Fox Lane Middle School Kicks off the Year with Town Hall Meetings

To kick off the 2024-2025 school year, Fox Lane Middle School held a series of Town Halls for each grade level. These meetings helped to clearly lay out expectations, school norms and the school’s new Positive Behavioral Interventions and Supports (PBIS) framework.

“Today we’re going to be talking about some expectations we have of you as seventh graders,” seventh grade Assistant Principal Kevin Hanlon told students gathered in the Suzanne Grant Theater. “You’re the next level up, leaders in our building.”

After introducing support staff that students can turn to when in need — including counselors and psychologists — attention was turned to the new PBIS framework: FLMS CAREs.

Principal Mary Harrison walked students through what the acronym stands for: collaboration, appreciation, relationships and empathy.

“Every adult in the building will be looking for examples of these things throughout the school year,” Harrison told them. “We want to create a positive culture of acceptance and teamwork in our school building, to acknowledge our diversity and to foster positive relationships among everyone.”

To be sure students understood each of the words, Harrison took them through each one, asking students to provide definitions.

“What does it mean to be appreciative?” Harrison asked.

“To be grateful and thankful,” a student responded.

“Great! And how can you show that you’re appreciative?”

“By respecting people and saying thank you,” another student said.

After ensuring students understood the new framework, Hanlon went on to discuss building non-negotiables (like not being on phones, not putting hands on another student, speaking respectfully).

“As seventh graders, we expect more of you,” Hanlon said. “You contribute more positively to the building and how it’s run. Sixth graders look up to you. They don’t know how we do things here. It’s up to you to show them.”

To end the assembly, Hanlon shared tips from students on how to be successful at FLMS. These included prioritizing your time, organizing materials in a way that works for you and taking the time to get to know peers outside of your friend group.

Hanlon also made it clear that all adults in the building are there to help.

“It’s important for everyone here to feel safe and supported,” he said. “Always ask if you need help.”