• A Message from our Principal, Mr. Michael Carter

    I would like to welcome all our students, parents, community, and staff members back to Fort King Middle School for the 2022-2023 school year. I am honored to be given the opportunity to serve as the new principal for this upcoming school year.  I have already enjoyed getting to know our students, parents, and staff members throughout my short time as principal. I am excited about the possibilities of learning ahead for our students for this year.  As you will get to know me, I hope you will be able to see my passion for educating all students and prioritizing student learning, social-emotional wellbeing, and safety in my decision-making processes. I am committed to serving the students at FKMS and will keep students at the forefront of any changes that are made.

    As we continue to move into the school year, we are prioritizing student needs as we work to balance classes. The balancing of classes is a normal part of the school opening each year, but this process does cause some students to have their schedules changed.  We are working diligently to make sure students are enrolled in classes that will best meet their needs. 

    This school year is filled with many changes. In addition to myself as new principal, we also have a new Assistant Principal of Curriculum, Mr. Tim Jones, who is joining our team from Horizon Academy. Our English Language Arts and Math classes are fully transitioning from the old Language Arts/Math Florida Standards to the new Florida B.E.S.T. benchmarks and students have already begun completing the new F.A.S.T. assessment which has taken the place of the old Florida Standards Assessment (FSA).  This assessment will be administered three times this year and we have already begun this process. The first two assessments are progress monitoring assessments to measure student progress toward mastery of the end of the year goal for the new benchmarks they are learning in English Language Arts and Math.  These assessments are simply monitoring tools for us to help us better understand how to positively impact student achievement for our students. The powerful thing about this data is that it is available within a few days of students completing the assessment, which allows us to better serve our students by using the information to make instructional decisions which are more appropriate to meet their needs.  The end of the year assessment in May is similar to the old Florida Standards Assessment and will be used to measure student proficiency and eventually learning gains.

    I want to thank our students, parents, and teachers for the positive start to this school year. Again, I look forward to getting to know you all better and working collaboratively with all stakeholders to make Fort King Middle School a welcoming environment for all students that allows each individual student to achieve success.

    If you have any questions or concerns, please do not hesitate to reach out to me by email or phone.

    Title 1 Guidelines and Parent Information 2021-22

     

    TITLE I SCHOOLWIDE PARTICIPATION

    Ft. King Middle School operates a school wide Title I, Part A program, which is the largest federally funded grant program for grades K-12. It is designed to provide all children that attend low-income schools significant opportunities to receive a fair, equitable, and high-quality education.

    Title I funds can be used:

    · to hire highly qualified teachers and/or para-professionals,

    · to provide additional learning time through before/after school and/or summer programs,

    · to purchase extra resources such as equipment, computers, and supplemental learning materials,

    · to provide additional training for our school’s staff, and

    · to implement innovative family engagement opportunities.

    You will be invited to attend our Annual Parent Informational Meeting that will explain how this program is used to support the needs of your child and the school goals. You will also receive information about the

    rights you have as a parent of a child attending a Title I school. We look forward to sharing this information other exciting news at this meeting!

     

    NOTIFICATION OF TEACHERS “CERTIFICATION”

    Schools are required to provide timely notice to each individual parent that their child has been assigned to or taught for FOUR or more consecutive weeks by a teacher or substitute who is not state certified. You will be provided this notification if this applies to your child at any point throughout the school year.

     

    SCHOOL IMPROVEMENT PLAN (SIP)

    The SIP is a tool used by stakeholders to review data, set goals, progress monitor and create action plans. The most recent version of our School Improvement Plan is available by request through the school front office or for review at any time online at https://www.floridacims.org/districts/marion.

     

    “RIGHT TO KNOW NOTIFICATION”

    As a parent, you have the right to know the professional qualifications for the classroom teacher and/or paraprofessional who instructs your child. The Every Student Succeeds Act (ESSA) allows you to ask to receive information about certification(s)/credential(s) and you can request this information at any time. Requests can be made at any time by contacting our front office and asking for a Parent’s Right-To-Know Request form.

     

    SCHOOL-PARENT COMPACT

    Each Title I school must collaborate with parents to develop an agreement that clearly outlines the responsibilities and commitment that the parents, entire school staff, and student will share. This document is known as the School-Parent Compact and assists with building and developing a partnership to help students achieve the State’s high academic standards.

    The School-Parent Compact is a living document, signed by the school, staff, and parent, that will be used throughout the year as parents and school staff communicate about the progress and growth of your child.

    Please see your child’s teacher if you have not yet received a School-Parent Compact. If you would like to provide suggestions or input about the compact, please contact the school.

     

    PARENT OPPORTUNITY TO REQUEST MEETINGS

    Parent-Teacher Conferences may be scheduled when the need arises at the request of either the parent or the teacher. Parents may schedule a conference by writing a note or e-mail to the teacher, or calling the front office before or after school to set up a time with your child’s teacher. By scheduling a conference, the teacher is able to prepare individual reports, papers, etc., regarding your child to improve the sharing of information during the conference. During planned instructional time, teachers are working hard on supporting students master state standards and are not allowed to conference with parents during planned instructional time. We encourage all parents to set up and attend at least one conference per quarter.

     

    TITLE I PARENT RESOURCES

    The Marion County School District invites all parents and families to visit the Title I Parent Resource Center where there are many resources and materials available for checkout to assist you in teaching your child. The Title I Parent Resource Center is located within the Howard Academy Community Center at 306 NW 7th Avenue. Hours of operation are Monday through Friday from 8:00 AM-5:00 PM. If you have questions about available materials, please call 352-671-4171.

    The Parent Resource Center on Wheels travels to each Title I school in the district and various community events throughout the school year. Resources can be checked out from the van as well! Watch for upcoming notifications alerting you when the van will be at our school.

     

    State Level Parent Resources

    The mission of the Bureau of Family and Community Outreach (BFCO) is to empower families and communities with resources and information needed to promote a high-quality education for their children. The Bureau reaches out to serve Florida's diverse families and communities in a number of ways including dropout and bullying prevention; family engagement; volunteer and community involvement; faith- and community-based initiatives; mentoring/student assistance and school and instructional enhancement state grants; and the 21st Century Community Learning Centers federal afterschool grant.

    For general information related to Family and Community Outreach, please call: 888-665-5055 or visit the website below: http://www.fldoe.org/schools/family-community/activities-programs/parental-involvement.stml

    For questions related to Parents as Teachers (PAT) or home visiting, please contact the National PAT Center directly:

    Parents as Teachers, 2228 Ball Drive, St. Louis, MO 63146

    Phone (314) 432-4330; FAX: (314) 432-8963 Monday-Friday 8am-5pm http://www.parentsasteachers.org/contact

     

    PARENT AND FAMILY ENGAGEMENT

    Our school is committed to ensuring that meaningful consultation is ongoing between family members and school staff. When families engage with schools to support their students learning, several positive effects can take place:

    1. Students learn to read faster.

    2. Students typically score higher on tests.

    3. Students attend school on a more regular basis.

    4. Students experience less disciplinary occurrences.

    5. Students are more likely to graduate.

    The most recent version of our Parent and Family Engagement Plan is available by request through the school front office or for review at any time online at https://www.floridacims.org/districts/marion (click on your school, then click on “Other Documents”. The District’s Parent Engagement and Family Plan is available in the front office or at www.marion.k12.fl.us under “Curriculum and Instruction”, then, “Grants and Federal Programs”.

     

    SCHOOL ADVISORY COUNCIL (SAC)

    People from several groups are welcome to join our SAC committee, including parents, students, community members, business partners, and school staff. Certain SAC members are elected by their peers, business and community members are appointed and the Principal automatically serves. The SAC reviews issues of a school wide nature, helps to create and review the effectiveness of the School-Parent Compact, the Parent and Family Engagement Plan for both the school and district, and reviews the annual School Improvement Plan. SAC meetings fall under the Sunshine Law and are declared public meetings and open to the public at all times. Your input matters and we encourage you to join our SAC committee by notifying the front office. SAC meeting minutes and other related information are available to review by contacting our front office. Our first SAC meeting will take place on Tuesday, August 31, 2021 beginning at 4:15 P.M. in our Media Center.