Local News

Fort Frye Local Schools: Board discusses annual Camp Middle School, wellness program

BEVERLY -- Members of the Fort Frye Local Schools Board of Education learned more details about the district's annual Camp Middle School at its regular monthly meeting on Thursday night.

Salem-Liberty Elementary School Principal Krista Ross and fifth grade teacher Kelly Hendrix explained that this one-day camp is designed to educate incoming sixth grade students about what to expect as a middle schooler and to provide the students an opportunity to become acquainted and socialize with one another since they are enrolled in three different feeder elementary schools.

"The teachers and administration created this specific camp when Fort Frye first reconfigured to have a middle school campus that included sixth-graders," said Ross.

The students visit the middle school classrooms and meet all of their teachers.

Then they are transported to nearby Camp Hervida for a day filled with learning stations and team building that eventually ends with dinner and a school dance.

Hendrix shared, "The students naturally are nervous to transition to a new school building, and this program helps ease their concerns, develops emotional connections and fosters a sense of security."

As part of Fort Frye's wellness program, there is an extra emphasis in the district on the importance of kindness. Random Acts of Kindness Week was celebrated by the school system last week, and fourth grade Salem-Liberty Elementary teachers arranged for this year's acts of kindness to honor Josie Treadway Cunningham, a former student who was tragically killed in a car accident earlier this month.

According to a release from the Fort Frye Local School District, "Josie was known for her loving and kind personality so it was only natural that we encourage our students and staff to follow her example by expressing kindness to others. We developed the motto #beaJosie from her family that is very involved in our school community."

Fort Frye Local Schools also approved its list of seniors meeting requirements for graduation as well as unanimously approved several resolutions related to transfer and resignation of personnel and the hiring of athletic coaches for the 2025-2026 school year.

The next meeting of the Fort Frye Board of Education will be held on March 20 at 6 p.m. at Fort Frye High School in the College and Cadet Career Center.