Dear FPS Community,

Each month, we highlight some of the many good things happening in our district.  This month, we are focusing on award winning artwork produced by our students. Art is an expression of how we see our world. Great art inspires and evokes a response. It requires courage to put your heart and soul into your work, as these students have done. I invite you to view the gallery and enjoy their incredible work.

When I look at what our students have created, I am reminded that creating good work often requires change.  A change in perspective, a change in direction.  So this month, I would also like to discuss a change process with you.

In presenting the 22-23 budget to the Board of Education in January, we included several ideas that will help transform the school system.  Chief among these was the plan for a new middle school schedule.  This schedule increases the length of a class period.  This allows for students to dive deeper into their learning.  This allows teachers and students to get to know each other better and it gives time for students to receive additional support, whether remediation or acceleration, as needed. There will be fewer periods in the day, which decreases the amount of transition times and reduces the hectic pace of the current 7 periods per day schedule.  Longer instructional blocks more closely mirror the elementary and high school schedules.

We are still early in the process with some details still to be determined. We will continue to work with our teachers to determine the professional learning they need to prepare lessons for longer instructional periods. We are planning parent information sessions to gather your input.  We are planning to run a trial schedule to gather student and staff input and feedback.

Because of the work and conversations ahead, there is no doubt we will change some of our plans with student, staff, and parent input.  I have no doubt that further changes will come after we implement the schedule in August.  That is how a responsive system functions.  

I have been asked why we are implementing this change now, in the midst of the pandemic.  I am asked this question at the same time I am rightfully being reminded how much our students have lost and suffered over the past three school years.  My response to the question of why now is why not now?  If we see a problem, loss of engagement, loss of learning, loss of connections, should we wait until things are normal to attempt fixes?  We are compelled to act.  We move forward in a deliberative and responsive manner but we move forward.

More information on the middle school schedule ideas will be shared soon. We will be offering virtual workshops on the proposal so that everyone can attend.  Those meetings will be recorded for those not able to attend at the time of the meeting.  We look forward to your feedback and input.

Take care,
Mike