Important Dates:
September
24 5:00-9:00 PTA Chipotle Restaurant Night
25 6:00-7:30 Wellness Walk/Ice Cream Social (Bus Loop/Cafeteria)
26 Math Parent Workshop (grades 3-5)
30 Rosh Hashanah (Schools and Offices Closed)
October
1 7:00 PTA Meeting – Media Center
4 6:00-7:00 Kindergarten Playdate
7 Joe Corbi’s Fundraiser Ends
9 Yom Kippur (Schools and Offices Closed)
10 6:30 Watch Dog Pizza Kickoff
16 Chick-fil-A Spirit Day (Johns Hopkins Road location)
18 Professional Work Day (No school for students)
18 7:00-9:00 PTA Skate Night, Laurel Roller Skating Center
24 Teacher Luncheon during all lunch periods
25 7:00 PTA Movie Night
26 7:00-9:00 PTA Halloween Dance
29 4:30 to 9 Red Hot and Blue PTA Restaurant Night
Prize Patrol
Congratulations to our latest group of Eagle Egg winners:
Angel B., Ngun T., Alec M., Anthony E., Myna B., Mikel W. Class: Mrs. Tiffey
Keep up the great work!
Ellie H., Jonas K., Elijah K.
From our Administrators...
Dear FRES Community,
It was wonderful seeing so many of our families this week at our two Back to School Night events. Hopefully everyone has seen the tweet of our packed house on both nights:) We are looking forward to seeing many families at our Wellness Walk/Ice Cream Social this Wednesday, September 25 @ 6:00 PM. Many of our staff members will be scooping ice cream. Have a wonderful weekend!
Drop off for students begins at 8:55 am. Students are not monitored by school staff prior to this time. Please help us with safe car loop procedures. Below are a few reminders:
Thank you in advance for your help in making our arrival and dismissal procedures safe for all.
Mr. Conroy & Miss Pazornik
Forest Ridge News...
Cell Phones
Students in elementary school do not need cell phones. If students need to contact their parent during the school day, they may use the phone in the front office. If a student brings a cell phone to school it must remain off in their back packs while on school property.
Changes to the Elementary Report Card--Learning Behaviors
Beginning this school year, you will see changes to the Learning Behaviors section of the HCPSS report card. These changes are in alignment with the updated Elementary Grading and Reporting Policy. Please use this link to learn more about Policy 8010: https://www.hcpss.org/policies/8000/8010-grading-reporting-pre-kindergarten-grade-five/.
Learning Behaviors are learned actions that enable students to access learning and interact with others productively in the community. These behaviors are developed in and outside of school. Additionally, Learning Behaviors help with understanding and managing emotions, establishing and maintaining positive relationships, and making responsible decisions that are essential life skills. The learning behaviors also complement the curriculum content taught in the elementary grades and are a natural part of learning about oneself while interacting with others. These new learning behaviors were collaboratively developed with teachers, administrators, curriculum staff, and parent advisory committees.
Please use this link https://www.hcpss.org/academics/learning-behaviors/ to learn more about the Learning Behaviors.
Use this link for information in Spanish.
Free and Reduced Meals Program
HCPSS participates in the Free and Reduced Meals (FARMs) program. Students (PreK-12) who meet the federal income guidelines are eligible to receive free or reduced-price meals. Applications are available on-line or in paper forms. A new application needs to be submitted each year. Please complete the application (Spanish and English) as soon as possible to avoid delays in your student receiving a meal. Go to http://www.hcpss.org/food-services/farms/
NOTE: We have a number of field trips coming up this year. If we do not have an updated family file for your child, he or she will not be permitted to attend since we won't have updated emergency information.
Interested in Joining Girl Scouts?
Anyone interested in joining Girl Scouts should come to the North Laurel Community Center this Thursday night, September 26th, at 6:30pm. We will be forming new troops and looking for both girls and adult leadership. If you cannot make it, please contact Cathy Lindenmann. catherine_lindenmann@hcpss.org
Technology News
Each week your child attends technology class where he/she is learning how to use various programs on the laptops. Some of these programs require sound. We are not always able to use this feature because of the distraction it would cause fellow classmates. In order to utilize the sound feature, we are providing the following options for students at FRES:
If you choose for your child to bring in his/her own headphones, please send them in a zip-lock bag with your child’s name on it. Headphones will be kept in the classroom where students can access them for instruction or testing, and will be carried to technology class in a bin.
Canvas Information
HCPSS teachers use Canvas, a Learning Management System, for instruction and family communication at all grade levels. As a parent, you have access to these courses as an observer. To learn more about Canvas and to ensure that you are being notified when announcements are sent, visit https://www.hcpss.org/connect/guides/
If you have any questions, please contact me at school or email me at clair_wise@hcpss.org. Thank you for supporting technology at Forest Ridge!
PTA News...
Happy Friday FRES families!
I hope you found Back to School Night as informative as the Hasan family did! Thank you for stopping by our PTA table to sign up for membership and trying out the Joe Corbi’s fundraiser cookie and cake samples!
Our Joe Corbi’s Fundraiser packs went out this week. The fundraiser runs until Monday, Oct 7th and products will be delivered in early November -- perfect timing approaching the busy holiday season!
This week, our Teacher Appreciation committee coordinated a special breakfast for our para-educators thanks to the donations from FRES families. They also organized a generous donation from FRES extended family to give each teacher $1.25 to get a treat from the vending machines on Back to School Nights, which the teachers so appreciated.
Our 1st Skate Night of the year drew in 176 skaters! While this is a community event and not meant to be a fundraiser, proceeds to FRES PTA amounted to $637! This money will go right back into supporting our students, teachers, and families.
On Tuesday, Sept 24th, you're invited to join FRES friends and family for our first restaurant night, 5-9 pm at Chipotle Mexican Grill in Maryland City (3353 Corridor Marketplace, 200 & 300, Laurel, Maryland 20724). Don't forget to bring the event flyer sent home in Thursday folders, or take a picture of the flyer with your phone. If you show the flyer or picture when you order, 33% of proceeds will be donated to FRES PTA. See you there!
Our Annual Wellness Walk/Ice Cream Social is next week, Wednesday, Sept 25th. Come walk the bus loop from 6:00-6:30pm and then circle back in to the Cafeteria from 6:30-7:30pm for FREE ice cream sundaes. FRES staff will be scooping your frozen treat. There will be a frozen popsicle option for those who cannot have dairy products. Hope to see you there!
Have a great weekend!
Khaleda Hasan, FRES PTA President
Upcoming Events
Kindergarten Play Date is Friday, Oct 4th from 6-7pm on the FRES playground
Our Kindergarten Play Date, which was rained out last month has been rescheduled! We will invite all Kindergarten families to come and meet the PTA and network with each other while their children play with their new friends.
We need volunteers to help with the event! We need ppl to (1) hand out toys, (2) hand out snacks, (3) temporary tattoos, (4) greeting families.
Our committee head is also looking for a co-chair because next year will be her daughter's last year at FRES so we will need to someone to take over in 2021. If interested, please contact Heidi James at heidi_L_james@outlook.com.
NEW After School STEAM Lab Cooking Class at FRES
I'm the Chef Too will transform the classroom into a tinker lab to cook up some Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math at FRES this fall. Children are inspired to build like an engineer, question like a scientist, create like an artist, and deduce like a mathematician all through the world of cooking! Watch their excitement as they develop all of their creations in the kitchen and then dig in with a spoon and enjoy.
Class starts October 15th, Tuesdays from 3:50-5:05 p.m. (10/15, 10/22, 10/29, 11/05, 11/12, 11/19) for Grades K-5. $135 for 6 classes.
To register, visit https://imthecheftoo.com/ then click "Enroll Now" and select The STEAM Lab at Forest Ridge.
A parent volunteer is still needed for this class.
Coca-Cola Rewards
The My Coke Rewards for Schools program will donate cash to FRES for Coke points, found inside cartons of 12 packs and on the lids of bottles of Coke products. The codes can be entered and donated to FRES https://us.coca-cola.com/give/schools/. Or turn caps and codes into your teacher in a baggie or envelope.
Community News...
Community Conversation on Restorative Justice
The Office of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion, in sponsorship with the Howard County Education Association and the Restorative Justice Partnership, will be hosting a community conversation on restorative justice. The event will take place October 7 from 6:00 pm-9:00 pm in Rouse Theater. Refreshments will be served from 6-6:30 pm. Please see the attached flyer for details.
What is restorative justice HOCO flier.pdf
Need help finding daycare?
LOCATE: Child Care is here to help. LOCATE: Child Care at Maryland Family Network is a free service funded through a grant by The Maryland State Department of Education which is provided to people seeking child care in Maryland. Visit marylandfamilynetwork.org for more information