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Fernwood Avenue Middle School

Embrace, Engage , Educate

FMS Newsletter for the Week of March 1, 2026

Posted Date: 03/06/26 (01:34 PM)


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Fernwood Weekly - Rise Above

Week of March 1, 2026

The exterior of Fernwood Avenue Middle School on a sunny day.

Principal's Message

Dear Fernwood Families,

As we move through another month, I am continually inspired by the dedication our students bring to our school. Our shared mission to Embrace, Engage, and Educate, is visible in every classroom, and it is the foundation of the success we celebrate daily.

To maintain this momentum, I want to reaffirm our commitment to the high expectations that make our school a leader in excellence. Our Code of Conduct is a crucial piece of all that allows us to live out our mission every single day.

Living Our Values

When we hold ourselves to a higher standard, we create the best environment for every student to thrive:

  • Embrace: We ask every student to embrace our school values of integrity and respect. By following our shared guidelines, we show that we value ourselves and our peers.
  • Engage: True engagement happens when we interact with one another positively and purposefully. Adhering to our conduct standards ensures that every student can participate in a safe, focused, and supportive atmosphere.
  • Educate: High expectations in behavior lead directly to high achievements in learning. When we all respect the boundaries of our community, we protect the time and space needed for education.

Excellence is not an accident, it is a habit. This past couple of weeks we conducted our grade level meetings to reinforce these ideals. We are asking every student to continue leading by example and taking pride in the high standards we set for ourselves. Thank you to our families for your continued partnership in upholding these expectations.

Sincerely,

Frank Locantora
Principal
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Events Calendar

*Updated as of 3/5/26
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Attendance Reminders

A friendly reminder that all absences and doctor notes can be emailed to FMSattendance@eht.k12.nj.us 

Students must be present for 4.5 hours to receive full credit for the day. 

They must: 
Sign in no later than 10:15 am 
Sign out no earlier than 12:45 pm 
Students cannot be late or leave early on half days or two hour delay.

Thank you!
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Student Achievement

Author's Purpose

Mrs. Swift and Ms. Filangieri's 6th grade ELA class began their nonfiction unit this week. They are taking a deeper look at Author's Purpose. 

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Orchestra Conducting Workshop

This week, advanced orchestra students from Fernwood and Alder Middle Schools visited Rowan University to participate in a conducting workshop. The students performed for Rowan’s conducting students, providing them with the opportunity to practice working with a live orchestra.

During the visit, our students also met Dr. Higgins from Rowan’s music department and had the chance to interact with college music education majors. It was an incredible experience for everyone involved and the first time both middle school orchestras participated in this event. We hope this will be the start of many more opportunities like this in the future! #ehtpride

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Read Across America

Our National Junior Honor Society students had a wonderful opportunity to visit the Swift-Slaybaugh Complex in celebration of Read Across America Week! During their visit, members spent time reading with our K–3 students, sharing their love of books and helping to inspire a joy for reading in our younger learners. It was a special experience for everyone involved, as our NJHS students demonstrated leadership, kindness, and a commitment to serving our school community. We are so proud of the positive role models they continue to be!

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Two young girls sit at a round table, one reading a book and the other listening attentively.
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Newton’s 1st Law of Motion

This week our students learned about Newton’s 1st Law of Motion, Inertia! They tested it by building towers of cups and cards. They pulled the cards to make the entire tower land in one stack. 

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Climate, Culture, and #EHTPride

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Community Partnerships

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rec soccer
A checklist for parents about preparing children for smartphones
PC Volunteers
'NJ Parent Link

NJ Parent Link

NJ Parent Link
Updates have been made to the NJ Parent Link website to highlight & prioritize content & hyperlinks to youth suicide, crisis & mental health lifelines, helplines, services and resources:
Youth Mental Health & School/Home Partnership Resources

NJ Parent Link
Navigate Parenthood, Navigate New Jersey.

Parent Portal

Do you have a parent portal account? Request an account today by emailing icportal@eht.k12.nj.us and provide the following information in the body of your email. If you have requested an account and haven't received a reply, please check your spam folder. Due to overwhelming requests, replies may take up to five days.
Parent Portal account.
EHT text message sign-up.
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An advertisement for EHT Transportation, featuring a yellow school bus and recruitment information.
 
 
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Contact info