Dear Franklin families,
Do you remember what we were doing at this time last year? In the crush of everyday activities and stressors it’s hard to forget just how much harder everything was last year. At this time last year running non-potable water had just been restored and we were working hard to reopen school by the end of the month. The task list was so unlike our “normal” school work – inspecting and repairing all the systems in the building, sourcing mass quantities of potable water, donating and delivering the supplies that filled our Community Room, and figuring out nutritious meals that could be safely prepared with minimal water. We were also reaching out to find ways to support staff and families with the crushing mental health needs, something which remains a significant challenge today.
Student and staff stress always rises at the end of the first quarter. It’s when the work of school starts to really sink in. Are we doing all the things well enough? There’s value in reflecting on the challenges we overcame last year and the way we worked together to provide a “normal” school experience following the disruption of the hurricane. Coming together with a shared purpose created a strong sense of community and reminded us of how important our culture really is.
We’re focused on building on that foundation of community this year. In Crew this week students will explore the idea of belonging. Our faculty Crew working group designed a week of lessons with the following learning targets:
- I can reflect on how norms and HoS help me to create a safe space and a sense of belonging for all members of our community.
- I can contribute to the culture of belonging for all members of my crew and community.
- I can reflect on the identities and communities that define me.
- I can be an active listener when my crew mates share their identities
- I can share my experiences at FSI aligned to crew and a sense of belonging.
Crew is so much more than a 30 minute class. It’s a way of being that strengthens our school culture. We hope these Crew lessons will start conversations that go on long after this week.
It’s Spirit Week! Check out the fun themes for student dress up days and remember that Friday is “Tat the Teacher” day! Temporary tattoos will be on sale during lunch Monday – Thursday – $1, $3, or $5. Choose your tattoo and your teacher and join the fun!
There is a LOT of information in this week’s newsletter. Refill that coffee mug and keep reading!
Thank you for choosing Franklin and believing in the power of Crew. Taking time to listen to one another is more important today than ever. We are stronger when we work together.
Upcoming Events
It’s Spirit Week! Check out each day’s theme and show your school spirit!
Monday, Oct 20
- Jersey Day! Rock your favorite sports team’s jersey. (Not into sports? Pick your favorite concert tee!)
Tuesday, Oct 21
- Y2K Day: Dress like the early 2000’s and prepare for tech’s doom day
- 4:15 pm: MS Flag Football vs. Evergreen @ FSI
- 4:30 pm: MS Cross Country Conference Meet @ Shining Rock
Wednesday, Oct 22
- Bolts Day: Wear our school colors (blue & orange) or your favorite Bolts gear
- 1:15 – 3:15 pm: HS Boys Basketball Try-Outs
Thursday, Oct 23
- Twin Day: Find a twin & dress alike or dress like your favorite teacher
- 4:00 – 6:00 pm: HS Boys Basketball Try-Outs
- 4:15 pm: MS Flag Football vs Mountain Community @ FSI
- 5:00 – 7:00 pm: Open Mic Night @ Doc Brown’s BBQ
Friday, Oct 24
- Fancy Day (AKA – anything BUT pajamas)
Saturday, Oct 25
- 7:00 – 9:00 pm: High School Homecoming Dance: Pre Sale Tickets: $15 (on sale during HS lunches this week), $20 at the door
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
HS Volleyball
The Bolts played in the first round of the CAASC State Tournament vs IC Imagine. This was the third match-up between the teams this season. The Bolts challenged and did all th3y could, but lost 3-0. The team bounced back the next night in their season finale at Fern Leaf. The Bolts dropped the first set, but won the next three for a 3-1 victory. It was a great season for the Bolts with a bunch of growth. Shout out to A. Trull for being recognized as a Blue Ridge Athletic Conference (BRAC) 1st Team All-Conference selection!
HS Soccer
The Bolts advanced to the CAASC State Tournament after winning the regular season BRAC championship. The Bolts hosted IC Imagine in the first round and defeated the Kingfishers 7-0! Goals were scored by G. Stone (3), H. Butz (2), D. Bennet (1), J. Cortez (1). A. Bennett earned the shoutout. The Bolts advanced to the second round and traveled to Combine Academy. The Bolts battled in the first half after Combine scored first. The Bolts got an equalizer by A. Gardellla assisted by J. Cortez but Combine would score twice before halftime. The Bolts had a few chances in the second half, but came up short 5-1. What a tremendous season for our first season on our new field and in a conference. Well done, Bolts!
HS Cross Country
The Bolts competed in the BRAC Conference Meet held at IC Imagine. It’s a tough, hilly course and the Bolts came away with many PR’s and a top 5 finish for T. Harding.
The conference meet was in preparation for the CAASC State Meet in Kernersville, NC. Again, the Bolts were successful with every runner earning a PR in their final meet. It was a great experience for our runners!
MS Flag Football
The Bolts played two games and went 1-1. The Bolts fell to Evergreen in double overtime 35-42. This was a competitive, fun and high scoring game. The Bolts traveled to Art Space and dominated in a 42-7 victory. The team was led by J. Bethea and K. Jeffries.
MS Cross Country
We had a few MS runners travel to the CAASC meet to compete in a 2 mile course before the HS state meet. Shout out to T. Smith-Batttaglia and V. Lancaster-King for finishing 11th & 12th in the MS girls division.
BASKETBALL TRY-OUT INFORMATION
HS Boys Basketball Try-Outs
Wednesday, October 22- 1:15-3:15pm
Thursday, October 23- 4:00-6:00pm
MS Basketball Try-Outs (Boys and Girls)
Monday, November 3 (5th & 6th grades)- 3:45-5:00pm
Wednesday, November 5 (7th & 8th grades)- 1:00-2:15pm
All required paperwork (sports physical, concussion & waiver form) must be submitted prior to try-outs. Cannot try-out without it. No exceptions.
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!
“Tat the Teacher”
The Parent Crew has found a creative and fun way to raise funds, and we’re seeking your assistance! It’s called “Tat the Teacher”, and students will have the opportunity to choose and purchase small ($1), medium ($3), or large ($5) temporary tattoos for participating teachers or staff members to wear.
We will have a booth set up to sell the temporary tattoos before school and during lunch for a week before the culminating event on the final day of spirit week, 10/24, when staff will wear all the temporary tattoos purchased for them. This should be so much fun!
Please use the sign up genius below to sign up to help us sell tattoos during lunch and before school that week. https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090848A5AA22ABFF2-58952819-tatthe
Join us at our upcoming meetings:
Parent Crew Meetings (open for everyone to join, we need your help!)
- Thursday November 20th at 8:30am In-Person Meeting
Upcoming Events
Dine Out @ Panda Express Tunnel Road, Sat, Nov 1: To participate, mention the fundraiser at checkout. If ordering online, use the code 3847643 in the fundraiser box. https://community.pandaexpress.com/fundraiser/events/promotions/a1bbc191-3f03-ef67-6bfa-7e9ff5b7e5cd/en/landing
Breakfast & Lunch Menus
You can also find our menus online: https://www.franklinschoolofinnovation.org/parents/nutrition/
Frightful Flowers – Halloween Fundraiser
Support the prom committee and spread some ghoulish spirit to students, teachers, and staff. For $5 a black rose and ghostly tootsie pop will be delivered to your person on Halloween during Crew. Purchases can be made during MS and HS lunch, October 20-24 or online until October 26th using this form. Students may also visit Ms. Burke in her room (232) to pay in cash during other time periods. By supporting prom this year you’re supporting future proms and helping to create memorable moments for FSI students. If you have any questions please contact Amy Burke, aburke@thefsi.us.
Donations Needed
FSI prom committee is sponsoring the Frightful Flowers Halloween Fundraiser. We’re looking for donations of tootsie pops and artificial black roses. Sign up here to help with donations. Thank you!
Lost & Found Purge! Retrieve Lost Items by Oct 24
Our lost and found is spilling over so it’s time to donate. Please make sure your students are checking the lost and found in the front and also in their classrooms for missing items. We will donate remaining items at the end of the day Oct 24.
Big Brothers/Big Sisters @ FSI
Info Session this Tuesday, 12:35 – 1:45 in the Focus Room. High school students interested in becoming a Big Brother or Big Sister should attend!
Open Mike Night, Thursday Oct 23 @ Doc Brown’s
FSI Music Dept will be hosting an Open Mic Night Thursday 10/23 at Doc Brown’s BBQ 5-7pm. Anyone is welcome to perform at this event, it is not limited to only music students. Come sing, perform, read a short, a poem, or dance. Express yourself at this fun community event on a beautiful fall evening.
As well as hosting us at the restaurant for this event, Doc Brown’s is generously donating 10% of the restaurant’s sales earned during those hours to the music department, so come out and show your support!. Since this space is outdoors and uncovered, we will take weather into account but hopefully that won’t be an issue for us. If you have any questions, contact Mrs. Wilson at swilson@thefsi.us. We hope to see you there!
Middle School Halloween Festival: Thurs, Oct 30, 3:30 – 5 pm
The 11th grade students are bringing back the Halloween Festival! Mark your calendars for an afternoon of spooky fun on Thursday, Oct 30, 3:30 – 5:00 pm in the Community Room. Open to all middle school students! This is a fundraiser for our Habitat for Humanity Home Build!
Middle School Student Council – Next Meeting Oct 29
We had a great kick off for Student Council! We will meet next Wednesday, Oct 29, from 12:45 – 1:45. Michelle Vruwink and Tammey Harper are hosting the Student Council this year. We will meet in the Technology Room to plan a Week of Kindness & Belonging and plan for Student Council officer elections. Student Council is free and open to any MS student. Students are not required to attend every meeting – come when you can! Students must be picked up promptly at 1:45 pm. Students who are still at school by 1:55 pm will be placed in Beyond the Bell and Wednesday fees will apply.
Reminders
Infinite Campus Parent Portal
This year all parents must be in the Infinite Campus Parent Portal. With the State’s shift to this new student information system, there is action required by parents. The Parent Portal is where you can find information on student grades. Take time today to check it out!
If you have an Infinite Campus Parent Portal
Step 1:
- Open your internet browser and go to https://11d.ncsis.gov/parent
- Or download the Campus Parent app from the App store/google play.
Step 2:
- Enter your username and password
- Forgot login or username? Please copy and paste this link https://forms.gle/Ug3ZRcmktEH9Zfwk7 into your browser and complete the form in order to receive your username and a new temporary password. This is a NEW form. If you submitted a help request and have not received a response, please use this new form. Previous forms have been discontinued and are no longer being monitored.
If you do NOT have an Infinite Campus Parent Portal
Please copy and paste this link https://forms.gle/KKtMHfwEVMsQczzU6 and complete this form, so that we can create a portal for you. If you try to use the app, the link above, or if you click “new user”, you will be required to input an activation key, which we do not use when setting up accounts.
Free Online Drug Prevention & Education Workshops
Prevention Resources and Education for Caregivers: Do you feel ready to talk to your child about drugs, alcohol, and vaping? Do you know the warning signs that may indicate your child is experimenting with substances? What steps can you take now to help prevent risky behaviors in the future?
Join Caron’s Education Alliance for an informative workshop on current youth drug trends, including vaping, and learn effective communication strategies to talk with your child about substance use. They will also discuss key resiliency factors that help protect youth from elementary through middle and high school. Register today to gain valuable tools for supporting your child’s well-being! Feel free to listen in with cameras on or off. Presented by Caron’s Education Alliance – this is not offered by FSI or only for FSI families. We are passing along information about a free resource.
Register HERE for the session on Wednesday, October 22nd at 6pm
Student Clubs
There are several different types of Student Clubs at FSI! It may be confusing but we’ll help you sort it all out.
Some student clubs meet during the school day. We’re making a big push in high school this year with the goal that 100% of our students will participate in a student-led club of their choice! These clubs will meet during school. There is no cost. Clubs have begun forming and will continue to meet on Wednesdays.
Other clubs meet after school. Most of these clubs have a fee which helps us pay adults to coordinate the clubs and provide supplies. Students sign up for these clubs through Beyond the Bell. Some of our afterschool clubs – such as Drama Club – are provided with no fee. Clubs are provided without a fee when they are an extension of our academic program. You can find more information about clubs on our website, or contact Ron Scott, rscott@thefsi.us.
TEDx Youth – You Can Do a TED Talk!
Would you like to do a TED talk? The theme for FSI’s TEDX Youth 2026 event is Time. This word can evoke many emotions through its association with both hope for the future and grief of the past. We invite speakers to explore the idea of change across time, and the lessons that come with those experiences. Similarly, they can look at the concept of time itself and how the ways that we use it have changed in recent years. If you’re interested, please contact tedxyouthfsi@gmail.com!
FSI is proud to sponsor the only student-led TEDX event in Asheville. Come see what student leadership looks like!
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!
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…
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 afterschool clubs also run through Beyond the Bell.
