Fugett Flash
Week of Monday, August 26th - Friday, August 30th, 2024
May 8, 2026
The Principal's Paw Print
5/8/26
Greetings Fugett Families,
As we continue moving through the spring season together, I want to take a moment to thank you for your continued partnership, support, and commitment to our students and school community. It continues to be a joy and honor to serve as Principal of Fugett Middle School and to work alongside such an incredible team of students, staff, and families.
At Fugett, we are continuing to ground our work with students in our ICARE values:
Integrity – doing the right thing even when no one is watching
Care – showing compassion and support for ourselves and others
Accountability – taking ownership for our actions, choices, and learning
Respect – valuing others, our school, and our community
Empathy – seeking to understand and support the experiences of others
These values are more than words as they are the foundation of the culture we are building together as a school community. Each day, we are working with students to ensure that our classrooms, hallways, cafeteria, buses, and activities reflect these shared expectations and values.
We ask for your continued support in reinforcing these principles at home through conversations about positive decision-making, respectful communication, academic responsibility, and kindness toward others. When schools and families work together with consistency and care, students thrive both academically and socially.
As we head into another strong week of teaching and learning, thank you for helping us ensure that every student continues to feel safe, supported, challenged, and connected at Fugett Middle School.
Thank you for your continued partnership and for all you do to support our Cougar community.
With gratitude,
Zak Lewis
Shoutout to Ms. Page & 7th Grade History! 👏
Kudos to Ms. Page and her 7th grade historians for an engaging and high-impact learning experience! Students designed creative trading cards that captured key concepts around the Boston Tea Party and taxation, incorporating strong visuals, meaningful quotes, and rich historical context.
Even more impressive, students circulated to review one another’s work, offering thoughtful feedback and building on each other’s ideas. The level of engagement, collaboration, and learning on display was outstanding.
Great job, Ms. Page and students as this is powerful teaching and learning in action!
Cougar SHOUTOUT to our 6th Grade Team Leaders, Ms. Peters and Mr. Nefus, along with Mrs. Simpson, for their outstanding coordination and hard work supporting our Rising 6th Grade Family Night and school visits!
Special thanks as well to our Student Council students for providing amazing tours and support to our rising 5th grade families. You represented Fugett with pride, leadership, and kindness!
NEW FMS Entry Procedures
New FMS Entry Procedures
- Parents entering the building to pick up a student for early dismissal or to attend a conference will need their driver's license and will need to sign in on the iPad in the vestibule before being permitted into the building.
- Parents do not need to enter the building when a student arrives late to school. When students arrive late, they will enter into the office and sign in to receive a pass to class.
- Parents dropping off student belongings during the day will need to leave the items in the drop off area of the vestibule. Labels will be provided to include your students' name and grade. Students will be contacted throughout the day to pickup their item.
8th Grade EOY Events
8th grade EOY Activities
May 15th - Club Fair & 8th Grade Orientation - East High School (Student Only Event)
June 5th - 8th grade dance (6:00 pm - 8:00 pm) - Fugett Gymnasium
June 10th - 8th grade picnic (Student Only Event)
June 11th - 8th grade field day (Student Only Event)
June 12th - 8th grade End of Year Celebration - East Auditorium (Morning)
Order your 8th Grade Yard Sign, $16/each!
We have arranged for a partnership with a local print company to provide our 8th Grade Celebratory Yard Signs where we will receive a percent of all sales! The funds will be used towards our 8th grade dance! The yard signs are $16.00/each -- full color, double-sided with the option to have a photo or name only. They will be available for pick-up at school in a few days.
Click the link below to customize & process payment:
📆 Coming Up! 📆
Calendar -- Look Ahead and Plan
Calendar -- Look Ahead and Plan
Sunday MAY 10th- Happy Mothers Day!
Monday May 11 -- Day 5 (CARE - SEL)
Tuesday May 12 -- Day 6 -- ***Algebra Keystones***
Wednesday May 13 -- Day 1 -- (CARE PERIOD) ***Algebra Keystones*** Title Programs Family Meeting
Thursday May 14 -- Day 2 -- ***Kona Ice Truck Fundraiser at Lunch***
Friday May 15 -- Day 3 -- (CARE PERIOD) ***8th Grade Activity Fair***
Monday May 18 -- Day 4 (CARE - Clubs)
Tuesday May 19 -- NO SCHOOL TEACHER IN-SERVICE
Wednesday May 20 -- Day 5 -- (CARE PERIOD)
Thursday May 21 -- Day 6 --
Friday May 22 -- Day 1 -- (CARE PERIOD)
Inside Fugett Middle School
Congrats to Our Chess Champion, Vivaash!
We would like to take this opportunity to recognize that Vivaash Hariharasudhan, a6th grader in FMS has won the K-6 National Chess championship(U600 category). The results from the competition are below. Congrats Vivaash!
Result link: https://www.uschess.org/results/2026/elem/?page=WINNERS&xsection=K6U600
An Update From Our String Orchestra Concert
Dear Students, Parents, and Staff,
Congratulations to all EHS and FMS 8th Grade Orchestra students and families on a job well done at Thursday night’s String Orchestra concert!
We are incredibly proud of the hard work, dedication, and musical growth demonstrated by our students. A special note of appreciation goes to our seniors—we love you and will always value the lasting impact you’ve had on our orchestra program. Your leadership and commitment have made a meaningful difference.
Please take a moment to enjoy and share this video from the concert:
https://youtu.be/GfBXL9jHWWk
Thank you as well to all of the staff and administration who continue to support and encourage our students’ musical and artistic efforts. Your contributions help make experiences like this possible.
Getting the Most from This Newsletter
This newsletter is your guide to what your child is learning in math each month, with content broken out by grade level. Watch the videos together at home to explore the concepts more deeply, support their learning, and reinforce key skills in meaningful ways.
Resources on how to access WCASD platforms for Parents:
Cheat sheet for Schoology: https://docs.google.com/document/d/18FmsoQqNYnxqyCaLYwi35lD3Cbav9BuU3cLml052Cyg/edit?tab=t.0
How to get emails from parent portal: https://www.iorad.com/player/2478478/WCASD-Parent-Portal---Email-Notifications---Account-Preferences#trysteps-1
District webpage with resources for Schoology and Parent Portal: https://www.wcasd.net/families-students/technology-resources/parent-portal-account
Cougar Sports!
Fall Athletics information and WCASD PIAA sports registration website (deadline 09/20/2025)
For any families looking to attend an EHS football game this year, please review the attached ticketing and attendance expectations. All tickets are purchased online.
Reminder of student arrival parameters for students who participate in extracurricular and sports:
Late Arrival - A student must be in school by 9:01 a.m. in order to participate in an athletic contest/practice/activity that day. An exception will be made if the student has an approved medical appointment, in which case, the student must present to the attendance office a signed statement from the doctor regarding the absence. A note from the parent/guardian for illness will not be acceptable. In all cases, a student must arrive no later than 11:05 am.
Early Dismissal – The WCASD policy is that in order for a student to participate in any extra-curricular activity, he or she must be present in school the day of the activity. If a student needs to have an early dismissal for any reason, he or she is expected to return at a reasonable time. If the student does not expect to return, he or she must receive prior permission from the administration or the athletic office. The Principal or his or her designee may make exceptions to this policy when a student has extenuating circumstances.
Team Photos!
If any parent/student would like to purchase a sports photo and did not turn in a form, you can reach out and order online: https://focusonsportsphotography.com/
EHS High School Athletics Newsletter
Fall Sports Try-Out Reminder
Reminder:
If there are any eighth-grade athletes trying out in the spring for a fall sport at the high school, they will need to have a physical on file in FamilyId.com for the current 2025-26 school year to be eligible to tryout.
Anyone needing more information can stop by Mr. Swifts office.
East High School Cheerleading tryouts are coming. May 12th Main Gym, 13th Wrestling Gym are for material review after school from 3-5 pm & May 14th is tryout day at 3pm for 8th graders. Any students interested in trying out, email Coach Boccio lboccio@wcasd.k12.pa.us for a tryout packet and more information.
Game Official Shortage
Nationwide, there is an ongoing shortage of game officials. While Fugett expects to have officials at the vast majority of our home contests, there may be occasional situations, either at home or at away games, where an official is unavailable. In those cases, our priority will be to allow students the opportunity to play rather than cancel a game.
With that in mind, we ask that all spectators model strong sportsmanship at all times. This includes showing respect for players, coaches, and any individuals helping to oversee the game, regardless of the circumstances. These moments are important opportunities for our student-athletes to demonstrate character and respect.
We are proud of how Fugett students represent our school, and we appreciate your partnership in helping create a positive and supportive environment at all events.
WCASD Activity Fee Reminder (NEW INFO)
As a reminder, WCASD charges an activity fee for student participation in extracurricular activities. If your child is participating in extracurricular activities, including spring sports, please make sure the activity fee has been paid.
Middle School Students: $84.00
Maximum per family: $250.00
WCASD is committed to ensuring that no student is denied participation in extracurricular activities due to financial concerns. Information about available financial assistance is provided for families who may need support.
To offer parents a convenient, fair, and seamless payment process, the district will again use PayForIt, an online payment system. Please see this link for more information about the WCASD activity fee: https://www.wcasd.net/families-students/fees-forms/activity-fee
Fugett Sports
Spring Sports are beginning! Please see the attached information for registering for Spring Sports. Students should look for information from coaches on Schoology and listen to announcements for start dates and times.
iHistory:
A reminder to students going on the Friday, March 20 field trip to Washington DC, please be at Fugett by 8:20am with rides home at Fugett at 7:00pm. Students should bring snacks for the bus ride and money for lunch while in DC.
EHS FALL TRYOUTS! (NEW INFORMATION)
Good afternoon,
It's time to start planning for Fall Athletics 2026. Fall Sports begin Monday, August 10th (Football and Golf) and Monday August 17th (All other Fall Sports). ALL TRYOUTS AND PRACTICES ARE MANDATORY. Athletes that do not attend tryouts/practices put themselves ask risk of not being eligible to participate in a Fall sport. Below is a link to our EHS 2026 Fall Athletics Newsletter. This newsletter provides information on PIAA Physicals, Family ID, WCASD Activity Fees, Schedules, Coaches Contact Info, Ticketing Info and MORE! All physicals MUST be signed by a physician and dated May 1st 2026 or after.
Please review all information in the Newsletter before registering your athlete. Athletes can begin registration on May 1st! All students must be registered at least a week before their August start date. If the athlete is not registered a week in advance, there could be a delay in their ability to participate in tryouts. Athletes can't participate without a proper physical. Please direct any questions about schedules, practice times, etc to the head coach of the sport you are interested in trying out for. There is a link in the newsletter for a "Coach Directory." If you have questions about physicals and registration on Family ID, please reach out to our athletic trainers Cailey Ryan (cryan@wcasd.net) and Tony Shickora (ashickora@wcasd.net).
CLICK HERE: WC East High School 2026 Fall Athletics Newsletter
Thank you,
Ryan Zehren
EHS Athletic Director
Buenas tardes,
Es hora de empezar a planificar la temporada deportiva de otoño de 2026. Los deportes de otoño comienzan el lunes 10 de agosto (fútbol americano y golf) y el lunes 17 de agosto (el resto de los deportes de otoño). TODAS LAS PRUEBAS DE SELECCIÓN Y ENTRENAMIENTOS SON OBLIGATORIAS. Los deportistas que no asistan a las pruebas de selección o a los entrenamientos corren el riesgo de no poder participar en ningún deporte de otoño. A continuación, se incluye un enlace a nuestro boletín informativo de deportes de otoño de la preparatoria EHS 2026. Este boletín ofrece información sobre los reconocimientos médicos de la PIAA, Family ID, las cuotas de actividades del WCASD, los horarios, la información de contacto de los entrenadores, la información sobre la venta de entradas y ¡MUCHO MÁS! Todos los reconocimientos médicos DEBEN estar firmados por un médico y tener fecha del 1 de mayo de 2026 o posterior.
Por favor, revise toda la información del boletín antes de inscribir a su deportista. ¡Los deportistas pueden comenzar a inscribirse el 1 de mayo! Todos los alumnos deben estar inscritos al menos una semana antes de su fecha de inicio en agosto. Si el deportista no se inscribe con una semana de antelación, podría haber un retraso en su participación en las pruebas de selección. Los deportistas no pueden participar sin el examen médico adecuado. Dirija cualquier pregunta sobre horarios, horarios de entrenamiento, etc., al entrenador principal del deporte en el que esté interesado en hacer las pruebas de selección. En el boletín hay un enlace al «Directorio de entrenadores». Si tiene preguntas sobre los exámenes médicos y la inscripción en Family ID, póngase en contacto con nuestros preparadores físicos Cailey Ryan (cryan@wcasd.net) y Tony Shickora (ashickora@wcasd.net).
HAGA CLIC AQUÍ: Boletín deportivo de otoño de 2026 de la preparatoria East High de West Chester.
Gracias,
Ryan Zehren
Director deportivo de EHS
Sign up for the Fugett Tennis Clinic!
Program Details:
Who: All Fugett Middle School students
What: Tennis lessons led by WC East High School tennis coaches and players
When: Tuesdays, Wednesdays, and Thursdays in May from 3:15–4:45 PM
(Please see specific dates below)Where: WC East High School Tennis Courts
Cost: $85 per student
Club Meeting Dates:
- Tuesday, May 12
- Wednesday, May 13
- Thursday, May 14
Monday, May 18
- Wednesday, May 20
Thursday, May 21
Monday, May 26
Rain Make‑Up Dates (if needed):
May 15
May 22
May 29
June 6
Sign up Below
PTO Corner
- Stay connected with the PTO and the Fugett community through our PTO page and the Fugett Parents Facebook page. (Be sure to fill out all the membership questions for the FB page, which helps admins keep the community FMS-focused and vet incoming members).
💙💛 Fugett PTO Committees 💛💙
Our committees are the backbone of the PTO. They organize the programs and initiatives that directly benefit our students. As Fugett continues to grow, so does our need for engaged volunteers who want to make a difference.
Whether you can give a little time or take on a larger role, your participation helps keep our blue and gold traditions strong.
CLICK HERE for more information and to sign up!
Save the Date for two more Dining Night Outs!
April 15 - Pica's West Chester
May 13 - Chipotle West Chester
If you have questions about board positions, committees, or how to get involved, please reach out to us at fugettpto@gmail.com.
Let’s continue building a school community our Cougars are proud to be part of. 💙💛🐾
Policies & Procedures
🆕 Attendance
Fugett Middle School - Attendance
Family Vacations
Students may be excused from school for up to five (5) days of school per year for a family vacation. Family Vacation days must be pre-approved by your child’s administrator. A family vacation form must be completed and turned into the office prior to the absence.
Please submit vacation requests at least one (1) week in advance to the attendance office: FMSAttendance@wcasd.net. Please note that parents or guardians will only be notified if any or all of the request is not approved.
Absences
If your student is going to be absent, please submit their absence on Parent Portal.
You may also send an emailed Parent Note or copy of the doctor’s note directly to the attendance office: FMSAttendance@wcasd.net. Please note that you must send the email from the email address we have on file. If documentation is not provided within 3 days of your students’ return to school, the absence will be considered unlawful.
A student is allotted 10 Parent Notes and 5 Family Vacation days for the school year. Every absence after that will require a Doctor’s Note or the absence will remain unlawful.
If a student is absent for 5 consecutive days, a Doctor’s Note is required by the 6th day of absence, even if PNs have not been exhausted.
At the 4th unlawful absence, a Student Attendance Improvement Plan (SAIP) meeting will be held with our Home & School Visitor.
Lateness & Early Dismissals
Following ten excused tardies and/or early dismissals in a school year, the school will require a doctor’s note or other corroboration beyond a note from a parent/guardian. Failure to provide corroboration beyond the allotment will result in absences being classified as unlawful.
All students are expected to locker and report to their homeroom by 7:30 a.m. every day. Students arriving after this time will be considered tardy.
A tardy is defined as a minimum of one minute of lateness to school. Eight (8) tardies to school will be considered one (1) unlawful absence in grades K-8.
Late arrivals to school due to medical appointments (doctor, dentist, orthodontist, etc.) will be excused with a note from the practitioner.
Any late arrival when the student does not arrive by 11:30 a.m. without a doctor’s note will be considered a full day absence.
If your child must leave school early, a request must be submitted on Parent Portal or emailed to FMSAttendance@wcasd.net. An early dismissal pass will be given to your child to meet you in the office at the requested time. A parent/guardian must come into the office with a photo ID to pick up the student.
In order for an early dismissal to be excused, a doctor’s or dentist's note must be turned into the office or emailed to FMSAttendance@wcasd.net upon the students return to school.
Any early dismissal where the student leaves before 11:00 a.m. and does not return to school with a doctor’s note will be considered a full day’s absence.
Parent Check-In
Just a friendly reminder to all parents that if you need to come into the building to pick up your student or drop something off to them to please check in with the main office. Thank you for your cooperation with this to help keep our school safe and secure!
Drop Off
Pick Up
Thank you for following the circle pick up path. This traffic pattern is in place to ensure the safety of students and staff.
Drop Off/Pick Up for Families with Students at EHS and FMS
To serve you better, families may drop off and/or pick up East and Fugett students at either building, as long at you are using the typical drop off/pick up location.
FMS Carline Information
See attachment below for specific information regarding FMS carline directions and visuals.
Please Check Backpacks 🎒
Parents: Please encourage your children to check their backpack for toys and water guns before coming to school after a weekend. We understand that backpacks may serve a dual purpose over the weekend, but any items in violation of the WCASD Discipline Manual will result in student disciplinary outcomes.
Dress and Grooming Guidelines (Board Policy 221AG1)
Cell Phone Policy
Use of Apple Watches:
Please note, Apple watches that are used for texting or phone calls will be treated the same as a phone in school. The same rules apply and watches will follow the same discipline pattern as a cell phone. It is possible to set phones to “Schooltime” for your child. This allows the watch to show a simplified watch face during the school hours families establish. “Schooltime” silences notifications and restricts apps.
How to set “Schooltime”:
For Family-Managed Watches (Parent's iPhone)
Open the Watch app: on your iPhone.
Tap All Watches in the top-left corner.
Select the child's watch from the list.
Tap Schooltime.
Turn on Schooltime.
Tap Edit Schedule to set the desired days and times for Schooltime to be active.
For Self-Managed Watches (On the Apple Watch)
Press the side button: to open Control Center.
Scroll to the bottom and tap Edit.
Tap the Add button next to Schooltime.
Tap Done.
You can now turn on Schooltime by tapping the Schooltime button in Control Center.
Reminders of Student Expectations
Phones are “Off and Away”. When the homeroom bell rings at 7:30, until dismissal at 2:15, phones are turned off and placed in student lockers. Any phone out between these bells will be turned in to the office and will begin the progressive discipline process with the student. This practice will be strictly and consistently enforced across all three middle schools.
Bring your device charged and protected. Devices should come to school daily, fully charged, to reduce the need for charging cords and cables throughout classrooms. During the school year, if a student has a district-issued laptop not in their case, this will prompt a discipline referral. This is to ensure digital learning opportunities, protect the device, and reduce potential parent invoices for damaged devices. (*We recognize not all returning students may have a laptop case on the first day of school. Students without a laptop case should notify their homeroom teacher the first day of school.)
Attendance - Students arriving late to homeroom (after the homeroom bell rings at 7:30) must report to the office for a pass. Lateness will be handled in accordance with the WCASD Attendance Policies, and PA State Laws. Unexcused lateness will result in an after-school detention for the student. A tardy is defined as a minimum of one minute of lateness to school. Late arrivals to school due to medical appointments (doctor, dentist, orthodontist, etc.) will be excused (ET) with a note from the practitioner.
Ineligibility - Any student who is failing at least two major subjects, or at least one major subject and two minor subjects (such as a Unified Arts class like Art or PE), by noon on Friday is ineligible to attend sports practices and games, clubs, and any extracurricular, school-sponsored activities which occur from the next Sunday through Saturday of the following week. This would include musical performances*, drama, dances, and sporting events. *Culminating musical performances related to Chorus, Band, and Orchestra are not subject to ineligibility as they are curricular events and not extracurricular activities.
Monitoring grades - We highly recommend that families use the Parent Portal to monitor grades and sign up for automatic email updates in the Email Notification tab. You can also look through individual course and assignment updates by using your child's Schoology account and accessing each Class and Assignment.
Making up work – All students have two Academic Care Periods (extended homerooms) on Monday and Friday each week. This is an ideal flexible time to work with any staff member in the building. Teachers have until noon Friday to grade and update any missed work or tests to improve failing grades before the ineligibility report is generated. Turning assignments in on time is the best way to keep grades up-to-date.
WCASD Discipline and Records Policy - https://www.wcasd.net/families-students/discipline-manual
Community Resources
Food Resources Flyers
Click below for great information for families who may be facing food insecurity at this time. For further information and assistance, reach out to our Home and School Visitor, Erin
Crystle,ecrystle@wcasd.net 484-266-2920