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FES Newsletter 2.9.26

Posted Date: 02/06/26 (04:36 PM)
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Week of February 9, 2026
Principal's Message from Dr. Edwards
This time of year is often when learning (and other things for that matter) feels harder before it feels easier. Students are tackling more complex reading, deeper math thinking, and longer projects—and that can bring both excitement and frustration. This week also marked our first full week of school in a while without weather delays or cancellations, and that consistency matters. Having uninterrupted time together allows students to settle into the routines that help them thrive, build momentum, and push through challenges with confidence. We appreciate how families support perseverance at home, reminding students that struggle is part of learning and that growth doesn’t happen all at once.


“Meaning is about making a difference, not having an audience.” ~ Adam Grant




Lost and Found:  If your student is missing something since the start of the year, please take a look at THIS LINK where we have pictures of individual items and a form you can submit if you see an item that you recognize. 
 

Reporting Absences
Please assist us by being sure to call our office at 317-485-3180 or email elizabeth.thomas@mvcsc.k12.in.us if your student is going to be absent. With state reporting, we have to assign specific codes for every absence, and it saves our office staff a lot of time each day if we don’t have to call to follow-up on students that are marked absent by their teachers.  And please be sure to provide the documentation required for qualifying absences to be marked as excused in a timely manner.
MV Absence Policy Infographic




  Important Dates  

Schoolwide PTO Meeting
Monday, February 9 at 7:00pm in FES Cafe

Presidents' Day (No School)
Monday, February 16

Staff Professional Development Day (No School)
Tuesday, February 17

Spring Picture Day
Tuesday, February 24


 

Happy Friday!

This week I finished up my 3rd and 4th-grade lesson on goal setting within the school setting. I also went into each 2nd-grade classroom to do a lesson on growth mindset. This coming week, I will be joining 1st-grade classes for a lesson on growth mindset. 

Below are reminders and information about various programs at FES. 

  • Hancock County is looking for all community members 14 years and older to fill out their 2026 Hancock County Community Health Needs Assessment by April 30th. Please see the attached flyer to access the survey. 
  • TBRI stands for Trust-Based Rational Intervention. We use this framework in our schools. If you are interested in attended TBRI Caregiver Training please fill out the interest survey!
  • While 3rd and 4th-grade transition lunches were going to start this week, they were pushed back and will now start next week. During lunch, we will talk about things that they can continue and start doing this year to help them transition to their next grade level. These are 1-time lunches and do not repeat weekly. 
  • Any student has the ability to request to come talk/meet with me. All the student has to do is to ask their teacher to come meet with me.
Upcoming events:
  • Q3 Classroom Lessons
    • 1st: February 10th-19th
    • KG: February 20-27th

House Points Update


Students of the Month

These students were chosen by their classroom teachers for this past month for “sticking together” and setting a positive example. We called them to the top of the Success Slide and gave each of them one of the gold tokens for our book vending machine which they were able to use to choose a book to keep. We are so proud of these great kids and the great choices they make each day!

Student ShoutOuts

These students were called to the Success Slide on Friday to be recognized for something from the week (being a great helper, working hard, demonstrating growth in a skill, etc.)  Thanks for being valuable contributors to our Viking community!


MV Reads: News from the Library

Mrs. Jennifer Leavell, FES Teacher Librarian

A huge thank you to all FES students, families, faculty, and staff for a very successful Book Fair! I loved experiencing the excitement of Book Fair all week and connecting students with books (and maybe a poster and fun pen here and there!). A special thank you to all of our parent volunteers for helping everything run so smoothly! 


 
 
"Be a Substitute Teacher" and MV Employment
Fortville Elementary is a great place to work, and we would love to have you join our team.  You can apply on the MV Employment website. We are currently looking for a leave coverage resource teacher.

And we always need substitute teachers! Subs apply through Kelly Education Services (information below).
  1. To learn more or apply for substitute teacher positions at Mt. Vernon, please contact Kelly Education by completing this Inquiry Form and a recruiter will follow up with you. For questions, please call 800-991-5157, option 2.
  2. Kelly Services will guide the applicant how to obtain a substitute permit issued by the Indiana Department of Education (~$17) and a background check (~$28).
  3. Kelly Services will then share a short orientation video that will show you how to choose the jobs of your choice at Mt. Vernon and how to see the incentive offers.
     
 
 
Help Support FES Year-round
Help our school get a share of the money that many of America’s best companies are giving to K-12 education.  SchoolStore.com is an online shopping mall where over 400 merchants have agreed to give a percentage of every sale to schools.  This includes companies like Walmart, Best Buy, Old Navy, Kohl’s, etc.   Just go to the website and then to the merchant websites you normally order from and help us earn rewards. The SchoolStore fundraiser is 100% online so there is NO face-to-face selling, handling money, or delivering products.
 
Go to https://www.schoolstore.net/sid.t?0000177219 to sign up.  If you have questions about how to participate, reach out to our office.  Once you are registered, invite family, friends and co-workers to support your child and our school.
 

Parent Resources
To be a chaperone on a field trip or to volunteer in the classroom regularly, you must have a clear background check from the current school year on file with our building (this is separate from any other MV buildings).  FES Volunteer Background Check Form

At MV, we have all of our instructional staff trained on TBRI, and we now have a Parent Resource Hub available to our families to access at any time.
Webinars on support and advocacy for parents of High ability students.  https://nagc.org/page/webinars




Second Semester All Pro Dad Meetings:
January 23rd - Optimism
February 20th - Responsibility
March 13th - Patience
April 17th - Determination
May 22nd - Compassion

 
 
The FES PTO spirit wear store is always open to help with your FES and MV apparel desires.
 LINK for Fortville Elementary Designs       LINK for MV Designs
Mt. Vernon Flyers

Community Flyers