Olivia Johnson
May 15th thru May 19th FRMS students will be participating in a series of sexual abuse prevention classes during their Social Studies class. Required by Senate Bill 856 otherwise known as Erin’s Law, these classes focus on helping students recognize their own power in preventing child sexual abuse, the red flags to look for, and what to do if they or someone they know is in an abusive situation. We will be using “Personal Power” which is part of the Safer Smarter Teens curriculum put out by Lauren’s Kids. Here is the link to their website: https://safersmarterteens.org/
Attached to this post is a summary of each lesson and the objectives for that lesson for parents and families to review. Families are also welcome to review the entire curriculum in the school office. We encourage families with questions to review the information provided and/or stop by to review the full curriculum.
Families can opt their child out of these important lessons by contacting their child’s Social Studies Teacher in writing and asking for an alternative assignment.
Personal Power Parent Summaries and Objectives
We are required to share with families our Immunization Rates and how they compare to Lane County as a whole. Click on the link below for a chart comparing our immunization rates with each required vaccine to the immunization rate for Lane County.
Save The Date: This year’s SANTA Toy Giveaway will be Saturday, December 10th from 9 AM to 3 PM in the Veneta Elementary School Gym. This is an opportunity for any Fern Ridge Family in need to pick up presents and gifts for children birth to 18. No income verification is required, but you must be able to prove that you are a resident of the Fern Ridge School District and have proof of age for each child.
No infants or children are allowed inside the gym during the giveaway.
Click on the flyer below for more information.
November 15, 2022
Fern Ridge Middle School Families,
As health officials have predicted it’s shaping up to be a nasty flu season.
Fern Ridge Middle School is very close to meeting the requirements for an “Influenza Outbreak” as defined by Lane County Public Health. As of today (11-15-22) Fern Ridge Middle School has 28% of its enrolled students and several staff members that are out due to flu-like illness.
We are actively working on mitigation measures, tracking illnesses, and parent communication to try to slow this outbreak. The schools are increasing their cleaning procedures and diligently screening students for symptoms. We do not expect any school closures related to illnesses.
There are other cases of influenza within the other Fern Ridge School District schools and it is reasonable to predict those schools will soon have increased cases. Please know there are other school districts that are also experiencing high volumes of influenza cases.
What you can do to help?
- Please do not send your child to school if they have had a fever within 24 hours.
- Please remind your child to practice germ control measures
- Wash hands or use hand sanitizer often
- Do not touch your face
- Cover coughs
- Consider wearing a mask if you or someone around you doesn’t feel well
- If you do want to have your child tested for flu/rsv/covid, please try to do so through your primary care provider as urgent care and emergency departments are currently overwhelmed. (Orchid health does not do flu testing but they do have the flu vaccine).
**Please know that in addition to this increase in flu cases the state of Oregon has recently declared a state of emergency due to a significant increase in RSV cases among children. RSV is spread the same way influenza is spread. RSV can be very dangerous for small children, even leading to hospitalization.
Please feel free to reach out to me with any questions,
Nurse Elliott
Fern Ridge District Nurse, selliott@fernridge.k12.or.us
Coming next week- FRMS Student Leadership will be holding a Teens and Tweens Gift Drive to help support the S.A.N.T.A. Project. The S.A.N.T.A. Project is a community project that provides toys and gifts to families in need in the Fern Ridge area. There is no income requirement, all that is needed is proof
of residency and proof of each child’s age. To help support this great cause, FRMS Leadership students will be collecting items aimed at teens and tweens or students between the ages of 11 and 17. This can be journals, blankets, lotions, electronics, puzzles, toys, or sports equipment. Anything that a teen or tween would be thrilled to get for the holiday. Students just need to bring in their unwrapped gift and put it in one of the tubs in the office.
The drive will start November 21st and end December 5th. Please add the FRMS Teens and Tweens Gift Drive to your holiday shopping list. Thank you!!!
Fern Ridge Middle School wants to congratulate two rising stars: Ian Larsen and Naomi Pew. This Fall both Naomi and Ian tried out for the All State Middle School Choir and were accepted. Ian was accepted into the All State Middle School Tenor/Bass Choir and Naomi into the All State Middle School Treble Choir. The All State Middle School Choir is sponsored by the Oregon Music Educator’s Association. To be accepted, students had to submit recordings of themselves singing the scales and My Country Tis of Thee.
Both Ian and Naomi have been singing all of their lives, although they both just joined the Fern Ridge Middle School Choir last year. Ian likes to sing when he is alone and admits to being nervous when it comes to singing in front of others. He likes choir because singing in a group makes him less nervous when performing. Naomi says she has been singing all her life and was excited to join choir last year. Both Ian and Naomi are members of the Fern Ridge Middle School Advanced Choir.
As members of the All State Choir, Naomi and Ian will join middle schoolers from around the state in a performance this January in Eugene. They will be performing at the First Methodist Church in Eugene on Friday, January 14th. Ian will sing with the Tenor/Base Choir at 7 PM and Naomi will sing with the Treble Choir at 8 PM.
We are very proud of both Naomi and Ian and excited that they will have this opportunity to shine.
FRMS 6th and 8th grade students will participate in the Student Health Survey (SHS), a survey sponsored by the Oregon Health Authority Public Health Division and the Oregon Department of Education. The survey will gather information about health risk behaviors of students in grades 6, 8 and 11.
Sixth Grade students will take the survey on 11/7/22 and 8th Grade Students will take the survey on 11/8/22. Both grades will take it during their Language Arts class.
The survey will include questions about:
- Student health and safety
- Student mental and behavioral health
- School climate and culture
Survey procedures have been designed to protect your child’s privacy and allow for anonymous participation. If your child is not comfortable answering a question, he or she can leave it blank. While we encourage all students to participate, the decision to participate is voluntary. You may opt to send a refusal for your child’s participation.
Below is the link to the Opt Out form if you do not want your child to participate in this survey. Please return the completed form to the school office by Thursday, November 3rd. Your child or you can also pick up an Opt Out form from the office if you don’t have access to a printer.
We have also included a link to a Student Health Survey Fact Sheet if you want more information.
You can review the survey document at the school office before the survey date. The survey is also available online:
6th Grade Student Health Survey (English)
8th Grade Student Health Survey (English)
And for more information about the Student Health Survey, click on this link to the Student Health Survey website: healthoregon.org/shs
If you have other specific questions about the survey, please feel free to call Olivia Johnson, FRMS Principal at 541-935-8230.
Opt Out Form with Student Health Survey Fact Sheet (English)
Opt Out Form with Student Health Survey Fact Sheet (Spanish)
We want to celebrate the work of future graphic novel and comic book artist Jack Reid. Jack is a 6th grade student at FRMS. He has been drawing his own comics since he was in 2nd grade.
He is currently working on a set of comic books inspired by some of his favorite books, the Captain Underpants series by Dav Pilkey. Jack has created his own character, Captain Bacon Pants and plans to feature him in a series of 12 comic books. Each comic book features Captain Bacon Pants fighting crime against criminals like The Talking Toast. Jack writes and
illustrates each comic book, including breaking the story down into panels. Jack says he creates the story in his head, maps how many panels he needs, and then draws and fills in each panel. When he grows up, Jack wants to write graphic novels and create TV shows.
When the 12 book series is complete, they will be available for students to read in the FRMS library.
Keep up the creativity and the hard work Jack. We look forward to seeing all that you will achieve.
To see a sample of Jack’s work, click below:
FRMS Student Leadership is holding a fundraiser next week. They are inviting students and families to help “Fill the Cauldron” by donating spare change. Funds raised go towards supporting student leadership as they plan and hold student body activities throughout the school year, including a Glow Dance! Come and fill our cauldrons with any of your spare cash or change. Help Student Leadership by bringing your spare change October 24th thru October 28th from 7:30 AM to 8:30 AM or 4:30 PM to 6:30 PM. This is a drive up fundraiser- volunteers will be outside with cauldrons. You don’t even have to get out of your car!
Click on the link below for an information flyer:
It’s that time of the year where we need to remind students and families of our guidelines around Halloween costumes. Halloween is Monday, October 31st which is a school day. Students may wear a costume to school as long as they follow these guidelines:
- If students are going to wear a costume, they must wear it to school. Except for P.E., students will not be permitted to change at school. Students must be able to wear their costume throughout the school day.
- No masks or full face painting will be allowed.
- Costumes must not be too scary or inappropriate for the school environment. Please no gory or grotesque costumes.
- Absolutely no props are allowed. (no swords, weapons, wands, etc.)
- The school is not responsible for costumes that are torn or damaged while at school.
- Students must wear shoes that are appropriate for school and that are appropriate for P.E.
- Students who come to school wearing something inappropriate, will have to call home for new clothing or remain in the office.
- Dress code standards still apply, even on Halloween. Costumes that are too revealing or that promote drugs or alcohol will result in students calling home for a change of clothes.
- Costumes should not interfere with the ability of students to attend classes, sit at desks, get their lunches, etc.