Northridge Elementary Weekly Blast

September 22 - September 26, 2025
Important Dates
Sep 29 - Oct 3 - Book Fair
Oct 3 - Multicultural Fair
Oct 6 -10 - Conferences
Oct 8 - Picture Retakes (limited to Kindergarten and Students who have not previously been photographed)
Oct 10 - Popcorn Friday
Oct 13 -17 - Fall Break
Oct 22 - SAC Meeting
Oct 27 - 29 - 6th Grade Outdoor Ed
Oct 31 - Halloween Parade and Class Parties
Bus Cancellations
Week of September 29 - October 3
Route #53: Northridge/Mountain Ridge/Mountain Vista
Book Fair
Book Fair * is coming up! September 29th-October 3rd!
This year we are really trying to bring our library up to the highest standards possible! This year I'm focusing on FICTION!
(*did you know??....the Library's budget is based on Book Fair Sales! )
NEW: Teachers will have their own QR Code through Scholastic E-wallets if you would like to donate to their classroom libraries. They will send their QR Code out in their weekly communications next week.
This year we have an Enchanted Forest Theme and will have a beautiful place to take pictures with your kids (and their new books!) !
Pick out gifts for the upcoming holidays! Birthday ideas! Just for fun!
Join us at the Book Fair- September 29th-October 3rd!
2025-2026 Apple Awards - Recognize a Teacher/Staff Member Today!
The Foundation for Douglas County Schools is proud to continue to honor exceptional educators and staff who are inspiring a love of learning in students and are trailblazing extraordinary innovation in our schools.
Is there an exceptional teacher or staff member at NRE that you would love to recognize? Here is your chance. The 2026 Apple Award Nominations are open. Click here to nominate a teacher today!
PTO Pulse
PTO In Action
FUN RUN!!
Thank you so much to our amazing NRE community for rallying together to raise $53,419! Truly amazing! Ms. Baird’s class raised the most ($3813) and 4th grade raised the most as a grade level ($9544). Fantastic effort from everyone involved!! Way to go NRE!!
This funding is so important to provide NRE with up to date educational resources, subscriptions to online learning applications, new books for the library, supplies for specials, field trip support, SPED/SSN support, Gifted & Talented resources, and the list goes on. Thank you for your support NRE community!
To celebrate, we hosted a school wide Prize Day - the day was filled with several inflatables, lawn games, sweet treats and fun for all! Thank you to all the volunteers who came out to help with Prize Day - we couldn’t have done it without you! All individual prizes will be delivered to students before Fall Break.
Winter Coat & Halloween Costume Drive
Thank you to everyone who donated to the Coat & Costume drive! Hopefully all families who needed something were able to find something. If you are still in need of winter gear for your kiddos, please email PTOcommunicationsNRE@gmail.com and we will try our best to connect you with items you need! NRE teachers will keep a few of the extras around for kids who forget their coats this winter. All remaining items will be donated to Help & Hope Center. Great job on this one, NRE!
Opt In To PTO Text Messages
Stay in the loop on all things PTO! Not signed up yet? It only takes 10 seconds— click here.
Follow Northridge Elementary PTO on Facebook!
Get the latest news and updates on all our events! It only takes a click to be added to the group - use this link to find our page!
Upcoming Events
Multicultural Night
One of the most special nights of the year - NRE Multicultural Night - will be on Friday, October 3 from 5:00-7:00pm. NRE families host booths to help us celebrate the diverse cultures represented in our school. Would you like to host a booth and showcase your culture? Reach out to Tiffany Malone at tiffanykmalone@gmail.com to reserve your booth or ask questions!
Booth Ideas:
Cultural Booths: Traditional clothing, art, or historical artifacts
Interactive Activities: Host a craft project, game, or storytelling sessions
Global Cuisine: Small samples of cultural foods - candy, food item or drink
Additionally - the evening will be filled with performances by kids from NRE! If your child would like to share a performance with our community, please email tiffanykmalone@gmail.com for more information.
If you would like to participate in Multicultural Night and need the assistance of a telephonic interpreter, we can connect you to one. Please email Tiffany Malone tiffanykmalone@gmail.com for assistance.
What exactly is Multicultural Night? Check out this fantastic video produced by NRE’s very own 6th grader Simon Emge. This 5 minute video will give a preview of what this amazing night is like!
We need several volunteers for this event as well - please consider helping if possible! A lot of the setup happens during the morning on October 3. Little ones are welcome to tag along with you when you volunteer!
NRE Staff Appreciation: Conference Week
Conference Week is October 6th-10th. This is a great week for the NRE community to express gratitude for all our staff does for our community. PTO is seeking volunteers to help setup/cleanup each day as well as volunteers willing to bring supplies & snack items. Please see the different volunteer needs here. Thanks for your support!
Charleston Wrap: Holiday Gift & Wrapping Paper Fundraiser
New to NRE this year, a holiday gift & wrapping paper fundraiser! Check out this catalogue with several options to get you ready for the holiday season. If students choose to participate in this fundraiser, prizes will be awarded for reaching sales goals. 40% of sales come back to NRE PTO! All the information needed for this fundraiser will be coming home with kids in Thursday Folders on Thursday, October 9. The fundraiser will be open from October 10-24.
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!
9/30/25: Mici Italian
10/7/25: Mod Pizza
10/9/25: Fujiyama
10/10/25: Desert Donuts
10/10/25: Kona Ice @ NRE 3:00-4:15
10/22/25: Freddy's
Volunteer Opportunities
Multicultural Night - We need several volunteers for this event as well - please consider helping if possible! A lot of the setup happens during the morning on October 3. Little ones are welcome to tag along with you when you volunteer!
Fall Event Committees - PTO is forming committees for our fall events. If you would like to help plan the Veteran’s Day Breakfast, please reach out so we can get you plugged in! PTOpresidentNRE@gmail.com
Staff Appreciation: Conference Week - signup to help!
Ongoing Fundraisers
King Soopers Community Rewards - Add NRE PTO as your designated Community Rewards recipient. It’s SO easy to do and creates an effortless and ongoing income stream for NRE PTO. See the flier below for details on how to join.
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 PTOpresidentNRE@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.
School Accountability Committee
Most Recent Meeting:
September 17, 2025
Upcoming Meeting:
October 22, 2025 4 - 5:15pm
A Note from Principal Lehnert ...
Dear Northridge Families and Community,
We hope this newsletter finds you well. We have some important updates and news to share from our campus.
Parent-Teacher Conferences are October 6th-10th.
We are excited to announce that Parent-Teacher Conferences are just around the corner, offering a valuable opportunity for us to connect and discuss your child's progress, celebrate their achievements, and strategize for continued growth.
We genuinely believe in the power of face-to-face conversations and prefer in-person meetings to foster the strongest school-home connection. However, we understand that busy schedules can make this challenging. To accommodate all families, we are pleased to offer a number of virtual conference slots as well.
Please use the following link to sign up for a time that works best for your family: Sign Up Link
We look forward to partnering with you to support your child's learning journey!
What a fantastic day it was today at Northridge! Our Fun Run Prize Day was a HUGE success, filled with joy, laughter, and celebration of all the hard work our students put into fundraising. There were so many smiles as kids bounced in the bounce houses, engaged in lively games of 9 Square, showed off their dance moves, and enjoyed a well-deserved cold treat. It was a wonderful way to celebrate our collective efforts and build school spirit!
Thank you to our generous community for donating over $53,000 to our school. Part of that donation goes to fund teacher grants. Mrs. Klein requested a grant for a new classroom rug. It came in today and look how excited her kids are to have the space to gather and learn! (the picture in the top corner)
In addition to the excitement of Fun Run Prize Day, our 4th-grade students had an extra special treat today! We were thrilled to host a visitor from Nature's Educators, who brought several fascinating animals right into their classrooms. Students had an incredible opportunity to learn firsthand about these creatures and discover their unique adaptations that help them survive and thrive in their environments. It was an engaging and educational experience that brought science to life!
Our NRE Book Fair is just around the corner! Did you know it takes $12,000 annually to keep our library resources fresh and current? Each year, Mrs. Peck strategically uses our two book fairs to earn free books, significantly helping to offset these costs. So, while our book fairs are always a lot of fun, they are also a vital lifeline for keeping our library vibrant and up-to-date. We warmly invite you to come explore the wonderful selection, perhaps pick up some gifts, and know that every purchase directly supports enriching the learning experience for every child in our school!
Prepare for an unforgettable evening, Northridge community! Mark your calendars for October 3rd and join us for our much-anticipated Multicultural Night. If you attend just one event at Northridge Elementary this year, this is absolutely the one you won't want to miss. It's a vibrant celebration where our diverse school community truly shines, showcasing the rich tapestry of cultures, traditions, and talents that make Northridge so special. Come and experience an evening filled with delicious international foods, captivating performances, engaging displays, and hands-on activities that highlight the incredible heritage of our students and families. This is more than just an event; it's a heartwarming journey around the world, right here in our school, fostering understanding, appreciation, and community spirit.
Thank you for your continued partnership and support in making Northridge Elementary a vibrant and enriching place for our students.
Smiles,
Erin
Fourth Grade Fun Pictures
Sally the Tiger Salamander
Peaches the Bull Snake
Ralph the Scorpion
Zelda the Prairie Falcon
The Scorpion glowed in black light
Zelda was pretty vocal
Fun Run Prize Day Pictures
Lunch Room Volunteers Needed
Your friendly Nutrition Services would love some additional help next week. They are still working on hiring another person and could use our help in the meantime! They know these are busy weeks for everyone, but please consider signing up for a shift...or two! :)
Thank you so much!
Bus Cancellation Schedule - 2025-2026
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.
