September 2025

We’ve had a successful start to the 2025-2026 school year and It has been great to see our students back in the building! The excitement and positivity throughout the halls these first few days has been truly inspiring.

We were also thrilled to see such a large turnout at our open house. Thank you to all of the families who braved the parking lot to attend as well as took the time to connect with our staff. Your presence and involvement help build strong partnerships that reinforce our thriving school community.

As we move forward into the school year, we want to thank you for your continued support. Together, we can ensure that every student has the opportunity to grow, learn, and succeed here at Lake Fenton Middle School.

• Friday, August 29, 2025: NO CLASSES

• Monday, September 1, 2025: NO CLASSES

• Wednesday, September 3, 2025: First Delayed Start Wednesday of the School Year

• Wednesday, September 3, 2025: Picture Day

• Tuesday, September 9, 2025: NWEA Math Testing (Adjusted Schedule)

• Thursday, September 11, 2025: NWEA ELA Testing (Adjusted Schedule)

• Wednesday, September 17, 2025: Constitution Day

• Friday, September 26, 2025: Homecoming Parade and Varsity Football Game

• Tuesday, September 30, 2025: 6th Grade Zoo Field Trip

• Wednesday, October 1, 2025: Count Day | NON-Delayed Start Wednesday

• Monday, October 6, 2025: 7th Grade Book Fair

• Tuesday, October 7, 2025: 6th Grade Book Fair

• Tuesday, October 7, 2025 @ 5-7 PM: District Social Emotional Community Connection Fair (Location: High School)

• Wednesday, October 8, 2025: 8th Grade Book Fair

• Thursday, October 9, 2025: Make-Up Book Fair

• Thursday, October 16, 2025: HALF DAY CLASSES and

  Parent/Teacher Conferences (12:00-2:30 PM & 4:30-7:00 PM)

• Friday, October 17, 2025: NO CLASSES

• Saturday, October 18, 2025 @ 8:30-11:30 AM: Saturday School

• Tuesday, October 21, 2025: End of 1st Marking Period

Please follow the link below for directions on using "Here comes the Bus". You can find your child's ID number in ParentVUE and please make sure to include LKFN in front of the ID. https://5il.co/2vvm5

If you need further assistance, please contact:

Heather Waltrip

Transportation Coordinator

Phone (810) 591-2552

Fax (810) 591-1350

🚩Please have your student exit and load your vehicle at the sidewalk only. 🚩
It is not safe for students to walk through the parking lot to get to/from the road or the far side of the parking lot.

Location Reminders

• Buses: The parking lot in front of the administration lot will only be used for school buses only.

• 6th Grade: The parking lot off of N. Long Lake in front of the middle school main entrance will be used for 6th grade drop-off and pick-up.
• For safety and the flow of traffic, please turn right ONLY when exiting the parking lot directly in front of the middle school main entrance.
• Additionally, please pull as far forward as possible when dropping-off or picking-up your student to help ensure that we can keep the flow of traffic moving and the least amount of people as possible blocking traffic on N. Long Lake Road because they are unable to enter the parking lot.

• 7/8th Grade: The parking lot off of Main Road, located next to the baseball field will be used for 7th and 8th grade drop-off and pick-up.

• Multiple Grades: If you have students in multiple grades, choose either drop-off/pick-up location to drop-off/pick-up all your children.

Safety Tips & Reminders

• Students must stay on the sidewalks or in the vestibule while they wait for their rides.

• It is important that all students are picked-up after school and that they are not waiting around and wondering about the school grounds.

• Students should be dropped-off and picked-up at the school only and should not be crossing Torrey Road to get food and or snacks.

Driver Safety Tips During Pick-up & Drop-Off

• Be alert: Staff are exiting their vehicles and children can sometimes be unpredictable by ignoring hazards and taking risks.
• Be patient: Students and families are trying their best to leave in a timely manner.
• Be prepared: there will be more traffic in school zones, especially during start and end times, allowing extra travel time.
• Open Parking Spaces: Please do not pull through the open spaces or the handicap spaces in the parking lot during drop-off and pick-up.
• Side of the Road Drop-off and Pick-up: With the heavy traffic during the day, students should not walk to or across the road to be dropped-off or picked-up.

Student Safety Tips

• Stay on the sidewalk and do not cross the busy parking lot

• Never dart out in front of a parked car

• Never walk while texting or talking on the phone

• Do not walk while using headphones

Student Arrival / Departure Time Reminder

• Students will be allowed to enter the building no sooner than 30 minutes prior to the start of the scheduled student day. The scheduled student day starts at 7:15 AM on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays while the scheduled student day starts at 8:15 AM on Wednesdays (unless otherwise noted).

• Students will not be permitted in the building any later than 20 minutes following the end of the scheduled student day. The scheduled student day ends at 2:15 PM.

Thank you again for your understanding and please continue to be alert, patient, and prepared for how busy morning drop-off and afternoon pick-up can be.
Let’s make it a safe start of the school year!

Please click on link to access Mr. Taylor's World Geography Classroom. https://secure.smore.com/n/uxnf2

This month in science, we will focus on establishing routines and procedures in our classroom. We will then begin our unit on ecosystems! Students will learn about the effects that resource availability has on populations within our ecosystems. They will also predict patterns in ecosystems based on factors such as resource availability, competition, predator-prey relationships, mutualism, and invasive species. Students will use this knowledge to complete a project where they will educate others about the importance of maintaining healthy ecosystems. More information will be shared later this month. As part of our study on ecosystems, our 6th graders will get an awesome opportunity to go on a field trip to the Detroit Zoo on Tuesday, September 30th. There, they will investigate what has happened to the moose and wolves on Isle Royale by investigating 3D printed remains of moose all over the zoo! Please fill out the permission slip below and background checks (if you plan to chaperone) by Monday, September 8th!

CALLING ALL VOLUNTEERS! If you have expertise in the workings of healthy ecosystems and/or you would like to join us at the Detroit Zoo, we would LOVE to have you! If you did not already, you can fill out the Parent Volunteer form. Be sure to come into the office as soon as possible to complete your background check for the 2025-2026 school year if you did not do this at Open House. Background Check Reminder: You must have a new one every year on file with the district – if you filled one out in another building (West Shore, Torrey Hill, or the high school), no need to fill out one specifically for the middle school. Background checks for the Detroit Zoo must be done by Monday, September 8th to give it time to process.

Permission Slip

Parent Volunteer Form

It has been an awesome start to the school year so far! Students have been getting to know the classroom and routines as well as each other. We will begin exploring Numerical Expressions and Factors in the coming weeks. Be on the lookout for an informational email in the second week of school that contains important links to help you keep track of everything going on in our class. This email will have plenty of tips for helping your student find success.

We have had a great start to the school year in Language Arts! Students have been working on poetry, predictions, independent reading, memorable moments, and diary writing. In addition, we will be taking our Fall NWEA testing.

Our first and second hour choirs are having fun getting to know each other and beginning to use our voices again after the summer break. Students have their voice placement and are working on getting back into good classroom choral routines. We have begun working on our first two pieces in class and are reviewing sight-reading and music theory from last school year.

We are starting off with some basic science reminders with the scientific method. We are looking into how to design an experiment and identify the parts of one as well. We will be looking at data and how to analyze it before moving on to our first unit of study- Volcanoes. Students will learn about how and why volcanoes form by understanding the flow of energy within the Earth.

Welcome to 7th grade math! First, I want to say a big thank you to all of you and the generosity you have given me these past few weeks. It was a pleasure to meet so many families at open house. It was also a great start to our school year getting to know your 7th grader. We have been getting to know one another as well as practicing classroom expectations and routines. I have given all students a syllabus and it will also be posted in our Google Classrooms. We will be starting Integers and Rational Numbers the next couple of weeks. Students will also be taking a couple pretests as well to help show growth by the end of the school year. I'm looking forward to an exciting school year! ~Ms. Chiano

Welcome Back! In the 7th-grade Literature and Language classes, we have been establishing habits of reading and writing daily. Students completed surveys, pre-assessments, and are creating reading goals. Seventh graders shared a bit of themselves through "Getting to Know You" slideshows and have steadily been making choices in picking out books in our classroom and school libraries. Students will start working on writing Memoirs. Students and teachers are participating in book talks, and we are building our “TBR” or “To Be Read” book list daily.

Our first and second hour choirs are having fun getting to know each other and beginning to use our voices again after the summer break. Students have their voice placement and are working on getting back into good classroom choral routines. We have begun working on our first two pieces in class and are reviewing sight-reading and music theory from last school year.

Welcome back! Students in 7th grade health will be starting our unit in Tobacco. We will be covering the physical, social and financial consequences of tobacco use.

Welcome Back!! Students in 8th grade US History will be covering the age of exploration. Be sure that students come to class with their chromebooks daily. Most days that are going to be a large part of instruction.

We are starting the year off with measuring practice and getting some pre-testing out of the way. We will also be starting our 8.1 unit. In this unit we will cover natural selection and population changes over time.

The school year is off to a great start, getting to know one another, our classroom routines, as well as getting some baseline data on each student's math skills. For Pre-Algebra we will begin solving equations, while Algebra will be solving linear equations, in the coming weeks. Be on the lookout for an informational email in the second week of school that contains important links to help you keep track of everything going on in our class. This email will have plenty of tips for helping your student find success this school year.

In 8th grade ELA, students have begun the year with daily notebook writing with an emphasis on generating ideas for our upcoming genre study, getting inspired by reading/listening/viewing authors, and picking independent reading novels. In September, we will begin our study of telling stories through verse. Students will read novels in verse, as well as write their own memoirs in verse.

Our first and second hour choirs are having fun getting to know each other and beginning to use our voices again after the summer break. Students have their voice placement and are working on getting back into good classroom choral routines. We have begun working on our first two pieces in class and are reviewing sight-reading and music theory from last school year.

Academic Criteria for consideration:

Prospective NJHS Students must meet the threshold of a 3.9 or higher grade point average to be considered for membership.

Applications for NJHS membership will be disseminated each March after a thorough review of each student’s 1st semester GPA., leadership skills, and social conduct has been done by our NJHS panel. Students not meeting the GPA, leadership, or behavior standards will not receive an application.

After all applications are returned for panel review, students will be notified if they have been chosen for an April induction. As a reminder, the panel will be looking for students who may be inducted to be examples of all five pillars of NJHS (leadership, citizenship, scholarship, service, and character).

Behavioral/Citizenship considerations:

Prospective Students to be inducted into the NJHS at Lake Fenton Middle school are expected to maintain exemplary behavior, and citizenship. Students that have a pattern of behavioral issues that result in think sheets, minor violations, or suspensions may not be considered for membership. Students that have more than one office-managed minor violation or one major violation may be subject to removal from the LFMS chapter

Maintaining Membership in NJHS

Academics: Inducted students must maintain a cumulative GPA of at least 3.5 to continue membership in the Lake Fenton Middle School NJHS chapter. Those that fall below that will receive a one-time warning that gives them one marking period to raise their GPA to the 3.5 threshold.

Behavioral considerations: Inducted students must maintain exemplary social behavior for the entire term of their membership. Students that exhibit a pattern of behavior that results in more than one office-managed minor violation or results in more than one day of suspension will result in either a warning or possible removal from the NJHS chapter at LFMS.

This is a reminder about our handbook policy on apparel and dress.

In particular, the length of shorts and the shirts should be considered when clothes shopping for school. We ask for your assistance in adhering to these expectations and appreciate your help.

These are a few helpful reminders about what we refer to as the rectangle of clothing.

• Clothing must cover from armpit to mid-thigh
• Clothing must cover areas from one armpit across to the other
• Shoulders must have straps
• Holes in clothing must be at least mid-thigh or below

The following is the entire Apparel and Dress Policy:

At Lake Fenton Middle School we strive to be the best and we communicate that in part by appearance. Student attire should facilitate participation in learning as well as health and safety of students and adults who supervise them.

Dressing or grooming in a manner which interferes or disrupts the educational process, interferes with the maintenance of a positive teaching/learning climate, or compromises reasonable standards of health, safety, and decency.

Students will have the opportunity to remedy the violation; if unable, then students will report to the office. Please note that LFMS will not discriminate based on religious observations.

1. Clothing should be constructed and worn in such a manner that is not unduly revealing. Clothing must cover areas from one armpit across to the other and armpit to mid-thigh and shoulders must have straps. Holes in clothing must be at least mid-thigh or below, in sleeves, or have an underlayer to cover the body. Clothing shall be worn at the natural waist so there is no exposure of undergarments.

2. Sunglasses, hats, hoods, and any other types of non-religious headwear shall not be permitted at any time during the school day. Shoes must be worn at all times. Blankets or onesie costume pajamas will not be allowed as student attire. These items may be confiscated or asked to be removed. At no time should a student write or draw on their body nor should a majority of the face be painted. Please note that there may be school pre-approved exceptions to include “spirit days” and “peace days”. Hair garments are allowed as long as the identity of the student is visible.

3. No article of clothing shall be worn which depicts illegal material; tobacco, alcohol, drugs, lewd acts, violent acts, or weapons. No article of clothing shall be worn which defames, targets, or discriminates any person, school, community, entity, nation, or contains or implies obscene, profane or sexually related words or pictures. Clothing that is obviously dirty, torn, ripped, cut, or mutilated to achieve an unusual effect is prohibited. Accessories that contain metal studs, chains, or sharp objects may not be worn or part of any book bag, purse, etc.

4. Students in violation will be asked to wash off the writing/drawing/paint, change clothing, given a shirt and/or be asked to not wear it again. If it is disruptive to the school day, they will be sent home. Those who repeatedly violate the dress code will be considered insubordinate.

5. When dressing for school, students should consider the following questions:

• Is my clothing revealing or distracting?
• Does my clothing advertise a product or service prohibited by minors?
• Does my clothing, jewelry, make up, buttons, etc. contain messages that are obscene, profane, offensive, drug related, or gang related?
• Is there anything about my clothing that would be offensive to others at school?
• Would I interview for a job in this outfit?
• Am I dressed appropriately for the weather and today’s activities?

Any student serving a suspension from school that is scheduled during any portion of a field trip will not be able to participate in that scheduled field trip. Any discipline concern, past or present, may prevent a student from participation:

• If a student has been suspended for six (6) or more days at any point in the year.

• If a student has been suspended for any Group III violations

• If a student has multiple referrals before the trip.

Students should be at promotion status (passing three of five core classes) to attend all field trips. This will need to be achieved a week before the scheduled trip. Students not in promotion standing may lose the opportunity to participate. Families may not have any outstanding fines/fees in order to participate in the end of the school year culminating field trips.

Other considerations for not allowing students to participate in field trips:

• Student Attendance

• Behavioral or safety concerns

• Failure to receive appropriate permission from parent/guardian or teacher

• Failure to complete appropriate coursework

• Denial of permission from administration

• Other reasons as determined by the school

If it is determined that a student will not be able to participate in a field trip for any reason listed above, refunds cannot be guaranteed.

General Attendance

• If a student is absent, the school assumes that their parent or guardian is aware that their child is not attending classes.

• When a student is unable to attend school for any portion of the day, their parent or guardian must notify the middle school office at (810) 591-2211 on the day of the absence or the student is considered truant.

• If the parent learns of the absence when they return from work that evening, they may still report their knowledge of the absence by calling the above number and leaving a voicemail.

• Every effort should be made to make appointments outside of the school day.

• Absences for driver’s training or other non-medical reasons are not appropriate during the school day.

• A “personal absence” will not be accepted as a valid excuse due to pupil accounting requirements.

• Deadlines on long-term assignments are enforced regardless of student absence.

Student Responsibilities:

• If a student is late or absent for any portion of the school day, they must sign-in to the main office to receive an admittance pass to class.

• If a student has received permission to leave the building through written verification or communication from the parent or guardian, they must first check-out in the main office.

• Students must coordinate with their teachers to make up missed work after an absence. They have the same number of days to complete the work as the number of days they were absent, with possible extensions at the teacher’s discretion.
  
  

Late Arrival / Early Dismissal:

• A student who arrives at school after Tutorial has begun must sign-in at the main office to obtain a pass that will admit them into class.

• If a student must leave during the scheduled student day, the parent or guardian must come into the main office to sign-out the student.

Consequences for Excessive Absences:

• Warning Notification - a student who reaches their 5th unexcused absence shall receive a warning stating the consequences of additional accrued absences.

• Attendance Agreement - a student who reaches their 10th unexcused absence in a semester will be placed on an attendance agreement. An attempt will be made to include the student when developing the attendance agreement.

• Parent Meeting - a student with 15 combined excused/unexcused absences will be required to attend a meeting with school administration and parents. Details of the circumstances will be documented and a plan of action to improve attendance will be developed.

• Loss of Privilege - a student is at risk of losing the privileges of dances, field trips, and after school functions such as games and clubs due to poor attendance and/or excessive tardies. Parent notification with limits imposed will occur.

• Probate Court - a student under sixteen years of age with excessive absences may be notified by the Probate Court and appropriate action taken in compliance with state law. 20 total absences (excused or unexcused) will be used to investigate truancy.

Consequences for Excessive Tardiness:

Promptness to class is expected so students are prepared to enter the world of work. Consequences of excessive tardiness includes parent notification along with the following:

• A student who reaches their 3rd tardy in any class shall receive a warning stating the consequences of additional accrued tardies.

• A student who reaches their 5th tardy in any class shall be assigned a one-hour after school detention.

• A student who reaches their 10th tardy in any class shall be assigned two hours of after school detention.

• On the 15th tardy, a referral will be handled as insubordination with a parent meeting.

• A student entering class after 5 minutes will be considered absent and marked with an 5AB, unless a pass accompanies a student.

Attendance as it relates to Athletics and Extracurriculars

• Students will only be allowed to participate in an athletic or extracurricular contest, practice, performance, or meeting when they have attended school for a majority of the school day on the day of the event.

• If a student is absent from school for extenuating circumstances (required court attendance, professional appointments with provided documentation, death in the immediate family, etc.), then the student must notify the middle school office prior to the event of this pre-arranged absence in order to be able to participate.

• A doctor's note is required when the reason for the student's absence is due to a medical appointment.

Attendance as it relates to Co-Curriculars

• Examples of middle school co-curriculars include the band and choir courses where a grade is earned for rehearsals and performances outside of the scheduled student day.

• Due to the course grade earned for co-curricular rehearsals and performances outside of the scheduled student day, a student will be allowed to participate regardless of attendance on the day of the event.

Student Arrival / Departure Times

• Students will be allowed to enter the building no sooner than 30 minutes prior to the start of the scheduled student day. The scheduled student day starts at 7:15 AM on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays while the scheduled student day starts at 8:15 AM on Wednesdays (unless otherwise noted).

• Students will not be permitted in the building any later than 20 minutes following the end of the scheduled student day. The scheduled student day ends at 2:15 PM.

• Student-athletes must have a current-year physical on file with the middle school office or uploaded to FinalForms in order to practice beginning Monday, August 25th. A current-year physical is one given on or after April 15th. Students without physicals as of Monday, August 25th will not be able to participate in fall sports until a current-year physical has been received. Student-athletes must also meet and maintain academic, behavior, and attendance requirements.

• There is a $50 per student pay-to-participate fee that applies to the entire school year, regardless of the number of sports played throughout the school year. The fee can be paid online before the first competition using e-Funds for Schools or via check made payable to “Lake Fenton Community Schools”

MHSAA’s Regulation III Section 12 - Limited Team Membership

as it pertains to Lake Fenton Middle School

The language below is an attempt to simplify the regulation for clearer understanding.

Please note that the following is applicable to middle school only

as high school limited team membership is more restrictive and punitive than middle school.

7/8th Grade Fall Football *

From the 7/8th grader’s first participation in a football practice with the school football team, that student-athlete may not participate in any football game or scrimmage not sponsored by his or her school team during the same football season. In other words, that 7/8th grade football player may only play on the school football team OR play on a non-school football team, but CANNOT play for both the school football team AND a non-school football team during the same football season.

All other Lake Fenton Middle School sports

• Fall

• 7th and 8th Grade Girls Basketball *

• 7th and 8th Grade Sideline Cheerleading *

• 6th, 7th, and 8th Grade Cross Country

• Winter

• 7th and 8th Grade Boys Basketball *

• 7th and 8th Grade Competitive Cheerleading *

• 7th and 8th Grade Volleyball

• 6th, 7th, and 8th Grade Wrestling *

• Spring

• 7th & 8th Grade Baseball *

• 7th & 8th Grade Softball *

• 6th, 7th, and 8th Grade Track

From the student-athlete’s first participation in a contest or scrimmage with the school team until the last day of competition with the school team, the student-athlete MAY participate in a maximum of two (2) events not sponsored by the school team in the same sport during the same season.

For example, for all sports except football, a student MAY compete with a school team AND a non-school team in the same sport during the same season, but must either…

1. Stop participating with the school team when the student has competed in the third (3rd) non-school team event
   OR
2. Stop participating with the non-school team after the second (2nd) non-school team event until the conclusion of the school team’s season

An event, for this purpose, is defined as a competition that occurs on three (3) or less consecutive calendar days. For example, an event could be a volleyball game, a volleyball double-header, or a volleyball weekend tournament. If you’re unsure of what an event is for your particular situation, please just ask and we can help.

* Please note that Lake Fenton Youth Football, Cheer, Wrestling, Little League, and Jet League that offer additional athletic opportunities to Lake Fenton Middle School 6th graders (and in some cases 7/8th graders for wrestling) are technically not considered school-sponsored teams sanctioned by MHSAA and are therefore considered non-school teams despite the namesake.

______________________________________________________________________________________________

Actual MHSAA Excerpted Regulation Language

Regulation III - Essential Eligibility Requirements for Junior High / Middle School Students

Section 12 - Limited Team Membership

SECTION 12 (A)—A student who participates in an interscholastic scrimmage or contest as a member of a junior high/middle school athletic team and then participates in any athletic competition not sponsored by his or her school in the same sport during the same season, shall become ineligible for a minimum of the next two (2) days of competition (meaning the next two competitions PER violation) and a maximum of the remainder of that season in that school year (as approved by MHSAA).

1. Football shall apply the limited team membership rule from the point of a student’s first participation in a practice with the school team.

2. Alpine skiing shall apply the limited team membership rule to each individual from the point of the TEAM’S first participation in an interscholastic scrimmage or contest; rather than the first practice or competition of the individual.

3. In all sports except football, during the junior high/middle school season (from a student’s first participation in a contest or scrimmage until the last day of competition for that student), a member of the school team in that sport may participate in a maximum of two (2) events not sponsored by his or her school in that sport while not representing his or her school. An event held on not more than three (3) consecutive calendar days is considered a single event (for the purposes of this section only).

** Please note that the preceding is applicable to middle school only

as high school limited team membership is more restrictive and punitive than middle school. **

Lake Fenton Middle School

11425 Torrey Road

Fenton, Michigan 48430

Phone: (810) 591-9589

Fax: (810) 591-9866

7:15 AM - 2:15 PM (Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays)

8:15 AM - 2:15 PM (Delayed Start Wednesdays)

7:15 AM - 10:25 AM (Half Days)