SEPTEMBER 2025-2026

From Mr. Jenkerson,

We are always excited to have staff and students back in the building, welcoming back our 8th graders and welcoming in our new 7th graders. This year we have added a class that is called Shield Time. Prior to middle school, students have had the opportunity for extra support in WIN Time classes and Knight Time classes. This year at FMS we were able to restructure our schedule to include Shield Time, our version of academic support and intervention. We are excited to see this in action and the gains we can make from this dedicated time.

From Mr. Whitener,

The beginning of the school year has been a great opportunity for new roles, ideas and change. A great idea that we implemented through Sara Bays, our 8th grade counselor, was positive behavior referrals that have been an immediate hit with the students. Change is sometimes hard, however our students are doing a great job transitioning.

Positive Office Referrals help spread some more positive vibes around our school! First, teachers submit students who demonstrating outstanding behavior, effort, or kindness as a way to recognize and celebrate those who are consistently going above and beyond. Then, Mr. Whitener calls students down to the office to celebrate their accomplishment with them. We are very proud of all the students so far who have been recognized and look forward to many more to come!

Check out some pictures from students digging into some back to school content in classes in our first week of school, and our Shield Time activities in some classes too!

Students in makerspace have been using creativity and some problem solving skills to create keva plank challenges. See one example here and see Trae and Lucas complete the challenge!

Middle School theme days for Homecoming will be decided by Character Council and announced in the coming days. See the homecoming spirit days site for updates soon.

🎣🎥📸School Events🎹🎵🎼

NO SCHOOL DAYS

NO SCHOOL / Monday Sept 1st - Labor Day

NO SCHOOL / Friday, Sept 19th - Staff PD Day

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Homecoming Week - First Week of October

Sept 29th- Oct 3rd

Early Out- 12:00pm, October 3rd, Homecoming

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BOARD MEETING

Tuesday, Sept. 23rd, At Truman Auditorium, 5:00pm

---MIDDLE SCHOOL CLUBS---

See slides below for more information

Before School:

Girls of Grace, Tuesdays 7:15 a.m.

Bible Club, Thursdays 7:15 a.m.

After School:

Garden Club- Tuesdays 3:15-4:30

Board Games Club- Wednesdays 3:15-4:30

Strategic Gaming- Wednesdays 3:15-4:30

Trading Card Club- Thursdays 3:15-4:30

Drama Club- Thursdays 3:15-4:30

🏐🏈👟Sports Events🏐🏈👟

Find All Sports Schedules at this link

Volleyball:

All 7th grade games are at 4:00pm; All 8th Grade games are at 5:00pm

GOLD TEAM

Tuesday, Sept 16th @West County

Wednesday, Sept 17th, Home vs Festus

Thursday, Sept 19th @Bismarck

Monday, Sept 22nd @North County

Tuesday, Sept 23rd @Ste. Genevieve

Saturday, Sept 27th-7th Grade Gold Team VB Tournament @Jefferson R-7, Time TBA

Monday, Sept 29th, HOME vs Arcadia Valley

Tuesday, Sept. 30th, HOME vs Central

BLACK TEAM

Saturday, Sept 20th- 8th grade Black Team VB Tournament @Potosi

Thursday, Sept. 25th, @Home vs. Caledonia

Saturday, Sept. 27th @HOME 8th Gold & Black Tournament, Time TBA

Thursday, Oct 3rd HOME vs Kingston

Cross Country:

Saturday, Sept 6th @Carbondale

Saturday, Sept 13th @Arcadia Valley

Saturday, Sept 20th @Cape Central

Tuesday, Sept 25th @Arnold

Tuesday, Sept 30th @ Home - Farmington Postal at FHS

Sat, Oct 4th @Hillsboro

Football:

7th grade at 4:30pm; 8th grade at 6:00pm

Thursday, Sept 11th @HOME vs Central Park Hills

Thursday, Sept 18th @HOME vs Poplar Bluff

Thursday, Sept 25th @HOME vs Hawkins Junior

Thursday, Oct 2nd @Sikeston

Thanks to some generous donations from Missouri Wild Ones member, Mo Massie-Bales, students were able to propagate many philodendron plants and repot many aloe vera in our school greenhouse.

This club was student-driven last year, as students requested we start this club and found a sponsor in Mrs. Redmond and began their work! Last year our 8th current graders along with sponsor, Mrs. Redmond, worked really hard to clean out and make our greenhouse functional again. The OG group is leading the way again with a new year and a lot of exciting additions to the greenhouse, along with some new club members too.

This year librarian, Ms. Dillon, has joined the club and we have added a pollinator garden outside that will be tended by the Makerspace students and the Garden Club. We will be adding native plants and are sponsored by:

• Missouri Wild Ones
• University of Missouri Extension Office (St. Francois & Ste. Genevieve Counties)
• Department of Natural Resources of Missouri
• 4-H of Farmington

We are also looking forward at building a friendship with "sister school" Central Middle School in Park Hills to do garden field trips, share seeds and knowledge and learn from one another in our passion for plants! Thank you to all our community organizations that are helping us learn and grow at middle school! #OneCommunity

Step 1 of Pollinator Garden: Create a grass-free space with cardboard to kill grasses.

Step 2 of Pollinator Garden: spread mulch and research native plants...

1. Dental screenings will take place in the District here at MS.

Screenings will be done by Upward Smiles in their NEW MOBILE UNIT! If you want your child to participate and need a form, contact Nurse Anderson!

2. It is Deaf Awareness Month

3. It is Childhood Cancer Awareness Month

-Nurse Anderson

Welcome to a totally PAWESOME September everyone!

I hope everyone is staying cool during these Dog Days of Summer!

I am happy to be back at school and staying cool. I missed my favorite friends over summer. I am so happy to see all your lunch trays, I mean smiles! My other favorite humans are Mr. Leo and Grandma Linda.

I went to the library to check out my first book. Yum! I mean yay! Those squirrels look delicious! I mean cute! I am now a middle school reader. Ms. Dillon helped me get on Beanstack. Ask Ms. Dillon how to be my reader friend. I would love to be friends with everyone.

Love,

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

FMS ONE BOOK: This semester we are reading a book together as an Advisory called Starfish. Below is a preview of a couple of the passages and a summary of information about the book.

Teacher Librarian Colby Sharp gives us a few reasons why in his summary this book is important for kids and teachers to read together.

BEANSTACK: This month we are beginning a new year and a new reading goal in Beanstack. Families can download and use Beanstack on their cell phones or home devices to help students log minutes they read to receive prizes.

Students will regularly read everyday at middle school and can log their reading minutes to help keep track and motivate students with reading goals.

This month we are doing an August-September Challenge called SEPTEMBER BINGO. Students can join the challenge and receive raffle tickets to enter for prizes.

Our school district made the Beanstack website news with a case study that went out to schools nationwide using us as an example of how to launch Beanstack with success!

Check out our case study featured on the Beanstack blog!

Ms. Bays and Mrs. Walden give us some back to school advice and a reminder that they're available for student support.

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/