Important Dates
March 1 Reading Month Begins!
March 4 Dress Like a Book Character Day
March 4 Read-a-Thon Begins
March 5 PTA Meeting
March 7 Class & optional individual pictures (see below for more info)
March 7 5:00-7:00 FRES Spirit Night Open House at Savage Library
March 10 Daylight Saving Time Begins - Clocks "Spring Forward" One Hour!
March 13 Professional Work & Wellness Day - schools dismiss 3 hours early (12:55)
March 20 6:30-7:45 Family Reading Night at FRES
March 23-Apr. 1 Spring Break! Schools closed
April 2 Students and staff return
View the HCPSS Calendar in English
View the HCPSS Calendar in Spanish
View the HCPSS Calendar in Korean
View the HCPSS Calendar in Chinese
School Spirit Days for 23/24
We are excited to share our school spirit days calendar for the 23/24 school year! We hope this helps families plan ahead. There may be spirit days that pop up here and there based on activities that are going on in the building, but this calendar is what we will be following. You may want to print it out, put the dates on your personal calendar, hang it on the fridge - whatever works for you to remember these fun days!
Dear FRES community,
Over the past weekend, our outstanding Parent-Teacher Association (PTA) proudly hosted our annual Culture Fest, and it exceeded all expectations! We were delighted to see numerous families and staff members in attendance, adorned in stunning traditional attire that beautifully showcased their diverse cultures. The event was brimming with delicious food, engaging games, and joyful camaraderie. We extend our heartfelt gratitude to our dedicated PTA for their tireless dedication and commitment in orchestrating such a memorable celebration of diversity at Forest Ridge Elementary School.
As we embark on the final stretch before Spring Break, we are filled with anticipation for the well-deserved rest that lies ahead. With just 15 school days remaining, it's crucial that we rally together to ensure we finish on a strong note. We kindly urge all students to come to school each day prepared and eager to learn. It's essential that they follow directions attentively and show respect to their peers and staff members. By maintaining focus and demonstrating kindness in our interactions, we can create a positive and supportive learning environment for everyone.
Let's make the most of these remaining days, maximizing our efforts to achieve academic success and fostering a culture of respect and cooperation within our school community. Thank you for your continued dedication and support.
Warm regards,
Mrs. Lannon & Ms. Pazornik
Class Picture Day with Optional Individual Pictures is Coming March 7! View the pricing flyer here.
The picture flyer/envelope will come home next week. To order spring photos, you must return the flyer/order envelope on Picture Day. Online pre-ordering is NOT available for spring photos – the envelope must be returned on Picture Day.
Class group photos will be taken on Picture Day for all students. For individual portraits, only students who bring in their envelopes on Picture Day will be photographed. Please look for the flyer/order envelope that will be sent home with your child next week! Note: Students who are new to FRES since November 2 will be photographed for the yearbook, even if parents do not place an order.
We look forward to seeing your smiles soon on Picture Day!
2024-2025 Kindergarten Registration is OPEN!
Registration for the upcoming school year, 2024-25 is now available. All registrations will be completed online, https://www.hcpss.org/enroll/ After submission, the registration will be reviewed, and the registrar will reach out to you to schedule an in-person appointment to complete the registration. Please upload the required documentation if able. Kindergarten is a mandatory grade in Maryland. Children must be 5 years old by September 1 in order to enroll in Kindergarten. Every child who is 5 years old by September 1 must be enrolled in a Kindergarten program this fall or have an approved waiver on file. (Waiver form for the 2024-25 school year will be available March 1st) Parents or guardians are to register their child at the serving school for their residence.
Current HCPSS families may log into their Parent CONNECT account and select Online Registration once in their parent account to begin the registration process for their new family member. Please exclude all current students, they do not need to be re-registered. This includes students currently enrolled in a HCPSS PreK program. The student will automatically be enrolled for Kindergarten. For all new students, new documents must be submitted. We can not use documents submitted for a previous student enrollment.
New families to HCPSS, please click the following link to begin the registration process.
Helpful tips:
Informational links:
Getting Ready for Kindergarten
PreKindergarten Programs Registration begins March 11, 2024
Please do not hesitate to contact the school office if you have any questions, 410-880-5950.
Last Call to Register NOW for the StemTree Robotics & Coding Class at FRES!
The Spring Robotics & Coding Class starts on Monday, March 4th and will run for six sessions! This PTA sponsored enrichment class will meet immediately after school until 5 pm on Mondays (no class on school holidays). Instruction and materials provided by StemTree Learning Center of Columbia. Register here.
PTA Meeting – March 5th
Join us for our March PTA Meeting at 7pm in the library. We have lots of fun events (Silent Auction, Carnival, Staff Appreciation Week) coming up and would love your help in planning them!
Read-a-thon – March 4th
March is national reading month. To celebrate FRES will be participating in a Read-a-thon.
We're thrilled to announce that our Read-A-Thon is underway! We're counting on you to make it a success. If you haven't already, please take a moment to activate your child’s personal reader page by clicking on the following link:
https://www.read-a-thon.com/readers/r/3537343237
It only takes a minute or two, and your support will greatly assist us in meeting our financial goals.
Silent Auction – April 26-28
Our online silent auction will be on PTboard again this year. If you would like to help source items for the auction or have a basket to donate to please contact@frespta.org.
Spring Carnival – Save the date
Saturday, May 4th we will have our annual spring carnival. If you are interested in helping to plan this fun event, please reach out to Barbara Gumes at ssgumes@gmail.com
WatchD.O.G.S Sign up
Here is the calendar of remaining dates available. Please sign up to volunteer today!
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/4090A4EA8AB2CAAFC1-watch3#/
Want to stay up to date on PTA information? Follow us on facebook at Forest Ridge Elementary PTA (FRES) or visit our website at www.frespta.org for more information.
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.