And just like that, we enter the final quarter of the first nine weeks. All grades will be finalized this Friday...which also coincides with our annual Fun Run. Thank you to all of the families who have donated so far. I know the kids will be excited for me to kiss a pig, but I think we have a little more to go.LOL.
Our Middle School Soccer Season came to an end after a hard fought battle by the boys team in the playoffs. Next up for middle school sports is volleyball. Please look for tryout information in the newsletter.
Just want to remind all of our families that OCPS prohibits electric bikes for middle school students. Please let me know if you have any questions.
Finally, the magnet school window will open next week. It's very important for any rising 6th,7th and 8th grade students to follow the procedures for applying to our middle school. We will have approximately 130 seats available for each grade level.
As usual, there is a lot going on at the Ridge this week, please take a look through our entire newsletter.
On the off chance that there is severe weather in the area at dismissal, we will follow this procedure:
Families will receive a Parent Square notice of a "Delayed Dismissal".
During Delayed dismissals, we are not permitted to let the students leave, unless they are accompanied by an approved family/friend member as indicated in skyward.
If you choose to come to the school, we will process all families through the cafeteria.
You will first check in with someone that will arrange for your child to pack up and walk down.
From that station, you will need to have your ID verified to ensure that you have permission to pick up any and all students that you are requesting.
After your ID is verified, you will wait in the main hallway for your student(s) to arrive and you can leave through the main doors.
We will not be able to release any students to an adult that does not have ID. This is a safety concern.
You must be approved in Skyward to pick up any student that you are not personally responsible for. Please make sure that you complete the form that will go home on the first day. Any contacts that you added in the past will remain in the system.
Student Services
Important Dates for Applications for School Year 2027-2028:
Important Dates for Applications for School Year 2027-2028:
October 13, 2026 – Fall/Winter Application Opens
December 18, 2026 – Fall/Winter Application Closes
January 19, 2027 – Notification to Families of Lottery 1 Results
February 16, 2027 – Notification to Families of Lottery 2 Results
March 10, 2027 – Waitlist Application Opens (9 am EST)
August 24, 2027 – Last Day Seat Offers will be sent. All waitlists are discontinued.
Rising 5th Grade Families- Windy Ridge's Middle School Academy is a lottery based system. Famlies must apply for a seat in our middle school adacemy through the OCPS Magnet Schools & Programs Application process and program window. That window opens for the 2027-2028 school year on October 13th and Closes on December 18th. Additional important dates are listed above. You can find additonal information and the link to the application once it is active on the OCPS website. We are linking below.
Karina Gonzalez Garcia has been part of our school community for the past year through the Extended Day program and currently also supports the Attendance/Records department. She enjoys supporting students, families, and staff.
Kelso's Choice
We are excited to share that each elementary class will be participating in Kelso’s Choice starting in October! The conflict-management curriculum helps children learn to differentiate between problems they can handle on their own and those requiring adult intervention. The goal is to help our students develop and sustain the belief that they are capable of resolving their own small problems and gain lifelong conflict-resolution skills. Knowing how to deal with conflict in a positive manner will help reduce stress and conflicts at school and at home. Many students will remember Kelso the green frog and his poster wheel of choices. Please help us welcome Kelso back to Windy Ridge! Additional information will be sent home as we launch the school-wide program.
Community Connect Available
OCPS has connected with Community Connect to provide families with free or reduced cost resources. Here is the link:
Windy Ridge K-8 implements the CHAMPS Classroom Behavior Management Program. This is a proactive, positive approach to schoolwide and classroom management. Instead of reacting to misbehavior after it happens, CHAMPS focuses on managing expectations by overtly teaching students exactly how to behave during different classroom and schoolwide activities and transitions. CHAMPS is an acronym in which each letter represents an area of focus.
This week we are featuring our CHAMPS that we use in the lunchroom. This ensures that our Silverhawks have a safe, positive, and organized lunchtime! Students are expected to use a Level 1 whisper voice, raise their hand when they need help, eat their lunch while keeping hands to themselves, walk safely on the designated path, and remain seated while eating. Students who demonstrate positive lunchroom behaviors can work toward earning Green Cups and Hawks Bucks! As a school community, we track the behavior progress of our elementary students in the cafeteria. When a class earns 15 greens, the class is rewarded with a special prize that is delivered to their classroom by our Middle School SGA students. When all elementary classes have earned 15 greens, we will have a fun movie playing in the cafeteria during lunch.
Arts
🎨✨ Resiliency Day Art Spotlight! ✨🎨
Mrs. Guiang’s art students celebrated Resiliency Day by creating beautiful sketch art! We love seeing our Silverhawks express themselves through art while building skills that help them grow both inside and outside the classroom! ✨🎨
Athletics
⚽💙 That’s a wrap on Silverhawk Soccer Season! 💙⚽
We are so proud of our Silverhawks and all of the hard work, perseverance, and teamwork they showed this season! Please enjoy a short video thanking our Sidekicks for supporting and cheering on our teams throughout the season! 🎥 Thank you to everyone who helped make this soccer season a great one!
🏐 Next up—Volleyball! Volleyball tryouts begin this week, October 7th & 8th, from 7:00–8:00 AM at the Chain of Lakes Gym. Students must be approved on Aktivate to try out and must have transportation to school after tryouts.
Our Silverhawks have been busy reading! During September, students checked out 4,694 physical books and 1,899 SORA eBooks and earned an incredible 6,156 AR points! So far this school year, our readers have checked out 9,138 books and earned 7,633.6 AR points. Way to soar, Silverhawks! 📖⭐
🐟 Elementary Library: This week, elementary students who visited the library read their first SSYRA Jr. book, Don’t Trust Fish, enhanced with Novel Effect! Students loved the story—and especially the plot twist at the end. I’m sure you heard all about anglerfishes and why our students don't trust crabs! 🦀
📚 8th Grade Library: On Friday, our 8th graders visited the library for a special Hispanic Heritage Month lesson. Students learned about Pura Belpré, the namesake of the Pura Belpré Award. They then conducted their own library research on Hispanic authors, illustrators, and notable Hispanic people, discovering new books, and stories along the way. 📖
Silverhawks Readers Soar Higher! 💙📚⭐
News from Our PTA
⭐️ It’s Fun Run Week, Silverhawks! ⭐️
Fun Run is this Friday, October 9th. We’re so excited to celebrate all the hard work students have been putting into fundraising with a day full of fun, fitness and school spirit.
We’re officially at 68% of our overall fundraising goal, with a current total of $24,126 raised (this is $4,000 more than we raised at this time last year!). You can still register in Fund Hub (scan the QR code above or click the link below) and start fundraising today. PTA members will also be at the carline and in the front office every morning this week collecting cash/check envelopes.
Let’s keep up the great work Silverhawks, we’re almost there!
Below are the Fun Run times for students on Friday. Middle School will be on a modified bell schedule for Fun Run.
This is a reminder that students must turn in a signed parental consent form to particpate in the Fun Run.
We loved celebrating Hat Day on Friday! There were so many fun, creative, and silly hats! Above are just a few photos from the day. Next up—we can’t wait to see everyone cozy in their PAJAMAS on Wednesday! Thank you for continuing to support our PTA Fun Run and helping make these special school-wide celebrations possible!
Upcoming Clubs
For more information about Astronomy Club, please email Dr. Strawser at: corydon.strawser@ocps.net.
Look Ahead
October 6th- National Coaches Day
October 7th- School-Wide Pajama Day, Volleyball Tryouts Start for Middle School Students
October 8th- Volleyball Tryouts Continue
October 9th- PTA Fun Run (Students must have a parental consent form turned in to participate), Modified Bell Schedule for Middle School Students
October 12th- Teacher Workday/Student Holiday
October 13th- SAC Meeting 5:30pm in Media Center, OCPS Magnet Applications for the 2027-2028 School Year Open
October 15th- Hispanic Heritage Family Night 5:30pm-6:45pm
October 21st- 50th Day of School, Dress Like the 50s
October 22nd- Kindergarten Field Trip to Green Meadows Farm, Report Cards Distrubted
