This is How We Crew It FSI Fundraising Campaign
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Good morning Franklin families,
We have exciting news to share! We have been awarded the full credential by EL Education! Maggie Bello, our former EL Education school coach and now Associate Director of Partnerships for EL, had the following to say about earning the EL credential:
This is such a meaningful milestone, and one that reflects years of deep commitment, reflection, and intentional work in service of your students and community.
Reaching full credential status is no small feat; it speaks to the strength of your vision, the consistency of your practice, and the way you have centered equity, high-quality work, and meaningful relationships at every level of your school. You have not only embraced the EL Education model but truly brought it to life in ways that are authentic to who you are as a community.
What stands out most is the collective effort behind this accomplishment. This credential represents the dedication of your entire team, leaders, teachers, and staff, who have leaned into the work together, pushed one another’s thinking, and stayed grounded in what is best for students. That kind of alignment and shared purpose is powerful, and it shows.
Please take a moment to celebrate this. You have earned it. And at the same time, I am excited to know that this is not an endpoint but a strong foundation for continued growth and impact.
Becoming a credentialed EL Education school has been a journey. We initially planned to apply in our 6th year as a school, when we first felt that the EL Education practices such as Crew, high quality work, and student engagement were strong across our whole school. COVID threw us off that immediate goal and we, like all schools, spent years recovering. We again hoped to seek credentialing last year, but Helene called us to shift our priorities to care for our community.
Earning the EL credential does not mean that our work is done. It provides affirmation that the work of our community is valuable work. What I love most about our school is our mission – a mission that has kept us grounded through years of challenges and change. While we celebrate this accomplishment, we’ll continue our work to be a school where everyone thrives.
A special thank you to our students, staff, and parents who participated in the EL Education site visit.
And now – I hope everyone has found time to rest and find renewal over spring break, because the rest of the year is jam-packed!
2nd Annual Spring Fair, Silent Auction, and Pickleball Tournament!
Join us this Saturday, April 18, 10 am – 3 pm. The festival features 25+ local FSI community craft vendors, live music from FSI student and family bands, a silent auction, a “School of Rock” Instrument “petting zoo”, raffles, kid’s activities, an inflatable obstacle course and more.
This event is open to the wider Asheville community so bring your friends!
The Parent Crew has organized a silent auction fundraiser to benefit the school with some incredible items – start bidding today! Share the auction catalog with your friends and family members – a great way for the community to support our school.
Pickleball Tournament : 11 am – 1 pm
Adult & Student divisions, MS and HS. $25 per team
- Sign Up to Volunteer – many volunteers are still needed
- FSI Silent Auction Catalog – start bidding today
- Pickleball Registration – register today
Call to Action
The General Assembly is returning for a short session on April 21. This is the last chance to pass a budget this year – and it still matters! North Carolina is the ONLY state that hasn’t passed a budget this year AND we are now 50th (dead last) in public school funding. Phone calls are the best and easiest way to tell our elected officials what you want and usually you’ll just be leaving a voice message. Keep your call professional, kind, and brief. I’ve provided two short messages below. You can choose just the first message if you want!
- Pass Governor Stein’s Critical Needs. Our state is the ONLY state in the nation that has not passed a budget and it is hurting our children and our communities.
- My child attends a public school, like most other children in our state. Our state ranks 50th in public school funding. Our elected officials should be embarrassed to put our children dead last. Invest in their futures!
House Speaker Destin Hall
Phone: 919-733-3451
Email: Destin.Hall@ncleg.gov
Senate President: Phil Berger
Phone: (919) 733-5708
Email: Phil.Berger@ncleg.gov
Michael Lee, NC Senate Majority Leader
Phone: 919-715-2525
Email: Michael.Lee@ncleg.gov
As always, thank you for choosing Franklin and for partnering with us to prepare students for the futures they create. Our school is stronger with your participation.
Upcoming Events
Tues, April 14
- 4:30 pm: 2026-2027 Lottery for New Students (online)
- 5:00 – 5:45 pm: School Improvement Team Meeting & Election
- 6:00 pm: Board of Directors Monthly Meeting
- 6:00 pm: HS Girls Soccer vs Mt Pisgah @ FSI
Wed, April 15
- 8:30 am: Parent Crew Meeting (in person) to get ready for Spring Fair
- 1:00 – 1:45: MS Student Council – all MS students welcome – get ready for our booth at the fair!
Thurs, April 16
- 9:30 am to 2:30 pm: Blood Drive – Help Us Meet our Goal!
Register here: https://donate.thebloodconnection.org/donor/schedules/drive_schedule/295089
Parent consent form (for donors aged 16 & 17): https://epcf.thebloodconnection.org/
- 4:15 – 5:15 pm: MS Soccer vs Evergreen @ FSI
Fri, April 17
- 4:30 pm: HS Girls Soccer vs Asheville School @ FSI
Sat, April 18
- 10 am – 3 pm: Spring Fair & Pickleball Tournament (pickleball is 11 am – 1 pm). You don’t want to miss this fun community event!
Mark Your Calendars
Thursday, April 30, 5 – 7 pm: Night of the Arts
Come celebrate all the amazing artists in our school!
FSI Community Room
Visual Art Show on display (Apr. 28 – May 1)
Music & Theatre performances
Fine Arts Awards
Keep up with all our school events!
FSI Community Calendar – add our events to your google calendar
2025-2026 Yearlong Calendar – updated
Bolts Athletics
HS Ultimate started the season 2-0 defeating Odyssey and Fern Leaf! The team defeated Odyssey 15-4. B. McDowell led with 5 goals, G. Stone had 4 assists and 4 blocks and C. Butler caught the game winning goal! In game two of the week, the team defeated Fern Leaf 13-7. G. Stone and B. Tokarz both had 3 goals and K. Davis had 2 blocks.
Bolts action returns this week with middle and high school soccer games at home.
Sponsorship Banners to Support Bolts Athletics
Do you have a business or know of a business that would be interested in purchasing a sponsorship package that supports the Athletics Program? It is great advertisement for a business as the business name and logo will be displayed on banners in the gym and/or field depending on what package is purchased.
Sponsorship Levels:
Thunder ($500): 1 Banner displayed in either the gym or field area (your choice)
Lightning ($800): 2 Banners. One banner displayed in the gym and one in the field area.
Bolt ($1,000): Includes everything in the Lightning package plus logo displayed on printed materials (game programs and possibly team gear (practice and travel gear).
Banners are 72×24 inches and will be displayed for one full year with an opportunity to renew. Please contact Coach Burke (Athletic Director) for more information or questions. kburke@thefsi.us
Parent Crew
Can you dedicate three hours or more on Saturday, 04/18, to help raise funds for FSI? High School students are welcome to sign up and earn Service Hours! These funds support all the things we love about Franklin, including our amazing staff, fantastic arts programs, sports, county-wide transportation, and the lunch program.
If you can help the Parent Crew raise these essential funds during the 04/18 Spring Fair, please sign up here.
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090848A5AA22ABFF2-62640459-spring
Next Parent Crew Meeting: Wednesday, April 15, 8:30 am. This will be a working meeting to finalize all preparation for the April 18 Spring Fair.
Breakfast & Lunch Menus
TBD – we’ve all been on break! We’ll be ready to feed hungry children tomorrow. You can find our menus online: https://www.franklinschoolofinnovation.org/parents/nutrition/
Middle School Student Council Meeting Wed, April 15
All middle school students are invited to join us Wednesday, April 15 from dismissal till 1:45.
- Finalize our plans for our Fundraising Booth at the April 18 Spring Fair
- Make Slime to sell on April 18!
- Continue planning our Student Council Lock In (coming later this spring)
Bolts Summer Sports Camps
We are excited to announce our summer sports camps! Featuring multi-sports training with amazing facilities and coaches. Learn and experience a variety of sports and have fun! Directed by Coach Burke and Coach Ron Scott
5th-8th grades
- June 15-19 and/or June 22-26
- 9:00am-1:00pm
- $125 per week
Email for more information:
Register Here: Bolts Summer Sports Camps
Volunteers needed to help proctor AP exams
We are in need of community members to help with proctoring AP exams. AP Exam Proctor Community Volunteer Have questions? Contact Chelsea Curtis at ccurtis@thefsi.us
Summer Driver Education Class
We are pleased to announce that we will host a summer driver education class at FSI. The class is provided by an instructor from Mountain Professionals Driving School. Our role is to provide the space and to share the information with our families.
The class is scheduled for the following days: July 9 and July 13-17, 9-3 pm The class is available on a first-come, first-serve basis. The following are requirements and rules from Mountain Professionals. There are no exceptions:
- Students must attend all 5 days for the full time (9 – 3 pm)
- Students must be aged 14 1/2 (and under age 18) to attend
- There are no refunds once you have registered – no exceptions for vacations or illness or change of plans
- This is the education portion of the class. Students will schedule the driving portion with Mountain Professionals after they have passed this portion of the class
Register here: https://www.mtnpro.com/fsiform.
FSI Junior/Senior Prom 2026: May 2, 7 – 10 pm
Step into the mystery of Midnight Masquerade and celebrate a magical evening of music, dancing, and unforgettable memories. Enjoy refreshments, snacks, and fun times with friends. Prom is Saturday, May 2nd from 7-10pm at The Venue in downtown Asheville. Tickets are $30 and can be purchased in person and online starting March 27th. Use this link to purchase tickets online. After April 26 tickets are $45 and available only in person. Tickets will be available at the door on prom night for $45. To invite a non-FSI guest you need to complete this form and return to Ms Gretchen before April 27th. Questions? Contact gkehrberg@thefsi.us.
Reminders
School Improvement Team Volunteers
We are re-organizing our School Improvement Team to meet a new state requirement. The School Improvement Team will meet monthly on the 2nd Tuesday of each month, from 5:00 – 5:45 pm, right before our scheduled Board of Directors meetings. We are seeking a few members to join the team and serve through the 2026-2027 school year.
Our first meeting will be Tuesday, April 14 at 5 pm. Please email mvruwink@thefsi.us directly if you are interested in serving.
Substitute Teachers Needed!
As we enter Quarter 4, we have a true need for substitute teachers. Many of our teachers are entitled to days off but are reluctant to take them if they don’t have good coverage lined up! Substitute teachers are increasingly difficult to find. Across the state, schools are filling temporary positions or vacancies with people who used to serve as substitutes. You do not need a teaching certificate. You do need a love for students and a flexible open mindset! Cover letter and resume to jobs@thefsi.us
We are posting positions 2026-2027 school year on our website. If you know an excellent teacher who would be a good fit for our school, let us know! We will reach out and invite them to apply if we have a position available.
FSI Business Directory – submit your business to be included
We are compiling a directory of our family owned businesses. If you would like to be included in the directory, submit your business information here. The directory will be available on our website and in the newsletter. Let’s keep it local!
Free Resources for Resilience Community Events
Passing this along from our friends at Resources for Resilience!
Resources For Resilience is an Asheville-based nonprofit sharing practical tools and educational trainings to help individuals and teams manage stress and prevent burnout in themselves and others. They are currently offering FREE programming for WNC residents and professionals, now through June. Many of our offerings also include CEU professional credit through Area L AHEC! Space is limited for these no-cost opportunities, so interested participants are encouraged to register early to secure their spot. Learn more here: https://conta.cc/3NBqYiU
Order Your Yearbooks & Ads
The 2025-2026 Yearbooks are on sale! Purchase via this link
Parents/Guardians of Seniors and 8th Grade Students can purchase ads to be featured in the back of the yearbook – just click this link to create your ad!
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. Click here to access the guide: Who do I go to when…
