FUEL School Newsletter

Dear FUEL Families,

I was so very grateful last week for all of the kind words, notes of appreciation, and fun and silly birthday wishes from our school family. As I told my staff today, I truly love where I work and the people and children I get to enjoy this journey with each day. Many thanks.

This week, we gear up for some community events, including our renewed family-university style events, with the FPS Community Conversations event at 6 pm at Ferndale HS. Join our district leaders for an evening learning more about the public school system, communications, and answers to any of your burning questions!

At school this week, our 4th grade will head out on our last set of ECG Fall camp field trips with their outdoor adventure to Stoney Creek Metropark. Many thanks to our ECG group for these new additions to our outdoor education programming. Please also check out the ECG box below for details for our Butter Bread fundraiser - which is also a camp scholarship opportunity for spring camps!

Please be sure to take a moment to read both the PTA and ECG boxes below - there is important information on upcoming PTA Advocacy events and our Scholastic Book Fair (the week of November 3rd during conferences) and on the first ECG fundraiser of the year, our Braided Bread fundraiser!

And, while I know it's a rough go this year for my Spartans, I'll still be wearing my green on Friday and playing the fight song on the PA - Go Green!

With gratitude,

Mrs. Jeffrey

#TheFutureisFerndale

We are dedicated this year to working on our students’ social-emotional growth in addition to their academic growth. This week we continue with Module 2: Brain States. Our focus this week:

Brain Stem - Survival State

I love this module because students get to learn about their brain and why are emotions sometimes can get the better of us. In learning about their brain stem - where our brain "lights up" when we are in fight-flight-freeze-fawn mode, students will be learning about their Survival State. The key question in this brain state is: "Am I safe?"

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

**ECG 4th Grade Field Trips this week

• Mon. 10/20 - Apple Crunch Day (cafeteria); YMCA Sportport, 3:45-5:15 pm
• Wed. 10/22 - FPS Community Conversations Event, 6 pm @ FHS
• Thurs. 10/23 - FHS Orchestra Hijink Concert, 6:30 pm @ FHS Auditorium

CUB SCOUTS

Join us at Cub Scouts every Thursday night at FUEL from 6pm to 7pm. Anyone in Kindergarten through 5th Grade is welcome and can join any time. Come try it out for a few weeks and then decide if it is right for you.

Our Cub Scouts are also collecting canned foods in their Food Drive rom now until Nov 7th at the school and will also collect from houses in the neighborhood on the 8th.

Canned goods and non-perishables will be donated to the Renaissance Vineyard Church's Food Bank and used for all those in SouthEast Michigan who are in need this Fall/Winter.

BMEA Youth Development Mentoring Program

There are still 5 spots left in our after-school boys' mentoring program which runs Mondays from 3:45-5:15 pm and Wednesdays from 2:45-4:15 pm. If you are interested in a spot, you can still sign up at http://bit.ly/fuelmentor.

After-School Making Art Meaningful Mini-Musical - Fridays

There are still a few spots open for the Friday after-school group Making Art Meaningful Mini-Musical program. Check out the flyer here for more information.

Braided Bread Fundraiser begins this week!

ECG is so excited to kick off our Braided Bread Fundraiser! This delicious Ferndale tradition helps your child earn money toward their camp adventure — and every loaf sold brings them closer to their goal! All profits go directly toward your child’s camp cost, so your family and friends can enjoy fresh, tasty bread while supporting your student’s big trip! Any profits over your child's camp cost will go into the general fund which provides full or partial scholarships. Check out these digital flyers to learn more."

Start Date: Monday, October 20

End Date: Monday, November 10

Submit Order Date: Tuesday, November 11

Delivery Date: Wednesday, November 19

Every Student First Fives - Fifth Grade attends Camp

First Fives through Third grade: Fall Metropark Trip and one Center Day in the Spring
Fourth Grade: Fall Metropark Trip and a 2 day/1night Overnight at Camp Tamarack in the Spring
Fifth Grade: Fall Metropark Trip and a 3 day/2 night Overnight at Camp Copneconic in the Spring

How You Can Help

If you are interested in volunteering to help coordinate spring camps, want more information or have a business that is interested in being a sponsor, please reach out to us at: ferndale.elementaryconnections@gmail.com

Save the Dates

FALL: Classes are split up so activities are more fun and manageable (Teachers will communicate their dedicated dates).

• First Grade: Fall Trip to Stage Nature Center on 10/21, 10/22, 10/23, or 10/24

• Fourth Grade: Fall Trip to Stony Creek Metropark: 10/21,10/23, or 10/24

STAY TUNED FOR SPRING CAMP DATES!!!

Blessings in a Backpack (BIAB) is available for all students in Ferndale Public Schools who attend FECC, FLower, FUEL, or FMS. This program provides a bag of food items every weekend throughout the school year for any child who may benefit.

The program begins in October for all students registered by this coming Monday. Families can sign up at any time, but new registrations will start receiving food the month following sign-up.

Blessings in a Backpack sign up letter

October Resource Roundup

• Food

• Gleaners

• Forgotten Harvest

• Household/Utilities

Health

• Dental

• Nurse Hotline- 1 (800) 848-5533

• Honor Health

Mental Health

• Warmline 10 am-2 am

• Oakland Community Health Network

Multilingual Assistance

CARE of Southeast Michigan is offering a free six-week AP School Age Parenting Class at the Sterling Heights Library beginning October 6 – November 17, 2025 (no class October 13). Classes will be held Mondays from 10:00 AM – 12:00 PM and will provide parents of elementary-age children with ideas, support, and strategies for understanding behavior, building self-esteem, encouraging cooperation, and teaching responsibility. Topics will include school success and alcohol, tobacco, and other drugs. Books are included at no cost.

Sterling Heights Library, 40255 Dodge Park Road, Sterling Heights, MI 48313
Call CARE at 586-541-2273 to arrange book pick-up
Click here to register

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