Email- Poremba@mentorschools.org; Heramb@mentorschools.org Website-https://ridge.mentorschools.net/
Location- 7860 Johnnycake Ridge Road Mentor, Ohio 44060 Twitter- @RidgeElemMentor
Phone- (Main Office) 440-974-5400 (Attendance) 440-974-5404 Fax- 440-974-5258
Mrs. Jodi Poremba
Principal Poremba@mentorschools.org
Mrs. Annie Heramb
Assistant Principal
Heramb@mentorschools.org
Dear Ridge Elementary Family,
Welcome back to the 2024-25 school year! We hope you had a fantastic summer filled with memorable moments shared with your family and friends. As we begin this new school year together, we want to express our gratitude for your continued support of our school community.
We are excited to reconnect with our GREAT Ridge families and extend a warm welcome to our new families. To those joining us for the first time, we are thrilled to have you as part of the Ridge family.
Over the summer, our dedicated teachers and staff worked tirelessly to create engaging learning spaces that will inspire and encourage our students to succeed. We are incredibly thankful for their commitment to providing an exceptional educational experience. Our custodial team, too, has been hard at work preparing the building for the upcoming school year. They have poured their efforts into ensuring a clean and safe environment for all students and staff.
This year, our focus remains steadfast on Leadership and Learning for Life. Our RIDGE Core Values continue to guide us in our pursuit of excellence:
R: Responsibility, and Respect for ourselves and others
I: Integrity, being true to our values and principles
D: Dignity, treating ourselves and others with honor and respect
G: Gratitude, appreciating the contributions of others
E: Effort, understanding that hard work and dedication yield great results
We firmly believe that by embracing these values, we create a balanced environment where each student can thrive academically and personally.
Building upon previous year's themes, "GREAT HAPPENS HERE," and "WORK HARD and BE GREAT" we have grown our focus to "Experience the GREAT in every moment." We hope that our vision will extend beyond the classroom walls and encourage our students to recognize the greatness within themselves and the world around them.
We are committed to keeping you well-informed as we navigate the school year ahead. You can expect updates through our Ridge Newsletters twice a month, notices on the Parent Portal via Infinite Campus, our school website, and messages from classroom teachers. Please remember that you can reach out to us anytime, and we will ensure your inquiries are addressed in a timely manner.
With GREAT anticipation, we eagerly await the start of another GREAT school year. Our classrooms are ready, our teachers are prepared, and we can't wait to see each and every one of you again. Here's to the GREAT success, growth, and achievements that lie ahead.
Warmest regards,
Mrs. Poremba Mrs. Heramb
Mrs. Jodi Poremba, Principal Mrs. Annie Heramb, Assistant Principal
We also have some GREAT changes to tell you about this year. Please join us in extending a warm Ridge welcome to some new staff members and some familiar faces! Also congratulations to our newly married staff members!
Mrs. Rupert is transitioning from second grade to first grade
Ms. Burnett will be joining Ridge one day a week on Friday for art
Mrs. Schultz will be returning as building substitute M-F
Mrs. Tilisky will be returning as building substitute T,Th
Mrs. Loebig will be returning as building substitute M,W,F
Mrs. Gurtner will be joining Ridge as a building substitute M-F
Ms. Lanese will be joining Ridge supporting the BEST units
Congratulations to Miss Rios, now Mrs. Smylie, as she was married over the summer
Congratulations to Miss Ranells, now Mrs. Urankar, as she was married over the summer
Congratulations to Miss Southworth, now Mrs. Sheetz, as she was married over the summer
Congratulations to Mr. Rapp on the birth of baby Kellan
Related Arts Teachers this year:
ART: Mrs. Spetrino, Mr. LaManna, Mrs. Smith, Ms. Cecchetti, Mrs. Brasdovich, Ms. Burnett
MUSIC: Mrs. Huston, Mrs. Meola
STEAM: Ms. Hill, Ms. Stein, Mrs. Putney, Ms. Glasser
PE: Mrs. Nagy, Mr. Thacker, Mrs. Caimi
Dates To Remember:
August 9: Class Lists for all students in grades 1-5 will be posted in Infinite Campus at 4:00 PM
Bus routes will also be posted via the parent portal showing the child’s bus number and stop.
August 12: Kindergarten Orientation 9:00-11:30 AM
Students with last names beginning A-L should arrive at 9:00 AM.
Students with last names beginning M-Z should arrive at 10:30 AM.
August 12: New Student Orientation: 1:30 PM - 2:30 PM for all new students.
August 15: Meet the Teacher/Supply Drop-Off Parents and Students: 5:30-Grade 2, 6:00- Grade 3, 6:30- Grade 1, 7:00- Grade 4, 7:30- Grade 5
August 20: First Day for Students grades 1-5.
August 20-22: Screening Days for Kindergarten students. Each family will schedule their 30 minute screening time on one of the following days August 20-22 at Kindergarten Orientation on August 12.
August 23 & 27: Kindergarten Group A (Last Name A-L) attends.
August 26 & 28 : Kindergarten Group B (Last Name M-Z) attends.
August 27: Back to School Black Top Bash for grades 1-5 from 6:30-8:00 PM (Rain Date: August 29 from 6:30-8:00 PM).
August 29: All Kindergarten Students attend.
September 2: Labor Day (NO SCHOOL)
September 4: Back to School Black Top Bash for Kindergarten students from 6:30-8:00 PM (Rain Date: September 5 from 6:30-8:00 PM).
Additional dates and other information can be found on the weekly staff update and Ridge Shared Calendar
Click HERE to access our school supply list.
Arrival: 8:40 AM
Tardy Bell: 8:55 AM
Morning announcements: 8:55 AM
Afternoon announcements: 2:55 PM
We Care Dismissal: 2:50 PM
Walker Dismissal: 2:50 PM
Car Rider Dismissal: 3:00 PM
Bus Dismissal: 3:05 PM
Note that these times are approximate and revolve around the bus routes.
If your child will be absent from school, please call the office at 440-974-5404. You may call after hours and leave a message for the office staff to retrieve in the morning. Please note that in the event that the office staff does not get a hold of a parent/guardian to confirm an absence, the absence will be marked as unexcused. Thank you for your attention to this matter.
Drop Off (AM)
Students driven to school in the morning by family members should be dropped off in the back of the building at Door 10. Please refer to the traffic patterns indicated on the attached map. Please drop students off in the indicated drop off area near the edge of the sidewalk. Cars must use extreme caution while dropping off students in the morning. Safety is extremely important, so please make sure you follow the traffic pattern and do not try to pull around any cars that are in the process of letting students out of cars. If you need to walk your child into the building for any reason, please park your car in one of the marked parking spaces in the front and check into the office. If your child is tardy and arrives after 8:55 AM, they must be walked into the school by an adult and be signed in at the front door.
School Bus and Daycare Van riders enter at Door 2 in the front of the building.
Pick Up (PM)
PM Car Riders will load at Door 16 on the west side of the building.
School Buses and Daycare Vans will use the front parking lot for pick up in the afternoon.
Walkers are dismissed out Door 1 BEFORE the buses are called.
Front Office Pick-up- Please note that no student should be picked up in the front office at the end of the day unless it is for an appointment or an emergency. Our front parking lot must remain clear of traffic for walkers and bus traffic.
Car Riders (PM)
Safety in the car rider line is our first priority. If you are unable to use bus transportation and need to use the afternoon car rider line, you must complete a Car Rider Application each year, which is available online. Each car rider family will be assigned a number and receive car rider vehicle tags and book bag tags that correspond with their number. Once the application has been processed, you will be notified to pick up your car rider vehicle tag for your car and a student backpack tag with the student’s assigned number at the office. If you received a car tag last year, please dispose of any car tags you still have from the previous school year. If at any time during the school year, you need another car rider vehicle tag and/or book bag tag, please send a note to school or call 974-5400.
Please follow traffic patterns on the attached map. Follow the line of cars and stay along the outside edge of the drive all the way around the back of the building so that we can fit as many cars as possible into the lot. At dismissal, school staff will call out the assigned number from the tag for each child and direct them to one of several cones in the pick-up area. Please pull all the way forward to the designated pick-up area so that we can load several cars at a time. If your child needs assistance buckling, please load them first and park in the front lot to assist them.
Lunch:
Students will have a twenty-minute lunch period either prior to or following a recess. The cost is $3.25 which includes milk. There is no charge for families that qualify for free or reduced lunches. Milk and water can also be purchased for $0.50. Lunch menus can be accessed online at www.mentorschools.net and click on Lunch Menus. Elementary Breakfast is $2.00. Our elementary schools will continue to have a prepay-only lunch system through the Parent Portal to help increase the efficiency of our food service program. Parents not using this online payment system may submit cash or checks in advance to the office or to your child's teacher, however, cash will not be accepted in the cafeteria.
$3.25 - Elementary Lunch
$2.00 - Elementary Breakfast
There is no charge for students that are eligible for free or reduced meals.
There are no automatic free lunches this year. Parents will have to complete the Free & Reduced Meal Application to see if they are eligible to receive the free or reduced price meals.
Free & Reduced Lunch Application:
We have an online application that is immediately sent to the Nutrition Services Department upon completion. The new interactive application is available through your Parent Portal in Infinite Campus. If you choose to complete a paper application instead, you may download one from the Mentor Schools website or pick one up in the office. If you have any questions, please call School Nutrition Services at 440-974-5227. Any questions please contact Ginni Vaccaro at 440-974-5227 or vaccaro@mentorschools.org
2024-25 Annual Update Reminder
As a district, we are continuing to use technology to streamline the amount of paperwork that has to be filled out by parents each year. This year we continue to make great strides towards that goal by using the Infinite Campus Parent Portal to complete an Annual Update. Through the Annual Update, parents and guardians will be able to enter Emergency Medical Authorization, update emergency contacts, and access/view the ESEA document and forms from the nurse. The Parent Portal can also be accessed to make fee payments and complete the Free and Reduced Lunch Application.
It is REQUIRED that parents or guardians complete the Annual Update as soon as possible. Students who do not have an annual update completed will be unable to participate in school field trips. The Parent Portal can be accessed HERE through the Mentor Schools website. Once logged in to the Parent Portal, click on more, then Annual Update in the lower left corner. You will be taken through the easy process of updating your household and emergency contact information. Make sure you review all information and this process must be done on a computer or tablet not a cell phone.
If you do not have internet access, computers/devices will be available at our schools, the Service Building, and our Board Office during regular office hours. Internet access is also available at the Mentor libraries. Please contact the office at 974-5400 if you need assistance with your parent portal account.
Medication Administration paperwork is required to be completed by the Doctor and parent. Ridge Elementary cannot accept medication without completed paperwork. Medication needs to be in the original prescribed bottle, with the Doctor's directions on administration at school. The paperwork and the bottle need to match.
Medication Administration forms can be found HERE or on the Mentor Schools website.
Our school nurse, Mrs. Burton, will be available for medication drop off: August 15 5:00-8:00, otherwise BY APPOINTMENT ONLY. Please email burtonb@mentorschools.org
Over the past seven years, Mentor Schools has moved towards providing all students a device to support learning. Students in grades K-3 will use iPads and students in grades 4-5 will use chrome books. Students take their devices home each night to provide students access to their learning platforms in the evenings, on weekends and breaks, and during remote learning. Students are responsible for ensuring that their devices are fully charged and brought to and from school each day. Teachers will continue to work closely with the students at the start of the year to ensure they can independently access all learning platforms. Students are reminded that they should NOT PUT STICKERS on their school devices. Throughout the year, technology support is available by emailing:
it-support@mentorschools.org
Ridge PTA- We love our Ridge PTA and volunteers and need your help! We are so happy to be able to have families back in the building more regularly. Ridge PTA offers several programs throughout the year both during the day and in the evenings. We hope you will join us in making these programs successful for our students, families, and community. Click HERE to join Memberhub and Ridge PTA. You can also keep up to date on the latest news and fundraising events by liking our Facebook page. FOR MORE INFORMATION REGARDING Ridge PTA please contact our PTA President: Mrs. Linda Gardner: RidgePTApresident34@gmail.com, or visit the Ridge PTA Website. The first Ridge PTA event is the Ridge Black Top Bash on the Ridge Playground! Join us for a fun evening of dancing, listening to music, eating popsicles, playing on the playground, and meeting new friends!
August 27, 6:30-8 PM - Grades 1-5 (Rain date August 29)
September 4, 6:30-8 PM - Kindergarten (Rain date September 5)
Ridge PTA Board
President - Linda Gardner
Vice President - Parthena Walker
Vice President - Tina Purkins
Treasurer - Shelley DiFlavio
Corresponding Secretary - Rachel Flynn
Recording Secretary - Caitlin Yoder
LCC Delegate- Pinal Rana
Volunteers- All volunteers must be background checked. This can be done at the Mentor Board of Education Building (door 1) on M/W/F from 11:30 AM-4:30. Photo ID is required and you will need to provide your social security number. No appointment is necessary. Please complete this early if you plan to volunteer this school year as it takes time to be cleared.
The PARTY-TREAT-FOOD GUIDELINES are here for your convenience.
Mentor Schools offers free clothing items, shoes, personal care items, school supplies, and more to all families in need across the district. Click HERE for more information about this district-wide program.
RECESS
Students will go outdoors for supervised recess opposite their lunch. During inclement weather, indoor activities will be provided for students in the classrooms. Please send your child to school with the proper outdoor attire including coats, hats, and gloves in the winter as students will go outdoors if the "feels like" temperature is above 20 degrees.
Please view the link for information about We Care for the 2024-25 school year. Please contact Mrs. Sherry Luke, We Care Coordinator with any questions at 440-255-1230 or email at Lukes@mentorschools.org