FUEL School Newsletter

Dear FUEL Families,

We are looking forward to having everyone back on Monday and to having three uninterrupted weeks of instruction before the longer Winter Break. I want to give a shout out and thank you to our Communities in Schools partnership and Ms. Pettway, our CIS Student Support Coordinator, for all of her work with our canned food drive and coordinating with families to support during the Thanksgiving holiday. Please be sure to reach out to us if you need anything during these winter months - Ms. P is a great support to our our school family. Please also be sure to read through this updated flyer for Blessings in a Backpack - Blessings Flyer - for both ways to sign up for the program or to volunteer to support it!

Speaking of volunteering, please be sure to check out our PTA and Elementary Connections Groups boxes below - we are now in need of camp coordinators for our spring camps (can you believe this is already Week 15 (!) of the school year?!) and there will be upcoming PTA volunteer opportunities as well. There's also an awesome video about our camp programs - kudos to the ECG for highlighting our amazing students and the wonder and joy that camp brings.

A note on weather: it is now snowy and cold, probably for the next 3-4 months! Please note that we go OUTSIDE for recess if it is 17 degrees or higher (with wind chill). If students plan to play out in the fields, they will also need boots and snow pants. Please be sure to send students with winter weather items (labeled!!!) or reach out if you need support in winter clothing. We are here to help.

This week, we will be selling tickets for our annual "Principal for a Day" event - tickets will be sold in the cafeteria during lunch all weeklong! Check out this flyer for more information - Principal for a Day. Why not make winter a little more wild?

Finally, we will be collecting candids for our yearbook through the end of January. Check out this flyer from Kaiser for more information on how to upload them directly to the Kaiser team - Yearbook candids.

Please note that I will be out of town this week from Wednesday through Friday at the annual MEMSPA Principal's Conference. Mrs. Keefe and I will be presenting on all of the wonderful things in Ferndale on Thursday morning - wish us luck! If you need anything this week, please reach out to the FUEL office for support.

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 3: Growth Mindset. Our focus this week:

Feelings & Communication, Pause Button

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

• Mon. 12/1 - School Resumes
• Wed. 12/3 - Apparently, the 67th day of school!

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.

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 & Blessings in a Backpack Flyer Information & Volunteering

It's November, and let's be honest, worrying about getting enough food on the table can cast a serious shadow on the holidays. But take a deep breath—CIS has your back.

If you're facing food scarcity or need help accessing basic resources, we want to make it easy for you to get the support you need.

• Start by calling 411 to be connected to immediate, broad assistance and community programs.

If you are in dire need and have exhausted the resources listed below, please contact Ms. Pettway directly. She is here to help when all other avenues have been explored.

Local Food Assistance: Dates & Locations

Please note these important food distribution resources available in the area:

1. Open Hands Food Pantry & Garden

• What: Mobile Drive-Through Food Distribution

• When: 1st & 3rd Saturdays, 8:30 – 10:00 am

• Next Open: NOVEMBER 15

• Future Dates: Open December 6 & 20

• Location: 11 Mile & Woodward (Royal Oak)

2. Zion Lutheran Church Food Pantry

• Location: 143 Albany, Ferndale, MI

• When: Every third Wednesday, 9:00 – 10:30 am

• Upcoming Dates:

  • November 19

  • December 17

No one should have to choose between keeping the lights on and feeding their family. Reach out, use these resources, and let's get through this month—and the rest of the year—together.

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

To become a FE PTA member: ferndaleelementarypta.givebacks.com/store

To see volunteer opportunities:forms.gle/QcV4DZhnPM81uxmZ7

FE PTA Meetings

If you missed the November meeting or want to refer back to something covered, here's the slide deck: https://tinyurl.com/FEPTANovemberMeeting2025

December 9, 2025 6:30PM Virtual

Join us for a virtual PTA meeting - we'll have teacher, principals and PTA updates. We'll also be hosting breakout sessions focused on building community - topics and the link to join will be available in next week's newsletter and flyers will be sent home later this week.

Volunteers needed!

FLower is looking for help during lunch and recess. If you are able to volunteer, please fill out this form - https://forms.gle/DjnvBvpmsNj9AQN96. A schedule and more information will be shared soon.

Scholastic Book Fair at FLower

December 8-12, 2025

The FLower Scholastic Book Fair is here! You can start your eWallet (the cashless way to shop), view the Book Fair Preview, see shopping dates and times, donate to help all students shop the Fair, request a scholarship, or sign up to volunteer here: https://linktr.ee/fepta

Just 4 Kicks Event

Looking for a unique way to help fundraise for ECG - Ferndale Elementary Schools? Share your talent! Grab some friends and start rehearsing for Just 4 Kicks 2026!

Contact Christina Mossine to sign up or with any questions: cmossine@gmail.com or (248)420-9603.

We Need Grade-Level Coordinators for Spring Camp Days!

Spring Camp Days are coming—and we’re looking for grade-level coordinators to help make them amazing! Each grade-level band needs 3–4 volunteers to help plan and organize the day. We’re recruiting coordinators for:

• First Fives–1st Grade

• 2nd–3rd Grade

• 4th Grade

• 5th Grade

Coordinators work with teachers and the Elementary Connections Group to organize hands-on learning centers, communicate with volunteers, and help the day run smoothly.

No experience needed—just enthusiasm and a willingness to pitch in! If you love creating joyful learning experiences and bringing families together, we’d love to have you on the team.

Curious? Check out this video!

Willing to help? Let us know by filling out the Sign Up Form or email us at ferndale.elementaryconnections@gmail.com to learn more or sign up!

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