Northridge Elementary Weekly Blast

November 10 - November 14, 2025
Important Dates
Nov 24-28 - Thanksgiving Break
Dec 05 - Holiday Shop
Dec 12 - Popcorn Friday
Dec 16 - Breakfast with Buddies
Dec 16-18 Holiday Snow Pile
Dec 18 - Holiday Parties
Dec 19 - No Students End of Semester
Dec 22- Jan 5 - Winter Break
PTO Pulse
PTO In Action
A Note from Principal Lehnert...
Dear Northridge Famlies,
What a wonderful and moving week it has been!
Celebrating Our Heroes on Veterans Day
We were incredibly proud to honor the brave men and women who have served our country during our Veterans Day Celebration. The event was a resounding success, beginning with a lovely breakfast enjoyed by our veteran guests, their families, and our staff. The highlight of the morning was the beautiful and patriotic performance put on by our 3rd graders, who sang with such sincerity and respect.
A huge thank you goes to our dedicated PTO, who did an amazing job organizing every detail of this important event. It was truly a special way for our Northridge community to show its gratitude.
4th Graders Become Wildlife Detectives!
Our 4th graders had a hands-on, fascinating experience this week as they dove into a real-world science lesson: owl pellet dissection! This fun and slightly messy activity allowed students to act as wildlife biologists. They carefully dissected the pellets and found all kinds of things—from tiny bones to skulls and fur—allowing them to reconstruct the owl's diet. This exercise was a powerful way for them to use their critical thinking skills and make inferences about local ecosystems and food chains. It was a fantastic application of their science knowledge!
They also channeled their inner paleontologists with a fun fossil dig! Students carefully dug up 3-D puzzle pieces and then used their problem-solving skills to assemble the fragments, discovering what dinosaur was hidden in their dig site. They had a blast uncovering and reconstructing these prehistoric finds!
Important Reminder: School Start Time
We understand that mornings can be hectic, and sometimes things happen that make you late. However, we want to gently remind all families about our official school hours and the importance of timely arrival.
Our school doors open at 8:25 AM, and the tardy bell rings promptly at 8:35 AM.
The first few minutes of the day are crucial for students. They are when the teacher sets the tone for the day, reviews the schedule, and gives essential morning instructions. Arriving on time ensures your child starts their day feeling calm, prepared, and connected to their peers, minimizing disruption to their learning and the instruction of others. Thank you for your continued efforts to help us maximize every minute of the school day.
On a Personal Note
I'm personally looking forward to kicking off the holiday season this weekend! It’s an annual tradition for my friends and me to visit a local holiday market. It’s a wonderful way to enjoy some time together, find unique gifts (and maybe a few for ourselves!), and truly jumpstart the holiday spirit. I hope you and your family enjoy a relaxing and festive weekend as well!
Thank you, as always, for your partnership and support. Have a wonderful weekend!
Smiles,
Erin Lehnert
Principal, Northridge Elementary
Veteran's Day Celebration
Exploring in Science
The Northern Lights over NRE (not my picture, taken from facebook)
Vaccine Clinic & SNAP Benefits Info
Vaccination Clinics
On November 12, 3:00-6:00p.m. the Children’s Clinic, we’ll be offering school-required vaccines as well as seasonal vaccines for children and adults (Flu, COVID, and RSV).
Important Information About SNAP Benefits
The State of Colorado announced that SNAP benefits are on hold and will likely be delayed in November. According to the Colorado Department of Human Services website: “Because of the federal government shutdown, the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) has not released the funds that states use to pay SNAP (food assistance) benefits. This means Colorado is unable to issue the approximately $120 million of November SNAP benefits to clients until the federal government restores funding.”
The State is sending communication directly to impacted households and will continue to keep the DHS website updated with new information.
Hundreds of thousands of Colorado families use SNAP benefits and we know that this may cause you to worry about access to food. Please be assured that even if November SNAP benefits are delayed. School breakfast and lunches will continue as normal and remain free for DCSD students.
If you know of a family that needs additional food before their SNAP benefits are available, please share the following resources:
Food Banks Serving Douglas County - includes 11 local food banks across the county
Colorado 211: Call 2-1-1, 866-760-6489 or visit 211colorado.org.
Feeding Colorado: Visit feedingcolorado.org/find-food or email info@feedingcolorado.org.
Hunger Free Colorado: Call their Food Resource Hotline at 855-855-4626.
A Precious Child - provides essential resources and opportunities for families
If any of your schools do the backpack program to provide food to families over the weekends, please see if additional families may need this support right now. Thank you for getting this important information out to families.
From the District...
How to Receive Emergency Messages from DCSD
Log into the Infinite Campus Parent Portal and click on the “person” icon in the top right-hand corner of the page. Navigate to “Contact Preferences” and review your contact information. If you see an incorrect phone number or email, please update it in Infinite Campus, or contact the registrar at your child’s school to request an update.
Lunch Room Volunteers Needed
Your friendly Nutrition Services would love some additional help next week. They are still working on hiring another person and could use our help in the meantime! They know these are busy weeks for everyone, but please consider signing up for a shift...or two! :)
Thank you so much!
Mental Health Resources
Mental Health Resources
Below is a list of resources, should you have a concern that a loved one (or yourself) may be experiencing behavioral changes, mood swings, depression, or suicidal thoughts over the break.
Call 911 if there is an immediate threat to the child or others
988 - Suicide and Crisis Hotline
Call or text “988” any time, 24/7 for free, confidential support.
Colorado Crisis Services: 1-844-493-TALK (8255)
Trained Crisis Counselor Hotline: (844) 493-8255 or text “TALK” to 38255
Chat online (open from 4pm-12am daily): Click Here
Walk-in Locations (open 24/7): Location List
Information About Types of Services and Answers to Frequently Asked Questions About Colorado Crisis Services
Douglas County has an anonymous reporting system available at all times. Anyone with a concern for someone’s well-being or safety can use Safe 2 Tell (1-877-542-7233) 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.