Happy Friday, Lil Steamer Families!

From the Desk of: Principal Hoese

Lil Steamer Families --

I wanted to take a moment to express my deepest gratitude for your incredible participation and support over the last two weeks. The commitment you show to our school and community is truly inspiring.

Giving Back: Success of the Food Drive

This week, our annual Food Drive was a massive success! Thank you to every single family who contributed items. Your generosity will make a tangible difference in the lives of many local families, helping to stock the shelves of both the Fulton and Albany food pantries just in time for the coming holiday season. It is wonderful to see our students and families embrace the spirit of giving.

Stronger Together: Parent/Teacher Conferences

Last week's Parent/Teacher Conferences were also a remarkable demonstration of our strong partnership. I am delighted to report that we achieved an outstanding 95% family attendance rate! This exceptional turnout shows your dedication to your child's education and their progress. These conferences are vital for ensuring we are all working together to support each student's success, and your active participation makes all the difference.

Thank you once again for your consistent support, cooperation, and involvement in making FES the Greatest Little Elementary School in the Universe!

Warm Regards,

JAGH

From the Desk of: AP Marten

As we approach Thanksgiving, this time of year naturally turns our attention toward gratitude and thankfulness. At our school, this is more than just a holiday theme—it's a fundamental part of our Social-Emotional Learning (SEL) curriculum, and a value we strive to instill in every student.

Research consistently shows that practicing gratitude has profound benefits for children's well-being, including:

Increased Happiness: Recognizing positive things helps shift focus away from challenges.
Stronger Relationships: Expressing thanks deepens connections with family, friends, and teachers.
Greater Resilience: A thankful heart helps children navigate difficulties with a more positive outlook.

We encourage you to partner with us by incorporating simple gratitude practices into your family routine:

The Dinner Table Thank You: Go around the table and have everyone name one thing they were grateful for that day.
Gratitude Jar: Decorate a jar and keep slips of paper nearby. When something good happens, write it down and put it in the jar. Read the notes together on Thanksgiving.
Modeling is Key: Let your child see you expressing sincere thankfulness to service workers, teachers, or family members.

Thank you for being such a supportive, dedicated, and appreciated part of our school community. We are truly grateful for the trust you place in us every day.

From the Desk of: Counselor Meumann

Encourage your children to talk to you and express their feelings. Here are some ways that you can help your child learn about and express their feelings:

Identify feelings in others-Provide lots of opportunities to identify feelings in others. You might ask your child to reflect on what someone else may be feeling. Cartoons or picture books are a great way to discuss feelings and help kids learn how to recognize other people’s feelings through facial expressions.

Be a role model-Kids learn about feelings and how to express them appropriately by watching others. Show your child how you’re feeling about different situations and how you deal with those feelings.

Encourage with praise-Praise your child when they talk about their feelings or express them in an appropriate way.

Listen to your child’s feelings-Stay present and resist the urge to make your child’s bad feelings go away. Support your child to identify and express their feelings so they are heard. When feelings are minimized, they will often be expressed in unhealthy ways.

FES Recognizes and Celebrates Veterans

On Nov. 11, 2025 Fulton Elementary held a Veterans' Day assembly to recognize those that have served and continue to serve and protect our country. The assembly began with a tribute by the FES 4th/5th grade choir entitled "Veterans, We Love You." We had a highly decorated Veteran, Brigader General Roy Webb speak to the students. He dressed one of our students to represent a day in the life of a soldier. Following the presentation, the 5th grade Ambassadors read each militay description and the military song for each branch was played as the Veterans stood to be recognized and honored for their service. The assemble was concluded with "The Star Spangled Banner" sang by all.

Brigader General Roy Webb

Dresses up student for a day in the life of a soldier.

Ambassadors sound off for the Military Branches

It is easy to learn about the teacher that your child/children have or have had. However, at FBP and FES, we are one large team. For this reason, we will introduce and give some fun information about each of our family members in our newsletter!

Last Saturday, 24 of our students from 4th-6th grades took part in the ILMEA District 8 Elementary General Music (EGM) Festival! Students were able to choose which group to be a part of, and spent the day learning and making music! Congratulations to all the students and a huge thank you to all the parents and chaperones for helping to make this possible!!

For more pics and videos, visit the ILMEA District 8 facebook page!