This is How We Crew It FSI Fundraising Campaign
Join the 6-7 Challenge! Make a recurring monthly donation of just $6.7 and help us reach our goal!
Good morning Franklin families,
I was pleasantly surprised to wake up with power and wifi services this morning! I know there are power outages beginning and I hope everyone can stay safe and warm at home today as we watch this winter storm develop. Stay tuned – I anticipate that we will be in touch with you all today about plans for tomorrow. I haven’t ventured off my patio yet but I can hear it sleeting out there right now. I think I’ll get my YakTraks out and try an icy run here in a little bit just to see what it’s like.
The weather is going to be a theme all week. The forecasts are every school leader’s nightmare – warming up during the day, frigid overnight. As we do our best to balance safety, student learning, and parent sanity – keep these things in mind:
- If we have school and conditions are unsafe at your home, send a note to attendance@thefsi.us. We will excuse absences when we know there are areas of more significant winter weather impact.
- We’re monitoring lots of information in the early morning hours. We don’t have the staff capacity to respond to individual emails or phone calls as we make these early morning calls.
- If school is closed or delayed, that means our staff are also hunkered down at home until conditions are clear. No one is there to answer your phone calls.
- We do our best to make a call for each day by 6 am. We send automated messages by phone, text, and email. We also post on WLOS and usually on our social media.
- If we call a remote day, students will have assignments to complete and teachers will hold virtual office hours. We allow up to 2 days after a return to school for students to make up the remote day assignments.
Stay safe today. If you are lucky enough to have some snow – go sledding and have some fun! Otherwise, cuddle up, get those puzzles and board games out, and enjoy a family day if you can.
If the weather and schedules allow, we’ve got another Wednesday pizza sale this week! Use this form preorder here to pre-order pizza (from Papa Johns) to pick-up after school on Wednesday, January 28. Pizzas will be available for pick-up in the courtyard at dismissal. This is a fundraiser coordinated by the HS soccer teams and proceeds benefit the Athletics Program.
Get your pizza to eat after school or take home on Wednesday. Pizza must be pre-ordered.
- $20 for a large pizza (Cheese or Pepperoni)
- $5 for two slices (Cheese or Pepperoni)
Please contact Coach Ryan with any questions: jryan@thefsi.us
Thanks for choosing Franklin and for your patience through a rather wintry January.
Upcoming Events
Tuesday, Jan 27
- 4:15 pm: MS Basketball (JV) vs Mountain Community @ FSI
- 5:15 pm: MS Basketball (V) vs Evergreen @ FSI
Wednesday, Jan 28
- 12:45 – 1:45: MS Student Council – full group – in MS Tech Room
- 4:30 pm: MS Basketball (V) vs Carolina Day @ FSI
Thursday, Jan 29
- 4:15 pm: MS Basketball (V) @ PEAK Academy
- 5:30 pm: HS Basketball vs Trailblazers @ FSI
Sat, Jan 31 (rescheduled)
- 10:00 am: Info Session & Tour for Prospective Families (FSI Community Room)
Mark Your Calendars!
- Thurs, Feb 5: Blood Drive @ FSI – see more info below
- Saturday, Feb 7, 6 – 7:30 pm: MS Franklin Flurries Dance
Keep up with all our school events!
FSI Community Calendar – add our events to your google calendar
2025-2026 Yearlong Calendar – year at a glance
Bolts Athletics
MS Varsity basketball team went 2-0 on the week defeating Shining Rock and Francine Delany. The team continues to improve and play as a unit. B. Goldman, B. Snipes and H. Ward all had some stand out performances this week.
MS JV basketball team went 1-1 on the week falling to The Learning Community and defeating Francine Delany. This is a fun team to watch and they continue to grow and gel as a team. M. Ward, K. Jeffries, S. Worth all stepped up big in the games this week.
HS Girls Soccer Try-Out Information
Tuesday, February 17 4:00-5:30pm
Wednesday, February 18 1:00-2:30pm
Thursday, February 19 4:00-5:30pm
*All required paperwork must be submitted to try out.
Please contact Coach Ryan with any questions – jryan@thefsi.us
A new Team Store is now open featuring Franklin School of Innovation and Bolts gear! Place your order and it ships directly to you! Thanks for supporting Bolts Athletics!
Team store: https://bsnteamsports.com/shop/JrpXhakCmL. Access code: JrpXhakCmL
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
Staff Soup, Chili and Stew Lunch
The Parent Crew is organizing a staff soup, chili, and stew lunch for February 18-Wednesday. This is part of a Staff Wellness Day – including onsite chair massages, the Parent Crew Lunch, and a free afternoon for staff to use as they need! We would love your help in showing the FSI staff just how much we appreciate them. Sign up and read all the details about when/where in the link below.
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090848A5AA22ABFF2-61658457-soup
Silent Auction
We need volunteers to contact local businesses for the Spring Fair Silent Auction Items. If this is something you are interested in doing, please email parentcrew@thefsi.us. In addition, if you have a connection to a business and can donate an item, please reach out.
Breakfast & Lunch Menus
You can find our menus online: https://www.franklinschoolofinnovation.org/parents/nutrition/
Get Ready to Dance – it’s Flurries Time!
We are still in need of volunteers and donations for the annual Franklin Flurries dance! Click here for the Sign Up Genius. Flurries is hosted by the FSI Prom Committee and is our major fundraiser for Prom 2026. We very much appreciate your support! The Franklin Flurries middle school dance is Saturday, February 7th from 6:00-7:30pm. Tickets are $7 in advance and $10 at the door. Students can purchase tickets during lunches February 2nd – 6th (cash or check made out to FSI). Drinks, snacks, and pizza will be available for purchase at the dance (cash only). Questions? Contact Gretchen Kehrberg, gkehrberg@thefsi.us.
FSI Blood Drive Thursday, Feb 5 – Sign Up Today!
Our next Blood Drive is coming up on Thursday, Feb 5, from 9:30 am – 2:30 pm. We fell a little short of our goal last time so we really want to reach 30 donors this time! It’s a win-win-win. If we get 30 donors, the school receives a grant of $500. We pass this donation along to Habitat for Humanity as part of the Student Home Build. Our students need to raise a little over $7,000 for every build – so these grants matter!
Individual donors also receive $30 TBC Rewards.
Students age 16 and up can donate. Students ages 16 and 17 must have parent consent.
- Schedule your appointment!: https://donate.thebloodconnection.org/donor/schedules/drive_schedule/295088
- Parent Consent Forms: https://epcf.thebloodconnection.org/
- Health Questionnaire: https://thebloodconnection.org/complete-your-health-history-questionnaire-online/
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
Open Enrollment – Help Us Serve Our Community!
This coming Saturday, Jan 31 10 am we are hosting our first in-person Info Session and Tour for prospective families. Did you know that almost all our new students join FSI through an existing family or student connection to the school? Word of mouth is our most effective recruitment strategy. With North Carolina public schools facing real funding challenges (it’s not easy being DEAD LAST in public school funding) – full enrollment is essential to help our school thrive and grow.
You can help! Here are some simple steps you can take to help us fill every available seat:
- SHARE our social media posts. It’s great to like them – but sharing them really expands our reach! If you add a simple personal message (check out what my kid’s school is doing!) – it’s even more powerful
- Talk with friends, coworkers, colleagues about the positive experiences your student is having at FSI
- Invite people to attend our Info Sessions and Tours – information is available on our website
We have room to grow especially in 5th grade and our upper grades (11 – 12).
Open Enrollment Reminders
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. Do not re-apply through Open Enrollment and the lottery. You will complete a separate re-enrollment process – coming in February.
- 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/
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!
UNC Asheville Spring Break & Summer Soccer Camps
Looking for some soccer fun and training over spring break or summer? Check out the UNC Asheville programs. We’re just sharing this information – we’re not affiliated with these programs. ALL KIDS CAMPS ARE BOTH GIRLS & BOYS.
Information for all camps can be found at www.uncashevillemenssoccer.com.
Prom Dress Exchange March 6 – 8
Do you have a prom dress, suit or tux to pass along? Looking for something new for our prom? Maybe you have some sewing skills to help create a magical night for a local teen? Prom Dress Exchange 3/6-8 at Groce UMC.
This is a free 3 day event for anyone who needs free formal/semi formal wear, woman’s business wear/suits,
- Men’s suits, tuxedos – for prom, weddings, spring dances, etc.
- Free shoes, accessories, jewelry – sizes 00-4XL.
- Thousands of choices – all free!
Donations, Volunteers and Sewists needed.
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0844ACAB2DA0F85-61406288-theprom#/
Student Club News
Middle School Math Club is Underway
Mr. Byan has launched the Middle School math club. The club meets in Mr. Byan’s classroom from dismissal until 4:30. If you have questions or if you would like to help volunteer to support this club, please reach out to Mr. Byan, tbyan@thefsi.us. We haven’t had any volunteers step up yet – if you are able to help please let us know!
Please pick students up promptly at 4:30. Students who are not picked up will be placed in Beyond the Bell and daily BtB fees will apply.
Middle School Student Council
Next Full Student Council Meeting is Wed, Jan 28, from 12:45 – 1:45 pm. We will meet in the MS Tech Room.
General Club Information
You can find more information about clubs on our website, or contact Ron Scott, rscott@thefsi.us.
Reminders
NCSSM Summer Accelerator Camp – Apply Now!
Applications for North Carolina School of Science and Math Summer Accelerator are officially open.!! Camps are offered at both the Morganton and Durham campuses as well as online courses in June and July. Financial assistance is available if students register prior to the end of February.
NCSSM offers a residential program and an online program for rising 7th – 12th graders. The list of courses and registration link can be found at https://www.ncssm.edu/summer/summer-accelerator.
Girls Who Code Free Summer Learning Program
We’re passing along this opportunity from the nonprofit group Girls Who Code:
Pathways is a free, virtual program that empowers high school girls and non-binary students of all experience levels — including rising 9th graders, graduating seniors, and returning participants — to explore AI, Game Design, Cybersecurity, and more, while learning how to build tech for good. The program is entirely flexible in how participants choose to learn and requires no prior coding experience. Students complete courses at their own pace over seven weeks, from June 29 to August 14.
Beyond coding, students gain real-world insights through Partner Events with leading tech organizations, connect with peers through Girls Who Code’s private Discord community, and join optional Student Hours for live support. Participants earn a certificate for each completed course and join Girls Who Code’s lifelong alumni network, gaining access to mentorship, internships, and career opportunities in tech.
Students can apply by February 25th for priority consideration. The application closes on April 10th.
Music T-Shirts & Hoodies Now Available!
Our Modern Orchestra and Choir shirts are now available for purchase using the links below. This year we have three options of shirts, T-shirts, long sleeve shirts, and hoodies. There is also an option to get something printed on the back like a nickname, last name, etc. You can place orders up until 1/31/26. Please let me know if you have any questions or concerns.
- Modern Orchestra- https://www.imagemarket.com/b34hdf8a
- Choir- https://www.imagemarket.com/bb8f7hc5
High School Europe Adventure
Calling all travelers! The high school Europe trip is currently being organized – Contact Deeana at dbennett@thefsi.us if you are a rising 9th or above (parent) and interested in your student joining the trip to Switzerland, Italy, France and Spain!
- 13 days traveling in Europe
- Travel from the Alps to the Mediterranean Coast!
- Zurich, Switzerland and from there travel to Lake Lucerne, Lake Cuomo, Cinque Terre, Monaco, Avignon, Provence, Barcelona, and finally Madrid.
Order Your Yearbooks & Ads
The 2025-2026 Yearbooks are on sale! They are currently $55 until November 15th. They will go up to $55 after Nov. 15th. 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!
Food Banks & Supports
With the federal government shutdown, many families are facing an immediate need for nutrition support. The Asheville area is rising to the challenge! Whether you are in need of help or looking for a way to lend a hand, here are a few resources (thanks to Citizen Times for much of this list):
- MANNA Food Bank
- Bounty & Soul. Multiple markets, offering free produce and other whole foods, operate throughout the weekend in Asheville, Black Mountain, Fairview and Swannanoa. View the locations and schedule at bountyandsoul.org/community/market-schedule/.
- YMCA of Western North Carolina. The free mobile food markets travel across the region, including to parks, libraries, health system offices and neighborhood hubs across Asheville, Candler, Clyde, Hendersonville, Leicester, Marshall, Marion, Mills River and Old Fort. View the schedule and locations at ymcawnc.org/programs/community/food-programs. The YMCA is offering financial assistance for memberships and programs for those affected by the shutdown. Call (828) 251-5910 or email ybc@ymcawnc.org for details.
- Southside Community Farm. The Southside Free Grocery Program serves the Southside neighborhood by providing an outdoor pantry and refrigerator stocked with produce grown at the urban farm. Locations include the Edington Center, Dr. Wesley Grant Sr. Southside Community Center, and the South French Free Fridge and pantry.
- Food Connection. Fresh free meals are distributed from Food Connection “Beyond the Bus Line” distribution sites, including in Candler, Fairview, Leicester, Swannanoa and Weaverville. For the schedule and locations, visit food-connection.org.
- Asheville Buncombe Community Christian Ministry (ABCCM). The Crisis Ministries offers food, clothing, utility and rental assistance. For more, visit abccm.org.
- BeLoved Asheville. The community outreach organization is distributing EAT cards, which are gift cards to local stores, to families at schools and senior residents. For more, visit facebook.com/BeLovedAsheville or belovedasheville.com.
- Community Food Pantry. Open 2-5:30 p.m. Thursday at 3685 Chimney Rock Road in Hendersonville, communityfoodpantrync.com.
- The Storehouse. Open 9 a.m.-2 p.m. Wednesday-Friday at 1049 Spartanburg Highway in Hendersonville. storehouseonline.org.
- Calvary Food Pantry. Open 8-11 a.m. Saturday at 2840 Hendersonville Road in Fletcher. calvaryfletcher.org.
- Eblen Charities Meal Giveaway, Nov 21, 9 am – 4 pm, Ingles, 780 Hendersonville Road, first come, first serve
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…
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. You can sign up here: Free and reduced lunch application. Families can sign up at any time during the school year.
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 afterschool clubs also run through Beyond the Bell.
