FMS, this week we celebrate National School Counseling Week!
We want to take a moment to celebrate our amazing school counselors: Stephanie Davis, Donald Timme, Lauren Hobbs-Mead, James Fundark, Louise Baca, Debbie Fowler, Danielle Straate, Caroline Thomas, Amanda Patea, Patricia Fine, Deadra Lepich, Jennifer McKinney, Keshia Beyale, Dorene Miller, Matt Smith, Anneliese Weyrauch, Marvin Pete, Cherilynn Shorty, Joanna Thrower, Rachel Yazzie, Adeola Dalton, Julie Christensen, Jennifer Dowdy, and Stacy Van Meter. National School Counseling Week 2025 is Feb. 3-7, 2025, to focus public attention on the unique contribution of school counselors within U.S. school systems. The theme is: School Counseling: Helping Students Thrive.
Happy Black History Month, FMS. February is Black History Month – acknowledging the achievements of African Americans and recognizing their central role in U.S. history. The Black History Month 2025 theme, “African Americans and Labor,” focuses on the ways that “work and working of all kinds—free and unfree, skilled, and unskilled, vocational and voluntary—intersect with the collective experiences of Black people.” You can visit https://www.history.com/topics/black-history/black-history-month#black-history-month-2023-theme to learn more about Black History Month.
Mark your calendar. Nahidizidï bikáá’ ádiiłiił.
K-12 by Elior and Farmington Municipal Schools are pleased to host the 3rd Annual Farmington Jr. Chef Competition on Saturday, April 12, 2025! Registration opens on February 18. This event is open to FMS students from 4th grade through 12th grade. Stay tuned—more details will be shared soon. We can’t wait to see the creativity and talent our students bring to the kitchen!
All FMS schools and offices will be closed on Monday, January 20, 2025, in honor of Martin Luther King, Jr.
Mark your calendar! Nahidizidï bikáá’ ádiiłiił!
FMS In The News – School districts pilot AI tool to improve attendance. By André Salkin, The Santa Fe New Mexican. A new artificial intelligence platform is helping four New Mexico school districts automate the process of tracking student absences, a task that has grown increasingly burdensome with the rise of chronic absenteeism. So far, AI technology is being tested in pilot programs in Farmington Municipal Schools, Raton Public Schools, the Carlsbad Municipal School District and Hobbs Municipal Schools. Farmington started using the technology in November at three high schools: Farmington High, Piedra Vista High and Rocinante High, which have a combined population of around 3,400 students. Already, attendance has improved slightly, responses from parents of absent students are up, and school employees have more time to provide real attendance support, according to company and school officials. Nathan Pierantoni, executive director of support services for Farmington Municipal Schools, said the decision to use the technology was a "no-brainer." "Kids can't learn if they're not present, and we're talking about a district with 10,737 students," he said. "Even if we're running a 92% daily attendance, it means we've got hundreds of kids a day that are absent — and trying to dive into the reasons why kids are absent is a complex process." Read more at https://www.santafenewmexican.com
You're invited! Nihaadiinááł! Késhjéé' (Navajo Shoe Game) with presenter Bennie Begay. Tuesday, January 28, 2025, from 5:00-7:00 PM, at the Farmington Civic Center. Join us for the Navajo Shoe Game, a traditional winter social guessing game that’s fun for the whole family.
From the FMS Health and Wellness Department – We hope everyone is settling back into the school routine smoothly! As we prioritize the health and well-being of our FMS community, we kindly ask families to monitor their children’s health before sending them to school. If your child isn’t feeling well—especially with symptoms such as a fever over 100.4°F, vomiting, or diarrhea—please keep them at home until they’re feeling better. This helps us create a healthier environment for all students and staff. Thank you for your understanding and support!
Are you a middle schooler interested in gardening and hands-on learning? Registration for the 4H Gardening Club is now open from January 6-17, 2025! Session 1 begins on Tuesday, January 21, 2025. You can register here: https://forms.gle/5rXQKmgysQMLJUCd7
FMS In The News – Farmington to revamp preschool academy. By André Salkin, Santa Fe New Mexican. Farmington will be getting a new preschool, thanks to funding from the state Public School Capital Outlay Council. Read more at https://www.santafenewmexican.com/news/education/smartboard-dec-30-2024/article_0587bb44-c558-11ef-9fe2-3f5c5ae35350.html
FMS students will resume classes on Monday, January 6, 2025. We look forward to welcoming everyone back!
Happy New Year, FMS!
FMS In The News – Farmington Municipal Schools hand out meal kits to support families over winter break. By Jacqlin Aragon, KOB. Since children are heading out for break, Farmington Municipal Schools is lending a helping hand in the kitchen throughout the holidays. On Friday, 500 cars lined up at the FMS Central Kitchen to take up the district on the offer. Each family received breakfast and lunch meal kits to last for this entire week. Read more: https://www.kob.com/new-mexico/farmington-municipal-school-hands-out-meal-kits-to-support-families-over-winter-break/
Happy Holidays, FMS!
FMS families, pick up 5-day Breakfast and Lunch Meal Kits on Friday, December 20, from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. and on Friday, December 27, from 3:00 to 5:00 p.m. Distribution location for both dates is Central Kitchen (305 N. Court Avenue). No registration is required. First come, first served.
A big thank you to FMS Student Nutrition and K12 by Elior for providing 5-day breakfast and lunch meal kits to help keep our students nourished during the Winter Break!
The 2024 Farmington Christmas Parade was a joyful celebration for our community this week. We’re excited to share some highlights from last week’s spectacular event. Historic Downtown Farmington was truly magical, filled with holiday cheer. A big round of applause to all the FMS groups and Student Nutrition for proudly representing our district. We’re also deeply grateful to the Farmington Police Department for ensuring everyone had a safe and enjoyable experience during the parade.
Current FMS sophomores and juniors, if you have a GPA of 3.0 or higher, you are invited to apply to the 2025 Dennis Chavez New Mexico LDZ, a nationally recognized leadership program sponsored by the National Hispanic Institute. This prestigious program, which will take place from June 8–15, 2025, at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque, is fully funded, including tuition and application fees. This amazing opportunity is made possible by special funding from legislation sponsored by Senator Michael Padilla. To learn more, join us for a virtual informational meeting on Tuesday, December 10, 2025, at 6:30 p.m. Join via Zoom here: https://us06web.zoom.us/j/86773707905. You are encouraged to apply before the December 20 holiday break at https://www.nationalhispanicinstitute.org/event-5844666.
Join us for Tibbetts Middle School Band’s Winter Concert, on December 17, at 6.00 PM, at San Juan College’s Henderson Fine Arts Center (4601 College Blvd). See you there!
Wishing our students, families, staff, and community a warm and joyful Thanksgiving! And enjoy these wonderful moments from McCormick Elementary School’s second-ever Turkey Trot. This special event brought our students, families, and staff together for fun, laughter, and a celebration of physical activity—all while also strengthening the bonds that make our community so incredible. Way to go, Celtics!
