Each day at FHMS we strive to improve our trade-craft and to incorporate the best available tools to help our students succeed. A perfect example of this practice is the recent purchase of IXL for each of our math students. Mrs. Lundgren, our 8th grade Math and Algebra teacher, worked with IXL at her previous school and shared that this program could be the "missing link" that will allow our students to both fill in any gaps in learning, as well as challenge our stronger math students.

IXL is an innovative, web based learning platform that provides students with dynamic learning and testing modules that can be tailored to our individual students' needs. With just over three weeks worth of "beta testing," students have shared a universally positive reaction to the program. Teachers are also "beta testing" IXL and their feedback has been overwhelmingly positive! The IXL platform provides teachers with dynamic analytic and diagnostic features that allow them to target individual standards/skills and customize learning modules to provide individual students with remediation or enrichment.

If your student hasn't already talked to you about IXL, ask him/her about what IXL has to offer. Better still, log on to www.ixl.com and take a look for yourself. For a quick overview, just sign straight into www.ixl.com and enjoy a limited tour through IXL's public portal, or use your student's log-in (fun fact...there is an IXL App that can easily be downloaded to your, or your student's, "smart phone") and you can explore the entire FHMS student site.

All FHMS students have access to IXL right now. To utilize this tool, students must log-in to www.ixl.com by entering his/her user name (e.g., 104jcarrick@fountainhillsms) and password (same as his/her PowerSchool password).

Respectfully,

James Carrick, Principal

8th  Grade Class Trip to  Catalina Island Marine Institute (CIMI):   7th Grade Class Trip to AstroCamp:

Congratulations to our November Kiwanis Falcon Leaders; 8th graders Daniel Gonzalez and Skye Alker!

The Middle and High School Dance Classes held their Fall Dance Concert Thursday and Friday!  If you attended, I am sure you agree that our students are incredibly talented.  Thank you Mrs. Wilson for all your hard work preparing our students to put on such an amazing show!  

On November 14th  Dr. Richard Rutkowski and Mrs. Judy Rutkowski, RN  (FHUSD Governing Board Member) returned to FHMS to present 'Tar Wars' to the entire 5th grade.  Dr. and Mrs. Rutkowski have generously donated their time and knowledge to our students for the past 13 year.  'Tar Wars' is all about prevention messaging and the program provides informational tools to help our students give a firm, 'NO!', when faced with alluring but deceptive tobacco and smoking alternative advertising. The students pinched their noses closed and breathed only through a narrow straw to experience simulated effects of tar and nicotine damaged lungs, got a look at tricky advertising practices, and had a look at some 'ick factor' (a requirement for a 10-11 year old audience) exhibits. Check in with your student for more information!  -- Thank you Mrs. Male for providing us this summary.

The Fountain Hills Leadership Academy  provides local residents and business leaders a unique opportunity to become better informed citizens and active, engaged leaders in the Fountain Hills community.  The Leadership Academy is sponsored by the Fountain Hills Cultural and Civic Association and provides participants an eight-week course focused on the town's governmental processes, civic and community services, public safety, and environmental management. 

This years class, Class 5, visited FHMS and took a particular interest in our focus on "positive behavioral change" (PBIS).  One of the biggest needs we have as a school is providing positive incentives for recognizing all the great things our students do each day.  To that end, the FH Leadership Academy - Class 5 donated $800 worth of gift cards ($5 increments to local businesses) to FHMS!  We cannot express how grateful we are for their generosity and desire to make Fountain Hills a community that people from around the world want to call home.  

Thank you!