Foster Falcon Newsletter

This week students learned to sort their worries into two piles: things they can control, and things they cannot. We call it the Circle of Control.

What is inside the circle is where our energy actually does something. What is outside the circle is worth less of our worry. It is a skill that helps an eight-year-old and a forty-eight-year-old about equally.

Try this at home: The next time your child is upset about something, ask gently, “Is that in your circle?” Then help them find one thing that is.

Mrs. Van Fossen

After months of planning, Room 113 is now a place where our Falcons will build, test, wonder, and try again. We can't wait for you to see it.

Every Foster family is invited to walk through during conferences on Tuesday, October 13 or Thursday, October 15. Stop in before or after yours. Someone from the Building for Kids will be there both nights to show you around and answer your questions. These nights are for looking, and the real fun begins Wednesday, October 21, when classes start their regular time in the room.

On October 14, we'll cut the ribbon in a short ceremony with our kindergarten families, donors, and partners. The room sits off a small hallway, and we wish we could fit everyone!

Thank you to the staff, families, and partners who made this happen. We hope you'll come see it!

Next week Wednesday, Foster will conduct a required tornado safety drill. We recognize that this practice may feel different this year following the tornado that impacted members of our community this summer.

We will let students know ahead of time that this is a practice, not an emergency, and staff will approach the drill calmly and sensitively. Our focus will be simple: helping students know where to go and what to do to stay safe. We will not use frightening simulations or imagery, and our school counselor will be available to support students who may experience increased worry.

If your child was significantly affected by this summer’s tornado or there is something you would like us to know before the drill, please reach out to your child’s teacher.

Are you willing to donate treats, beverages and other items towards the staff conference meals during Parent / Teacher Conference nights ? Sign up HERE!

We have a couple of dessert spots open for Thursday, soda for Tuesday, bowls/plasticware for Tuesday, clean up for Tues & Thurs and set up for Thurs. Can you help?

At Foster, all students receive a free breakfast and free lunch daily, however Free/Reduced Meal Benefits can impact other areas such as school fees, instrument rentals and community programs. AASD families approved automatically or through an application for Free or Reduced Meals for last year, the 2025-26 school year, we want to remind you that carry-over status, which allows families time at the start of the school year to submit a new annual application, will expire on Wednesday, October 14, 2026. Read more here. If you haven't completed the MEAL BENEFITS FORM on the parent portal, do so quickly. If you aren't sure if you completed it, complete it again. This is an annual process and is best completed between July-August when completing school registration.

Do you have a 3- or 4-year-old in your home and looking for something to do?

We have a Parent-Child Playgroup at McKinley Elementary that is still looking for participants!

What: Meet My Milestones 3–4-Year-Old Parent-Child Playgroup

When: Mondays and Wednesdays

Times: 8:45-10 AM or 10:30-11:45 AM

Where: McKinley Elementary 1125 E Taft Ave.

Cost: Free! Must live in AASD

Interested? Call 920-832-6109 for questions and to register

Oct 1-29................. SOCKTOBER- donate new socks!

Oct 12-16............... Scholastic Book Fair

Oct 13 & 15............ Parent / Teacher Conferences 3:45-7p (sign-up coming soon)

Oct 13..................... Picture RETAKE Day

Oct 15..................... FT: 3rd- Heckrodt

Oct 20..................... OFFICE CLOSED @ 3:30p (Staff Meeting)

Oct 19..................... FT: Kinder- Farm

Oct 29..................... FT: 1st- Library

Oct 29..................... BGC/FFN: Halloween Bash (6p) & Trunk or Treat (5:30p)

Oct 30..................... No School/Boys & Girls Club

Foster's on-site pantry is stocked by our families, for our families. It's there so that when a need comes up, help is already right down the hall — no forms, no waiting, no questions asked.

We're restocking for the school year and would welcome donations of:

• Non-perishable food (canned goods, pasta, rice, cereal, peanut butter, shelf-stable snacks)
• Cleaning supplies
• Laundry detergent
• Paper products

Items can be dropped off in the front office anytime. Belonging at Foster means looking out for one another, and this is one of the simplest ways we do it. Thank you for taking care of our community!

Foster is a tuition-free public charter school within the Appleton Area School District. Being a charter means we operate under a contract (our "charter") with the AASD School Board. That contract gives us the flexibility to build our school around a clear mission: growing student leaders through Leader in Me, alongside strong academics.

For your family, this means your child gets everything a public school provides, plus a school community with its own focus and identity. Foster also has its own Governance Board, which works alongside school leadership to guide our mission, monitor progress on our charter goals, and oversee funds raised for Foster through grants, donations, and fundraising. Board meetings are open to the public, and families are always welcome.

Want to stay in the loop? Sign up here to get a monthly email with the latest Governance Board meeting agendas and approved minutes: https://forms.gle/9vHJHfE2tUzmeAJ46

The Fine Arts Department is now using IC to collect school instrument rental form. This form only needs to be completed if your family is renting a school instrument.

Milk w/cold lunch or Additional Milk........ $0.50

Additional Meal...........................................$3.10

Recognitions for special occasions (birthdays, holidays, etc.) during the school day (starting at midnight the day before through a half hour after students are dismissed for the day) will not include students bringing in snacks/treats from outside of the District for other students and will instead take place through non-food practices.

AM SESSION- 7:00AM-8:10AM

PM SESSION- 3:20PM-6:00PM

AFTERNOON PICK-UP BEGINS AT 4:00PM

The Foster Charter Board meets at 6:30pm on the 2nd Tuesday of each month, in the Foster LMC. This meeting is held in-person, however an online option is available via Google Meet at this link: https://meet.google.com/pyr-vtfj-jhr . If you have any questions for the board or would like to request childcare for an upcoming meeting, please email FosCharter@gmail.com. Would you like to learn more? Check out their page on the school website!

Foster Family Network (FFN) meets at 5:00pm on the 2nd Tuesday of each month, in the Foster staff lounge (103).SEE BELOW. If you have any questions for the group who creates a lot of the family based, after-school events, on and off school grounds, please email stephenfosterffn@gmail.com. Would you like to learn more? Check out their page on the school website or their Facebook page: Foster Falcon FFN-PTO!

Foster Family Network (FFN) is partnering with BGC @ Foster for 26-27 while looking for new leadership. If you think YOU could be that person, please email FFN. Meetings will be on hold until we can find parents/families to lead and fully support the group.

Unfilled positions:

*President (lead meetings, be a support for all, be a lead contact all while keeping the best interests of families and FFN in mind for current and future)

*Vice President (secondary support to the president, other leaders and FFN group)

*Treasurer (handle non-food purchases, returns, accounting for the group while maintaining the budget for current and future endeavors)

*Digital Guru (take the lead on the Facebook page, add/maintain new digital presence on other platforms, creating event information and posters)

*Foodie (handle organizing all food for in-house events such as conferences, staff appreciation week and large family events. this includes creating sign-ups, grocery shopping, catering orders and taking care of set-up/clean-up if no one has volunteered)

Filled positions: Secretary, Fundraising

Do you have a talent that's not listed? What can you bring to the group? The group needs background support as well! Families who are willing to pick up/drop off items, bake/cook, volunteer to clean up at the end of events, decorators, volunteer for sessions at an event...etc. Support in ANY form is appreciated! You may also stop in the school office and ask about Foster Family Network and how you can help.

What: Meet My Milestones 3–4-Year-Old Parent-Child Playgroup

When: Mondays and Wednesdays

Times: 8:45-10 AM or 10:30-11:45 AM

Where: McKinley Elementary

Cost: Free! Must live in AASD

Interested? Call 920-832-6109 for questions and to register