Falcon Flyer

4/28 All 6th Graders will take STAAR for their enrolled math course.

4/29 All 8th Graders will take STAAR/EOC for their enrolled course or grade level math test.

4/30 All 7th Graders will take STAAR/EOC for their enrolled course or grade level math test.

4/30 PTO Spirit Night at Kendra Scott! See Flyer Below!

5/1 School Principal Appreciation Day!

5/1 NJHS Inductions

5/2 School Lunch Hero Day

5/5 Testing Coordinator Appreciation Day

5/5-5/9 Teacher Appreciation Week

5/5 8th Grade Awards, 6:00 pm

5/6 Beginning Band Concert, FSMS Commons

5/8 8th Grade End of Year Party (See Info Below)

5/8 School Nurse Appreciation Day!

5/14 PowderPuff Football Game

5/23-5/29 Final Exam Week

Morning Reminders:

• Please refrain from dropping off your student prior to 8:10 am. There is not supervision and the doors aren't open.
• If you are not ready to drop off your student, please park in the parking lot. We need your help to keep the front of the school clear for drop offs.
• Students should only be dropped off using the parent pick up line. Please do not use the staff parking lot or the street to drop off your student.

Afternoon Reminders:

• Please pull all the way forward when you arrive in the parent pick up line, and continue to pull forward to allow others to load behind you.
• Encourage your student to be actively looking for your car. They should be ready when you arrive to the front of the line with all of their belongings.
• All students should be picked up no later than 4:30 pm.

Dear 8th Grade Parents,

The 8th Grade Graduation Party is scheduled for Thursday, May 8th from 1:00 PM - 5:00 PM at Main Event in Stafford. Buses will pick up from FSMS and take the students to Main Event but it is parent/guardian responsibility to pick up your child from Main Event at 5:00 PM; no later than 5:15 PM. Attached please find the invitation that has the QR link to register your child. The cost this year is $65 per student and includes a t-shirt (which must be worn the day of event) and unlimited food, games, bowling, laser tag, Photo Booth and more fun at Main Event. All registration will be online only this year. The permission slip is included with the registration. Please review carefully before signing.

https://fsmspto.membershiptoolkit.com/packet/245880402

If you have any questions or need additional information, please reach out to our 8th Grade Committee at 8th-grade-party@fsmspto.com.

Looking forward to a fun-filled day with our graduating 8th graders!

Important Tips for STAAR Testing:

• Students MUST bring their fully charged laptops and charging cables (labeled with their name) on their assigned testing days.
• Students are not allowed to have the following on their person at any time during state testing:

• Cell phones
• Smartwatches or Fitbits
• Air pods or any type of Bluetooth headphones
• Students should leave ALL electronic devices in their backpacks in their locker on test days. Students who violate the electronic device policy will receive ‘no credit’ on their state assessments and are subject to disciplinary action.
• Testing students will eat lunch in the Commons once testing is complete.
• Students who typically need additional time for testing will be consolidated into one testing location and will eat lunch in that location. These students are strongly encouraged to bring their lunch to school on testing days.
• Students may only bring hardback or paperback books to read when they have finished testing. No iPads, Kindles, or e-Readers will be allowed.
• No pajamas, blankets, or pillows are allowed.
• Students are required to be in their testing rooms by 8:50.
• Students should have sufficient sleep the night before and eat a good breakfast on testing days.
• For more resources on the STAAR assessments from TEA please use the link.

Please help your student develop a system for their badge! Some students like to keep it in their locker, so they know it is here, others have found it very helpful to put it in their backpack as they leave each day.

They are required to wear it around their neck during the school day, scan it to purchase lunch, as well as scan it when they get on and off the bus.

If your student has lost their ID badge, they can report it to Mr. Weber in the morning and/or get a wristband for the day, or if you prefer, you can email Ms. Woolum to request a new badge vivian.woolum@fortbendisd.gov.

Students can be assigned discipline, including lunch detention, for not having their badge too many times during a grading period. Thank you for your help reminding them of this important safety requirement!

FSMS Student Laptop Use Guidelines

All FSMS students are expected to use their district-issued laptops appropriately and solely for academic purposes. Although the district has not prohibited access to online gaming and entertainment sites, students may not access or attempt to access such sites during the instructional day, which is between 8:40 AM and 4:10 PM. This mirrors the FSMS cell phone policy.

When a student fails to meet this expectation, teachers are asked to follow these procedures:

1. First incident: Verbal Warning

2. Second incident: Parent Contact

3. Third incident: Teacher-Assigned Lunch Detention (TALD)

4. Fourth incident: Referral to grade-level principal

There may be times when a student’s actions require an immediate referral to the grade-level principals, such as using the laptop to access inappropriate or explicit material.

When a student receives a referral to his/her grade-level principal for inappropriate use of the laptop, the following consequences will be assigned:

1. First referral: Two days of Principal-Assigned Lunch Detention (PALD)

2. Second referral: Two more days of Principal-Assigned Lunch Detention (PALD)

3. Third referral: Saturday Detention

4. Fourth referral: 2nd Saturday Detention and loss of use

Severe or pervasive misuse of the student laptop may result in the student losing access to the laptop in some or all classes. In such case, the student will be provided with paper copies of all assignments and tests.

Inappropriate use of student laptops is defined as follows -

Using the laptop in any way that is not directly related to the immediate learning during class time. Examples of this include, but are not limited to:

· Being on the laptop when the teacher has not specified that laptops may be in use.

· Being on any gaming website (other than instructional games during class).

· Using the device to view inappropriate websites.

· Using the laptop to play sounds or words repetitively as a disruption to the class.

· Using the laptop to engage in online conversations during the school day.

Reminder- Final Exams will not be given early. If you will be absent on test day, you will make up your exams after we return from break and a zero will be entered for your exam until it is made up. Thank you!

When dropping students off in the morning, you will enter the circle drive off of Elkins road, follow it around to the front of the building and pull all the way forward (beyond the doors of the school) to let your student out. Students should be ready to get out as soon as you come to a full stop. Please do not park or wait in the parent drop off line to ensure that traffic keeps moving. The school opens at 8:10 am and we would encourage you to not drop students off before staff are on duty. Students need to be in class and ready to learn before the bell rings at 8:50 am.

For afternoon pick up, you will again enter the circle drive off Elkins, but follow it around to the student loading area on the side of the building. Students should be watching for your car, walk along with the car until you come to a stop as far up as you can, and then enter your vehicle. If you drive a popular vehicle (i.e. a white Tesla or minivan) please consider teaching your child your license plate number or placing a sign in the front window with your last name to help them find you easier. As a reminder, all students should be picked up no later than 4:30 pm each day.

Parents- Please review this form with your student and submit to allow them to bring their phones to campus. As a reminder, the district is issuing every student a laptop, so no personal laptops will be allowed on campus.

Should a phone be found or picked up without this agreement on file, we will assume it is lost and a parent will be required to come to campus to pick up the phone. Thank you for your continued support!

https://forms.gle/nqQuvuvNtmQsg6DC7

Stay up to date on all FSMS PTO events, spirit nights, sponsors and more! Follow us on Facebook by clicking the link! Must answer admin questions to be approved to join.

https://www.facebook.com/groups/fsmspto

Be "in the know" for all Falcon events and activities! Follow us on Twitter at @FSMSFalcons or on Instagram at _FSMS_Falcons

First day of school is going to be exciting, and you don't want to worry about lunch! If you aren't planning to bring your lunch, please take a moment to add funds to your account prior to the first day of school: https://www.schoolcafe.com/fbisd

Here is the ticket link for next weeks football and volleyball games! It also includes a Multi Game pass that you can use for all/any middle school games.

https://gofan.co/app/school/TX75899

Click here to purchase your tickets online. No cash sales at the door.

Hi 8th Grade Falcons,

Summer school information is now posted at https://www.fortbendisd.com/Page/167350

There are three ways to earn original credit over the summer –

• Original Credit – Face-to-Face
• O-Lab Original Credit – Hybrid (Students are required to attend orientation and all assessments in person)
• O-Lab External Providers – Online, Independent study, self-paced

Registration will be open:

Monday, March 10, 2025 – March 28, 2025, for Original Credit – Face-to-Face classes with FBISD (at Austin HS)

Courses offered for current 8th grade/rising 9th grade –

• Health
• Professional Communications
• PE

Monday, March 17, 2025 – May 9, 2025, for O-Lab Original Credit with FBISD (Hybrid via Edgenuity)

Courses offered for current 8th grade/rising 9th grade –

• Art I A (first semester)
• Art I B (second semester)

Monday, March 17, 2025 – May 23, 2025, for O-Lab with External Providers (UT, TTU, TXVSN).

Courses offered are listed on their webpages. Students will be approved for courses they are eligible to take as 9th graders.

Quick tips:

• This is NOT for students who will not pass a core class in 8th grade -- those students will be notified individually later in the semester with specific instructions on registering for their credit recovery course.

• Students may only take two semesters in one summer. Example: Geometry A (first semester) and Geometry B (second semester).

• FBISD will only allow two full credits to be taken with UT and TTU during all four years of high school.

• FBISD will only allow current 8th graders to receive AP or AAC points toward their GPA from only 2 credits earned via external providers. All other credits earned via an external provider will be counted as on-level.

• Beginning March 10th for Original Credit – Face-to-Face and March 17th for all O-Lab Original Credit visit Skyward Family Access to fill out the Application request form. You will be required to complete and submit the Application for the course you are requesting to take. I will try to approve within 24 to 48 hours of receiving notification that the form was submitted.

• Once the application form is approved, I will notify you to make payment and/or sign up for your course. Payment must be done via Skyward/Revtrak for O-Lab courses with FBISD. Payment for External Providers (UT, TTU, TXVSN) will be made directly to the provider upon registering with the assistance of the high school O-lab teacher. Please note, some providers have specific registration windows. Please visit the sites for more information.

• Directions are attached for accessing Summer O-LAB Course Applications and for accessing the fee management to pay for FBISD Summer O-LAB Courses.

Warm regards,

Mrs. Angibeau

Marla.Angibeau@fortbendisd.gov

Marla Angibeau, 8th Grade/Lead Counselor - Marla.Angibeau@fortbendisd.com

Stefanie Armatta, 7th Grade Counselor - Stefanie.Armatta@fortbendisd.com

Kristin Kendrick, 6th Grade Counselor - Kristin.Kendrick@fortbendisd.com

Parents we love that our Falcons do not want to miss school, but if they are sick or running a fever, the best place for them to be is at home.

District policy to keep students home when ill and they have to be fever-free for 24 hours WITHOUT the use of medication before returning. Below are some clinic guidelines for when a child should be kept at home:

A Student will not be allowed to remain in school if he/she complains of any of the following:

• temperature of 100.0 or greater

• vomiting and/or diarrhea

• an undetermined rash

• feeling too ill to remain at school

To prevent exposing other students unnecessarily to illness, a student should not come to school if he/she has the following symptoms:

• Vomiting and/or diarrhea within the past 24 hours

• An undetermined rash

• A temperature of 100.0 or greater within the past 24 hours (must be fever-free for 24 hours without the use of fever-reducing medication)

Reminder…Students are not allowed to carry medications at school with the exceptions of emergency medications (inhalers, Epipens and Insulin). All medication must be delivered to clinic by the parent or guardian, in the original container, with paperwork stating the full name of the student, the physician’s name, the name of the medication, the amount of medication to be given, when the medication is to be given, the length of time the medication is to be given, the reason the medication is to be given and your signature and date. Please reach out to Nurse Setera at 281-634-6505 or at jennifer.setera@fortbendisd.com with any additional questions or concerns.

Please be sure that all requests to pick up early or change the way they get home are submitted to the office before 3:45 pm. This allows enough time to communicate with teachers and your student about the change. No transportation changes will be made after this time. Please meet your child at their regular transportation drop off location.

Falcon parents of GT students, if you are interested in being a part of our Gifted and Talented Parent Advisory Committee (GT PAC), please read below and refer to link: https://www.fortbendisd.com/Page/124570

How may I volunteer to represent my child(ren)'s school?

Parents may self-nominate to serve on the GT Parent Advisory Committee (GT PAC) by completing an online application. Each campus may have a maximum of three parent representatives on the committee. If more than three parents submit applications, representatives will be selected via a lottery. Please email fbisdgtpac@gmail.com if you have additional questions or trouble completing the online application.

Fort Settlement Parents-

The Fort Bend ISD Special Education Parent Advisory Committee (SEPAC) is made up of parents of children with special needs representing all FBISD campuses. The purpose of the SEPAC is to facilitate understanding, respect, and appropriate education for all children while supporting families and educators who are also striving for this goal.

The 2024-2025 SEPAC representatives for Fort Settlement Middle School are Ms. Willie Cunningham and Ms. Nida Arslan have agreed to serve as the liaison between Fort Settlement Middle School parents/families of children with special needs and district special education representatives. They will provide input to and receive information directly from the Special Education Department. To contact either representative directly:

Ms. Willie L Cunningham

210-313-7064

mrswlc919@gmail.com

Ms. Nida Arslan

609-271-6518 (Text Only Please)

nidaarslan@live.com

FBISD protects the confidentiality of all personally identifiable information in accordance with the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and other applicable federal and state laws, and regulations. Please note that your SEPAC Campus Representative does not have your name or contact information. If you would like to receive information from our representatives regarding information shared at SEPAC meetings and upcoming events, please contact either directly.

The SEPAC encourages open communication, understanding, and mutual respect among all students, parents, and district educators. We appreciate your support as we work to fulfill the district’s mission of inspiring and equipping all students to pursue a future beyond what they can imagine.

At FSMS, protecting all students instructional time is our top priority. We use the grade level carts, located in the foyer of the front office, for parents to place forgotten items or for lunches that are dropped off. Everything must be on the cart before 11:15 am, since the carts are brought into the building for students to safely retrieve those items before heading to lunch. Items that are brought after that time will not be accepted. Please note, we do not deliver items to students, and we do not notify students that items have been dropped off. Please email your student's teachers to let them know there is something on the cart.

Additionally, students that are assigned to lunch detention or in-school suspension will not have lunches or items delivered to them on that day.

Please see below for the 2024-2025 FSMS Club Offerings! Any questions about membership or meeting dates/times, please see the club sponsor! Get involved today!

Students are encouraged to go to any teacher that is offering tutorials on a subject they need, both before and/or after school.

Parents- Please encourage your student to come to tutorials with prepared questions that they need support with or specific questions so that we can ensure students are making the most of their time. We are proud of our Falcons for their hard work in tutorials!

Click here to access the newsletter!

Click here for the 2023-2024 Instructional Calendar.

FBISD Parent/Student Handbook

Bus Route Information

School Lunch Link to SchoolCafe

Schoology Support for Parents

Fort Settlement's attendance office will only be accepting absence notes electronically this year. Please send all absence information to attendancefsms@fortbendisd.gov. Doctor's notes can be submitted as a scanned document or as a picture. If sending a picture, please send it as "Actual Size." Be sure all notes are submitted within five school days of an absence! Visit the Attendance page on FSMS's website for more information.