IMPORTANT DATES
May 27 Memorial Day Holiday - Schools and offices closed
May 30 STEAM Night. View the flyer in English & Spanish
June 1 5th Grade Dance
June 4 5:30-6:30 Popsicles on the Playground for incoming (2024-25) Kindergarten students
June 5 Professional Work Day - Schools close 3 hours early
June 6 2:00-3:15 5th Gr. End of Year Celebration
June 7 Full school day
June 10 Full school day
June 10 PTA elections - Dive Bar (see below under PTA News)
June 11 Full school day
June 12 Schools close 3 hours early (12:55)
June 13 Schools close 3 hours early (12:55)
June 14 Last Day of School! Schools close 3 hours early (12:55)
June 19 Juneteenth Holiday - schools and offices closed
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!
2024 Free Summer Meals Program
To continue meeting the growing need to feed hungry children and families in Howard County and fill the nutritional gap over the summer months, HCPSS once again will provide free summer meals Monday-Friday, June 24-Aug. 2, at locations throughout the county. Meals will be served only on days schools are open and there will be no meal service Thursday, July 4.
Complete details on the HCPSS 2024 Summer Meals Program are available online.
From our Registrar, Mrs. Jackson
All students moving on to middle school in HCPSS must have records in compliance in accordance with Policy 9000: Student Residency, Eligibility, Enrollment and Assignment. Currently, all records are being reviewed for compliance. We ask that if you receive a letter for a missing document/s, you provide the requested documents by June 3. Please feel free to reach out to the front office if you have questions about the request if received.
Not returning to FRES next year?
Please let us know so we can assist in the transition to your child's new school.
From the Media Center
G’readings FRES Families,
The Forest Ridge Book Swap is approaching! The Book Swap is an opportunity for your child to reuse books and to get different books to read over the summer. Your student will receive a form next week; the bottom of the form should be filled out and returned with books that are being turned in for the swap.
Week of June 3rd-June 7th: your child can bring in books that are in good condition (no tears, watermarks, etc.) with the form below. We can accept picture books, chapter books, and non-fiction books that are appropriate for elementary aged students–please no religious books or board books.
Week of June 10th-June 14th: your child will choose a different book(s) to take home, based on the number of books they brought in to swap.
We are also accepting additional donations. If you have any books you would like to donate for the Book Swap we would truly appreciate the contribution.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact Mrs. Tordella, heather_tordella@hcpss.org.
Thank you and happy swapping :)!
2024-2025 School Year Bus Transportation Registration is Open
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Parents/guardians whose children are eligible for bus transportation are asked to register to receive bus service each year to help the school system plan for student transportation needs. The transportation registration process will open at 9 a.m. Monday, April 8 through May 31, and will be completed online via HCPSS Connect Synergy. Registration must be done for each eligible child.
To be eligible for bus service, your child’s home address must be outside of a school’s walk zones. You can verify address eligibility in the HCPSS School Attendance Area Locator. After inputting your address, a window will appear that will indicate either bus or walk for each school level. Please note, the attendance area locator also includes a link for the bus stop locator, which is set for the current school year. Bus stop information for the 2024-2025 school year will be available in August.
You do not need to take any action if your child is not eligible for bus transportation, your child receives transportation as part of their Individualized Education Program (IEP) or 504 Plan, or your child is a graduating senior.
Details on bus transportation registration, including a guide to register and scenarios families may see when registering, can be found online.
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.
PTA Elections – June 10th Dive Bar
Join us at Dive Bar on June 10th at 7pm to elect the new 2024-2026 board. Appetizers will be provided, but drinks will be purchased on your own.
Volunteers Needed! Positions are still open!
The current members of the PTA Board of Directors will end their 2-year term at the end of the 2023-2024 school year. Please consider running for the board and help the PTA continue to offer events and support like Carnival, Health and Wellness Fair, Fall Fest. Culture Fest, assemblies, field trip support, and so much more. For more information or to fill out the form please visit, FRES PTA BOARD MEMBERS NEEDED for 2024-2026 Term | Forest Ridge Elementary School PTA.
5th grade activities!!
Let's Glow it up to 6th Grade! The 5th Grade Dance will be June 1, 2024 from 6pm to 8pm. This year's theme is "Glow," so break out those neon or white shirts. Permission slips have been sent home. Please return the form to your child's homeroom teacher or bring it to check-in on the night of the dance. All children attending the dance must be checked in and out by a parent or guardian. Dinner will not be served, but snacks and drinks will be provided.
Parents, if you would like to help out at the dance please see the sign-up sheet below
https://www.signupgenius.com/go/60B0D4DADAC2FAAF85-49812015-5thgrade#/
5th Grade Mini Golf Meet-up / Year End Event
The fifth grade PTA committee reserved a couple hours of fun at Laurel Golf (9801 Fort Meade Rd, Laurel 20707) for 5th grade students on Wednesday, June 5th from 4:30pm to 6:30pm. Let's spend some time together and have some fun! Please RSVP by June 1 to freswebmaster@frespta.org
Reminders:
EPI School supply sale forms were sent home this week. Please click here to see a flyer. Forms will be accepted through June 2nd.
Planet Aid Bin – Drop your donations today!
Did you know that the Planet Aid supports FRES PTA? The big yellow bin at the corner of Gorman Road and Jeanne Ct. FRES will receive $0.05 per pound donated.
Planet Aid accepts the following clean items in our yellow bin:
The only textiles we cannot accept are those that are tattered beyond repair, dirty, wet, or moldy. We do not accept yarn, thread-bare items, spools of thread or similar cast-offs. We also do not accept toys, stuffed animals, furniture or electronics in our collection bin.
Please make sure all items are in a garbage bag and tied before dropping it in the bin. Items left outside of the bin do not count, please make sure to place all items inside the bin. We appreciate your support to help us continue to help fund assemblies, field trips, and community events.
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.
Guilford Park High School Boosters Lacross Camp June 17th-21st
The camp is open to rising 5th graders through 9th graders. Current and former college players are scheduled to come and help work with the girls. We even have equipment that can be borrowed. We really want to help grow the game in the southeastern part of the county! View the flyer.
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.