Northridge Elementary Weekly Blast
May 04 to May 08, 2026
Important Dates
May 13 - SAC Meeting
May 14 - 4th Grade Colorado Play
May 19 - Volunteer Appreciation Breakfast 9am
May 20 - 5th/6th Discovery Play
May 21 - Field Day
May 22 - 3rd Grade Business Day
May 28 - Graduation Day (6th, 5th and Kindergarten)
May 28 - Family Picnic and Last Day of the School Year
May 29 - No Students (First Day of Summer)
Proud to be a Pronghorn
We are thrilled to share some wonderful news with our school community! On May 4th, Principal Lehnert had the honor of attending a special celebration ceremony hosted by Superintendent Erin Kane to officially accept the John Irwin School of Excellence Award on behalf of Northridge Elementary.
Winning this prestigious award again is a powerful testament to the strength of our entire community. High academic achievement doesn’t happen in a vacuum. It is the result of a strong partnership between our dedicated teachers, hardworking staff, and our incredibly supportive parents and grandparents.
When we work together to prioritize and support student learning, the results speak for themselves. We are incredibly proud of our students' success, and we are honored to lead and learn in such a committed community. Thank you for everything you do to make Northridge a school of excellence!
Upcoming Schedule Change: 2026-2027 Friday Late Starts
As a reminder, all DCSD elementary and middle schools will move to a 45-minute late start every Friday beginning next school year (2026-2027). This dedicated time for Professional Learning Communities (PLCs) will allow our teachers to collaborate on data-driven instruction and curriculum consistency, directly benefiting our students’ academic growth.
While we know this change requires adjustment, we are excited to align with our high schools and neighboring districts in prioritizing this time for educator excellence. Details regarding transportation and BASE can be found among several FAQs on the district’s PLC webpage.
Here’s a downloadable 2026-2027 school-year calendar including late-start Fridays.
School Accountability Meeting - 5/13/26
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us06web.zoom.us/j/8679763161?pwd=LOPEVsQnt4YDoMKqh37ZiBhOXQwoNo.1
Meeting ID: 867 976 3161
Passcode: 6ZJet7
Rescheduled due to Weather
Graduation Updates - 4 guests per graduate
Field Day Coming Up
THINK TANK Update
Behind the Scenes Heroes!
While you may not always see them in the front office or at the classroom door, our Educational Assistants (EAs) are the quiet engines that keep our school running smoothly every day.
These dedicated professionals wear many hats. During the busy midday hours, they are the friendly faces supporting our students in the cafeteria and out on the playground, ensuring lunch and recess are safe and fun.
Behind the scenes, they are a vital support system for our teachers—handling everything from complex projects and grading to ensuring classrooms have the materials they need. Most importantly, they work directly with our students, pulling small groups for specialized intervention and helping every child reach their full potential.
We are so grateful for their hard work, flexibility, and the heart they bring to our school community. They truly are a critical part of the Northridge team!
Ms. Diane supports students in Ms. Klein's kindie class.
Ms. Katy supports students in Ms. Stickland's kindie class.
Ms. Melissa supports students in Ms. Emerick's kindie class.
Ms. Ali supports students in Ms. Albaugh's kindie classroom.
Ms. Fisher supports the teachers and students in 1st grade.
Ms. Sumpter supports the teachers and students in 1st grade.
Ms. Fritz supports teachers and students in the 2nd grade.
Ms. Belt supports teachers and students in 3rd grade.
Ms. Hodge supported teachers and students in 4th grade. She is now the long term sub for Ms. Lewis's class. All the other fabulous EAs pitch in the support 4th grade.
Ms. Burks supports teachers and students in 5th & 6th grades.
Ms. Kristi supports our treehouse and social emotional needs of students across all grades.
Ms. Jordan supports teachers and students in kindergarten.
Mr. B supports students and teachers in kindergarten.
Ms. Sara supports students in our SSN program.
Ms. Andrea supports students in our SSN program.
Ms. Angie supports students in our SSN program.
Ms. Anna supports students in our SSN program. She was also Ms. Golenski's student teacher this year.
PTO Pulse
PTO In Action
Breakfast with Buddies - Thank You!
Thank you to everyone who came out for our Community Breakfast. It was a wonderful morning together. And thank you to the volunteers who helped setup, pick up the food, etc. - we couldn’t have done it without you! See you next year!
Check the Lost & Found!
The Lost & Found collection is growing large - please stop by and check for any missing items before the end of the school year. Anything remaining in the Lost & Found on the last day of school will be donated.
Upcoming Events
End of Year NRE Staff Gift Crowd
PTO will once again be hosting a “NRE Staff Gift Crowd” as a simple way for families to thank our awesome teachers and staff. You simply click this link, choose the staff you’d like to thank, choose how much to contribute and you’re done - easy! Not only can you thank your child’s classroom teacher, but it’s super easy to also contribute to gifts for our cafeteria crew, the specials teachers, the SSN staff, the mental health team, Mr. Danny, Mr. Kirk, Officer Ben, the bus drivers, the EA’s, etc. What if 50+ families all chipped in a few dollars for all of those support staff members!? The Gift Crowd will be open until May 28 at 3:30pm.
School Tool Box
PTO is partnering with School Tool Box to provide NRE families the opportunity to order all needed classroom supplies for the fall. Place your order now and check this to-do off your summer list! A portion of each sale comes right back to NRE PTO - its a win-win!
FREE Rockies Tickets!
The PTO now gets free Rockies tickets for select 2026 games—and they’re available to NRE families at no cost! To get a shot at tickets, make sure you're opted in to PTO text messages. When tickets are available, you’ll get a text with instructions on how to request tickets. Tickets will be given out on a first come, first served basis. Not signed up yet? It only takes 10 seconds— click here.
Plus, PTO texts keep you in the loop with all the important reminders and updates. Stay connected and don’t miss out!
Restaurant Nights
Local restaurants host “spirit nights” where a designated portion of the proceeds from your order will be generously donated back to NRE PTO. All you have to do is mention NRE when ordering. It’s a win-win-win: you get a night off from making dinner (or treats), local restaurants get our business, and PTO receives a donation. Stay tuned for more dates - we are adding more to the calendar all the time!
5/19/26: Mici Italian
5/28/26: Mod Pizza (all day), McDonald's (11am - 2pm), Kona Ice (10am-12pm)
Volunteer Opportunities
NRE has a new volunteer site to see all available volunteer opportunities. Please check it out here! Specifically, you can find information about the following volunteer needs we have:
Graduation Setup - Help us set up on May 27 after school - we need lots of helpers!
Restaurant Nights Chairperson - Connect with local restaurants to fill the NRE PTO calendar with “spirit nights” all through the summer and next school year.
Grant Writer - Help us find funding for large expense items like playground equipment, new library shelving, etc.
Ongoing Fundraisers
Celebrate Your Artist!
Do you have piles of amazing art from your student at home and nowhere to display it!? Would you love to have it all in a beautiful and convenient book to enjoy? Plum Print has given Northridge the opportunity to support our school while we transform our children’s artwork into custom books! Not only will they donate 20% of the sale back to Northridge but they have also provided a $25 off code for us! Please take a look at the flyer below and use the code NORTHRIDGE when you place your order. This will give you $25 off your order and send 20% back to NRE!
NRE SWAG!!
NRE PTO is partnering with a company called “Mostly For Nerds” (MFN) to provide NRE Swag! You can now purchase tshirts, hoodies, hats, etc. MFN is also generously donating $5 per item sold back to NRE PTO. More items will be available in the future, and if you have a request for items that you’d like to see available, please let us know. Check out the online store now!
Paint the Rock - Reserve the Rock to celebrate a special occasion. First sign up for your date here, then make your $20 donation to PTO through MySchoolBucks.
Additionally, PTO has volunteers who are willing to paint the rock for you if you’d like! Follow the steps above, then email PTOpresidentNE@gmail.com to inquire about volunteer availability. When we find a volunteer who can paint for you, then you can make an additional $50 donation to PTO.
King Soopers - Did you know!?
King Soopers donates back to the community through their Community Rewards Program. There is no cost to families to participate and it takes 1 minute to link your King Soopers account to NRE PTO! We are really hoping to take full advantage of this great community partnership! See the very easy steps in the flier below.
A Note from Principal Lehnert
Dear Northridge Families,
A Morning of Community & Connection
What a wonderful way to start our Friday! This morning, our gym was filled with the smell of coffee, donuts, and breakfast tacos. It was so heartwarming to see our families gathered together one last time this year to share a meal.
A massive thank you to our incredible PTO for organizing this community breakfast. Your dedication to bringing us together makes Northridge such a special place to belong.
Celebrating Our Students: Graduation Update
As we look toward the end of the month, we are busy preparing for our 6th-grade, 5th-grade and kindergarten graduations on Thursday, May 28th. You may have seen that we are moving the ceremony into the gym this year. This was a carefully considered decision based on several factors:
Staff Well-being: In years past, our 6th-grade teachers arrived hours before school to move heavy risers, sound equipment, and hundreds of chairs out to the baseball field. By the time the ceremony began, they were exhausted and overheated. We want our teachers to be fully present and able to enjoy this milestone with their students without the physical strain of a major outdoor setup.
The "Hustle" Factor: The morning setup often meant our teachers’ own children missed out on the joy of the last day of school. Moving indoors allows our staff to focus on their families before school starts and the students when the bell rings.
Unpredictable Weather: While we’ve had a mild winter, this week reminded us that May in Colorado can bring anything from snow to heat waves. In the past, we have had guests struggle with the heat during outdoor ceremonies. Moving indoors ensures a comfortable, climate-controlled environment regardless of what the clouds are doing.
We understand that limiting guests is a change, but we are committed to making this work for everyone. Next week, we will send out a Google Form for families to request their tickets. Each graduate is guaranteed 4 tickets. Any remaining tickets will be allocated via a lottery system to families who have requested more. Our goal is to accommodate larger parties as fairly as possible!
Student Council: Future Leaders in Action
Today was a highlight of my week! Representatives from our Student Council gave Tessa and me a professional presentation regarding the funds they raised this year. I was blown away by their research, thoughtfulness, and desire to give back to NRE.
Their proposals included:
A "Health Break Cart" stocked with new equipment for health break activities.
Creative solutions for providing water access to students in the mobiles so they don't have to enter the main building as frequently to stay hydrated.
Funding ideas to improve library content and access for our older students.
These students are true problem solvers. Seeing them take such pride in improving their school was a great reminder that the future is in very capable hands!
With Gratitude: Staff Appreciation Week
Finally, I want to say a heartfelt THANK YOU for spoiling the Northridge staff this week. Seeing the beautiful bouquets, reading the sweet handwritten letters, and watching the kids walk in with thoughtful gifts has been wonderful.
Even the simple "thank you" and extra hugs mean the world to us during this busy time of year. Thank you for making my staff feel so deeply valued and appreciated. We are lucky to partner with you!
Have a wonderful weekend, Northridge! And Happy Mother's Day!
Smiles,
Erin
Students in THINK TANK designed their own Kerplunk Game
Tattoos at the 6th Grade Discovery Trivia Night
Origami fun at the 6th Grade Discovery Trivia Night.
Student Counsel presentation to Mrs. Lehnert and Mrs. Armijo
3rd Grade teachers honoring their silent auction prize
Mrs. Lehnert celebrating a class who made tremendous growth in iReady!
NRE winners at the DSCD Art Show
NRE winners at the DSCD Art Show
NRE winners at the DSCD Art Show
Stone Mountain Outdoor Edventures
Register Today for Stone Canyon Summer Camp!
Looking for fun, engaging, unplugged summer activities for your child this summer? Consider Stone Canyon's Summer Camp programs! Join us for a summer of fun, adventure, and friendship. Find registration links and more information here: https://www.stonecanyonedge.org/summercamp
Located in Larkspur, we offer week-long Overnight Camps for 9-15-year-old campers and 3-day Day Camps (including transportation to/from camp out of Castle Rock) for 6-9-year-old campers.
Update 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.
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.