Fernwood Family Newsletter #31, 4/11/23

~Tuesday, April 18th, Fernwood Fund Meeting, Library and email benjaminmstocks@gmail.com for the link

~Wednesday, April 19th, 5:45pm, PTO Meeting, Library and https://meet.google.com/rii-woty-gwk?pli=1

~Thursday, April 20th, 5:30-7pm, Spring Open House, Fernwood Classrooms

~Monday, April 24th, 5:30pm, SEC Meeting, https://meet.google.com/srb-wjae-xko?hs=122&authuser=0 

~Friday, April 28th, 8:45am-10am, Special Friends’ Day, Fernwood Classroom

~Monday, May 1st, 5pm, Music Parents Meeting, Library & virtual

~Sunday, May 7th, 10am-4pm, Fernwood Arts Fest, Fernwood Montessori

~Wednesday, May 10th, 6pm, Nikki Martin Memorial Event, Fernwood Gym

Last Chance for 2022-23 Yearbooks! Order Your Yearbook Today

It is time to order your 22-23 yearbook. Yearbook sales end Friday, April 14th. All yearbook sales will be online only though the Lifetouch website.  Yearbooks are $12.  Yearbook sales will be through pre order only.  We expect yearbooks to be delivered at the beginning of June.  

If you would like a yearbook, you need to preorder one.  There will not be extra yearbooks available. 

To order a yearbook, please go to ybpay.com.  Fernwood’s yearbook ID code is 14852523.   (If you have already ordered a yearbook through Lifetouch for this school year, no need to take any additional action.) 

Thank you to Amanda Lavoe, Fernwood parent, for volunteering to create our yearbook. 

Special Friends’ Day

April 28th is Special Friends’ Day at Fernwood.  This is a wonderful opportunity for students to invite guests to visit their classrooms during one of two morning sessions, 8:45-9:15am or 9:30-10:00am.  Students will be able to share work that they are proud of and demonstrate some of their lessons. 

We ask that all guests enter through the glass doors on Falling Heath Place.  Please send in an RSVP form to your student’s teacher by April 24th if your student has a guest that will be attending.  RSVP forms will be sent home this week and are linked below.

We will be looking for volunteers to help make this fun day a success.   Volunteer

RSVP form

Snack Sale

Our secondary students (7/8th) have been creating and implementing service projects as part of their work in learning about the UN.  

Secondary students will be hosting a snack sale at the Falling Heath entrance on April 13-14th from 2:30-3:30pm.  The intention of their sale is to help end hunger in Milwaukee and reduce the number of children who do not have enough food.  All proceeds from the sale will be donated to Feeding America.  

Save the date for the return of this fun event.  

To assist in advertising the event there will be yard signs available starting the week of April 1st.  Signs will be available at the school in the Falling Heath entrance after Spring Break. 

Nikki Martin Memorial

Fernwood Parents Activity Council (PAC) is proud to announce the dedication of the Nikki Martin Memorial.

Nikki Martin, a dedicated mother, long standing PAC member, and volleyball coach at Fernwood Montessori, passed away from breast cancer in January of 2021.  The Fernwood PAC would like to recognize and thank Nikki for her service and dedication to the student athletes at Fernwood Montessori. The PAC is proud to honor her memory with a beautiful art installation, created by Fernwood parent Jennifer Espenschield, and donation of volleyball equipment the students can use during recess.  Please join us on Wednesday, May 10th from 6-6:30 PM for a short program to unveil the memorial, and play a game of volleyball in Nikki’s honor.  

Spring Concert

The concert will be held in the Fernwood auditorium on May 18th. Students should arrive at 4:30pm and the concert will start at 5pm. In order to ensure that certain fire codes are followed (and our families are not squished), we will have to make an adjustment to our list of performers. Our 2023 spring concert will include the following groups: lower elementary choir (after-school with Ms. Molly), upper elementary choir, adolescent rock bands, and the 3rd grade recorder group. We will not have all the lower elementary classes performing like we did for the winter concert. In the future, we hope to incorporate more upper elementary and adolescent classes and eventually the entire school. But we will work up to that.

For the concert, we are looking for parent volunteers to help monitor students and usher them onto the stage. If this sounds like something you are interested in please sign up here.

Brandon Miller, millerbm@milwaukee.k12.wi.us

Molly Pufall-Brown, mpufall@gmail.com 

Summer Academy at Fernwood

Fernwood Montessori will be hosting a Montessori Summer Academy.  Summer Academy is open Monday-Friday, June 26-July 28 from 8am-12pm.  (Closed July 3 and 4) Students will be able to connect with their Montessori learning in new ways while engaging in this fun program. Summer Academy is free.  Students who have completed K5 through 8th grade are eligible to attend. Register by June 5th.  For more information and to register, visit mpsmke.com/summeracademy 

MPS invites residents to attend community feedback sessions in April

MPS families, staff, and community members are invited to attend public meetings to learn about the results of the MPS strategic planning survey that was conducted earlier in 2023. The district is using survey information as we draft our strategic plan for the 2023-2028 school years.

Attendees will have an opportunity to weigh in and provide feedback prior to finalization of the plan. We look forward to your participation! 

• Tuesday, April 11: Districts 1 and 2 — 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Vincent High School, 7501 N. Granville Road 
• Thursday, April 13: Districts 3 and 5 — 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Rufus King International Middle School, 121 E. Hadley Street 
• Tuesday, April 18: District 7 — 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Hamilton High School, 6215 W. Warnimont Avenue 
• Thursday, April 27: Districts 6 and 8 — 5:30 to 7:30 p.m. at Manitoba School, 4040 W. Forest Home Avenue 
• Saturday, April 29: District 4 and Member at Large — 9 to 11 a.m. in the Central Services Auditorium, 5225 W. Vliet Street 

Feedback from the meetings will help inform the new MPS Strategic Plan, which will include annual performance targets after launching in July.    

Survey data will be posted on the Strategic Planning web page as soon as it is available at mpsmke.com/strategicplan.

Fernwood Flights

Save the date! June 11th from 11 to 3 at The Sugar Maple.

Fernwood Flights is the primary fundraiser for the Fernwood Fund which provides financial support for programs with the Urban Ecology Center and Schlitz Audubon, the outdoor grounds at Fernwood including the greenhouse and surrounding garden beds, the music program, supporting trips to Camp Edwards and many more. Spend an afternoon with fellow parents and support Fernwood at the same time!

MPS Reads

Each month, MPS provides a list of recommended books for preschool through grade 12 that allows students to see themselves, explore other cultures, and discover more about the world in which they live.  Help ignite a passion for reading! Access the monthly book list on the MPS Reads page. MPS Overnight Camps MPS is introducing FREE Overnight Camps for all MPS students currently enrolled in grades 4-8.  The form attached contains details about the program and our upcoming information fairs on April 11 and April 15.  Please email OvernightCamp@mkerec.net with any questions.    CAMPS FOR KIDS (Forms attached) The Following are the eligibility requirements in order for students to apply.  We’re hoping to have at least 100 MPS students attend residential camp this summer (at no cost to the family other than a $20 commitment fee due at a later date to the camp).  In order to be eligible: 1. Students must be between the ages of 8 and 15. 2. The student’s family must be enrolled in a federally subsidized program (e.g., FoodShare/SNAP, Wisconsin Shares Childcare Subsidies, or Foster Care). Proof of enrollment/eligibility must be submitted to the camp along with the camp application once a camp location is selected. 3. Students cannot have received a Camps for Kids scholarship before. 4. Live in Milwaukee County.  This is a wonderful experience for young people. Application forms are due to the MPS Recreation Outdoor Education office by Friday, April 28, 2023, and can be emailed to struckp@milwaukee.k12.wi.us or faxed to 414-647-6079.  Forms will also be available on the Recreation Department website at http://milwaukeerecreation.net/rec/Programs/Camps-For-Kids.htm.  For questions please call 414-647-6050. Futura Spanish Summer Programs We are in the middle of planning summer offerings and we are happy to announce we have opportunities for both adult and youth participants for learning!  In your next newsletter or electronic communication would you be able to share the following note with your families: 🌞💻The entire family can ‘Soak up SPANISH’ this summer! This June Futura is offering learning opportunities for both youth and adults! Live virtual theme-based classes make learning fun and engaging!   Full course descriptions on our registration site. Join the fun today, enroll online: https://futuraadventures.com/virtual-learning-registration/ Seeking Musicians! Calling all Students that take lessons on an Instrument and/or Voice!  We want YOU to be a part of the Arts Fest Fernwood Recital.   Fernwood Music Parents want to let as many students studying an instrument and/or voice share their work with the Fernwood Community!  On Sunday May 7th during Fernwood’s Arts Fest, there will be a Fernwood Student Recital in the courtyard (or Auditorium if weather is inclement) between 1pm-2pm.  Sign up by filling out this quick form here.  Thank you for sharing your talents, no matter what developmental stage they are at currently.  Any questions, email Molly Pufall-Brown at mpufall@gmail.com. Food Drive for Hope House Our secondary students (7/8th) have been creating and implementing service projects as part of their work in learning about the UN.  Lily, Wren, and Josie are collecting non-perishable food for Hope House.  There is a collection box located at the Falling Heath entrance.  Donations will be collected until April 21st.  Thank you for your support! Work at Camp Fernwood Camp Fernwood is looking for full time staff to work at our summer program.  The program will run from June 16th through July 28th.  Please reach out to our camp director, Michelle Stehlik, at stehlim@milwaukee.k12.wi.us for more information.