School Procedures

Principal:                                      Chris Hiti                   651-403-7601  |  christopher.hiti@isd197.org

Associate Principal:                    Mike Wilfahrt           651-403-7611  |  michael.wilfahrt@isd197.org

Associate Administrator:           Kira Fischler             651-403-7609  |  kira.fischler@isd197.org

 

Visit our directory to find the contact information for Friendly Hills teachers and staff members.

School is in session from 8:45 a.m. to 3:20 p.m.

 

 

The building is open to students beginning at 8:30 a.m. on school days. The front parking loop and lot quickly become places of high traffic where extra precautions are necessary during the drop-off and pick-up times. Student safety is our priority!

To cooperate in our efforts, please follow these parking loop and lot guidelines:

1. Use the left lane of the parking loop only to slowly pass the parked cars on the right. Do not park in the left lane to drop off your student(s).
2. Park only in the right lane, closest to the school building, to allow your student(s) to safely exit the car onto the sidewalk or grass. Encourage your student(s) to only walk on the sidewalk or grass, rather than through parked or moving cars.
3. Use the parking lot only for parking and escorting your student(s) to the school. Do not drop your student off in the main parking lot. Families are welcome to park along Mendota Heights Road. There is a crossing guard and sidewalk leading from the road to the school building.
4. Do not park in the handicapped parking spaces unless you have a valid hang tag/license plate to do so.
5. The parking zone behind the school building is for school buses and vans only.

Your participation helps the parking loop run safely and efficiently, thank you!

If your student will be absent from school, please call the attendance line at 651-403-7607. (Available 24-hours a day)

If the line is not answered, please leave a message including the student's name, grade, date of absence, and reason for absence.

Alternatively, families are also encouraged to use the free TalkingPoints for Families app/text-based service to communicate with the office regarding absences. Filling out this Google Form will also fulfill calling your absence in.

Early Pick-Ups

If a student needs to leave early for an appointment or any other reason, we will call them out from class when a parent/guardian is in the office to sign their student out.

Late Arrivals

No need to call the office to report a late arrival - send a note with your student, and the office will adjust their attendance in Infinite Campus.

        In May 2024, Minnesota lawmakers passed a bill requiring school districts and charter schools to adopt policies regarding students' use of cellphones in school. It aims to reduce the risk of cyberbullying and minimize the negative impact of cell phones on students' academic performance, mental health, and behavior. Friendly Hills Middle School does not allow the use of cell phones during the school day (8:45 a.m. - 3:20 p.m.), including lunchtime. Students should leave their cell phones in their lockers or at home. Below are the procedures that will be used by Friendly Hills staff if a student has their cell phone out during the academic school day:

1st time -  The student will be asked to turn the phone off and put it away. 

2nd time - The student will be asked to bring the phone to the office and pick it up after school.

3rd time - The student will be asked to bring the phone to the office, a parent will be called by school administration, and the phone will remain in the office for the remainder of the school day. 

4th time - A meeting will be held with the student, administration, and family. An alternate plan will be put in place (e.g. leaving phone in office for the school day upon arrival, leaving the phone at home.)

All phones will be kept in a secured location if they are collected by a school administrator.

        If you need to get in touch with your student during the school day. You can contact your student(s) by calling the school’s main office at 651-403-7600 and talking to our office administrative assistants. Additionally, your student(s) can contact you by using a phone located in the main office.

        If there is a medical need or other circumstance where a cell phone is needed, please contact the school.

*Personally-owned devices are brought to school and used by students at their own risk; Friendly Hills Middle School and District 197 accepts no responsibility for loss or damage to personally-owned devices brought to school by students.*

Students are not permitted to have outside food and beverages from coffee shops, restaurants, and food services (such as Uber Eats, DoorDash, etc.). This includes special occasions such as birthdays.

Students may bring a hard-sided water bottle (not flexible plastic, which can be squeezed to shoot water) and bag lunch from home, but other food and beverages are not permitted. Hot breakfast and lunch are served daily to all students at no cost.

If your student brings outside food or beverages, it must be finished before entering the school.

Parents/guardians often question if students should stay home or attend school. The following guidelines are provided to help with this decision:

Fever over 100 degrees

Stay home for 24 hours after temperature returns to normal without the use of fever-reducing medication.

Vomiting or diarrhea

Stay home for 24 hours after last episode.

Excessive coughing

Child can bring cough drops to school and self-administer if parents send cough drops and a note granting permission for child's use at school.

Rash with unknown cause

Check with physician before sending to school.

Eye redness with green/yellow drainage

Check with physician before sending to school.

 

If you are keeping your child home for any reason, please call the attendance line (651-403-7607) in the morning. Give your name, your child's name, and their grade. Please tell us if your child has a fever over 100, vomiting, diarrhea, or severe upper respiratory symptoms, as we track these during flu season.

Family and community members are welcome to visit Friendly Hills during the school day, provided the visit is consistent with the health, education, and safety of students and employees. Visitors (parents, guardians, short-term substitute teachers, volunteers, contractors, vendors, etc.) MUST enter and exit through the main entrance and complete the check-in or check-out process. All other entrances to the building are locked and secured and are not entrances for visitors.

During the check-in process, visitors will be asked the purpose for their visit and the staff member with which they have scheduled an appointment. They will also be given a badge that must be worn for the duration of the visit. All regular volunteers must follow this process throughout the year.

Visit the District's Building Visitors webpage for all Visior Visitor Expectations and Responsibilities Procedure

COMMITMENT TO SERVICE 
Friendly Hills focuses on incorporating volunteering and service learning at all grade levels. Service learning provides real-life, hands-on experiences and prepares students to be responsible global citizens.

Each year, Friendly Hills students participate in Make a Difference Day — a celebration of community volunteer work. It's an occasion to recognize and appreciate all the hard work and planning that goes into making communities safe and pleasant places to live. Each grade level celebrates Make a Difference Day by working together to positively impact their community, the country or the world.

SUSTAINABILITY
LiveGreen is the district wide sustainability program that promotes energy saving and recycling initiatives. Each school throughout the district has a LiveGreen team. Learn more about School District 197's Sustainability program and LiveGreen teams.

WELLNESS
To actively engage students, staff and families in physical activity and healthy eating, the District has implemented a Wellness program. Representatives from throughout the district work together on the Wellness Committee to promote nutrition and exercise initiatives. Learn more about Student Wellness in School District 197.