FUEL School Newsletter

Dear FUEL Families,

Wow! We had 712 people attend our final PTA Skate Night last week - this is my favorite event because we always have such incredible participation from so many families. I am especially grateful for the PTA for making this event FREE over the last few years and prioritizing family fun and community as part of their mission. Thank you!

This week we also celebrate our teachers and staff all week long - we are grateful to the PTA for all of the fun activities and food they have planned. This time of year is always a doozy for staff AND families - so many tests, trips, camps, assemblies, and the closing out of the class families and our send offs for our 5th graders. Please reinforce the importance of following our SOAR expectations and be sure to still get students to school ON TIME and avoid early pickups. We still have five more weeks and we plan to use every moment we have - thank you for your support.

I also look forward to celebrating our 5th graders this week with our Orchestra concert on Tuesday night and the Choir concert on Wednesday, both at FHS. Please remember the construction is underway at that campus, so be sure to give yourselves time to find parking and to get students there on time.

We also cannot wait for 2nd & 3rd grade camp this week! Remember - permission slips & money are due TOMORROW, MONDAY, 5/4 - no late slips will be accepted.

Volunteers Needed:

Be part of a fun and meaningful camp day! Camp is such a special experience for our students because it gives us the chance to learn, connect, and have fun together. Part of that magic is all the volunteers who come together to make it happen!

Friday, May 8, 8:30am to 1:30pm at Starr Jaycee Park.
We desperately need parent and family volunteers (anyone responsible over the age of 18) to support as Group Leaders. We would love to have you join us!

Sign up here: https://linktr.ee/ferndale.elementaryconnections

Please also take time to complete this survey. Your feedback is incredibly important to us and helps us better understand what we are doing well and where we can continue to grow and improve. The survey will be open until Friday, May 15th. It is our mission to work collaboratively with you in supporting our students, and your voice plays a vital role in that partnership. Thank you for your time, trust, and continued support.

Finally, our district reminders this week include a call for bikers in the Memorial Day parade - check out this flyer for information: Ferndale Memorial Day Parade Flyer - Bikers Wanted! And, please take a few moments to fill out the district Code of Conduct Survey for input on upcoming iterations of our FPS Code of Conduct. Thank you!

With gratitude,

Mrs. Jeffrey

We are dedicated this year to working on our students’ social-emotional growth in addition to their academic growth. This week we begin with Module 6: Character Values. Our focus this week:

Honesty & Integrity

This is a short read on steps for teaching children about honesty - give it a quick look: Three Steps to Teach Children About Honesty

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

**Teacher/Staff Appreciation Week - give some thanks this week!

• Mon. 5/4 - 2nd/3rd Grade Camp Slips & Money due; YMCA Sportport, 3:45-5:15 pm

• Tues. 5/5 - 5th Grade Social Studies MSTEP; 5th Grade Orchestra Concert, 6:30 pm @ FHS

• Wed. 5/6 - Walk/Bike/Roll to School; Soup with the Supe, 6 pm @ TCEC; 5th Grade Choir Concert, 7 pm @ FHS

• Thurs. 5/7 - 4th Grade MATH MSTEP; Last day for Math Tutoring & BMEA

• Fri. 5/8 - 2nd/3rd Grade Camp @ Starr Jaycee

Save the Dates:

• Mon. 5/11 - Ferndale Education Foundation Meeting, 6 pm @ Central Office

• Wed. 5/13 - Soup with the Supe, 6 pm @ TCEC

• Sat. 5/16 - City of Ferndale Touch-a-Truck Event

• Summer School Flyer - summer 2026

The Oakland County Enhancement Millage will be on the August 4, 2026 ballot. If approved, each public school district and eligible public school academies would receive approximately $781 per student annually. This proposal would cost about $150 per year for a $200,000 home ($100,000 taxable value).

Districts could use the funding for a variety of reasons. Here are some examples of how these general fund dollars could be used:

• Staff recruitment and retention
• Stabilizing general fund budgets
• Maintaining or reducing class sizes, where possible
• Expanding professional development
• Enhancing student wellness supports
• Improving safety and security
• Maintaining and strengthening district programming

Visit the Enhancement Millage website for more information and a tax calculator.

The MSTEP assessment window opens in April and continues through mid-may for make-up testing. This year, we will be testing as an entire building for the English Language Arts assessments, on Tuesday, April 14th and Wednesday, April 15th.

Please carefully read our FUEL Family Assessment Snapshot document.

It is vitally important that we attempt to limit all late arrivals and appointments on the scheduled testing days to avoid disruptions during testing. Thank you in advance for your support.

5th Grade

• Tues. 5/5 - Social Studies

4th Grade

• Thurs. 5/7 - Mathematics (NEW DATE)

You can also read the state update from our State Superintendent here:

MDE State Superintendent Letter - Spring Assessments

Did you know the Ferndale Elementary PTA organizes family and community events, school assemblies, volunteer opportunities, book fairs, and supports our teachers and schools through grants, partnerships and appreciation events? Our events and meetings are open to all our school families!

To learn more about FE PTA:

Website: www.fepta.org

Email: ferndale.elem.pta@gmail.com

Facebook: fb.me/FerndaleElementaryPTA

Instagram: instagram.com/ferndale_elementary_pta

We will be voting for new Board members - flyers and announcements for open positions coming this week.. The meeting will also feature a chance for incoming third grade parents/caregivers to meet the principal, ask questions about the transition, and tour the building. Free babysitting available on site during the meeting.

Teacher and Staff Appreciation Week

May 4-8, 2026

This year's theme is "It's All Fun and Games!" and the PTA is sponsoring games, prizes, food, decorations and more! You can donate to the efforts here. Or send an email or handwritten note to the staff at FLower and FUEL with something you appreciate about them! We know they'd love to hear from you!

Scholastic Book Fair at FLower

May 18-22, 2026

The BOGO Book Fair returns to FLower!

Visit https://linktr.ee/fepta to:

• Start your eWallet
• View the Book Fair Preview
• See dates and location info
• Sign up to volunteer
• Donate to Share the Fair

• Apply for a book fair scholarship (no questions asked) for your child

June Fair

May 29, 2026 5-8PM

This community event is a Ferndale tradition! The fair features midway games, rock climbing wall, putt putt, inflatables, food, raffle baskets and more! Everything is set up outside at the Ferndale schools Administration Building (the Old Lower/Roosevelt).

June Fair is also the main fundraiser for FE PTA - all proceeds will support programming for the 2026-2027 school year including school assemblies, Skate Nights and other family events, grants, and teacher appreciation efforts!

Tickets will be available for presale (dates to be announced soon) or you can purchase them the day of the event. To volunteer: tinyurl.com/JuneFair2026Volunteers

For all the details, including tickets, pricing, and activities visit: tinyurl.com/JuneFair2026

4th and 5th Grade Parents & Guardians!

Attention Families!

Our Camps experience is now officially less than a month away! We are looking for volunteers to make these experiences a success for our students! Please sign up using the appropriate Sign Up Genius.

Camps days are a wonderful way to connect to our school community by volunteering to lead a group or help with a center. We need about 100 adult volunteers to make each day run smoothly! All volunteers must have a volunteer form on file with FPS before volunteering. These take about a week to process so please plan ahead!

2nd/3rd Grade Camp- Friday, May 8 @ Starr Jaycee

FF/K/1st Grade Camp- Friday, May 15 @ Normandy Oaks Park

4th Grade Camp- Wednesday, May 20-Thursday, May 21 @ Camp Tamarack (Must attend a volunteer training on May 12)

5th Grade Camp- Tuesday May 26- Thursday, May 28 @ Camp Copneconic (Must attend a volunteer training on May 12)

Feel free to reach out with any questions to the grade level coordinators or to Sylvia Oatley sylvia.oatley@gmail.com

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Here is everything you need for 4th and 5th grade camp!!

1. Camp Presentations
1. 4th Grade- Tamarack
2. 5th Grade- Copneconic
2. Paperwork Due Dates- All paperwork must be turned in on time. NO late paperwork will be accepted. If you need a new copy of the paperwork please reach out to the ECG board (ferndale.elementaryconnections@gmail.com)
3. Payment questions? Email the ECG Board and Lauren Donnelly will get back to you.
4. Mandatory Volunteer Meeting- Tuesday, May 12 (6 pm @ FUEL Cafeteria). Please be sure to attend to review chaperone expectations for camp.
5. Volunteer Registration Form- If you are volunteering, be sure to have your form on file!
6. Sign up to Volunteer- You can find the SignUp Geniuses here.
1. 4th Grade Sign Up Genius Link
2. 5th Grade Sign Up Genius Link
7. Dietary Forms- Only fill out if you DO have dietary restrictions
1. 4th Grade- Tamarack Dietary Form
2. 5th Grade- Copneconic Dietary Form
8. Other questions? Reach out to Katie Jeffrey and/or Sylvia Oatley sylvia.oatley@gmail.com

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