WELCOME TO FANCHER ELEMENTARY!!

My name is Nate Aquilina and I am honored to serve as principal of Fancher Elementary! I am fortunate to be working alongside a dedicated staff and look forward to partnering with you in providing the most engaging, supportive, and safest learning environment for your student.

Although this is my first year with MPPS, I have been an educator throughout the state in a variety of roles, including an elementary teacher, building administrator, human resources director, associate superintendent, and superintendent. Currently, I hold a Bachelor of Science from Grand Valley State University, Master of Arts in K-12 Educational Administration from Michigan State University, and have completed additional coursework at Central Michigan University.

I am blessed to have a wonderful family and appreciate their support each day. My wife, Angela, and I have been married for 7 years and have a bright, bubbly 5-year-old daughter named Lydia, as well as an energetic, silly 3-year-old son named Nicholas. In our free time together, we enjoy camping and being on or near the water.

It certainly takes a village to raise a child and that “village” of family, school, and community has never been more necessary than it is today. We look forward to partnering with you to ensure a successful year for ALL our Fancher Falcons!

Mr. Nate Aquilina

naquilina@mp.edzone.net

989-775-2230

The Fancher Flyer is our bi-weekly newsletter that keeps families connected and informed. For our new families, this will be your go-to source for important dates, school updates, and highlights of the great things happening at Fancher Elementary. For returning families, consider this a friendly reminder that this newsletter will continue to arrive every other week via email, text, and on our social media pages. We’re excited to keep the whole Fancher community in the loop!

Tuesday, August 19th - Open House

6:00-7:30 p.m. See below for more details & the Fancher Elementary Facebook.

Thursday, August 21st - First Day of School

8:45 a.m. School Begins

3:49 p.m. Dismissal

Friday, August 29th - NO SCHOOL

Labor Day Extended Weekend

Monday, September 1st - NO SCHOOL

Labor Day

Wednesday, September 4th - Picture Day

See flyer below.

*Yearbooks must be ordered this fall to receive in spring.

Monday, September 29th - NO SCHOOL

Thursday-Friday, October 16th-17th - Elementary Parent Teacher Conferences

As we prepare for the upcoming school year, we want to remind you how important it is to complete your Final Forms before the first day of school. This secure online platform collects essential information such as emergency contacts, medical details, and consent forms. Completing Final Forms ensures your student can participate fully in both academics and extracurriculars from day one.

Additionally, we want to make you aware that universal free breakfast and lunch is not guaranteed for all students at this time. Because of this, it's especially important that every family fills out the Education Benefits Form, even if you don’t think you qualify.

This form does more than determine meal benefits—they directly impact critical school funding that supports staffing, academic programming, and student services. You can complete the meal application quickly and confidentially right through Final Forms.

✅https://mtpleasant-mi.finalforms.com/

Thank you for taking the time to complete this important step. Your attention to Final Forms helps us keep students safe, well-supported, and ready to succeed!

If you have any questions, please email our school secretary, Mrs. Chaffin at wchaffin@mp.edzone.net or call the Fancher office at 989-775-2230.

The Welcome Letters from teachers and principals are being mailed early next week! Students will find out their teacher for the 2025-2026 school year as well as information about Fancher Elementary. We look forward to meeting all of you!

We appreciate your help in following the arrival and departure procedures to ensure the safety and well being of our students. DROP-OFF & PICK-UP is along Kinney Ave. (the side closest to the front lawn). We will not send students across the median to get into vehicles (an adult must walk across to pick up their child).

We ask parents to remain in their vehicle along the front lawn side and students will be sent directly to their vehicles.

3rd grade arrival/departure door - Northwest, Kinney

4th grade arrival/departure door - West, Kinney

5th grade arrival/departure door - Southwest, Kinney

Please DO NOT use the parking lots off of High St. and Gaylord as a drop-off or pick-up location before or after school. This is for staff parking only.

*In the morning, students are not to be out of vehicles prior to 8:35am.

Please make sure the school is aware of any special needs or medication dosing by the first day of school. Parents MUST bring medication to school in the original prescription container with a signed release form from their doctor according to school policy. This includes inhalers and any over the counter medication.

Student cell phones are not permitted at school. They should remain at home or in a backpack if a child needs it after school. Other electronic devices and toys, trading cards, etc. from home are not permitted.

Hats and hoods are for outside use only. Students are not allowed to wear these inside the school.

If you need a morning program, contact the School Aged Child Care (SACC) Program at 989-775-2340.

Please call Fancher’s office to let staff know your student will be absent from school. Automated calls go out at 9:30am if your child is absent and you do not call in.

For information about bus transportation, please call the direct line at 989-775-2323.

For inquiries about special education programming, please contact Melissa Loper, Special Education Administrative Assistant, at 989-775-2300.

Fancher Elementary will be using Guys and Dolls Photography for school pictures. Below are the 2025–2026 Picture Day Price List and FAQ Sheet. School Picture Day is scheduled for School Picture Day on Thursday, September 4, 2025.