Meadow Ridge Newsletter

welcome back mrs bathum

Mrs. Smyth in the front office will be out on maternity leave in a few weeks and Mrs. Bathum, former MDR administrative assistant, is returning to the building to sub! She knows Meadow Ridge well and we're excited to have her back in the office this spring.

Mrs. Bathum will be covering almost all of Mrs. Smyth's responsibilities so please include her on office and attendance emails beginning in March. Her email is: kbathum@rockfordschools.org

Early Release Days/no school

• Friday, February 13th & Monday, February 16th: No School - Mid-Winter Break
• Wednesday, February 25th: 1:30pm Dismissal

Upcoming field trips

• Tuesday, February 17th: 5th Grade JA Biztown
• Friday, February 20th: 4th Grade Music Field trip @ Devos Performance Hall

NEW Drop-off/Pick-up Procedures

Before School:

• Please use the student drop-off line.  In the past, we have had ECSE buses in the loop until 8:25.  That is no longer the case.  So parents, feel free to pull up into our circle as early as 8:15, but remember, kids shouldn't exit your car until 8:25 because we don't have staff available to supervise them until that time.  At 8:25, they can get out of your car and enter the building.  Hopefully, not having cars wait at the lamppost (like previous years) will cut down on the traffic that reaches out to Courtland at that time of day, but some of that is inevitable.  We're a busy school!
• Please don't drop off kids in the parking lot and expect them to find their way to the front of the school.  Bypassing our student drop-off line might feel like it saves you a couple minutes in the morning, but our staff has witnessed kids tripping in the parking lot behind cars that are attempting to back up from their spots.  It's just not safe.  Please use our drop-off line.

After School:

• Please use the line for Parent Pick-Up.  Even if it takes a couple extra minutes.  This is the safest way to pick up your child.
• Kindergarten Parents can pull into the traffic circle as early as 3:20.  We officially dismiss at 3:32, but our kindergarten students are dismissed a little early (around 3:30).  We like to load them first before all other students exit the building.  (If you have multiple students, including a kindergartner, we'd ask that you wait with the other cars so the kindergarten-only families can board and depart.
• All Other Parents should wait until 3:30 to enter the circle.  As you've done in the past, please wait along the right side of our entrance drive (behind the entrance to the bus loop) until 3:30.  At that time you can pull forward.
• Please pull all the way forward.  Even if you see your child, please pull forward as far as you can to allow us to board as many students as possible at one time.  This will help the line move most efficiently.
• If you do insist on parking in the parking lot (not recommended), please come across the crosswalk to pick up your child.  Unattended students should not be crossing the road.
• Parents who are waiting for their child to exit the building should remain north of the crosswalk.  This allows kids to see their cars and doesn't confuse parents with the staff members who are helping the kids safely get to their cars.
• Use the crosswalk exclusively.  No one, staff, students, or parents, should be cutting between cars to get to the parking lot.  This is essential!!!

Saturday Fun at Cedar Rock Sportsplex

Saturday, February 28th, 2025 (3 pm-5 pm), $10. Come join the fun for family open skate, with other RPS elementary friends! Sign in under ‘Meadow Ridge’ & $2 from admission will support MDR PTO. 

Funds for Friends

We hope you’ll join us for a night dining out! Funds For Friends night at The Score, March 2nd, 5pm - 10pm.

Dine in or carryout from The Score to support Meadow Ridge PTO. 10% of all sales will come back to the Meadow Ridge PTO.

grasp

Registration for the 2026 GRASP Program is now open. See the attached document for more details or contact Community Services 616-863-6322.

2026 GRASP Information

The Taste - Save the Date

The Rockford Education Foundation invites you to The Taste on March 5, 2026. This is REF's annual signature event, serving up amazing support for education through great food, drinks, and community partnership.  The Taste hosts many local restaurants and businesses. Learn more, sign up to sponsor or purchase tickets online.

School assistance program (SAP)

Access support today!

Say “I have an SAP with Rockford Public Schools” when you call 800.442.0809 and press “1.” Every RPS family member in your household is eligible. The Rockford Education Foundation (REF) has proudly partnered with Rockford Public Schools to provide expert counseling, therapy, and resources through Pine Rest’s School Assistance Program (SAP).