FUEL School Newsletter

Dear FUEL Families,

We are excited to have another full week of school this week, and we are now back into our school routines after the long winter break. Our winter assessment window opened last week, so be sure to read the Assessment Updates below and check your teacher newsletters for information on winter assessment dates. These winter assessments are great opportunities to check-in on our progress since the fall and are used to adjust instruction for the second half of the school year. Please ensure you are working to get students back to routines at home as well - good night's sleep and limited screen time ensure that there will be better moods, better behavior, and better opportunities to be alert, engaged, and ready-to-learn!

It is also my favorite week of the year - Skate NIght is on Thursday night! This is one of the best events our PTA sponsors for our students and families - I hope to see many of you there on Thursday at Skate World - see the PTA box for additional information below! We also have our PTA Meeting on Tuesday evening (6:30 pm @ FUEL) and our 4th graders will be heading to their annual Lansing field trip on Monday & Tuesday to learn about our state capitol - which is an important part of the 4th grade social studies curriculum. Yep - another busy week ahead!

A couple of reminders:

• Please check the ECG box below - we are still in need of a few camp coordinators for our spring camps - these cannot happen without the support of our families!
• Check out this month's Chartwell newsletter here: January Food Service Newsletter

Finally, a note on SMARTWATCHES - these function, in many ways, like cell phones, and are not allowed in the classrooms at FUEL. This is a reminder that we have a NO ELECTRONICS policy at school - they are a distraction and take away from the purpose of school - to engage in student learning. Please do not send your students to school with a smart watch. We appreciate your support in helping students come to school ready to learn and device-free.

We are dedicated this year to working on our students’ social-emotional growth in addition to their academic growth. This week we continue with Module 3: Growth Mindset. Our focus this week:

Be a Peacemaker & Negotiation/Compromise

Here is a resource from the Montessori philosophy on teaching peace both at school and at home: Teaching Peace

Early Release Wednesday dismissal is 2:38 p.m. Remember, every Wednesday through May!

• Mon. 1/12 - 4th Grade Lansing Trip (Gjonaj/Bolden/France) ; FADL Library Community Engagement Event, 6 pm @ Ferndale High School
• Tues. 1/13 - 4th Grade Lansing Trip (Fennig/Lemere/Hoemke); PTA Meeting, 6:30 pm @ FUEL
• Thurs. 1/15 - Skate Night, 6:15 pm @ Skate World Troy
• Fri. 1/16 - 5th Grade Renewed Jr. Program
• Mon. 1/19 - NO SCHOOL - Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Day

SAVE THE DATE:

• Wed. 1/28 - State of the District Event, 6 pm @ FUEL
• Mon. 2/2 - Deadline for submitting Yearbook Candids
• Tues. 3/3 - Secretary of State Mobile Office @ FUEL, 10-3 pm (more info to come!)

This month, each classroom will participate in mid-year benchmark assessments as we prepare for Semester 1 report cards, which will be sent home in February. These assessments include the second round of i-Ready diagnostic testing, curriculum unit assessments, and individual Acadience assessments for all students.

The information gathered helps us measure student growth during the first half of the school year and allows teachers to make individualized instructional adjustments moving forward. Assessment dates are scheduled by classroom teachers and are dependent on the availability of substitute coverage within the building.

Acadience

i-Ready

Thank you for your continued partnership as we support student learning and growth.

Blessings in a Backpack (BIAB) is available for all students in Ferndale Public Schools who attend FECC, FLower, FUEL, or FMS. This program provides a bag of food items every weekend throughout the school year for any child who may benefit.

Families can sign up at any time, but new registrations will start receiving food the month following sign-up.

Blessings in a Backpack sign up letter & Blessings in a Backpack Flyer Information & Volunteering

As we step into the new year, we want to take a moment to wish you and your family a year filled with happiness, good health, and continued success.

As the new year begins, please remember that Communities In Schools (CIS) is here to support you. If your family is experiencing challenges or needs assistance with food, housing, utilities, clothing, mental health resources, or other community supports, please do not hesitate to reach out to CIS directly.

If additional support is needed outside of school hours, families may also dial 211, a free and confidential resource that connects callers to community services in our area.

We are here to help—your school and CIS team are committed to supporting you and your family every step of the way.

FE PTA Meeting

If you missed the December meeting, here are the slides: https://tinyurl.com/FEPTADecemberMeeting2025

The next PTA meeting is January 13, 2026, 6:30PM at FUEL.

Volunteers needed!

FLower is looking for help during lunch and recess. If you are able to volunteer, please fill out this form - https://forms.gle/DjnvBvpmsNj9AQN96. A schedule and more information will be shared soon.

Save the Date

Skate Night is back! Join us at Skate World of Troy on January 15, 6:15-8:15PM. Free to attend (just pay for your skate rental) and transportation will also be available. Flyers coming home this week.

Just 4 Kicks Event

Looking for a unique way to help fundraise for ECG - Ferndale Elementary Schools? Share your talent! Grab some friends and start rehearsing for Just 4 Kicks 2026!

Contact Christina Mossine to sign up or with any questions: cmossine@gmail.com or (248)420-9603.

We Need Grade-Level Coordinators for Spring Camp Days!

We are still in need of a few grade level coordinators for our spring camps! (See this video for an explanation of camps).

We are looking for the following:

• First Fives/Kindergarten/1st Grade- 2 volunteers
• 2nd/3rd grader- 2 volunteers
• 5th grade- 2 volunteers

Please use the following google form to Sign Up or email us at ferndale.elementaryconnections@gmail.com to learn more or sign up!

For drop-off in the morning, please be sure to pull ALL the way up in the school driveway in the drop-off line. We will help students walk towards the entrance. This will help us to keep the line moving. Doors do not open until 8:20 am - there is no student supervision until 8:20 am. Also, please note that if students are not eating breakfast, they do not need to arrive at school until 8:28 pm. Students who arrive at 8:28 a.m. can head directly to their lockers and classrooms. Otherwise, students should report to the cafeteria for breakfast or to the gym. Car Line Safety Reminders HERE.

Please remember that the BUS driveway is ONLY for buses. This is a safety issue. Please only use the car line in the front of the building on Rosewood.

For pickup, please be sure to have your yellow identification card with student name and grade available and easy to see.

Please call the attendance line each day your child will be absent from school. Any absence will remain unexcused until the office has been notified. The teachers appreciate an email reminder, but you must still call the office. Please call the attendance line at 248.547.0880, press the #1 option & leave a message with a reason for the absence.

Thank you for helping to keep all of our students SAFE at FUEL by following our safe snack guidelines. This is a reminder that FUEL is a nut-, tree-nut, and sesame-restricted building - please double-check all ingredients before sending in a lunch or snack to school to ensure the safety of all students. Sample safe snack lists can be found ​here​. ​Reminder: NO food birthday treats this year due to our allergy policy.

If your student has a medical need, it is vitally important that our office staff and teachers are aware. Please complete the medical forms available in the main office (or in the link below) and return to school ASAP.

Medical Authorization Form & Medical Treatment Form

All adults interested in volunteering during the 2025-2026 school year must have a Volunteer Form on file. This form should be submitted at a minimum of two weeks prior to the event in order to accommodate processing times. No adult will be allowed to volunteer or chaperone unless they have an approved form on file. Forms are available at the link below. Please note: all volunteer forms must be turned into the main office. In addition, you only need to fill out a volunteer form for one school - it will then cover all FPS campuses.

Volunteer Form

Breakfast and Lunch are free again this year as part of the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP). Please return this form to school ASAP in place of the normal Free and Reduced Lunch application.

Household Information Form