Office phones answered M-Th 8:30-4:15; Fri 8:30-4:00

Important Dates:

February
3   Report cards go home
4   Schools and Offices closed for Special Election Day (see below)
6   Parent Math Night, Grades 3-5 - 6:15-8:15
7   FRES Culture Fest - 6:30 p.m.
11 PTA Meeting - 7:00 p.m.
13 Schools close 3 hours early for Parent/Teacher Conferences
14 Schools close 3 hours early for Parent/Teacher Conferences
17 Presidents' Day - Schools and Offices Closed
20 FRES Science Fair - 6:30 p.m.
21 PTA Ice Skating Night
26  PTA Blaze Pizza Fundraising Night, 4:00-8:00 p.m.

Items of Note:

• As the weather gets colder, there is the possibility that schools will be closed or open late because of inclement weather.  HCPSS sends out text messages to let parents know.  These messages usually go out between 5:00 and 5:30 a.m.  To receive text messages from FRES or HCPSS, you must opt in.  Please text "YES" to 67587 to receive text messages.
• The last Chick-fil-A Spirit Day this year will be on March 18.  Proceeds will help to defray the cost of 4th and 5th grade field trips.

Student News...

Forest Ridge News...

Parents, We Need Your Help
Recently, students at Forest Ridge Elementary School have become sick with influenza-like illness (ILI). Symptoms have included fever, cough, and sore throat. Students who have become ill at school with ILI have been evaluated and sent home as appropriate.

Influenza and other viruses that can cause ILI are spread mainly by droplets made when people who are ill cough, sneeze or talk. These droplets can land in the mouths or noses of people who are nearby or possibly be inhaled into the lungs. Less often, a person might also get infected by touching a surface or object that has virus on it and then touching their own mouth or nose. Here are a few things you can do to help prevent the spread of ILI:

• Teach your children to wash their hands often with soap and water or an alcohol-based hand rub. You can set a good example by doing this yourself.
• Teach your children not to share personal items like drinks, food or unwashed utensils, and to cover their coughs and sneezes with tissues. Covering up their coughs or sneezes using the elbow, arm or sleeve instead of the hand when a tissue is unavailable.
• Get a flu vaccine. To prevent flu, everyone 6 months of age and older should get vaccinated every year.
• Know the signs and symptoms of the flu. Symptoms of the flu include fever (100 ˚F, 37.8 ˚ C or greater), cough, sore throat, a runny or stuffy nose, body aches, headache, and feeling very tired. Some people may also vomit or have diarrhea.
• Do not send children to school if they are sick. Any children who are determined to be sick while at school will be sent home.
• Keep sick children at home for at least 24 hours after they no longer have fever or do not have signs of fever, without using fever-reducing drugs like acetaminophen (Tylenol). Keeping children with a fever at home will reduce the number of people who may get infected.

If your child exhibits symptoms associated with influenza such as a fever (100ºF or higher), please consult your primary care physician for evaluation. Infants, toddlers, seniors and pregnant women, and people with certain underlying health conditions are at increased risk of severe illness or complications from influenza, and should consult with their primary care physician if they develop symptoms of influenza.

If your child is diagnosed with the flu please contact the health room at 410-888-8811.

For more information on influenza, please contact your local health department, at (410-313-6300) or check the Maryland Department of Health website at: https://phpa.health.maryland.gov/influenza/Pages/home.aspx

Sincerely,

Mrs. Kay Morris, RN School Nurse Forest Ridge Elementary School

Winter Recess Guidelines
Students go out for recess if the temperature including wind chill is 20 degrees or higher.  Please be sure your child is prepared for the cold.

Watch DOGS
Many thanks to Mr. Goldberg, Mr. Kendig, Mr. Kulikowski, and Mr. Wilson, who came in this week to serve as our Watch DOGS!

Attention Parents of Fifth Grade Students
All current Forest Ridge 5th graders are districted to Patuxent Valley Middle School.  We assume they will attend PVMS unless we hear otherwise.  If you have not already done so, please contact Mrs. Jackson (rebecca_jackson@hcpss.org) if your child will not be attending PVMS.  It's very important that we have this information to ensure a smooth transition to middle school.

Schools Closed on February 4, 2019
Schools and offices will be closed on Tuesday, February 4, 2020, due to the special primary election to fill the 7th congressional district seat vacated following the passing of Rep. Elijah Cummings. 

Change Matters Fundraiser
During the week of February 19th-February 27th, our school is proudly participating in an educational fundraising campaign called -- Change Matters -- to benefit Grassroots Crisis Intervention Center -- Howard County’s only 24-hour homeless shelter and crisis center.

Since 2008 Change Matters has been teaching children about homelessness in Howard County, the services Grassroots provides, and reminding students that they are never too young to make a difference in the lives of people who need help. 

 To kick off our campaign week, Kim Steffens, an authorized representative of Grassroots, will present the campaign to Kindergarten –grade 5 students during lunch shifts on Wednesday February 19th..

Your child will be asked to share information with you about Change Matters and ask your permission to donate change. There will be a Change Matters collection jar for each grade during our campaign week and your donation will go directly to Grassroots services. 

If you are able to donate, please send the change in your child’s lunch bag or backpack during this campaign week February 20th-February 27th. 

From the Media Center
Upcoming reading initiatives presented by the Reading/Media Team:

March /April 2020 Reading Night 

• March is our annual reading month. This year's theme is Reading Rumble. Many activities are planned including:

  • Family reading night (learning sessions for parents and reading games for students)
  • DEAR (Drop Everything And Read)
  • Celebrity Readers
• Read Across America- FRES will be participating in the Read Without Walls Challenge. Learn more by using this link 
• Author Visits: Author Duncan Tonatiuh will be visiting FRES. Learn more about him by using this link
• Book Club- April 30, 2020 and the selection is Wishtree by Katherine Applegate 

May

• Book Swap for all grades
• Howard County Public Library presentation about summer at your library

Community News...

Learning Together Program – Prekindergarten
Howard County Regional Early Childhood Center (RECC) prekindergarten programs are making preparations for classes for the 2020-2021 school year.  These classes include children with and without disabilities. The program’s focus is helping all children develop communication, literacy, math, problem solving, motor, and social skills.   Parents of children who will be 3 by September 1st or 4 by September 1st may obtain an application packet at the Gorman Crossing Elementary school office for an application package beginning January 31, 2020.  All classes are part time programs.  The application package will give detailed information regarding prices, locations and hours available for this county-wide program.

All applications must be returned by February 28, 2020.   A limited number of openings are available for children without disabilities.  Children are selected based upon screening information given on the application form, completion of the “Ages and Stages Questionnaires,” and observations of the child’s participation in a playgroup.                                           

If you have any questions, please contact Rae Ann Kaylie at rae_kaylie@hcpss.org

Community News and Programs
Please visit the Community News and Programs webpage for all announcements of upcoming events and programs sponsored by non-profit organizations. Organizations requesting distribution to Public Information at 410-313-6682 or publicinfo@hcpss.org.
 

Have a wonderful weekend!