FOLSOM MIDDLE
SCHOOL
Chris Aland
Principal
Brian Zan
Vice-Principal
Kari Bjork
Vice-Principal
Jana Morris and
Margie Komatsu
Counselors
GENERAL INFORMATION
1344 Students
51 Teachers
11 Sports Teams
Clubs and
Organizations
More Information:
www.fcusd.org/fmsweb
Agenda

PTO and the Cave (Folsom Parks and Rec)

School Environment

Required Classes

Honors and Enriched information

Electives

Activities and Sports

Dress Code

School Safety

Q and A
Common Core
Smarter Balanced Testing
42 state consortium
 Preparing Students for Career and
College
 Will There Be New Tests for the New
Standards?
 California’s CCSS Implementation Plan
 Go to FCUSD.ORG for more info

CLASS SCHEDULING
6th Grade
Classes are CORED– same group of students for Math/Science and
English/History, usually with the same teacher for each core.
Teachers are TEAMED– Math/Science teacher works together with
English/History teacher to plan curriculum and activities
BELL SCHEDULE
Monday through Thursday
8:50 -- 9:13
Homeroom 23 Minutes
9:18 -- 10:10
Period 2
10:15 -- 11:07
Period 3
11:12 -- 12:04
Period 4
12:09 -- 12:39
Lunch
12:44 -- 1:36
Period 6
1:41 -- 2:33
Period 7
2:38 -- 3:30
Period 8
52 minutes
35 minutes
BELL SCHEDULE
Friday – Early Release for Common Planning Time
NO HOMEROOM
8:50 – 9:35
Period 2
9:40 – 10:22
Period 3
10:27 – 11:09
Period 4
11:14 – 11:44
Lunch
11:49 – 12:31
Period 6
12:36 – 1:18
Period 7
1:23 – 2:05
Period 8
45 minutes
35 minutes
CLASSES REQUIRED
GRADE 6
Math Course 1
Enriched Crs 1
GRADE 7
Math Course 2
Enriched Crs 2
GRADE 8
Math Course 3
Integrated Math 1
English/Honors English
History
Science
P.E.
Elective
Honors English
1) Advanced 2013 STAR score in English/Language Arts
and
2) 4th grade STAR Writing Exam score: 4
and
3) All A’s in 5th grade Language Arts (Reading and Writing)
and
Honors English
4) A score of at least 80% or higher on Honors English
placement test (multiple choice) given to students in the
spring and
5) A score of at least 80% on a writing exam given to
students the same day as multiple choice placement test
(watch website for date.)
6) GATE identification indicates a strong potential for
achievement and is considered a positive determining
factor when a student has met some, but not all, of the
criteria.
Honors English
 Students
who meet the first five criteria
will be placed in Honors English.
 In
the event there are spaces remaining
in the Honors classes, students who
have met some, but not all, of the
criteria will be placed with those meeting
#1, #2, #3, #6 and #4 or #5 first.
Enriched Math Course 1
 To
qualify a student must score
at least 80% on the district
placement test
and
 The
student must also earn A’s
and/or B’s in 5th grade Math
Advanced Math Placement

Students in 5th grade may challenge Course 1 and go
into Enriched Course 2 by meeting ALL of the
following criteria:
All A’s in 5th grade math
 80% score on placement test
 80% score on district challenge test of 6th grade
standards


The challenge test will be given at Folsom Middle
School in the spring. Check our website for the date.
A student’s day will consist of……
HOMEROOM





Daily Bulletin
Homeroom Tutorial
Silent Sustained
Reading
Class Meetings
Study Hall
During the first
week of school
students will go
over the
Parent/Student
Handbook in detail
so that all students
are aware of rules
and expectations.
SCIENCE




Hands-on labs
Demonstrations
Outdoor Education
Notebooks
MATH
Fractions
 Decimals
 Statistics
 Probability
 Equations

HISTORY




Ancient Civilizations
Large scale/long term
projects
Notebooks
Re-enactments
ENGLISH



Students will read 3 to 6
novels per year
Write essays
Grammar, spelling and
reading strategies
P.E.




Exercise
Physical Fitness
Team Sports
Individual Sports
PE
This is what
students wear if
they forget to bring
their PE clothes……
A Folsom Middle
School Loaner
Uniform!
PE Locker Room
and an ELECTIVE
When students register they will choose an
Elective….
•Music – year long
•Spanish – year long
•Project Lead the Way – year long
•Exploratory Wheel – trimester rotation
MUSIC CLASSES
Intermediate
Band
Chorus
Intermediate
Jazz
Orchestra
Band (by audition)
MUSIC CLASSES
If a student chooses either band or
orchestra, they will start at the
intermediate level.
We do not have beginning music.
Students must have had one year of
instruction through school or private
lessons.
Spanish—Year Long Elective

Spanish 1A and Spanish 1B will be offered

Once a student has completed both classes
the student may enroll in Spanish 2

If a student completes both Spanish 1 and
Spanish 2 in middle school, the UC’s will
recognize that the student has met the
requirement for two years of a language
other than English (LOTE).
Spanish—Year Long Elective

Students who want to take Spanish AND
Band or Orchestra may sign up for zero
period PE so that they can take both.

Subject to space availability

Only offered for this combination of classes
EXPLORATORY WHEEL
Art - Perception, creative expression, historical and cultural contexts.
Project Lead the Way - Hands on, project based. Students will be
learning about engineering through critical thinking and problem solving techniques,
computer-aided 3-D design, and construction in our new woodshop.
Child Development – Students will study the physical, emotional, and
social development of children; communication skills, positive discipline techniques,
nutritional needs of children; selection of children’s books and toys, and child safety and
health.
Keyboarding – Students will learn to touch-type
Creative Writing - Narratives, poetry, editing, analyzing, collaboration
EXPLORATORY WHEEL
•When students choose the Exploratory
Wheel, they will have one class each
trimester .
•Students do NOT choose which
classes they will get and students will
not get EVERY class.
•Courses within the Exploratory Wheel
are subject to change.
Special Education Program

Transition IEP meetings will be held at the
elementary schools in March/April

Proper placements will be discussed as a
team
504 Plan
• If your child has a 504 Plan, please contact
Brian Zan at bzan@fcusd.org
LUNCH
•$3.00/day—Entrée, milk and fruit
•A variety of entrees—Like teriyaki chicken
bowl, chicken nuggets, Caesar salad,
sandwiches, pizza and more.
JAGENDA

Most students purchase a planner from the
library to help them keep track of assignments.

It’s called a Jagenda because we are the
Jaguars and it’s an agenda……
Jag + agenda =
Jagenda
ASSEMBLIES
We sit on chairs in the multi or on our bleachers in the Gym.
SPIRIT DAYS
Pajama Day is just one example. We also
have Hawaiian Day, Wacky Hair Day ,
Twins Day, Hat Day, and more.
Red Ribbon Week
Homerooms decorate their doors.
Red Ribbon Week
Red Ribbon Week
SPORTS - Boys and Girls
Cross
Country
Wrestling
Track
and Field
May
try out for 7th grade basketball team
May
try out for 7th grade volleyball team
A grade point average of 2.0 is required to
participate in extra-curricular activities.
CLUBS & ORGANIZATIONS
Video
Production
History Day
PC Pals
Leadership
Natural Helpers
(Select Group)
Yearbook
(Select Group)
Math Counts
Homework Club
Honor Society
(Select Group)
Lego Club
After School
Cave
Student
Council
NATURAL HELPERS
8th Grade students who assist other students by:
•Homeroom Tutoring
•New Student Orientation
•School Helpers
TH
6
GRADE SOCIALS
6th graders have lots of fun at social
events like…….
Picnics
Skating
Parties
And DANCES
Music, refreshments, dancing ……
and fun with friends!
Staying Connected…

PowerSchool
Grades
 Daily Assignments


When parents have questions about their
child’s grades, classroom procedures, etc.,
they should contact the teacher
Email
 Voicemail

Monthly Newsletters
 School website:
www.fcusd.org/fmsweb

Dress Code
No Spaghetti Straps
All straps must be at
least 2” wide
No Tube or Halter Tops
Necklines must be
modest
No Off-the-Shoulder,
See-Thru, or RacerBack Tops
Dress Code
The clothing in these pictures
DOES NOT meet the dress code.
Dress Code
No
Midriffs
Showing
Skirts and Shorts
must reach midthigh and holes in
clothing must be
below this point
as well
No Pajamas,
Slippers, or Flip
Flops
Shoes must be
worn at all times
Dress Code
The
clothing
in these
pictures
DOES
NOT
meet the
dress
code.
Dress Code
NO clothing that
depicts or is an
innuendo of Alcohol,
Drugs, Tobacco,
Violence, or
Profanity
No Sagging Pants
or Shorts
No undershirts,
Muscle Shirts, or
shirts with large
armholes
Dress Code
The clothing in
this picture
DOES NOT
meet the dress
code.
Dress Code
Leggings and knit
pants are allowed
IF
they are worn with
a top that fully
covers the
student’s bottom.
This top is NOT
long enough.
Dress Code
This
top
IS
long
enough.
Dress Code
These
students
ARE
appropriately
dressed
for
school.
These
students
ARE
appropriately
dressed
for
school.
Loaner
Clothes
Dress Code
Wear clothes that provide
coverage of your body.
NO undergarments showing.
The appropriateness of clothing in
question as per this dress code will be
left to the discretion of the
Folsom Middle School
Administration/Counselors.
Cell Phones
•Cell phones may be used before school, at lunch, and after
school. May never be used to take pictures or video.
•They must be powered OFF and out of sight at all other times.
•If your cell phone rings or vibrates or is seen by FMS
staff during school……..
•First Offense: Cell phone will be taken, placed in an
envelope and given to an administrator. Student may pick up
the phone after school.
•Second and Subsequent Offenses: Cell phone will be taken,
placed in an envelope and given to an administrator. The
student’s PARENT must pick up the phone.
Opportunities for Extra Help

Homeroom

Online Math Support

After School
Homework Club

PowerSchool: keep
track of grades and
assignments

High School tutors

Natural Helper tutors
LIBRARY
Hours are 8:00 am to 3:45 pm, Monday – Thursday.
We have a wonderful library with over 10,000 books and many books on tape
and CD
LIBRARY
The library has 18 computers with internet access.
Campus Hours
 Campus
opens at 8:00 am—staff
supervised
 Between
8:00 and 8:45 students are to
be in the multi/gym area; not in the
hallways
 Exceptions:
rainy days, appointments
with teachers, or to use the library
SAFETY
2 School Resource Officers (SRO’s)
Supervision
Campus Monitors
Registration Dates

Registration forms are due to the elementary
school office by February 19th or the Folsom
Middle School office by February 21st.

Check our website often for important dates
(placement tests, 6th grade picnic, picking up
schedules, etc.)

Deadline for School Choice applications is
March 7th. Turn in to “home” school.
Folsom Middle School
Q and A