Top 5 Things to Know this Week - September 30, 2024

Top 5 things to know for the week of September 30-October 4, 2024

Board shares next steps in Superintendent Search

Farmington Public Schools has entered the next phase of the Superintendent Search and your help is needed. In order to honor current goals and continue with the positive momentum of the District, the Board of Education emphasized the need for community feedback to help inform the search process.

Please come out to one of the sessions to share your thoughts on what characteristics, qualities and skills you would like to see in the new Superintendent for Farmington Public Schools.

FPS Staff Input Sessions

Monday, October 21

3-4 p.m. and 4-5 p.m.

Maxfield Education Center

Community Input Sessions

Monday, October 21

6-7 p.m.

Maxfield Education Center

Tuesday, October 29

10:30-11:30 a.m.

Maxfield Education Center

Virtual Input Session for All

Monday, November 4

The link will be provided on the District's website under the Superintendent Search section that can be found at https://www.farmington.k12.mi.us/departments/superintendents-office/superintendent-search-2024

Two important dates this week - October 2 and 3

Count Day

We have two important dates this week. This first is Wednesday, October 2 which is the first of two State Student Count Days. On these days, all school districts report their student head counts to the Michigan Department of Education. The number of students legally enrolled on or before the count day is a key factor in determining how much funding schools and districts receive from the state. This funding is essential for providing schools with the resources to deliver a high-quality education. The District receives 90 percent of its State funding based off the number of students in school on October 2.

Rosh Hashanah Holiday

The second important date this week is Thursday, October 3 which is Rosh Hashanah. There will be no school on this day in observation of the Rosh Hashanah holiday. We wish all of those that celebrate a very happy new year!

Five residents are vying for two, six-year terms on the Board of Education

Five residents have applied for two open seats on the Farmington Public Schools’ Board of Education to be decided on by the voters on Tuesday, November 5. The school board sets policy for the school district while the Superintendent, who is hired by the Board, handles the day-to-day operations of the school district. Five residents are vying for two, six-year-terms.

Voters will select from the following candidates: T.R. Carr, Danielle DePew, Vanessa Gwinn, Thomas Hull, and incumbent Claudia Heinrich. The terms for these seats begin January 2025 and end in 2031.

The League of Women Voters and the Council of Homeowners recently held a School Board Candidate Forum on Tuesday, September 24.

The Farmington Area PTA Council will be holding a Virtual School Board Candidate Forum on Monday, October 7 at 6:30 p.m. More information will be shared about this upcoming Forum once the details have been finalized.

October is National Bullying Prevention Month

This month is a time to raise awareness of bullying and promote kindness, inclusivity, and acceptance. As a school community, we want to encourage everyone to stay informed about the signs of bullying, the impact it can have, and what to do if you see it happening.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) defines bullying as behavior that is:

Unwanted: The behavior is not wanted by the victim.
Aggressive: The behavior involves some form of aggression, such as physical force, threats, or intimidation.
Repeated: The behavior happens more than once or has the potential to happen again.

Acts of bullying may involve physical contact, words or gestures, or social exclusion. Bullying can happen in person or online.

The signs of bullying include:

Physical signs: bruises, cuts, torn clothing, missing items
Emotional signs: changes in mood, withdrawal from friends and activities, anxiety, depression
Behavioral signs: aggressive behavior, changes in eating or sleeping habits, truancy
Social signs: being excluded from activities, being made fun of or called names

If you have a friend or family member you suspect is experiencing bullying, here are some bystander strategies that have been found to help:

Support the victim:

Talk to them. Let them know that you are there for them and that you believe them.
Listen to them. Don't try to minimize their experience or tell them what to do.
Offer them support. This could include helping them to report the bullying, to develop coping mechanisms, or to make friends with other supportive people.

Interventions:

Help the victim to get away from the bully or the bullying situation. This could involve walking with them to class, helping them to switch seats, or finding them a safe place to go.
Help the victim to report the bullying to a trusted adult. This could be a teacher, parent, counselor, or other authority figure.
Defend, support, and assist the victim. This could involve standing up to the bully, speaking out against bullying, or simply being there for the victim during this difficult time.

If you or someone you know is being bullied, there are resources available to help:

The Trevor Project: A 24/7 resource network for LGBTQ youth ages 13-24, including a free call/text crisis line.
StopBullying.gov: A comprehensive U.S. government initiative managed by the Department of Health & Human Services equipping parents, educators, and communities with resources to effectively address and prevent bullying in schools, online platforms, and various social settings.
The National Bullying Prevention Center: Dedicated to creating safe and inclusive environments, the National Bullying Prevention Center tirelessly advocates for awareness and prevention measures against bullying in schools and online spaces.
For those needing professional support, consider contacting Care Solace, a complimentary and confidential service provided by Farmington Public Schools. They can help you find a mental health or substance use provider.Call 888-515-0595. Multilingual support is available 24/7/365.

Visit caresolace.com/farmingtonps and either search on your own or click "Book Appointment" for assistance via video chat, email, or phone. Call 888-515-0595. Multilingual support is available 24/7/365.

Together, we can create a safe and supportive school community for all students!

Recent survey shows community very satisfied with Farmington Public Schools

Farmington Public Schools (FPS) recently partnered with Cobalt Community Research, a 501c3 not-for-profit research coalition, to conduct a Community Engagement and Priority Assessment survey.

The survey showed that overall satisfaction has been stable compared to overall satisfaction in 2011 and 2015. Parents rate responsive staff as the top factor, while voters also value effective communication. The researcher from Cobalt shared that the District should be really proud of the stable perception of the school district after all of the political, societal, and economic changes that have occurred since 2011.

The survey also highlighted that more than 80 percent of parents and more than 70 percent of voters would recommend Farmington Public Schools. The survey respondents stated that they would recommend FPS because of the diversity of the district, extra-curricular options, educational quality, advanced classes, teachers, effective communication, and fairness.

Areas of improvements the respondents would like to see are more summer school opportunities and additional STEAM programs, as well as improvements around bullying and student behavior.

Both parents and voters mentioned that the District and schools provide skills needed for the next step in life, are well-managed/spend dollars wisely, have staff who are responsive, communicate effectively, and prepare students to become good citizens.

Thank you to all who participated in the survey.

SEPTEMBER 30, 2024

Farmington Public Schools www.farmington.k12.mi.us

info@fpsk12.net