Would you like to find out what is taught in each grade level at FMCS? do you want to see how we are working on aligning with our state’s standards? Welcome to our new “curriculum map” website provided by Rubicon Atlas.

BEFORE YOU GO THE SITE: FMCS teachers have been working very hard for many years uploading and updating information for each subject and each grade level. Not every subject and level is complete…yet. (Overall as a school, Bible will appear in 2011; teachers are still working on other subject areas) This will never be a finished product – it is ALWAYS updating every year if we want to provide the best for your children.

Please be sure to read the directions so that you understand these are not lessons plans, they are maps that will help you see the road to learning at FMCS – the content, skills, and the very important, faith integration,  that takes place. FMCS would like to thank former Principal, Shelton Gwaltney and Assistant Principal, Denise Encarnacion – they helped us get this process started in 2004.

Benefits of Mapping (From the Rubicon Atlas Site)

Atlas allows educators to look through the macro lens at a student’s learning experience and build on what students have learned in previous years to prepare them for future classes and achievement.

Using Atlas, curricular information can be assembled and used by curriculum decision makers to:

• Determine what is taught, as it actually occurs in the classroom.
• Understand how students are being taught.
• Make appropriate, immediate modifications to the curriculum.
• Determine “why” certain performance results have been achieved.

Atlas can also allow parents a larger view of what their children are experiencing in the classroom and the requirements needed to excel. It has the capability to enable community leaders and board members to see how schools are planning students’ educational careers and what support is needed to ensure success.

TO GO TO THE FMCS PUBLIC SITE, CLICK HERE

Register for the 2010-2011 now and assure your student(s) a place on a class roster! Space is limited – we are already working on a second 2nd grade class! (make sure you have Adobe Reader installed on your computer to access and print forms)

letter for 10-11 packets – new registration

Basic Parent Information

New student App. 10-11

Financial Agreement 2010-2011 (sample)_

FMCS Q &A

Dress Code 10-11 (as of December of 09)

Preschool 3 yr old – checklist

InfoDirect™ helps parents connect our school to the home by means of a secure Internet connection. With a user ID and password, parents are able to check lunch menus, upcoming events, get directions to a sporting event, download homework assignments, even check their financial account information. All of this can be done from their home computer, for a very affordable annual fee.

1. Secure access with a username and password.
2. Information is updated daily.
3. Accessible available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
4. 12 months for the price of 10.

“I just wanted to let you know how much we appreciate InfoDirect. My son has always wanted to get straight A´s and he was so close, usually. He had determined that this year he would get all A´s. Having the ability to check his grades whenever he wants to (and us too) has given him that “extra” tool to achieve his goal! He is right on track and we are so proud of him! We wanted you to know how this has helped him to be successful. I know there have been a few little tweaks required, but whenever we had a discrepancy, the teachers have responded by e-mail very quickly. Keep up the great work!”

– Parent Comment

VERY important things that you need to know:

1) If you did not get your password and username, it may be due to several reasons:
a. You don’t have email
b. You have blocked the address and we can’t get in
(set your computer to allow info@fmcs-fl.org)
c. The email address you gave us is incorrect and we need an updated address. Please call the front office anytime you have a change in email addresses!!
2) Most of our information thru the school will come by:
a. Web Page, www.fmcs-fl.org
b. InfoDirect
We will be trying to cut back on sending papers home, including Newsbriefs. When you log into Infodirect, ALWAYS CHECK the first page for news updates and announcements! There will be no need to send home lunch menus, since that information can be accessed on InfoDirect. If you do not have access, please contact the office and we can get you a paper copy.
3) With parents having access to grades, we will NOT be sending home mid-term notices, unless you are a parent that does not have access to InfoDirect. The intention of mid-term notices was to keep you updated on grades, but now you can check them anytime.
4) REPORT CARDS, which were usually sent at the end of the quarter, will be sent electronically at the end of quarters 1, 2, and 3. The final report card, which is the official report card, will be mailed home at the end of the year.
5) Many of you have already received an email message from a teacher about a grade praise or concern. When you get those emails, DO NOT HIT REPLY. That only sends the email back to a general message box at the school. USE THE EMAIL ADDRESS given by the teacher at the end of their message.
6) Financial Information will be posted on Infodirect soon. We are waiting on a technical update in order to provide this service.
7) Grades – teachers have up to three days to record a grade in their Infodirect gradebook. Please be patient with them as they learn the system. And be patient with us because, with a new system, there are bound to be a few problems.

If you are a parent to a student at Fort Myers Christian School (FMCS) and you need help accessing InfoDirect, please contact us at email address: info@fmcs-fl.org. If you already have received the username and password for InfoDirect™, please click here.

FMCS – the fusion of faith and education! Do not delay in registering for 2010-2011, we did have to turn some students away last year when we did not have space. 

Download new forms/information: click here

Registration is open to the public! Fort Myers Christian School offers tours to the public during the school day – please call ahead to schedule a tour at 939-4642 and speak with Mrs. Paula Dillon.

Financial help news: Applications are available now for $118 million in private school scholarships for K-12 children from families with limited incomes. The program, known as Step Up For Students, provides annual scholarships worth as much as $3950 that can be used at more than 1000 private schools in Florida. To qualify, new applicants must meet the household income guidelines for the federal school lunch program. Students also must be entering kindergarten, first grade or have attended a public school this year. The program was created in 2001 by the Florida Legislature to provide educational options for economically disadvantaged children. The scholarships are financed by corporations that receive a dollar for dollar tax credit for contributions up to 75 percent of their state income tax liability. This year, the program serves 23,400 students. To get an application, call 866-406-6923 or go to stepupforstudents.org

If you have further questions, please do not hesitate to contact us at 939-4642 or contact us.

Thank-you for your interest in Fort Myers Christian School (FMCS)! It has been a blessing for me to be a part of this school since 1985. The greatest part of my career has been to see what God has been doing in the lives of our students, and see what our students do for God. It has been awesome to meet so many great teachers and parents who believe in and commit themselves to Christian education. And I am very thankful for First Assembly of God Ministries and the many ways they have supported this ministry.

It is our desire at FMCS to provide a strong academic and Christian program that will train young people to make a difference in our local community and the world. I am thankful that students have the freedom to pray and read the Bible on a daily basis. And teachers have the opportunity to teach from God’s word in every subject:

“Then (Jesus) opened their minds so they could understand the Scriptures.” Luke 24:45

There are many ways that you can get involved in our school, and we encourage you to let us know where your God-given talents can best be used for His work. The greatest way to get involved is to pray for our school! I have seen God work in so many incredible ways over the years – He is faithful!

If you have any questions, please feel free to contact me at the school at 239-939-4642, or email me at MMitchell@fmcs-fl.org

In Christ,

Mel Mitchell
Principal

PTF (Parent-teacher Fellowship) is now PARENT UNIVERSITY at FMCS! (Yes, the initials are “PU,” as in “that smells” – sometimes it “stinks” to be a parent, but the blessings are more than worth it.) Parent University will provide the chance for you to:

1. Become involved in your child’s education by volunteering! Research shows that such involvement causes children to behave better, earn higher grades, score better on tests and graduate at higher rates. (www.familyfun.com) Every responsibility is just as important as the next – no job is too small! We all work together to help this “body” become a strong Christian School. (I Corinthians 12:12)Our parents are instrumental in providing supplies and equipment for our students and teachers through fundraisers: Sally Foster, Christmas Store, Coin Drive, Box Tops, Used Uniform Store, and the annual golf tournament.
2. Have access to receive resources and information to help you stay in touch with your child’s education – grades and homework online 24 hours a day, 7 days a week (At Parent University we call that “24-7”) that will help you stay in touch with your child’s progress; a website with resources on parenting (coming to www.fmcs-fl.com) – ways to help support your children and their teachers academically and spiritually.
3. Attend special parent nights and events that will help us all become better parents – the parents that God has called us to be! Fellowship: You can also build relationships with other parents – we are all in this together! Proverbs 22:6 “Train a child in the way he should go, and when he is old he will not turn from it.”

Parent University works because volunteering, fundraising, educating and supporting parents helps us “academically train and spiritually nurture students to become productive citizens in society and impact others for Jesus Christ.”

Introducing our Parent university Parent-Teacher Fellowship officers for 2009-10:
Rita Massaro- President; Catherine Coval – Vice President, Rita Lavorgna – Secretary; Teri Reynolds – Treasurer.

Upcoming Events of Parent University
March 15 – Parent U Cafe’   8:15 am MS Cafeteria
April 19 – 23  Coin Drive
May 17 – Parent U Cafe’  8:15 am MS Cafeteria

Looking to 2010-2011 – Job descriptions and questionarie for those insterested in considering leadership in the four officer positions:

Parent University Job Description – President

Parent University Job Description – Vice-President

Parent University Job Description – Treasurer

Parent University Job Description – Secretary

Parent University Executive Officer Questionnaire

Parent University’s Top Parent Resources

All Pro Dad – great advice from Tony Dungy, NFL players, and other Christian role models  | Allprodad.com
Book: “Rock-Solid Kids: Giving Children a Biblical Foundation For Life” | Christianbook.com
Book: “Transforming Children into Spiritual Champions” by George Barna | Christianbook.com
Fun Stuff for kids and parents | Familyfun.com
Website for families | Myfamilyminute.com
Website for moms | imom.com
Sheridan House Family Ministries | shfm.org
Twelve Precepts of a Father’s Calling | shfm.org
Tips for school and home | Schoolfamily.com
Tips for parents regarding Facebook and kids

The Principal’s “90 Club”

Those who scored in the 90th percentile or above on the complete battery of the 2009 SATs, national percentile ranks for students in grades 1st through 8th grade). This is the second year of our club. Last year we had 26 students – this year, 40! These students scored in the top 90% NATIONALLY compared to students who took the SAT at their grade level:

Kindergarten:

1^st grade:

2nd grade:

3rd grade:

4th grade:

5th grade:

6th grade:

7th grade:

8th grade:

How are FMCS students performing on Standardized Tests?

Complete Battery Results from 2008-2009 (spring scores from March ‘09) Stanford Achievement Tests

*Stanine Score: Standard score with a mean of 5 and a standard deviation of 2. Stanines of 1,2,3 are below average; 4.5.6. are average; and 7, 8, and 9 are above average.