~Tuesday, May 14th, 2024, 5:30pm, Spring Concert, Bayview High School Auditorium

~Monday, May 20th, 2024, 5:30pm, SEC Meeting, Virtual https://meet.google.com/hnp-uhmu-wpr

~Tuesday, May 21th, 2024, 6:00pm, PTO Meeting, Fernwood Library and Virtual http://meet.google.com/isc-jfjq-zow

~Thursday, May 23rd, 2024, Experience Day, Fernwood Montessori Classrooms

~Wednesday, May 29th, 2024, 9:00am, Parent Orientation for NEW K3/K4/K5 Students, Fernwood Auditorium

~Thursday, June 6th, 2024, 6:00pm, PTO Meeting, South Shore Terrace

~Sunday, June 9th, 2024, 11am-3pm, Fernwood Flights, The Sugar Maple

~Tuesday, June 11th, 2024, 5:30pm, 8th Grade Completion Ceremony, Bayview High School Auditorium

~Wednesday, June 12th, 2024, LAST DAY OF STUDENT ATTENDANCE

~Tuesday, September 3rd, 2024, First Day of Student Attendance

Link to Fernwood Family-School Manual 2023-2024: Family-School Manual 2023 2024 SY.docx

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The Spring Concert is tonight at 5:30pm (performers and volunteers arrive at 5:00pm, spectators will be seated at 5:25pm) in the Bayview High School Auditorium (2151 S Lennox St).  Performers include Adolescent Guitar, Percussion, and Rock Band; Upper Elementary Percussion and Choir, the Lower El Choir that is run by Ms. Molly, Harp Students, and 3rd Grade Recorders.  The Lower Elementary choir that is run by Mr. Miller will not perform.  Please consider taking a volunteer shift to help make this event happen!  Volunteers will still be able to watch the show.  There are also some shifts to help Mr. Miller move equipment if that works with your schedule.

Spring Concert Volunteers  (Use the Spring Concert tab at the bottom of the spreadsheet)

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Please see the attached letter from Principal Lowell regarding attendance for next school year.  The 2024-25 MPS District Calendar is also attached to aid with planning.

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There have been increased concerns in regards to students crossing the intersection of E Oklahoma Ave and S Pennsylvania Ave. A request has been made for the City of Milwaukee to complete a traffic study. Show your support of the traffic study by signing the linked petition. This will be shared with the DPW to survey and address pedestrian safety walking to and from school. Link to Petition

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Parents are invited to complete the MPS Strategic Plan survey by May 27th.  This survey gives parents an opportunity to provide Milwaukee Public Schools input on their strategic plan.  Please complete the survey here.

If you’d like to attend a strategic planning meeting to ensure your voice is heard, please see the attached flyer.

Interim Report Cards are now available to view on the parent portal for grades K5-8th grade.

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The anti-bias/anti-racist student group is having a t-shirt sale. The shirts feature a slogan and logo designed by the ABAR students and are $15 each. Please fill out this Google Form to order one (or more!) and support anti-bias/anti-racist work at Fernwood. Orders must be received by May 17th. Shirts will be sent home with students the last week of school. Thank you for your support!

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Ever dream of being a Cross Country coach for middle school? The team is in need of coaches and committed volunteers at practices and races! We run Mondays and Tuesdays and Wednesdays for 7 weeks, and race on Thursdays (one Saturday race – on October 19). Our season begins on the first day of school, and tentatively ends on October 24th. Interested in more details? Have questions? Email Coach Lorinda at fernwoodrunning@gmail.com or text her at 414-265-8043. THANK YOU!

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Don’t forget to snag your tickets for our great annual social event for Fernwood parents and community members.  If you’ve never been to Fernwood Flights before, ask someone who has—and then scramble to get your childcare sorted for the afternoon of June 9th.  We are less than a month away, and this event is shaping up to be fantastic.  You will enjoy The Sugar Maple with its wonderful patio, lunch, beverages, live music by Frogwater, exciting raffles, and an amazing assortment of silent and live auction items.  The live auctions will have a lot of returning favorites as well as some new and very exciting additions.  Perfect for those who just want to enjoy the food, beverages, and entertainment, as well as those looking to scoop up some amazing items and experiences.  Tickets are selling fast, and we are excited to see a lot of first-time attendees!  Head to https://events.readysetauction.com/mpsfdn/beerscheers24 to buy your tickets now!

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Fernwood took first place in last year’s annual Run Back to School 5K run/1.5 mile walk by having the most registered participants in the district!  Let’s do it again and win the $1,000 grant!  Please see details on the attached flyer, including how to register your family.  Be sure to list ‘Fernwood’ as your participating school.  Any questions, please contact Fernwood’s team captain, Lisa McLure, at samperld@milwaukee.k12.wi.us.

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Fernwood put together some helpful videos for families to understand what the transition looks like from the previous to the next level.  These videos will be helpful for families of current K5, 3rd, and 6th grade students:

Primary to Lower Elementary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CsKy3LFFunw

Lower Elementary to Upper Elementary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bUui5YVG6D0

Upper Elementary to Secondary: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cnpNOxfOKsM (please note that all of our secondary classrooms are combinations of 7th and 8th graders with the exception of math)

Fernwood students in grades K5, 3rd and 6th grade will have the opportunity to participate on May 23rd in our experience day.  Families can expect to receive supply lists and class placements/homerooms (for 7th and 8th grade) on the last day of school sent home with report cards.  At the end of August when teachers return, families should expect to hear from the new teachers about procedures, communication, expectations, etc.

If you have any questions about your child moving to the next level and what this may look like, please contact their current teacher.

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Montessorians assemble!  Please see the attached flyer for information on the Montessori City Wide Gathering.

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Please read the attached document about end of year medication pick up from Nurse Gretchen.

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Fernwood Summer Camp will be extending their enrollment deadline to Friday May 17th at 3PM. If you missed the initial enrollment period or were unsure, feel free to pick up a packet in the main office, complete it for each child, and return to the main office.

Reminders:

Every student enrolled must attend at least 3 days a week and cannot be absent more than 2 consecutive weeks. Camp will cost $150 per week. There is a misprint in the packet. Please disregard this. There is no payment due at this time.

Camp will have a Theater club featuring Character Kids, Futura Spanish club, book club through the Milwaukee Public Library, and new field trips this year! Some include: A trip to Madison’s capitol building, Kids in motion, Manfred Olson Planetarium and a lot more!

Please email Michelle Stehlik with any questions: stehlim@milwaukee.k12.wi.us

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We will be collecting Chrome Books and chargers from our students before the end of the school year.  Please ensure Chrome Books and chargers are sent to school with your child on the below date:

Lower Elementary Students (1st-3rd)- May 29th

Upper Elementary Students (4th-6th)- May 30th

Primary Students (K3-K5)- May 31st

Additional collection date: June 3rd

Secondary Students (7th and 8th)- June 11th

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On May 23, 2024 Fernwood Montessori will be holding an Experience Day.  We kindly ask that all students bring a cold lunch to school this day, since there will be many moving pieces during lunch (we will of course have hot lunches available if students need to order one, as always).

During Experience Day, students in K5, 3rd grade and 6th grade will have the opportunity to visit a classroom for a few hours (in the morning) at the next level to gain understanding about what their next classroom may look like and feel like,and will be welcomed by a student ambassador well established within that classroom community.  Please note that we have paired teachers up for Experience Day, and the classrooms that students will visit have no bearing on their classroom placement for the fall.  The purpose of this day is to help students feel comfortable and safe in their transition to the next level, while also building leadership skills in students who will be remaining in their classrooms next year.  If a student is out sick that day, teachers will do their best to coordinate a make up day.

Students in K4 will be invited by their primary teacher to attend school for a full-day.  Teachers will communicate with parents about a schedule.

Please reach out to your child’s teacher with any questions.

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Girl Scout Troop 10153 is helping to fight poverty in our neighborhood. We are looking to gather donations to assemble Move in Baskets to donate to Hope House. Donations of the following items can be dropped off anytime until May 17th to Michelle Stehlik in the Main Office. Items must be new and unused.

Laundry Baskets,Blankets, Pillows, Cleaning Supplies, Paper towels, Toilet Paper, Childrens Socks, Canned goods, Towels, School Supplies, Kitchen Utensils, Bedsheets of any size, Pillows, Pack and Plays, Acrylic paints and other art supplies

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There’s always something COOL going on at Fernwood!  The transition from Bucks season to not Bucks season is difficult for many (myself included).  Mr. Comp helped our adolescent students with this transition by bringing in the Wisconsin Adaptive Sports Association (https://www.wasa.org/page/show/5027203-home) to play wheelchair basketball during gym class with 7th and 8th graders!  The students had a blast playing and were able to talk to an adaptive athlete who shared his story and helped keep the ball moving.  How cool is it that some students got to experience this!?!?!?  See below for a picture of the elite athletes performing in a state-of-the-art sports facility (8th graders in the Fernwood Gym).

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There is LOTS of information from Mr. Miller about Choir and MANY other music opportunities for our students.  Please see the link for his update which includes ways to sign up to help.