Peter Barsotti
Update- FRSD will be closed today, 12/15. The band and choir concert is also canceled. Please watch the website and the FRMS calendar for the rescheduled date.
FRSD on 2 hour delay, buses on snow routes.
Due to icy conditions, and an continued unsettled forecast, FRSD will be closed for Wednesday, December 14th.
Due to anticipated dangerous driving conditions in the morning, The Fern Ridge School District will be on a two hour delay Wednesday, December 14th. Due to the delay, we will not be on an early release schedule. Schools will let out and buses will drop off students at the normal scheduled times, not early release Wednesday time. If conditions change and weather warrants a closure, we will notify you in the morning.
Predicting the weather in the morning is a “difficult” job at best, however the District feels like the risks are outweighed by the benefits of ensuring parents and staff have this information the evening before to assist with their planning.
Gary Carpenter, Supt., FRSD
S.A.N.T.A. (Sharing Among Neighbors Toy Appeal) is once again working to brighten the lives of children and their families this holiday season. An annual tradition for over 20 years, the S.A.N.T.A. Project provides families who live in the Fern Ridge School District or the Crow-Applegate-Lorane School District toys, books, stuffed animals, and more to help them fill every child’s wish list. They will also have Christmas trees, bicycles, jackets, stocking stuffers, personal care items, and much more for families in need. Any family who could use help this holiday season can come to the S.A.N.T.A. giveaway. Proof of need is not required, but families must bring proof that they live in the C-A-L or FRSD School Districts and that their children live with them. Proof can be a license, mail, medical card, etc.
This year’s giveaway will be in the Veneta Elementary School Gym on Saturday, December 17th from 9:00 AM to 4:00 PM.
For more information, contact 541-935-3282 or check their website at www.venetasanta.org.
For those who would like to support the S.A.N.T.A. Project in the great work they do, they are always in need of donations of toys, stocking stuffers, books, etc. Drop off boxes are located throughout the community or items can be brought to the school office. S.A.N.T.A. Project also accepts cash donations.
The District is looking for parent/community feedback regarding a problem that needs to be addressed. The problem is that out of our approximately 600 Elementary students in the District K-5, approximately 380 live within the current VES designated boundary, and 220 live within the current EES designated boundary. The problem will continue to grow in the coming years, due to the vast majority of expected housing growth taking place within the VES boundary, as well as the fact that of our current 148 enrolled Kinders and 1st graders, only 46 live within the EES boundary. This problem manifests itself in different ways: transportation issues, unbalanced class sizes, loss of significant class time for students being bused and arriving too late to eat breakfast or are being pulled out of school early, additional costs and much more. To not address the problem would not be in the best interest of our students. For the past year, a District committee has met to discuss possible solutions. They are:
- Go to a K-2/3-5 model. Meaning one school would house all of the District’s K-2nd grade students, and one would serve the District’s 3rd -5th grade students. There are significant “pros” and “cons” to this model. A significant “pro” is that it would allow the District to have balanced class loads across a grade level. A significant “con” would be the difficulties and disruptions created for families with multiple elementary age students in different buildings.
- Re-drawing the District boundaries. This means taking the area that is currently identified as the VES attendance area and making it smaller. A significant “pro” of this model is that it would be much easier to accomplish this (vs. going to a K-2/3-5 model), and many people would not be effected at all. A significant “con” of this model is the tremendous disruption to families that would no longer be bused to their non-resident school, and that some families/areas that have always been “VES families” would now be “EES families.”
There are no easy solutions, but it is a problem that can be solved. And hopefully, once solved, will result in better services and educational experiences for our students. In the coming months the district will be communicating this problem in different ways, ending with a parent/community informational night, and survey to take place in late January or early February. Please share this information with your friends and family, and join the District in addressing this issue for the betterment of our students in the years to come.
Gary Carpenter-Supt., FRSD
Monday: Lazy Day
Tuesday: Crazy Hair Day
Wednesday: Twin Day
Thursday: Sports Day
Friday: Nerd Day
Black Friday is coming early to FRMS. The FRMS t-shirts are now 50% off. Come get your new shirt for only $5. Great gift idea! If you would like to purchase one but cannot make it down to the school, please give Amy or Dawn a call in the office and they can help you out.
Our lost & found is overflowing with an assortment of clothes!!! Please stop by or have your kids check for missing clothing items before school is out for Thanksgiving Break. We will be donating the clothing on Wednesday (November 23rd).
This Friday (November 18th) is the first dance of the year from 6:30-8:30 in the middle school commons. The cost of admission is $4. If a student brings in 5 or more cans for the food drive, they get in for half price.