IMPORTANT DATES
October 14 Indigenous Peoples' Day (also Columbus Day Federal holiday - schools are open!)
October 16 Joe Corbi's fundraiser deadline (Note new extended deadline)
October 16 School Spirit: Unity Day - Wear Orange
October 17 PTA Meeting in the Media Center
October 18 Professional Work Day - schools closed for students
October 23 Picture Retake Day for absentees and new students (more info below)
October 23 Sweet Frog Restaurant Night 3:00-9:00 pm
October 26 4:00-7:00 FRES PTA Fall Festival
October 30 7:00 PTA Halloween Movie Night
October 31 Professional Work and Development Day - schools closed for students
View the HCPSS Calendar in English
View the HCPSS Calendar in Spanish
View the HCPSS Calendar in Korean
View the HCPSS Calendar in Chinese
Forest Ridge Family and Friends,
What an incredible evening we had last night at our Hispanic Heritage Night! It was a joy to see so many of our families and staff come together to celebrate the rich culture and traditions of our Hispanic community. A huge shout-out goes to Mrs. Loarca Estrada, who organized the entire event with such passion and dedication. The evening was filled with exciting games, colorful crafts, delicious food, and, of course, piñatas! It was a beautiful celebration of diversity and community, and we are so grateful to everyone who attended and helped make the event such a success.
As we move forward, we want to take a moment to recognize that Monday, October 14th, is National Indigenous Peoples Day. This day gives us an opportunity to honor and celebrate the history, cultures, and contributions of Indigenous peoples across our nation. In our school, we remain committed to recognizing and valuing the diversity of all cultures within our community.
Looking ahead, we’re excited to announce that we will be celebrating Unity Day on Wednesday, October 16th. Unity Day is a national event that promotes kindness, acceptance, and inclusion. It’s a day for all of us to come together and show support for creating a world where everyone feels safe and valued. As part of our celebration, we are asking everyone to wear orange on that day to show our school’s commitment to unity. We look forward to seeing a sea of orange across Forest Ridge!
Thank you for your continued support, and we look forward to sharing more exciting events with you throughout the school year.
~ Mrs. Lannon & Ms. Pazornik
Car Rider Pick-up
We have noticed that some parents are parking in the staff lot and walking through parked cars to pick up their children. This creates a safety hazard and goes against our car rider pick-up procedures. For the safety of all students, if your child is a car rider, please remain in the designated pick-up line. Additionally, we kindly ask that you follow the directions of the staff on duty. They are working diligently to ensure the safety of all children, and your cooperation and kindness are greatly appreciated.
Car Seats and Seatbelts
We continue to see many of our students without seatbelts on, sitting in the front seat, and/or not in a car seat. Ensuring that students wear seatbelts, sit in car seats if required, and avoid the front seat until they are old enough is critical to their safety. Seatbelts and car seats are designed to protect passengers by reducing the risk of serious injury in the event of an accident, especially for younger children who are more vulnerable due to their size and development. Following these safety guidelines helps prevent injuries and saves lives. It's important for parents and guardians to model and enforce these practices, as proper restraint can significantly reduce the chance of harm during a crash. Prioritizing vehicle safety ensures that our students remain safe on the road, both to and from school.
If you are in need of a car seat, you can read THIS DOCUMENT from the Car Seat Assistance Program in Howard County. They will be more than happy to assist you.
Picture Retake Day
Our fall picture retake day will be October 23, 8:45-10:00 a.m. All students who were absent on September 5 and those new to FRES since September 5 will be photographed. If parents did not like the original picture, they may have their student's picture retaken, but the entire original package of pictures needs to be returned. Please send a note to your child's teacher or call the FRES office at 410-880-5950 to request a picture payment envelope.
From the Art Department
Our art teachers are working with your students to create artwork to be used for our "Art to Remember" fundraiser. See the flyers for more information. Ordering info will come home soon. Art to Remember Flyer English Art to Remember Flyer Spanish
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.
Fall Festival
Join us for our annual Fall Festival on Saturday, October 26th from 4:00 pm – 7:00 pm. Outside we will have fall themed games, a pie walk, pumpkins, crafts, music, candy, popcorn, food trucks and more. Venture inside to explore the "Haunted Hallways" of Forest Ridge Elementary. Costumes are welcome, but not required! Purchase tickets in advance for $4.00. They will be $5.00 the day of the event. Pie walk tickets are $1 each or 6 for $5. Admission tickets are only needed for children ages 3+. Adults are free. Tickets are available online here. Paper order forms will be sent home on Monday for those preferring to pay by cash or check.
FRES PTA is now on Instagram. Follow us at fres_pta
Joe Corbi's Fundraiser
Joe Corbi's fundraiser deadline has been extended until midnight on Wednesday, October 16th. Return all paper order forms with full payment in the form of cash or money order to your child's teacher by Friday, October 18th. Thank you for your support!
***Please note there is currently a technical problem with the Designer Collection link that will be corrected today.
Online Ordering
Paper orders
PTA Committees
Committees are VITAL to the work of the Forest Ridge PTA! Committees make it possible for many people to carry out the mission of the PTA throughout the year and are a great way to get involved in a specific area of your interests or talents! Click here for more information about the 2024 - 2025 Committees. We hope you will sign up for at least one committee.
Join the Forest Ridge PTA!
ALL Forest Ridge families and staff are invited to join our PTA and get involved in the community support work that it does. There is no "wrong way to PTA" - however you can participate - a lot or a little or somewhere in-between - is welcome and celebrated!
To join online click MEMBERSHIP to pay by credit card. If you prefer to pay by cash or check complete this form and submit it with payment to your child’s teacher or the front office.
Stay Connected with the PTA
Website: www.frespta.org
Facebook https://www.facebook.com/FRESPTA
Instagram fres_pta
X @frespta
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.