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Back to School

Dear Fletcher Families,

Welcome to the 2023-24 academic school year! The staff and I are proud of our school, our exemplary programs, and the learning experiences we create for students.  At Fletcher, we share high expectations for ourselves and your children – our students.  Our mission is to educate and nurture all students, inclusively to provide a supportive and enriching atmosphere, to help empower them to explore their interests, develop their talents, and reach their full potential. 

Building a solid partnership between school, students, and parents is vital for a successful academic year and for teaching life-long collaboration skills and healthy, productive partnerships. Collaboration and open communication between all stakeholders can lead to a more comprehensive education experience and better student outcomes. 

As the school year progresses, we are here to offer support and assistance whenever needed. Please contact us here at Fletcher if you require any specific resources, information, or guidance. 

Best wishes for a successful and rewarding academic year! We are looking forward to and appreciate our partnership this year. 

See you all very soon. 

This year’s focus areas are housed within the PAUSD Promise, which encompasses these five key areas:

  1. Mental Health and Wellness: Prioritizing our students' mental health and well-being. In conjunction with a licensed mental health and wellness coordinator, school psychologists, school counselors, and a robust wellness center open to students before, during, and after school.

  2. Early Literacy: Building a strong foundation for academic success, we employ annual universal literacy screeners for all district students. 

  3. Equity and Excellence: Creating an inclusive environment where every student can excel.

  4. Innovation: Fostering creativity, critical thinking, and problem-solving in and out of the classroom.

  5. Serving and Celebrating Others: Promoting empathy, compassion, cultural awareness, and gratitude in our community.

Construction and Campus Readiness: 

The district maintenance operations team and our dedicated district and Fletcher custodial staff have been working diligently to ensure that our classrooms and facilities are pristine and ready to provide a conducive environment for academic excellence. 

Strong Community Partnerships:

Fletcher Middle School thrives on the strong connections among students, teachers, staff, and families within our community. I am expressing my sincere appreciation to Partners in Education (PiE) and PTA for their unwavering support, which positively contributes to the exceptional quality of Fletcher Middle School. If you still need to join our parent organizations, I encourage you to become involved (see information on connecting below). There are various ways to support our fantastic school through your participation and contributions, whether active or from afar. Your support makes a meaningful impact on all the students at our school. 

The following message contains the following important information: 

  • Administration and Counselor Teams

  • Forms to Complete (ASAP)

  • All Incoming Students

  • 6th-Grade ONLY Information

  • 7th-Grade ONLY Information 

  • School & Home Community Communication

  • Key Dates - March your Calendar

  • Purchases & Donations

Fletcher Administrators and Counselors.  

Forms to Complete (ASAP)

  • *Complete the Annual Data Update  (or ADU) in Infinite Campus. Your family’s contact information is critical to accurate and timely communication.

    • Log in to id.pausd.org

    • Launch Infinite Campus

    • On the left side menu in Infinite Campus, click "More"

    • Click "Online Registration"

    • Click "start" next to 23-24 Annual Data Update

**The ADU must be completed for students to start school in accordance with district policy

  • Make school purchases  - specifically, PE uniform purchases, club/activities donations, 6th-grade Tiger Camp/curriculum donations, and/or library and music donations. The form is at the bottom of this message. 

    • Print your receipt for your PE purchase and bring it with you to collect your new PE clothes. PE clothes may be purchased and picked up at our Welcome Back Day, August 8, from 9:00 am - 12:00 pm. 

  • Donate to Partners in Education (PiE). PiE funds important electives, music programs, counselors, and classroom support. Learn more on PiE’s website. Donate here: https://papie.org/donate/

  • Connect with the Fletcher PTA at Fletchermiddleschoolpta@gmail.com for more information on how to get involved in your child’s school experience! 

Incoming Students

  • FREE Bike Repair – The first Bike Repair clinic will be offered at Fletcher on Tuesday, August 8th. Click here for more information and to sign up.  

  • Check out the FAQ for more detailed information.

 

6th-Grade ONLY

  • Prepare for Tiger Camp by reading about Fletcher Tiger Camp, our orientation program for 6th graders. 

  • Learn more about our unique 6th-Grade elective Wheel Program. This is where you can find a brief description of 6th-grade exploratory wheel classes.

 

7th-Grade ONLY

**The TDAP vaccination must be completed for students to start school in accordance with district policy

 

School & Home Community Communication and Staying Connected

In addition to email, phone calls, or in-person meetings with Fletcher staff, other channels of information that help families stay informed and engaged:

  • Principal-Parent Coffee / Conversation 

  • ParentSquare messages (all Fletcher staff/admin and PTA messages will come from ParentSquare)

    • All parents who are registered with PAUSD are automatically enrolled in ParentSquare

    • On the app or website, it’s a good idea to check your email preferences. Messages can be delivered instantaneously or batched to the end of the day. Parents can change their preferences to ensure they receive messages at their preferred pace.

  • Fletcher Social Media

KEY DATES

  • August 1, Tuesday – Fletcher Office opens. Regular Hours are 8:00 AM to 4:00 PM Monday-Friday. 

  • August 8, Tuesday – STUDENT SCHEDULES will be available.  To view your student’s schedule, log in to Infinite Campus.  If you have questions, contact your child’s counselor. 

  • August 8, Tuesday - Welcome Back Day, Bike Repairs, PE Clothes, New to PAUSD Student Tours, etc. If you want to volunteer to help on our Welcome Back Day, please sign-up through the PTA Volunteer Sign-up link here.  PTA Back to School Parent Volunteers. Thank you in advance for all your support in preparing us to start school!!

  • August 9, Wednesday – First Day of School -  School starts at 8:30 AM and ends at 2:30 PM. The bell schedule for our first week can be found here.

  • August 9 & 11, Wednesday, Thursday, and Friday – 6th-Grade Tiger Camp (orientation program) for 6th Graders

  • August 16, Wednesday – Back to School Night 6:00 pm (Gym, Classrooms. Mark your calendars. More information will come through ParentSquare.

  • August 17, Thursday - Middle School Athletics registration. The City of Palo Alto runs the after-school sports programs at all 3 Palo Alto middle schools.  Please note that registration for Fall Sports offerings starts for Fletcher Students on August 17 at 8:30 am. Parents must create an "Enjoy!" account for registration. Please see this link for further information about the Middle School Athletic program. 

  • August 17 & 18, Thursday and Friday – School Picture Days! More information will come through ParentSquare.

  • August 18, Friday - our first school-sponsored Principal Coffee will be held at 8:45 AM in the cafe

  • August 21, Monday – NO SCHOOL for students. This is a Staff Development Day.


Thank you very much for supporting our school community.  We – the Fletcher team – look forward to a positive and productive year, and we hope your family is too!  For questions, visit the Fletcher website, or call us at (650)856-9810. 

See you soon,

Melissa Howell, Principal 

mhowell@pausd.org

Ellen Fletcher Middle School


 

Fletcher Purchases and Donations for 2023-24  

PURCHASES - Link to Parent Square Post and Donations 

  • PE Uniform.  A Fletcher logo uniform is not mandatory, but clothes worn in PE classes must be solid black shorts & a solid grey shirt.  

    • PE Uniform Shirt $12

    • PE Uniform Shorts $12

***Print your receipt for your PE purchase and bring it with you to collect your new PE clothes.

DONATIONS

  • Student School Supplies - $25 (locks, Binder Reminder, 2-inch binders, ID cards, etc.) 

  • Library Donation - $10 donation goes to expanding our library collection.

  • Musical Instrument Donation - $75 donation helps maintain instruments used by our students.

  • CTE Program Support - $25 (ancillary supplies for broadcast journalism, IT, Foods (FCS), computers)

  • VAPA (Visual and Performing Arts) - $25 (ancillary supplies for art, band, choir, drama, orchestra, accompanist)

  • 6th Grade Donation - $75 donation helps enrich the 6th-grade program, including paying for the following:

    • Tiger Camp - an orientation and community building program for 6th graders.

    • Exploratory Wheel - contributes to the supplies used by the Wheel classes.

    • Curriculum - helps pay for school supplies, Scholastic magazines, and classroom materials.

How To Pay

  • You can pay using a credit card by filling out the lower portion of this screen. Link

  • To pay by cash or check, please request a purchase form at the Fletcher main office.

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