Park Ridge ES: Parent Newsletter

Hello Park Ridge Families.

I hope you’ve all enjoyed the recent snow and ice days and have been able to stay safe and warm. We are looking forward to welcoming our students back into the building soon and returning to our regular routines. Please continue to monitor your email and school communications for updates about Monday. Can’t wait to have our students back with us.

Niki Simms

February 7th- Polar Run 5k **New Date**

February 9th-13th- Kindness Week

February 13th- Professional Learning Day (No School)

February 16th- President's Day (No School)

February 20th- PTO Valentine's Kindness Dance

February 24th- K-2 Spring Pictures

February 25th- 3-5 Spring Pictures

The Polar Fun Run 5K is happening this weekend, and yes… it’s going to be a chilly one! But that won’t stop us...our students have shown over the past two years that when we work together, we can meet our goals. Let’s keep the momentum going! I encourage all families to get their kiddos signed up for the Polar Run. Staff members are joining in too! I’m already signed up and ready to go, and I would love to see as many of you out there as possible.

The 5th Annual Health & Wellness Fair on Saturday, February 7th, 2026, from 11 a.m.–2 p.m. at Colonial Forge High School. The event will also feature the Polar Pals Fun Run & 5K (registration required) beginning at 12PM, with swag and hot chocolate for runners.

Next week on February 9th-13th, we will focus on spreading kindness through our words, actions, and choices. Students will participate in activities that encourage empathy, respect, and helping others, reminding us that even small acts of kindness can make a big difference. What better way to do that than with a Spirit Week? Please see the flyer below for our Kindness Spirit Week themes and details.

The Park Ridge PTO presents the

💖🩷 Valentine's Kindness Dance! 💖🩷

Friday, February 20th, 6:00 - 7:30 PM

at Rodney Thompson Middle School:

75 Wapole Street

$4 per person, (ages 3 & under free)

Enter at Main Entrance

Doors open at 5:45 PM

💗 All Park Ridge students must be with a parent or guardian

💗 Everyone in your group must pay the entry fee

💗 Stay in dance area at all times, do not enter closed areas

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.

Our annual DARE Basketball Game (Educators vs. Law Enforcement) will take place on March 19, 2026, at Brooke Point High School. Students will not be playing this year, but we’re excited to share that Mr. Roble, 4th Grade Teacher is the chosen one and will be representing Park Ridge in the game! Thank you, Mr. Roble! We’ll have the banners ready and the cheers loud....get ready to be supported by our kiddos and staff! We hope that families will be able to come out and help cheer on Mr. Roble!

Our basket theme this year is Family Game Night! We will be collecting board games, card games, or any items that help make a fun game night over the next few weeks. If you’re able, please feel free to drop off a game to add to our basket. All donations are needed by March 12th. Thank you so much for your support.

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.

Sign Up Today!

Our school is getting ready to kick off our Kids Heart Challenge (KHC)! Get a Jump Start and Join TODAY to earn your colorful wristband – Complete Finn’s Mission to Learn how to help save a life!

Join our school team on the FREE & fun “AHA Schools” App or at www.heart.org/Schools and complete Finn’s Mission to learn Hands-Only CPR.

Register today and download the “AHA Schools” app – SUPER rewards this year!

1. Students & Staff - Complete the steps to Finn’s Mission to earn your bright green SUPER Heart-Hero Cape & you’ll also be entered for a Chance to win 2 SUPER Bowl tickets, to the 2027 Super Bowl!!!

We're going to make a huge impact together, Heart Heroes!

Tip for Success! Check to see if your employer has a matching gift program—it could double your donation! Follow the steps and forward the confirmation to MatchingGifts@heart.org

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!