Forest Ridge Forerunner

Trish Lannon | Principal

Ivye Pazornik | Assistant Principal

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

Address: 9559 Gorman Rd. Laurel, MD 20723

Phone: 410-880-5950

*For another language, click "Translate Newsletter" at the top of the screen and select the language of choice at the top of this page.

*Para otro idioma, haga clic en "Traducir boletín" en la parte superior de la pantalla y seleccione el idioma de su elección en la parte superior de esta página.

• December 2: Picture Re-take Day

• December 4: Drama Club Performance of Annie 7:pm | Doors open at 6:30pm

• December 4: Reflections Art Competition Entries Due

• December 8: Q2 Midpoint - Check Grades🍎

• December 9: PTA Chick Fil-A Fundraiser
• December 17: Orchestra Winter Concert 7pm at HaHS
• December 18: Kindergarten Gingerbread House Night 6pm
• December 19: Ugly Holiday Sweater/Shirt Day
• December 24 - January 4: Winter Break
• January 5: Return to School
• January 9: Spelling Bee 1:45 - 3pm
• January 14: PVMS Incoming 6th Graders Parent Meeting 6pm
• January 15 & 16: Dental Clinic
• January 19: HCPSS Schools & Offices Closed
• January 21: Band & Chorus Concert 7 - 8pm
• January 22: HCPSS Schools Close 3-Hrs Early
• January 30: School Spirit Day - Dress as What You Want to be When You Grow Up
• January 31: PTA Culture Fest
• February 3: Q2 Report Cards Available

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

*FRES Academic Schedule can be found HERE.

*The HCPSS Related Arts Color Calendar can be found HERE.

*FRES School Spirit Days Calendar can be found HERE.

*FRES School Supply List can be found HERE.

*Arrival/Dismissal Map can be found HERE.

Dear FRES Families,

As we head into this busy and joyful time of year, we want to thank all of our families for their continued partnership. Your support makes such a difference in helping our students feel successful and confident every day.

We also want to make you aware that December 8th marks the halfway point of Quarter 2. This is a great time to check in on your child’s progress and reach out with any questions you may have. We strongly encourage families to review grades in Canvas regularly. Canvas also has a helpful notifications feature, which allows you to receive an alert if your child’s grade in a course falls below a value you choose.

As a reminder, HCPSS expectations state that teachers enter a minimum of three grades per measurement topic, per content area, per quarter. In addition, Policy 8010 outlines that teachers have up to three weeks to enter grades for assignments. Please keep this timeline in mind as you monitor progress.

We also want to note that the Canvas Gradebook is best viewed on a computer, as certain features do not appear on a cellphone. If you have any questions or concerns about your child’s grades, please contact the teacher directly - they are always happy to partner with you.

For Quarter 2, students will also receive grades for their related arts classes. Report cards are released online; however, if you would like or need a paper copy, please call our front office and one of our secretaries will gladly print one for you.

Thank you for your continued support. We truly value the teamwork between home and school, and we appreciate all you do to help your child grow throughout the year.

Warmly,
Trish Lannon, Principal
Ivye Pazornik, Assistant Principal

December 2 is picture re-take day, starting at 8:45am. All students new to FRES and students who were absent on October 16 will be photographed.

If you did not like your child's original picture you can have it re-taken, but you must return the entire original package of pictures. If you need a picture order envelope, please call the FRES office at 410-880-5950.

If you have any questions, please email Chris Traini at christin_traini@hcpss.org.

As part of our FRES PBIS focus on Empathy, we’re coming together as a school to support families in need through the Love Wins Pantry. This organization provides food and essential items to some of our most vulnerable families, and we want to help make a difference this season!

Our FRES Food Drive will run from November 10 - December 5.
Students can bring in non-perishable food items to donate - please check expiration dates before sending them in.

💛 Most Needed Items:

• Cereal

• Peanut Butter & Jelly

• Rice & Beans

• Pasta & Pasta Sauce

• Canned Meats & Soups

To make it fun, we’re adding a little friendly competition! The grade level that collects the most food will earn a Movie & Popcorn Party. As of November 14th, 4th grade is in first place, 3rd grade is in second place and 1st grade is in third place!

Let’s show our FRES empathy by filling those boxes and helping our community. Together, we can make a big impact - one can at a time! Collection boxes will be set up in the front hallway.

This year, the Howard County Public School System will be administering the Cognitive Abilities Test (CogAT) to all students in Grade 3. The CogAT is a group-administered abilities test that measures students’ reasoning abilities, which they develop through in-school and out-of-school experiences. It is not designed to test a student’s academic achievement, but their potential.

The test will be given on the computer and consists of three batteries - Verbal, Quantitative, and Nonverbal. Each battery has three subtests and takes approximately 30 minutes to complete, 10 min per subtest. Questions are all in multiple choice format. At Forest Ridge ES, the CogAT will be administered over three days on December 8, December 9, and December 10, with one battery given each day.

The CogAT helps educators understand a student’s cognitive strengths and weaknesses and assists with adapting instruction to meet the needs and abilities of each student. Additionally, CogAT scores are one piece of data used to determine placement into fourth and fifth grade Gifted/Talented mathematics classes and middle school Gifted/Talented content classes.

Students’ individual scores will be reported to parents in late February/early March.

Please contact Ivye Pazornik, Assistant Principal and School Test Coordinator, if you have any questions about your child’s involvement with the CogAT assessment.

More information about the CogAT assessment itself and the Gifted/Talented Program in HCPSS can be found through the links below.

Cognitive Abilities Test

HCPSS G/T

As we are fully moving into the cold weather season, we wanted to remind you that students will still be going outside for recess. Please make sure you send your child to school with warm clothes. All clothing needs to be labeled with your child's name to prevent it from being lost.

Generally, it is assumed that students will be outside for recess, physical education, or any other outdoor activity when the temperature combined with the wind chill is not less than 20 degrees Fahrenheit or the heat index reading is less than 95.

All students will be going out to recess when it is outdoors.

Key Details for This Year’s Campaign:

• Distribution Date: Saturday, December 20, 2025, at 9am.

• New Location: 9755 Patuxent Woods Drive, Columbia, MD
  (Located in the Howard County office complex near the Department of Community Resources and Department of Social Services — and accessible by bus.)

• Walk-up service will be available for families using public transportation.

• Registration Link: https://aatft.formstack.com/forms/ifrformhoward2025

• Registration Closes: December 12, 2025

FRES will be hosting the mobile Smile Dental Program for our students during the school day on Thursday January 15th , 2026 and Friday January 16th 2026. You can register online now at:

https://www.myschooldentist.com/Default.aspx or you can print out and complete THIS CONSENT FORM. Copies will also be sent home with your student.

Please complete the registration form in its entirety and be sure to include dental insurance and/or Medicaid information, if applicable. Incomplete forms will not be processed.

If you have any questions or concerns, please call the Smile Dental Program at 855-481-8639 for assistance or the Health Room at 410-888-8811.

The HCPSS Black Student Achievement Program Saturday Math Academy Spring Session is approaching! The BSAP Saturday Math Academy will offer an in-person enrichment program for Howard County Public School System students in all levels of math for grades 3-12, based on course availability.

Registration will take place online on Saturday, January 10, 2026, from 9:00 am until capacity is reached. Class space is limited. Families can register by accessing the HCPSS Connect Website on the registration date. For more information, please visit HCPSS News.

Please see below for the Flyers:
BSAP SMA Spring 2026 Flyer (English)
BSAP SMA Spring 2026 Flyer (Spanish)
BSAP SMA Spring 2026 Flyer (Chinese)
BSAP SMA Spring 2026 Flyer (Korean)

Classes have been working on Concept 6. Read the information below to see what they are learning and how you can make connections at home.

We are very excited to have volunteers to assist teachers and students. We are ALWAYS in need of vounteers!

If you have not already done so, please complete the necessary trainings in order to be a volunteer by going to https://forms.gle/2FT2GTdq41jQtKv99. Once this is done, you will be cleared to both volunteer at the school and to chaperone. This does have to be completed before coming in to volunteer. Thanks.

Parents may occasionally need to change their child's dismissal plans. If you are aware of these changes in advance, please email the following staff members by 10am:

• Your child’s Homeroom teacher

• Front Office staff: kelli_davenport@hcpss.org and rebecca_jackson@hcpss.org.
  

If a change is made without prior notice, please call the school directly at 410-880-5950 after 9am and inform our secretaries. Teachers may not be able to check emails or may have a substitute on that day. You can find our staff directory and email addresses HERE.

Additionally, we kindly ask families to be mindful of early dismissal timing. To help our staff prepare efficiently, please ensure your child is picked up no later than 2:35pm if an early dismissal is needed. This allows us to call and ready your child before the school-wide dismissal begins and helps prevent congestion around our buses. Thank you for your cooperation in ensuring a smooth and accurate dismissal procedure.

Please consider helping our teachers out with their Amazon Wish Lists. Our amazing PTA is trying to help our teachers get the items they need for their classrooms and their students. Your support is greatly appreciated!

As of November 30th, our overall attendance is at 95%. PreK, 1st grade and 5th grade attendance percentages are low (93% or lower) and we would love for those to improve. Of course if your child is truly sick, we want them to stay home.

We currently have 74 students listed as chronically absent with the most being in 1st or 5th grade. You are listed as chronically absent if you have missed 20% of school or more.

Regular school attendance is one of the most important factors in a child’s academic success. When students are in school every day, they build strong routines, stay connected to their teachers and classmates, and fully engage in learning that can’t be replicated at home. Even a few missed days can make it hard for students to keep up, especially with foundational skills taught daily. Unless your child is truly sick, we ask that you please send them to school so they don’t miss valuable instruction, support, and opportunities to grow. Your partnership makes a tremendous difference.

All absence notes should be sent directly to fresabsence@hcpss.org

In your absence email, please include the following:

• Student’s full legal name

• Homeroom teacher

• Dates of absence

• Reason for absence (e.g., illness, bereavement, observance of a religious holiday, lack of transportation)

You can read our attendance letter by going HERE.

This is a reminder to all families that students must be in class by 8:45am and that students that arrive at 8:45am or after must be signed in late by an adult, whether or not you see staff and students outside. Thank you for your attention to this.

We are committed to providing a safe and nurturing environment for all students. Preventing bullying is an important part of this goal. HCPSS Policy 9460 states that bullying, cyberbullying, harassment, and intimidation are prohibited in HCPSS. Our administration and staff have been trained and made aware of this policy as well as preventative and responsive measures.

During our Student Rights and Responsibilities talks with our students we outlined the difference between Bullying and Normal Peer Conflict. Listed below is what we shared. We hope sharing this will help norm these terms for our community.

Normal Peer Conflict

• Peers have equal power or are friends with each other.

• Conflict happens occasionally or rarely.

• May be accidental.

• May not be serious; no threat of harm.

• Equal emotional reaction from both peers.

• Not seeking power or attention and not trying to gain something.

• General remorse – will want to take responsibility.

• Effort on both sides to solve the problem.

Bullying/Harassment

• Imbalance of power between peers; not friends.

• Repeated negative actions that happen often.

• Purposefully done.

• Serious with threat of physical or emotional harm.

• Strong emotional reaction from victim and little or no emotional reaction from bully.

• Seeking power, control or material things.

• No remorse – bully blames victim; no guilt from bully.

• No effort to solve the problem.

More information can be found on the HCPSS Stop Bullying website. If you have any questions regarding this policy or its implementation, please contact a member of our school administration team.

Help the PTA sponsor a holiday cookie cart and hot chocolate bar for our teachers and staff on Friday, December 19th, as we countdown to winter break!

If you would like to donate some holiday treats, please sign up here - Cookie Cart Sign Up. Please include an ingredient list with any homemade items.

Drop off items to the school by 11am on December 19th. Questions: Email contact@frespta.org

The Reflections Arts Contest is available at FRES again this year! This national program offers students the opportunity to earn recognition for original artwork they create in response to a theme. This year’s entries interpret the theme: “I Belong”.

Students can choose from six categories: dance choreography, film production, literature, musical composition, photography and visual arts. If your child is interested in participating please view the website Reflections Info for more information. You can also use these additional links to access the: Reflections Official Rules & Category Rules.

This Application is required to be completed and submitted with your child’s entry. All submissions are due on Thursday December 4th, 2025 to reflections@frespta.org or may be dropped off at the school office.

In partnership with the Columbia Center for Theatrical Arts, the PTA sponsored Drama Club will present their production of Annie on Thursday, December 4th at 7:00 pm. Doors open at 6:30 pm.

Over 25 of our amazing students in grades K – 5 have been hard at work rehearsing for this one night only performance. The performance is free to attend and will be held in the FRES Cafeteria/Stage. Concessions will be available for purchase—cash preferred.

A small number of volunteers are needed to support the production. Please Volunteer Here

Great news, FRES families! Thanks to you, our PTA has officially reached 100 members this year! 🎉 Now we’re aiming even higher with a new goal of 125 members by the end of the year — and we’d love for YOU to be part of it.
You can join by going to this link: https://frespta.givebacks.com/shop

By joining the PTA, you help us:

• Reduce the cost of field trips for families and students
• Bring enriching after-school programs, cultural arts experiences, and activities to FRES
• Host fun, community-building events for families and staff
• Support teachers and classrooms through funding and volunteer efforts
• Show appreciation for the amazing educators who pour their hearts into our kids
• Advocate for FRES at the county, state, and national levels

There are no requirements to join — your membership alone makes a big impact, and you can get involved in whatever way works for you.

Let’s keep climbing together. 💛
Join the FRES PTA today and help us reach 125 strong!

The FRES PTA is excited to announce our Main Event Fun Card Fundraiser - the perfect way to have fun and support our school! Each $20 Fun Card comes pre-loaded with 100 credits, and redeemable at any of the 50+ Main Event Centers across the U.S. - perfect for arcade games, bowling and more!

The FRES PTA will receive 50% of every Fun Card purchased, directly supporting our programs and events and this year. Fun Cards are available for purchase until January 15, 2026. Get your card today at https://www.groupraise.com/offer-campaigns/65494-fres-pta-main-event-fun-card-fundraising-campaigns

Committees are VITAL to the work of the Forest Ridge PTA! Committees make it possible for us to carry out the mission of the PTA throughout the year and are a great way to get involved at a level the meets your availability, interests and talents. Click PTA Committee Sign-Up for more information and to sign up for at least one of the 2025 – 2026 PTA Committees.

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/

UNMUTE is a student-led nonprofit organization founded in the summer of 2019 to spread the joy of music by hosting concerts in assisted living facilities for senior citizens.

In our program, volunteering musicians are students in K-12. At concerts, volunteers can perform 1-2 pieces of their choice for the senior citizens. All skill levels and music genres are welcome. Volunteers can showcase any of their musical talents, whether that be singing or playing an instrument. It’s amazing to see how music can light up so many faces in the room!

Students will receive 4 certified SSL (student service learning) hours for each concert they participate in. Currently, we have the sign-up open for 2 concerts in Howard County at the Residences at Vantage Point on Sun, December 14th and Sunrise Senior Living of Columbia on Sun, December 21st. Both concerts are at 3:30 pm.

We would love to have students from your school perform. With the help of students, UNMUTE strives to promote a better society through the power of music, youth volunteerism, and youth development.

Website: https://www.unmutemusician.org/

Please see the attached flyers. There are many opportunities and resources available for Howard County families.

Resources- English

Resources- Spanish

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.