FUEL School Newsletter

Dear FUEL Families,

I hope everyone enjoyed a restful and family-filled mid-winter break. We are looking forward to four more weeks of mostly uninterrupted instruction as we head into the end of our third quarter of the school year. Can you believe we are already to week 24? Time flies...

This week, we continue with our Black History Month celebrations, including completing our door decorating, working on grade level projects, and welcoming in FHS and UHS graduates and other career speakers to celebrate our theme of Black Excellence & Perseverance. We have had some amazing visitors already and we look forward to celebrating many more this week. We also have our culminating event on Thursday evening when we host the county-sponsored African-American Read In event at 6 pm in the FUEL Cafeteria. You can rsvp HERE!

Also this week, our district will host the annual State of the District event - please consider joining us at on Wednesday, February 28th at 6 pm at University High School to meet our district-level administrators and learn more about our strategic plan and vision.

Reminder: we also have a few needs for coaches this spring both for our Girls on the Run program and our boys' STRIDE program. If you can help even one day per week, please let us know. For our Girls on the Run program, this will determine if we can take students off of our current wait list.

Please also remember there is NO SCHOOL on Tuesday, 2/27 due to Election Day. Staff will be engaging in professional development on this day, but students will need to stay home! Thank you!

With gratitude,

- Mrs. Jeffrey

#JOYmattersatFerndaleSchools

We are dedicated this year to working on our students’ social-emotional growth in addition to their academic growth. This week we will continue with Module 4: Executive Functioning. Our focus this week:

Impulse Control

This time of year is always a great time to revisit this key skill - impulse control! One strategy we teach is the Pause Button - raise your hand up in the air and hit PAUSE! Take a moment, think about what's next for you emotionally or envision your best self, and THEN respond. Here's a quick read from the OT Toolbox on this skill.

Early Release Wednesday dismissal is 2:38 p.m. Remember, every Wednesday through May!

• Mon. 2/26 - School Resumes; YMCA Sportport, 3:45-5:15 pm; Virtual FMS Transition Parent Night, 6 pm via Google Meet
• Tues. 2/27 - NO SCHOOL - ELECTION DAY/Teacher PD Day; 2nd/3rd Grade Camp Information Meeting, 6:30 pm @ Lower Media Center
• Wed. 2/28 - State of the District Event, 6 pm @ University HS; FMS/FHS PTO Meeting, 6:30 pm @ FHS Nest
• Thurs. 2/29 - 5th Grade Field Trip to WSU Fieldhouse; African-American Read-In Event, 6 pm @ FUEL Cafeteria
• Fri. 3/1 - 5th Grade Scheduling Forms due; K-5 Winter Family Festival, 6-7:30 pm @ FUEL

Save the Dates:

• Tuesday, March 5th, 6-7:30 pm - Mr. Peace K-8 Family Presentation "Cyberbullying & Social Media"
  
• Tuesday, April 2nd, 6-7:30 pm - 4th & 5th Grade Overnight Camp Information Meetings (details TBD)

Black History Month - This Week's Read Aloud

Future Hero: A Race to Fire Mountain By: Remi Blackwood

Jarell has never quite known where he belongs. He’s ignored and home and teased at school. A thrilling series about a boy who finds a portal to a different world in his local barbershop. This magical world is unlike anything he’s seen before. He learns he is the hero they have been waiting for.

Black Brother, Black Brother By: Jewell Parker Rhodes

Two brothers, one who presents as white, and the other as black are forced to navigate the world, all while training for a fencing competition. They search for a place where they belong. As these characters practice their fencing skills, they learn to fight for justice, confront bullies, and find their voice.

Free Virtual Reading Supports

Detroit Parent Network hosts a free virtual third grade reading cafe every Wednesday from 2-3pm. These sessions are for parents to learn tools and techniques to help prepare and equip parents for Michigan's "Read By Grade Three" law. These trainings help parents build early literacy skills in their children. Simply register with the google form link prior to the event for a link to be sent to you to attend. https://www.detroitparentnetwork.com/literacy-resources

Upcoming FE PTA Events - Everyone is welcome

Winter Family Festival

March 1, 2024 6-7:30PM Upper

Communities in Schools and FE PTA invite all our families to join us for the second annual Winter Fest - a community resource fair and fun family event! We'll have crafts, games, snacks, prizes, and more! Free to attend! http://tinyurl.com/23cejsb8

To volunteer: signupgenius.com/go/10C094AA5AE2FA0F4C70-48069493-volunteers#/

Volunteers needed:

An annual tradition to celebrate the end of the school year, the FE PTA June Fair is a fun evening of midway games, inflatables, food, raffle baskets, and dunk tank! We need help to make this event possible. Learn more about the planning committee: http://tinyurl.com/y6zpne46I and sign up to help: signupgenius.com/go/10C094AA5AE2FA0F4C70-47138016-june#/

PTA Meeting

March 12, 2024 6:30PM Location: Lower

Updates to our Bylaws will be presented and voted on. Free, onsite babysitting available!

Save the Date: Skate Night is back April 11, 6:15-8:15PM at Skate World of Troy!

Let's stay connected!

Facebook: fb.me/FerndaleElementaryPTA

Email: ferndale.elem.pta@gmail.com

Website: ferndaleschools.org/family/parentorgs

To become a FE PTA member: ferndaleelementarypta.memberhub.com/store

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Elementary Connections Group Updates:

What is the Elementary Connections Group?
The Ferndale Elementary and the Elementary Connections Group (ECG) organizes and plans camps for each grade every school year. The camps are an opportunity for all students in Ferndale Elementary to participate in special activities in an outdoor setting.

You can check out more information on our website at https://www.ferndaleschools.org/family/parentorgs/elconnections/

Just For Kicks:

A huge shout out to all the performers and volunteers for Just For Kicks! An especially big thank you to Christina Mossine for organizing! More than $3,000 was raised to support Camp scholarships this spring!

Camp Sponsors Needed:
ECG ensures that EVERY child has the opportunity to go to Camp through fundraising and sponsors. If you work for, own or know of a company that would be interested in sponsoring Ferndale Elementary Camp, please send us an e-mail. As a sponsor, your business’ logo/name will be placed on the back of the annual Camp T-Shirt, one of the many Camp traditions. Every one of our students receives a shirt, which includes designs by fifth graders on the front.

E-mail: ferndale.elementaryconnections@gmail.com

Sponsor Link: https://www.schoolpay.com/link/ECGSponsors

Camp:
Planning is underway for 2024 camp experiences! The 4th and 5th grade GREEN camp folders will be going home with students THIS WEEK! Make sure to ask your student about where it is! K-3rd grade families, be on the look-out over the next two months for information about volunteering for your specific camps.

Check out our Save the Date!

For drop-off in the morning, please be sure to pull ALL the way up in the school driveway in the drop-off line. We will help students walk towards the entrance. This will help us to keep the line moving. Doors do not open until 8:20 am - there is no student supervision until 8:20 am. Also, please note that if students are not eating breakfast, they do not need to arrive at school until 8:28 pm. Students who arrive at 8:28 a.m. can head directly to their lockers and classrooms. Otherwise, students should report to the cafeteria for breakfast or to the gym. Car Line Safety Reminders HERE.

Please remember that the BUS driveway is ONLY for buses. This is a safety issue. Please only use the car line in the front of the building on Rosewood.

For pickup, please be sure to have your yellow identification card with student name and grade available and easy to see.

Please call the attendance line each day your child will be absent from school. Any absence will remain unexcused until the office has been notified. The teachers appreciate an email reminder, but you must still call the office. Please call the attendance line at 248.547.0880, press the #1 option & leave a message with a reason for the absence.

Thank you for helping to keep all of our students SAFE at FUEL by following our safe snack guidelines. This is a reminder that FUEL is a nut-, tree-nut, and sesame-restricted building - please double-check all ingredients before sending in a lunch or snack to school to ensure the safety of all students. Sample safe snack lists can be found ​here​. ​Reminder: NO food birthday treats this year due to our allergy policy.

If your student has a medical need, it is vitally important that our office staff and teachers are aware. Please complete the medical forms available in the main office (or in the link below) and return to school ASAP.

Medical Authorization Form & Medical Treatment Form

All adults interested in volunteering during the 2023-2024 school year must have a Volunteer Form on file. This form should be submitted at a minimum of two weeks prior to the event in order to accommodate processing times. No adult will be allowed to volunteer or chaperone unless they have an approved form on file. Forms are available in the Main Office or at the link below. Please note: all volunteer forms must be turned into the main office. In addition, you only need to fill out a volunteer form for one school - it will then cover all FPS campuses.

Volunteer Form

Breakfast and Lunch are free again this year as part of the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP). Please return this form to school ASAP in place of the normal Free and Reduced Lunch application.

Household Information Form

If you recently requested a chromebook for your student from the district, it will be coming home in their backpack about 10 days following completion of the form below. It will also come along with a charger, case and a note on how to access their login and password. Please look for all of the items. If you have not requested one yet and would like to, please use this link.

District Chromebook Request