News From The Nest

Hello Falcons families,

It's hard to believe, but the last week of school has arrived! Our sixth grade students will promote on Thursday morning. Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday are all regular schedule and dismissal times and Friday ALL students will be dismissed at 12:00 pm.

Please join us Friday in the quad at approximately 11:45 am for our Sixth Grade Clap Out where we cheer for and celebrate our sixth graders as they leave Fern for a final time. I ask that you stand back and allow our sixth grade parents be closest to the kindergarten gate to take pictures and greet their Falcon as they exit through that gate.

Recently, I have been observing parents driving down Pico, toward the school, and entering the school lot to drop off or pick up their Falcon. I want to remind parents that the is an EXIT ONLY direction and ONLY STAFF may park in the staff lot, beyond the yellow gates. I have also observed families parking in the red lane next to the staff lot in that area and that is NOT PERMITTED either. Finally, ONLY cars that have a handicap placard are permitted to park in our handicap stalls. We do have staff and families that use those spots. Please be sure to follow our parking lot and schools rules to ensure safety for everyone. Again, no one should be pulling into our school lot from Pico.

As a reminder, Student Council is selling popsicles this final Wednesday at lunch. They are one per customer for $1 each. Students should only purchase for themselves.

Finally, a reminder that our 6th grade Promotion will be on Thursday, May 28th at 9:00 am on the black top. Parents and families will be able to enter campus at approximately 8:35 am through the Fern Drive MPR gate. Sixth grade parents, PTA will be selling promotion leis for $5 the morning of promotion.

Thank you for a wonderful year! We have loved watching our Falcons learn and grow!

Go Falcons! 💚

Warmly,

Mrs. Lucas

Mark Your Calendars:

May 28th ~ 6th Grade Promotion, 9:00 am

May 29th ~ Last day of school, DISMISSAL 12:00 pm

August 10th ~ First day of the 26/27 School Year

On the last day of school, 5/29/26, we will have Clap Out for our 6th graders to send them off to Junior High and we will be clapping out Mrs. White and Mr. Conti as they head into a well earned retirement.

As we do each year, we will have our K-5th students create a giant tunnel that will lead to the Kindergarten gate where our sixth graders will exit for a final time. Our sixth grade Falcons will walk through the tunnel as the rest of our Falcons cheer them on and wish them well. TK families, please look for specific instructions from your class teacher regarding Clap Out.

I ask that we reserve the quad area closest to the gate for our sixth grade families so that they may be there to meet their sixth grader and take pictures as the leave Fern Drive. School is dismissed at 12:00 pm and our sixth graders will begin their walk through the tunnel at approx. 11:50 am. Once they're through all our TK-5th grade students will be dismissed from their teacher as they normally dismiss from each day and summer vacation will begin!

This Friday, we will have a school spirit day. Join your class by wearing your Hawaiian wear as we say Aloha to the school year!

PTA will be selling leis for 6th grader Promotion. See the details below!

Fullerton School District Nutrition Services is participating in the Seamless Summer Feeding Option. FREE LUNCH will be available to all children, age 18 and under. No enrollment, reservations or application is required, however, lunch must be consumed onsite.

We will be serving Free Lunch at nine (9) school sites this summer: Commonwealth, Maple, Nicolas, Orangethorpe, Pacific Drive, Raymond, Richman, Valencia Park and Woodcrest. The date and time is indicated on our flyer.

Seamless Summer Feeding Option information and menu has been posted on the Nutrition Services webpage at www.fullertonnutrition.org.

Encore Program registration for the 2026–2027 school year will be open from May 1 through June 15, 2026.

Current and new families interested in enrolling their student should complete registration through 6Crickets during this window. Please refer to the attached flyers for program details and the direct registration link .

Don’t miss this opportunity to secure your student’s spot!

If you have questions, please reach out directly to our Encore Programs office at 714-447-7477.

Attendance is key in student achievement and success at school.

Thank you for ensuring your Falcon attends school on time every day that they are healthy.

If your child will be absent, please use this google form to clear their absence. You may also call the school attendance line to clear an absence. Independent Study MUST be requested on THE DAY of the absence. For vacations, parents must request Independent Study TWO weeks before the absence.

Each week we hold a raffle for class attendance. Each day, if the class has 100% attendance, the teacher sends a raffle coupon up to the office. On Friday's we draw a primary and upper grade class winner. The winning class receives 3 class Gotcha's, a 10 minute extra recess and has the Falcon mascot in their room for the week.

This week's winners are:

Primary - Mrs. Stewart

Upper grades - Mr. Rabenston

End of the Year Information about Independent Study

The application window for Independent Study PE is open May 1 through May 29 for the upcoming 26-27 school year. ISPE is an option for students in grades 7–8 who are engaged in national or international level athletic training, averaging 10 or more hours per week Monday through Friday, as an alternative to traditional PE.

For more information, please visit the ISPE website. If you have questions or would like next steps, please contact danielle_guerrero@myfsd.org or 714-447-2870 during the application window.

As we head into the winter months, students are often home ill. If your child is absent, you can request Independent Study to make up the absence on their attendance. You MUST request it on the first day of the absence. There is a spot on the google attendance form to request this. If your child is absent, you MUST clear their attendance with either the ABSENCE google form or a call to our office attendance line so that the absence does not become a truancy. TY!

Here is our May update from Student Council. Read carefully to see the latest spirit dates.

Link to FSD website Nutrition Page

Lunch and breakfast will continue to be free for all students daily. We will still do a lunch count daily so please discuss with your student the importance to take a correct lunch count. Some students bring a lunch to school and then at lunchtime go get a school lunch. This results in some lunch shortages of the choice meal that day. Lunch options are still available and all children will be fed but often when this happens, the "lunch of the day" runs out. Please review with students the importance of this an accurate lunch count.

Month of May PTA update.

Each month, be sure to take a look at the latest news and events from PTA.

Our 25-26 Foundation Board Members

President, Kristen Jones

Vice President, George Benfit

Secretary, Nanette Roller

Treasurer, Joe Conti

• The PowerSchool Parent Portal will be live beginning Fri, 8/8. If your child took the state test last spring, you can find their CAASPP test scores there.
• Fern Drive School Handbook
• Fern Drive Website
• FSD Website
• Follow us on Instagram and Facebook

Follow Fern Drive on IG: fern_drive_falcons

Follow our PTA on IG: ferndrivepta

Follow our Foundation on IG: ferndrivefoundation