French Run Elementary

Greeting French Run Families!

March is here and with it comes a season of growth, learning and fresh opportunities! As we head into the final stretch before spring break, our students continue to show perseverance and pride in their work. Classrooms are buzzing with engaging lessons, collaborative projects and exciting activities that highlight both academic progress and character development.

This month, we encourage students to stay focused on their goals, practice kindness and take responsibility for their learning. State testing is around the corner for some grade levels and we appreciate your partnership in ensuring students are well-rested, prepared and confident.

Thank you for your continued support of French Run Elementary. Together we are making a difference every day. Let's make March a month of growth and positivity!

Congratulations to our February Pride Team! These students were selected by their peers for the Collaboration they show daily. Here are some of the comments made about this month's Pride Team:

• works hard to share materials, takes turns and listens to her classmates
• patient with his classmates and always tries to include everyone
• respectful with classmates, listens to others ideas and contributes thoughtful suggestions to help her classmates succeed
• works well with others to solve problems and complete assignments
• always willing to work with others and help anyone around him

Congratulations Firebirds! We are so proud of you!

Pizza with the Principals is part of our PBIS incentive program for students. Each month students earn pride tickets for demonstrating S.O.A.R expectations. Students may choose to spend their tickets in our monthly Firebird Flea Market or save them for something better next month. This month we had 8 students choose Pizza with the Principals as their incentive award. Mr. Fetty served slices with a smile and spent time talking to students during lunch.

Here is what it means to S.O.A.R:

S - Self Control

O - On Task

A - Accepting

R - Respect

Out of all of our classes, Ms. Kidd's class received the most SOAR sightings this month!!!

We are so proud of Ms. Kidd's class for trying their best and working their hardest at school. Thank you for SOARING in all school environments. Great job!

Every year the Reynoldsburg Education Foundation holds a $500 raffle at the Christmas on the Town event. The winner of the raffle then selects a school to split the winnings. This year, Mayor Joe Begeny won the raffle and donated all of the winnings between French Run and Herbert Mills.

Mayor Joe and Kendra McKay, Vice President of the Reynoldsburg Board of Education stopped by last week to present Mr. Fetty with a check for $250.00.

Thanks Mayor Joe for thinking of our students at French Run Elementary!

The Month Ahead:

• March 8 - SPRING AHEAD! Clocks move forward 1 hour
• March 12 - Parent/Teacher Conferences
• March 13th - No School/Teacher PD Day
• March 18 - Parent/Teacher Conferences
• March 23-27 - No School - Spring Break. District Offices Closed

April Preview:

• April 3 - No School - Good Friday, District Offices Closed
• April 6 - No School
• April 7 - State of the Schools

In 2026, the United States will "spring ahead" on Sunday, March 8, 2026, at 2:00 a.m.. At this time, clocks will move forward one hour to 3:00 a.m., resulting in an hour of lost sleep but providing later sunsets and more evening daylight.

Tips to adjust your sleep patterns:

• Move Bedtime Earlier: Starting 3–4 days before the change, go to bed 15–20 minutes earlier each night.
• Shift Wake-Up Times: Set your alarm 15 minutes earlier each morning leading up to Sunday to help your body adapt incrementally.
• Adjust Daily Routines: Move other time-cues, like mealtimes and exercise, earlier by the same 15-minute increments.

Order your yearbook online today!

Inter-State.com/order

Use Order Code: 0349NQ

Online orders are due by Sunday, March 22, 2026.

Yearbooks are available for $22.00.

You can personalize your yearbook with your student's name and picture for an extra $5.00.

Stopfinder is an easy-to-use, all-in-one app that allows parents or guardians to track their student’s bus, get up-to-date arrival times and more. Earlier this month, we introduced Stopfinder to our middle and high school bus rider families.

We are now ready to introduce Stopfinder to families of elementary school students who use bus transportation. Tomorrow afternoon (around 4:00 p.m. ET), you will receive an email invitation from Stopfinder with instructions for setting up the app. You will be able to track your student’s bus beginning Friday, February 27, 2026. The email currently on file with the District will be used for setup. If your email has recently changed, please contact your building secretary to be sure we have your most up-to-date information.

You can also watch this video to learn how to set up the app.

To ensure a smooth transition, we rolled out Stopfinder in phases. Once the elementary school rollout is complete, we plan to send a reminder to all families in March. We will also send a reminder over the summer.

We are excited to offer Stopfinder as a new tool to help keep you informed. With the Stopfinder app, you will be able to:

• View your student’s transportation information

• Send private messages to communicate directly with the Transportation Department

• Create GeoAlerts that notify you when the bus arrives at or departs from locations on your student’s route, including their bus stop and school and more

Once you receive your Stopfinder email, we encourage you to download the app and explore its features. If you have questions or experience any issues, please contact our Director of Transportation, Eric Kinney, at eric.kinney@reyn.org. Your feedback will help us make adjustments and improvements before the app is rolled out to our elementary schools.

PRO TIP: The setup email will come from Stopfinder, not Reynoldsburg City Schools. Please check your spam or junk folder for emails from Stopfinder.

Thank you for your partnership.

In 2008, Isaiah Lewis was about to begin second grade at French Run Elementary. His life ended tragically when he and a friend found an unsecured gun and Isaiah suffered a fatal gunshot wound. He died on his seventh birthday.

This $1,000 scholarship is provided annually through the French Run PTO in Isaiah's memory. It is available to any Reynoldsburg High School senior that meets the following criteria:

• Attended French Run Elementary for a minimum of two years
• Has a GPA of 3.0 or higher (must upload official transcript)
• Plans to further their education at an established educational institution
• Completes an essay answering the following questions: Why is firearm education important? What effects would increased gun control measures have on safety in the United States?
• What types of firearm safety laws and education exist in other countries that could work in the U.S.?

Please submit this application, along with uploads of your transcript and essay, no later than April 17, 2026 to be considered for this scholarship.

Online Application

Experiencing issues with the application or have questions? Email FrenchRunPTO@gmail.com for assistance.

The French Run PTO is running it's Nothing Bundt Cakes fundraiser. Order forms have been sent home with 6 tasty bundlets to choose from. Orders are due March 16th and should be turned into your classroom teacher.

Thanks for supporting our French Run PTO and all they do for our students!

A reminder for our elementary school families:

Cell phone use has never been permitted during the school day in our elementary buildings. If an elementary student needs to contact a parent or guardian, they may do so through the school office.

If a student is caught with their cell phone out while in school, the phone will be confiscated and returned to the student at the end of the day. If a student is caught a second time, the cell phone will be confiscated, placed in the office and parent/guardian contacted to pick it up.

We appreciate your support as we work together to ensure a safe and distraction-free learning environment for all students.

EFCTS is excited to announce registration for summer camp will open up on Monday, February 9th! If you have students entering grades 5-7 that have been asking about summer camp again, you will now have the answers! Sessions will fill quickly!

Dates: June 2nd & 3rd
Times: 8:40-11:00am (morning session); 12:05-2:25pm (afternoon session)

Lunch: If they choose both sessions, students will need to bring a sack lunch.

Location: Eastland Career Center, 4465 S. Hamilton Rd., Groveport OH 43125

Price: FREE!!
Transportation: On their own

Registration: Eastland-Fairfield website (Registration will end on April 10th)

Each camper will receive a T-Shirt! Once a student is registered, more detailed information will be sent to the parent/guardian that has registered.

We have confirmed that Caitlin Hughes with the Fairfield County ESC will be joining us on June 2nd for a lunchtime presentation and animal ambassadors from the Columbus Zoo will be with us on June 3rd.

*New this year* COSI will join us this year, running a session geared towards Entrepreneurship. Jazz Lab will also be joining us this year with their sessions highlighting music and how it can inspire learning and related careers!

We look forward to hosting your students for two days of learning, fun and a great kick-start to their summers!

Students who will be 5 years old by the first day of school (August 20, 2026) ae eligible to enroll for kindergarten for the 2026-2027 school year. Visit the District enrollment page to learn more or contact the Welcome Center at 614-501-1033, opt. 7.

Reynoldsburg City Schools is excited to partner with Children's Hunger Alliance (CHA) for our weekend meal program again this year! TANF-eligible families interested in receiving weekend meals for their student(s) can complete the program form located here: https://forms.gle/z8HY4vZx4yxrZ33c7.

If you have questions about the weekend meal program or other available resources in the school community, please reach out to wholechild@reyn.org.

Local Community Resources

H.E.A.R.T. Pantry

Community of Care (Reynoldsburg Church of Christ)

Reynoldsburg Helping Hands

Drop Off and Pick Up Details:

Arrival: Doors Open: 8:20 am

Tardy Bell: 8:30 am (Doors will close at this time)

If you arrive after 8:30, you will need to walk your student into the building and sign them in. There will be a sign in sheet on a table in the foyer outside the office.

Dismissal/ Pickup

Students begin leaving the building: 2:45 pm

All students out of the building/last pick up: 3:00 pm

Car Rider Loop

Parents dropping off or picking up students must follow the car pickup line.

Students will be waiting for parents who are in line, and released by the cones on the sidewalk. Please do not pass cars in the loop.

Please do not use the bus loop during pickup and drop off times.

The French Run PTO (Parent Teacher Organization) is a group of parents, caregivers, and staff who work together to support our school through events, volunteer efforts, and fundraising. The PTO helps create fun experiences for students, supports teachers, and builds a strong school community. You don’t need a lot of time to help—there are many simple ways to get involved, like donating items, helping at events, or sharing ideas. Every bit of support makes a difference. Click the link below to learn more and see how you can partner with the PTO.

As we head into the holiday season, we want to express our heartfelt gratitude for the partnership you provide to our school community. Your support helps make our school a joyful place for students to learn and grow. A few families have asked how they might spread a little extra cheer to our teachers and staff before winter break. While gifts are never expected or required, here are a couple options below if you are interested.

Teacher Lounge Refresh

If you'd like to contribute to making our teachers' lounge a brighter, more comfortable place for staff to recharge, you can purchase from the Amazon wish list or surprise them with a snack or item of your choosing.

A Few of Our Favorite Things

Prefer to surprise a specific teacher or staff member with their favorite treat or gift? Take a look at this staff favorites guide for ideas. As always, gifts are never expected or required.

Thank you for helping us make this season special for our staff! Your thoughtfulness and generosity -- whether through kind words, gifts, or simply your ongoing support -- make a big difference to our staff. We hope you have a safe, peaceful, and happy winter break!

Kroger Community Rewards is partnering with French Run PTO to earn money for our school when you enroll "French Run PTO" as your Community Rewards recipient. It takes less than one minute to sign up through the app. See steps below:

1. go to the Home Screen
2. select the menu in the upper right, click on "rewards"
3. then select "Community Rewards"
4. and finally, type in "French Run PTO"
5. select "enroll"

You can also sign up online using the link below!

Use the Code to support our school!

French Run Elementary Code: NPO #82187

Beginning Monday September 15th, all family communication was transitioned to using Talking Points. You may click on the link below for additional information about Talking Points.

https://intercom.help/talkingpoints/en/articles/10504279-translated-talkingpoints-families-app-invitations-printable

Parent/Guardians will be automatically enrolled with your phone number and e-mail addresses on file in the office.

It is very important that your phone number is updated so you can stay up to date with information from the building! To begin, TalkingPoints will automatically allow us to communicate by text messages to your phone. If you wish, you can download the TalkingPoints Parent app to your phone. This allows you to do more advanced features such as react to messages, RSVP to events, and more. Downloading the app is optional.

Any changes in phone number, e-mail address, or other important information should be communicated to the front office as soon as you can.

Change of addresses are required by Ohio Law, and should be communicated with our welcome center. Cindy in the French Run front office can help with this process.

Address: 1200 Epworth Ave, Reynoldsburg, OH 43068

Phone: (614) 367-1950