Share the link to our Hurricane Recovery Fund with your friends & family!
Donate to FSI Hurricane Recovery Fund
Good morning Franklin families,
We had a lovely day for our Spring Fair and Pickleball tournament yesterday! Thank you to everyone who came out, especially our vendors, musicians, and Parent Crew members who worked hard to create a fun day. It was fun to see so many people enjoying our beautiful gym for their first time. If you haven’t purchased your raffle tickets for the fantastic raffle baskets – today is your last chance. We’ll draw tickets tomorrow. All funds will support our upcoming Staff Appreciation week and Parent Crew events.
After clicking on the link to get your ticket (s), you can scroll down to see the items included in each basket. Baskets are worth $300 to $600 and include amazing items!
https://franklinschoolofinnovation.networkforgood.com/events/85814-fsi-spring-basket-drawing
This past week I had the pleasure of serving as a panelist for students presenting their theses for our AP Research class. For the entire year students in this class have been conducting research in a topic they chose. These topics ranged from studying the distribution of grocery stores and access to affordable food items in Buncombe, to the question of how typical school classwork, structured play, and unstructured play impact creativity as measured by brainwave activity. This high quality work just blows me away every year. As an EL Education school, we look at student achievement more broadly than just the ability to score well on standardized tests. We work to inspire students to produce high quality work throughout their years with us. We are the only school in Buncombe County to offer the AP Capstone program, which includes the AP Research class. It’s one of the most rigorous learning opportunities students can experience and it’s the perfect culmination for our EL Education model of learning. Well done students – you are ready for whatever comes next in your educational journey.
We are pleased to confirm that we will be offering a 4-week Summer Learning Recovery Program for student students currently in grades 4 – 8 (including students joining FSI next year). This free program will run from 8:30 am – 1:30 pm during the following weeks:
- June 17 – 20 (Tues – Fri only this week)
- June 23 – 27
- July 7 – 11
- July 14 – 18
The program will include a focus on math, reading and writing, and will also include hands-on projects, daily enrichment activities, and more! We will provide transportation, breakfast, lunch, and snacks. All students in current grades 4 – 8 are invited to participate. Students who are not yet at grade level in math or reading are strongly encouraged to attend. This is a special opportunity funded with State Hurricane Helene relief grant. Registration will open next week.
We have an exciting week ahead celebrating the exceptional creativity and artistic skills of our students! Beginning Tuesday, visual art will be displayed daily in our Community Room. Our Night of the Arts will be held Thursday from 5 – 8 pm, providing the opportunity to see the visual arts show along with excerpts from theatre and musical performances. We will distribute this year’s awards for excellence in the arts. We invite you to join us to celebrate yet another expression of student achievement!
Thank you for choosing Franklin! Let’s finish this year stronger than ever and stronger together.
Upcoming Events
Mon, April 28
- 4:30 pm: HS Girls Soccer @ Veritas, 17 Cane Creek Rd Fletcher
- 5:30 pm: HS Ultimate @ North Buncombe
Tues, April 29
- 4:00 pm: HS Girls Soccer @ Asheville School
- 4:15 pm: MS Soccer vs The Learning Community @ Camp Rockmont
Wed, April 30
- 4:00 – 6:00 pm: Open Mic Night @ Doc Brown’s BBQ
Thurs, May 1
- 4:15 pm: MS Soccer @ Fern Leaf
- 5:00 – 8:00 pm: Night of the Arts in the Community Room
Sat, May 3
- 7:00 – 10:00 pm: Junior/Senior Prom
Calendar Changes and End of Year Testing:
- Wednesday May 21 will be a half day (regular Wednesday schedule)
- Wednesday, June 4: Full day (3:15/3:35 dismissal)
- Thursday, June 5 – Last day for students – early release (1:00 pm)
Keep up with our Community Calendar: FSI Community Calendar
Need to see the year at a glance? FSI 2024-25 Academic Calendar
Bolts Athletics
HS Girls Soccer defeated Tri-Cities (TN) 6-0 on Senior Day! M. Owen, E. Cruz-Macey and V. Malyk each scored 2 goals in the dominating win.
Shout out to our seniors, V. Cypress and M. Mamone-Peeples. We appreciate you!
HS Cross Country has 3 remaining off season workout dates coming up. These will take place after school from 4:00-5:00pm. Please meet in Coach Mack’s room (214).
- Tuesday, April 29
- Tuesday, May 6
- Tuesday, May 13
There will also be a Fall 2025 XC Interest Meeting at the beginning of SMART Period (10:30am) on Wednesday, May 7 in Coach Mack’s room.
Rising 9th graders that are interested in participating in Cross Country next season are encouraged to attend.
Go Bolts!
Parent Crew
We’re getting ready for Staff Appreciation Week! Click the link to see how you can help! This has been a tough year for everyone and we want to show our staff how much we appreciate all they do for our children every day
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090848A5AA22ABFF2-55845268-staff
Mark your calendars for upcoming Parent Crew meetings!
- Thursday, Apr 24: 8:30 am school-more details about place closer to date
- Thursday, May 29: 6 pm TBD – we want to make this last meeting fun!
FSI Music Dept Open Mic Night Wednesday 4/30 at Doc Brown’s BBQ 4-6pm!
Anyone is welcome to perform at this event, it is not limited to only music students. Come sing, perform, read a short, a poem, or dance. Express yourself at this fun community event on a beautiful fall evening! As well as hosting us at the restaurant for this event, Doc Brown’s is generously donating 10% of the restaurant’s sales earned during those hours to the music department, so come out and show your support!!
Since this space is outdoors and uncovered, we will take weather into account but hopefully that won’t be an issue for us. If you have any questions, contact Mrs. Wilson at swilson@thefsi.us We hope to see you there!
Join us for the Night of the Arts, Thurs, May 1
Student artists are getting ready for our annual Week and Night of the Arts! The Visual Art Show will be on display in our Community Room April 29 – May 2nd
Night of the Arts will be held Thursday, May 1st, from 5 – 7 pm in the Community Room. In addition to the Visual Art Show, we will enjoy performance excerpts from
- The HS Musical ‘The Prom’
- The MS Play ‘This is a Test’
- The Spring Concert
We will also present this year’s Fine Arts Awards. Don’t miss this great event!
Join us for 3 weeks of fun at our FSI Summer Quest Camp
Camp this year is only available to rising 5th graders through rising 8th graders. We are planning three great weeks of arts, crafts, games, science, learning, swimming and adventuring! Each week of Summer Quest Camp is a mix of outdoor activities, arts, swimming, cooking, social skill building, field trips and sports!
Choose which week, or all the weeks:
- Week 1: June 23rd – 27th
- Week 2: July 7th-11th
- Week 3: July 14th-18th
Register for summer camp here – https://franklinschoolofinnovation.networkforgood.com/events/84532-fsi-summer-camp
Who to contact and how: Mr. Ron Scott, 828 335 1053, rscott@thefsi.us
Reminders
End of Year Exam Schedule
- May 28: Middle School Math EOGs and Math 1 EOC
- May 29: Math 3 EOC
- May 30: Middle School Reading EOG and English 2 EOC
- June 2: 5th and 8th Grade Science EOG and Biology EOC
- June 3 and 4: Make Up Test Dates
- June 5: Last Day for Students – early release
FSI Junior/Senior Prom 2025 – Old Hollywood
Step into the glamour and elegance of the golden age of cinema at this year’s prom! Join us for a night of red carpet moments, dazzling lights, and timeless Hollywood charm. Get ready for an unforgettable evening of music, dancing, and star-studded memories! Prom is Saturday, May 3 from 7-10pm at The Venue. Tickets are $30 and can be purchased online starting March 31. Use this link to purchase tickets online. Tickets are also available for purchase in person at school. After April 25 tickets are $45 and available only in person. Tickets will be available at the door on prom night for $45. If you would like to invite a non-FSI student please complete this form and return to Ms Gretchen before April 28. Questions? Contact gkehrberg@thefsi.us.
Student Written & Published Poetry
Julia Wharton’s high school poetry class has begun work on a student-made poetry book, in which all high school students are invited to submit their poems for publication. Students may submit up to two poems via the Google Form. They are also looking for students to submit their original artwork to be featured in the book alongside the poetry, which can be given directly to Julia Wharton. Submission for both is completely free. The deadline to submit all poems and art is April 10, and only grades 9-12 may submit. Also, Julia Wharton’s poetry class has begun fundraising for their book. Until May 2, students can pre-order a copy for a 10% discount at $4.50. Students can also donate directly to the book’s publication. All pre-orders and donations must be given to Mrs. Wharton. All copies will be available on May 21st.
Public School Advocacy – Keep Calling!
It is budget season in North Carolina. We must let our elected leaders know that public school funding matters! Over 80% of all students in North Carolina and 85% of students with learning differences attend public schools. This isn’t a partisan issue – public schools have an impact on everyone. What does North Carolina’s terrible public school funding (seriously – 48 out of 50 is embarrassing!) mean for parents and students? Here are just a few ways that inadequate funding impacts parents and students:
- Higher teacher turnover as teachers leave the profession or the state for financial stability
- Less experienced teachers in classrooms
- Fewer school staff overall, so no one has time to do their job well
- Teachers and other school staff with second and third jobs, leaving them with less time and energy for their chosen profession
What can you do? Contact our elected officials! Call, email, write letters, drive to Raleigh if you are able! And get everyone you know to do the same. Let’s make our voices heard! Here’s the link again to the Education Call List.
Author Robert Beatty (Serafina & the Black Cloak) Coming to Pack Square
Robert Beatty, the author of Serafina and the Black Cloak, is coming to Pack Memorial Library on Saturday, May 10 at 2pm. He plans to share about his latest book, Sylvia Doe and the 100 Year Flood, and talk about the filming of his book trailer. Malaprops will have books for folks to purchase at the event and there will be a signing afterward. This program is targeted toward tweens and their families, but of course all ages are welcome. What a fun opportunity to meet an author of a book many of our students have read! And if your student hasn’t read it – maybe this is a fun way to encourage them to read.
Apply for Free/Reduced Lunch
FSI is now participating in the Federal School Lunch Program. Families must apply for the program every year. We will help you with your applications! Click to APPLY HERE!
If you need help, call the school office (318-8140), stop by the front desk for paper applications, or email Tammey Harper, tharper@thefsi.us for help.
Did you know: Now that our school is part of the National School Lunch Program, students with approved applications for free or reduced lunch may also be eligible for summer “Sun Bucks” program, offering $120 per student for summer food purchases? You can learn more here: https://www.ncdhhs.gov/sunbucks
Car Line Reminders
It seems that it is time for a reminder to be good citizens in the car line. No one loves the car line – we get it. But if we all follow the rules and work together, the line moves pretty quickly and we keep students and staff safe! Here are a few reminders:
- All traffic is one way during arrival and dismissal. There are NO exceptions. It simply isn’t safe.
- Students are to be picked up by the building – not in the driveway and especially not by the road.
- Turn right at Sardis Road.
- Watch your speed
Thank you to everyone who regularly follows these expectations!
Drivers Education – Summer Opportunity
Franklin will host a summer Driver’s Ed program July 14 – 18 from 9 am – 3 pm. Please note that we do not provide Driver’s Ed directly – all Driver’s Ed in WNC is provided by Mountain Pro. We are just the hosts. Registration is available at https://www.mtnpro.com/school-classes
Please see the attendance policy below. Again – this is not Franklin’s policy and we cannot intervene or advocate for any changes to the policy. You may want to wait until closer to the date of class to register to avoid any conflicts. Registrations are not transferable or refundable.
Attendance Policy: Students must pay a $65 fee for the classroom phase of Driver Education on or before the first day of their selected class. There will be no refunds if a student does not attend, drops out or fails The State mandates students attend 30 hours in entirety to receive credit. Voluntary medical or dental appointments and school-related activities such as tryouts, sports, field trips, concerts, etc. are not excused absences. Five Day Classes (Holiday Classes, etc.) and Summer classes: There are no makeup days for these classes. Students absent from one (1) of these classes will be listed as a Fail, and if allowed, will have to register and pay to attend another class in its entirety.
Donate Used, Broken, or Unwanted Electronics!
The Franklin School of Innovation Electronics Repair Club is accepting donations of used, broken, or unwanted electronics. Anything from small smart watches up to larger laptops (including PC, mac/apple and android devices). No printers, desktops, or monitors, please… we don’t have the space for them!
Please include the power supply(s), password(s) (if one or more things haven’t been reset) and what is believed to be wrong with the device via a bundled note. Label the donation “for ERC” and bring it to the front office. If we can’t find a second life for your donated item we will make sure personal data is securely wiped and that it is brought to an upcoming local e-waste collection event.
We may be able to repair items! If you are interested in a quote for repair, please include that in your note along with your contact information.
Yearbook Sales
Our yearbook class is busy capturing fantastic memories of this year! Get yours here.
MANNA Packs for Kids
MANNA Packs for Kids is a take-home food program that provides a weekly bag of food to students. Bags will contain items such as proteins, fruits, vegetables, snacks and/or breakfast items.The “MANNA Packs for Kids” program’s mission is to serve those families with children who are experiencing economic difficulty and could use assistance in providing food when school meals are not an option. To join the program, please fill out the Manna Packs google form here.
