March Newsletter

This newsletter is a special edition, as we are focusing on returning to normalcy past our winter weather days, flu season absences and various interruptions, this newsletter we are highlighting some of the work we are doing at FMS to provide clear and consistent expectations at school.

Often times after breaks students are dysregulated and getting back into the swing of things is difficult. Your student has a team of teachers that meet together weekly during their plan time to discuss the needs of the students within their team.

We have two 7th grade teams and two 8th grade teams. Each team has one reading, writing, math, science and social studies teacher and support staff members as well in special education and elective classes. This team altogether gets to share your child. Each week they discuss students' and work together to support your child and their family in whatever ways may be needed so that altogether their team of students can be as successful as possible in school.

7th: Royals and Chiefs

8th: Blues and Cardinals

As a building we have been working this year to increase the visibility of our behavior and classroom expectations, focusing on our behavior data and working on ways to help all students better understand what is expected of them in each classroom and around the building, to pre-emptively reduce distractions and disruptions from classes. As a part of this work, teachers have created some fun videos for students to watch and discuss in advisory. Check these out below!

At middle school, some of our behavior issues occur in unstructured spaces. With it being the first time students are expected to travel independently from class to class, we have found that unstructured spaces can benefit from specific rules, modeling and discussion of what to do and not do. Although you'd think students would know these things, and they really do, these are examples of things that are happening and we want to address them in a fun way to help everyone understand that we expect respect and accountability out of all students.

🎣🎥📸School Events🎹🎵🎼

NO SCHOOL DAYS:

3/14/25 - P.D. Day for Staff

3/24/25 - 3/28/25 No School - Spring Break

Important Events:

CLUBS

Game Knights Guild Gaming Clubs after school Tuesdays

Students can come to the library to get permission slips to join.

Gardening Club after school Thursdays

Students can contact Mrs. Redmond for more information

aredmond@farmington.k12.mo.us

Life Skills Club after school Thursdays

Students can contact Mrs. Dixon for more information

adixon@farmington.k12.mo.us

Fishing Club has began - Contact Mr. Winick for more information

mwinick@farmington.k12.mo.us

🏅Sports Events🏅

Track starts March 3rd! 1st Practice after school 3:30-5:00. Parent Meeting at 5pm.

Meets:

March 24th - Fredericktown Practice Meet Times TBD

March 27th- Janis Williams Invitational @Festus TBD

Scholar Bowl
Conference Tournament, Saturday March 8th 9:00 a.m.

Game Knights Guild is ordering t-shirts as a fundraiser. If you'd like one click the link below. Order forms & money are due Tuesday, March 4th.

My job at schools is to be what is called emotional support.

I can sniff out many things that you humans seem to not notice, which seems so simple to me. I help those who have big feelings. I can help with kids who are having a "ruff" time. Sometimes very sad things have happened and I help with loss of a family member, or other at home things that have been tough on kids.

Sometimes I read with students! I am very sure that if someone gave me a test that I would read better than most dogs.

Sometimes I get lots of pets which is a reward for me and for a student who got to come as a reward for doing something good.

Sometimes I get to meet new students and show them around. I, of course, make sure they meet the best people in the building. The people in the cafeteria and the people busy with the mops and brooms. They are the best at finding treats for me.

Thank you for listening to my report about my job. I am a very proud worker at our school district.

Here is some information from an article about dogs in schools:

“Our number-one qualifier is that they have to love people..."

Building on that foundation, well-trained dogs can serve a variety of purposes in schools, handlers said. Some may greet kindergartners anxious about leaving their parents on the first day of school. Some may play fetch with a student as a reward for improved behavior in the classroom. Some may sit and listen as two students talk through a conflict with their school counselor, serving as both a living mascot and a comforting bit of familiarity.

Sometimes, teachers even stop to center themselves with Shadow after a stressful day, Merrill said.

“Everybody is carrying a lot of extra weight these days,” she said. “Having them provides an outlet for everyone.”

Read more at the link below:

1. March is National Nutrition Month. Encourage your children to make healthy food choices and stay active by setting a good example. Children will be more likely to eat healthy and exercise if they see their parents doing so!

Students will need their ID# and money deposited in their account to purchase from the A La Carte Line at Middle School.

In our January Beanstack challenge students were able to earn the reward of paying off a $10, $20 or $30 dollar missing book fee. Ten dollars for every 100 minutes of reading they logged. We had many students and teachers participate. As it turns out... only a couple of the students who participated had fines themselves to pay for with what they earned, the rest just did it for fun, and were able to pay off book fines for others. Thank you students and staff for continuing to make reading a priority in your free time! We paid off 28 total books (that's an average of $12.00 per missing book) for 17 different students!

All students also earned a trip to the Beanstack Reward room and received treats, free books or other nice prizes for their work.

We have a new Beanstack Challenge starting in March! Students will be able to participate in our "Spring into Reading" and earn prizes for minutes read throughout this Spring.

Email: djenkerson@farmington.k12.mo.us
Website: http://www.fsdknights.com/o/ms
Location: Farmington Middle School, 506 South Fleming Street, Farmington, MO, USA
Phone: 573-701-1330
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Farmington-R-7-Middle-School-1915146375398227/