Fernwood Family Newsletter #5, 9/24/24

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Table of Contents 

Schedule of Events

Sign Up for Camp Fernwood on 9/27

Conference Sign Ups

Third Friday Count is IN!

Bike Walk Roll to School Day-10/2

School Lunch Menu Update

Box Tops for Education

MPS Facilities Strategic Plan Open Houses

Fall Lower Elementary Kids Choir Returns!

Support Group for Parents of Trans Kids

Fall Twilight Centers

Picture Retake Day Information-Oct 16th

District Parent/Guardian School Engagement Survey

Futura Spanish Enrollment-Now Open Online

Character Kids Enrollment-Now Open Online

Our School is Cool!

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Schedule of Events 

~Thursday, September 26, 2024, 5:30pm, School Engagement Council (SEC), virtual https://meet.google.com/tir-huzv-ikc

~Friday, September 27, 2024, NO SCHOOL, Professional Development Day

-Tuesday, October 1st, 2024, 6:00pm, PTO Meeting, Fernwood library and virtual https://meet.google.com/xyc-wwnz-czu

~Wednesday, October 2nd, 2024, 7:00am, Bike Walk and Roll to School Day, East Playground

~Thursday, October 10, 2024, 6:30pm, Music Parents Meeting, virtual https://meet.google.com/fpf-rvca-uuk

~Tuesday, October 15th, 2024, 6:30pm, Fernwood Fund Meeting, Fernwood library and virtual, email brett.mytys@gmail.com for link

~Thursday, October 10th and Tuesday, October 15th, 2024, Fall Conferences, sign up links below 

~Friday, October 16th, 2024, Picture Retake Day, Fernwood Auditorium

~Friday, October 25th, 2024, 5:30-7:00pm, PTO Halloween Dance and Parade, details to follow

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Sign Up for Camp Fernwood on 9/27

Camp Fernwood is open on Friday, September 27th from 7:30AM-3:30AM. ALL STUDENTS MUST BE PICKED UP BY 3:30PM.

Space is limited due to staffing. Sign up will be posted on Monday September 23rd at the front desk in the Main Lobby. You must sign up no later than Thursday September 26th.

Thank you!

Michelle Stehlik

Fernwood Montessori Camp Director

Direct Phone: 414.294.1313

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Conference Sign Ups 

Conference days are Thursday, October 10th and Tuesday, October 15th from 3-6:45pm. ***Please note that there are a few teachers and specialists that have limited or alternative schedules.***  

Please sign up for ONE conference time slot for your K3-6th grade student with your student’s teacher using the links below. Conferences will be in person in the classroom. 

If you have more than one child at Fernwood, please consider allowing some “travel time” between your conferences. 

This sign up genius will be available until October 1st. If you need to schedule or reschedule a conference after this point, please contact your child’s teacher.

If your child receives special education support, please also schedule a conference with your child’s special education teacher. 

Conferences are also available with our gym, music and art teachers.  Additionally, conferences are available with our support staff.  Please click on the links to pick a time to meet with these staff members.  

Free childcare for school-aged children will be available in Room 9 (near the cafeteria) during conferences.  

Primary (K3-K5): 

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0848AAA82AA5FBC34-51569830-fernwood

Lower Elementary (1st-3rd):   

Ms. Natasha has her own schedule.  Please sign up below and take note of the special instructions on the Sign Up.

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0848AAA82AA5FBC34-51652253-fernwood

All other Lower El teachers.

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0848AAA82AA5FBC34-51570627-fernwood

Upper Elementary (4th-6th): 

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0848AAA82AA5FBC34-51572503-fernwood

Special Education Teachers: 

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0848AAA82AA5FBC34-51575934-fernwood

Support Staff: 

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0848AAA82AA5FBC34-51571555-fernwood

Art, Gym, Music: 

Mr. Zhang will be available in the auditorium on 10/10 only.  He will be there from 3-6:45 and is taking walk-ins only.  

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0848AAA82AA5FBC34-51570958-fernwood

Secondary (7th-8th): 

Secondary (7th/8th grade) conferences will be on a walk-in basis. Families will wait in line to see the teachers with whom they would like to meet. You will be able to meet with any of the five teachers your student works with for up to 5 minutes. The teachers and the content they teach are as follows: Mr. Jerabek, Science; Ms.Davis, Social Studies; Ms. Zimmers, STEM and Health; Mx. Botsford, Language Arts; Ms. Bussewitz, Math.  

In an effort to control the lines that occur in the gym, we are asking families to sign up for a 30 min time slot.  This is NOT an appointment with a teacher and it doesn’t guarantee that you won’t have to wait.  We are hoping that if everyone has an assigned time, it will space out arrivals and control wait times.   Please note: Ms. Bussewitz and Mr. Jerabek will not be at conferences on 10/10 because they are attending a required Montessori teacher training.  Please email them directly if you would like a progress report for your child.

https://www.signupgenius.com/go/10C0848AAA82AA5FBC34-51575375-fernwood

All secondary conferences on October 10 and 15 will be held in the gym.

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Third Friday Count is IN!

Thank you to all families for ensuring your students attended school on 9/20/24 to be counted by the state so that the school can receive full funding.

Our school “meet or beat” number was 771 (which includes 60 K3s at half-funding).  Fernwood currently has 787 students enrolled which will mean our school will receive additional funding.  This number is considered “unverified” until Student Services makes the final determination about eligibility.  More information will be shared about how the funds will be utilized following our School Engagement Council meeting next Thursday.

Thank you for your ongoing commitment to our amazing public school!

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Bike Walk Roll to School Day-10/2 

Eat your Wheaties on 10/2 and use your body to get to school!  It is time for Bike Walk Roll to School Day 2024!  Next week Wednesday, students are invited to bike walk or roll to school and then to meet at the table on the East Playground.  There will be a small activity for students and tokens available for those who participate.  Activities will go from 7:00am to 7:25am.  Hope to see you and your wheeelz!  See flyer for details!

bike walk roll 24-25.png

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School Lunch Menu Update

This year our kitchen has been upgraded to a production kitchen!  Due to this update, our school will now be following the MPS Elementary Lunch Menu (not the prepack menu as in previous years).  Menus can be found if you follow the link below.  Lunch can be found if you follow your nose at 10:45!

https://mps.milwaukee.k12.wi.us/en/home/Lunch-Menu.htm

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Box Tops for Education

Did you know that Box Tops for Education is alive and well and has survived past the 1980s?  Our school participates and the program is now application based (because it’s the future).  If you want to participate (and you know you do!), you can download the app and scan your food items.  According to our Box Tops coordinator, Danielle, we have already generated $89 this year!  Pirate Power!

Link below for details!

https://boxtops4education.com/s/

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MPS Facilities Strategic Plan Open Houses 

Milwaukee Public Schools is asking the public to help shape the school district’s future by commenting at town hall meetings on the 10-year plan for district buildings.

MPS’s consultant, Perkins Eastman, has been studying district buildings, analyzing data, and gathering public input since April to ensure that the district’s learning spaces meet the needs of students and the community. The plan is known as the Long-Range Facilities Master Plan.

The public will be able to review Perkins Eastman’s proposed options for buildings and comment on them to help shape the final plan. The plan will have a direct impact on the future of school buildings and student experiences across Milwaukee.

In-person town hall meetings will be held from 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. on the following dates:

Monday, September 30, at Rufus King International High School, 1801 W. Olive St.

Tuesday, October 1, Parkside School for the Arts, 2969 S. Howell Ave.

Wednesday, October 2, at Hamilton High School, 6215 W. Warnimont Ave.

Thursday, October 3, at James Madison High School, 8135 W. Florist Ave.

In addition, two virtual town hall meetings will be held via Zoom on Monday, October 7, from 12:00 to 1:00 p.m. and 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. To register, go to mpsmke.com/mpsspsc.

Here is a link to the facilities plan.  

https://www.mpsfacilitiesplan.com/home

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Fall Lower Elementary Kids Choir Returns!

WHEN: Tuesdays (2:25-3:10pm) October 29th – December 17th

WHERE: Fernwood Auditorium (students will be dismissed from class to the auditorium)

WHO: Intended for 1st-3rd grade Lower Elementary Students

PRICE: $40 per student (7 meeting sessions total)

Looking for committed children who enjoy singing and would value the benefits of being part of a choir. Each child will take home and sign an attendance and behavior contract.

Deadline for signup is Friday, October 11th, 2024.

To Register:  Complete this link and pay $40 (Venmo @molly-pufall, or check or cash brought to the main office with attn: Ms. Molly). 

Two parent helpers are needed for dismissal and bathroom breaks, etc. Please contact me if you are available at mpufall@gmail.com. 

Director: Molly Pufall-Brown, a Fernwood parent, holds two degrees in music, specializing in voice. She is insured and thrilled to be offering Kids Choir at Fernwood for the 6th year. Please contact Molly to sign up or ask questions: mpufall@gmail.com.

***If a parent or guardian is in need of financial assistance to allow their child to participate, please email mpufall@gmail.com***

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Support Group for Parents of Trans Kids

Please see the attached flyer for details on a support group for parents and families of trans kids.

parent suppor group-trans and ENBY.jpg

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Fall Twilight Centers

Please see the attached flyer for details on Fall Twilight Centers.

Twilight Summer Flyer_general.pdf

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Picture Retake Day Information-Oct 16th 

Picture packages will be sent home in the next few weeks.  However, digital pictures are available online.  If you would like to have your students picture retaken please do the following:

If you purchased a photo package and would like the picture retaken, the package with the pictures needs to be returned to school on retake day.  (Oct 16) 

If you did not order a photo package you may still have a retake. 

If you would like your student’s picture retaken, please email your teacher and Meredith Genrich Mertes (genricm@milwaukee.k12.wi.us) so we are aware.  

Students who were absent will also have their picture taken on retake day.  

Parents can still order photos online at mylifetouch.com using the code EVTG8R8WP but will pay for shipping.

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District Parent/Guardian School Engagement Survey

Please take a few moments to provide some feedback to the district and our school!  The District Parent/Guardian School Engagement Survey is your opportunity to provide the school with information on how you might like to get involved and barriers to involvement.  The school is provided with the data and it helps us to plan for our year.  The survey takes just a few minutes and is available in many languages.  Survey and flyer are linked below.

mpsmke.com/spcssurvey

School Engagement Survey FLYER 24-25.pdf

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Futura Spanish Enrollment-Now Open Online 

Enrollment for after school Spanish classes with Futura is now open online.  Follow the link to enroll.

https://futuraadventures.com/WISCONSIN-REGION/

Futura Fernwood Spanish 2024-2025 flier .pdf

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Character Kids Enrollment-Now Open Online 

Come explore the wonderful world of theater with Character Kids! Students will play theater games, learn stage skills and explore popular Broadway musicals while developing imagination, social skills and confidence. We’ll be offering 2 different fun-filled after school classes at Fernwood this year! 

FALL SESSION:

– Grades 1st-3rd: Mondays, 2:30-3:30 pm (September 23 – December 2 (10 weeks, no class 10/21)

– Grades 4th-6th: Wednesdays, 2:30-3:30 pm (September 25 – December 11 (11 weeks, no class 11/27) 

Parents are invited to a special performance on the last day of class! Visit our website for more info or to register.

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Our School is Cool!

There’s always something COOL going on at Fernwood!  A COOL torn and tattered issue of The Weekly Reader from 1945 was uncovered from behind a built-in shelving unit in Ms. Jean’s room at the end of last school year.  When you go to school in a 100 year old building, sometimes the students become amateur archeologists! 

Nate (5th grade), Noah (6th grade) and Hazel (7th grade) were assisted by Mr. Jaecks (Indiana Jones always has a quirky but effective sidekick when fighting mystical dark forces!*) in archiving this object for all of us to enjoy.

See attached picture to read some cool history and see how Fernwood students learned in 1945!

Weekly Reader.pdf

* As far as I know, there are no paranormal activities or cursed objects documented at Fernwood.  There ARE some storage rooms in the basement that give off serious wardrobe to Narnia vibes.  I’ll keep the community posted if things develop!