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Donate to FSI Hurricane Recovery Fund
Good morning Franklin families,
It’s been another intense week with all the wildfires. I hope everyone is safe. If you live near one of the fires, please let us know if there is anything we can do to help. We will continue to monitor air quality daily. Thankfully we have an abundance of air purifiers for classrooms and an excellent air filtration system in the building. We have a busy week coming up with lots of great events on campus and off – so grab an extra cup of coffee or tea and read on!
It is budget season in North Carolina. I know I’ve raised this issue a lot this year and I’m not about to quit. We must let our elected leaders know that public school funding matters! Over 80% of all students in North Carolina and 85% of students with learning differences attend public schools. This isn’t a partisan issue – public schools have an impact on everyone. What does North Carolina’s terrible public school funding (seriously – 48 out of 50 is embarrassing!) mean for parents and students? Here are just a few ways that inadequate funding impacts parents and students:
- Higher teacher turnover as teachers leave the profession or the state for financial stability
- Less experienced teachers in classrooms
- Fewer school staff overall, so no one has time to do their job well
- Teachers and other school staff with second and third jobs, leaving them with less time and energy for their chosen profession
All of this contributes to more stress and less joy in school. Is this what we want for our children? They deserve better! Don’t blame the schools – blame our elected officials. Schools don’t have the power to raise teacher salaries on our own.
What can you do? Contact our elected officials! Call, email, write letters, drive to Raleigh if you are able! And get everyone you know to do the same. Let’s make our voices heard! Here’s the link again to the Education Call List.
Thank you to everyone who came out for our Student Led Conferences! I had the opportunity to sit in on some of the 7th grade SLCs and serve as a panelist for Senior Presentations. It’s amazing to see how much students grow in their ability to reflect on their strengths, set goals, and confidently communicate their plans for the future. One of our newer teachers said they couldn’t imagine students in their former school participating in SLCs or Passages – students just didn’t buy into the value of their education. This isn’t accidental. It’s what happens when students go through this process every year and practice the skills of self-reflection and presentation.
This Wednesday our 8th and 10th graders will present their Passages. All other students will have a remote learning day. Thank you for supporting this important part of our EL Education program!
Don’t miss TedX Youth! This Tuesday, 6 pm, at NC Stage FSI students present “What If”! This student-led event will remind you that the future will be in good hands! Tickets available at the door or online: https://northcarolinastagecompany.thundertix.com/events/244546
Thank you for choosing Franklin and supporting us through this crazy year.
Upcoming Events
Tues, April 1
- 6:00 pm: TEDX Youth @ NC Stage: Tickets at the door or online: https://northcarolinastagecompany.thundertix.com/events/244546
Wed, April 2: No In Person Classes
- 8th & 10th Grade Passages – Remote Day for all other grades
Thurs, April 3
- 8:30 am: Parent Crew Coffee Social @ FSI, Room 261. Registration is not required but will help us plan! Parent Coffee Social Attendance. All welcome!
- 9:30 am – 2:30 pm: Blood Drive @ FSI. Walk-ins welcome but appointments are appreciated: https://donate.thebloodconnection.org/donor/schedules/drive_schedule/281491
Sat, April 5
- 10:00 am – 2:00 pm: Mini Model UN @ FSI for high school students
Calendar Change: Thursday, June 5 – Weather Make Up Day
Thursday, June 5 is a weather make up day. Wed, June 4 will be a full day (no early release) and June 5 will now be our last day of school and an early release day.
Keep up with our Community Calendar: FSI Community Calendar
Need to see the year at a glance? FSI 2024-25 Academic Calendar
Parent Crew
Grade Level Baskets
Parent Crew is collecting new item donations and gift cards for themed grade-level baskets. A drawing will be held for these baskets on Monday, April 28, tickets for the drawing will be available for a $5 donation in early April.
- 5th/12th- Foodie Basket- Cards to restaurants or stores, jams, jellies, snacks, candies, drinks, cooking items anything a foodie would love.
- 6th/11th-828 Basket-local restaurant and store gift cards, items from the area, items that represent Asheville, anything 828.
- 7th/10th Outdoor basket- Gift Cards, gardening supplies, outdoor, sports, outdoors, hiking, anything related to outdoor activities
- 8th/9th Art Lover-art supplies, gift cards, adult coloring books, beads, paintings, jewelry, art, and anything related to art.
If you have an item to donate that doesn’t fit your grade level theme, and would go better with another basket, please send it in any way. We will find a space for it in another basket! Please bring the items to the school front desk by Wednesday 04/02 clearly labeled with the grade level, theme, your name, and contact information. We appreciate all of your generosity, help, and support!
Parent Crew is hosting a parent coffee social at the school on April 3 at 8:30AM in room 261. This is a great time to get to know fellow Franklin Families. Meet other parents, hang for a bit, have a coffee and a little nosh for a great start to the day! Please join us, everyone is welcome. To help us plan for supplies needed, let us know if you plan to attend here: Parent Coffee Social Attendance. It is not required to RSVP, you can just drop in the day of!
Mark your calendars for upcoming Parent Crew meetings!
- 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
FSI Blood Drive – This Thursday, April 3!
Our first Blood Drive of the year was a great success. Our next drive is this week and donors who gave last time are eligible to give again. We’d love to see some new faces as well! This is a terrific way to provide a much needed resource for the community AND help FSI raise funds for a Habitat for Humanity student home build. Appointments are encouraged! Register for an appointment here:
https://donate.thebloodconnection.org/donor/schedules/drive_schedule/281491
If you are the ages of 16 or 17 and you would like to donate, have your parent or guardian fill out this consent form. https://thebloodconnection.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/09/i011-NC_16-17Year_Old_Consent.pdf
Summer Learning Recovery Program for Middle School Students
Did you miss our survey about the Summer Learning Recovery Program? Please take a minute to complete it today! We do not have more information about this Hurricane Relief program so please be patient with us as we wait for more information from the State. If you would like your student to attend, please complete this survey today! Summer Learning Recovery Program Survey. The program will be free and we will provide transportation and lunch.
Career Opportunities! Earn While You Learn!
A representative from the Electrical Training Alliance will be at FSI on April 23 @ 10:30 (during smart period) for students who would like additional information on the electrical apprenticeship program. This is a great opportunity for students who aren’t sure what they want to do after high school. Free education and the chance to earn while you learn the skills for a high-demand career!
FSI Junior/Senior Prom 2025 – Old Hollywood
Step into the glamour and elegance of the golden age of cinema at this year’s prom! Join us for a night of red carpet moments, dazzling lights, and timeless Hollywood charm. Get ready for an unforgettable evening of music, dancing, and star-studded memories! Prom is Saturday, May 3 from 7-10pm at The Venue. Tickets are $30 and can be purchased online starting March 31. Use this link to purchase tickets online. Tickets are also available for purchase in person at school. After April 25 tickets are $45 and available only in person. Tickets will be available at the door on prom night for $45. If you would like to invite a non-FSI student please complete this form and return to Ms Gretchen before April 28. Questions? Contact gkehrberg@thefsi.us.
Student Written & Published Poetry
This week Julia Wharton’s high school poetry class has begun work on a student-made poetry book, in which all high school students are invited to submit their poems for publication. Students may submit up to two poems via the Google Form. They are also looking for students to submit their original artwork to be featured in the book alongside the poetry, which can be given directly to Julia Wharton. Submission for both is completely free. The deadline to submit all poems and art is April 10, and only grades 9-12 may submit. Also, Julia Wharton’s poetry class has begun fundraising for their book. Until May 2, students can pre-order a copy for a 10% discount at $4.50. Students can also donate directly to the book’s publication. All pre-orders and donations must be given to Mrs. Wharton. All copies will be available on May 21st.
College Corner
Finding Your Path: Choosing the Right Major at Community College
Thursday, April 3rd, 7:30pm
Join this free, live Q&A webinar designed for students and families looking to choose the right major at community college. Learn how to align your interests and goals with academic programs, understand how majors connect to careers and transfer opportunities, and get practical tools and guidance to help you navigate your options with confidence. Register here.
T-STEP Program
T-STEP (TEACCH School Transition to Employment and Post-secondary Education) is a free program available to autistic students aged 16 – 21. Classes will be offered at AB Tech Community College this fall, with class starting on September 9th! More information is available at teacch.com/tstep. Learn more by registering for the April 8th info session: register for the T-STEP Virtual Info Session on April 8th at 7 pm!
Reminders – So Many Great Things Happening!
Really Cool Student Led Events
As an EL Education school, FSI promotes student leadership in school and beyond. These upcoming events are great opportunities that are unique to our high school. You can’t get these experiences in any other local school!
- Tuesday, April 1st, FSI students will host the only TedX Youth event in Asheville. Mark your calendars for this great event! April 1, 6 pm at NC Stage, tickets at the door. High school students – if you need volunteer hours, please reach out to hazelwells@thefsi.us or lilakneile@thefsi.us to help out with the TedXYouth event.
- Saturday, April 5, 1st ever Model UN Conference at FSI. This fun event, led by students with the support of high school teacher Matt Reynolds, will be an in-house Model UN mini conference. Our goal is to host this conference for our students in preparation for hosting a local conference next year.
Pickleball Tournament and Spring Fair
Get ready to serve, volley and smash your way to victory in our FIRST annual pickleball tournament Saturday, April 26th from 11am ~ 1pm! There will be middle school, high school, adult and staff divisions, and we’ll try to match teams up by skill level, so everyone can play! Teams are made up of two people and registration is $20/team – so get out of the “kitchen”, grab your partner and register your team today!
Student Division – MS Division (5th-8th grades) and HS Division (9th-12th grades)
Adult Division – 18 and Up
Staff Division – For FSI Staff
Registrations need to be submitted by Friday, April 25th so that we can construct the brackets for each division. There will be no on site team registrations. The only surefire way to “bagel” at this tournament is to not register ahead of time.
The Parent Crew is organizing a spring fair the same date as the pickleball tournament to help raise funds for staff appreciation. There will be a fair with craft and market vendors made up of FSI students, parents and staff in the community room and courtyard, along with activities like face painting, temporary tattoos, carnival style games to play, basket raffles and possibly some music (tbd). This event is for the entire FSI community, to help support their community. Come, check out the crafts and some FSI family-owned businesses, have fun with the games and activities, or watch some pickleball! If you’re here for the tournament and you have some time between rounds, go explore. This will be a super fun day with a lot to do. Bring on the spring!
Have questions about pickleball? Contact Coach Burke at kburke@thefsi.us
Have questions about the fair? Contact Micah Usher at musher@thefsi.us
FREE! Outward Bound Expeditions for FSI HS Students
We are excited to continue a partnership with North Carolina Outward Bound, and even more excited to announce that FSI high school students (aged 14 – 18) may be eligible for scholarships to participate in life-changing Outward Bound expeditions. You can learn more about the program here: https://www.ncobs.org/expeditions/classic-high/
These scholarships are available because FSI is an EL Education high school. Learn more: See Jessica Potter-Bowers, MK Hyche, or JaneAnne Tager for a flyer and get help with your application, or email Michelle Vruwink, mvruwink@thefsi.us, for a link to start your application.
DV Awareness Workshop: April 24 @ FSI
We are excited to host an important workshop in collaboration with Our VOICE and Verbal Purple! Our VOICE Inc. is a non-profit crisis intervention and prevention agency that has been serving survivors of sexual violence, ages 13 through adult, in Buncombe County for over 45 years. Our VOICE also works to provide primary prevention education to stop sexual violence before it occurs.
In collaboration with Verbal Purple and Our VOICE, we will be facilitating SAFE, an Anti-Human Trafficking Prevention Education Workshop, informed by existing scientific evidence, that teaches on sex trafficking risk factors, recruitment dynamics, warning signs, healthy and abusive relationships, and strategies for seeking and providing help for youth.
The SAFE Anti-Human Trafficking Prevention Education Workshop includes sensitive content related to human trafficking and we understand this material may be distressing for some individuals. We also understand these conversations can bring up a wide variety of feelings and reactions, so reach out to Our VOICE if you need support or have concerns about the content.
Our VOICE website: Home – Our VOICE (ourvoicenc.org)
Crisis line: CRISIS LINE: (828) 255-7576
This workshop is intended for anyone in 6th grade through 12th grade and their parents. It is also available to the wider community, if you have friends that would like to join.
Join us on Thursday, April 24th at 6pm at the Franklin School of Innovation!
Please help us estimate attendance by filling out this short form
This form is optional but helps us prepare for how many people to expect!
Author Robert Beatty (Serafina & the Black Cloak) Coming to Pack Square
Robert Beatty, the author of Serafina and the Black Cloak, is coming to Pack Memorial Library on Saturday, May 10 at 2pm. He plans to share about his latest book, Sylvia Doe and the 100 Year Flood, and talk about the filming of his book trailer. Malaprops will have books for folks to purchase at the event and there will be a signing afterward. This program is targeted toward tweens and their families, but of course all ages are welcome. What a fun opportunity to meet an author of a book many of our students have read! And if your student hasn’t read it – maybe this is a fun way to encourage them to read.
Apply for Free/Reduced Lunch
FSI is now participating in the Federal School Lunch Program. Families must apply for the program every year. We will help you with your applications! Click to APPLY HERE!
If you need help, call the school office (318-8140), stop by the front desk for paper applications, or email Tammey Harper, tharper@thefsi.us for help.
Did you know: Now that our school is part of the National School Lunch Program, students with approved applications for free or reduced lunch may also be eligible for summer “Sun Bucks” program, offering $120 per student for summer food purchases? You can learn more here: https://www.ncdhhs.gov/sunbucks
Car Line Reminders
It seems that it is time for a reminder to be good citizens in the car line. No one loves the car line – we get it. But if we all follow the rules and work together, the line moves pretty quickly and we keep students and staff safe! Here are a few reminders:
- All traffic is one way during arrival and dismissal. There are NO exceptions. It simply isn’t safe.
- Students are to be picked up by the building – not in the driveway and especially not by the road.
- Turn right at Sardis Road.
- Watch your speed
Thank you to everyone who regularly follows these expectations!
Drivers Education – Summer Opportunity
Franklin will host a summer Driver’s Ed program July 14 – 18 from 9 am – 3 pm. Please note that we do not provide Driver’s Ed directly – all Driver’s Ed in WNC is provided by Mountain Pro. We are just the hosts. Registration is available at https://www.mtnpro.com/school-classes
Please see the attendance policy below. Again – this is not Franklin’s policy and we cannot intervene or advocate for any changes to the policy. You may want to wait until closer to the date of class to register to avoid any conflicts. Registrations are not transferable or refundable.
Attendance Policy: Students must pay a $65 fee for the classroom phase of Driver Education on or before the first day of their selected class. There will be no refunds if a student does not attend, drops out or fails The State mandates students attend 30 hours in entirety to receive credit. Voluntary medical or dental appointments and school-related activities such as tryouts, sports, field trips, concerts, etc. are not excused absences. Five Day Classes (Holiday Classes, etc.) and Summer classes: There are no makeup days for these classes. Students absent from one (1) of these classes will be listed as a Fail, and if allowed, will have to register and pay to attend another class in its entirety.
Donate Used, Broken, or Unwanted Electronics!
The Franklin School of Innovation Electronics Repair Club is accepting donations of used, broken, or unwanted electronics. Anything from small smart watches up to larger laptops (including PC, mac/apple and android devices). No printers, desktops, or monitors, please… we don’t have the space for them!
Please include the power supply(s), password(s) (if one or more things haven’t been reset) and what is believed to be wrong with the device via a bundled note. Label the donation “for ERC” and bring it to the front office. If we can’t find a second life for your donated item we will make sure personal data is securely wiped and that it is brought to an upcoming local e-waste collection event.
We may be able to repair items! If you are interested in a quote for repair, please include that in your note along with your contact information.
Yearbook Sales
Our yearbook class is busy capturing fantastic memories of this year! Get yours here.
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 in session: 2024 FSI Clubs. Please remember that students need to sign in to Beyond the Bell for after school clubs.
