Fredericksburg Middle School

110 West Travis Fredericksburg, TX 78624

Phone: 830-997-7657 Fax: 830-997-1927

www.fisd.org

The Billie News Dear FMS Families,

Welcome to our 2nd nine weeks at FMS. The 1st nine weeks may have gone by quickly, but great things were still happening on our campus. As teachers and students got to know each other, the campus starting buzzing and relationships were built. As we continue throughout the year, these relationships will only grow stronger and help our students to achieve success.

Looking into the future, 8th graders have the opportunity to visit local universities in November. This is an amazing experience for our students to see potential prospects right in their back yard. As they venture out, we hope that they carry their Billie PRIDE with them. On our campus, clubs and organizations are hard at work making connections, improving our community, and having fun. Later in the newsletter, be sure to check the extracurricular activities that FMS promotes. I encourage everyone to stay connected through Class Messenger, TX Connect, and teacher Instagram accounts. Let’s push hard to finish this semester with great student achievement, strong attendance, and a passion for learning!! Thanks for sharing your children with us! Missy Stevens

FMS Principal

Notes from Nurse Cathy

Dear FMS Parents,

We’re off and rolling with a fabulous start! I am proud to say this is my 4th year

at FMS. I have been in the district going on 14 years. The first 10 years were

spent at the Primary Campus. I love being able to see all the kids that attended

Primary School while I was there and now have the opportunity to be able to

see how they have grown and changed as well as getting to know the new kids

to FMS.

Throughout your child’s school years, there is always a need for school person-

nel and parents to communicate. Effective communication between the nurse’s

office and our FMS parents is extremely important in order to help your child in

the event of an illness or injury. Working together for our children’s health, our

goal is to provide an environment that promotes optimal wellness for all FMS

students. To accomplish that goal, full cooperation and communication between

home and school is essential. By providing quality health care and encouraging

open and clear communication, it is our hope that all students will be able to

achieve their maximum learning potential. I want to thank each of you for your

continued communication and support – please know I appreciate you!

I am looking forward to a great school year and continuing to move forward with

our health, safety and wellness program. Please let me know if I can assist you

in any way as we finish this 1st semester strong. I hope you and your family have

a memorable holiday season.

Nurse Cathy

“To be in your children’s memories tomorrow, you have to be in their lives to-

day.” Unknown

REMINDERS:

Keep your phone numbers current. Should an emergency arise, we want to have all your

child’s contact information in place for our staff.

Medication:

To be given at school, a parental slip must be signed to administer a prescription or a non-

prescription medication at school for 10 days or less.

A doctor’s order parental permit must be signed to administer prescription or non-

prescription medication at school for 10 days or more.

All medication (prescription or non-prescription) must be in the original properly labeled con-

tainer provided with the appropriate permit slip.

**MEDICATION IS NOT ALLOWED TO BE SENT TO SCHOOL OR HOME ON THE SCHOOL BUS

OR WITH THE STUDENT IN THE BACK PACK; THEREFORE IT MUST BE DROPPED OFF AT THE

NURSE’S OFFICE BY AN ADULT AND ARRANGEMENTS MADE TO BE PICKED UP.**

Symptoms that require a child to stay at home or to be picked up during the school day:

Fever – If a child is running fever of 100 degrees or more, the parent will be notified to pick

the child up from school. If a child is running fever prior to the start of the school day, the

child must stay home. The child may return to school after 24 hours of being fever free with-

out fever reducing medication.

Vomiting – Parents will be required to pick their child up from school if the child is vomiting.

If a child vomits prior to the start of the day, the child needs to stay home. The child may re-

turn to school once they are vomit free without anti-nausea medications for at least 24

hours.

Diarrhea – If your child has diarrhea, you will be required to pick up the child from school. If

a child has diarrhea prior to the start of school, the child needs to stay home. The child may

return to school once they are diarrhea free without diarrhea-suppressing medications for at

least 24 hours.

Remember the 24 hour rule of thumb!

FMS is no longer using Celly to keep parents

informed.

To ensure you

receive important

FMS news please

make certain your

contact

information is

current.

If you have any

questions please

call the FMS office

at 997-7657

Don’t miss out!

Www.fisd.org

Please notify the school

immediately if there are any

changes in address . Report cards

and other correspondance are

mailed home based on the address

provided on the registration forms.

All visitors please

be prepared to

present your drivers

license………

******************

Please remember

to sign in when you

come visit our

campus.

Reminder to all parents that the lost and

found is in the cafeteria!

Remember to put

your name in Coats,

Jackets and

sweatshirts.

Reminder:

Sign up for txConnect and get access to your

students attendance and grades…

Sign Up For Free and

Reduced Price Meals

@

www.heartlandapps.com

Or pick up a lunch application in the front office.

STUDENT COUNCIL

The FMS Student Council Officers for the 2016-17 school year are:

PRESIDENT Tripp Dennis

VICE-PRESIDENT Everett Borton

SECRETARY Faith Geistweidt

TREASURER Kade Jenschke

SERGEANT AT ARMS Lauren Benfield

The Student Council will be hosting a Veteran's Day Assembly Thursday,

November 10 from 8:15am - 9am in the FMS gym.

The Student Council officers will attend the Student Council Middle Level State

Convention on November 4-5, at the Embassy Suite Hotel in San Marcos,

TX. We have the opportunity to meet other middle level councils from across

the state of Texas, and attend sessions about community service, drug

awareness, recycling, and school pride projects.

-Vicky Crenwelge

Academic U.I.L.

Academic U.I.L. practices are underway. Students are busy preparing for our district meet. This year Fredericksburg Middle School will be hosting the district meet on Saturday, December 10th.

Our U.I.L. meets have always been a great success due to the help we re-ceive from parent and community volunteers. Please pick an area where you would like to help. Opportunities include:

Volunteering to help with the FMS hospitality breakfast and lunch pro-vided for the coaches and bus drivers from the visiting schools along with the FMS coaches and judges.

Helping PTO with the concession stand in which we will be providing a meal deal and snack items for visiting student competitors.

Volunteering to judge writing or speaking events.

UIL is such a great opportunity for the children of FMS to show off their academic abilities, and it would not be possible without the help from parent volunteers. If you are interested in helping with our meet in De-cember, please contact Gina Jenschke (ginaj@fisd.org) or 997-7657 as soon as possible.

Your continued support of academic U.I.L. is greatly appreciated.

FIELDS OF FAITH

The FMS choirs have been busy the past 9 weeks! They started the year by continuing the tradition of singing the national anthem at the pep rallies. For the blackout pep rally the choir members made posters and created their own blackout shirts. A highlight of one pep rally was when 2 high school varsity choir members performed. Jeremy Houston, grade 11, sang "Old Man River" followed by Landon Priess, grade 10, singing "Can You Hear the People Sing" from Les Miserables. The middle choir members joined Landon in his song. The boys and senior choir president, Makayla Gonzalez, visited with each choir and performed for them. The fall concert was held Monday, Oct. 17 at the FMS cafeteria and both choirs performed. FISD computer technician, Jeff Styles, accompanied the 7th and 8th grade choir on one of their songs. The theme for the concert was "friends" and students submitted photos of themselves with their friends which were displayed in a PowerPoint presentation while songs were performed. Beginning in early September Ari Watson, Makinlee Morton, Camille Hebert and Skyylar McGee began preparing their audition music for All-Region Choir auditions which took place in San Antonio, October 15. They competed against singers from the Northside School District, Boerne and Bandera. Camille Hebert made 5th chair in the alto section and Skyylar McKee made 8th chair in the soprano section of the Intermediate Choir. Both girls return to San Antonio November 6 for the All-Region Choir Clinic and Concert. The holidays are quickly approaching which means both choirs beginning to learn holiday music for their December 19 concert at First Baptist Church. Choir members from FHS will also perform at that concert. Michelle Stehling Choir Director

FMS CHOIR

BAND

FMS Band will be going to the ATSSB Region Band Auditions on Saturday,

November 12th in Burnet, Texas.

We have 5 students in the FHS Front Ensemble, Kevin Igarta, Paige Guzy, Tizane

Rodriguez, Gerry Balderas, and Camille Hebert. There are 14 students who

serve as FHS Band Managers, Shaylea Ramirez, Anael Araiza. Carson Barnes, Gerardo

Barrera, Kelsey Curl, Priscilla Diaz, Kendra Sanchez, Frankie Villagrana, Fabian Bernal,

J.T. Lee, Miguel Gamboa, Natalia Rivera, Angela Simpson, and Mykia St. Pierre.

FHS Band is going to State Marching on

Monday, Nov 7th!!!!!!!!!!!

Congratulations…...

Studio602

Art I

I have 2 main objectives for Art I; to explore and employ the 7 Elements of

Art and to get the students hands on as many different mediums as

possible.

So far this semester, we have explored LINE, SHAPE, SPACE, COLOR and VALUE.

We began our art education together with a drawing unit. We got to know the

two halves of our brain a bit better and worked to quiet the “bully” left

allowing the right to take over. Our goal was to focus on how an object

is instead of what an object is.

We employed this practice as we drew interesting collections in our Circle

Collection drawings.

Once our drawings were complete, we moved on to our COLOR THEORY unit. We

learned how to create each color in the color wheel using only the 3 Pri-

mary Colors. We also explore VALUE adding black and white to our HUEs

creating TINTS, SHADES and TONES. Choosing a specific color scheme, we

then applied all this knowledge to our Circle Collection.

As we explore and worked, we also created this ONE OF A KIND

collaborative COLOR WHEEL. Riley Rizzo was the lucky winner in a drawing.

Currently it is on exhibit at the FISD Central Office board room.

Next Up….TEXTURE & FORM with CLAY!!

Art II

Art II began the year reacquainting themselves with the 7 Elements of Art

employing each in their first project 7 ELEMENTS REVIEW CUBE.

Illuminated Manuscripts underscored our study of Medieval Period and Early

Christian Art.

The month of October has been spent exploring the cultural celebration of

Dia de los Muertos. A variety of Mexican Folk Art was explored by both Art

II & III.

Currently, Art II students are furthering their look at Dia de los Muertos

or choosing a topic of Fall or Nature to explore in either dry pastel or

acrylic paint. These pieces are still in the works.

Art III

Once again, I count my blessings, thankful to be able to work with these

students for three years in a row! I cannot thank these artists enough

for committing to art (and me) for the entirety of their FMS journey. I

learn from them every single day!

We began our year with a reflective piece; I had a BALL this Summer. The

artists were to think of an event or series of events they could convey in

a variety of media on a pretty challenging substrate… a Dollar Tree bouncy

ball.

In Art III, the artists are expected to first create a Project Process

Plan providing a bit of a map or sequence of how they think they will

attack their piece. As they work, they are to make additional notes, ask

themselves questions, documenting how media reacts, etc. After completing

a project, I ask that they go back and reflect on the process adding notes

in a different color ink. Then, with many projects Art III artists will

write an Artist Statement. These will be displayed along with their work

at our annual studio602 Art Show in May, allowing the viewer to get a

deeper sense of the artist and their work of art.

Art III’s October was also dedicated to Dia de los Muertos.

These advanced artists were given a list of 9 projects from

which to choose. Many are still in the works and will have to

be set aside and returned to after completetion of our yearly

Zertz Holiday Windown Commission.

Felt Tribute Pillow Black Glue & Dry Pastel

Glue & Acrylic Wood Burning….and more.

Happy Fall to All and remember to see more of

what goes on in the studio on our Instagram

studio602.

Shop I & II

Shop I students have been very busy getting acquainted with the tools and equipment while

learning about shop safety. All Shop students learn that safety is first and foremost while

in this class. We are learning the shop routines, procedures, shop clean up, and what it takes

to always do our best work. Shop I students have made whirly-gigs, a pasta scoop, a toy car,

and are currently busy building a bird house. Next quarter will see penny soccer boards and

a key ring while learning how to use a lathe.

Shop II students have been charged with the attitude of “Expect more.” Since these students

have already taken Shop I they know what is expected of a safe and productive shop student.

With this in mind I am expecting them to take things to a higher level- better quality work,

better behavior and maturity, and to be better leaders. So far, things are going well. We have

made another whirly-gig, a self-designed bird house and a wooden bottle opener. We are

currently working on washer boxes. In the future you can expect your Shop II student to come

home with a wooden pen or pencil, a wooden fishing net, and either a fishing rod or a

wooden bowl. More information will be coming concerning the fishing rod project.

Outdoor World Outdoor World students have been busy this school year. We started off the year learning

about team building, cooperation, and how to overcome specific challenges. Next came

survival- how to recognize survival situations, what to do, how to increase the chances of

survival, and how to be prepared ahead of time. Students then learned about compasses and

how to navigate using one. Students are currently learning the intricacies of fly fishing.

In the coming weeks students will be learning about archery and how to shoot a simple bow.

The last part of the year will be spent bouldering (side ways rock climbing).

Gardening and Landscaping

The horticulture students have worked hard to prepare the

garden beds for fall planting. Last week students planted beets,

radishes, arugula, spinach, lettuce and carrots. The seeds have

germinated well due to the care of the students. The students

have spent a lot of time pruning and trimming the flower beds

around campus. They have taken ownership and pride in their

work and school. They have planted thousands of wildflowers in

the landscape. They learned that they will not bloom until

spring. A great lesson in life that sometimes the hard work they

put in now may not show immediate results but over time they

will see the fruit of our labor.

The Cross Country teams ended their season with 2 district championship titles, 1 district runner up title, and 1

third place district finish. What a terrific way to end the 2016 cross country season! The runners ran their best times of

the season at just the right time. Every week each runner focused on improving his/her time the next week and by the

end of the season they did just that. Our eighth grade runners were great leaders, and we wish them well has they con-

tinue on their cross country journey into high school. As for next year, we look forward to seeing what great feats the

seventh graders will accomplish.

7th Grade Boys – District Champs 7th Grade Girls – District Champs

8th Grade Boys – 2nd place in District 8th Grade Girls – 3rd place in District

Amie Pyka 3

Jaelynn Rock 5

Avery Semmler 7

Skylar Denton 8

Reese Griffin 10

Amanda Usener 11

Genesa Quay 17

Perla Salazar-Aguilar 23

Samantha Perez 29

Leslie Correa 32

Hailey Penick 35

Amie Pyka 3

Jaelynn Rock 5

Avery Semmler 7

Skylar Denton 8

Reese Griffin 10

Amanda Usener 11

Genesa Quay 17

Perla Salazar-Aguilar 23

Samantha Perez 29

Leslie Correa 32

Hailey Penick 35

Jayden Sanchez 1

Thomas Wainwright 7

Trapper Cramer 9

Andrew Kendrick 10

Miles Hammond 12

Blake Penick 15

Jose Lopez 20

Kade Kuhlmann 21

Aurora Bloodgood 5

Sydney Slaughter 12

Abbie Reno 13

Jade Whiting 14

Sadie Eidson 18

Kayla Feller 24

Amanda Phelps 32

FMS CROSS COUNTRY

FMS VOLLEYBALL

Volleyball Records

8th Red 7-3

8th White 8 wins 2 losses

7th Red 5-5

7th White 6-4

MRS. HERRERA <3