January 29, 2021 Forest Ridge Forerunner

Thu, 01/28/2021 - 3:30pm

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Important Dates

February 3         Reading MAP for grades 1-5 (9-11a.m.)
February 3         PTA Restaurant Night:  Chipotle in Maple Lawn
February 10       Math MAP for grades 1-5 (9-11a.m.)
February 10       3-hour early dismissal for parent/teacher conferences
February 11       3-hour early dismissal for parent/teacher conferences
February 12       Staff Workday - schools closed for students
February 15       Presidents' Day Holiday - schools and offices closed
February 15-19  Kindness Challenge Week

From our Administrators...

Dear FRES Community,

Our Savage Library/FRES Spirit Week was a success!  We want to thank Savage Library as well as our FRES Media Staff, Mrs. Tordella, Mrs. Edmondson, and Mrs. Riley.  It was great seeing so many of our FRES Eagles throughout the week!  We loved reading to our students and also want to thank Mrs. Azzarello, Mrs. Robinson, and Mrs. Chrzanowski, who joined us in reading books to our students.  In addition, the following staff members came out to the Book Club night:  Ms. Taylor, Mrs. Clawson, Mrs. Washington, Ms. Schuck, and Mrs. Duberry. 

Commitment Form for Parents to Choose their Instructional Preference
Please complete the commitment form to indicate the instructional program your child will attend for the 20-21 school year.  Click here for details as well as directions for accessing the form.

Parent-Teacher Conferences in February
We are planning to offer parent teacher conferences on February 10th and 11th. These two days are half days for students, and conferences will take place in the afternoon.  Based on the school calendar, there is less time available for conferences in February than in November. 

To sign up for a conference, starting on January 29th, please log in to HCPSS Connect and click on "Conferences" in the navigation pane. Refer to the Quick Reference Guide for more information and detailed steps to sign up for a conference.

Attention 5th Grade Families
Please read the following letter from PVMS regarding signing up for Fine Arts classes.  Click here for the letter. 

5th Grade Important dates:

  • TUESDAY Feb. 2nd

    • A screencast presentation will be delivered to all current 5th graders through Morning Meeting/SEL time regarding fine arts choices for middle school - please remind your student to be on time!

  • WEDNESDAY Feb. 3rd

    • The window to enter your students fine arts choices for middle school will open this day. Find the Online Course Requests for Rising 6th video for how to here! (Scroll down page)

    • Have questions? Need Help? Join Ms. Schuck Wednesday evening 6-7 pm for a presentation on how to select course requests and ask questions about all middle school courses! 

    • Log into google meet with this link:   meet.google.com/sme-dqgb-fpq.  Join by phone: (US) +1 240-428-7988‬ PIN: ‪907 210 320‬#

Looking For Monitors
We are in need of lunch/recess/classroom monitors.  These staff members will support our students during their lunch & recess times and/or during their classes. We are looking for adults who enjoy engaging with children. Below are a few details regarding the position:

-Classroom/Lunch/Recess Monitors support and assist students and staff during class time and during multiple lunch/recess shifts.
-Lunch and Recess Monitors are temporary employees and receive no benefits.
-Hours are flexible; the position could be up to 6 hours per day or lunches & recesses only.
-Compensation is an hourly rate of $11.75 per hour.
-Communication and flexibility are important attributes for those filling the position. 
 
Interested applicants can go to the following link to begin the application process.  Select Substitute-Temporary Employment and then select Lunch/Recess Monitor. You will find information on Lunch & Recess Monitor positions (including the application link).   Contact Ivye Pazornik (ivye_pazornik@hcpss.org) when you have completed all parts of the application. We cannot set up an interview until your application is complete.
 
Application Link:

https://www.applitrack.com/hcpss/onlineapp/default.aspx?Category=Substitute%2fTemporary+Employment

We’ve heard there is snow in the forecast so remember to read the Inclement Weather Protocols.  

We hope everyone has a great weekend,

Mr. Conroy and Ms. Pazornik

Forest Ridge News...

News From Mrs. Schuck
Don't forget to check out Mrs. Schuck's Guidance Page Here!

Is your Family File up to date?
In preparation for the return of students on March 1, please make sure your emergency information is up to date in the Family File.  Follow these instructions:

1.  Visit www.hcpss.org/connect
2.  Log in to your account. (User name = your email address)
3.  You will see a list of options on the left side of the screen.  At the bottom of the list, choose "More Options" and then "Family File."
4.  Follow the prompts to update the information. 
5.  You will receive a confirmation upon successful completion of the Family File.

Notes:
* If it is not allowing you to click "Next" on a particular page, there is information missing. 

* If you have more than one child at FRES, please be sure to update information for all of your children.
Thank you for your help!

Parent/Teacher Conferences
As we prepare for the end of the second quarter, we look forward to welcoming you for our winter parent/teacher conferences in February.  Conferences will be held on Wednesday, February 10 and Thursday, February 11.  Both days will be early dismissal days for students.  As in the fall, our parent/teacher conferences will be held virtually via Google Meet.  This time, the focus area of our conferences will be mathematics.

Beginning on January 29, parents may schedule 15 minute conferences with mathematics teachers through HCPSS Connect.  Families may sign up for conferences through Friday, February 5.  After February 5, any changes to the conference schedule will need to be communicated directly to math teachers.  If you are interested in meeting with one of our related arts teachers for a conference during the winter conference days, please contact that related arts teacher directly to set up an appointment.

If you need help, please refer to the Quick Reference Guide for more information and detailed steps to sign up for a conference.

Announcing:  Virtual Lunch Bunches!
We are excited to announce that we will begin virtual lunch bunches with each grade level.  We would like to provide time for the students to socialize and interact with each other weekly. So bring a lunch and/or just come visit with friends and teachers.  This will begin the week of January 25th.  

Here is the schedule and codes:

Kindergarten:    Mondays 11:45-12:05pm            fres-lunch-grk

3rd grade:          Mondays 11:45-12:05pm            fres-lunch-gr3

1st grade:            Tuesdays 11:45-12:05pm           fres-lunch-gr1

4th grade:          Tuesdays 11:45-12:05pm           fres-lunch-gr4

2nd grade:         Thursdays 11:45-12:05pm         fres-lunch-gr2

5th grade:          Thursdays 11:45-12:05pm         fres-lunch-gr5

We hope to see your child there!  Thank you for your support.

K-5 2021-22 New Student Registration Open Now and PreK Registration Coming Soon
Registration is online.  Visit www.hcpss.org/enroll for information and to register.  Note:  If your child is currently enrolled at FRES and will continue to attend next year, you do not need to re-register.  Your child will automatically be "rolled over" into the new school year.

Families are encouraged to visit the Grade K Family and Community Resources page for more information about the kindergarten instructional program and ways families can support their children at home.

Pre-K Registration begins the week of March 15, 2021.

The Prekindergarten Family and Community Resources page also contains resources for families and providers for children currently in their prekindergarten year.

From Our Technology Teachers - Attention Girls in Grades 3-5!
There is a National Coded Self-Portrait Contest open until February 12th. The theme for this year's contest is #CodeYourCity.  The contest is open for girls in grades 3-12, with separate grade level sections.  For more details, visit the website: Code Self-Portrait.
Happy Coding to all! ~FRES Tech/Media Team  

MAP (Measures of Academic Progress) Assessment - Please save the dates!

The winter at home MAP administration will be delivered to grades 1-5 on: 

  • February 3 - Reading (9-11am)

  • February 10 - Math (9-11am)

First graders will also be included in this administration. Detailed information will be shared in the upcoming weeks for all participating grades.

Inclement Weather Policy for 2020-21 School Year
As the weather gets colder, we begin to think about how inclement weather will be handled this year.  Please take a look here to get familiar with this school year's inclement weather procedures.

From the Health Room
Check out this flyer about pediatric eye exams with one year of follow-up for uninsured or under-insured children.

Interested in a Tutor?
My name is Enny Ayo-Gbenjo and I am a senior at Reservoir High School. I am currently one of the chairpersons of the Goal-Setting Committee in Reservoir's Scholars Leadership Program. We are planning to offer a tutoring opportunity at the start of the second semester (February). This program will be at no cost to students! Students and families who are interested can fill out this Google Form for more information:

 If you have any questions, please reach out to e.ayogb1102@gmail.com or denise_thomas@hcpss.org.

From the PTA...

Valentine's Day Event: We are seeking input from FRES families in order to plan a safe activity for Valentine's Day. Please email president@frespta.org if you would like to take part in the discussion.

Grant Update: The FRES PTA has been awarded a $1,000 "Smart Talk" grant from National PTA, sponsored by TikTok, to help empower families to have honest conversations about digital wellbeing and device usage. Look for more details for a February program during Safer Internet Week. If you would like to work on planning this virtual event, please email president@frespta.org.

Membership: We are now at 78 members. If you have not yet joined, you can do so at www.frespta.org/membership and it's only one $10 payment for the entire year!

Wellness Kits: If your child hasn't received one yet, it is still possible to arrange a time to pick one up at the school. Please send an email to Ms. Schuck to coordinate a time. We still have 200+ kits to distribute.

Green Committee: Christmas lights can be recycled at MOM's Market until January 31. 

Save the Date:
Upcoming PTA Meetings: February 8, March 8, April 12, May 10, June 14. All meetings begin at 7 p.m. and have the passcode frespta. 

The next virtual PTA Board Meeting will be held Monday, Jan. 25th at 7 p.m. Please contact Korin if you wish to attend. 

PTA Spirit Nights
Feb. 3 - Chipotle Maple Lawn

Feedback: Please let us know if you have any questions, feedback, or suggestions either by email or via our suggestion box. Suggestions are anonymous, so if you would like a reply, please include your email address. 

Thanks and have a great weekend!

In the Community...

Community News and Programs
Be sure to check out the Howard County Community News and Programs page here!