Fruzen Newsletter: March 5
March 5, 2024
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Dear Fruzen Families,
Welcome to March! As warmer weather begins to set in, we are getting closer to spring break and summer! But before we get there, we still have a lot of learning left to do! As you will read in this edition of our newsletter, we will soon begin our Wisconsin Forward Exam for all students in grades 6-8. Beginning March 19, we ask that students make sure to bring their Chromebook to school each day, make sure it is charged and ensure that they arrive on time (learning begins at 8:30am). This will be essential for success on this test! We also have a few important events coming up at Fruzen in the next month that we would love to see everyone at, so please make sure you read the newsletter in its entirety for additional details.
Have a Great Week,
Mrs. Schieve
Upcoming Events at Fruzen
Pop Tab Collection (sponsored by Fruzen MEO): February 5 - March 15
MEO is collecting pop tabs for the Ronald McDonald House and they are requesting families to save their pop tabs and send them in with their Fruzen students from now until March 15th.
Fruzen Expo: March 26 | 5:00pm - 7:00pm
Join us for our annual Fruzen Expo! This is a fun-filled night with community vendors as well as a showcase of everything Fruzen has to offer.
Falcon Focus
This past month, we have seen an increase in physical behaviors and/or verbal issues that directly violate #5 in our Fruzen 5: Engage only in physical/emotional behavior that does not harm yourself or others. In order to help us address this behavior at school, we are asking families to reinforce the following ideas at home:
- There is no place for fighting at school. If a conflict arises, find your trusted adult and allow the adults in the building to help address the issue(s) before it turns physical.
- Many of these issues are beginning on or continuing to thrive through social media. Please be vigilant about monitoring your student's social media use.
- Students don't have to be friends with everyone at school, but it is expected that they are kind to everyone. Please remind your students to use kind words at all times.
- Students are expected to keep their hands, feet, objects and unkind words to themselves at all times.
- Ask your student to brainstorm what they think the quote means.
- Ask your student to share a time when they expressed their anger instead of explaining it. How did it end for them? How would they handle things differently now?
- Ask them to identify 1-2 trusted adults at Fruzen that they can go to if an issue arises.
Please help us by reiterating the importance of these ideas to your student(s) while they are at school and how they can lead to increased academic achievement for all students. We appreciate your support!
Student Pick-Up & Drop-Off
We want to remind families that student safety is a top priority for us. We have had a few issues brought to our attention related to student pick-up and drop-off, therefore we want to remind families of a few important things:
Drop-Off
- There is NO Parking in the lane closest to the building. This lane is for drop-off ONLY. If you need to park and wait for your student to exit the vehicle, you MUST use the parking lot.
- Moving forward, we are asking that all families stay in their cars while they are waiting for their student(s) at dismissal time.
- Please slow down and watch for students crossing the road during pick-up.
- We HIGHLY encourage our families to use the exit on Willowbrook Rd. This can be accessed by turning left and going behind the church. Having families use this exit will help to ease the amount of traffic trying to exit on Milwaukee Rd.
Chromebooks
Students have recently been assigned a Chromebook. Please help us to remind students of the following expectations:
- Students should bring their charged Chromebook to school with them each day.
- Chromebooks are to be used for educational purposes only. Sites should only be accessed under the direction of a teacher.
- Chromebooks are the property of the SDB and are monitored accordingly.
- Students are expected to take care of their device/case and both should remain in good working condition.
- Any lost or damaged devices will be the responsibility of the student to which it was originally assigned.
Forward Exam Testing
The Wisconsin Forward Exam will take place during a testing window from March 18 to April 26.
The exam is designed to gauge how well students are doing in relation to the Wisconsin Academic Standards. We recognize that this test is once a year and does not reflect all that your child knows, but it does measure grade-level expectations aligned to the standards. Please support your child in preparing for a positive testing experience by encouraging them to do their best effort and ensuring they are well-rested.
In middle school, the Forward Exam is administered online in the spring of each school year at:
- Grades 6, and 7 in English Language Arts (ELA) and Mathematics,
- Grade 8 in English Language Arts (ELA), Mathematics, Science and Social Studies
Please feel free to reach out to your child(ren)’s teacher with any follow-up questions or access this family brochure provided by the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction.
Mental Health Awareness Event at Fruzen
Our district is hosting a Mental Health Awareness Event on Thursday, March 21 from 6:00 p.m. to 8:00 p.m. at Fruzen Middle School. The event will include:
- Mental Health and Wellness Resources
- 30+ Community Partners
- Free Food from Lil Frank's BBQ
- Raffles including a 50 inch TV, Rockford Ice Hog Tickets, Gift Cards, and more
2024 April Referendum
Our 2024 Referendum webpage is updated with additional information. Access the How the Referendum Money will be Spent, Mill Rate History Information, and City of Beloit Polling Locations.
Important Upcoming Dates
Community Referendum Informational Sessions: Wednesday, March 13 (Todd Elementary), and Wednesday, March 27 (Kolak Education Center)
Upcoming Wednesday Early Release Dates: March 6 and 20, April 17, May 3 and 15
No School/Teacher Workday: Thursday, March 28
Spring Break: Friday, March 29 through Friday, April 5
No School/End of Term 3: Monday, April 8
School Resumes: Tuesday, April 9
School & Sports Physicals
School Hours and Early Release
Start and Stop Times
Middle School: 8:30 a.m. to 3:45 p.m.
Early Dismissal Times
Our early dismissal days continue on the first and third Wednesday of each month. Our first early dismissal day is September 20.
Middle School: 2:15 p.m.
Location: 2600 Milwaukee Rd. Beloit, WI 53511
Phone: 608-361-2000