FUEL School Newsletter

Dear FUEL Families,

One of the things I love about December is that is a a month of reflection. As one of my educational gurus, Zaretta Hammond, wrote recently in her newsletter, "Despite the hustle and bustle of the holiday season, December is associated with slowing down, stepping back, and reflecting on our accomplishments, lessons learned, and new insights." I have been so impressed with our students and staff through this first (nearly half) of the school year. They have truly leaned into our "STRIVE" theme - pushing themselves to think more creatively in their instruction, working hard to master things that are difficult, and really grown both academically and emotionally. As I always say, #fuelrocks!

This was also on display this past weekend at the All-City Band Concert - I was blown away by the growth of our 5th graders from their start in September - incredible! And, to see the progression of the grade levels and the beauty of the music was a great way to spend a Saturday! This week, we look forward to seeing our 5th grade Choir perform at the Holiday Nights event at Greenfield Village (!!) and again on Wednesday night with our 5th grade Orchestra at their winter orchestra/choir concert. We are also hosting our PTA Wellness assemblies on Tuesday (thank you, PTA!) and will round out our week with a HALF DAY on Friday, December 19th and our second day of our PASSION PROJECTS! Please note that dismissal is 11:53 a.m. on Friday, AND students are expected to be in school that day.

We wish everyone a safe, restful, and joy-filled winter break and holiday season. Our next newsletter will come out on Sunday, January 4, 2026! See you then!

We are dedicated this year to working on our students’ social-emotional growth in addition to their academic growth. This week we continue with Module 3: Growth Mindset. Our focus this week:

Diversity & Differences, Acceptance

I love this short resource on helping children to love their differences.

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

**K-5 Spirit Week - all week & Candy Gram Sales in the lunchroom

• Tues. 12/16 - Genot Picor Assembly, 3rd/MONT; Wellness Assemblies - 3rd/MONT/4th; FUEL Choir Holiday Nights Event, 7 pm @ Greenfield Village
• Wed. 12/17 - 5th Grade Orchestra & Choir Concert, 6:30 pm @ FHS Auditorium
• Fri. 12/19 - HALF DAY, 11:53 a.m. dismissal; Passion Projects, Day 2!
• Mon. 12/22 - Fri. 1/2 - NO SCHOOL - WINTER BREAK
• Mon. 1/5 - School Resumes

Blessings in a Backpack (BIAB) is available for all students in Ferndale Public Schools who attend FECC, FLower, FUEL, or FMS. This program provides a bag of food items every weekend throughout the school year for any child who may benefit.

Families can sign up at any time, but new registrations will start receiving food the month following sign-up.

Blessings in a Backpack sign up letter & Blessings in a Backpack Flyer Information & Volunteering

Coming soon!

FE PTA Meeting

If you missed the December meeting, here are the slides: https://tinyurl.com/FEPTADecemberMeeting2025

The next PTA meeting is January 13, 2026, 6:30PM at FUEL.

Volunteers needed!

FLower is looking for help during lunch and recess. If you are able to volunteer, please fill out this form - https://forms.gle/DjnvBvpmsNj9AQN96. A schedule and more information will be shared soon.

Save the Date

Skate Night is back! Join us at Skate World of Troy on January 15, 6:15-8:15PM. Free to attend (just pay for your skate rental) and transportation will also be available. Flyers coming home this week.

Just 4 Kicks Event

Looking for a unique way to help fundraise for ECG - Ferndale Elementary Schools? Share your talent! Grab some friends and start rehearsing for Just 4 Kicks 2026!

Contact Christina Mossine to sign up or with any questions: cmossine@gmail.com or (248)420-9603.

We Need Grade-Level Coordinators for Spring Camp Days!

Spring Camp Days are coming—and we’re looking for grade-level coordinators to help make them amazing! Each grade-level band needs 3–4 volunteers to help plan and organize the day. We’re recruiting coordinators for:

• First Fives–1st Grade

• 2nd–3rd Grade

• 4th Grade

• 5th Grade

Coordinators work with teachers and the Elementary Connections Group to organize hands-on learning centers, communicate with volunteers, and help the day run smoothly.

No experience needed—just enthusiasm and a willingness to pitch in! If you love creating joyful learning experiences and bringing families together, we’d love to have you on the team.

Curious? Check out this video!

Willing to help? Let us know by filling out the Sign Up Form or email us at ferndale.elementaryconnections@gmail.com to learn more or sign up!

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 2025-2026 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 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