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FERNWOOD FAMILY NEWSLETTER #23, 2/11/25

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TABLE OF CONTENTS

SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

Popcorn on 2/14

Soup & Chili Supper 2025 – Wrap Up

Fernwood Camp Availability on 2/17 and 2/18

Congrats to Desmond Sarnowski

Adolescent Programming for the Fernwood Open House on 2/12

Phone Book Donations for the Library

Girls on the Run for 3-5th Grade

Changes to School Hours for the 2025-2026 School Year

Fernwood Open House on 2/12

Fernwood Spring Athletics

Interim Grades Available on 2/4

Tax Message for Camp Families

OPEN ENROLLMENT FOR INCOMING K3 STUDENTS

AFTER SCHOOL THEATER CLASSES – SPRING SESSION and SPRING BREAK SESSION

Futura Spanish for 4th, 5th, 6th Graders

Bay View Redcats Baseball Registration is Open!

OUR SCHOOL IS COOL!

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SCHEDULE OF EVENTS

~Tuesday, February 11th 2025, 6:30pm, Fernwood Fund Meeting, Fernwood library and virtual, email brett.mytys@gmail.com for link

~Wednesday, February 12th, 2025, 5-6:30pm, New and Returning Student Open House, Fernwood Montessori School

~Thursday, February 13th, 2025, 6:30pm, Music Parents Meeting, Virtual https://meet.google.com/fpf-rvca-uuk

~Monday and Tuesday, February 17th and 18th, 2025, NO SCHOOL

~Thursday, February 27th, 2025, 5:30pm, SEC Meeting, virtual https://meet.google.com/tir-huzv-ikc

~Tuesday, March 3, 2025, 6:00pm, PTO Meeting, Fernwood Library and virtual https://meet.google.com/xyc-wwnz-czu

~Thursday, March 13th, 2025, 6:30pm, Music Parents Meeting, Virtual https://meet.google.com/fpf-rvca-uuk

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Popcorn on 2/14

Popcorn will be available this Friday at the Falling Heath doors after school for $1.  This week’s popcorn promo is a free bag of popcorn to anyone who shows up wearing a homemade popcorn costume.  

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Soup & Chili Supper 2025 – Wrap Up

A huge thank you to everyone who came out to support the Soup & Chili Supper! It was amazing to see so many of you together—what a wonderful reminder of the strength of our community! With 400 attendees, the event was a huge success, and all funds raised will go directly to supporting Fernwood activities and programming. Check out the link to see how the Fernwood Funds are already making an impact: www.fernwoodfund.org/successes.html

We’re also excited to share the category winners and some of their delicious recipes below! If your name is on the list, swing by the school office to grab your gift certificate, generously donated by The Soup Market!

View winners and recipes here: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1JQZPs4G1UCAhLYmbmQv-SaxbEAlrMoWG

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Fernwood Camp Availability on 2/17 and 2/18

There is no Fernwood Camp on 2/17.

Camp will be open on a first come/first serve basis on 2/18.  Sign up is available at the Falling Heath Door desk.  Camp will be open from 7:30am to 3:30pm on the 18th.  Campers should bring a lunch and a snack on that day.  

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Congrats to Desmond Sarnowski

A Fernwood Montessori 7th Grader, Desmond Sarnowski, received 3rd Place (Middle School Level) in a statewide Book Trailer Contest. The contest is sponsored by WEMTA, Wisconsin Educational Media and Technology Association. 

You can view the book trailer here: Blackthorn Key

Congratulations, Desmond!

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Adolescent Programming for the Fernwood Open House on 2/12

The Fernwood Open House for New and Returning Families is happening on 2/12/25 from 5-6:30pm.

At this event, the adolescent team is going to be hosting a series of informative presentations about topics relevant to the adolescent program for 7th and 8th grade families.

Topics include Infinite Campus, Google Classroom, Planners/Schedules, and Library Science.

There is a google form linked below so that 7th and 8th grade families can sign up for sessions.  Please read the information at the top of the form before signing up.

https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSeATudie82-sLDXxHqiX2-C_NeHkG5IUxnqQniq77FbpOQbQg/viewform

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Phone Book Donations for the Library

Hey Fernwood!  Please help settle a disagreement between Parent Coordinator Meredith and Librarian Mr. Grant.  Mr. Grant needs some phone books for a library project.  Ms. Meredith thinks there is no way our community is going to come through on this one.  Mr. Grant thinks it is possible there will be some donations.  If you have phone books to donate, please drop them in the Main Office or the library.  If you need a refresher on what a phone book looks like, a handy photo is below.

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Girls on the Run for 3-5th Grade

Girls on the Run will be offered again this year for girls in the 3rd, 4th and 5th grade.  Please see the flyer for details.   Registration opens on 2/24 and enrollment is by lottery.  Please email emfolstad@gmail.com with questions.  

GIRLS ON THE RUN FernwoodFlyer2025.png

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Changes to School Hours for the 2025-2026 School Year

Last Thursday, the Milwaukee School Board voted to approve an adjustment to the start time and end time for our school for the 2025/2026 school year. 

Starting next year our school hours will be the following:

School hours for K5-8th Grade: 7:15am-2:15pm

School Hours for K3 and K4: 7:15am-10:15am

More information on the decision is included below.

Bell Schedule Re-tiering Presentation.pdf

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Fernwood Open House on 2/12

There are three rules for having a Montessori teacher.  

1. They don’t like bright lights.  Truth: Most of them prefer ambient lighting.  
2. Never get them wet.  Have you ever seen one in a swimsuit?
3. And never, ever, feed them after 5pm.  This is hard because they are almost always hungry!  

 

Please come to school from 5pm-6:30pm on February 12th for an Open House for new and returning students!  Classrooms will be open and showing student work!  Teachers will be available for questions!  If you want to bring a flashlight, a squirt gun, and some brownies for your teacher something fun might happen!*

*Please don’t actually squirt them with water.  They would love brownies, though!  This is a Mogwai from “Gremlins”, not Baby Yoda.  

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Fernwood Spring Athletics

Spring Athletics are fast approaching. Session dates are not set yet but typically run through April and into the first week of June.

Spring offerings:

Girls Middle School Soccer (6-8th grade) – please look for the electronic registration form in an upcoming newsletter mid-February.

Co-Ed Soccer (4-5th grade) –If your child played in the fall re-registration is NOT required, however, please reach out to your coach and let them know if you will be returning.

Co-Ed Soccer (1-3rd grade) – If your child played in the fall re-registration is NOT required, however, please reach out to your coach and let them know if you will be returning.

   In the fall we had VERY large soccer teams, and had to turn away quite a few kids as well. In order to make teams a more manageable size and to allow other kids a chance to join in the spring we are in need of an additional coach for co-ed soccer 1-3rd grade. Please let me know if you are interested ASAP.  Unless we get another coach, we will not be able to admit additional players.  

If you are interested in coaching Track and Field or a Co-ed 6-8th grade soccer team please let me know ASAP. *We have a number of students interested in being a part of Track and Field team, so if you are at all interested please reach out, the students would greatly appreciate it!! We have other great coaches that would be happy to help anyone new to coaching navigate the process*

Thank you to all the coaches and families for making Fernwood Athletics such a success!

Chanda Miller

Cell: 414-202-5255  chandamiller@hotmail.com

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Interim Grades Available on 2/4

Interim Grades will be available for families to view on 2/4 in Infinite Campus.

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Tax Message for Camp Families

Hello Camp Families, to request your 2024 Camp Tax information, please contact Interim Camp Supervisor Cynthia Cruz through email at cruzcm@milwaukee.k12.wi.us. Please state your child’s full name in the email request. Thank you!

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OPEN ENROLLMENT FOR INCOMING K3 STUDENTS

Attention ALL parents of future K3 students!  If you have a child who will be turning 3 by 9/1/25, then you need to complete the MPS open enrollment process if you want them to attend school in the Fall of 2025.  The enrollment window is February 1st, 2025 to March 17th, 2025.  Siblings of current Fernwood students WILL get a spot at Fernwood, but you still need to submit the enrollment paperwork so we know to give them a spot here in the Fall.   MPS does not have any way to check on younger siblings (through birth records or similar) and hold spots.  Thus, parents must enroll to indicate that they have a student who is ready to start school.  If you have any questions about this process, please call the office.  No pirate left behind!

 

https://mps.milwaukee.k12.wi.us/en/Schools/How-to-Apply/Kindergarten-Enrollment.htm

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AFTER SCHOOL THEATER CLASSES – SPRING SESSION and SPRING BREAK SESSION

Leapin’ Lizards! Join us for the spring session of After School Theater Classes at Fernwood, where students will work on a mini-script of the Broadway musical ANNIE! We’ll explore the basics of acting, singing and musical theater dance while learning how to build a character and tell a story onstage. Students will sing and dance to classic songs like “It’s a Hard-Knock Life” and “Tomorrow” while having a lot of fun!

SPRING SESSION DATES:

Grades 1-3: Mondays, 2:30 – 3:30 pm, March 17 – June 2 (10 weeks, no class 3/24, 5/26)

Grades 4-6: Wednesdays, 2:30-3:30 pm, March 19 – June 4 (11 weeks, no class 3/26)

New and returning students are welcome; no experience necessary. Parents are invited to a special performance on the last day of class!  https://www.characterkidsdrama.com/milwaukee-public-schools-registration

SPRING BREAK MUSICAL THEATER CAMP

In our fun-filled musical theater camp, students will learn how to hone their “Triple Threat” skills: acting, singing and dancing. Come play creative drama games, build stage skills and explore popular Broadway shows and movie musicals while having a lot of fun! No experience necessary. Not available for the full week? Drop-In Days are now available!

March 24 – 28, 1 – 4 pm

Southwood Glen Elementary gym & stage (9090 S 35th St in Franklin)

Learn more & Register

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Futura Spanish for 4th, 5th, 6th Graders

Upper El Spanish is happening!  Please see the attached flyer for an opportunity for 4th, 5th, and 6th students to take Spanish class this Winter and Spring with Futura Spanish.  Cost for the series of classes is $135.  Please see the attached flyer for details on dates, times, and registration.  Bueno!  

Fernwood 4th-6th winter.spring 2025 flier.pdf

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Bay View Redcats Baseball Registration is Open!

Registration is now open for boys and girls of all skill levels, ages 5-13. Join a welcoming community of coaches, players, and parents for an exciting 2025 baseball season!

• Registration Closes: February 20th (or when full)
• Teams Announced: March
• Practices Begin: April
• Games: May to mid-July (younger players finish before July 4th)

Volunteer Coaches and Paid Umpires are needed to help ensure another successful season.  While the league is open to all, most participants are from the Fernwood community and all games are at Lewis Field (near Groppi’s).  

Register players, coaches, or umpires HERE.  Questions? Email us at info@bayview-area-redcats.org.

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OUR SCHOOL IS COOL!

There’s always something COOL going on at Fernwood!  We are all feeling shocked, sad, and vulnerable after news of the Khris Middleton trade (💚🦌💚).  Thankfully, some Fernwood athletes helped the Milwaukee sports community heal by going on a very COOL field trip!  On February 5th, Mr. Comp and 18 6th, 7th, and 8th Grade students left Bayview (very brave!) to go to UWM.  Students attended the Girls and Women in Sports Day Event to celebrate the short term and long term benefits of athletics for all girls and women. Activities included a bus ride, stylish t-shirts, keynote speeches from athletes, a film screening, free lunch, and a solo day with Mr. Comp!  🏆⚽🏀  

 

See below for some details on the event! 

https://milwaukeerecreation.net/rec/Programs/Sports/Youth-Sports/Youth-Sports-Special-Events/Girls–Women-in-Sports-Day.htm