Fernwood Family Newsletter #18, 1/3/23

~Monday, January 16th, No School

~Tuesday, January 17th, Fund Meeting, library and email benjaminmstocks@gmail.com for virtual link

~Wednesday, January 18th, 5:45pm, PTO meeting, Library and https://meet.google.com/cti-xtjx-hss

~Monday, January 23rd, 6pm, SEC meeting, https://meet.google.com/srb-wjae-xko?hs=122&authuser=0

PTO Spirit Wear Sale

Fernwood PTO is excited to announce our annual spirit wear sale.  This year the sale will be through Dunn’s Sporting Goods website.  All items must be preordered.  There will not be items for sale after the sale closes.  There are t-shirts, tie dye shirts, hooded sweatshirts, and zip ups.  Please note that Dunn’s charges a $3 bagging fee for each order.  The sale will close at the end of January!   Orders will be delivered to students in the beginning of March.  Fernwood Spirit Wear Website

WINTER/SPRING CLUBS:

Please review and decide. Families can register for a maximum of one club per student on 1/10 via the Family Newsletter. The club will close when it reaches maximum capacity on the Google Form. Please reach out to Sangita Nayak, our club coordinator, at nayaksr@milwaukee.k12.wi.us with any questions.  

Role Playing Games

Grade level:  5th-6th

Coordinator: Jeremy Kimble

Starting January 18-March 29

Wednesdays 2:30-4:00 PM

Max 12

This club will be a role-playing gaming group meeting for two hours each week.  Using traditional paper, pencil, books and dice. Children will use their creativity and executive order thinking skills to develop characters, stories and adventure scenarios in fantasy or sci/fi games.  In addition, they will use number calculation skills to keep track of points and statistics, an integral part of the game. 

Girls Who Code

Grade level: 4-6th

Coordinator: Sangita Nayak

 Starting 2/6 through 5/1

Tuesdays 4:00-5:00 PM Virtually, will meet in-person in last two meetings for presentations 

Max 15

Fernwood Girls Who Code will continue coding and learn other tech advances. Girls Who Code is on a mission to close the gender gap in technology and to change the image of what a programmer looks like and does.

Tennis

Grade level: 7th-8th

Coordinator: Kellie Krawczyk

Starting May-June

Tuesdays and Thursdays 2:30-3:30

Max: 12

Learn basic strokes, how to serve and how to score a tennis match. Have fun learning the basics of the game of tennis and play some matches against your teammates!!! 

Sewing

Grade level: 3rd-6th

Coordinator: Tracy Redlich

Starting: February-May

Day and Times: Tuesday 2:30-3:30

Max number: 10

After school sewing club. Students will start by making a hand-sewn animal, utilizing a variety of stitches. If time and interest permits, additional time will be spent teaching counted cross stitch. 

Photography

Grade level: 6-8th 

Coordinator: John Saller

Starting March 1-May

Weekday: Wednesday 2:30-4:00

Max 12

The Focus On Photography Club will help you take your pictures to another level by covering such subjects as composition, lighting and exposure. We will have weekly photo projects that we will share as a group. A digital camera is highly recommended, but a camera phone will be acceptable. 

Fernwood Fund Annual Appeal Letter 

December  2022

Dear Fernwood Families, 

Welcome to the midpoint of the Fall 2022, and a special welcome to our new principal Kristy Lowell! Ms. Kristy continues to support the mission and goals of the Fernwood Fund. 

Fernwood Fund provides support for school improvements, programs, and multiple field trips. A few of these include: field trips to the Urban Ecology Center, Schlitz Audubon Center and Peace and Learning Center; funding arts enrichments by purchasing musical instruments; and other music programs, such as the Arts in Community Education (ACE) program through the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra. Additionally, the Fund has supported capital improvements to the campus, including the ongoing projects on the west playground. The School and Fund seek to support our students and families in each and every way possible.

We write to ask for your continued support as the Fernwood Fund remains committed to supporting the School and the students. This includes continued enhancements on the west playground, a new playspace on the east playground, and repurposing of the greenhouse space.

Last Spring we had a safe, fun and successful fundraising event, Fernwood Flights. We look to do a similar event this coming Spring. Donations do not need to wait for the fundraiser. The Fernwood Fund is grateful for every donation, and welcomes donations at any time. Simply click on https://interland3.donorperfect.net/weblink/WebLink.aspx?name=E252729&id=1 and decide how much you want to give. Please be sure to indicate that your gift is for Fernwood on the donation page. The Fernwood Fund puts every dollar right back into the school.

Thank you for your continued support. We invite you all to pop into a board meeting so we can thank you in person!

Benjamin Stocks                                                                                             Kristy Lowell

Fernwood Parent                                                                                            Fernwood Principal

Fernwood Fund Board President                                                                Fernwood Fund Board Member

Fernwood Fund FAQ

What are the Fernwood Fund’s goals?

The Fernwood Montessori School Fund is dedicated to enriching the education of children attending Fernwood Montessori School by supporting projects and programs that enhance the educational community and support the mission of Fernwood Montessori School. The Fernwood Fund will raise support for “large-scale” programs, Montessori-based classroom materials – and potentially for capital improvements for the school. This does not replace or diminish the great work by our PTO; rather it adds another dimension to our ability to ask for large gifts and pursue grants.

How is the fund structured?

The Fernwood Montessori School Fund has been established as a dedicated fund within the MPS Foundation, a nonprofit, tax-exempt corporation in accordance with Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code for educational and charitable purposes.  The Fund was established under the MPS Foundation to utilize its tax-exempt status, organizational efficiencies and liability insurance.  A board has been established to lead this effort. 

What are some examples of how money will be raised?

The Fernwood Fund has focused on two primary vehicles for raising contributions to support the school – funding appeals to parents & friends of Fernwood, and the annual spring fundraising event (in the past “Beers and Cheers” and last year “Fernwood Flights”).

How will funds be allocated and who is responsible for making decisions about funding?

Input for school funding needs will come from Fernwood administration, staff and parents.  A board of parents and school administration has been put in place to oversee the funding allocation. This year we are continuing our focus on landscaping and site structures that support the Montessori curriculum. The Fund also reviews grant applications to support specific Fernwood projects.

Will meeting minutes be made available?

Yes, meeting minutes will be made available following meetings at www.fernwoodfund.org as well as our Facebook page at https://www.facebook.com/FernwoodFund/ (be sure to “like” us!). Meetings are open to parents or other interested parties.

How can I get involved?

If you are interested in helping with Fund efforts, please contact Ben Stocks (BenjaminMStocks@gmail.com).  If you are interested in becoming involved more directly with the Music Parents sub-group of the Fernwood Fund, please contact Molly Pufall-Brown (Mpufall@gmail.com)   Meetings are open and future dates available at: http://www.fernwoodfund.org/board-meetings.html

How do I donate to the Fernwood Fund?

Donations to the Fund are made through the MPS Foundation, just follow this link and be sure to select Fernwood: https://interland3.donorperfect.net/weblink/WebLink.aspx?name=E252729&id=1

Can I give through my employer’s United Way/Combined Giving Campaign?

You can provide a donation to the MPS Foundation but giving specifically for the Fernwood Fund through the United Way giving is challenging. Please contact the board for assistance by sending a note to FernwoodFundInfo@gmail.com.