Park Ridge ES: Parent Newsletter

March 16th- Kindergarten Registration Opens

March 16th-19th- SCA Spirit Week

March 16th- Wear Floral Prints

March 17th- Wear Green

March 18th- Dress to Impress

March 19th- PRES Spirit Day or Red, White & Blue

March 19th- DARE Basketball Game at Brooke Point High School

March 20th- Eid al-Fitr (No School)

March 25th- Rising 6th Graders Parent Night

March 26th- Career Day

March 30th- April 3rd- Spring Break (No School)

April 1st-15th- PTO Nominations - The PTO needs you!

April 6th- Easter Monday (No School)

April 9th- 5th Grade Visit to Middle Schools

Park Ridge families, this is the time to schedule your rising kindergartener's physical. Doctor appointments book up quickly over the summer, and new kindergarten students cannot start without a valid physical on file. 🍎

Our annual DARE Basketball Game (Educators vs. Law Enforcement) is on Thursday, March 19, 2026, at Brooke Point High School. We hope that students and families will be able to come and cheer on Mr. Roble!

The 25-26 Talent show will be held at Colonial Forge High School on Thursday, March 26th.

It’s your chance to join the amazing, hard working PTO Executive Board that makes so many fun events happen during the year. We need your help in filling out the board for the 2026-2027 school year.

🫶Nominations are DUE by Wed, APRIL 15, 2026.

🫶We will announce the new board in an upcoming PTO meeting.

Please fill out this google form if you are interested in running for a PRES PTO Executive Board Position.

*Please note - the position of President is only available to members who currently serve, or have served on the board in the past.

Stafford County Public Schools has partnered with Hazel Health to offer students access to virtual mental health services at no cost to families, regardless of insurance status. This opportunity is made possible through funding awarded by the Virginia Department of Behavioral Health and Developmental Services.

Through this optional program, students may access licensed mental health providers year-round from the privacy of home. Services include evaluations, treatment recommendations, and care coordination with families when needed. All telehealth appointments take place at home, allowing you to participate in a setting that is comfortable and confidential.

Participation requires parental opt-in, and no student will receive services without prior written consent from a parent or guardian.

We know that mental health support is an important part of overall student well-being, and access to timely care can make a meaningful difference. This partnership aligns with our ongoing commitment to supporting the whole child and ensuring that students have the resources they need to thrive both in and out of the classroom.

Thank you for your continued partnership and for the many ways you support your child’s well-being. To register or enroll in services, please visit www.staffordschools.net/hazelhealth.

Just a reminder that, to help keep all students safe, we ask families to review bus expectations with their children. Please remind them to listen to the bus driver, stay seated, use appropriate voice levels, be respectful to others, keep hands and feet to themselves, and report any concerns to the bus driver or a trusted adult. Having these conversations at home helps reinforce the expectations we share at school and supports a safe, positive bus ride for everyone. Thank you all for your support.

It's time to select Transportation for the 2026-2027 school year!

The Transportation Selection Form must be completed for each child in your household by April 12. Please have your student’s ID number available to complete the form.

If you do not submit the form, your child will not be routed for bus service at the start of the next school year. Students who receive transportation through an IEP or 504 plan will be automatically routed.

Please complete the Transportation Selection Form at www.staffordschools.net/transportationsurvey.

Dear Parents and Guardians,

To maintain a healthy and safe environment for all students and staff, we are writing to reiterate the Stafford County Public Schools (SCPS) Illness Policy. We must insist on strict adherence to these protocols to prevent the spread of illness within our classrooms.

The 24-Hour Rule:

Per county guidelines, students must be free of symptoms—including fever, vomiting, and diarrhea—for a full 24 hours before returning to school. For fevers, this 24-hour period must be achieved without the use of fever-reducing medications.

Please Note: If a student is sent back to school before the 24-hour recovery period has passed, parents will be called to pick them up immediately.

Please do not send your child to school if they exhibit:

-Fever: 100.4°F or higher.

-Vomiting or Diarrhea: Must be clear of symptoms for 24 hours.

-Contagious Infections: (e.g., Strep Throat, Pink Eye) Requires a minimum of 24 hours on antibiotics and fever free without fever reducing medication.

-Persistent Symptoms: A heavy cough or undiagnosed rash that interferes with the student's ability to participate.

Pickup Requirements:

If a child becomes ill during the school day, we require they be picked up promptly. Please ensure your contact information and emergency contacts are current so we can reach you quickly if needed.

We appreciate your cooperation in putting the health of our entire school community first.

Sincerely,

Nurse Megan

Mary Washington Healthcare Grief Support Services will be hosting Camp Rainbow on Saturday, May 2nd from 9 am – 5 pm. This one-day camp is for children ages 5-12 who have experienced the death of a significant person in their life. The application can be found here. Please complete the application as soon as possible, as spots are limited.

Over the next couple of weeks, all fifth grade students will learn about middle school electives, will complete a Course Selection sheet and will select their course requests in StudentVue. Counselors will be coming into classrooms to complete this task. After your student has had their class session with the counselor, please go into ParentVue to take a look at your student's electives for next year. Here is the link to ParentVue: ParentVue

Linked to this email is the Middle School Program of Studies to review the electives and instructions for how to use on ParentVue and StudentVue.

All students must be registered by March 13th. If you have any questions about middle school registration, please reach out to any of the counselors below. Thanks!

kerneg@staffordschools.net

donovanrl@staffordschools.net

koduag@staffordschools.net

Important Dates to Remember

• March 13: Registration window closes

• March 25: Parent Night at your middle school

• April 9: Student field trip to your middle school

More information will be shared soon about Parent Night and the student field trip.

Park Ridge Elementary School will be hosting Career Day on Thursday, March 26, 2026, and we are looking for volunteers to help make this event a success! Whether you are a nurse, business owner, mechanic, member of the military, or work in any other field, we would love for you to join us for the morning and talk with our students about your career. We believe it is never too early to introduce students to the wide variety of career paths available to them, and firsthand experiences can make a lasting impact.

Presentations will be approximately 25 minutes long, and you will present to students ranging from kindergarten through 5th grade. Presenters are encouraged to include (but are not limited to):

• Related school subjects

• Education or training required

• Personal skills needed in your field

• A typical day on the job

• Child-friendly games, visuals, or hands-on activities

This is a wonderful opportunity to get involved at PRES and inspire our students as they begin to dream about their futures. If you are not interested but know someone who might be, please feel free to share this information or provide us with their contact details.

Thank you in advance for your time and support. We truly appreciate your willingness to participate in this rewarding experience. To sign up to participate in the event, please complete the form, Park Ridge Elementary School Career Day 2026.

If you have any questions or would like more information, please contact the counseling team at 540-658-6320 or email donovanrl@staffordschools.net.

We are reaching out to our Park Ridge families regarding 2026-2027 school supply and backpack needs. Please fill out the Google Form Backpack/Supplies Needed for School Year 26-27 if your family needs help securing a book bag and supplies for the next school year. This information will be kept confidential.

If you have multiple children needing assistance, please submit a separate form for each student.

This form must be completed by WEDNESDAY, March 25, 2026.

Get your yearbook before they're sold out! Very limited quantities will be available for sale once yearbooks are delivered.

Order here:

https://ybpay.lifetouch.com/

School Code: 11020726

Order by April 17th, 2026 📸

Dear Military-Connected Families,

April is the Month of the Military Child. During the month of April, we recognize and celebrate our military-connected students in a variety of ways. This year, we will also be hosting a special assembly to honor the sacrifices and unique experiences of students in military families. Our goal is to recognize and celebrate these extraordinary students and the important role they play in supporting their families and our community.

As part of this assembly, we would love to include photos of our military students with their active duty or retired military family member(s). Photos may be taken in uniform or civilian clothing.

If you would like your photo to be included in the assembly program, please email your photo along with your student’s name and grade level to donovanrl@staffordschools.net.

Thank you for allowing us to celebrate and honor your family’s service and sacrifice.

Meal Service: The federal government granted a waiver allowing school districts the option to provide take home meals to children participating in Ramadan. The meals are available to children in attendance at school from February 17, 2026 through March 19, 2026. Students may take a maximum of one breakfast and one lunch home per day. Federal regulations prohibit parent pick up or multiple day meal distribution.

If you have a student who has returned a permission slip, please send it to the front office as soon as possible so we can ensure all necessary arrangements are in place.

With so many new technologies and learning methods introduced every day, parental involvement in their child’s learning is more important than ever. To support this, our school division has partnered with Lightspeed Systems® to give parents visibility of their child’s internet usage while on school-issued devices, at home and after-school hours.

Lightspeed Parent Portal gives parents access to:

• A Weekly Student Online Activity Report. This report summarizes the student’s web browsing activity for the week. A copy of this report is sent to the parents’ email weekly.
  

• A full web-based Lightspeed Parent Portal, which delivers more detailed visibility of the student’s online activity at home.Lightspeed Parent Portal

In the event of school closures, please find the corresponding grade-level asynchronous packet for your student(s). Physical copies were sent home with all students.

Another round of inclement weather is heading our way!

Join the PRES Spirit Council in collecting pop tabs to help support the Ronald McDonald House - Greater Washington, DC.

Their Mission:

Ronald McDonald House Charities® of Greater Washington, DC (RMHCDC) provides essential services that remove barriers, strengthen families, and promote healing when children need healthcare. Collection jars will be in classrooms beginning next week!