Important Dates
October 10 Columbis Day - SCHOOLS ARE OPEN
October 10 Hearing & Vision Re-Screening
October 11 PTA General Membership Meeting at 7 pm
October 11 Joe Corbi’s Fundraiser Order Forms Due! Last Day to Sell!
October 11 Flu Vaccine Clinic (Registration must have been completed by October 5)
October 12 6:30 Watch D.O.G.S. Kick-off Ice Cream Social
October 15 Fall Festival at 5:30 pm. View the flyer.
October 18 Five Guys in Laurel Restaurant Night from 5 - 9 pm. View the flyer.
October 20 2nd Grade Field Trip
October 21 Professional Work Day - No School for Students
October 22 10:00-12:00 Clothing Giveaway at North Laurel Comm. Ctr. Flyer in English. Flyer in Spanish
October 24 Professional Learning Day for Staff - No School for Students
October 28 3rd Grade Field Trip
November 2 End of First Marking Period - Schools Dismiss 3 Hours Early (12:45 for FRES)
November 4 4th Grade Field Trip
November 9 Picture Re-Take Day (see below)
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.***
Picture Retake Day is November 9
Picture Retake Day is for:
Please email christin_traini@hcpss.org for a picture money envelope/order form.
Parent Reminders:
School Meals
Families are reminded that the federal government has NOT extended waivers allowing free meals for all students. Consequently, for the 2022-2023 school year, students whose families do not qualify for free or reduced lunch will be required to pay the daily meal price.
Student Breakfast - $2.00
Student Lunch - $2.80
FARMS Online Application Link: https://www.myschoolapps.com/Application
Please contact the front office if you have any questions or need assistance with applying for the Free and Reduced Meal Program or help with Family File.
Joe Corbi’s Sales End Tuesday, October 11th! Order Today!
A reminder our Joe Corbi’s fundraiser ends on Tuesday! You can use the packet that came with your child for instructions to participate; it included a brochure to show the products and an order form. You can also spread the word online by registering to sell online and sharing the brochure via text, email, or social media! https://www.joecorbi.com/register-participant/ You will need “Organization ID” 8843 to complete the registration. Money raised will used to fund assemblies, field trips, and our community events but the children also have the opportunity to earn rewards for their saleswork! To help them set a personal sales goal and feel motivated about participating, you can view this prize explanation video with them: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rXGX_Ldc0yw Pickup for delivery will be on Thursday, November 17th in time for the Thanksgiving holiday!
General Membership meeting, Tuesday, October 11th
An Edward Jones representative will be at this meeting to provide information on college savings. It’s never too early to start! We will also be electing members for our vacant positions. Please come meet your PTA and see how you can help at 7PM in the Media Center.
Watch D.O.G.S Kick-Off Ice Cream Social, Wednesday, October 12th
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 $10 and sign up to volunteer.
Fall Festival is Next Saturday!
The FRES PTA Fall Festival will take place on Saturday, October 15th beginning at 5:30 pm! Activities, games, and pumpkin decorating will be outdoors or moved into the gym if the weather is uncooperative. A “spooky hallway” with a Halloween theme will be available at the breezeway for those that would like to participate. Children are invited to wear their costumes!
Parents we need your help! Please donate candy and other treats or toys to give out to the kids. These donations can be given to Mr. Conroy in the car loop or dropped off at the upcoming PTA meeting. For student tickets or to sign up to volunteer, please visit https://frespta.ptboard.com/calendar We hope you will join the fun! View the flyer.
Mark your Calendar – Five Guys Restaurant Night!
Five Guys in Laurel is hosting a restaurant night on Tuesday, October 18th from 5pm – 9pm. Make sure to mention FRES so we get credit for 20% of your sale. View the flyer.
Volunteer Opportunities!
Do you enjoy helping out and volunteering when you can but can’t make a regular, on-going, big commitment? We have opportunities for you! First, join the FRES PTA; visit https://frespta.ptboard.com to create a PTA account then select your membership (individual or family for two adults) from the “Forms & Payments” section. Then check out the listings already under “Volunteer Signups”! https://frespta.ptboard.com/sgnvw As a member, you’ll receive an email alert each time a new opportunity is posted.
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.
SAVE THE DATE AND MARK YOUR CALENDARS
Howard Lions' Pride Second Annual Craft Fair: Sunday, November 6th from 10:00 am to 3:00 pm at Howard High School. Our 100+ vendors will be selling crafts, books, candles, kitchen goods, jewelry, home decor, clothing, accessories, and much more! General Info link: https://tinyurl.com/3tzxuhme.
We are still accepting craft and food truck vendors, so please spread the word and this link: https://tinyurl.com/bdfuta49.
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/
8th – 12th Grade Students: HC DrugFree's Teen Advisory Council is open to all Howard County students in grades 8 through 12. This is a great opportunity to help prepare younger students for success in high school while allowing older students to develop their leadership and mentoring skills. The registration form is available at https://hcdrugfree.org/teen-advisory-council/ . Community service hours available. Email your registration to admin@hcdrugfree.org or mail a hard copy the office. To register for the upcoming meetings on Monday, September 19 or Monday, October 17 from 5:30 p.m. to 7:00 p.m. click on the TAC Registration links next to each date https://hcdrugfree.org/teen-advisory-council/
Medication and Sharps Collection: Clean out your unwanted and expired medicines and sharps! The next convenient drive-thru collection will be held on Saturday, October 29, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in the Wilde Lake Village Center parking lot (near the Swim Center). Community service hours available. HC DrugFree and the Howard County Police invite families, student/adult groups, scout troops, religious organizations, and sports teams, etc. to volunteer to join us. Medically-trained adult volunteers are needed (nurses, EMTs, pharmacists, chiropractors, etc.) to help safely handle the medication and sharps collected. For more information and to volunteer, visit https://hcdrugfree.org/drug-take-back-day-1/ , contact Admin@hcdrugfree.org or leave a message at 443-325-0040.
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.