Pine Ridge Connection
9.18.26
FHC Band Fall Fest Fun: Parade, Parties & the FHC Band!
What a Great Day to Be a Ranger!
What a fantastic day at Pine Ridge! A huge thank-you to our amazing PTO and family volunteers who helped make our Fall Fest Parade and Classroom Parties such a success. We couldn't have done it without you!
Our Rangers had a blast showing off their costumes during the parade, especially with the FHC band joining us to add some extra excitement and music to the celebration! After marching around the school, students headed back to their classrooms to enjoy Fall Fest parties filled with fun, laughter, and plenty of seasonal spirit.
We are grateful for the time, energy, and support of our families and volunteers who help make these special memories possible for our students.
Take a peek at a few pictures from our day of Fall Fest fun!
Happy Fall, Rangers!
Warmly,
Nathan Peltz
Principal, Pine Ridge Elementary
3rd grade students creating habitats
Students and their stuffed animals.
Testing Out the Junior Kinder Delivery Device
Delivery Time
Junior Kinder Transportation Device
Our Art to Remember Fundraiser is Underway!
Our students have been working tirelessly in art class, creating vibrant self-portraits that celebrate their individuality and creativity. These beautiful pieces can now be transformed into one-of-a-kind keepsakes through our Art To Remember fundraiser!
Families can order fun items like coffee mugs, prints, bookmarks, magnets, keychains, travel mugs, and blankets—all featuring your child’s artwork. Items are available in a variety of price points.
Ordering is open October 28th through Friday, November 13th. Each student will be bringing home their actual self-portrait along with a flyer that includes your child’s unique order code and simple online ordering directions.
We’ve seen amazing success in past years—raising $1,705 in 2023 and $2,700 in 2024—and we’re hoping to top that total this year! Every dollar raised directly supports all Pine Ridge classrooms. The funds help purchase a sketchbook for every student and go into a whole-school grant fund that any teacher can apply to for classroom materials, books, and innovative learning projects.
Even better—your orders will be delivered just before winter break, making them the perfect keepsakes or gifts for family members during the holidays!
This is truly a win-win fundraiser: students feel proud seeing their artwork on real products, and our entire Pine Ridge community benefits. Let’s make this year our most successful one yet—thank you for supporting our amazing young artists!
Any questions please contact Brittany Spradling at bsprad88@gmail.com or Sarah Searle at ssearle@fhps.net.
A Safer, Simpler Check-In
FHPS will implement a New Digital Visitor Management System Coming in November.
As part of our ongoing commitment to safety and security, FHPS is introducing a new visitor management system in all of our schools this November. The system keeps track of who is in our buildings at all times, so we can continue providing a safe and welcoming environment for students, staff, and families.
When you visit any FHPS school during the school day, there are two important things to remember:
Always enter through the main entrance and check in with the office staff.
If your visit will take you beyond the main office, for example, to volunteer or read to a class, bring a valid government-issued ID, such as a driver’s license or state ID.
If you’ll be going beyond the office, here’s what to expect when you arrive:
Enter the secure vestibule area inside the main school entrance. Press the security door buzzer, and proceed to the main office. Scan your ID using the designated iPad and follow the directions posted at each iPad kiosk. If you need assistance, an office member can help you.
Scan your ID at the kiosk each time you visit.
The system reads your name, photo, and date of birth from your ID. It then runs a brief background check against the sex offender registry and any flags or local alerts entered by school personnel.
Once you’re cleared, the kiosk prints a visitor sticker. Visitors must wear their sticker where staff can easily see it throughout their visit, so staff knows you’re an approved visitor.
Before you leave, return your sticker to the front office and quickly scan out.
The entire check-in process typically takes less than 30 seconds.
Not every visit requires scanning in. If you’re stopping by briefly to drop off or pick up a student, or to make a delivery, you won’t need to use the system. FHPS employees also won’t scan in, because all district staff are already required to wear their FHPS ID badge at all times, enter through the main office, and check in with office staff before going further into the building. Furthermore, for larger school events, the check-in process will be more streamlined and communicated to families prior to these events, such as class parties or school fundraising walks, to name a few.
Behind the scenes, the new system replaces paper sign-in sheets with a secure digital process. It keeps a real-time record of everyone on campus, including when each visitor arrives and leaves. It also connects with PowerSchool, our student information system, and can generate reports for building administrators. If a visitor is flagged, the system immediately alerts an administrator so they can respond quickly and discreetly.
Most importantly, remember to bring your government-issued ID every time you plan to go beyond the school office. Our front office staff is always willing to assist. Thank you for your partnership in keeping our schools safe and welcoming for everyone.
On Friday, November 13th, we would like to invite your students to bring a veteran of the Armed Forces to join us for lunch at Pine Ridge. The veteran can be a family member, neighbor or friend. The students and staff would like to say thank you to these men and women for serving our country.
Lunch times
11:10- 11:45am -JK, Kindergarten, 1st and 2nd Grade
12:10-1:00pm 3rd and 4th Grade
** Veterans will be provided a complimentary lunch. Students need to bring a lunch or order hot lunch. Have more than one veteran to invite? Please submit another form. Questions: Email Shanda Drury shanda.drury@gmail.com
Forest Hills Central Hockey is excited to invite young skaters to be part of the game-day experience at our upcoming home games. See flyer below
Pack 3634 and Pack 3364 offer Cub Scouts to Central families. Both units are family packs open to girls and boys in grades K - 5. Scouts learn a variety of skills from camping, cooking, fire safety, building and more! These are family units so parents and siblings are encouraged to hang out and get involved in the activities too. Stop by a meeting or visit our websites to learn more. Pack 3634 meets Mondays at Cascade Christian Church at 6:30 pm. Pack 3364 meets Wednesdays at Central Woodlands at 6:30 pm.
You’ve probably heard of Athletic Boosters, Band Boosters, and Academic Boosters. Now you can be a Library Booster! To see how it works, please click on the link below.
Lunch and Recess Paraprofessional Position
Pine Ridge Elementary is currently looking for caring and dependable individuals to join our team as Lunch and Recess Paraprofessionals. This position is a Monday - Friday position from 11:10 AM - 1:10 PM. It is also possible to work part time in this role.
This position provides an opportunity to support students during lunch and recess while helping create a safe, positive, and enjoyable environment for all.
If you're interested in this position, please give our office a call 616-493-8910.
We are excited to kick off our Ranger community fundraiser and to continue our relationship with Family Promise of West Michigan next week! Central High has been partnering with Family Promise for over 25 years and helping support our community to end homelessness one family at a time. Our Ranger community has been the primary supporter of their holiday store event, which provides toys and gifts during the holiday season. With our fundraising efforts, we are able to help provide a holiday experience for over 120 kids and 80 adults each year. For over 15 years, families have been able to come and shop the holiday store to pick out gifts for their children. All is made possible by the efforts of our Ranger families.
Our new Pine Ridge Ranger Gear store is officially open!
Shop apparel and gear for the whole family and show your Ranger pride all year long. The best part? The online store will stay open throughout the school year, so you can shop whenever you’re ready! Check out the flyer for details or use the link to start shopping:
- Volunteer Consent Form Link
- This Form must be submitted every year to participate in any volunteer activities.
- If you have more than one child in the district, you can include all students on the one form.
- You will need a copy of the front of your ID to complete this form.
Please make sure to email prattendance@fhps.net or call the 24 hour attendance line (616) 493-8916 to report your child's absence from school. Please keep your child home when they are not feeling well. They must be fever free for at least 24 hours without fever reducing medication before returning to school.
Pine Ridge Contact Information
Location: 3250 Redford Avenue Southeast, Grand Rapids, MI, USA
Phone: (616)493-8910