SRES ROO NEWS
"Strong Alone, Unstoppable Together"
#Unstoppable Roos
March 2023
Getty Images/iStockphoto
Spring Ridge is a positive, collaborative environment where students are kind, confident problem solvers prepared for the future.
SRES Calendar
March
2: Read Across America Day
4: Youth Art Month Opening Delaplaine Visual Arts Center (See Parent News)
7: Maryland Science Assessment (MISA), Grade 5
8: Class and Individual Spring Photos (See Parent News)
9: Maryland Science Assessment (MISA), Grade 5, 9:30-11:00 & 1:45-3:00
9: SRES Kindness Night, 6:30-8:00pm (See Kindness Corner)
12: Daylight Saving Time Begins
3/13 thru 3/17: Kindness Challenge Week (see Counselor's Corner for specific details!)
16: Hearing and Vision Screening (see Notes from our Admin Team on who is eligible to be screened)
17: St. Patrick's Day
20: First Day of Spring
20: PTA Restuarant Night at The Derby in New Market, Maryland
21: End of Term 3
21: PTA Monthly Meeting, SRES Cafeteria, 7:15pm
22: Schools Closed for Teacher Work Day
23: Term 4 Begins
23: First Day of Ramadan
News from our Admin Team
Dear Students and Families,
March is here! As we head into the last quarter of the year, many special events and end of year festivities are being planned. Please be on the lookout for dates for the following. We will be sharing these dates soon!
Please know that spring pictures are on Tuesday 3/8. More info. below. ALL students will have their picture taken.
Pokemon Cards: Please note that Pokemon cards should not be coming to school. This is becoming a distraction and studets are trading them. This is a good reminder that this applies to ALL toys and gadgets. We are working hard to minimize distractions here at school. Thank you for your support with this.
Maryland Science Assessment (MISA)
MISA is the Maryland Science Assessment that all of our 5th graders take. This assessment will take place on Tuesday, 3/7 and Thursday, 3/9. Please make sure your fifth grader is present on these school days. Getting plenty of rest and eating a healthy breakfast are two ways to set your child up for success!
Updated COVID Communication:
Revised COVID-19 Communication Strategy (effective Thursday, February 23, 2023)
COVID-19 communication will align with our current strategy for communicating other communicable diseases. This strategy is targeted at communicating information to impacted populations instead of the entire school community, unless warranted. Communication will be sent to the parents/guardians of students in a classroom if three or more cases of a communicable disease (COVID-19, influenza, etc.) has been reported in a classroom. If multiple classrooms within a school have reported cases of a communicable disease, the administrator in collaboration with our health specialist will determine if communication should be sent to the entire school community.
The COVID-19 tiered mitigation strategies instituted at the start of the school year will remain in place and be reevaluated at the end of the school year. The FCPS COVID-19 Dashboard will continue to be updated throughout the remainder of the school year. As a reminder, please stay home and isolate if you are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms.
From Our Health Room: Hearing and Vision Screening will take place March 16th, 2023 for all students in Pre-K, Kindergarten, (if not screened in pre-kindergarten), 1st grade, and new enterers to the Maryland public school system. Maryland State Law mandates this screening. Parents/guardians who have an objection to this screening based on their church or religion practices must submit a request for their child to be exempt from screening. All written requests must be submitted to the health room by March 13th, 2023. Please make sure if your child wears glasses or contacts that they have them on the screening days. If you have any questions, please contact the health room at 240-236-1562.
Also, please do not forget if your child is sent home from school with a fever, vomiting, or diarrhea they should not return until 24 hours AFTER those symptoms stop. We are seeing an uptick in Covid, flu and the stomach flu. Our custodial crew is taking extra care in cleaning classrooms and our building.
SRES Roo Pride,
Mr. Bowser, Principal & Mrs. Copen, Assistant Principal
Parent News:
Classroom and Individual Spring Photos
Classroom and Individual Spring Picture Day is: Wednesday, 3/8. Order Online at https://traditionsschoolphotography.inter-state.com. Use Code 77061VA. If you have questions about your child's school pictures, please contact Traditions School Photography by email at Pictures@TraditionsSchoolPhotography.com.
Click here for flyer.
Frederick County Public Schools (FCPS) contracted with Public Consulting Group (PCG) to conduct a review of the district's special education programming and services.
Feed Frederick Club
SRES is participating with the Feed Frederick Club (from Oakdale High School) to collect nonperishable food items. The goal of the Feed Frederick Club is to raise 50,000 dollars in food this school year. SRES has a bin at Roo Crossing for donations. Upon collecting the food, it will be given to the Frederick Rescue Mission; who then serves it to people in need who live in the Frederick area. The donation bin will be collected monthly. If you would like to donate nonperishable food items, please send them in with your students or bring them to the front office.
FCPS Elementary Social Studies Fair
All students in grades PreK-5 are invited to BE HISTORIANS and join us at the Social Studies Fair. The Elementary Social Studies Fair allows students to further develop their knowledge and skills in social studies and challenges them to be inventive, think creatively and have fun while learning!
The Social Studies Fair takes place on Saturday, March 25, 2023 at Tuscarora High School:
Project Set-up: 8:30-9:30am
Presentation Times: 9:30-11:30am
STEM Showcase - open to the public: 9:00-11:30am
Click here for the flyer and more information!
Check out the Social Studies Fair Website: click here
For questions, please contact Karen Nori at Karen.Nori@fcps.org.
FCPS SUMMER CAMP - Open to all FCPS Rising 4th and 5th Grade Students.
7 Days! Spanish Immersion Summer Camp 2023. Dates are
June 20-22 and June 26-29 2023 being held at Spring Ridge Elementary School from 8:30am-1:00pm. $150.00 - Limited to 120 Students. This is Complete Spanish Immersion! Lessons in Latin derivatives & etymology! Music, Games, Crafts, Outdoor Activities! The registration deadline is Tuesday, April 18, 2023.
To Register: https://tinyurl.com/3pnpphad
For Payment: https://tinyurl.com/2p3fsw4j
For more information, contact DeWayne.Cash@fcps.org/301-644-5133. Click here for more information.
We Are The World 2023 Summer Camp for Rising 2nd or 3rd Graders hosted by FCPS' World Languages Department. Being held at Spring Ridge Elementary School on June 20-22 (T-Th) and June 26-29 (M-Th) from
8:30am - 1:00pm. Camp Fee: $150.00. Learn basic phrases, numbers, colors and names of foods in ASL, French, Italian, Russian and Spanish! *Subject to change based on availability of personnel. Registration deadline is Tuesday, April 18, 2023.
To Register: https://tinyurl.com/4asvep2u
For Payment: https://tinyurl.com/ua9uyfm6
Community News
March is Youth Art Month and it is time for the FCPS All-County Youth Art Show located at the Delaplaine Visual Arts Education Center, 20 South Carroll Street, Frederick, MD.
SRES offer congratulations to Giuliana Gonzaga, Sarah Haq, Grace Kan, Esme Metzger, Emmanuel Ngassa and Brianna Weber. They will have their artwork on display in this show March 3rd to the 26th, 2023. Check it out!!
Liz Keenan, Melanie Shah, Laura Folden, Dawn Briscoe
Dawn Briscoe, Team Lead: This is my 31st year teaching, all of which have been here at Spring Ridge. I have taught 2nd and 3rd grades. I have two children. Tre’ is 22 is a Senior at Shepherd University and Lalah is a 17 year old Senior at Linganore High School. I love singing, dancing, shopping, and spending time with my family and friends.
Laura Folden: This is my 11th year of teaching. Most of my time has been spent with 2nd grade. I have two smart, beautiful nieces. I live on a horse farm in Mount Airy. I love to travel, especially, to National Parks. I also travel for concerts.
Liz Keenan: I have been teaching over 25 years. I have taught 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th and PreK. When not at school, I am at a hockey rink watching my two kids play or playing on my women's team. I love being with my family and all our pets (2 dogs, 2 guinea pigs, 2 gerbils, 1 leopard gecko and a rather large bearded dragon). I love to be working in the yard.
Melanie Shaw: I have been teaching for thirty years and have taught 2nd, 3rd and Kindergarten. I have two sons attending Penn State University and two cats. I love to swim and enjoy camping with family and friends.
SRES Kindness Night: Please join us on Thursday, March 9th from 6:30-8:00pm for our Spring Ridge Kindness Night! We will have snacks and fun crafts for everyone, as well as, some books for you and your family to check out. Plus, the Wags for Hope therapy dog team will be here to help out! Please consider joining us in spreading kindness around our school and community as we kick-off The Great Kindness Challenge (see Counselors Corner)!
PTA News
Reminder: PTA Monthly Meeting, SRES Cafeteria, 7:15pm
BIG SHOUT OUT to the Valentine's Day Dance committee: Katy Smith and Susie Hayes. They had a team of volunteers that included: Jennifer Ayles, Traci Smallwood, Molly Black, Achala Gunasena, Marci Eder, Pat Nusbaum, Amy Wehinger, Joel Piccioni, Molly Black, Christina Patterson, Lauren Fraser, Julia Clark, Alicia Nicholls, Carla Kimwele, Matthew Lanctot, Sandy Airey, Alvin Bowens, Lauren Stanczyk, Michele Stine, Jessica Meehling, Allison Duvall, Paul Eder, Sandra Smith, Amy Lanctot, Paula Courange, Maegan Cooper, Crystal Brady, Brittany Fitzgibbon, Geoff and Sandra Smith, Elijah Gbollie, Kristy and Ron Poker, Melissa Feldmeyer, Chelseann Christopher, Carolee Christopher, Zachary Brandt, Jessica Sells, and Mandy Riggin. Also, thank you to the staff that was there helping as well!!! There were over 300 attendees!!
Thank you to the Premier Group – Jesi Roman and Kristin Beck for an amazing Breakfast Buddies on Feb 17th and 24th. If you missed it this time, we plan to do it again before the end of the year!
Our next Restaurant Night is at The Derby in New Market, Monday, March 20th .
Counselors Corner
We are very excited to continue the initiative of building kindness at Spring Ridge. We will be having a Kindness Night on Thursday, March 9th from 6:30-8:00pm; please come join us for snacks, crafts, and fun!
This will kick-off The Great Kindness Challenge that we will participate in from March 13th to March 17th! Each day will have a different theme and each class will be competing to see who can complete the most kind acts. The top 3 classes with the highest total of kind acts will win a reward of their choosing.
Please see below for the daily themes and let's continue to spread kindness throughout our Spring Ridge community!
Monday, 3/13: Kick-Off for Kindness
(Wear your favorite sports gear)
Tuesday, 3/14: Kindness is a Superpower
(Wear your favorite superhero gear)
Wednesday, 3/15: Go Crazy for Kindness
(Crazy Socks/Hair Day)
Thursday, 3/16: Color the World with Kindness
(Wear tye-dye or multiple colors)
Friday, March 17th: Kindness is the Spring Ridge Way
(Wear Spring Ridge spirit wear)
Media Center News:
Please click the link for Media News: Newsletter
From Last Month's Newsletter
If you are attending Spring Ridge out of district, please make sure you fill out the forms below by March 1st. Please read the regulation carefully.
Parents or guardians who want their child to attend a school outside their assigned attendance area should review the Final 2023-24 Closed Schools List and Regulation 400-15, Out of District.
Pursuant to these regulations, the Out of District process is available for all applicants from February 1 - March 1 each year for the following school year. You can complete your request using the Out of District Request Form, available in English and Spanish through March 1.
Please Note: Your Out of District Form MUST be signed, either electronically or printed, signed and scanned, prior to returning to outofdistrict@fcps.org. Please email applications in PDF Format ONLY, no photos/pictures. You can also send the application via fax to 240-236-2480 or via US mail to Department of Student Services, Orchard Grove Elementary School, 5898 Hannover Drive, Frederick, MD 21703.
Please contact MaryAnn Gomez for K-12 Out of District Enrollment only at (240) 236-2493 or maryann.gomez@fcps.org if you have any questions.
K-12 Out of District Appeal Form
Thank you so much for respecting that students need to be picked up by 3:30 and that our office is closed from 3:30-4:15 for dismissal. It really makes our dismissal procedures run more smoothly.
Any change in your child's dismissal, including if someone else is picking your child up as a car rider who is not on the emergency card, MUST be shared in writing to our front office by 3:00 P.M. each day. You can email Laura.Mendez@fcps.org and Robin.Fasnacht@fcps.org.