Forest Ridge Forerunner

Trish Lannon | Principal

Heather Tracy | Assistant Principal

Website: https://fres.hcpss.org/

Address: 9550 Gorman Rd. Laurel, MD 20723

Phone: 410-880-5950

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• September 7: Schools/Offices Closed
• September 9: Back to School Night Grades K - 2 @ 6:15pm
• September 10: Back to School Night for Advanced Academic Programs @ 5:30pm
• September 10: Back to School Night Grades 3 - 5 @6:15pm
• September 17: PTA General Membership Mtg 6:15 - 8pm
• September 21: Schools/Offices Closed
• September 23: PTA Sweet Frog Fundraiser (Laurel Location)
• September 24: PTA Fall Drama Club Starts
• September 30: Schools Close 3-Hours Early
• October 10: PTA Fall Fest 2 - 5pm
• October 16: Schools Closed for Students
• October 26: Vision and Hearing Screening

*HCPSS calendars can be found HERE. They can be downloaded, subscribed to and/or printed out.

*Related Arts Color Calendar can be found HERE.

*FRES School Supply List can be found HERE.

Dear FRES Families,

We hope everyone is enjoying the long weekend and is ready for another great week at FRES on Tuesday! As we continue settling into the school year, we are so proud of the routines, relationships, and sense of community we see growing throughout our building each day.

We hope to see all of our families at Back to School Night! This is an important opportunity to spend time with your child’s teachers, learn more about what students will be learning this year, hear about classroom routines and expectations, and get to know the staff who support your child each day. A strong partnership between home and school makes such a difference for our students, and Back to School Night is a wonderful way to continue building that connection.

We also encourage our families to consider volunteering at FRES this year. Whether you are able to help occasionally or more regularly, our volunteers are an important part of our school community. Volunteering is also a great way to feel connected to FRES, get to know our staff, and see firsthand some of the wonderful things happening in our school. Please remember that all volunteers must complete the required HCPSS volunteer training before volunteering.

As we settle into the school year, we want to share a friendly reminder about appropriate clothing for school. We have noticed that some students are wearing shirts that do not fully cover their midriff. HCPSS dress code expectations require students’ chests, midriffs, pelvic/groin areas, and buttocks to be covered with non-see-through material while at school. We would appreciate families talking with their children about these expectations and helping them choose clothing that is appropriate for the school day. Thank you for your help and partnership

We are grateful for the energy and enthusiasm our students continue to bring to school each day and for the many ways our families support FRES. We are looking forward to another wonderful week and hope to see you at Back to School Night!

Warmly,

Trish Lannon, Principal
Heather Tracy, Assistant Principal

Early Dismissal and Dismissal Changes

To help ensure a safe, accurate, and orderly dismissal for all of our students, the front office and teachers cannot accept changes to student dismissal procedures after 2:45pm.

If you need to pick your child up for early dismissal, please do so before 2:45pm. If your child needs to be dismissed after 2:45pm, plan to pick them up in the car loop.

Dropping Off Student Lunches

To keep our buildings secure, HCPSS elementary schools have implemented an item drop off table in the front vestibule. If you are dropping off a forgotten item for a student, please leave it on the table in the vestibule labeled with your child's name and grade. If your student forgot their lunch, please drop it off prior to the first lunch shift at 10:30am. The secretaries will notify students to come get their lunches.

• Kindergarten - Cafeteria
• 1st Grade - Art Room
• 2 nd Grade- Media
• 3rd Grade - Cafeteria
• 4th Grade - Art Room
• 5th Grade - Media
• Advanced Academic Programs - Media

In addition to School Messenger. Forest Ridge ES will be using TalkingPoints to help families and staff stay connected throughout the school year. You’ll begin receiving messages from our school and your child’s teachers in the coming weeks. Simply save the numbers in your contacts so you can easily recognize messages and respond whenever you have something to share.

With TalkingPoints, families can:

• Receive important school updates directly on their phones.

• Message teachers and staff with questions, ideas, or concerns.

• Receive messages in their preferred language based on HCPSS Synergy information.

• Download the TalkingPoints app for additional features.

As in years past, our students will practice a variety of required safety drills throughout the school year to help prepare them for an actual emergency. Students have participated in an Evacuate procedure and a Hold procedure.

To view a comprehensive list of all HCPSS safety drills and additional safety and security measures, please click here.

It is VERY important to follow the arrival/dismissal directions so that we can keep things moving and keep staff and students safe. You can view the arrival/dismissal maps by going HERE.

Below are some important directions to follow for our car loop.

• Do not block the entrance to the school. When you do this, the buses cannot turn in and traffic gets blocked on Gorman Road.

• When you enter the school you MUST go to the right. Do NOT drive to the left and try to park in the parking lot or anywhere near the bus loop. That direction is for buses only.

• Staff will be outside to monitor and assist with the car loop at 8:30am.

• Please pull all the way forward. Once your car stops, have your children get out of the car immediately. They should not wait for a staff member to let them out unless they are in RECC.

• Students in grades RECC - 3 will enter through the main entrance under the awning. Those students in grades 4 and 5 will enter through the classroom door following the sidewalk by the bike racks.

• Adults please stay in your vehicle at all times. Exiting the car can create unsafe conditions for everyone and slow down drop off/pick up.

• Please have your child exit and enter your vehicle from the passenger side. This is the safest way to ensure they will never cross between cars.

• Please stay in line and do not pass other cars unless directed to by one of the staff on duty. Patience is appreciated.

• No one should be parking in the parking lot and walking through the lot to take their child to the door. This is extremely dangerous, slows down arrival/dismissal, and is not following our directions..

Afternoon Parent Pick-up Reminders

• No one should be lining up with their cars until 2:45pm. Early parents will continue to form the line. Please pull forward until you reach the top of the car loop.

• A staff member will begin greeting vehicles around 3:10pm to identify the student who is being picked up. Please follow the directions of the staff on duty.

• Drivers please display a sign with your child’s name and grade level on it. If you want one that we created, GO HERE. Be sure the name/names are written large and in thick marker so it can be seen. Place it on the passenger side dashboard.

• We start our dismissal at 3:10pm and it ends promptly at 3:30pm. Please ensure students are picked up ON TIME. Staff leave at 3:30pm for the day.

Each year, families update/complete their child's Family File with all emergency information. We are currently at 72% completion. As of today, we have 244 students who do not have an updated Family File.

Please complete this info ASAP. We will be using TalkingPoints this year to assist with communication and we need your updated information. It also notifies how to communicate in case their is an emergency.

This is required EACH year. We appreciate your assistance!

https://www.hcpss.org/connect/

Quick Reference Guide

Many HCPSS families are eligible to participate in the Free and Reduced Price Meals (FARMs) program, which provides children with a wide range of benefits including free or discounted college tuition, testing and application fees, academic and athletic program fees and many others in addition to free or discounted meals.

Families are urged to check their eligibility and complete a FARMs application as soon as possible. Families must submit a new application every school year.

Details on the Free and Reduced Meals program are available online. Use this link to apply:

REMEMBER - You have to apply EVERY year. If you were approved last year, it will expire mid-October if you don't reapply.

Please contact the front office if you have any questions or need assistance with applying for the Free and Reduced Meal Program.

In alignment with the State’s Comprehensive PreK-3 Literacy Policy, HCPSS students in Kindergarten through Grade 3 who demonstrate difficulties in reading will receive a Student Reading Improvement Plan (SRIP). This is a personalized plan that includes assessment information, reading goals, targeted instruction, and progress monitoring to support a student’s continued literacy growth.

If an SRIP is implemented for a student, school staff will provide details to parents/guardians. More information about this new initiative/intervention will be shared at Back to School Night.

In accordance with Maryland’s Ready to Read Act (2019), COMAR (2026) and the direction from the Howard County Board of Education, all Howard County Public School System students in Kindergarten through 5th Grade will participate in the 26/27 administration of the Amplify mCLASS with DIBELS 8th Edition universal screener to identify potential reading difficulties during predetermined windows. See the links below for more information and dates.

As a reminder, HCPSS Policy 8080 – Responsible Use of Technology, Digital Tools, and Social Media – outlines expectations for students’ use of personal technology devices during the school day.

Students are expected to keep personal technology devices away and silenced and ensure that they are not a distraction to learning during the school day. Smart watches may be worn; however, they should only be used to check the time and should not distract from instruction. We are asking families not to text their children during the school day. If you need to get a message to your child, please call the front office and we will make sure the message is communicated.

Consequences for violation of the policy:

• First Incident - The personal technology device is confiscated until the end of the student day. Students should turn off or lock devices prior to confiscation. Students will be able to pick up the device at the end of the school day.

• Second Incident and Beyond - The personal technology device is confiscated until it is retrieved by a parent.

Although the policy for having lunch with your child has been changed, we are still permitted to use parent volunteers for specific needs.

We are in need of parent volunteers to help out during Kindergarten and First Grade lunch shifts. These students will need help carrying trays, opening milk/drinks, etc. If you are interested in volunteering for this, please GO HERE and sign up. Thanks in advance.

Our amazing teachers are working hard to make sure they have everything they need to make this a great year for all of their students!

If you are interested in helping them out, you can go HERE to check out their Amazon Wish List to see what they need. Any help is always appreciated. Feel free to share the list with others who may be able to help them out!

The Student Code of Conduct is updated for the 2026-2027 school year and can be found online. Students will be getting lessons fromt heir homeroom teachers about the rules over the next week or two. We highly recommend that parents read through it.

Please remember that staff work hard to set up consistent procedures and rules to assist student in a positive school experience. In the event that a student makes a mistake that has to be addressed, we ask that families help support the work we do to support your children. We want to work together to help every child make the right choice.

If your child needs to be absent from school, please send all absence notes to FRESAbsence@hcpss.org and include the following in your email:

• Student's first and last name
• Grade level
• Date(s) of absence
• Reason for absence

HCPSS is seeking community members to serve on curriculum advisory committees, which provide a forum to share ideas and support continuous academic excellence. Interested stakeholders should submit an online interest form by September 11. Please click here for more information and to submit your application.

🎉 We’re 145 Members Strong!🎉

Our goal is 200 members by the end of 2026, and we’d love your help getting there.

Visit our new website to learn more about the PTA, join us, or sign up to volunteer. Every member and every helping hand makes a difference! 💙💛

Visit our Website - Join the PTA

Curious about volunteering? Fill out our general interest form, or select a specific event to volunteer at (these will be updated throughout the year)

Also follow us on Facebook HERE.

What is a PTACHC Representative? Often called a Council Delegate, this person is a volunteer who acts as a direct link between a local school's Parent Teacher Association (PTA) and the Parent Teacher Association Council of Howard County (PTACHC) in Maryland.

The FRES PTA is in need of two representatives for the 2026-2027 school year. Representatives must be paid members of the FRES PTA and be able to attend the monthly PTACHC meetings held on the 1st Tuesday of each month from 7:30 pm - 9:00 pm at the Homewood Center Cafeteria located at 10914 Clarksville Pike. If you would be interested in serving in this position please contact president@frespta.org.

The 4th Wednesday of the month we partner with Sweet Frog in Laurel and a portion of the proceeds support the PTA.

Fall Drama Club - In partnership with the Columbia Center for Theatrical Arts the FRES Drama Club presents LION KING Jr. this Fall. Have a kid that would love to get on stage and perform? Sign them up for the Fall Drama Club! Rehearsals begin after school on Sept 24th, so don’t delay in signing them up here.

The PTA’s Annual Fall Festival will take place in October and we are seeking volunteers to join the planning committee. If interested you can fill out the volunteer form linked above or email president@frespta.org.

In alignment with Howard County Board of Education, the following announcements have been approved by the Public Information Office for distribution. To view upcoming events click: https://community-programs.hcpss.org/

Howard County Recreation & Parks is offering a number of Before & After School classes for FRES students. These classes take place at Forest Ridge before or after school. See the FLYER or go to FRES Registration Page for more information about the classes offered this fall.

Check out this FLYER for information about other after school activities offered at FRES.

Howard County has a network of food pantries that provide essential supplies to those in need. Locate the nearest pantry by clicking the button below.