Look at these happy creative students! Our 5th graders have been working hard in Art under the guidance of Jennifer Lipsey-Edwards, creating and presenting their lego sculptures. We believe in the arts! Students learn to be problem-solvers, critical thinkers, and collaborators – all skills they will need in the future. Plus – they have fun! Learning is hard AND joyful.
Dear Franklin families,
We’re over halfway through the first quarter of the school year and we’ve had the chance to get a feel for the year. It’s no secret that the past 2 ½ years were the hardest years most of us in education can remember. This year finally feels like we are all moving forward. But we still face many challenges as we continue to respond to the impacts of the pandemic, the national teacher and school staff shortages, and the understandably higher needs of students. A full recovery requires involvement of every member of our community. As parents and guardians you play an important role in the success of our school.
During the Board of Directors meeting last Tuesday, a big topic of discussion centered around parent involvement and engagement. We know that many of you are looking for ways to be involved and we need to provide more structure to support this. The Board is creating several new subcommittees that will meet monthly and offer more opportunities for parents to join. If you are interested in the following – or in other volunteer roles – please complete this short survey and we will be in touch! Volunteer Opportunities.
- Fundraising: This subcommittee is perfect for outgoing people seeking to meet other FSI parents and willing to ask for $$ to support our school! This subcommittee will work on business sponsorships, helping with fundraising events, and helping produce our Giving Tuesday Annual Fund Drive.
- Staff Appreciation: This isn’t a Board subcommittee, but is a very important way to support our school! We are looking for 2 parents per grade level to serve as liaisons to the grade level teachers (like a class parent, only for the grade level). This is a great opportunity for parents or guardians who work from home or can’t attend meetings – most of this can be done via email and social media. You’ll be the liaison between teachers and the rest of the grade level families to fill classroom needs. We also need people to help with periodic staff appreciation events – organizing meals, massages, or other forms of appreciation.
Parent involvement and engagement aren’t just about volunteering. There are many ways families engage with and support schools every day. Parent engagement means logging into Canvas and checking on your student’s grades, attending school events, and reaching out to say thank you when things are going well or to check in when they aren’t. Another important way families support schools is by talking with your students about school expectations. Last year, like many other schools, we faced an outbreak of vandalism in our bathrooms. We are starting to see some of this again this year. Vandalism hurts everyone. Our school staff have to spend time on repairs instead of taking care of other duties. Students who aren’t involved in the vandalism get frustrated when bathrooms are closed. It brings down morale and school pride. This year we are taking a more proactive approach. When students vandalize bathrooms, we will require families to help restore the damage. You can help us prevent damage by talking with your student about expectations for behavior in public spaces. Students need to know that parents and guardians care about our school. We have many staff members who are available to help students work through frustration or anger in a productive manner. We’re building a beautiful school campus – let’s keep it beautiful together!
Talking about bathroom vandalism is definitely a downer and there are so many things we’re proud of this year! Be sure to check out the athletics section for weekly Bolts results and the Clubs section for all the new action. It has been a great start to the year and we want to keep the positivity going!
As a reminder, September is Suicide Awareness Month. Last Wednesday our counselors & high school principal led an important faculty training on how to recognize and respond to signs of suicide ideation. We can all play a part in preventing suicide. If you or someone you know are having thoughts about self-harm or suicide – reach out. Tell a trusted adult immediately or reach out to one of the numbers below:
- 988: Text or call for 24/7 access to crisis counselors
- 888-573-1006: RHA mobile crisis – a local mobile crisis center
- 741741: Text HOME to 741 741 for support
- 828-547-4547: WNC listening line – talk or text
- 1-844-5-SayNow: SSARS Anonymous Tip Line: 24/7 tip to staffed helpline Submit an anonymous tip 24/7 through the website, app or by phone
Did you know…
We post the newsletter on our website each week. Just scroll down the front page to “What’s Happening”. The newsletter can be easily translated into several languages by clicking the “translate” button at the bottom right hand side of the screen. Check it out!
This Tuesday we invite all high school parents for Back to School Night from 5:30 – 7 pm. This is an informal drop-in event where parents can meet the teachers supporting their students this year. Park anywhere you find an open spot. If there are no parking spaces available, you can park alongside the driveways. Do not park in the fire lanes and be sure to leave enough space for an open driving lane.
Remember Pizza Day is Thursday this week! Friday is a teacher work day to plan Learning Expeditions. No school for students this Friday!
Upcoming Events
NOTE: Bolts Together Night has been canceled. We apologize for this change of plans
Mon, Sept 19, 4:30 pm: MS Cross Country @ Brevard
Tues, Sept 20
- 5:30 – 7 pm: HS Back to School Night
- Vintage Pop-Up & Market – Starting Tuesday evening during Back to School Night: Several 9th grade Crews have teamed up to organize a Vintage Pop-Up and Market to raise money for scholarships for our upcoming 9th Grade Adventure Week field trip. Our first event will take place in the Collaboration Space during High School Back to School night. Events will continue on Wednesdays at dismissal and frequently during high school lunch. Bring cash and enjoy browsing a great selection of clothing, accessories, homegoods, art, snacks, jewelry, smoothies, lemonade, and other goodies!
- 6 pm: HS Soccer @ Mount Pisgah Academy
Wed, Sept 21, 2 – 5 pm: Mountain Bike Club Ride @ KOLO Bike Park. See more info in Clubs section below
Thurs, Sept 22, 4:30 pm: HS Volleyball @ ICI
Fri, Sept 23: No School for Students! Teacher Work Day
Keep up with all our events on our Community Calendar!
COVID Testing at Franklin begins Monday – Take 2
Our COVID testing was delayed last week because we did not receive all the needed supplies from the State. We’ll try again this week! Individual PCR tests will be conducted on site and sent out to a lab for processing. Testing is OPTIONAL and consent must be provided prior to testing. Parents – students are expected to know if they are participating. We are not calling students out by name.
Testing for high school students will be available from 11:30 – 1 pm in the collaboration space on the first floor of Big Ben. High school students can come on their own during lunch. Testing will then be available in Einstein, Parks, and Johnson for students in grades 5 – 8; nurses will let students know when they are available in each building.If you are new to Franklin or did not provide consent last year, you can sign in to give consent below:
- Parental consent for students under age 18: Click here: https://testcenter.concentricbyginkgo.com/minor-consent
- Student consent – age 18 and up: Click here: https://testcenter.concentricbyginkgo.com/invite-by-code
- Our school access code is FRANKLINSI. You will need this to complete the consent form
- You only need to provide consent once
Connect with Canvas
As a school, we use Canvas as a system to help students and parents keep connected with assignments and grades. This is a schoolwide program, though of course high school students use Canvas differently and more than our youngest students. Parents and guardians can download the Canvas app and connect with their student’s account. Click here to learn how to do this – it only takes a few minutes but you do need your student’s help! Canvas Family App How To.
Middle School News Videos
8th Grade Theatre students are writing, filming, producing, and directing the news Monday and Friday each week. Click on the folder below to see the news each week!
Morning News Videos- 2022-2023–
Clubs & Athletics News
Fall Athletics
Go Bolts! Lots of winning this past week! High School volleyball scored a win over ICI, the HS Cross Country team continued with PRs and winning times with a boys’ team win at Marion and medals for members of both the boys and girls teams, and the HS Soccer team scored another win over ICI on Thursday night. HS Cross Country brought home a few more PRs in their meet Saturday and enjoyed a great tour of Appalachian State! Follow fsiboltsathletics on Instagram to keep up with all the athletic news.
Questions about athletics at FSI? Contact Coach Burke, kburke@thefsi.us.
- Cross Country:
Lexi Johnson- ljohnson@thefsi.us
Kara Lacey- klacy@thefsi.us
- MS Girls Volleyball:
Jessica Bragdon- jbragdon@thefsi.us
Tammy Leahy- tleahy@thefsi.us
- HS Girls Volleyball:
Tess Barnes-Dunn- tbarnesdunn@thefsi.us
Heather Kabat- hkabat@thefsi.us
- HS Boys Soccer:
Teshale Byan- tbyan@thefsi.us
- MS Flag Football:
Tony Freeman- tfreeman@thefsi.us
Kim Burke- kburke@thefsi.us
Club News
New!
MS Board Games – Tuesday on 4:00 Pm to 5:30 Pm, 8th grade math room
Chess – Starting Sept 27: Do you like to play Chess or do you want to learn?! Join FSI’s Chess Club and learn from our expert instructor, Mr. Bruce Roth. Chess Club meets every Tuesday from 4-5 p.m. starting September 27 and running through December 13. The winter semester will begin January 10, 2023, and end April 25, 2023. Students will meet in the Community Room with Beyond the Bell from dismissal until the class begins! All grades and levels are welcome!! The fee is $50/per semester or $100/per year. All checks must be payable to Bruce Roth. For more information, contact Bruce Roth at 828 230 5139 or by email at brucerothchess@gmail.com
Girls who Code will be starting this Monday! They will meet every other Monday after school from 3:15 – 4:30 in Edison 19. Email bdavenport@thefsi.us with any questions.
Continuing
MS GSA (Gender & Sexuality Alliance)
Starting 9/16! MS GSA (gender and sexuality alliance): Middle School GSA meets every Friday 3:15-4:30pm. We welcome everyone and work to empower LGBTQ+ lives. Contact afortune@thefsi.us to join.
HS GSA
HS GSA will begin meeting this Thursday during HS lunch. This will be a kickoff/information gathering meeting. Date/time may be changed based on student schedules and input. For more information, contact MK Hyche, mkhyche@thefsi.us, or Justina Powell, jpowell@thefsi.us
High School Studio Art Club
Mondays, Starting September 19, 2022
3:45 – 5:00, Big Ben, first floor Art Room #133
Hosted by Ms. Jen jlipsey-edwards@thefsi.us
HS Studio Art Club is a place to gather with other creative teens who have a genuine interest in the visual arts. Folks will have a place to chill, work on art, listen to music, have tea, and to inspire and be inspired. The Studio is where friendship, collaboration, feedback, sharing, and support come together to make magic! You do not need to commit to showing up every week. However, advance registration is required to attend as you’re able to. Register here: https://forms.gle/czLbV186Ep7K31gb9
Mountain Bike Club
The purpose of the FSI MTB Club is to get students together riding bikes, sharing the joy of bicycles, creating community around shredding on two wheels. There are no club dues or fees, and most rides are free, though some locations require an individual payment. We will have a couple meetups each month from September – December at locations like KOLO, Richmond Hill, Bent Creek, Dupont or Fire Mountain. The focus is on fun, friendships, and always a growth mindset. Every ride will require help from parent volunteers. Some events, like at KOLO, are open to an unlimited number of participants; trail rides will have a limited number of spots to be safe and respectful of other trail users.
- Sept 21, 2 – 5 pm: KOLO Bike Park Meetups: KOLO has something for everyone – trails, dirt jumps, pump tracks, and skills courses. Riders must pay $10.00 to KOLO and must have a properly fitting helmet, closed toed shoes, and a current waiver. Parents, you don’t need to ride a bike to help supervise. We need at least 5 responsible adults to help out and ensure safety for everyone. Contact Ethan Burns, eburns@thefsi.us, for more information.
Science Olympiad Club
Do you geek out on all things science? Are you a competitive person who needs a medal hanging around your neck to prove your science prowess? This is a science competition against other schools in our area with a potential to move on to state and national levels. Science Olympiad will meet in Room 141 from 3:30-4:15 every Friday. Open to MS and HS students! Contact jbragdon@thefsi.us if you have any questions.
High School Drama Club
The High School fall theatre production, ‘Who Put Bella in the Wych Elm?’ is well underway. Based on a true story about the corpse of a woman that was found hidden in the trunk of a tree in England in 1943, the play presents the popular theories behind her identity while spotlighting the many ways individual identity is suppressed, stolen, or shattered. This is a brand new play and we are collaborating with the California playwright throughout our production process. Fingers crossed that she will be able to attend one of our performances! Performances will be November 18 and 19 at 7:00 pm and we hope to soon have an announcement about our performance venue! Put our performance dates on your calendar so you don’t miss this fascinating mystery drama. Keep up with the FSI HS Theatre scene by visiting our monthly newsletter using the QR code below!
Middle School Drama Club
Upcoming Events- All Meetings and Rehearsals- 3:15- 5:00pm in O’Keeffe 22!
Drama Club and Rehearsal Schedule- Click Here!
Note- Rehearsals will be on Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:15-5:00pm, but everyone is not needed at every rehearsal. Set Crew meets every Tuesday to work on sets and props. They will then be needed for Tech Week to work backstage. Tech Week is October 24th thru November 3rd and Performances are November 4th at 6pm and November 5th at 2pm and 6pm! There will be a cast party in between shows.
Drama Club Needs- All items can be brought to the theatre room- O’Keeffe 22
– Parents needed for the production team. We meet once a month for 30 minutes after rehearsals. First meeting this Tuesday at 5pm in O’Keeffe 22. Email Chris Martin, cmartin@thefsi.us, for info & to attend
Middle School Robotics
Middle School Robotics team meets Thursdays, 3:15pm to 4:00 pm in the Middle School Tech room (Edison 19).
Who do I go to when….
Whether you are new or returning to Franklin, we know you will have questions, and we want to help you find the best person to answer them, quickly and efficiently. We hope this little guide will help you navigate!
I have a question about my child’s grade, an assignment, or something specific to one class: Start with your child – what do they know? Then, the classroom teacher
I’m worried about my child’s overall progress, or progress in multiple classes: Your child’s Crew advisor can help coordinate a team response or meeting
My child seems anxious, sad, or unhappy: Jennifer Negron is our middle school counselor, and Mary Kinsey Hyche is our high school counselor
I think my child is being bullied, or other behavior/discipline concerns: Tony Freeman, Middle School Principal or Peter Tromba High School Principal
My child will miss school: For short-term absences (illness, doctor’s appointments, etc), send an email to attendance@thefsi.us, or bring a written note to the front office. Notes must be received within 48 hours of student’s return to school. Longer-term or frequent absences (5 days/quarter) require documentation from a medical care provider.
I’ve contacted a teacher, but the problem isn’t resolved: Your child’s Principal
I think my child may need special education services or accommodations: Paula Dowd, Director of Exceptional Services
My child requires medication during the school day, has a special health need, or has tested positive for COVID: Contact our school nurse, Jessica Perraud
I think we need some support for my child’s challenging behaviors: Jessica Potter-Bowers (JP) or Kara Lacey, Behavior Specialists
I have a question about enrollment, student records, or attendance, or I need a copy of my student’s report card or transcript: Erinn Otten, Director of Student Services
My student needs a chromebook, hotspot, or help with technology: Matt Mikulski, Technology Director
My child has an IEP, and I have questions about the services provided: Your child’s Exceptional Children teacher is your first contact:
- Grade 5: Brittany Davenport
- Grade 6: Tammy Leahy
- Grade 7: Meagan Barnhard
- Grade 8: Donnie Stahlke
- MS Resource Room: Meaghann Denkenberger
- Grade 9: Lindsey Wehrli
- Grade 10: Greg Wingard
- Grade 11: Paul Szumski
- Grade 12: Gretchen Kehrberg
- HS Occupational Course of Study: Kelsey Reid
I have questions about sports: Kim Burke, Athletic Director
I want to know more about after or before-school services: Martha Rutherford, Beyond the Bell Coordinator
I want to know more about your music program: Sandi Wilson, Director of Instrumental and Vocal Ensembles
I am interested in your theatre programs! Chris Martin, MS Theatre teacher/director and Julia Wharton, HS Theatre teacher/director
I have questions about your school bus or student parking: Deeana Bennett, Director of Operations
I am interested in carpooling/ride-sharing: Check out our carpool facebook group (you need to request to join):
I want to know more about college planning, including advanced courses like AP and Dual Enrollment, financial aid, or the college application process: JaneAnne Tager, College & Career Counselor
I have high level concerns or questions about the school, such as a problem that hasn’t been resolved through my principal, an immediate school safety concern, or more general questions about the school’s philosophy, approach, or plans for the future: Michelle Vruwink, Executive Director
Our Teaching Teams for 2022-2023!
We are excited to have many returning teachers, as well as some new faces for the coming school year! While we are sharing contact information now, please understand that teachers are enjoying their summers, and will not be responding to emails until the school year begins. You will have the opportunity to meet teachers at our Back to School Nights in early September!
| Teaching Teams
5th Grade Brandie Dallara, ELA & Social Studies: bdallara@thefsi.us Jennifer Ryan, Science & Social Studies: jryan@thefsi.us Chris Pauley, Math & Social Studies: cpauley@thefsi.us 6th Grade Ashley O’Dell, ELA: aodell@thefsi.us Charlie Keller, Math: ckeller@thefsi.us Samuel “Latt” Berry Foster:, Science: sfoster@thefsi.us Evan Baptista, Social Studies: ebaptista@thefsi.us 7th Grade Jared Gallow, ELA: jgallow@thefsi.us Zoe Wallce, Math: zwallace@thefsi.us Nick Liu, Science: nliu@thefsi.us Grace Nyanga, Social Studies: gnyanga@thefsi.us 8th Grade Kyle Wilson, ELA: kwilson@thefsi.us AJ Jones, Math lead: ajones@thefsi.us Rhneea Riddle, Math Specialist: rriddle@thefsi.us Keith Knox, Social Studies: kknox@thefsi.us Carlos Edwards, Science: cedwards@thefsi.us
9th Grade Lora Hawkins, English I: lhawkins@thefsi.us Jerry Lubos, World History: jlubos@thefsi.us Taylor Jenkins, Math 1 & 2: tjenkins@thefsi.us Jessica Bragdon, Earth Science/ AP Earth: jbragdon@thefsi.us 10th Grade Matt Reynolds, Civics: mreynolds@thefsi.us Justina Powell, English 2: jpowell@thefsi.us Marcel Duhaime, Math 2: mduhaime@thefsi.us Gabrielle “Gabe” Isaac: Biology: gisaac@thefsi.us 11th Grade Bryan Head, English III/AP Lang: bhead@thefsi.us Tess Barnes Dunn, American History, AP Research: tbarnesdunn@thefsi.us Teshale Byan, Math 3 & AP Calculus: tbyan@thefsi.us Mary Smith, Chemistry, Forensics: msmith@thefsi.us 12th Grade Alex Humphrey, English IV & AP Lit:: ahumphreyr@thefsi.us Lexi Johnson, World History: ljohnson@thefsi.us Teshale Byan, AP Calculus: tbyan@thefsi.us Elizabeth Joslin, NC Wildlife (Science) & EcoWarriors: ejoslin@thefsi.us Jessica Fine: Pre Calc, Math 4: jfine@thefsi.us Elective Teachers: MS PE: Anne Gillis: agillis@thefsi.us HS PE & Athletic Director: Kimberly Burke, kburke@thefsi.us MS Art: Jennifer Lipsey Edwards: jlipsey-edwards@thefsi.us HS Art/8th grade Art: Kati Robbins, krobbins@thefsi.us MS Tech & Computer Science: Adrienne Fortune, afortune@thefsi.us MS Counselor: Jennifer-Raé Negron, jnegron@thefsi.us HS Theatre, Art of Argument: Julia Wharton, jwharton@thefsi.us MS Theatre: Chris Martin, cmartin@thefsi.us MS/HS Music and Orchestra: Sandi Wilson, swilson@thefsi.us, French 1: Mackenzie Arnold: marnold@thefsi.us French2 & 3 and HS, PE: Chad Gerber, cgerber@thefsi.us HS Spanish: Hanna Walden, hwalden@thefsi.us MS & HS Spanish: Heather Kabat, hkabat@thefsi.us Adventure Ed: Jessica Potter-Bowers, jpotter-bowers@thefsi.us |
