Share the link to our Hurricane Recovery Fund with your friends & family!
Donate to FSI Hurricane Recovery Fund
Good morning Franklin families,
Let’s see if week two brings us more opportunities for learning! The weather has not cooperated with the start of the year. As a quick reminder, while our school does not necessarily follow Buncombe County or Asheville City school closures or delays, we take their decisions into consideration. We serve many families with students in other districts and many of our staff members have younger children enrolled in district schools. When the larger districts close or operate on a remote day we face significant student and staff absences. We also serve families from a large region and we have student drivers. It’s a tricky balance – losing instructional time this year feels really hard. Yet safety and essential operational considerations need to be part of our decision-making.
We do our best to communicate school closure decisions no later than 6:30 am. Please understand that while we are making these decisions we are not able to respond to individual emails or phone calls. Doing so would slow down our ability to make good decisions. We communicate via text and phone calls (through BrightArrow), email, and on WLOS. If we have school or an on-time start and it is not safe for you to travel, email attendance@thefsi.us. If your conditions are unsafe we will excuse absences or tardies.
It’s pretty and sunny out there right now – I hope everyone has the chance to get out and play in this rare bit of snow!
While we enjoy the snow I am holding space for all those whose lives have been upended by the fires in Southern California. My family moved here from the area that has been devastated by the Eaton Canyon fire. In the coming weeks I hope that our school community can find a way to repay the kindness and generosity we experienced after the hurricane.
Thank you for choosing Franklin and for your support and patience through a challenging year. We are stronger together.
Upcoming Events
Tues, Jan 14
- 8:30 – 9:30 am: Parent Crew meet up at The Dripolator (909 Smokey Park Highway)
- 4:30 pm: MS Basketball (V) at IC Imagine
- 6:00 pm: HS Basketball at IC Imagine
- 6:00 pm: Board of Directors monthly meeting (at FSI)
Wed, Jan 15
- 6:00 – 7:30 pm: FAFSA and NCRDS Workshop @ FSI – come get help! Email JaneAnne Tager for more information (jtager@thefsi.us)
Thurs, Jan 16
- 4:15 – 5:15 pm MS Bball (JV)l vs Rainbow @ FSI
- 6:30 – 7:30 pm Special Info Session for Rising FSI 9th Graders – come learn what our high school program offers! Open to all current FSI 8th grade students and families
Keep up with our Community Calendar: FSI Community Calendar
Need to see the year at a glance? FSI 2024-25 Academic Calendar
Athletics News
MS Varsity returned to action last week and earned a 36-26 victory over Shining Rock. The team took the lead from the beginning and never looked back.
All three basketball teams will be in action this week.
MS Varsity and the HS team will travel to IC Imagine on Tuesday for a double header. MS tips at 4:30pm and the HS game will follow.
The MS JV team will host Rainbow on Thursday at 4:15pm. Go Bolts!
Parent Crew
Parent Crew is your organization! We are having a casual parent meet-up at the Dripolator in Candler on Tuesday, January 14, at 8:30 AM. This will be a time to chat and meet fellow FSI families.
Also, Dr. Paula Dowd, FSI High School Principal, will join us for our meeting on Thursday, Jan 23.
Chipotle Dine Out Event: Monday, March 3 from 4 – 8 pm – pick up dinner or afterschool snacks from Chipotle Brevard Road! Make sure you mention the FSI fundraiser and we will receive 25% of sales. Parent Crew uses funds raised to support Staff Appreciation and Events.
Mark your calendars for upcoming Parent Crew meetings!
- Tues, Jan 14: 8:30 am at Dripolator in Candler – parent meet and greet
- Thursday, Jan 23: 6 pm: Special Guest Dr. Paula Dowd, HS Principal
- Wednesday, Feb 19: 8:30 am school -,more details about place closer to date
- Monday, Mar 3: 4 – 8 pm: Chipotle Brevard Road Dine Out – mention FSI fundraiser!
- Thursday, Mar 20: 6 pm at school-more details about place closer to date
- Thursday, Apr 24: 8:30 am school-more details about place closer to date
- Thursday, May 29: 6 pm online- check the school calendar for Google Meet details
College Corner: FAFSA Update
FSI will be holding a FAFSA (Federal Application for Student Aid) completion workshop on January 15 from 6 – 7 pm. Here is the latest update on the FAFSA which recently opened at the end of November.“The 2025-26 FAFSA is open. Here’s what you need to know.”
Experiential Workshops for Teens/Tweens
We’re passing along this opportunity from Whole Family Therapy. Middle school students (grades 6 – 8) are invited to join one or all group sessions exploring being a tween/teen. Workshops will be small group format with art, movement, music, writing and expression. If the fee is a problem for your family please reach out to our middle school counselor, Jennifer Rae Negron (jrnegron@thefsi.us) or to Michelle (mvruwink@thefsi.us). We may be able to help with financial assistance. All sessions are on Sundays from 1 – 3 pm. Cost is $20 per session or $75 for all sessions.
Session 1, Feb 2: Creating Community
Session 2, Feb 9: Exploring Identity
Session 3, Feb 16: The Mindful Connection
Session 4, Feb 23: Exploring Self Care
To learn more or sign up, please visit WWW.WHOLEFAMILYTHERAPY.CENTER/WORKSHOPS
Reminders
Open Enrollment for Next School Year
It’s time for Open Enrollment for the 2025-2026 school year! If you are new to FSI, or maybe just need a reminder, please review how this works. It can be confusing.
- All current FSI students have a guaranteed spot for next year. You will complete a separate re-enrollment process. Do not re-apply through Open Enrollment and the lottery.
- All new students – including siblings – must apply through Open Enrollment. Open Enrollment runs from January 1 – March 31, 2025. Applications are online. Just go to our website and click the link. If you plan to enroll a sibling for next year make sure to check the box. Siblings get priority for enrollment.
- Help us grow! If you have friends or family members with students in grades 5 – 12, make sure they know about Open Enrollment. We would love to fill every slot with great students and families! The link to apply is right at the top of our website: https://www.franklinschoolofinnovation.org/
Post-Hurricane Mental Health Support for Students and Families
We are excited to expand mental health services for the rest of this school year! Our MAHEC partner therapist will now be available at FSI full time (5 days/week). This will allow her to serve more FSI students. We are also entering into an agreement with Winter to Spring Wellness, a local mental health practice, to provide counseling services to FSI students, families, and staff members. All student and family services will be arranged by referral from our middle and high school counselors. Services will be provided at no direct cost to families or staff. If you are interested, please contact our school counselors, JR Negron for middle school and MK Hyche for high school.
JR Negron: jrnegron@thefsi.us
MK Hyche: mkhyche@thefsi.us
Yearbook Sales & Senior Ads!
Our yearbook class is busy capturing fantastic memories of this year! Yearbooks are currently $55. Get yours here before the price increases in January!
Want to purchase an ad for your FSI senior? You have until February 7th to shout out your senior. You can purchase an ad by clicking here.
Apply for Free/Reduced Lunch
We strongly encourage families to apply for free and reduced lunch. If your family is experiencing a loss of income due to the hurricane, you may qualify for free or reduced meals based on your current income. It is important to our school to collect this information for two reasons. First – it helps us support our families! We will use the free and reduced meal application for all school-based financial aid and scholarships, including meals as well as scholarships for field trips, Beyond the Bell services, and clubs.
You can apply for the free and reduced meal program at www.myschoolbucks.com or under the quick links through your My School Bucks app. If you have any issues, contact Tammey Harper at tharper@thefsi.us.
MANNA Packs for Kids
MANNA Packs for Kids is a take-home food program that provides a weekly bag of food to students. Bags will contain items such as proteins, fruits, vegetables, snacks and/or breakfast items.The “MANNA Packs for Kids” program’s mission is to serve those families with children who are experiencing economic difficulty and could use assistance in providing food when school meals are not an option. To join the program, please fill out the Manna Packs google form here.
After School Clubs
We have updated our Club listing, which is also posted on our website. Many clubs are starting or resuming this week! You can check the listing and see which clubs are starting back up here: 2024 FSI Clubs. Please remember that students need to sign in to Beyond the Bell for after school clubs.
