IMPORTANT DATES
October 1 6:30-7:30 Technology Parent Help Night
October 2 School Custodian Appreciation Day
October 3 Schools and Offices closed
October 8 Joe Corbi Fundraiser Ends – All orders due!
October 8 5:00-8:00 PTA Restaurant Night at Silver Diner more info
October 10 6:30-8:00 Hispanic Heritage Night
October 17 PTA Meeting @ 6:30 on the Media Center
October 18 Professional Work Day - schools closed for students
October 26 4:00-7:00 FRES PTA Fall Festival
October 31 Professional Work and Development Day - schools closed for students
View the HCPSS Calendar in English
View the HCPSS Calendar in Spanish
View the HCPSS Calendar in Korean
View the HCPSS Calendar in Chinese
Forest Ridge Family and Friends,
We had our first VERY rainy day arrival on Thursday. It is a great reminder to make sure we all come to school prepared for the weather. Unfortunately, Mrs. Lannon left her own rain boots at home and found herself with her pants rolled up to her knees doing car loop duty in her bare feet! Don’t find yourself stuck like that. Be sure to check the weather before you leave home and make sure students have what they need to be dry/warm, now that autumn is upon us.
One of the things we really pride ourselves on is how well our school is taken care of. We have the best custodial team in the county and on October 2nd, it is National Custodian Appreciation Day. Feel free to share your appreciation with Mr. Manukure our Day Chief, Ms. Owens our Night Chief, Mr. Fleury and Ms. Thomas our custodians by having your kids write them thank you notes! We could not have such a smooth running building without them.
October marks both Disability Awareness Month and Hispanic Heritage Month, providing us a special opportunity to celebrate the diversity and strength within our community. We honor the rich cultures, contributions, and histories of Hispanic and Latino Americans while also raising awareness about the importance of inclusion and understanding for individuals with disabilities. At Forest Ridge, we are committed to fostering an environment where everyone feels seen, heard, and valued. Let's come together to learn, appreciate, and celebrate the unique qualities that make our school so vibrant.
~ Mrs. Lannon & Ms. Pazornik
Technology Help Night
On October 1st, our amazing Technology teachers Mrs. Matanin and Mrs. WIlson will be leading a Technology Help Night! This event for parents will be held from 6:30 - 7:30 pm in the cafeteria and we will have a second session meeting in the media center where we will have a Spanish interpreter. For more information, please go HERE.
Bravo, Nicholas!
Congratulations to Nicholas R. (5th grade) on auditioning for and being accepted into the Howard County GT Sinfonia Orchestra!!!! This is a highly competitive audition-based ensemble and Nicholas is the only FRES student that auditioned and was accepted.
From the Art Department
Our art teachers are working with your students to create artwork to be used for our "Art to Remember" fundraiser. See the flyers for more information. Ordering info will come home soon. Art to Remember Flyer English Art to Remember Flyer Spanish
DEAR at Savage Library
FRES students are invited to attend DEAR at the Savage Branch Library the second Monday of the month at 7PM. Dogs Educating & Assisting Readers is a program where kids, K-5th, read to dogs to practice reading and reading aloud in a judgement free space; dogs are great judgement free listeners! Build reading skills and confidence!
From Howard County Office of Human Rights and Equity
We are approaching the time to celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. in our community. This year, there are several exciting opportunities for students to engage with Dr. King’s vision of equality, justice, and community service. Additionally, all the awards come with cash prizes.
The contests include:
Oratory Contest: Open to Middle and High School students, this contest challenges participants to express their understanding of Dr. King's message through the art of speech.
Essay Contest: Also, for Middle and High School students, this competition invites students to articulate their thoughts and reflections on Dr. King's impact and teachings in essay form.
Poster Contest: Open to Elementary, Middle, and High School students, participants can visually express their interpretation of Dr. King's dream through creative poster designs.
Additionally, there is a Living the Dream Award Contest for individuals and organizations that have significantly contributed to making Howard County a better place, embodying the principles that Dr. King championed. We believe that these contests not only honor Dr. King's legacy but also inspire our students to think critically about their roles in serving the community.
For more information, including deadlines and submission guidelines, please visit https://bit.ly/2025MLKContests. Thank you for your support in promoting these meaningful contests. Together, we can inspire our students and community to reflect on Dr. King's dream and vision for a better tomorrow.
Joe Corbi Fundraiser
The Joe Corbi’s and Claire’s Gourmet Fundraiser has started! Packets were distributed to student mailboxes last week. This year’s fundraiser includes the traditional Joe Corbi products such as pizza kits, cookie dough and frozen pretzels as well as the new Designer Collection of wrapping paper, cool gadgets, kitchen helpers and more.
Online Ordering
Paper orders
After School Student Enrichment Opportunity– STEM TREE Robotics & Coding
Do you have a child interested in coding and robotics? STEMTREE Robotics & Coding is coming to FRES!!! Class will meet immediately after school from 3:20 - 4:20 pm on Wednesdays starting October 2nd. Instruction and materials are provided by STEMTREE Learning Center of Columbia. Registration is now open! Register at https://stemtree.com/columbia/ or use the QR code on the flyer.
PTA Committees
Committees are VITAL to the work of the Forest Ridge PTA! Committees make it possible for many people to carry out the mission of the PTA throughout the year and are a great way to get involved in a specific area of your interests or talents! Click here for more information about the 2024 - 2025 Committees. We hope you will sign up for at least one committee.
Join the Forest Ridge PTA!
ALL Forest Ridge families and staff are invited to join our PTA and get involved in the community support work that it does. There is no "wrong way to PTA" - however you can participate - a lot or a little or somewhere in-between - is welcome and celebrated!
For a general overview, visit https://frespta.org/ or click MEMBERSHIP to go directly to the membership website to create an account and join! A PTA membership must be renewed each year so if you have joined in the past, please renew your membership for the 2024 - 2025 School Year!
Stay Connected with the PTA
Website: www.frespta.org
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/FRESPTA
Instagram fres_pta
X @frespta
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.
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.