Park Ridge ES: Parent Newsletter
Week 6: September 15th-19th
Thank You!
Thank you to all the parents who attended last week’s PTO meeting. Your time and input are an important part of helping our school community. Meetings like these give parents the opportunity to share thoughts, ask questions, and learn about upcoming events and initiatives. Your involvement helps ensure that students have support both inside and outside the classroom.
As requested, I have included clarification regarding the photo opt-out process. If you do not want your child’s photo to be used in school publications or on social media, please make sure to review your selection and let your child's teacher know.
We appreciate your participation and look forward to working together throughout the year to support all students.
Mark Your Calendar
September 15th-19th- Fall Book Fair at Park Ridge ES
September 17th- Back to School Night from 5PM-6:45PM
September 17th- Book Fair Family Night
September 17th- PTO Chili Cook-Off
September 23rd- Rosh Hashanah (No School)
September 30th- Picture Day
October 2nd- NO School- Yom Kippur
October 3rd- No School Teacher Work Day
Back-to-School Night at Park Ridge!
Please join us on Wednesday, September 17th at Park Ridge Elementary for Back-to-School Night. This is a great opportunity to meet your child’s teachers, learn about classroom expectations, and see how we can work together to support student learning this year.
To make it easier for families, we are offering two sessions:
Session 1: 5:00–5:45 PM
Session 2: 6:00–6:45 PM
You may choose the session that works best for your schedule, and families with multiple children can attend more than one session if needed. Younger siblings are welcome to attend with you. We look forward to seeing you there!
Veterans Day Speaker Request
As we prepare for our Veterans Day celebration, we are looking for a guest speaker to join us in honoring the service and sacrifices of our nation’s veterans. If you are a veteran, or know a veteran in our school community who would be interested in speaking with our students during our Veterans Day program, we would love to hear from you!
Please contact Jalita Johnson (johnsonjj@staffordschools.net) by 10/17 if you are willing to participate or would like to recommend someone.
Thank you for helping us make this day meaningful for our students and community.
Participation in Veterans Day Celebration
Hello Park Ridge Elementary School Military families! We would love to honor your service to our country in our 2025 Veterans Day Celebration. Our Veterans Day Celebration will be held on Friday, November 7, 2025. We invite you to arrive by 8:45 am for refreshments with our assembly beginning at 9:15am. If you are a Veteran or active member of our armed services and would like to participate in our Veterans Day Celebration, please complete this form with your name, branch, and rank. We would love it if you could dress in your uniform if possible. In addition to completing this form, please send a picture through email to be included in our Veteran’s Day slideshow. Submit your picture to donovanrl@staffordschools.net
Please submit information no later than Friday, October 31, 2025.
Sign Up for STEAM Night! — Thursday, November 20, 2025
Park Ridge Elementary is excited to host our annual STEAM Night (Science, Technology, Engineering, Art, and Math)! This special evening will be full of hands-on activities, student showcases, and family fun.
Date: Thursday, November 20, 2025
Time: 6:00–7:30 PM
Location: Park Ridge Elementary
We need parents, families, and staff members to join us, but we’d love your help too!
RSVP here to attend: October 16. You may also sign-up to volunteer or host a station Your participation makes this event a success for our students. Whether you can attend, volunteer, or donate materials, we’d love to have you involved!
For questions or accommodations, please contact Jalita Johnson, Assistant Principal at johnsonjj@staffordschools.net/540-658-6320.
Clarification on Opt Out Forms
Names in School Programs/Recognitions
Student names are considered directory information and are often included in school-related recognitions and publications such as playbills, honor roll lists, awards ceremonies, graduation programs, and athletic rosters. Staff should carefully review opt-out selections before including a student’s name in any public-facing recognition, program, or publication.
How student names shall be handled by option:
Option A – Names may be displayed.
Option B – Written consent must be obtained; Names may NOT be displayed without consent.
Option C – Names may NOT be used anywhere.
Yes (2024–25 holdover) – Names may be displayed.
No (2024–25 holdover) – Names may NOT be displayed.
P (2024–25 holdover) – Names may be displayed.
Photo/Video Permissions
During the 2025-2026 year, the photo opt-out form has been updated to three options. It is critical that staff look for both Option B and Option C when reviewing photo restrictions.
Option A – Student may be photographed; photos/videos may be used anywhere.
Option B – Photos/videos may ONLY appear in the yearbook (nowhere else).
Option C – Photos/videos may NOT be used anywhere.
Yes (2024-2025 holdover) – Student may be photographed; photos/videos may be used anywhere.
No (2024-2025 holdover) – Photos/videos may NOT be used anywhere.
P (2024-2025 holdover) – Student may be photographed; photos/videos may be used anywhere.
Student Creative Works (including Visual & Performing Arts)
Under Regulation 3403-R2 (Creative Works of Employees and Students), parental/guardian consent is legally required to display a minor student’s artwork. Stafford Schools meets this requirement by treating artwork as directory information and providing families the opportunity to opt out annually through Back-to-School Forms.
How artwork display shall be handled by option:
Option A – Artwork/names may be displayed.
Option B – Written consent must be obtained; Artwork/names may NOT be displayed outside of the school building without consent.
Option C – Artwork/names may NOT be used anywhere.
Yes (2024–25 holdover) – Artwork/names may be displayed.
No (2024–25 holdover) – Artwork/names may NOT be displayed outside of the school building.
P (2024–25 holdover) – Artwork/names may be displayed.
Chaperones for Field Trips
If you are interested in serving as a chaperone on your child’s field trip, you must complete the fingerprinting form, which is available in the front office. It’s important to start this process early, so if you are interested, please request a form from your child’s teacher.
Picture Day- September 30th
Just a reminder- Picture Day will be on Tuesday, September 30th!
The Book Fair is HERE!
We’re excited to announce that the Book Fair is HERE! It will be open from September 15th–19th!
Students will have the opportunity to browse a wide selection of books and discover new favorites to take home. The Book Fair is a great way to encourage a love of reading while also supporting our school. We look forward to seeing our students find books that inspire and spark their imaginations!
The Book Fair will be open during Back-to-School Night!
PTO Chili Cook-Off
Our PTO is hosting a Chili Cook-Off on Wednesday, September 17th during Back-to-School Night! If you’d like to showcase your cooking skills, sign up to participate using the link on the flyer. We can’t wait to taste your delicious chili!
Hispanic Heritage Month
Hispanic Heritage Month is celebrated from September 15th–October 15th. At Park Ridge Elementary, we will honor and highlight the many contributions of Hispanic leaders who have paved the way for so many. Each day, students will learn about inspiring figures whose impact continues to shape our world. Each week, we will share with you who we have learned about so that you can continue the conversations with your kiddos at home. We are excited to celebrate together and grow in our understanding of Hispanic history and culture!
Items Needed for STEAM
Our STEAM teacher, Mr. DeBoard, is gathering everyday items for upcoming projects and experiments. STEAM is all about building, constructing, and exploring and your recyclables can help bring these lessons to life! If you have any of the following items at home, please send them in with your child instead of tossing them out:
2-liter soda bottles with caps
Clean 20oz soda bottles with caps
Clean 20oz Gatorade/Powerade (or similar) bottles with caps
Empty toilet paper rolls
Empty paper towel rolls
No need to purchase anything just simple, free items you may already have around the house. As students bring in items, Mr. DeBoard will be collecting these throughout the year and appreciates any contributions!