Good morning Franklin community,
Thank you to everyone who helped with Teacher & Staff Appreciation Week! We enjoyed delicious treats, many kind thank-you notes, and a special surprise on Friday with individual gift bags and delicious Asheville-based Poppy Popcorn. One of our new teachers shared that this was her first Teacher Appreciation experience and she loved the many sweet thank-yous she received through the week. I believe these little acts of gratitude form a stronger community and better student outcomes. It’s a simple equation! Happy and supported teachers and staff have more capacity to love and support our students. Thank you especially to our Class Parent volunteers who really stepped up to organize the week.
We have one more week of “normal” school before end of year testing begins. As a public charter school, we are required to administer End of Grade (middle school) and End of Course (high school) state standardized tests. There is a lot that goes on to schedule and administer these tests! As parents/guardians, your role is to be sure your student is well-rested and well-fed before their exam days, and to get your student to school on time on the day of their exams. Please do your best to have your student in school on the date of their scheduled tests. Make up testing is particularly difficult this year as we begin preparing the modular buildings for removal.
High School EOCs – week of May 22 – 26
Tues, May 23: English 2 (primarily 10th grade students – any student taking English 2)
Wed, May 24: Biology (primarily 10th grade – all students taking Biology)
Thur, May 25: Math 1 (all students taking Math 1 – primarily 9th grade & some 8th graders)
Fri, May 26: Math 3 (primarily 11th grade – any student taking Math 3)
Middle School EOGs – week of May 29 – June 2
Tues, May 30: Make Up Tests (high school and planned middle school absences)
Wed, May 31: Reading – all students grades 5 – 8
Thur, June 1: Math – all students grades 5 – 8, except 8th grade students taking Math 1
Fri, June 2: Science – all students in grade 5 and grade 8 (no test for 6th & 7th)
| Wednesday, May 24 & May 31 are FULL days. Students are released at 3:15 and 3:35 due to end of year testing requirements |
Parent Crew Update: Vote May 17! Get Involved!
We are so excited to announce the new Parent Crew has met over the last few weeks to establish priorities, structure of the organization, and a guiding mission statement to gear us up for a wonderful fall and beyond. Voting to approve the Parent Crew mission statement and officer positions will be held on Wednesday, 5/17 at 6pm (online only), all at FSI are welcome to join us and participate in this process. There are some leadership positions available, e-mail musher@thefsi.us if you are interested!
Parent Crew Vote Meeting
Wednesday, May 17 · 6:00 – 6:30pm
Time zone: America/New_York
Google Meet joining info
Video call link: https://meet.google.com/tah-cnrm-typ
Or dial: (US) +1 424-296-1426 PIN: 799 265 185#
The present mission statement can be found here: Parent Crew Mission Statement
Please set aside a few minutes to TAKE ACTION and urge our elected officials to invest in our students and our public schools! Our School Funding Toolkit makes it very easy. The Toolkit includes the following items:
- Video produced by FSI 5th graders teaching you how to call elected officials (you can also watch the video on Facebook: https://fb.watch/k6moix3Njp/ and Instagram:Franklin School of Innovation (@thefranklinschoolofinnovation) • Instagram photos and videos
- Scripts for emails & phone calls
- Emails and phone numbers for important elected officials in North Carolina’s House & Senate
Share the Toolkit with your friends and family! You can email it to them, put it on your social media – whatever you can do to make sure that our community lets our elected officials know that our children deserve better than 48th place in funding!
Spring Racism & Equity Workshops
Did you attend any of our spring workshops? Last chance to complete this form! We Need to Talk Sign In Form. We will determine the winning Crews by Wed, May 17.
Cool opportunity for some self-guided learning – check out the Freedom Riders Exhibit at the Registry of Deeds, 205 College Street, 8 am – 5 pm M – F. While the exhibit was originally intended to be a simple hallway exhibit for Black History Month it morphed into something more. It features a gallery of mugshots of the students and clergy who rode buses into the belly of the best of racism in the South. The exhibit goes through the historical events that took place but it also narrows in on the individual riders stories as well.
Pizza Sales on Fridays: No pizza June 2
Pizza sales for May 19 and 26 will support our middle and high school theatre programs (pizza sales are usually organized by athletic director Kim Burke to support our athletic program). There will be NO PIZZA on Friday, June 2.
This Week’s Reason for Optimism
We hit the top of the charts for optimism this week! First, it has been so much fun to host 30+ guests from France. I saw our guests everywhere this week! I know they will return to Saumur exhausted and filled with new adventures and experiences from their week with FSI. A huge thank you to the NC Arboretum for hosting our students for a FREE visit!
Thursday night our high school Poetry class organized a book release and Open Mic, hosted by FSI family-owned Asheville Music Hall. It was a beautiful opportunity for our students to share their many talents in front of a warm and supportive crowd. Students from grade 6 – 12, faculty, and even two of our French guests courageously and vulnerably stepped into the spotlight to perform poems, readings, music, and dance. The individuality and creativity of our community was perfectly represented.
We ended the week Friday with a standing-room only, rock the rafters performance by our music department! Did you know that our music program more than tripled in size in just one year? While that is remarkable growth, it is dwarfed by the growth in skill demonstrated by our student musicians. Thank you to the amazing Sandi Wilson for her leadership and to all the students who worked so hard and achieved so much this year! We can’t wait to see how this program continues to grow.
Upcoming Events
Mon, May 15
- 6:30 pm: French Guests Farewell Dinner (FSI Community Room)
Wed, May 17
- 6:30 pm: Parent Crew Mission & Election Meeting: https://meet.google.com/tah-cnrm-typ
Sun, May 21
- 9 am – 3 pm: Mountain Bike State Championship Meet
Plan Ahead!
Wed, May 24 and May 31 – FULL school days
Mon, May 29 – NO SCHOOL: Memorial Day Holiday
Keep up with all our events on our Community Calendar!
Need to see the 2022-2023 School Calendar in one place? It’s on our website – click here
NEW! Approved 2023-2024 School Calendar
Dual Enrollment – Earn High School & College Credit!
Have you ever wondered what dual-enrollment is or why dual enrollment?
The CCP (College & Career Promise) dual-enrollment program allows high school juniors and seniors to earn college credit by enrolling in community college courses while in high school. These classes count as FSI elective credit and if a student earns a “C” or higher in a course, the credit also transfers to all 4-year schools in the UNC system. Clink on the links to learn more about the program, eligibility and the career pathways available. Registration is open for fall classes until the end of May. Students should speak with Ms. Tager (jtager@thefsi.us) if they have questions or wish to complete an application for the CCP program.
Another Open Mic! May 22 @ Doc Brown’s
Last Open Mic was a huge hit, so we are back at it for another night of incredible music and delicious food. Join us for our second Open Mic Night at Doc Brown’s BBQ Monday May 22nd 6-8pm in support of the FSI Music Dept. All are welcome, all are welcome to perform. Please reach out with any questions to Mrs. Wilson swilson@thefsi.us. Thank you Doc Brown for hosting! Fun fact from the 1st Open Mic – an FSI alum performed and now has an ongoing gig as a result. So cool! Link to event: https://fb.me/e/135cO0pX0
The Third Talk: How to Protect Children from Adult Content
Parent/Family Workshop: May 24, 6:00 – 7:30 pm at Evergreen Community Charter School
The exposure of our young people to explicit adult content is a health challenge we are just beginning to understand. Children are first exposed to this content, on average, at age 11. Exposure can cause emotional and physical challenges, rewire neural pathways, inhibit information retention and empathy, and create mental challenges early in a child’s development. We encourage parents to bring their children to this important discussion. The facilitator will provide a family-friendly environment without shame, blame, or colorful language. Pizza will be available! We are partnering with Evergreen to provide this workshop to our families. Sign up here: The Third Talk Sign Up
GrindFest! May 26 – 28 – Volunteers Needed!
Celebrating the local BIPOC community is a great step in your personal anti-racist journey! Grindfest is a free, 3-day event (May 26 – 28) that celebrates the success of Black entrepreneurs + business owners in Asheville. A block-party-style event will take place at 8 Rivers Arts Place! This includes a weekend full of music, games, live performance, food, local vendors + learning, employment, and partnership opportunities. The goal of the festival is to highlight the progress made by people of color while also connecting folks in the community. A long weekend of fun and excitement.
- RSVP here: https://bit.ly/GrindFest2023
- Sign up to volunteer here: https://grindfestavl.com/be-a-volunteer
- Get your tickets to the GRINDFest Concert featuring BigBoi, Waka Flocka Flame & Talib Kweli! https://app.moonclerk.com/pay/5/169n22g6uuoe
- Join the Black Wall Street community here: https://bit.ly/BWSAVLMembership
- Partner and support BIPOC Community: https://bit.ly/BWSAVLPartnership
FSI School Store is Open!
Get your FSI & Bolts gear and represent your school in style!
Tees, hoodies, scarves and more – check it out! FSI School Apparel Store
FSI Food Pantry
The FSI food pantry will provide supplemental nutrition to families experiencing short or long term financial difficulty and food insecurity. Food bags containing non-perishable items will be distributed Friday afternoons. To request supplemental food assistance, please contact your child’s school counselor. Want to help out? Bring donations of food items to the main office – there’s a bin in the entryway!
High school: Mary Kinsey Hyche at mkhyche@thefsi.us
Middle school: Jennifer Negron at jnegron@thefsi.us
You can also complete this google form: Food Pantry Form
Responses to the form are sent to the counselors and all information will be kept confidential.
If you would like to contribute to the food pantry, please contact Matt Speed, Nutrition Coordinator at mspeed@thefsi.us.
COVID & Flu Updates
PCR testing is available free of charge weekly on Mondays. Testing for high school students is available from 11:30 – 1 pm in the collaboration space on the first floor of Big Ben. High school students can come on their own during lunch. Testing will then be available in Einstein, Parks, and Johnson for students in grades 5 – 8; nurses will let students know when they are available in each building. If you want your student to participate in testing – please remind them!
If you are new to Franklin or have not yet provided consent for testing, it’s not too late:
- Parental consent for students under age 18: Click here: https://testcenter.concentricbyginkgo.com/minor-consent
- Student consent – age 18 and up: Click here: https://testcenter.concentricbyginkgo.com/invite-by-code
- Our school access code is FRANKLINS1. You will need this to complete the consent form
- You only need to provide consent once
Middle School News Videos
5th Grade Theatre students are writing, filming, producing, and directing the news Monday and Friday each week. Click on the folder below to see the news each week!
Morning News Videos- 2022-2023–
Athletic News
No new news! The spring season has just about wrapped up – good luck to the Mountain Bike team next Sunday!
Club News: Clubs are beginning to wrap up for the year. Be sure to check with your Club sponsor for final dates!
Habitat for Humanity Student Group
The Habitat for Humanity Student meets on Tuesdays during lunch in room #226.
Middle School Creative Writing
The club meets 1st and 3rd Mondays of each month from 3:30 – 4:30 pm, and 2nd and 4th Fridays each month from 3:30 – 4:30 in Ms. O’Dell’s room. Contact Ms. O’Dell for more information (aodell@thefsi.us)
Math Club
Math club is open for all our students – ALL GRADES – and it is a great opportunity for students to explore the beauty and application of Math outside their classrooms. Math is a subject full of creativity and opportunity that many students enjoy. Besides the academic benefits, math club is also a great way to meet new people and develop teamwork skills. Math club meets on Tuesdays right after school from 3:30-5:00 PM in the New Building room #224. .
Middle School Drama Club
Congratulations on a great SWAPS production! Thank you to all who came to support theatre in action at FSI. If you missed the show – you can check out the videos!
High School Drama Club
Congratulations on a fantastic production!
Use this QR code to stay clued in on FSI HS Theatre news with our monthly
FSI High School Theatre Newsletter!
Chess: Do you like to play Chess or do you want to learn?! Join FSI’s Chess Club and learn from our expert instructor, Mr. Bruce Roth. Chess Club meets every Tuesday from 4-5 p.m. The winter semester will begin January 10, 2023, and end April 25, 2023. Students will meet in the Community Room with Beyond the Bell from dismissal until the class begins! All grades and levels are welcome!! The fee is $50/per semester or $100/per year. All checks must be payable to Bruce Roth. For more information, contact Bruce Roth at 828 230 5139 or by email at brucerothchess@gmail.com
BIPOC Student Union (BSU):The BSU offers a safe space for students to share their experiences and to identify ways our school can address specific and systemic racism. Community mentor Bruce Waller is returning to support our BSUs, joining faculty sponsor Keith Knox. BSU is open to all students who identify as People of Color. HS BSU meets Tuesdays and Fridays from noon – 1 pm.
Film Club! This club is returning from last year and meets alternating Tuesdays and Thursdays from 3:45 – 4:45. Email Michaela Mamone-Peeples for more information.
Girls who Code will meet every other Monday after school from 3:15 – 4:30 in Edison 19. Email bdavenport@thefsi.us with any questions.
MS GSA (Gender & Sexuality Alliance)
MS GSA (gender and sexuality alliance): Middle School GSA meets every Friday 3:15-4:30pm. We welcome everyone and work to empower LGBTQ+ lives. Contact afortune@thefsi.us to join.
HS GSA
HS GSA – contact MK Hyche, mkhyche@thefsi.us, or Justina Powell, jpowell@thefsi.us
High School Studio Art Club
Mondays, Starting September 19, 2022
3:45 – 5:00, Big Ben, first floor Art Room #133
Hosted by Ms. Jen jlipsey-edwards@thefsi.us
HS Studio Art Club is a place to gather with other creative teens who have a genuine interest in the visual arts. Folks will have a place to chill, work on art, listen to music, have tea, and to inspire and be inspired. The Studio is where friendship, collaboration, feedback, sharing, and support come together to make magic! You do not need to commit to showing up every week. However, advance registration is required to attend as you’re able to. Register here: https://forms.gle/czLbV186Ep7K31gb9
Science Olympiad Club
Do you geek out on all things science? Are you a competitive person who needs a medal hanging around your neck to prove your science prowess? This is a science competition against other schools in our area with a potential to move on to state and national levels. Science Olympiad will meet in Room 141 from 3:30-4:15 every Friday. Open to MS and HS students! Contact jbragdon@thefsi.us if you have any questions.
Middle School Robotics
Middle School Robotics team meets Thursdays, 3:15pm to 4:00 pm in the Middle School Tech room (Edison 19).
Who do I go to when….
Whether you are new or returning to Franklin, we know you will have questions, and we want to help you find the best person to answer them, quickly and efficiently. We hope this little guide will help you navigate!
I have a question about my child’s grade, an assignment, or something specific to one class: Start with your child – what do they know? Then, the classroom teacher
I’m worried about my child’s overall progress, or progress in multiple classes: Your child’s Crew advisor can help coordinate a team response or meeting
My child seems anxious, sad, or unhappy: Jennifer Negron is our middle school counselor, and Mary Kinsey Hyche is our high school counselor
I think my child is being bullied, or other behavior/discipline concerns: Tony Freeman, Middle School Principal or Peter Tromba High School Principal
My child will miss school: For short-term absences (illness, doctor’s appointments, etc), send an email to attendance@thefsi.us, or bring a written note to the front office. Notes must be received within 48 hours of student’s return to school. Longer-term or frequent absences (5 days/quarter) require documentation from a medical care provider.
I’ve contacted a teacher, but the problem isn’t resolved: Your child’s Principal
I think my child may need special education services or accommodations: Paula Dowd, Director of Exceptional Services
My child requires medication during the school day, has a special health need, or has tested positive for COVID: Contact our school nurse, Jessica Perraud
I think we need some support for my child’s challenging behaviors: Jessica Potter-Bowers (JP) or Kara Lacey, Behavior Specialists
I have a question about enrollment, student records or I need a copy of my student’s report card or transcript: Erinn Otten, Director of Student Services
My student needs a chromebook, hotspot, or help with technology: Matt Mikulski, Technology Director
My child has an IEP, and I have questions about the services provided: Your child’s Exceptional Children teacher is your first contact:
- Grade 5: Brittany Davenport
- Grade 6: Tammy Leahy
- Grade 7: Meagan Barnhard
- Grade 8: Donnie Stahlke
- MS Resource Room: Meaghann Denkenberger
- Grade 9: Lindsey Wehrli
- Grade 10: Greg Wingard
- Grade 11: Paul Szumski
- Grade 12: Gretchen Kehrberg
- HS Occupational Course of Study: Kelsey Reid
I have questions about sports: Kim Burke, Athletic Director
I want to know more about after or before-school services: Ronald Scott, Director of After School Programs
I want to know more about your music program: Sandi Wilson, Director of Instrumental and Vocal Ensembles
I am interested in your theatre programs! Chris Martin, MS Theatre teacher/director and Julia Wharton, HS Theatre teacher/director
I have questions about your school bus or student parking: Deeana Bennett, Director of Operations
I am interested in carpooling/ride-sharing: Check out our carpool facebook group (you need to request to join):
I want to know more about college planning, including advanced courses like AP and Dual Enrollment, financial aid, or the college application process: JaneAnne Tager, College & Career Counselor
I have high level concerns or questions about the school, such as a problem that hasn’t been resolved through my principal, an immediate school safety concern, or more general questions about the school’s philosophy, approach, or plans for the future: Michelle Vruwink, Executive Director
Our Teaching Teams for 2022-2023!
| Teaching Teams
5th Grade Brandie Dallara, ELA & Social Studies: bdallara@thefsi.us Jennifer Ryan, Science & Social Studies: jryan@thefsi.us Chris Pauley, Math & Social Studies: cpauley@thefsi.us 6th Grade Ashley O’Dell, ELA: aodell@thefsi.us Charlie Keller, Math: ckeller@thefsi.us Samuel “Latt” Berry Foster:, Science: sfoster@thefsi.us Evan Baptista, Social Studies: ebaptista@thefsi.us 7th Grade Jared Gallow, ELA: jgallow@thefsi.us Zoe Wallce, Math: zwallace@thefsi.us Nick Liu, Science: nliu@thefsi.us Grace Nyanga, Social Studies: gnyanga@thefsi.us 8th Grade Kyle Wilson, ELA: kwilson@thefsi.us AJ Jones, Math lead: ajones@thefsi.us Rhneea Riddle, Math Specialist: rriddle@thefsi.us Keith Knox, Social Studies: kknox@thefsi.us Makesha Gordon, Science: mgordon@thefsi.us Lora Hawkins, English I: lhawkins@thefsi.us Jerry Lubos, World History: jlubos@thefsi.us Liz Baron: Math 1 & 2: lbaron@thefsi.us Jessica Bragdon, Earth Science/ AP Earth: jbragdon@thefsi.us 10th Grade Matt Reynolds, Civics: mreynolds@thefsi.us Justina Powell, English 2: jpowell@thefsi.us Marcel Duhaime, Math 2: mduhaime@thefsi.us Julia Adams, Biology: jadams@thefsi.us 11th Grade Bryan Head, English III/AP Lang: bhead@thefsi.us Tess Barnes Dunn, American History, AP Research: tbarnesdunn@thefsi.us Teshale Byan, Math 3 & AP Calculus: tbyan@thefsi.us Mary Smith, Chemistry, Forensics: msmith@thefsi.us 12th Grade Alex Humphrey, English IV & AP Lit:: ahumphreyr@thefsi.us Lexi Johnson, World History: ljohnson@thefsi.us Teshale Byan, AP Calculus: tbyan@thefsi.us Elizabeth Joslin, NC Wildlife (Science) & EcoWarriors: ejoslin@thefsi.us Jessica Fine: Pre Calc, Math 4: jfine@thefsi.us Elective Teachers: MS PE: Anne Gillis: agillis@thefsi.us HS PE & Athletic Director: Kimberly Burke, kburke@thefsi.us MS Art: Jennifer Lipsey Edwards: jlipsey-edwards@thefsi.us HS Art: Kati Robbins, krobbins@thefsi.us MS Tech & Computer Science: Adrienne Fortune, afortune@thefsi.us MS Counselor: Jennifer-Raé Negron, jnegron@thefsi.us HS Theatre, Art of Argument: Julia Wharton, jwharton@thefsi.us MS Theatre: Chris Martin, cmartin@thefsi.us MS/HS Music and Orchestra: Sandi Wilson, swilson@thefsi.us, French 1: Mackenzie Arnold: marnold@thefsi.us French2 & 3 and HS, PE: Chad Gerber, cgerber@thefsi.us HS Spanish: Hanna Walden, hwalden@thefsi.us MS & HS Spanish: Heather Kabat, hkabat@thefsi.us Adventure Ed: Jessica Potter-Bowers, jpotter-bowers@thefsi.us |
