FMS Mid-September Update

Dear FMS Families,

Thanks for a great Homecoming week last week! In the midst of it all, we have completed most of our fall assessments, which means we are ready to begin our LIFT groups for students in grades 6–8! LIFT groups will begin Monday, September 21, and students can find their assigned group on their schedules.

LIFT groups are designed to provide students with time and support based on their individual needs. Students will be assigned to one of the following:

• Reading Intervention – targeted instruction and practice in reading skills where students need additional support

• Math Intervention – targeted instruction and practice in math skills where students need additional support

• Student Action Team – an opportunity for students to work together on a project or action that makes a positive impact at FMS or in our community

• Interest Group – an opportunity for students to explore a topic or area of interest through an extension activity

We will also begin our Missing Work Rooms this week. Students in grades 6–8 who have 1–5 missing assignments on Friday morning at 8:30 will be assigned to a Missing Work Room for the upcoming week. Once assigned, students will remain in that group for the duration of the week, providing them with dedicated time and support to complete missing work and get back on track.

Our 5th graders will also begin MTSS on Monday. During this time, students will receive targeted reading instruction based on the specific skills they need to strengthen.

Finally, Reading and Math Plans will be coming home this week for all middle school students who were not proficient on their fall assessments. These plans will provide additional information about the intervention and support your student is receiving. Title Reading letters and exits will also be sent home as appropriate.

Our goal with these systems is to make sure every student receives the right level of support and challenge to continue growing. Thank you for partnering with us as we work to help every Trojan grow!

Go Trojans!

Mrs. Marten and Mr. McDonald
Fairfield Middle School

Dear FMS Families,

We want to clarify the difference between After-School Detention and Homework Club, as both provide students with additional time and support to stay on top of their schoolwork.

After-School Detention is required for students who reach 5 or more missing assignments. Students will be assigned to detention with their grade-level group during the week. The purpose is to provide students with dedicated time to complete missing work and get caught up.

If a student calls home to stay after school on Wednesday or Thursday, that time is considered required After-School Detention.

Homework Club is an optional opportunity that we highly encourage for students who are falling behind or could benefit from additional time and support with their schoolwork.

If Mrs. Marten emails you about Homework Club, your student is encouraged to attend, but attendance is not required unless we specifically communicate otherwise.

Families can check their student's Parent Portal in Infinite Campus at any time to see:

• Current grades

• Missing assignments

• Assignment details and due dates

We encourage families to check Infinite Campus regularly and talk with their student about staying caught up with assignments.

Our goal is to provide students with the support, structure, and time they need to be successful. Thank you for partnering with us!

FMS families—you have mail coming! 📬✉️

Keep an eye on your mailbox because you’ll be receiving some family engagement challenges to check out together! We hope these give families some fun and easy ways to connect, talk, and spend time together while connecting with the school community!

You’ll also see two important forms coming home with students this week. Please review and return these forms to school:

📝 Fiver Check-Ins in Trojan Time – an opportunity for students to participate in our regular check-ins and let an adult know how they are doing.

📝 Student Connection Survey – helps us learn more about our students’ experiences and how connected they feel at FMS.

Please watch for both forms in your student’s backpack this week and return them to school as soon as possible.

Thanks for partnering with us to keep our Trojans connected at school and at home!

FMS Families,

Fall Parent-Teacher Conferences are coming up! We look forward to connecting with families and sharing how your student is doing so far this school year.

📅 Monday, October 5
⏰ 11:00 AM–7:00 PM

5th Grade Families

Please sign up for a conference with your student’s homeroom teacher. You may also sign up with any specials teachers you would like to meet with.

6th–8th Grade Families

Please sign up for conferences with as many of your child’s teachers as you would like to touch base with. You do not need to meet with every teacher—choose the teachers you feel would be most helpful to connect with.

📝 Sign Up

Please use the link below to select your conference times:

FMS Conference Sign-Up

We appreciate your partnership and look forward to seeing you on October 5!

FMS Families,

We will have a special assembly at Fairfield Middle School on Wednesday, September 30. Because of the assembly, we will follow a modified schedule that day.

Please review the attached modified schedule so you and your student know what to expect.

Thank you for your flexibility and support as we continue to provide meaningful experiences for our students!