Greetings Forest Ridge Families,
We enjoyed an amazing week this week! Our students have settled in so nicely! We have been finalizing schedules for the students who will participate in our Band and Strings program and simply wanted to share the remarkable data we uncovered.... 265 students out of a possible 357 who can participate in grades 3 - 5 representing 74% of our eligible students are enrolled in the Band/Strings program! We congratulate you, our parents and your students for your interest in the arts and helping us to place FRES on the Musical Map of HCPSS.
Student News
Howard County Library Summer Reading Program:
Congratulations to the following students who completed the Howard County Library’s Summer Reading Program: Dahlia Aspinwall, Abisola Eniade, Destiny Hartzer, Spencer Murphy, Zuri Nathan, Julia Neidermyer, Celine Wilson, Elena Wilson, and Logan Woodward.
Emergency Operation Plan - Parent Request
Parents, we need your participation. In the case of an emergency in our school community, your skillset may prove critical. Can we call on you? May we include your skills or your access to specific materials in our plan? Please take a moment and complete our Parent Inventory. Help us be prepared in the event of an emergency!
Did You Know?
Policy 9090, our Wellness Policy provides direction to HCPSS staff regarding staff and student wellness through nutrition education, physical education, physical activity, and the selection of nourishing foods and beverages and to fulfill the requirements of the Healthy Hunger-Free Kids Act of 2010. Details regarding curriculum, instruction and wellness are included. This policy helps us establish the guidelines we operate by for school celebrations involving food as well as physical activity through PE and health education. Read more...
From the President...
How AMAZING it was to see SO many people at the Ice Cream Social on Tuesday evening!!! The weather was absolutely perfect for the Wellness Walk and then seeing everyone stream in the doors for ice cream was such a blessing!! Thank you to all who helped in any way. There were many families, teachers and staff present. All in all, well over 400 people were served in one hour…even after we ran out and got more!!! Simply amazing!! Our KidStuff coupon book fundraiser is coming to an end. Books or money are due back by Monday, September 19. We will also take books or money at both Back to School Nights. It is chock full of valuable coupons that will pay for itself in two or three uses. It is GREAT profit, 50% for the PTA and supports upcoming events like the Halloween dance. See you next week at Back To School Night!
Sincerely,
Jen Renkevens
president@frespta.org
Have You Joined the PTA?
- The FRES PTA needs your support to make the 2016-17 school year another awesome success story! Please join the PTA during our annual membership drive to ensure we can continue the programs, activities and events we have planned. Our membership drive runs through October. Members will be entered in a drawing for a free gift, and classes with the most PTA memberships will earn a special prize. Join or renew your membership today at www.frespta.org/membership! Or, come visit the PTA membership table at any of next week’s Back-to-School Nights and join in person.
KidStuff Fundraiser Ends Monday, Sept. 19 – Money Due
- Our KidStuff fundraiser ends Monday, Sept. 19. All money and orders are due by the end of the day. KidStuff books cost $25. Remember, to purchase the book, all you have to do is place your $25 payment of cash or a check made payable to FRES PTA inside the enclosed bag, and send it to school with your child by Monday Sept. 19. Our school PTA earns 50 percent of the sales from each book or $12.50. If you are purchasing additional books, please complete and turn in the order forms with payment by Monday. For questions, please contact fundraising@frespta.org. Thank you for your support!
Wellness Walk & Ice Cream Social Was a Huge Success!
- Thank you to everyone who came out and attended Tuesday’s Wellness Walk & Ice Cream Social...our first social event of the school year. Such a tremendous turnout...more than 400 people attended! It was wonderful to see our FRES teachers and staff (Mr. Whiteford, Ms. Pazornick, Mrs. Lindenmann, Mrs. Johnston, Ms. Jackson, Ms. Murray, Mrs. Goodwin, Ms. Borth, Mrs. Clawson, Ms. O’Connell, Mrs. DeOrio, Mrs. Spaulding, Ms. Ahmed, Ms. Traini and Dr. Varlack– if we forgot anyone, please let us know!) scooping ice cream with our parent volunteers. What a fantastic display of school spirit! We would love to see photos from the event. If you took pictures, please share them to our Facebook (www.facebook.com/frespta) page. (We are aware that some of our followers tried to post first day of school pics, but had trouble. Our settings have since been changed to allow visitor photos. So, please share away!) Please don't hesitate to message us if you have an issue with picture sharing or if you have suggestions or ideas regarding future PTA events. We'd love to hear from you! You can also send an email to contact@frespta.org.
PTA-Sponsored After School Classes – Don’t Wait! Sign Up!
- Registration is still under way for PTA fall after school programs. We have spots available for most classes. Please don’t hesitate! Sign up quickly if you don’t want to miss out. Classes with low enrollment numbers will have to be cancelled. The following classes have low enrollment and are in danger of being cancelled.
Tuesday
Thursday
Friday
- Mad Science – NASA Explorers – Register online now - http://dc.madscience.org/. We only need two students to register to meet the minimum requirement to run the class.
The following classes still have spots left for those interested, but ARE NOT in danger of being cancelled.
Monday
Volunteer & Earn Class Discounts
- Interested in being a parent volunteer and earning a class discount for your student? Parent volunteers meet the students in the classroom after school and must attend every class. Chess Club, Spanish and Little Builders still need volunteers. Sign up, and your child can receive a class discount —on average 50 percent off the price! For questions about the classes or details on how to be a parent volunteer, contact vp2@frespta.org.
Sign up for the Support-A-Teacher Program
- Please consider supporting a teacher this year with classroom supplies or as a classroom helper/volunteer. It’s a wonderful way to get to know a FRES teacher or staff member. We would love to match up a parent with each of these wonderful FRES teachers participating in this year's Support-A-Teacher program: Mrs. Schwartz, Mrs. Clawson, Ms. Speiser, Mr. Walker, Ms. Hogg, Mrs. Lindenmann, Mrs. Langley, Ms. Dixit, Mrs. Caha and Ms. Hill. If you are interested, please print out and return the completed the Support-A-Teacher form, located on the FRES PTA website, http://www.frespta.org/resources/forms or download the attachment here. Please return the completed forms to school by September 30, 2016. If you have any question, please submit it to VP1@frespta.org or contact@frespta.org.
The Reflections Program is Back! We Are Looking for Students to Submit Original Artwork.
- October is "National Arts and Humanities Month.” To explore and recognize student involvement in the arts, the PTA is offering the Reflections program. The theme this year (2016-17) is "What is Your Story.” There are two levels: students in grades K - 2nd (preliminary) and students in grades 3rd - 5th (intermediate). Students should submit original work in one or more of the following categories: Dance Choreography, Film Production, Literature, Musical Composition, Photography and Visual Arts by Friday, Nov. 11. Interested in participating? Please pick up a student entry form and instructions from Art Teacher, Ms. Erika Murray and email Reflections Chair Sai Vallurupallli at spkv1999@yahoo.com for more information.
Grocery Rewards Spotlight: Harris Teeter's Together in Education (TIE) Program Please link your Harris Teeter VIC card to Forest Ridge! Accounts must be re-linked each school year. We typically have 25 families participating, generating about $300/year (goes directly to the school). Three ways to link/re-link:
- Visit https://www.harristeeter.com/together-in-education.
- Fill out the bottom portion of the FRES Shopping & Grocery Fundraisers sheet from the PTA Welcome packet and send in to school (email PSULauren@yahoo.com if you need another form), or
- On your next shopping trip, tell the cashier/service desk that you would like to link to FRES (TIE #7900).
Let’s make it 100 families this year and quadruple our earnings! Thank you for your support!
Box Tops for Education – Earn Cash for FRES!
- Please consider clipping Box Tops this year. Each Box Top is worth 10¢ and they quickly add up to real cash for FRES! Look for Box Tops on hundreds of products including cereal, snacks, paper products, and produce. Check out www.BTFE.com for a complete list. Cut or rip the Box Top labels off of products you already buy. No need to trim! We typically earn $1,200/year (goes directly to the school), and we need everyone’s help to maintain that success!
- How: Send Box Tops to school in a baggie or envelope labeled with name, grade, and teacher name. Or use the Box Tops collection sheet found in the PTA packet. Drop off in the collection box in front of the office or give to your teacher.
- When: You can clip and submit anytime. We have several incentive contests planned for this school year and we’ll announce these contests right here! We keep track of each Box Top submitted, all year long, so we’ll be sure to count your submission toward the next contest no matter when you turn it in. Thank you to those families who have already submitted Box Tops so far this year!
- Who: Ask friends, family, and co-workers for help in clipping. Contact Lauren Giles at psulauren@yahoo.com if you have any questions or suggestions. Thanks for your support!