Happy Friday everyone,

I wanted to take a moment to help our families understand the recent magnet program letters that went out. I know these can cause some concern, so I want to clarify why they’re sent and reassure you that our goal is to help every student graduate from Innovation Academy.

First, please know that every member of our team, from teachers and counselors to administrators, is focused on supporting students and helping them succeed. When we send a probation letter, it isn’t meant as a punishment. It’s part of the district’s process for schools like ours that don’t have attendance zones. We’re required to notify families when students are not fully meeting the expectations of the magnet program.

As a parent, I understand how receiving a letter like this can feel unsettling. The wording can sound serious, and it’s natural to worry. But our intent is not to alarm you. The purpose of the letter is to make sure families are aware and have time to take action long before a student is at risk of being removed from the program.

If your student is placed on probation, please know that we will continue working closely with them to get back to good standing quickly. Each letter includes information about who to contact and what steps to take to improve. Our goal is always to keep students here and see them through to graduation.

I’ve also heard some questions about Flex Friday credits. We’re continuing to make this process more consistent and accurate, but it will never be perfect. The reason is that IA offers so many unique opportunities that don’t always fit neatly into a single system. For example, a student might compete in a special event or project that overlaps with their pathway’s Flex Friday. That could temporarily affect their credits and trigger a letter, even though they’ve done nothing wrong. In those cases, we work directly with students to make sure they have time to recover the credit and stay on track.

We’ll keep improving this process to make sure communication is clear and accurate. In the meantime, I ask for your patience and trust in our efforts to support every student and keep them part of the IA community.

If you receive a letter, please take a few minutes to read it fully, talk with your student, and if needed, contact the staff member listed in the letter. They can help you understand the reason for probation and what needs to be done to correct it if you have questions.

Probation status is confidential and never shared outside the school. Our goal is always to help students return to good standing and continue toward graduation.

Thank you for your continued support, and please reach out to me if you have any questions or concerns.

Scott Kent
Principal, FCS Innovation Academy