UHS hosted a cocoa-fueled academic support session this week ahead of exams. Led by UHS teacher Heather McLaren, this event gave students an opportunity to study for exams or complete projects with teacher support. A special thank you to Mrs. McLaren, Mrs. Handyside, and Mrs. Gillespie for providing academic support at the event.

Curbside Food Service times will be changed to 8:30-9:30 am, beginning Monday, January 17, 2022. 5 days of meals will still be provided for students currently enrolled in Ferndale Schools virtual learning.

Please see the cubside meal pick-up flyer for details.

The latest FPS Curriculum Quarterly is now available. Our Curriculum & Instruction Department will be releasing a new issue 4 times a year that will briefly highlight areas of teaching and learning in Ferndale Public Schools. We look forward to sharing our programming overviews with you.  If you have questions, please contact Johanna Mracna at johanna.mracna@ferndaleschools.org.

This issue focuses on our Fine Arts Instruction goals and methods, presented by grade ranges. Please take a look, and stay tuned for future issues introducing our other pillars of education.

Read the Curriculum Quarterly for December 2021 - Fine Arts Education and Our Students »

Headspace, the internationally recognized mental wellness and meditation app, is now FREE for children 13-18 years old in the US. Featuring mental health exercises, guided meditations, and other tools, headspace is an amazing tool for developing and maintaining self-regulation practice in your daily life. You can get an account through the Peer Health Exchange.

Get Your Free Account Learn More

Please join us in welcoming Tiwanya Robinson to our Ferndale Family. Tiwanya joins the district as a Curriculum Coordinator & SACC Coordinator. She brings over 20 years of experience in education to her new role with Ferndale Schools. She has served in a variety of capacities in education, including Instructional Coach, District-wide School Improvement Coach, and Climate & Culture Supervisor. Even with these amazing experiences, she is most proud of the years she spent teaching and earning a National Board certification for teaching. Her educational background includes a Bachelor of Science in Child Development/Education from Michigan State University and a Master’s of Education from Wayne State University in Reading.

Please login to Remind and set your notification preferences to make sure you receive updates on weather closures and other important notifications.

1. Click here or navigate to Remind.com
2. Click the down arrow to the right of your name
   
3. Select Account Settings from the dropdown menu
   
4. Select Notification preferences from the new Side Navigation, and set your notifications.
   
5. Phone numbers and emails should automatically be added for you through MISTAR. To add or update phone or email, visit the MISTAR Parent Connect Portal.

UHS Student Council took a field trip to Forgotten Harvest on December 2nd.They were able to pack 840 emergency food boxes for families. They had a great time bonding with each other while helping out the community, and can't wait to return for more community service opportunities.

Parents & Caregivers of Ferndale students can now use MISTAR ParentConnect to provide consent for COVID-19 Antigen Testing.

COVID-19 Antigen Testing Authorization MISTAR Instructions

UHS joins the list of outstanding Ferndale Schools that have been recognized for building school culture that leads the state in addressing the needs of the whole child! UHS teachers, administrators, support staff, parents, community members and students were honored this week for fostering a safe, healthy, challenged, supportive and engaged environment for their collective students. The Michigan Association of Supervision & Curriculum Development (Michigan ASCD) selected 3 schools and UHS is the Silver Award Recipient for taking initiative to build a healthier school environment.

Ferndale Lower & Upper Elementary Schools received the 2019-2020 Whole Child Gold Award.

On Thursday, November 18th, UHS students were able to discuss civic engagement over lunch with Lieutenant Governor Gilchrist. This was an opportunity organized by the UHS Pizza & Politics Program, which is a student group created in partnership with the Ferndale Public Library. Students were able to ask the Lt. Governor about his history in politics, how he began to take interest in civic engagement, and what his plans are for the future. They were, also, able to ask specific questions about how they can create change within their own communities, and received valuable feedback from Lt. Governor Gilchrist. The Pizza & Politics program offers bimonthly opportunities for UHS students to engage with local politicians, hear about their varying experiences, and consider their own role as a civically-engaged citizen.

Emergency Use Authorization of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine for youth aged 5-11 has now been approved. The Oakland County Health Division in partnership with Oakland Schools has multiple school sites that will host pediatric vaccine clinics across Oakland County starting November 8, 2021.

Ferndale Schools Diversity Committee is seeking volunteers for the following roles:

• Coordinating Agendas and Meetings
• Leading Projects
• Planning Information Sessions
• Planning Community Activities
• Making District Recommendations

To learn more, contact ferndaleschoolsdiversity@gmail.com