FUEL School Newsletter

Dear FUEL Families,

It is already week 6 at FUEL and heading into our first full week of October. I love this time of year as we have our routines and expectations in place and the real "work" of school is in full swing. It's also time over the next few weeks for some fun and extensions of our learning process - starting with our K-5 Field Day & Walk-A-Thon this Wednesday, October 7th - please check out the PTA box below for reminders for the big day! It is also COUNT DAY on Wednesday, so if your student will be absent, please be sure to call into the attendance line.

Wednesday is also national Walk & Roll to School Day! Consider "being green" with us and walk or bike or roll to school on Wednesday! We will have stickers for all of our students who participate that day. We also have our first half day on Thursday, October 8th - please note that our half day dismissal time is 11:53 a.m.

Please also take a moment to read this update from the district on our K-5 literacy curriculum and Michigan Public Act 146 of 2024.

Finally, as a reminder, we are asking that all of our families do a little "rock hunting" to find one rock for students to paint as part of our "One Word" activities for this year. We plan to "create" a garden of hidden gems - to find our spark and make our mark! Please check out this flyer for more information - rocks should be brought to school on Wed. 10/7.

See you this week!

With gratitude,

- Mrs. Jeffrey

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 1: Building Our School/Class Family. Our focus this week:

Self-Regulation & Motivation (Intrinsic vs. Extrinsic)

A quick read this week on teaching children self-regulation - though, I think the strategies are great for adults, too! Self-Regulation Strategies

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

• Mon. 10/5 - YMCA Sportport, 3:45-5:15 pm; ECG Butter Bread Fundraiser begins
• Wed. 10/7 - COUNT DAY; Walk/Bike/Roll to School Day; K-5 PTA Walk-A-Thon & Field Day; Rock Decorating Day (bring your rock!)
• Thurs. 10/8 - HALF DAY, 11:53 a.m. dismissal; First Passion Project Day!
• Fri. 10/9 - 3rd Grade Upland Hills Field Trip

Save the Date:

• Tues. 10/13 - PTA/ECG Meeting, 6:30 pm @ FUEL Media Center
• Thurs. 10/15 - PTA Skate Night, 5-8 pm @ Skate World Troy

Celebrate the grand opening of your official Ferndale Elementary School store with 20% OFF custom tees, hoodies, joggers, hats & more. Hurry, this sale won’t last long.

Be sure to customize your gear to how you like by clicking on "other designs available" as we have the Ferndale Lower, Ferndale Upper, and Ferndale Elementary logo's available as well as our Feather Swoosh design.

*This is not a fundraiser as the school does not make any money. This is a site set up to buy Eagle Swag.#TheFutureIsFerndale #WeSetTheStandard

https://sideline.bsnsports.com/schools/michigan/ferndale/ferndale-elementary-school

Know Before You Vote: Nov. 3 School Ballot Proposal

On Tuesday, Nov. 3, voters who live within Ferndale Public Schools will decide an Operating Millage Replacement Proposal. The proposal does not increase the tax rate. It keeps the district’s existing 18-mill levy on non-homestead property (businesses, rentals and second homes) in place from 2027 through 2046. Primary residences are exempt.

Levying the full 18 mills is how our district receives its full per-pupil funding from the State. If approved, the proposal is estimated to provide $6.74 million in 2027 for general operations.

Polls are open 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. on Nov. 3, and early voting runs Oct. 24 to Nov. 1. The last day to register online or by mail is Oct. 19. To find your polling place and precinct, visit mvic.sos.state.mi.us/Voter/Index. For the full ballot language and answers to common questions, visit ferndaleschools.org/page/millage.

As we move further into the school year, we want to remind families of a few important guidelines for keeping our students and staff healthy. Please keep your child home if they have a fever of 100°F or higher, vomiting or diarrhea within the past 24 hours, a persistent cough or sore throat, signs of an eye infection, or a rash accompanied by itching or fever.

Students should be fever-free for 24 hours without fever-reducing medication and free from vomiting or diarrhea for at least 24 hours before returning to school. Thank you, FMS families, for helping us maintain a healthy learning environment for everyone!

Additionally, for immediate assistance with food and other essential community resources, you can call the State of Michigan Helpline directly at 1-888-544-8773 or 211 . Let’s make it a great year!

Ms. Pettway

denazia.pettway@ferndaleschools.org

To learn more about FE PTA:

Website: www.fepta.org

Email: ferndale.elem.pta@gmail.com

Facebook: fb.me/FerndaleElementaryPTA

Instagram: instagram.com/ferndale_elementary_pta

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

Upcoming FE PTA Events - Everyone is welcome!

FE PTA Meeting

Our next meeting is October 13 at FUEL. Join us at 6PM to learn more about the Reflections program and create some art together as a family! The business part of the meeting will start at 6:45PM. Free onsite babysitting will be available.

Field Day and Walk-A-Thon

October 7, 2026

A Ferndale tradition returns! This fun-filled morning brings our two elementary schools together for games, physical fitness challenges, and a picnic lunch.

This is also the FE PTA’s fall fundraiser. Students will participate in our Walk-A-Thon – how many laps can they complete? We have a goal of raising $10,000, which provides every student with a school t-shirt for field trips and spirit days and supports our programming throughout the year. Every student will participate and receive a t-shirt, regardless of the amount pledged.

Flyers and pledge forms came home last week. You can also donate online: https://app.givebacks.gives/feptawalk-a-thon2026. Please share the donation link with family, friends, and local businesses!

Last call for volunteers! The sign up will close on Monday at noon: https://tinyurl.com/FEPTAFieldDayVolunteers2026 Volunteer forms must already be on file to volunteer that day.

Skate Night

October 15, 5-8PM

Skate World of Troy

Free to attend (just pay for your skate rental)! Need transportation? Sign up for the bus: https://tinyurl.com/457dzjuk. Thank you to The Institution of Dance Arts for their donation to help keep this event free for families! See the flyer here.

Board of Education Candidate Forum

October 22, 7-8:30PM @ Lower

The Candidate Forum is open to everyone - we invite teachers, school staff, student leaders, families, and community members at large to attend. We’ll have the opportunity to hear from the candidates and ask questions about their priorities and vision for Ferndale Schools.

Our goal is to build community and connection between the Board and all stakeholders – it’s important to know who is on the Board, and it’s important for the Board to know the community it serves. Free onsite babysitting, register here: bit.ly/3USLDmq

What is the Elementary Connections Group (ECG)

We are a parent-led elementary group devoted to enhancing our children’s education through outdoor learning opportunities. Our goal is to build connections, foster curiosity, and create enriching experiences that go beyond the classroom.

ECG is so excited to kick off our Braided Bread Fundraiser! This delicious Ferndale tradition helps your child earn money toward their camp adventure — and every loaf sold brings them closer to their goal! All profits go directly toward your child’s camp cost, so your family and friends can enjoy fresh, tasty bread while supporting your student’s big trip! Any profits over your child's camp cost will go into the general fund which provides full or partial scholarships.

Parents will have received an e-mail from My Fundraising Place with instructions specific to your child’s online store. No paper forms to worry about!

Fundraiser Letter

Camp - Bread Fundraiser!

Start Date: Monday, October 5th

End Date to submit orders: Monday, October 26th

Delivery Date: Thursday, November 12th in the afternoon (pick up at school)

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 2026-2027 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