IMPORTANT DATES
November 3 Daylight Saving Time ends - "Fall back" one hour
November 5 Election Day - Schools and offices closed
November 7 School Spirit Day: Flannel/Plaid Day - wear flannel or plaid, or just wear FRES colors - royal blue and yellow/gold
November 12 5:00-9:00 PTA Chipotle Restaurant Night - Fulton location
November 16 11:00-1:00 Joe Corbi’s Pick-Up
November 25 Schools close 3 hours early for Parent/Teacher conferences
November 26 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
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 had an exciting week at Forest Ridge, celebrating our students' hard work and dedication throughout the first quarter! To recognize their efforts, we held a special "Pumped Up Recess" during our Related Arts block. The students had a fantastic time playing games, enjoying music, and just having fun together. Be sure to ask your child about this memorable celebration and all the activities they enjoyed!
This time of year is also full of meaningful celebrations for many of our families. Diwali, also known as the Festival of Lights, is a time for joy, family gatherings, and the lighting of diyas to celebrate the triumph of light over darkness. The Day of the Dead, or Día de los Muertos, is a vibrant and beautiful tradition honoring loved ones who have passed, with altars and offerings that celebrate their lives. Lastly, All Saints’ Day is celebrated by honoring saints and loved ones who have gone before us. We wish everyone celebrating these holidays a joyful and meaningful time with family and friends!
Lastly, please remember that all HCPSS schools and offices will be closed on Tuesday, November 5th, for Election Day. We hope you enjoy the day off!
Thank you for your continued partnership and support. Have a wonderful weekend!
Warm regards,
Mrs. Lannon & Ms. Pazornik
Fall MAP Results
Fall MAP progress reports for students in grades 1-5 are available in ParentVue. Please click here for directions on how to access your students' scores. If you have any questions about the assessment results, please reach out to your child's teacher.
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.
Thank you all for coming out last Saturday to the annual FRES Fall Fest! We hope you and your family had an amazing time. Thank you to all the parents, staff and students from Patuxent Middle School & Reservoir High School who volunteered to help with the event. Events like this are not possible without the help of our outstanding volunteers.
Reflections Arts Competition
The Reflections Arts Competition is available at FRES again this year! This national program offers students the opportunity to earn recognition for original artwork they create in response to a theme. 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 will be distributed to student’s mailboxes next week and available online at frespta.org. The deadline for submission is Wednesday, December 4th.
CHIPOTLE Restaurant Night – Tuesday, November 12th 5:00 PM – 9:00 PM
It's a "No Cook" Tuesday Opportunity!!! Order dinner from Chipotle in Fulton (11811 W Market Pl St 3) and support the FRES PTA. 25% of sales will be donated to the PTA to support our students, staff and families. Order online for pickup using code KZRJZ8Q or show this flyer in the restaurant. flyer - english flyer - spanish
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. We cannot hold/store any food/perishable items.
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.
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
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. Look for additional ways to purchase coming next week.
WatchDOGS
Interested in being a WatchDOG? Sign up here. Need a WatchDOGS T-Shirt order here. If you previously ordered a grey ‘Heroes of the Hallway” shirt, those are due to arrive by 11/8 and will be delivered to your student’s classroom.
Planet Aid Bin – Big Yellow Bin at the Corner of Gorman Road
Just a reminder - we have our own Planet Aid recycling bin at FRES. It's a 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:
Even items with minor tears, stains, or imperfections may be donated. 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.
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, so 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.
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.