The Power of Responsibility

Our Capturing Kids’ Hearts theme this month is Responsibility. In 3rd–5th grade, students are growing in independence, and we’re helping them understand what responsibility looks like in all areas of their school day: in the classroom, during group work, online, in the cafeteria, at recess, and while moving throughout the building. You can help reinforce this important life skill at home by:

Building Independence Through Age-Appropriate Responsibilities

Give your child daily tasks that foster independence—such as organizing their backpack, packing their snack, managing their homework, or helping with a household chore.
Be specific with expectations so they know exactly what responsible follow-through looks like.

Modeling Accountability

Students this age notice and learn from adult behavior. Let them see you following through on commitments, managing your time, and taking ownership when things don’t go as planned.
Modeling accountability helps them build the confidence to do the same.

Encouraging Problem-Solving and Ownership

When challenges come up—missing homework materials, a conflict with a peer, or a forgotten responsibility—try guiding them instead of stepping in right away.
Questions like, “What’s your plan to fix this?” or “How will you handle this next time?” help students develop responsible decision-making and problem-solving skills.

Allowing Natural Consequences (Within Safe Limits)

Letting students experience the natural results of their choices teaches them cause and effect.
For example, if they forget to bring their water bottle, they may feel mildly inconvenienced—but they also learn to plan ahead. These small experiences help build long-term responsibility.

Promoting Accountability Through Clear Expectations

Consider using a checklist, routine, or family expectation chart so your child knows what responsibilities they are accountable for each day.
Recognize their efforts with specific praise—“I noticed you started your homework without being reminded. That shows responsibility!” Positive reinforcement helps these skills stick.

As always, if your family needs support in any way, don’t hesitate to reach out!

-Mr. Aquilina

Please use the following link to review the breakfast and lunch menus provided by Southwest Food Services: Breakfast & Lunch

Dec. 22-Jan. 2 - Winter Break

Jan. 5 - School Resumes

Jan. 7 - Hoops for Hunger Womens' Basketball Game Field Trip at CMU

Jan. 19 - Peacemaking Ceremony at 6:00pm @ MPHS

Jan. 23 - No School for Students - PD Day

Mt. Pleasant Public Schools Calendar

At Mt. Pleasant Public Schools, all of our schools use the Capturing Kids’ Hearts (CKH) process to build strong relationships, create a positive school culture, and ensure every student feels connected, valued, and supported. Through CKH strategies—like Greetings, Good Things, Social Contracts, and Launches—we work to create classrooms and school communities where students thrive both academically and socially.

As part of our commitment to continuous improvement, we invite you to share your thoughts in the CKH Family Survey.

Your feedback helps us understand how our CKH practices are experienced by families and how they impact students’ connections and sense of belonging.

We truly value your voice! Your input helps us celebrate what’s going well and identify ways to keep growing together as a district family.

CKH Family Survey Link

Have additional thoughts or suggestions? Please share them here:

MPPS Family Perception

Please ensure that you are sending your child(ren) with appropriate winter gear, as they will be outside in the morning and for recess unless the temperature is below 0 degrees.

On Monday and Tuesday (November 24–25), Fancher staff started using a new afternoon parent pick-up setup. All grade levels will now be dismissed from the front of the building along Kinney Avenue.

Please review the attached diagram to see where your child will line up under this trial arrangement.

For 5th grade students, this is a change from their usual dismissal location. Staff will do their best to identify vehicles and use radios to call students to their pick-up locations to help the process run smoothly.

Thank you for your cooperation as we explore ways to make our pick-up process safer and more efficient for all students.

Help us extend our appreciation to staff, as we plan a "December to Remember" at Fancher Elementary heading into winter break. If you are interested in donating please sign-up for an item(s) and drop off to the front office on the date the item is listed under.

December to Remember Sign Up Genius

Starting October 30th, Fancher Elementary will formally review student attendance data to ensure students are attending school consistently. Following this review, truancy notification letters will be sent to families the week after.

Level I – First Time Reaching the 10% Absence Threshold:
A Level I Truancy Letter will also be sent via email to inform parents/guardians of the concern.
Level II – Second Time Reaching the 10% Absence Threshold:
A Level II Truancy Letter will be sent via email. Additionally, the GIRESD Truancy Officer will contact parents/guardians to schedule a meeting to discuss strategies and set guidelines to improve attendance for the remainder of the school year.
Level III – Third Time Reaching the 10% Absence Threshold:
The GIRESD Truancy Officer will notify the Prosecutor’s Office and provide the necessary information for review.

Please note: If no improvement is made in a student’s attendance, the levels will progress, with additional interventions and notifications occurring at each stage.

Fancher Elementary appreciates your support in helping ensure students attend school regularly and succeed academically.

A few helpful tips!

Social Media Safety

Social media is a great way to connect with friends, but it can also create risks if not used carefully. Remember that once you post something online, it’s very hard to take back, even if you delete it. Avoid sharing personal details like your address, phone number, or school schedule. Only accept friend requests from people you know in real life, and think twice before posting or sharing pictures that could be embarrassing later. If you use social media, use it for positive connections with friends and avoid drama and cyberbullying! Staying safe online means protecting your reputation and your privacy.

Stranger Safety & Situational Awareness

Most people are kind, but it’s important to be cautious around strangers. If someone you don’t know approaches you, whether in person or online, and makes you feel uncomfortable, trust your instincts. You don’t need to answer questions, give directions, or share personal information. Walk away and get to a safe place if needed. Never go with somebody you don’t know. For example, if you’re walking and a stranger offers you a ride, say no and quickly get away from them, and always tell a trusted adult what happened. Being aware and speaking up can keep you safe.

Situational Awareness means being aware of your surroundings and understanding what’s happening around you. It involves paying attention to people, places, and potential dangers so you can make quick, smart decisions to keep yourself and others safe. Whether you’re walking alone, in a crowded area, or trying something new, staying alert and trusting your instincts can help you avoid risky situations and respond quickly if something feels off.

Lock It Up!

Theft often happens because something is left unlocked or unattended. Whether it’s your bike, locker, or electronics, always take a few seconds to secure your belongings. Don’t leave valuables out in the open where they can tempt someone to take them. Each year, 2.4 million bikes are reported stolen in the US. The number is even higher due to many not reporting thefts. If possible, keep your bike secure inside when at home, and if left outside, lock it up with a strong lock. “Kryptonite” is a trusted, highly rated brand offering strong locks at various prices.

A simple lock can prevent a big problem, and it sends a message that you’re looking out for your own safety. Protecting your things helps keep our school and community safer, too.

Bullying & Kindness

Bullying, whether in person or online, can have serious effects on a student’s well-being. If you are currently bullying someone now, or have in the past, take a moment to put yourself in their shoes. How would you feel if it was happening to you?

Remember, not everyone thinks, dresses, speaks, or has the same interest, and that’s what makes each person unique. If you witness bullying, don’t join in and don’t stay silent. Instead, support the person being targeted by standing with them or getting help from an adult.

Kindness is powerful! It can turn someone’s bad day into a better one. Treating others with respect not only helps individuals but also makes our schools stronger and more welcoming for everyone. Small actions of kindness add up to a safer, happier environment.

Please remember that after-school supervision ends at 4:00 p.m. each day. For your child’s safety, we ask that all students be picked up promptly by that time. Thank you for helping us ensure a smooth and safe dismissal for everyone!

Fancher Families: As foggy mornings arrive, please note our new 3-hour delay schedule. Check the attached photos for start times, drop-off info, and class adjustments. Thank you for helping keep our students safe!

Over the next few weeks, our school will be practicing important safety drills with students. These include fire drills, tornado drills, and “green vest” drills (ALICE safety protocols). ALICE stands for Alert, Lockdown, Inform, Counter, and Evacuate, and it provides age-appropriate strategies for keeping students safe in the unlikely event of a dangerous situation at school.

We want to give families a clear understanding of what this looks like for students:

Barricading – Students and staff may practice placing items (such as desks or chairs) in front of a door to help keep the classroom secure. In addition to barricades, our district also utilizes night locks on classroom doors to provide an extra layer of security.
Countering – This does not mean fighting. For our students, countering practice may look like making noise, moving around the room, or learning how to distract an intruder as a last resort.
Evacuating – When it is safest to leave the building, classes will practice exiting quickly and quietly. By September 30th, each class will practice leaving the school and walking together to our off-site rally point.

Students were also informed that during these drills, Mr. Aquilina may wear a green vest to simulate someone on campus and that a police officer may be present to ensure proper protocols are followed.

Our goal in practicing these drills is the same as with fire and tornado drills: to build confidence, preparedness, and safety awareness in a calm and age-appropriate way.

If you have any questions about these safety protocols or the steps we take to keep students safe, please feel free to contact Mr. Aquilina directly.

We are excited to bring back Popcorn Days for the 2025–2026 school year! Popcorn will be offered every other Friday. Each bag of popcorn will be 50 cents.

To make this tradition possible, we rely on the help of parent volunteers. Each popcorn day, we’ll need 2–3 volunteers to pop and distribute popcorn. Volunteers should plan to arrive at the school around 7:45 a.m. so everything is ready before our 3rd grade lunch.

Please use the form linked below if you are interested in volunteering.

Volunteer Form

Here is the schedule for this year’s popcorn days:

3rd Grade

Sept. 12 – Michelle French
Sept. 26 – Shawn Gaughan
Oct. 10 – Amanda Hutchins
Oct. 24 – Samantha McDonald
Nov. 7 – Maddie Pischea
Nov. 21 – Audrey Stout

4th Grade

Dec. 5 – Kendra Asher
Dec. 19 – Dani Formsma
Jan. 16 – Missy Groves
Jan. 30 – Michelle Rupe
Feb. 13 – Andrea Stevens
Feb. 27 – Angie White

5th Grade

Mar. 13 – Alecia Dorcey
Mar. 26 – Kelly Faber
Apr. 10 – Shaeler Mallory
Apr. 24 – Aubrey Patchin
May 8 – Hannah Price
May 22 – Wing-Brenner

We’re looking forward to another fun year of popcorn and smiles! Thank you in advance to all of our amazing volunteers who make this tradition possible.

Student Attendance is important to us. If your child is sick, please call the school Office at 775-2230 before 9:30 each morning to let us know.

For safety reasons, families will soon begin receiving a phone call by 9:30 am for any student that is marked as Absent each morning in PowerSchool. You can deter getting that call from our system by calling us in the morning to let us know of your child's absence and their reason for the absence.

Our codes we use for absences are:

UA-Unexcused Absence

Any absence that has not been reported by a parent or guardian and/or any absence that is not listed as an Excused Absence in Board Policy.

AV-Verified Absence

An absence that the parent verifies or explains. Example: (1) The student doesn’t feel well, and is staying home, but is not visiting the doctor. (2) The family is taking an extra long weekend, vacation, etc.

EA-Excused Absence

Absences that meet the definition of an Excused Absence based on MPPS Board Policy.

*Illness or professional appointments with a doctors note *Death of a relative

*Observance of Religious Holidays

Below are images related to our attendance policy.

The Mt. Pleasant Sex Advisory Board is has an opening for a Mt. Pleasant parent.

Please complete this application if you are interested.

SEAB MEMBERSHIP APPLICATION

During the first week of school, students reviewed expectations for various areas of the building with their teachers. On the first day, all students participated in assemblies led by Mrs. Morgan and Mr. Aquilina to review our PBIS (Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports) framework and the incentives available for positive behavior. Students were encouraged to ask questions during and after the presentations to ensure clarity and understanding.

At Fancher, we hold high expectations for all students and truly believe every child can meet and exceed them. Our PBIS system is designed to reinforce positive behavior and includes several recognition opportunities, such as:

Class Dojo Points: As in previous years, students earn points for demonstrating expected behaviors. These points can be used at the school store twice per month or saved for larger rewards—like the chance to dunk Mr. Aquilina in a dunk tank on the last day of school!
Falcon of the Month: Each teacher nominates one student per month who consistently models our school-wide expectations, similar to a traditional “Student of the Month.”
Positive Office Referrals: Staff may refer students to the office for exemplary behavior, where they will be recognized by an administrator.
Falcon Feathers: These are used to acknowledge positive behavior during unstructured times (e.g., recess, lunch, hallway transitions) and serve as an alternative to Dojo points in those settings.

Along with reinforcing positive behaviors, we also strive to address behavioral concerns in a consistent, supportive manner. Students were informed of our school-wide process for addressing behavior that does not meet expectations.

Initial Support: Teachers play a critical role in guiding students through redirection, reflection, and relationship-building using our Capturing Kids’ Hearts philosophy.
Behavior Interventionists: For lower-level or first-time behavior concerns, our Behavior Interventionists are typically the first point of contact. Their role is to help students reflect and re-engage in appropriate behavior.
Student Support Specialist: For recurring or moderately concerning behaviors, Mrs. Morgan, our Student Support Specialist, may work directly with students to provide additional support and intervention.
Administrator Involvement: Mr. Aquilina typically addresses higher-level behavior concerns or repeated issues that have not been resolved through previous steps.

Teachers may submit a formal referral, known as a “Blue Slip,” if a student has been unresponsive to classroom interventions, is significantly disrupting the learning environment, or requires immediate escalation. Blue Slips always result in communication with a parent or guardian.

Our PBIS expectations and supports serve as Tier 1 interventions, which are effective for the majority of students (typically about 80% of our population). However, some students may require additional individualized support through behavior plans, 504s, IEPs, or other formalized interventions to meet their needs and ensure success at school.

This handbook includes information about our programs, policies, and procedures. Our hope in sharing this information is to build a strong partnership with all our families. Please review this information with your child. If you have questions about any of this information, please contact your child’s teacher or the school office at (989) 775-2230.

Fancher Student Handbook

The Fancher Facebook page is intended for one-way communication to highlight all of the great things happening at the school, as well as providing school and/or district updates. Should you need assistance, please contact your child's teacher directly via email or call our front office at 989-775-2230. Thank you!