Franklin High School

70% of our students have yet to fill out the registration. This is all the paperwork this school year. You will need to verify addresses, phone #, emergency info, custody, etc. Visit https://www.macon.k12.nc.us/o/mcs/page/online-registration Click on the "Families with Students Currently Enrolled"

FHS Parents and Students, Afternoon Dismissal Update (Morning routines remain unchanged) After relocating the bus line to our front loop, we've observed a safer and more efficient dismissal process for our students. We plan to continue with this arrangement and appreciate your cooperation in making it even smoother. Parents and students, please ensure communication is clear if you will be picked up on Panther Drive or behind the Media Center on McCollum. The McCollum carline can accommodate more parent traffic than was seen today, and those who used it were able to depart quickly. We encourage you to consider utilizing the McCollum carline to further improve the overall dismissal process. Reminder: From 2:45 PM to 3:20 PM, the front loop in front of the school is reserved for buses only. Thank you for your attention and continued cooperation.

The administration at FHS is constantly looking for ways to improve the safety of our students and become more efficient. To this end, the AFTERNOON release routes have been changed. Please note, this does not change anything in the mornings, so you can continue with your usual routine. This is only an adjustment to the afternoons. Panther Drive will remain a parent pick-up location. In addition, the loop on McCollum Drive will now be utilized as a parent pick-up location. As you enter the loop (immediately after passing by the "Road Closed Ahead" sign), the right lane will be used as the waiting area. The left loop is for departures once families have picked up their students. Please avoid waiting for your student in the left lane to ensure everyone gets out promptly. All vehicles will need to exit to the left after leaving the loop. McCollum deadends at Panther Drive. The front loop will be the staging area for buses. To ensure the buses can get in position and not delay anyone's departure, the front loop will be closed starting at 2:45 pm. At that time, parents cannot pick up their students for early dismissal. Just to remind you, buses will roll by 3:20pm. Once the buses are off campus, the front loop will be reopened for parent pickup. These efforts will be better aligned with plans once the construction of the new Franklin High School begins later this year. Please remember that some students depart from the front of campus and cross Porter Street as they head home. We kindly ask that you exercise extreme caution to ensure the safety of all people. **please do not under any circumstances pick your student up in the cross walk on Porter Street. This is extremely dangerous, backs up traffic and has nearly caused several accidents. Thank you for your help with this matter, and Go Panthers!

🎉 Hey Panther Nation! 🎉 We’re excited to share that what started as a simple thank-you for our incredible teachers and staff has become a special opportunity for everyone! Due to an amazing response, we've opened up the limited edition FHS “The Pit” shirts to all Panther fans! 👕 Get Your Limited Edition FHS Gear Now! 👕 Every purchase supports our school, with a portion of proceeds going back to FHS. These unique designs are more than just stylish—they’re a tribute to “The Pit,” a place full of memories for so many in Panther Nation. 🕒 Act Fast! The store closes on 9/9, so grab your piece of FHS history before it's too late. ✨ My top pick? The BSN Recruit Hoodie—sharp, comfortable, and perfect for showing off your Panther pride! Shop now and be part of the legacy! 🐾 👉 https://bsnteamsports.com/shop/PIT2024 Thank you for your support, Panther Nation!

There will be a 200 question exemption test for Drivers Ed given on Saturday 9/21 at 9 am at FHS in the cafeteria. Any student who will be the age of 14 1/2 yrs old by this date is able to take this test. To register for this test, you will need to visit the wncdrivingschool.com website. Please read all information for study materials and items needed for test on the website. Cost is $65 cash

Panthers Pit Edition Shirts and Hoodies available for sale. Shop will be open until September 9th bsnteamsports.com/shop/PIT2024

So Panther Nation! Our post this morning about a gift for our teachers sparked a lot of interest in others being able to purchase their own. Well.....we listened and set up an online store. You also have multiple items to choose from. A portion of each item sold will be donated back to FHS. All items ordered will be shipped directly to your home. But hurry....the shop will only be open for 10 days. https://bsnteamsports.com/shop/PIT2024

Franklin High School will be offering the PSAT on Friday, October 18th (this is a teacher workday). This is a voluntary test - you will not be required to take this exam. High achievement on the exam will make you eligible for National Merit Scholarships. The cost of this exam is $18. If you are interested in participating, please fill out the google form below and see Mrs. Jostes in Counseling Cove to pay your $18 test fee. Sign-ups for the PSAT are due by Friday, September 27th, at the end of the school day. https://docs.google.com/forms/d/10WW7rQRhxhkQbA0drIaoB1eKZGaTMtnSrmVyG1-Qu8E/edit For more information about the PSAT, click on the link below. https://satsuite.collegeboard.org/psat-nmsqt Please let me know if you have any questions or need any additional information, Emily Awtrey Main Building 206

Parents and Students, Thank you for a fantastic first day back. The students genuinely seemed excited to be back and we were more than happy to see them. A few reminders: Please do not use the student parking lot for student pick-up in the afternoon. This is for safety issues. Please try not to arrive before 3:05. The gates to Panther drive will not open until 3:05 and we cannot have traffic backed up onto Porter Street starting at 2:45. The later you come the faster you will get out. Please bear with us as some traffic patterns may change as we adjust to be able to get parents, students and buses out safer and faster. **Please encourage your student to participate in the free lunch and free breakfast program. It’s free!! Each time they get a school meal they are helping us keep it free for the next 4 years. Lastly, even with lunch and breakfast free, it is extremely important for us to collect free and reduced lunch applications. They can be filled out in just a couple minutes at the link below or a paper copy can be made available at the school. https://linqconnect.com/main?identifier=Z7QWCS%3Ffbclid%3DIwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR3QqHBER9_zUsaTuWRl6NHx4z7umhBYdKpJiXb_j_8MkS0nwam1lgVQp_I_aem_u8xSEiFS6_LM4nDT-brJzA

FHS Student Drivers: If you are assigned to the main lot for parking please use the Wayah Street (road behind football field)side entrance to access the parking lot. Thank you for your help!!

**Please note, FHS students will not be issued their school iPad until registration is successfully completed online. All new students to Macon County Schools and returning students must register online (the iPad agreement form is apart of the online registration) North Carolina Public Schools have changed from Powerschool to Infinite Campus to store student information. Families will now complete all beginning of year paperwork online through Infinite Campus. New families who are enrolling their students into our school, will also complete the enrollment paperwork online. Below are directions for setting up your Parent Portal account and completing your beginning of year paperwork. If we had an email on file last school year, a link was sent to that email, which will take you directly to the Infinite Campus Parent Portal website. Thank you for your patience and understanding. If you encounter issues, please contact Ms. Van Tol at FHS for access information. Thank you

Rising 9th graders, Just a reminder that orientation will take place this Wednesday at 3pm. Please complete online registration through Infinite Campus prior to orientation. If you need assistance, computers will be set up at orientation.

Help Guide for Parents and Students

Parents and Students, **New Student Enrollment (Meaning you did not attend Macon County Schools in 23-24) will require a visit to FHS in addition to the online registration. Please call Ms. Jostes at 828-524-6467 and set up and appointment to complete enrollment. **Current students.....schedule changes will only be considered for core class placement or to complete a full schedule. There will be no elective switches considered. You may see someone in the office for schedule changes after 2:30 PM each day. **Incoming Freshmen....if you have viewed your schedule on Infinite Campus please understand that 9th grade schedules are still being finalized and may change.

A message to parents: Please watch your email for instructions on how to access and set-up your Infinite Campus Parent Portal account. Infinite Campus is our new Student Information System that will replace Powerschool. More information can be found under the Parent Resources section of our website or by accessing the document below. https://core-docs.s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/documents/asset/uploaded_file/3129/MCS/4704175/Parents_and_Students.pdf

Dear Parents and Students, We are pleased to share that last night, the County Commissioners graciously agreed to assist our School Nutrition Department in offsetting costs, allowing us to provide free breakfast and lunch to students at Franklin High School and Highlands for the 2024-25 school year. We extend our sincere thanks to our Board Members and Mr. David Lightner for bringing this matter to the Commissioners' attention. This is fantastic news for our entire school community, and we hope it helps alleviate some of the financial burdens on our parents and students. With inflation on the rise and federal income guidelines not keeping pace, we believe this support is both timely and necessary for all our families. Earlier this May, Franklin High School was left with $14,000 in outstanding lunch balances—a significant increase from previous years. This highlights the growing need for assistance. However, to maintain free breakfast and lunch beyond the 2024-25 school year, we still need your support. We ask all families to complete the Free and Reduced Lunch Applications. This is crucial, not only for students who may qualify for free meals but also for those planning to attend college after high school. Additionally, parents who wish to access Sun Bucks for summer meal assistance will need to ensure that an application is completed. In essence, each time your child receives a free meal, they are helping to secure this benefit for other students as well. There is another way you can help Franklin High School maintain free meals in the coming years—participation. Please encourage your students to take advantage of the free meals provided. Each time a student receives a breakfast or lunch, it increases our participation rates, bringing us closer to eligibility for the Community Eligibility Provision (CEP) status. The FHS Administration and teachers are actively working with the School Nutrition Department to boost participation. We will be making some small adjustments to our schedule to support this effort, and we ask for your cooperation as we work to benefit all current and future FHS students. Thank you for your continued support. The link to complete the School Lunch Application for the 2024-25 school year is below. Even if you believe you don't qualify, please apply. If your student received free or reduced lunch last school year, they must reapply. If you need any assistance, please reach out to FHS, and we will help you in any way that we can. https://linqconnect.com/main?fbclid=IwY2xjawEpmHxleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHcz52D-YQ3V6-oWa657eK-xZ8FlMafoaeNYFtgnD-SzhPrIBOg3_XqC3uQ_aem_kksepWmq-txSoCVZDmhSpg

Parents, Be on the lookout for an email from Macon County Schools with an invite to join/register for Infinite Campus (the new Power School) Whether your student is new to Macon County Schools or a returning student, you will need to register/or update information for your student. This email will contain an Activation Code to complete registration. Once the email is received please follow the instructions in the photos below. All parents are required to update their student information/ or register their student using the Infinite Campus Parent Portal.

Meal pay and Lunch Application Information

The free/reduced lunch applications for the 24-25 school year are now available. FHS is encouraging families to apply online. If you applied for 23-24 school year you must reapply to avoid any disruption in your child receiving a free or reduced lunch. https://linqconnect.com/main?fbclid=IwZXh0bgNhZW0CMTEAAR3Y3LXduw095FT_cfiZDpB1_2gz9SUfsx1whxn_EFHn4dz3pScdIP-ltdI_aem_AmIaegfVOOdMi7IFlBbdoQ

FHS student parking pass applications are now available. Students (and/or their parents) may stop by the Front Desk during summer business hours (Monday - Thursday, 8:00AM—4:00PM) to pick up a packet. Several reminders: SENIORS may come to the main office on Monday, August 12, to purchase their parking pass. (8:00AM - 11:00AM) JUNIORS and SOPHOMORES may come to the main office on Tuesday, August 13, to purchase their parking pass. (8:00AM - 11:00AM). All students are REQUIRED to bring their Driver's License and Insurance Card with them when they come to purchase a parking pass. If a student cannot provide these required documents, their parking pass request will be denied immediately.