Important Dates
September 22 6:00 p.m. Back to School Celebration
September 25 Yom Kippur - Schools and Offices Closed
September 28 Watch D.O.G.S. Kick-off Ice Cream Social at 6:30 p.m.
October 2 Hearing & Vision Screenings for
October 5 PTA Meeting 7:00 p.m. in the Media Center
October 9 Staff Development Day - no school for students
October 20 Staff Work Day - no school for students
October 31 End of 1st marking period - schools close 3 hours early
View the HCPSS Calendar in English
View the HCPSS Calendar in Spanish
View the HCPSS Calendar in Korean
View the HCPSS Calendar in Chinese
***Want to receive HCPSS text messages regarding weather-related closing info, late bus info, etc.? You must opt-in. Text "YES" to 67587 from the device on which you would like to receive messages.***
Forest Ridge Family and Friends,
What a terrific week we have all had this week! Our students have gotten used to their classroom routines and everyone is settling into the new school year so nicely.
Last night we held a very successful parent night to review the new Standards Based Instructional Report Card (SBIR) that students in grades PreK - 2nd grade will be receiving starting this school year. We were joined by a staff person from the county math department who was also able to help answer any questions or concerns. Please check out THIS CANVAS PAGE that has all the information we shared and more. It is a great resource to help you understand the new report card. Students in grades 3 - 5 will be getting the new report card starting next school year.
Our staff are truly enjoying the coffee/tea/cider/hot chocolate station we were able to set up in the staff lounge thanks to many of your donations. We will be continuing to take donations throughout the school year in order to maintain this wonderful addition. To donate items, you can go HERE. Please feel free to help us promote getting donations by posting the link to our Wish List on your own social media.
As always, please feel free to reach out to either of us if you have any questions or concerns. Thank you for your continued support of our amazing school!
~ Mrs. Lannon & Ms. Pazornik
FARMs APPLICATION INFORMATION
Many HCPSS families are eligible to participate in the Free and Reduced Price Meals (FARMs) program, which provides children with a wide range of benefits including free or discounted college tuition, testing and application fees, academic and athletic program fees and many others in addition to free or discounted meals.
Families are urged to check their eligibility and complete a FARMs application as soon as possible. Families must submit a new application every school year.
Details on the Free and Reduced Meals program are available online. Use the link below to apply.
REMEMBER - you have to apply EVERY year. If you were approved last year, it will expire on October 11th.
FARMs Online Application Link: https://www.myschoolapps.com/Application
Did You Know??
Participation in the Free and Reduced-Price Meal program qualifies students for the following opportunities:
Students may be eligible for these additional opportunities:
Please contact the front office if you have any questions or need assistance with applying for the Free and Reduced Meal Program.
MCAP Reports
Students in grades 4 and 5 who took MCAP last spring will be bringing home Individual Student Reports for ELA and Math next week. More information about the Maryland Comprehensive Assessment Program (MCAP) can be found here.
Family Files Need to Be Completed
Please complete your Family File for each of your children through HCPSS Connect. Your Family File needs to be verified and/or updated EVERY school year. As of 9/22/23 we only have 70% of them completed - help us reach 100%!
Your completed Family File provides emergency contact and other critical information for students. Completing your Family File also ensures that you are receiving important information and updates for HCPSS and Forest Ridge ES.
To complete/update your family file information please see the directions below:
Once logged in, parents/guardians will be asked to provide or update all of the following information:
Vision and Hearing Screenings
Our Vision and Hearing Screenings are scheduled for Monday October 2nd 2023 and Friday October 13th, 2023. Screenings will be completed on students in PreK4, Kindergarten, 1st grade and all new students to Maryland Public Schools. If your child wears glasses, please encourage them to bring them to school and wear them for the screenings. Please see attached flyers for more information. English flyer Spanish flyer
BSAP College and Career Opportunities Night
The HCPSS Black Student Achievement Program invites you to attend the upcoming BSAP College and Career Opportunities Night on Thursday, October 12, 2023, at Long Reach High School. This College and Career Opportunities Night invites scholars in grades 8 - 12 countywide to network with working professionals, colleges, and universities, explore post-secondary opportunities, and learn more about HCPSS pathways. The evening will highlight a variety of colleges and universities as well as local businesses and organizations. To register, please complete the Registration Form linked here.
School Spirit Days for 23/24
We are excited to share our school spirit days calendar for the 23/24 school year! We hope this helps families plan ahead. There may be spirit days that pop up here and there based on activities that are going on in the building, but this calendar is what we will be following. You may want to print it out, put the dates on your personal calendar, hang it on the fridge - whatever works for you to remember these fun days!
PTA Committees
Committees NOW Forming Up! Have you considered getting more involved with sharing your ideas and planning the work of the PTA? Check out the committees for the 2023-24 School Year and find which one or two fit your interests, talents, timing, and availability! Please fill out the online interest form to be contacted with more details and to raise your hand to join! https://frespta.org/fres-pta-committees/
Joe Corbi’s Sales have started!
Joe Corbi’s fundraiser begins! A packet came home with your child with instructions to participate this week. Money raised will be used to fund assemblies, field trips, and our community events but the children also have the opportunity to earn rewards for their saleswork!
Pickup for delivery will be on Saturday, November 18th in the afternoon. Additional information will be forthcoming.
Watch D.O.G.S Kick-Off Ice Cream Social, Thursday, September 28th
Are you a Dad Of Great Students? Watch D.O.G.S is a family and community engagement program for elementary schools. It helps provide positive male role models for the students, demonstrating by their presence that education is important. Join us in the cafeteria at 6:30PM for an Ice Cream social to find out additional information, receive training, purchase your shirt for $20 (bring cash if possible) and pick your date to volunteer. You can pre-order your shirt for pick up at the event by visiting https://frespta.ptboard.com/formvw?store=4292&form=2. Limited quantities available, more will be ordered post event.
PTA Monthly Meeting - October 5 at 7pm
Save the date for this monthly meeting in the media center.
Fall After School Activities
Fall 2023 Howard County Recreation & Parks before & after school classes for students at Forest Ridge ES. These classes provide fun, structured, educational and enriching activities for students, benefitting both the child(ren) and parents! Click here to see the flyer.
HCPSS Community News and Programs Site:
In response to community requests for resources, HCPSS’ new Community News and Programs website makes it easy for families to find educational and recreational resources, events and after-school programs beyond the school day by non-profit organizations. Community organizations requesting their announcements be shared in school newsletters should visit community-programs.hcpss.org for more information. Questions should be directed to the Public Information Office at publicinfo@hcpss.org.
Columbia Area Mothers of Multiples (CAMOM) Fall Consignment Sale, Saturday, September 23nd.
Follow this link for more information: https://www.camom.org/consignment
HC Drug Free Events
Receive HC DrugFree's Free Newsletter: To receive HC DrugFree's free electronic newsletter packed with information for parents and opportunities for students, go to https://hcdrugfree.org/enews-signup/
Stay Informed about What’s Happening in Howard County: Sign up for HC DrugFree’s newsletter at https://hcdrugfree.org/enews-signup/ to get updates on events as well as information to keep your family safe and informed.