Dear Franklin families,
I hope everyone is enjoying the Labor Day weekend! It’s lovely to have a little extra time after the rush of the first week of school. I saw lots of happy and engaged students this week and hope it was a great start to the year for everyone.
We spent lots of time this past week adjusting and tweaking things for the year, from student schedules to our bus routes. We continue to grow as a school and our bus program is serving a record number of students. If your student is a registered bus rider, you should have received an email about some changes to our bus routes. The email was sent only to parents/guardians listed on the bus registration form. If you have questions about the bus routes, reach out to Steve Chandler (schandler@thefsi.us) or Deeana Bennett (dbennett@thefsi.us).
We are in need of a MS volleyball coach! If you have any interest, please reach out to Coach Burke, kburke@thefsi.us. We have a teacher that can help part time but would like to have another person in order to make the program work. We’d like to get their season started soon!
We have a few openings for students in our 5th grade. If you know a great family in search of a great school community, invite them to visit our website or reach out to Micah Usher (musher@thefsi.us) to schedule a tour.
Enjoy the holiday tomorrow and we look forward to seeing everyone for a great 2nd week of school.
Upcoming Events
Mon,Sept 1: Labor Day Holiday – No School
Tues, Sept 2
- 5 pm: HS Cross Country @ IC Imagine
Save the Date:
Wed, Sept 17: Fall Student Led Listening Conferences – students will not attend school this day. They will come ONLY for their conference time. Times will be scheduled with Crew leaders
Bolts Athletics
HS cross country will participate in a practice run on Tuesday at IC Imagine at 5:00pm.
Congratulations to the student-athletes that were selected for the HS soccer and HS volleyball teams. We look forward to watching you play!
Save the date! The first game on our new field will take place on Thursday, September 11th. The HS soccer team will take on Mount Pisgah Academy at 6:00pm. Join us in kicking off the season and celebrating the new field.
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. Fill out this form for more information and to get involved!
Upcoming Events
Parent coffee social and Parent Crew Meetup
Thursday Sept.18th 8:30am-9:30am
Meet upstairs in room 261 after drop off! There will be coffee and light noshes, along with a social to meet other parents, build community, and learn more about the parent crew as well!
Sept 25: Parent Crew Dine Out for Franklin
Thursday, Sept 25 – dine out or order online with the code MODGIVES20 at Mod Pizza on Merrimon Ave and MOD Pizza will donate 20% to the school! Make sure to mention the fundraiser if dining at the restaurant!
Parent Crew Meetings
Thursday, October 16th at 6pm, Virtual Meeting
Thursday November 20th at 8:30am In-Person Meeting
Breakfast & Lunch Menus
Student Clubs
We are getting organized for our fall afterschool Student Clubs. All clubs run through Beyond the Bell. Many of our clubs are started by students! Your first step in forming a new club is to find a faculty advisor to sponsor your club. They will need to be present at meetings and events, so make sure they know the time requirements of what they are signing up for. Once you have a faculty advisor, they can submit a form to start a club.
If you need help getting started or want to make sure your application is as good as possible, reach out to Ron Scott at rscott@thefsi.us to get feedback or support!
We will share more information, including registration and payment, soon! We expect some clubs to start mid-September.
Community Program for Neurocomplex Youth
Sacred Circle: All Gender Edition is an experiential and educational program for neurocomplex and sensitive youth aged 11-14, devoted to fostering nervous system awareness, emotional resiliency, and kinship with their inner selves. Begins September 24. Discount on registration if you sign up with a friend! This club is run by Meredith Rosebluth. It is not sponsored or organized by FSI, we’re just sharing the information for families who may be interested.
Donation Request: Used Film and Photography Equipment
This fall we are starting a photography club and a film learning lab. We are looking for film and photography equipment that would be suitable for amateur photography and film production. The following equipment, used or new, would be helpful.
- DSLR Cameras (10 years old or newer)-Many people buy these thinking they are going to get into photography and after a year or so they end up in a drawer or the back of a closet. They have a detachable lens, a removable battery and charging cable. Canon or Nikon are common brands but there are others.
- Microphones-Some cameras have a microphone port to plug in a microphone for better audio. We could also use desktop computer mics for dubbing and creating sound effects.
- Tripods-They have a small adaptor that screws into the bottom of the camera and attaches to the tripod. We could also use adjustable cell phone tripods for some purposes.
- Lightning-This can be those clip on spot lights you use in a garage to work on a car or light boxes that are held up with a stand. We can also use those round paper lamps that hang from a tripod.
Email Micah Usher (musher@thefsi.us) for more information, or bring your donations to the office!
Reminders
Traffic Reminders
All traffic on campus is one-way. There are no exceptions. Form two lines when you enter campus and stay in two lines to the school entrance. We’ll help you merge into one line to exit. Turn right at Sardis Road for safety and to keep the line moving. More information is available in our Family Orientation presentation
Do not park near the entrance and wait for your students to walk to your car. Follow the road to the pick up location (awning).
Thanks to everyone who followed the traffic expectations this week! The line went pretty smoothly and 99% of our families followed our requests. Let’s make it 100% this week!
Cellphone and Wireless Device Policy
For all students, cellphones and all other devices must be away and silent during all instructional time (the only exceptions must be in documented IEP, 504, or health plans). For middle school this means from 8 am until dismissal. High school students may have devices out during transitions and during lunch, but phones must be stored in the classroom phone pouches during the entire instructional period.
There is a lot of good research that shows that phones are a distraction from learning and create social challenges in schools. Plus – it’s the law! Parents, you can help. Review the policy and expectations with your students. Don’t call or text your student during school hours. If you need to get a message to them during the school day, call us at 828-318-8140. If students need to contact you, they can ask permission to come to the front desk or call from a classroom phone.
Be Good Neighbors
- Do not park in AAA Storage, Galactic Pizza or the gym parking lots for drop off or pick up.
- Students may not park at neighborhood businesses. Apply for parking registration at school or arrange transportation.
- If you give written permission for your students to walk to Galactic Pizza or the gas station at dismissal, please be sure your student knows your expectations for their behavior in the community. Students are not allowed to leave campus during school hours.
Infinite Campus and Student Schedules
If you need help getting into the Parent Portal or other Infinite Campus problems, please complete this FORM to request support. We will get to you as quickly as possible. Do not email individual staff members – you will get help more quickly by using the form.
If your high school student needs a schedule change, please use the schedule change request form, linked below. Note that schedule changes may not be possible. Students must attend their assigned classes until changes are approved and completed. If your student has gaps in their schedule, we will work with them tomorrow and this week to get them into classes. Schedule changes will be allowed only for scheduling errors (student has previously earned credit in a course or has not fulfilled a prerequisite) and for missing courses (student has a gap in their schedule or is missing a credit required for graduation).
- MK Hyche – 9th and 10th grade
- JaneAnne Tager – 11th and 12th grade
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…
Required Forms
Emergency Medical Authorization
All students are required to have a Student Health Form on file. These forms are extremely important; in the case of an emergency and treatment may be delayed if we do not have this form on hand. These forms were sent via email from Erinn Otten. Please complete the form and return it to school as soon as possible.
Medications at School
If your student will require medication of any type during the school day, please remember to complete and submit the appropriate medical forms. You will find forms for diabetes, asthma, allergies, medication, and self-medication on our website, or your doctor’s office should have school forms available. Under North Carolina regulations, students are not permitted to take any medications at school, including over-the-counter medications, unless the school has a current copy of a medication form on record. These forms require physician signature.
Immunizations
Students new to public school must provide proof of immunizations. You can read more about required immunizations here: http://www.immunize.nc.gov/schools/k-12.htm
Students entering 7th grade have new immunization requirements:
- Tdap – Tetanus, diphtheria and pertussis (whooping cough)
- Meningococcal conjugate vaccine (MCV)
You (or your doctor) can fax proof of immunizations to us at 828-318-8125, email to EOtten@thefsi.us, or mail or drop off to the office.
Sports Physicals, Concussion Form, and Medical Waivers
If your student will participate in our athletics program, all three forms must be completed and returned prior to participation. The physical must have a doctor’s signature. Forms are available on our website: https://www.franklinschoolofinnovation.org/parents/forms/
Bus Rider & Carpool Information
No matter where you live, you’ll find FSI families nearby. You need to join the Franklin Carpool Facebook page. Find your carpool friends here: Franklin Carpool Facebook Page
If you need information about bus routes or want to register, please contact Deeana Bennett, dbennett@thefsi.us.
Free & Reduced Lunch
Did you know that Franklin participates in the federal school lunch program? We are so pleased to provide this service for our families. Our kitchen staff have been trying out some new recipes and treating us all this summer – we can vouch for the delicious meals! You can sign up here: Free and reduced lunch application
Beyond the Bell (BTB) Before & After School Program
Before School: 7:15 am-7:45 am: Mon-Fri
After School: 3:15 pm-6:00 pm: Mon, Tues, Thurs, Fri, and 1:00-6:00 pm Wednesdays
This is a fee-based program. Financial aid is available for qualifying households, upon completion of application. More information is available on our website. https://www.franklinschoolofinnovation.org/parents/beyond-the-bell-btb/ Contact Ron Scott, rscott@thefsi.us, for more information.
Please note that all afterschool clubs also run through Beyond the Bell. More information about afterschool clubs will be available soon. Most clubs start mid to late September.
