Fair Haven Union MIddle School

Principal's Note

Hello Returning and New Middle School Families!

I hope you all are having a great summer and getting a chance to enjoy this beautiful VT weather. This will be the first of two summer middle school newsletters (the next one will arrive mid-August). The goal is to keep everyone updated to ensure a great start to the 2026/2027 school year.

I also want to remind all of our middle school families that student schedules are not finalized until we are much closer to the start of the school year. Throughout the summer, we will continue making adjustments to balance class sizes, accommodate student needs, and ensure the best possible schedules for everyone.

I'm not sure what information is currently visible in PowerSchool, but if you are able to view a schedule, please consider it a draft. The schedules you see now are likely to change as our work continues over the coming weeks.

Students will receive their schedules at our Middle School Open House on Monday, August 24th from 5:30–7:00 p.m. At that point, schedules will be largely finalized. Any changes made after Open House will typically be limited to correcting errors or addressing unforeseen scheduling issues identified during the first few days of school.

Thank you for your patience and understanding as we work to create schedules that best meet the needs of all of our students.

We will be sending out the summer paperwork by August 10th. Please don't hesitate to call, or email, if you have any questions.

Take care!

Jennefer Paquette

Planning for the Start of the Year

We are excited for a slow and relaxing summer vacation (however, also want to recognize families may already be planning for school starting back up in late August). There are links below for the Slate Valley athletics webpage and the Arbiter registration for athletics.

Here are a few opening day dates and information:

AUGUST 10TH - 14TH - Marching Band Camp

AUGUST 13TH - All other Fall HS sports begin (except Golf, which begins on August 17th)

AUGUST 24TH - Middle School Open House, 5:30-7:00

AUGUST 26TH - 7th Grade and 9th Grade Orientation. We will hold a full-day (buses will be running their routes) for our incoming 7th and 9th graders. Other grades do not start until August 27th.

AUGUST 26TH - MS X-Country begins.

AUGUST 27th - First day of school for ALL GRADES.

AUGUST 27th - Middle School Soccer begins.

AUGUST 27TH - Middle School PTO Meeting, 5-6 pm in library

SEPTEMBER 4TH - Picture Day

SEPTEMBER 11th - 7th Grade Rafting Trip

SEPTEMBER 24TH - High School Open House

OCTOBER 13TH - 17TH - Slaterbration

🔍7th Grade Orientation - August 26th

7th and 9th graders will have a full-day of school on AUGUST 26TH. Buses will run their normal routes (these will be shared out by mid-August). This is a great day for 7th grade students to get to know the middle school, meet their teachers, and walk through their schedules.The day will also allow for some team building activities.

🎉 AUGUST 27TH - First Full Day of School

August 27th is our first whole-school day (grades 7-12).

🔨 FHUMHS Club Offerings

Please encourage your child to get as involved as possible. We strive to create opportunities for all of our students (we're always looking for new potential clubs, too)!

✅ Timely Arrival and Consistent Attendance Matter

Starting the day on time helps set students up for success. Students who arrive on time are able to settle in, connect with their advisory, and begin the day ready to learn alongside their peers.

At FHUMS, our lobby doors open at 7:45 a.m. The first bell rings at 8:07 a.m., and the late bell rings at 8:10 a.m. Students who are not in advisory by 8:10 a.m. are marked tardy.

Please encourage your child to attend school regularly and arrive on time each day. Consistent attendance and punctuality not only support academic success, but also help students develop responsibility, reliability, and habits that will serve them well throughout high school, college, and future careers.

We understand that families sometimes face challenges that can make consistent attendance difficult. If your family is experiencing barriers, we are here to help. Our Guidance Department and FHUMHS Attendance Team are committed to partnering with families to ensure every student has the support they need. Please don't hesitate to contact our Guidance Department at (802) 265-3636 for assistance or to discuss available supports.

Middle School Morning Arrival Routine

7:45 a.m. – School doors open. Students may enter the building at this time.
Breakfast is served in the High School Cafeteria beginning at 7:45 a.m.
Upon arrival, middle school students should:
- Go to their locker.
- Drop off personal belongings.
- Pick up the materials they need for the day.
- Go to the high school cafeteria if they would like breakfast. When done with breakfast, they clean up and head to the gym to wait for the 8:07 bell.
- If a student does not want breakfast, they go straight to the high school gym to wait for the 8:07 bell.
8:07 a.m. – First bell rings. All students report to Advisory.
8:10 a.m. – Final bell rings. Students who are not in Advisory by 8:10 a.m. are marked tardy.

📵 2026/2027 Cell Phones

This represents only a minor adjustment for our middle school students. For the past several years, our expectation has been that personal devices remain "off and away" throughout the school day. The updated policy simply provides greater clarity by specifying that all personal devices should be stored in students' lockers. It also makes explicit that this expectation applies to any device capable of connecting to Wi-Fi, including smartwatches.

In addition, we are asking that wireless earbuds be stored away during the school day. When headphones are needed for instructional purposes, students will be asked to use wired headphones that plug directly into their Chromebook.

These clarifications are intended to minimize distractions, promote student engagement, and help create learning environments where students can focus, participate fully, and connect with one another. We appreciate your partnership in supporting these expectations and helping students develop healthy habits around technology use during the school day.

🏫 Substitutes Needed

While the advertisement below was originally made for Education majors at VTSU Castleton, we invite all qualified community members to contact the school if they are interested in exploring substitute teaching at any of our schools!