who have served or are currently serving in the military. We will honor them on our announcement board throughout the week. Email photos to Dr. Dowd ([email protected]) or Julia Adams ([email protected]).
If you are a veteran or have a veteran in your family, 828 News Now offers a guide with links to local resources for housing, health care, mental health, jobs, community connections, and more. Check it out! https://828newsnow.com/veterans-guide-asheville-western-north-carolina/
Take Action
Keeping a couple of action items in here from last week! These are still important ways to get involved and support our school and students:
- Parent Crew has launched this year’s Holiday Giving Pool. While the Giving Pool comes out each year around the same time as our Giving Tuesday Annual Fund Drive - it serves a very different purpose! The Giving Pool helps provide very visible and meaningful appreciation for all FSI faculty and staff members, through an annual financial gift. See more under the Parent Crew section.
- Bolts Booster Club: Our athletic program is growing and provides great opportunities for many of our students to build community and practice leadership on and off the field. We need parent involvement to help sustain this important program! See more under Bolts Athletics section.
Thank you for choosing FSI and taking action to help our students thrive and succeed. When we work together, we can help our students create the futures they imagine!
Upcoming Events
Tues, Nov 10:
- 5:00 pm: School Improvement Team (SIT) meeting at FSI, Room 212
- 6:00 pm: Board of Directors monthly meeting, Room 212
Wed, Nov 11: Veterans Day Holiday - NO SCHOOL
Thurs, Nov 12
- 5:30 - 7:30 pm: Career & College Exploration Night @ Goodwill Career Center (see details and registration below)
- 6:30 pm: Parent Crew Virtual Meeting - all parents welcome!
Sun, Nov 15
- Dine out for FSI @ Mod Pizza on Merrimon. Mention the code MODGIVES20.
Bolts Athletics
Congratulations to all the student-athletes that were selected for the HS and MS basketball teams. We had our biggest turn out for try-outs ever!
We are looking for some coaches/volunteers to help us with our growing program. If you are interested in coaching/volunteering with the MS 5th/6th grade JV team or the MS girls team, please reach out to Coach Burke, Athletic Director: [email protected]
Bolts Booster Club
Are you interested in volunteering to help the Bolts Athletic Department? We are looking to start a Bolts Booster Club that will help all of our teams, coaches and student-athletes.
If interested, please reach out to Coach Burke, Athletic Director: [email protected]
The Bolts Athletics team store is now open.
Click on the link to see what is new and available for purchase.
These items ship directly to you.
https://bsnteamsports.com/shop/euJxhnyCfE
Parent Crew
Parent Crew is your organization! It’s similar to a PTO or PTA, and it’s a great way to get involved, be engaged, and meet other FSI families.
Upcoming meetings:
- November 12, 6:30 PM online only
The Holiday Giving Pool has started, which ensures each staff member receives $100 at the Holidays. The total goal is $10,000. We start this early to give us time before and after the school's largest fundraiser of the year, Giving Tuesday. Reaching our $10,000 goal would require an average contribution of approximately $15 per family. Every gift, large or small, helps us show our appreciation for the teachers, bus drivers, cafeteria workers, maintenance team, Principals, and other staff who make our school community so special.
Please use the link below to make your donation:
https://franklinschoolofinnovation.networkforgood.com/projects/308289-2026-staff-holiday-giving-pool
Mark your calendars! Mod Pizza on Merrimon will donate 20% of their sales to the FSI Parent Crew on Sunday, 11/15, if you mention the code MODGIVES20. All funds raised will go towards Staff Appreciation and student activities! Meet up with other FSI families and help us raise money!
Career & College Exploration Night - November 10
Is your student exploring options for life after high school? CFNC is hosting a free Career & College Exploration Night on Tuesday, November 10, from 5:30-7:00 PM at the Asheville Goodwill Career Center. Students and families can learn about college programs, career pathways, apprenticeships, and financial aid opportunities. Dinner is provided, and Spanish language support will be available.
Do It! Do a TED Talk!
If a TED Talk is on your bucket list - this is your chance! FSI hosts the only fully student-led TEDx Youth event in the greater Asheville area. The theme this year is tradition and they are looking for students and parents perspectives on what that means. It is a great opportunity to build public speaking skills and college resumes, as well as a wonderful experience to gain confidence and interact with the Franklin community. Students will receive service hours and extra credit in their English class if they give a TED Talk. The event will be on March 2nd. If you are interested, please email [email protected] by November 10th!
UNCA Friday After School Clubs - Financial Support Available
UNCA is offering an 8-week series of after school programs starting January 22. There are some great clubs for middle and high school students (ages vary by club - from 11 - 15). TinkerCAD, welding, wood-turning, woodworking - check them out! UNCA January STEAM Clubs
Add your business to our community business directory!
We are building an FSI family business directory! If you have a family-owned business small or large and would like your business included in a community business directory for FSI, please fill out this form! Adding your business helps the community support each other. FSI Community Business Directory Information
Yearbooks Are On Sale — Don't Wait, Prices Go Up Nov 20!
Order your 2026-2027 yearbook today and lock in the best price before it increases. Prices go up on the following dates, so the earlier you order, the more you save:
- $55 — Oct. 17th to Nov. 20th
- $60 — Nov. 21st through May 1st (lMay 1st is the last day to guarantee a copy!)
Order your yearbook: jostensyearbooks.com
Want to purchase a yearbook ad or shoutout for your 8th grade or 12th grade student? Order here
Yearbooks are printed in limited quantities based on early orders — after 6/1, we can't guarantee a copy will be available, so don't wait!
Reminders
Q1 Report Cards are Available
Q1 Report cards are now available in your parent portal! To view, log into your parent portal and click documents from the left-hand menu. If you are having trouble accessing your portal, please email [email protected] for support.
Beyond the Bell Tutoring Club
We’re pleased to offer tutoring every Tuesday as part of our Beyond the Bell program. Mr. Readman is providing this weekly tutoring opportunity. Mr. Readman is the Math II teacher in high school and has a background in history and Social Studies as well. Tutoring is offered from 4 - 5 pm every Tuesday.
Please use this form to sign up: Tutoring Club Sign-up. Students need to be registered and checked in with Beyond the Bell before the tutoring session.
Clubs Update
The club listing can be found on our website under Beyond the Bell.
Fees for Early Morning Drop Off
Our early morning drop off program (7:30 - 7:45 am) is fee-based. The fee is $20/month, whether you use it every day or just some days. The fee will offset but does not fully cover our costs for staffing this program. We are doing our best to provide affordable coverage for working families while also balancing our budget.
- Register in advance: Complete this form to register for early morning drop off: Early Morning Drop Off Registration
- Cost: $20 per month, paid in advance.
- How to pay: You will receive an invoice and can pay through MySchoolBucks
- Invoices will be sent after you register
Substitute Teachers & Bus Drivers
We are also looking for substitute teachers and for bus drivers. Our bus driver positions pay better than the County - we will pay for driver education - and our bus routes are easier to drive. Serving as a substitute allows our teachers to take time off without worrying about what happens in their classrooms. If you are or you know someone interested in working as a substitute or a driver, please have them email us at [email protected].
New Website and App!
We are excited to reveal our new website and app. You received an invitation and a password reset request from Edlio, our website host. It might look a little suspect because you haven't activated your account yet - but it's fine to click through and create your account. The email you provided us (or for students, your school email) is the email that will be connected with our app! If you don't see the email in your inbox, check your spam folder. This new app will make it easier to keep up with events and find the resources you need. There are features specific for parents, students and our staff - so you may see different functions available. We are in the process of implementing some of the features, so some of them may not be fully functional quite yet - but just hang tight, there is a lot more coming to this!
To download the app, go to your app store, search for Edlio and download the app - you will see an option for The Franklin School of Innovation - click that and the app will relaunch as FSI's and log in!
Who Do I Go To When….
Whether you are new to FSI or returning, we know you have questions and want to help you find the best answers! This handy guide can help you connect. We do our best to respond to questions within 24 hours. We do not expect school staff to respond outside of school hours. It may take longer right now or when the email load is especially heavy. Click here to access the guide: Who do I go to when…