"Dear FPS Community,
Welcome to the 2026–27 school year! I hope your summer has offered rest, time outdoors, and moments with the people who matter most to you. Whether your child is returning to a familiar classroom or starting at a new school, we are looking forward to welcoming every student back for a year of learning and growth.
Last year, we asked a great deal of this community. We opened new grade-level complexes, formed new teams, and learned new routines together. Those structures have held. Our staffing has remained remarkably stable, our relationships have deepened, and we begin this year on a foundation we built together.
KEY BACK-TO-SCHOOL DATES · FPS Calendar
● First Day for Students, Grades 1–12 and Age 22 Programs Wednesday, September 2
● First Day for Kindergarten Thursday, September 3
● No School, Labor Day Monday, September 7
● First Day for PreK, ECDC Oak Street Tuesday, September 8
● First Day for PreK, ECDC Pond Street Wednesday, September 9
Please note that Friday, September 4, and Monday, September 7 (Labor Day) are no-school days.
OUR PURPOSE AND PRIORITIES
Our theme this year is Anchored in Purpose, Shared Vision, Stronger Schools. Last year we built. This year, we plan to strengthen what we built. We stay anchored in purpose because our structures exist to serve students, and every goal we set traces back to a student outcome. We hold a shared vision because our schools are stronger when our work is connected rather than siloed. And we build stronger schools by holding high expectations for ourselves while giving one another the support to meet them.
Our work is guided by the Franklin Public Schools District Improvement Plan, anchored in four strategic objectives:
1. Strengthen School Community and Team Collaboration — Create environments where everyone feels they belong, trust is built, and people work together toward shared goals.
2. Build Coherent Systems and Structures — Establish predictable, transparent, streamlined systems that promote efficiency, accountability, and continuous improvement.
3. Align Instructional Practices — Ensure high-quality, inclusive, universally designed instruction, using data to inform teaching and calibrate expectations.
4. Enhance Communication — Share clear, timely, transparent communication district-wide to foster trust and support decision-making at every level.
Our administrative team spent three days together in early August turning these objectives into school improvement goals with real action steps, owners, and measures. Your child’s principal will share those goals with you this fall. These are not words on paper. They are the everyday commitments that shape how we connect, teach, and learn.
SUPPORTING A SMOOTH START
Families can help students begin the year with confidence by:
1. Re-establishing bedtime, morning, and homework routines before the first day.
2. Reviewing bus stops, pickup times, and expectations for safety and respect on all routes. Routes will be published the week of August 17.
3. Discussing school expectations, found in each school handbook.
4. Staying informed through your school’s newsletters, teacher updates, and the FPS and FHS Panther mobile apps."
Continue reading the back to school letter - (full PDF version)
FHS back to school letter - (Google doc)
