FAMS Family Updates

December 15: 6th & 7 th Band & Orchestra Winter Concert 6:00 @FAHS

December 15: 8th Band & Orchestra Winter Concert 7:30 @FAHS

December 18: SDFA Board Meeting 5:30-8:30 @ Luther

December18: FAMS Choir Winter Concert 7:30 @ FAHS

December 22 - January 2: Winter Break - NO SCHOOL

January 15 Last Day of Q2

January 16: NO SCHOOL

I am writing to express my profound pride and excitement to lead our wonderful middle school community. Your dedication, coupled with the commitment of our exceptional staff and the hard work of our students, continues to yield truly remarkable results.

We are thrilled to announce that on our state report card, our middle school has achieved the highest possible rating, moving to Significantly Exceeds Expectations (5 stars)! Furthermore, we have sustained our status as the number one middle school amongst all of our district comparables for the fourth consecutive year, and we remain the number one middle school in Jefferson County. These rankings are a testament to our ongoing focus on fostering an inclusive, high-performing culture of growth and community.

State and district report cards are required annually by state statute (Wis. Stat. 115.385) to provide information to families and the community about school performance,,.

For families interested in learning more about how these reports are generated, including details on the priority areas (Achievement, Growth, Target Group Outcomes, and On-Track to Graduation) and the scoring methodology, comprehensive resources are available online:

• To find our school's public report card: You can access our report card, along with those for other schools, online at the DPI Report Card portal: http://dpi.wi.gov/accountability/report-cards
• To understand the scoring and updates: For detailed guides, technical reports, and information on the new rating category score ranges adopted for the 2024-25 school year, please visit the DPI’s Report Card Resources page: https://dpi.wi.gov/accountability/resources

Thank you for your continued partnership. We look forward to working with you to make this a another successful school year!

Our temps are dropping off, so we ask that you please encourage your children to dress for the weather.

Unless the temps drop below zero, the school doors do not open in the morning until 7:42am (7:30am for breakfast), and all students are required to go outside for recess after lunch.

This is a friendly reminder that our next scheduled early release day is Monday, December 15th.

Throughout the year, we have eight early release days dedicated to professional learning for our staff. This time is essential for our teachers to collaborate, refine their teaching practices, and analyze student data to better support learning in the classroom. This investment in our staff directly benefits every student.

On these days, school begins at the regular time of 7:50 am, but students will be dismissed at 1:30 pm. Lunch will be served on a modified schedule, and buses will run accordingly.

Please mark your calendars with the following early release dates for the school year:

• December 15, 2025

• February 16, 2026

• March 9, 2026

• April 13, 2026

• May 11, 2026

We appreciate your partnership and support, which allows our staff this valuable time to grow professionally. Thank you for making arrangements for your student's early dismissal.

Student safety is our highest priority, and today we took time during our video announcements to review our school's emergency codes and safety drills.

Please be assured this review was a standard, routine procedure and was not prompted by any specific incident or threat. We conduct this comprehensive review twice per school year—once in the first semester and once in the second semester. We incorporate the concepts of plan, practice, and prepare, to ensure that our entire school community is ready for any type of emergency.

During today's review, we discussed several key procedures that help ensure safety. We reviewed general procedures for different situations, including a Medical Emergency and a Lockdown. We also emphasized safety measures associated with the annual Tornado Drill, which practices using secure shelters in the building. A significant focus was placed on the annual Active Intruder drill, which helps students practice safety procedures in the event of a violent threat.

Students were also reminded that the first line of defense in the event of any type of emergency starts with them, and that if they SEE Something, they should Say Something. In addition, we work with the Wisconsin Department of Justice’s Speak Up, Speak Out Wisconsin (SUSO). SUSO is a free statewide threat reporting tip line available to all Wisconsin schools, providing students with immediate, accessible confidential adult support 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. SUSO harnesses the power of bystanders, addresses concerns early, and provides opportunities for early intervention and harm prevention. SUSO gives students a tool to break the culture of silence and connect with adults who can help.

We encourage you to speak with your middle school student this evening about the emergency codes and procedures we reviewed today. Discussing these steps at home reinforces the importance of being prepared and helps ensure that students know how to respond appropriately in various situations.

Thank you for partnering with us to keep our school safe.

It’s never too late to build a positive habit. If attendance has been a challenge for your child over the first four months of school, perhaps you can use the break to help reset things. Oftentimes with a new year people set new goals–could attendance be one for your child?

Over winter break, we will be out of school until January 5th, and this time away has the possibility of changing family routines. In order to build a positive attendance habit as we get close to the 5th, remember “According to Johns Hopkins pediatrician Michael Crocetti, M.D., M.P.H., teens need 9 to 9½ hours of sleep per night”. Help model positive sleep habits and consider reducing the use of electronic devices at least one hour before bed-time so when they return on the 5th they will be set to begin building a positive attendance habit.

Our hope is that students are in attendance more than 90% of the school-year. This visual helps put that in perspective. Take advantage of a natural break to refocus on attendance if it has been a concern.

We know that there are reasons to keep children home–and our school nurses have put together an excellent tool to use to determine that:

https://drive.google.com/file/d/1tCmPIwvk4HN1IbYMRRmnLJXG_MOaEdKS/view?usp=drive_link

Please continue to call the attendance line if your child will be absent and if there are other things impacting attendance, please reach out to the student services staff as they may be able to help find some solutions.

Remember our goal is to see your child every day, all day.

A few years ago, we moved away from paper copies of progress reports (mid-term reports) and allowed all families to access these reports virtually through PowerSchool. Teachers updated all grades to reflect the status of each student's grade for the middle of our first nine week period in order for you to see the progress each student is making.

This is your opportunity to strengthen the partnership between your family and your child’s teacher(s). Please remember that you do not need to wait until we have conference nights, you can call, email, or request a meeting with your child’s teacher(s) at any time throughout the school year.

The holidays are upon us—a time for joy, connection, and creating meaningful memories with loved ones. It’s also a season that can bring its own pressures, like planning visits, managing gift budgets, and organizing events. With everything on your plate, it’s easy to feel overwhelmed.

While traditions and celebrations are meaningful, it’s just as important to care for your mental well-being. National Stress-Free Family Holidays Month reminds us to be mindful of stress and take steps toward self-care. Here are a few tips to help make your holidays more manageable and joyful:

• Modify traditions if needed. It’s okay to adjust traditions if they feel overwhelming. Your mental health takes priority.
• Learn the power of saying "no." If a commitment feels too much, give yourself permission to decline.
• Plan ahead. Use a calendar to stay organized and avoid last-minute tasks that can create unnecessary stress.
• Share your feelings. Talk to someone you trust if you're feeling anxious or missing a loved one. You are not alone.
• Take time for self-care. Make sure to rest and recharge, even as you care for others.

If you’d like professional support, Care Solace is available to help connect you or your loved ones to mental health services. This is a complimentary, confidential service provided by Fort Atkinson School District.

Access Support:

• Call: 888-515-0595 (Multilingual support 24/7/365)
• Visit: caresolace.com/fortschools, search for a provider or click “Book Appointment” for assistance via video chat, phone, or email.

For immediate support:

• Call 911 and request a Crisis Intervention Trained (C.I.T.) response.
• Text “Hello” or “Home” to 741741 to connect with a crisis counselor.
• Call or chat with the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988: suicidepreventionlifeline.org
• Trevor Lifeline (LGBTQ+ support): www.thetrevorproject.org/get-help

Wishing you a peaceful and stress-free holiday season filled with joy and meaningful moments.

If you have not had the opportunity to check out our FAMS Pupil Services' website, please take a few minutes to do so. They have pages with community and mental health resources, and a student opportunities page that has some information about how students can get involved in their community.

Please take some time to explore the information on our school's website. Here you will find all of our up to date information and learn of all the happenings at the middle school.

In addition, we quarterly update our family newsletter that we will email out and post on our website. Please take a few minutes to read these as there will be information in there that will not be duplicated in other places.

Click on picture to open calendar in a separate window.