NRE PRONGHORN PRESS

October 12-16 - Fall Break

October 23 - Friday Late Start (first bell is 9:10am)

October 26-28 - 5th Grade Outdoor Ed

October 28 - SAC Meeting 8:45AM to 10:15AM

October 30 - Friday Late Start (first bell is 9:10am)

October 30 - Halloween Parade And Class Parties

Effective Monday, October 19 - Revised Bell Schedule for Northridge

Monday - Thursday

1st Bell (Entry): 8:30am

2nd Bell (Tardy): 8:40am

Dismissal Bell: 3:35pm

Fridays

1st Bell (Entry): 9:15am

2nd Bell (Tardy): 9:25am

Dismissal Bell: 3:35pm

Supervision will be provide starting at 8:20am Monday through Thursday and 9:05am on Fridays.

This time adjustment is being made to help better align our school bus transportation schedules to ensure safe, reliable transportation for all students. Our school buses run high school and middle school routes before moving to elementary school routes. One delay can have a domino effect for many schools. Many times this year, high school students have had minimal time to catch their buses after school, and elementary school buses often arrived late – resulting in students waiting for their bus to arrive.

As we enter Colorado’s snow season, when driving conditions will be much worse on some days, we want to be sure our students’ wait time at bus stops is as minimal as possible. The five-minute shift for the most-affected schools will give our drivers more time to ensure safe, timely transportation while fully satisfying Colorado’s statewide instructional-minute requirements.

We appreciate your partnership and understanding as we make this adjustment to our school’s start and dismissal times.

We are excited for our upcoming Halloween Costume Parade on October 30th. To ensure everyone gets a great view and to make the event safer and more comfortable for our students, we are updating our parent viewing area this year.

In past years, parents gathered close to the school building, which created a very crowded space for our students as they marched. This year, we ask that all parent spectators line up along the perimeter of the playground track (marked green on map above).

All students will march in their costumes along the track, (blue line) giving every family a front-row view while keeping the path open and safe for our classes.

Summary of Details:

• Time: Parade starts at approximately 9:40am.

• Spectator Area: Around the inner and outer edge of the playground track.

• Student Parade Route: One full circle around the track.

• Reminder: Please keep the track clear so classes can move easily.

Thank you for your cooperation in helping us make this a smooth and fun event for all of our students! We look forward to seeing you there.

2027 Apple Award Nominations open September 21 - October 26th!

Our incredible teachers and staff members pour their hearts into making Northridge a safe, inspiring, and wonderful place for our students every day. Now is your chance to show them how much their hard work means to your family!

The nomination window for the Douglas County School District Apple Awards officially opens on September 21. Being nominated by a student or parent is one of the most meaningful ways our staff members feel appreciated, valued, and loved for their dedication.

If a teacher, educational assistant, librarian, office team member, or support staff person has made a positive impact on your child this year, please take a few moments to fill out a nomination form!

Click Here to Nominate an NRE Staff Member

Thank you for helping us celebrate and uplift our amazing staff!

Happy Friday, NRE Families!

I can hardly believe the first quarter is already behind us! This season is moving so quickly, but our students and staff at NRE have been busy accomplishing great things. Here are a few highlights from our busy week!

Sparkling Hands & Healthy Habits Mr. Tim, our wonderful school nurse, does so much more than care for scraped knees and tummy aches—he is also a passionate teacher when it comes to safety and self-care. This week, he led a fun, interactive handwashing lesson in Kindie. The students got to practice their scrubbing techniques and then went through a special "blue light inspection" to check their work and see where germs like to hide. Even the adults walked away with a few new tricks for effective handwashing!

First Field Trip: Exploring the Farm Kindie also celebrated an exciting milestone this week with their very first field trip to a farm in Castle Rock! Our young learners enjoyed a full day of hands-on discovery as they explored the family-owned farm, met animals, and learned how living things grow and thrive. Highlights of the day included a cozy hayride around the property, learning about the pumpkin lifecycle before picking their very own pumpkin, and even tasting homemade apple butter!

Parent-Teacher Conferences A huge thank you to everyone who attended Parent-Teacher Conferences, which wrapped up today! It was wonderful to see such strong parent turnout and to collaborate with you on your child's growth and success. Thank you for your continued partnership and support!

NRE in the Spotlight: One Book One District We are so honored to announce that Ms. Lien Lǎoshī was recorded by the district this week for the One Book One District campaign! She represented NRE so wonderfully as she read the featured book in Mandarin in front of a full camera crew. The district will be putting the final video together and releasing it after fall break—make sure to keep an eye out and check out our local celebrity!

Looking Ahead: Fall Break Next Week! Reminder that next week is Fall Break! I am looking forward to getting away for a bit—I'll be heading to Houston for the first part of break to visit family, and then off to Utah for a music festival. I hope you all find something fun to do to bring in Fall and get a chance to relax before the busyness of the holiday season starts!

Smiles,

Erin

Ballots for the 2026 Colorado General Election are being mailed this week. Check your voter registration status and track your ballot at GoVoteColorado.com.

Mountain Vista High School invites all elementary families to our annual Trunk or Treat, hosted by our FCCLA club. Come dressed in your favorite costume and enjoy a fun-filled evening of trick-or-treating, decorated trunks, and Halloween fun.

• Cost: FREE event

• Date: October 27th

• Time: 5:00 PM – 7:00 PM

• Location: Mountain Vista High School

• Parking: Please park in the back lot on the west side of the building- follow signs for guest parking.

Support: Cash donations will be accepted to support our MVHS FCCLA members. Every dollar helps fund local community projects and lowers travel costs for their state competition.

(Note: In case of inclement weather, the event will be canceled.)

We hope to see your families there for a spooktacular evening!

These exciting opportunities are brought to you by the Foundation, and a portion of every ticket purchased directly supports Douglas County students, teachers, and schools!

You can also learn more and purchase tickets here:
https://www.foundationdcs.org/community-events

* If there is someone else at your school who is the best contact for sharing community opportunities, please reply with their name, position, and email address so I can update my records.

**Also, some of our partners provide free hard copy flyers for schools. If your school only communicates electronically and does NOT want/use these flyers, please let me know and I will take you off the distribution list!

Thank you for helping us connect families with these fun events while supporting our schools!

Be sure to LIKE US on Facebook to stay up to date on upcoming events, opportunities, and Foundation news.

Get onto a team for Battle of the Books...

Our Kitchen needs your help. Please consider signing up for a "regular" day and each week (as you are able) you can come in and be a consistent presence for the kiddos here at NRE! They love to see parents and grandparents in their school!

Here is the sign up! Lunchroom Help Volunteer Sign Up

We appreciate any help you can provide!

Thank you!!!

Bus # 53

Week of October 19 - October 23

Bus # 56

Week of November 02 - November 06

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

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

• DCSD Mental Health Intervention website

• Mobile apps for wellness and recovery

• Let’s Talk Colorado

• iMatter (free virtual counseling sessions)

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.