IMPORTANT DATES
November 16 11:00-1:00 Joe Corbi’s Pick-Up
November 18-21 American Education Week - (see below). We ask that the classroom visitors be adults only.
November 19 3:20-4:20 Reflections Arts Program Student Help Session
November 21 7:00 PTA Meeting - virtual via Google Meets https://meet.google.com/yyz-pcxw-ymo
November 22 Art to Remember order & payment deadline
7:00-9:00 PTA Family Movie Night
November 25 Schools close 3 hours early for Parent/Teacher conferences
November 26 Turkey Trot- a fun run during related arts - please remind students to wear sneakers!
Schools close 3 hours early for Parent/Teacher conferences
November 27 Schools closed for students for Parent/Teacher conferences
November 28-29 Thanksgiving holiday - schools and offices closed
December 7 PTA Holiday Market 11:00 am - 4:00 pm
View the HCPSS Calendar in English
View the HCPSS Calendar in Spanish
View the HCPSS Calendar in Korean
View the HCPSS Calendar in Chinese
Dear Forest Ridge Families,
We are thrilled to share that next week marks American Education Week, and we are excited to welcome parents into our classrooms! This is a wonderful opportunity to observe firsthand the dedication of our teachers and the dynamic ways our students engage in learning every day. We look forward to seeing many of you and sharing the incredible work happening at FRES. To see our schedule and important information about this great week, please go HERE.
In addition, we will be celebrating National ESP (Educational Support Professional) Appreciation Day on Wednesday, November 20th. We are seeking families who would like to contribute by donating a beautiful bouquet of flowers. Our goal is to present each of our 40 ESP employees with a bouquet and a card, expressing gratitude on behalf of the FRES families. If you would like to sign up to donate flowers, please do so by clicking HERE.
Lastly, we are pleased to announce that our Book Fair has begun and is set up in the Media Center. This is a great opportunity for students to explore new books and foster their love of reading. If you have any questions, please reach out to Mrs. Tordella or Mrs. Wilson.
Thank you for your continued support and involvement in our school community. We look forward to a week full of learning, celebration, and appreciation!
Warm regards,
Mrs. Lannon & Ms. Pazornik
From the Reading Department
The Howard County Literacy Association invites students in grades 1-5 to submit their original poems and/or short stories to the annual writing contest called The Young Authors' Contest. All entries must have a completed YAC Cover Sheet submitted as a PDF or hardcopy. Submissions may be emailed to melissa_azzarello@hcpss.org or given to the homeroom teacher by December 20, 2024. Contact any member of the Reading Team (Camille Washington, Megan Ficther, or Melissa Azzarello) with questions. All Young Authors’ Contest information and entry forms are on the HCLA website.
Howard County Literacy Association welcomes parents as members. Visit the HCLA Welcome Page for information about joining.
From the ChildFind Office
Attention Parents of Rising Kindergarteners: Don't Wait for Summer to Address Developmental Concerns!
If you have concerns about your child's development - whether it's their speech, motor skills, social skills or learning - it's important to act now. Waiting until the summer for a referral can delay crucial support that your child may need before starting kindergarten.Contact us today to schedule a screening. Let's work together to ensure your child has the best possible start in kindergarten!Call 410-313-7046 or email ChildFind@hcpss.org
WatchDOGS Sign Up Link
Interested in being a WatchDOG? Sign up here.
Joe Corbi’s Order Pick-Up – Saturday November 16th 11:00 am – 2:00 pm
Thank you for participating in this fundraiser. Your orders will arrive on Saturday, November 16th. Pick up will be 11:00 am – 2:00 pm in the cafeteria. If you ordered and are designating someone else to pick up your order, please text 443-300-8463 with your student’s name and the name of the person picking up the order. ORDERS MUST BE PICKED UP ON SATURDAY! We cannot hold/store any food/perishable items. ***Papa John’s Cards will also be available for purchase.
PTA General Membership Meeting – November 21st 7:00 pm
The November meeting will be held virtually via Google Meets. We hope you can join us.
Thursday, November 21 · 7:00 – 8:00pm
Time zone: America/New_York
Google Meet joining info
Video call link: https://meet.google.com/yyz-pcxw-ymo
Or dial: (US) +1 612-504-9755 PIN: 547 043 506#
More phone numbers: https://tel.meet/yyz-pcxw-ymo?pin=9727816219440
Family Movie Night – Friday, November 22nd 7:00 – 9:00
After you’ve shopped the school Book Fair, stick around for family movie night in the cafeteria, featuring Harold & The Purple Crayon. Concessions available for purchase. Free Popcorn.
Reflections Arts Competition
The Student Enrichment Committee is hosting a free, after-school help session for all students interested in participating in the Reflections Arts Program on Tuesday, November 19th from 3:20 - 4:20. We are offering this opportunity for students participating in this year's Reflections Arts Program to meet with other student participants to build camaraderie, support, and confidence! During the session, students will learn more about interpreting a theme in art, discuss the meaning of this year's theme with other students and have the opportunity to brainstorm their project and draft some ideas. Please register your student and complete the required waiver here. Students MUST be registered to attend!
This year’s entries interpret the theme: Accepting Imperfections. Students can choose from six categories: dance choreography, film production, literature, musical composition, photography and visual arts. Registration information is available online at frespta.org. The deadline for submission is Wednesday, December 4th.
Staff Dinner – Monday, November 25th 4:00 pm – 5:00 pm
PTA generously feeds the staff on the 1st day of parent/teacher conferences. Our annual soup and salad bar is back!!! Click here to sign up to donate or volunteer.
Papa John's Cards - Fundraiser
Papa John's cards are back!!! The proceeds from this year’s sales will support 5th grade activities. This card allows UNLIMITED use of a buy 1 get 1 free on regular menu pizzas through December 31, 2025. They are valid at 150 locations around the DC, MD, VA area. Cards are $15 each & $10 of that goes straight to our school. Cards will be available for purchase at all PTA events in November and December. Order forms will go home with students next week.
Holiday Market – Saturday, December 7th 11:00 am – 4:00 pm
FRES Community – come shop and support small businesses in our community. We will host a variety of vendors selling crafts, unique gifts and goods. There will be food trucks, raffle prizes and an opportunity to view student submissions for the Annual PTA Reflections Competition.
We are currently seeking vendors for this event. We welcome crafters, creators, bakers, direct salespersons, food trucks and food vendors. Buy a space and sell your wares! $35 per space, $20 for FRES PTA Members. Interested? Click here or email VP1@frespta.org
WatchDOGS
Interested in being a WatchDOG? Sign up here. Need a WatchDOGS T-Shirt order here.
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.