In the Middle of Fairfield

The Knights of the Month are selected by their teachers for best representing

the qualities of a Knight, by being Respectful, Responsible, and Ready to Learn!

🎉 Congratulations to the following students! 🏰

These outstanding students were chosen by their teachers for consistently demonstrating what it means to be a Knight — by being Respectful, Responsible, and Ready to Learn each and every day.

👏 Keep up the great work, and thank you for being shining examples for your peers!

Noah has demonstrated the qualities of a Knight in many ways. He consistently puts forth his best effort in every assignment and works very hard in class. Noah is not afraid to ask questions when needed and always follows directions, stays on task, and works to the best of his ability. He works well both independently and in group settings. Noah is always prepared for class and serves as an excellent role model for his peers. He is respectful to both students and teachers. Earlier this year, Noah demonstrated the true character of a Knight when he faced and overcame some personal challenges to be here in school. We are so proud of you and your perseverance in overcoming challenges and obstacles.

Ava demonstrates the characteristics of a Fairfield Knight through her perseverance and hard work. She works diligently to complete assignments, do the right things, and be a good friend. Ava does an excellent job of advocating for herself both academically and socially. Ava tries hard to be prepared for class and works to be respectful to everyone. She demonstrates being responsible every day. We are very proud of Ava for working hard every day.

Bryn has been selected as our Knight of the Month because she consistently embodies being a Knight of being respectful, responsible, and ready to learn. Over the past few weeks, the 6th-grade team has been particularly impressed by the noticeable increase in Bryn's active participation during class discussions and her eagerness to engage with new material. She is doing an exceptional job navigating her studies, and her positive attitude is a wonderful addition to our classroom community. We are incredibly proud of the progress she has made so far, and we are truly excited to see all the great things she will continue to achieve throughout the remainder of the school year. Keep up the fantastic work, Bryn!

Carter Joyner has been named our Knight of the Month for his consistent dedication to being respectful, responsible, and ready to learn. The 6th-grade teachers have been thrilled to see Carter stepping up his game in class, noting a significant boost in his engagement and contributions in class. He is doing a fantastic job with his schoolwork, and his presence is a real asset to our classroom environment. We are so proud of the strides Carter has made, and we look forward to a successful and productive rest of the year with him. Great job, Carter!

Katie started her time at Fairfield off by coming in the door responsible, respectful and ready to learn even before she knew our school's expectations! Katie has been a pleasure to have in class and works well with all of her peers. Katie is kind to both peers and teachers as well as prioritizes completing her schoolwork to the best of her ability. Katie has been a wonderful addition to the 7th grade and all of her teachers are pleased to nominate her for April's Knight of the Month.

Abbie also came to Fairfield with her "A" game and has a wonderful job exemplifying the characteristics of a knight. Abbie comes to class always prepared and follows directions in class the first time they are given. Abbie completes her assignments in a timely manner and ensures that she is always putting her best effort into her participation, projects, tests and class assignments! Abbie is a fine example of a Fairfield Knight and her teachers are so happy to nominate her for April's Knight of the Month.

Ben is one of the most helpful and polite students in the 8th grade. He always has a positive attitude and willingly volunteers to engage in any and all classroom activities and discussions. His enthusiasm and sense of humor enliven the entire class, making class fun and engaging for everyone. All of these attributes result in Ben’s excellent work and academic achievement. He shows up every day ready to learn, and therefore Ben is an excellent candidate for being a Fairfield Knight of the Month.

Lilah is the type of student who provides a quiet, yet powerful, academic anchor for the entire class. She is always prepared and ready to learn, taking her responsibilities as a student seriously. Her work shows care and attention to detail, resulting in excellence. Lilah respects others as well as herself, and in this way is a model for how a Fairfield Knight of the Month should act.

May 11th - 7th Grade Career Education

May 14th - Mrs. Bechtel's Classroom Gettysburg Railway

May 20th - 7th Grade Career Education

May 22nd - PBIS Reward Fun City

May 26th 8th Grade Gettysburg Battlefield

Reminder: Parents and Guardians please send Mrs. Wheeler at wheelers@fairfield.k12.pa.us a few of your favorite baby pictures for our 8th Grade End of Year Ceremony. These photos will be used in a special presentation to celebrate our students’ growth.

Please send them by May 15th.

Our students have been actively preparing for the PSSAs by engaging in targeted review. They worked through a variety of practice problems, completed online training modules, and used the PA Desmos graphing calculator to build confidence with functions and data representations. Their focus, perseverance, and collaboration during these activities were wonderful to see. We are grateful for the students’ effort and for families who support practice at home—your encouragement helps students approach testing with calm and readiness.

Our algebra students have been diligently reviewing material for both PSSAs and Keystones. Students worked through a variety of practice problems, used online training tools, and practiced with the PA Desmos graphing calculator to build confidence and readiness. We are grateful for the focus and effort students have shown and for the encouragement families continue to provide at home.

Keystone Bootcamp is available for students to practice and prepare for Keystones on Tuesdays and Thursdays leading up to the Keystone Exams on May 13th and 14th. If your student would benefit from extra practice time, please encourage them to attend these sessions. Thank you for your ongoing support in helping your child take advantage of these preparation opportunities.

This month in Social Studies class we began our unit on the Civil War. The students learned about the causes of the Civil War as well as the lead up to it. We did a mock trial when we were going over the Dred Scott Case and its importance and impact on the start of the Civil War. The students were also assigned one of the candidates for the election of 1860 and created election posters for their candidate, as the election of 1860 was another cause for the Civil War.

Our 6th grade ELA students have been working hard and recently wrapped up their PSSA testing! As we transition back into our regular classroom routines, students have begun an engaging new project that combines research and creativity. Each student is reading a biography and then writing a narrative from the perspective of the person they studied. This allows them to deepen their understanding while practicing voice, point of view, and storytelling skills. In addition to this project, we continue to strengthen our grammar skills, with a focus on sentence structure, punctuation, and proper usage to support clear and effective writing. Students are also putting the finishing touches on their final book report project, demonstrating their comprehension and analysis of independent reading texts. We are proud of the progress students are making and look forward to finishing the year strong!

Our 6th grade mathematicians have been working diligently to prepare for the upcoming PSSA testing, reviewing all concepts learned this year! I am so proud of their hard work and dedication. Following the assessment, we will dive into a project-based unit that applies their cumulative knowledge in real-world scenarios. The entire 6th grade also had a fantastic, fun-filled, and educational time at 6th Grade Camp this month! It was a great opportunity for students to bond, engage in teamwork activities, and enjoy the outdoors before the final push of the school year.

6th grade camp was a huge success! Thank you to all parents for completing necessary paperwork, participating in our Lincoln for Lincoln fundraiser, supplying your children with proper clothing and equipment, modifying your schedules to accommodate our drop off and pick up times, and encouraging your children to behave respectfully and responsibly while at camp. I’d also like to extend an extra shoutout to the parents who offered their time and talents volunteering at 6th grade camp! Your help was much appreciated! Students reported that their favorite things about camp were their counselors, outstanding food in the dining hall, camp olympics, the dance, learning fire starting and shelter building, our nature hike, and doing numerous activities in the stream.

As April comes to a close, we are continuing to strengthen our understanding of the coordinate grid and polygon concepts. Students have also been applying their knowledge while completing SAS and PSSA practice packets.

Once PSSA testing is finished, 5th graders will begin an exciting project—creating their own math board games! Each game will include a variety of questions covering the math concepts and skills they have learned throughout the year.

Guiding students through this process is very rewarding, and it is incredible to see how much each student has grown. We are all looking forward to designing and then playing these games—math teacher included! 😊 Thank you for your continued support.

Hello and welcome to May! It’s hard to believe we are in the last month of our school year; it has gone by so quickly. To finish out our year in fifth grade, we will be putting together some books of poetry that we will be publishing in the library. Be sure to ask your fifth grader about the different types of poetry he/she is writing as well as which piece he/she thinks will make it into the published book! Please be sure that your child continues to read and write over the summer. The ‘summer slide’ is a real thing, and our children are especially challenged by being raised in the age of technology. Remind your fifth grader that his/her brain still needs to be exercised by reading a book or writing a story! Have a wonderful, safe, and happy summer!

We are working on Colonial billboards in social studies and will take a field trip to two museums in Gettysburg this month. Now that PSSA testing is complete, we will be learning about the American Revolution and all the issues that led up to it. To end the year, we will briefly introduce the Civil War to give students background for later classes.

In Mrs.Bechtel’s room we have been preparing for the PSSA up until the very day. The students worked very hard and gave great effort for our first week. These state tests can be very draining and so the students have been taking a break in between. The students worked in fun packets throughout the week and all of room 122 students had earned a PSSA incentive for trying their very best during testing. They watched a movie with popcorn on Friday and they each had earned a 15 minute time slot to play one of my two claw machines that I brought in for them. Some found them very challenging and others were winning prizes one after another! Our Math PSSA’s are this week and our Friday Incentive is a sno-cone and another movie. I purchased my own little sno cone maker a few years back so I like to pull it out of my closet towards the end of the school year. The students are very excited about the sno cones and I really can’t blame them. I,too, am excited as well, it is a true sign of Summer.

Our next big adventure, as we are winding down this school year, is our field trip to Gettysburg Railways. Everyone has turned in their permission slip and we are just waiting for the day, May 14th to arrive. The students have been a big part of planning this trip and we are all very excited to go. I did send home a paper with important information regarding our field trip so if you did not see it please ask your child to show it to you. I had stated that the students did not need to bring any money, however, I have since been told that there is a gift shop at the train station. Students will be responsible for their own money if they choose to bring it. Again, I am super proud of the effort all the students have been giving for testing. As we bring this year to a close I have enjoyed having each and every one of the students in Room 122 .They have made it a great first year for me here at FAMS!

It is almost the end of the year, and the library is going to need those books back by May 15th! Please ask your child if they know where their library books are and ensure that they return them to the library by May 15th!

On May 1st, the library hosted a museum day to culminate the 8th grade ELA students’ research project. Students conducted research and wrote an essay on a human centered topic connected to the Holocaust using books and ebooks purchased through a grant from the Mark Schonwetter Holocaust Education Foundation. Then, students created an artifact to represent their research using the 3d printers, laser engraver, or a medium of their choice, and wrote a maker statement to forge the connection between the two portions of the assignment. Students in multiple grades visited the museum to engage in this tangible learning experience!

Chris Scheufele came to speak with our students. He touched on a variety of important issues and shared valuable insight on how to deal with a number of challenges students may face. The students truly enjoyed listening to him and hearing his perspective.

5/6 KnightTime Calendar Link

7/8 KnightTime Calendar Link

7/8 Middle School Music Department Adjudication Information.

Our 7th and 8th Grade Band and Chorus students will be on a field trip at Highnote Festivals on May 15. They will be adjudicating in front of a panel of judges. Good luck to our performers!

The Middle School and High School Spring Chorus Concert will be on Tuesday, May 12th at 6:30.

Congratulations to Regan Staley for being the 5/6 Musician of the Month! Regan is a dedicated member of the band and chorus. Regan displays leadership qualities and is a good role model for her fellow peers. Regan is always ready to learn and shows musicality in both ensembles.

Congratulations to Kaitlyn Gibbon for being the 7/8 Musician of the Month! Kaitlyn is an officer for Chorus. She demonstrates great musicality and leadership. Kaitylyn also is in the Select Choir and participated in the Adams County Chorus Festival. Kaitlyn also has been asked to sing the “Star Spangled Banner" at the opening day of our community baseball game. Her passion for music and dedication to both ensembles serve as a positive example for her peers.

I’m excited to share the incredible results from the Music in the Parks Adjudication held on Friday, May 1st!

Our students represented us with outstanding talent and dedication:

• Concert Choir earned 1st place with a Superior Rating
• Show Choir earned 1st place with an Excellent Rating
• Concert Band earned 1st place with an Excellent Rating

A very special shoutout goes to Lily Behr, who was named Best Vocalist for the entire festival—for the second year in a row! What an amazing accomplishment!

We are so proud of all of our performers and directors for their hard work and commitment to excellence.

Go Knights!

The Student Council has worked hard in preparation for Teacher/Staff Appreciation Week. We will celebrate all our staff with a Snack Cart on Monday, A taco bar on Tuesday, A cereal bar on Wednesday, a dip bar on Thursday, and to top it off, a dessert bar on Friday. Our final fundraiser this year will be “Tat the Teacher” which allows students to purchase tattoos for teachers on Knight-A-Thon Day!

As part of our ongoing "Adventures in Learning" career series, our 8th graders recently followed up their earlier visit to ACTI with an exciting tour of Shippensburg University. This series is designed to expose students to various college and career pathways, helping them envision their future goals as they prepare for the transition to high school. During the visit, students attended several informative sessions hosted by the Career Center and the departments of Business, Health & Human Services, and Arts & Sciences. These presentations provided a firsthand look at different academic fields and the professional opportunities they lead to.

The day also gave students a genuine taste of campus life through a comprehensive walking tour of the university facilities. A highlight for many was the opportunity to eat lunch in the campus cafeteria, graciously provided by Shippensburg University. By exploring both technical opportunities at ACTI and the collegiate experience at Shippensburg, our students are gaining a well-rounded perspective on the many paths available to them after graduation.

We are excited to extend a warm welcome to Mr. Diaz, our new 7th Grade Social Studies teacher, and Mrs. Windell, our new Autism Support Aide.

We’re thrilled to have both of you join our Middle School community and look forward to the energy, expertise, and dedication you will bring to our students. Welcome aboard!

To ensure the safety of all students, no medications are allowed in school without a completed Medication Permission Form. These forms expire on the last day of school each year. Students who take medications at school will need a new Medication Permission Form completed. For more information, please review the Health Office Services page on our district website and the Medication Administration Board Policy (Policy 210). https://www.fairfieldpaschools.org/cms/lib/PA01000417/Centricity/Domain/35/Medication%20Permission%20Form%20210.pdf

We’re thrilled to welcome Miss Sites as our new Attendance Coordinator for Middle School and High School! She will be your primary point of contact for all things attendance-related.

Whether you’re:

• Reporting an absence

• Following up on a tardy

• Or have questions about attendance policies...

Miss Sites is here to help!
Welcome to the team, Miss Sites — we’re so glad to have you!

📝 Need to Send a Note? It’s Easy!

Option 1: Go old-school
Handwrite a note and send it in with your student. ✍🏻

Option 2: Send an email
📩 Email Miss Sites directly at: sitesc@fairfield.k12.pa.us

👉 Be sure to include the reason your student was absent or late.

⏰ A Few Friendly Reminders:

• Students are allowed 10 parent notes per school year for absences.

• Doctor’s notes are best whenever possible — they help ensure absences are excused properly!

Thank you for helping us keep attendance on track. We’re looking forward to a great school year!

You'll need to complete an Educational Journey Form. Students are allowed 5 educational journey days per year. Please submit your Educational Journey Form online or send in with your student. Please try and get it in at least 10 days prior to your trip.