Dear Franklin families,
Thank you to everyone who attended our fall Student Listening Conferences on Wednesday! We had a terrific turnout of parents and students and we hope you found it valuable and helpful. It’s always helpful to have a personal connection and opportunity to get to know each other as we partner with parents to support student growth.
We have three weeks left before the end of Quarter 1. The first quarter always goes by quickly as we build new relationships and settle into the new routines, challenges, and opportunities of the school year. It’s time to check in on student progress, especially for our high school students. This year parents will check student grades in Infinite Campus. We are no longer using Canvas for student grades. More information on how to access the Parent Portal is provided later in the newsletter. Instructions on how to access the Portal and student grades are attached.
It’s another busy week for Bolts Athletics! Check out the calendar listings and come cheer for our student athletes. How about coming by for a home soccer game and then picking up pizza from MOD on Merrimon for a fun Thursday night? Order online or dine in at MOD and Parent Crew will receive 20% for staff appreciation efforts. Make sure you mention the FSI fundraiser or use the code MODGIVES20 when ordering online!
Finally, thank you to everyone who donated blood on Thursday. We had a successful drive, donating over 34 units of life-saving blood and securing a $500 grant for our Habitat for Humanity home build. If you weren’t able to donate this time, watch for our next drive in December.
Thank you for choosing Franklin and helping us create a thriving school community.
Upcoming Events
Monday, September 22
- 4:00 pm: HS Soccer vs Asheville School @ FSI
- 5:00 pm: HS VOlleyball vs Fern Leaf @ FSI
Tuesday, September 23
- 4:30 pm: HS Cross Country @ Camp Rockmont
- 6:00 pm: HS Volleyball @ Mt Pisgah Academy
- 6:30 pm: HS Soccer @ Mt. Pisgah Academy
Wednesday, September 24
- 4:30 pm: MS Volleyball vs Shining Rock @ FSI
Thursday, September 25
- 5:00 pm: HS Soccer vs Trailblazers @ FSI
- 5:00 pm: HS Volleyball @ Bethel Christian
- Dine Out at Mod on Merrimon! Use code MODGIVES20 for online orders or mention the fundraiser at the restaurant
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
Cross Country
The HS cross country team had a great showing at the McDowell meet. Shout out to T. Harding for a top 10 finish on the boys side.
Volleyball
The HS volleyball team went 1-1 on the week. Defeating Shining Rock 3-1 and falling to Reynolds Mountain 0-3. The win vs Shining Rock was the Bolts first conference win. After dropping the first set, the Bolts rallied to win 3 straight!
Soccer
The HS soccer team defeated IC Imagine 2-0 in a shortened, weather delayed game on Friday. Goals were scored by K. Torres and D. Bennett. That moves the Bolts to 2-0 with both wins being conference victories!
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! Join us at our upcoming meetings:
Parent Crew Meetings (open for everyone to join, we need your help!)
- Thursday, October 16th at 6pm, Virtual Meeting – Join here
- Thursday November 20th at 8:30am In-Person Meeting
On Monday, October 6, Parent Crew will host an “Apple Nacho Bar” for staff during the scheduled teacher workday. We’d like to invite you to review the list and sign up to help if you can, as a way to thank FSI staff.
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090848A5AA22ABFF2-58791769-apple
Upcoming Events
Sept 25: Parent Crew Dine Out for Franklin
Thursday, Sept 25 – dine out or order online with the code MODGIVES20 at Mod Pizza on Merrimon Ave and MOD Pizza will donate 20% to the school! Make sure to mention the fundraiser if dining at the restaurant!
Fall Community Meetup at the Corn Maze – Saturday, October 11th @ 1pm
Eliada hosts an awesome Fall Festival every year, and they were kind enough to extend our community a discount on tickets for $3 off of each ticket. Use the code “FSI” when purchasing the tickets! https://eliadacornmaze.mazeplay.com/
The Parent Crew will be facilitating this and will meet there at 1pm – so meet up at that time if you’d like to socialize but the tickets are good all day.
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.
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.
For more information or to sign up, contact Ron Scott, rscott@thefsi.us
Reminders
Get Involved! Parent Crew, School Improvement, or Board Memberships
Charter schools offer great opportunities for parent/guardian involvement and engagement. In addition to participating in our Parent Crew, you can join our School Improvement Team or our Board of Directors. If serving on the Board feels like too much to take on – you can join a Board committee and learn more about what it takes to be an active Board member! We’re currently recruiting Board members. While we are always looking for people with some specific skills (lawyers, financial advisors, community leaders), we also need parents who bring different perspectives and are willing to engage and contribute! For more information, reach out to Board Chair Al Glicksberg, aglicksberg@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.
