Just a reminder to all parents that our big second semester schedule change begins Monday, January 29th. We will open our doors at 7:50. The warning bell rings at 8:15 and school starts at 8:20. On regular days, school will end at 3:15. On Early Release Wednesdays, school will end at 1:32.

We will be uploading student schedules on Friday and Saturday. Students will be picking up their new schedules on Monday morning before school starts. Students can also get a “sneak peek” at their new schedules using Home Access on Sunday the 28th.

A lot of time and effort was put into scheduling students and making sure that the electives students received were among the top choices on their forecasting sheets, if they turned in a forecasting sheet. After the 29th, if you would like to discuss a schedule change, you can contact myself or Mr. Chambers at the school to discuss a possible schedule change. Schedule changes for students will not be made for social reasons (i.e. to have the same class or the same lunch as their friend/s)   No schedule changes will be made after February 9th.

Bus Routes and Bus Times have also changed. Please make sure you check the updated bus times to make sure you and your child know their bus number and stop times. Please have your child at the bus stop five minutes before their bus time. Note: Times for Bus 13 were changed as of 1-24-2018. If you’re child is on Bus 13, please follow the link to the revised schedule.

New Bus Times/Routes

If you have any questions or concerns about the schedule change, please feel free to contact me at ojohnson@fernridge.k12.or.us or by phone at 541-935-8230.

Once again, thank you for your flexibility as we make this change. We are looking forward to our new classes including World Beat Music, Math Tutoring, Mythology, Creative Writing, Journalism, Warrior Women, Pop Culture, and additional periods of study hall. Thank you for your support as we continue to work towards meeting the needs of our students and our community.

Concerned social media sites like Snapchat or Instagram? Worried about cybersafety or cyberbullying? Need more information about social media and the impact it has on your student?

Parents/Guardians are invited to a very special social media and cyber safety presentation in the Elmira High School on Monday, March 5th from 6 to 8 PM. This workshop is for any and all parents/guardians of school age children Kindergarten thru 12th grade. The workshop shares with parents the basics of social media and cyber safety. Hear from experts, including a panel of trained students, regarding the ways kids are using social media today. Parents/Guardians from Fern Ridge School District, Crow Applegate Lorane, Junction City, and Triangle Lake are invited to attend, as well as any interested adults who may find this information useful. This event is hosted by ECASEY Lane County.

Interested parents are encouraged to RSVP by emailing Emily@kidsfirstcenter.net   Free childcare may also be available by emailing Emily@kidsfirstcenter.net

Click on the link below for a flyer with more information.

Tweens, Teens, and Technology Flyer

Save the date!  FRMS is planning a March Madness fundraiser on Wednesday, March 14th at 6:30 PM. The fundraiser will include a raffle with a grand prize of $400 in Winco Gift Cards, a silent auction, and a staff vs students basketball game. Our goal is to raise $4,000 to provide field trips to all of our students during the 18-19 school year. FRSD does not pay for field trips for students. Any field trips that happen, have to be fundraised for by that school. Students are taking field trips this year using funds that were raised last year. We hope that families will join in supporting our fundraiser this year to help pay for field trips next year.FRMS 2018 Fundraising Donation Request

There will be prizes for students who sell raffle tickets, ranging from a 25 minute “recess” for students who sell $20 in raffle tickets to  students who sell $250 in raffle tickets getting to “takeover” a classroom. The raffle ticket contest will be February 26th to March 9th so look for more details to come.

We are also seeking donations for prizes for our raffle or items that can be added to our auction. Donations can be in the form of gift cards, gift certificates, merchandise, or services. Donations can be big or small- all of it is greatly appreciated. Here is a fundraising letter with additional information.

17-18 Fundraising Letter

If you would like to help with planning the fundraiser or to help out the night of the fundraiser, please let us know. FRMS Parent group meets again on Tuesday, February 13th at 6:30.

FRMS has added a pencil vending machine to our office. The machine sells mechanical pencils for just 50 cents. The pencils, which come in a wide range of colors and styles, have been a big hit! In the two weeks that we’ve had the machine, we have sold almost 100 mechanical pencils. Most of the pencils have a .7 mm lead. Students can use their high five tickets to buy replacement leads, if needed, from the student store on Wednesdays.

As we start to look ahead to Spring, we are beginning to plan for state testing at Fern Ridge Middle School. Over the last few years, students in Fern Ridge and throughout the state have had the opportunity to take the Smarter Balanced assessment in math and language arts. Unlike tests that parents might remember where we just filled in the bubble, the SBAC tests ask students to apply real world critical thinking, writing, reasoning, communication, and problem solving skills. At the middle school level, the test is designed to measure how “on track” your child is to graduate from high school. At the high school level, passing these tests is a requirement for an Oregon diploma.

We know that an end-of-the-year test cannot possibly tell us everything about your child’s academic progress. However, the results do act as a snapshot of your child’s strengths and areas for improvement and can be used as a way to ensure he or she is getting the supports he or she needs. Additionally, the tests help the Fern Ridge School District’s efforts to equitably distribute resources and support student learning. When fewer students take the test, we are left with an incomplete and inaccurate picture of how our students are performing, and this limits our ability to address issues, better serve students, and continue to improve our educational system.  The participation of your student is greatly appreciated.  Continue reading →

FRMS parents are invited to join us for our January parent group meeting on Tuesday, January 16th at 6:30 PM in the FRMS library.  We will be working on plans for our March fundraiser as well as starting to plan our 8th grade promotion.  Hope to see you there.

Just a reminder to families that Fern Ridge Middle School will be changing our schedule beginning Monday, January 29th. Some things to remember as we move forward with this very important change:

1. School will start at 8:20 with the warning bell at 8:15. Students are considered late if they are not in their seats when the bell rings.
2. School will end at 3:15 each day, except for Wednesdays when it will end at 1:32.
3. Bus routes and times have changed. Please click on the link on the right hand side of this page to find your student’s new bus time and bus route. Please make sure your child knows what bus they will be taking to school and what bus they will be taking home. If you have any questions at all about how to read the schedule or the information on the schedule, please call the bus barn at 541-935-1969, or the school at 541-935-8230.
4. We have completed forecasting and are in the process of scheduling students. Students will not be able to pick up their schedules until the morning of January 29th. However if you know how to get into home access, you can get your child’s schedule on Sunday, January 28th when the finalized schedules will be posted to the database. If you do not know how to get into Home Access, please call the office before the 25th and Stacy or Casey will walk you through it.
5. Teaching assignments have changed for almost every teacher. This means that most students will have a change in their schedule. After the 29th, if you would like to discuss a schedule change, you can contact Ms. Johnson or Mr. Chambers at the school to discuss a possible schedule change. Schedule changes for students will not be made for social reasons (i.e. to have the same class or the same lunch as their friend/s)   No schedule changes will be made after February 9th.
6. Every student has seven classes (language arts, science, math, social studies, P.E.) and two electives. Thank you to those students who returned their forecasting sheets. Students who did not return their forecasting sheets were assigned electives.
7. The building will open at 7:50. Breakfast will be served in the commons from 7:50 to 8:15.

Just a reminder to parents that beginning January 29th, Fern Ridge Middle School will switch from a six periods a day schedule to a seven periods a day schedule. Students will have their five core classes (P.E., Science, Math. Language Arts, and Social Studies) along with two electives. Last week we completed forecasting and have students preliminarily assigned to their electives. Finalized schedules will be given out to students the first day of second semester.

In the meantime, to help families plan for the transition we have posted the bell schedule that will start on January 29th. Please note that the warning bell will now ring at 8:15 and students are expected to be in class and ready to go at 8:20. On our regular school days (Mo, Tu, Th, Fr) school will end at 3:15 and on Wednesdays it will end at 1:32.

We will also be changing bus routes and schedules. On the right hand side of this page under Quick Links, parents will find a copy of the new bus routes and schedules. These will go into effect on January 29th. If you have any  questions about your child’s bus schedule for second semester, pleas contact the bus barn at 541-935-1969.

Thank you again for your flexibility. We are very excited about being able to add more opportunities for learning into our master schedule.

Update: We’ve had a lot of questions about what time the doors will open second semester. Doors will open at 7:50 AM. Warning bell will be at 8:15. Students must be in class and ready to go at 8:20.

School and District Report Cards
The Oregon Department of Education produces yearly report cards for schools and districts. These reports were mandated by the 1999 state legislature and provide educators with an opportunity to communicate directly with parents and community members about how local schools are performing.

In 2013, the Oregon Department of Education released a redesigned school and district Report Card. This redesigned Report Card was the product of a year of review and revisions, led by an external Report Card Steering Committee and informed by feedback from thousands of stakeholders around the state.

The goals of the redesign were to:

• More accurately reflect student learning and growth
• Incorporate key measures of college and career readiness
• Align the report card with district’s achievement compacts
• Make the Report Cards more user friendly and accessible

For more information on the school and district report cards please visit: http://oregon.gov/ode/schools-and-districts/reportcards/reportcards/Pages/default.aspx.

The link to the FRMS 2016-17 report card is on the right hand side of this page. Hard copies are also available in the school office

  Fern Ridge Middle School Choir and Band students will perform at our winter concert this Thursday, December 14th at 7 PM. The concert will feature performances from our school choir, beginning, intermediate, and advanced band classes under the direction of Cameron Siegal. The concert will take place in the Fern Ridge Middle School gym. Band and choir students should report to the band or choir room at 6:30 PM.