Dear Dry Ridge Elementary Families,
We had a wonderful week of learning at Dry Ridge Elementary!
Our Golden Challenge in the cafeteria has quickly become a student favorite. Students are working hard to use good manners, show appropriate mealtime behavior, and clean up their areas. We are so proud of their efforts—and even visitors have commented on how well-behaved our students are during lunch!
We are also excited to share that families may now join their children for lunch. If you would like to eat with your child, please notify both the office and your child’s teacher ahead of time. Background checks are required.
DRE Communication Plan Update
Beginning Monday, September 22, Dry Ridge Elementary will make a change in how we communicate with families.
The Thrillshare app will still be used by the district to communicate with all Grant County families regarding district-wide news and events. Please continue to use Thrillshare to upload parent notes and doctor's notes for absences
However, DRE will once again use Class DoJo for school communication and behavior expectations. After the first month of school, we have learned that Class DoJo provides an easier platform to connect with families and want to ensure you have the best experience!
Families who attended DRE last year are already connected.
New families will receive a code in their child’s Monday folder to join.
Please be sure to download the free Class DoJo app to stay connected.
Upcoming Events
September 26 – Student of the Month Lunch
Invitations have been sent to families of recipients with the scheduled lunch time.
Each student may have up to two guests.
Lunch will take place in the library, and guests are welcome to purchase a school lunch or bring their own.
Please notify the office with the names of your guests by Thursday, September 25.
For September only: Families without a completed background check may still attend. A staff member will accompany you at all times.
Moving forward, all visitors will be required to have a completed background check as part of our school safety plan. Background checks cost $10 and are offered on several occasions throughout the year, so please be proactive in completing yours.
October 3 – Fall Festival (5:00–8:00 PM)
Cost: $5 per person or $20 per family.
Be sure to check the grade level newsletter for information about the basket auction!
October 7 – Background Checks (4:00–6:00 PM)
Take advantage of this opportunity to complete the process and be able to join us for future events.
October 9–13 – Fall Break
School will be CLOSED Enjoy the time with your family!
October 22 – School Picture Day
Forms will be sent home after Fall Break.
Reminder - No cell phones, smartwatches or any other electronic device is permitted at school.
We are so grateful for your continued support and partnership in making Dry Ridge Elementary a positive, safe, and welcoming place for all students! #TogetherweSOAR
With Appreciation
Michelle A. Lawrence, Ed.S
Principal, Dry Ridge Elementary
Tomorrow is Dot Day! 🟣🟡🔴🟠🔵🟢
Dear Dry Ridge Elementary Families,
We had such a wonderful turnout for Grandparents Night—thank you to everyone who came out to celebrate with us! Both Primary and Intermediate events were packed, and we loved seeing so many of our students share their school with their special guests.
Reminders
Please make sure to label coats and hoodies with your child’s name. Our lost and found is already piling up, and having names inside items helps us return them quickly to the right student.
Attendance and punctuality are important as we move further into the school year. Thank you for helping your child arrive on time each day, ready to learn.
Upcoming Events
Monday, September 15 – Dot Day!
Students and staff are encouraged to wear polka dots as we celebrate creativity and making our mark at Dry Ridge Elementary.
Friday, October 3 - DRE Fall Fest
Thank you, as always, for your partnership and support. We are off to a strong start and can’t wait for another great week of learning and fun!
With Appreciation,
Michelle A. Lawrence, Ed. S
Principal
We had such a wonderful turnout for Grandparents Night—thank you to everyone who came out to celebrate with us! Both Primary and Intermediate events were packed, and we loved seeing so many of our students share their school with their special guests.
Reminders
Please make sure to label coats and hoodies with your child’s name. Our lost and found is already piling up, and having names inside items helps us return them quickly to the right student.
Attendance and punctuality are important as we move further into the school year. Thank you for helping your child arrive on time each day, ready to learn.
Upcoming Events
Monday, September 15 – Dot Day!
Students and staff are encouraged to wear polka dots as we celebrate creativity and making our mark at Dry Ridge Elementary.
Friday, October 3 - DRE Fall Fest
Thank you, as always, for your partnership and support. We are off to a strong start and can’t wait for another great week of learning and fun!
With Appreciation,
Michelle A. Lawrence, Ed. S
Principal
Round 1 of Lost and Found! If any of these belong to your child please reach out directly to their teacher. Please put names on hoodies and jackets
So much fun taking our Annual DRE Drone Picture today! 📸We celebrated Kentucky High Attendance Day with 97% attendance! 👏🖤❤️
#WeareDRE #TheCardinalWay #TogetherweSOAR
#WeareDRE #TheCardinalWay #TogetherweSOAR
DRE families, we are having technical difficulties with our dismissal system. Please be patient with us and we will get the kiddos out to car riders as soon as possible.
It's High Attendance Day tomorrow! We will be taking a drone picture at 1:30 tomorrow with all of the DRE students and staff. Check the picture below to see what color shirt to wear. We can't wait to see ALL of the DRE kiddos tomorrow! ❤️🖤
Dear Dry Ridge Elementary Families,
It has been another great week at Dry Ridge Elementary! We are grateful for your continued support as we begin this new school year. Please see below for some important reminders and upcoming events.
Important Reminders
Check Backpacks
Please check your child’s backpack for iPads, Bluetooth headphones, and other electronic devices, including cell phones and smart watches. Per our school policy, these items are not permitted at school.
Transportation Changes
All transportation changes must be called into the front office by 1:00 PM. We are receiving an increasing number of late-afternoon calls, and because the end of the school day is such a busy time, late changes can cause confusion. If you know a transportation change is needed, please notify us before 1:00 PM.
District Attendance Policy
Each absence must have documentation.
Families may submit up to 6 parent notes per year to excuse absences.
Additional absences must be excused with a medical excuse from a licensed physician
3 Tardies add up to one absence—please ensure your child is on time each day and stays for the entire day
Unexcused Absences
At 3 unexcused absences: A letter will be sent informing the parent/guardian of the absences and the consequences of additional unexcused absences.
At 5 unexcused absences: A letter will be sent informing families that the student has reached the level of HABITUAL TRUANT and the consequences of further unexcused absences.
At 9 unexcused absences: A FINAL NOTICE is sent along with a letter from the County Attorney. A home visit or contact will be made, and truancy charges are filed with the Grant County Designated Worker/County Attorney.
Important Dates to Remember
September 8–12 – Fall Book Fair
Students will have the opportunity to shop during their activity time.
September 8–12 – Fall MAP Testing
Students will complete their fall MAP assessments during this week. Please help by ensuring your child gets a good night’s rest and arrives to school on time.
September 8 – Background Check Opportunity
4:00–6:00 PM at Dry Ridge Elementary
Marianne Smith, our Family Resource Center Coordinator, will host a background check event for any Grant County family. The cost is $10 (cash or check only). A background check is required for volunteering in our school or attending any field trips.
September 9 – Kentucky High Attendance Day
Our goal is 100% attendance! Officer Robert Morgan will be taking a drone picture of our students forming the letters DRE on the lawn. Students should wear their grade-level color:
Preschool, Kindergarten, 1st Grade → Red
2nd & 3rd Grade → White
4th & 5th Grade, Ms. Kendall, Ms. Skinner, & Mr. Weinel’s classes → Black
September 9 – Grandparents Night (Preschool, Kindergarten, 1st Grade & 2nd Grade )
5:00–7:00 PM
September 11 – Grandparents Night (3rd, 4th & 5th Grade)
5:00–7:00 PM
Note: If grandparents have grandchildren in both primary and intermediate grades and are only able to attend one night, please plan to attend on September 11. Of course, families are welcome to attend both nights if possible.
We are looking forward to another successful and exciting week at Dry Ridge Elementary!
With Appreciation
Michelle A. Lawrence, Ed. S
Principal, Dry Ridge Elementary
It has been another great week at Dry Ridge Elementary! We are grateful for your continued support as we begin this new school year. Please see below for some important reminders and upcoming events.
Important Reminders
Check Backpacks
Please check your child’s backpack for iPads, Bluetooth headphones, and other electronic devices, including cell phones and smart watches. Per our school policy, these items are not permitted at school.
Transportation Changes
All transportation changes must be called into the front office by 1:00 PM. We are receiving an increasing number of late-afternoon calls, and because the end of the school day is such a busy time, late changes can cause confusion. If you know a transportation change is needed, please notify us before 1:00 PM.
District Attendance Policy
Each absence must have documentation.
Families may submit up to 6 parent notes per year to excuse absences.
Additional absences must be excused with a medical excuse from a licensed physician
3 Tardies add up to one absence—please ensure your child is on time each day and stays for the entire day
Unexcused Absences
At 3 unexcused absences: A letter will be sent informing the parent/guardian of the absences and the consequences of additional unexcused absences.
At 5 unexcused absences: A letter will be sent informing families that the student has reached the level of HABITUAL TRUANT and the consequences of further unexcused absences.
At 9 unexcused absences: A FINAL NOTICE is sent along with a letter from the County Attorney. A home visit or contact will be made, and truancy charges are filed with the Grant County Designated Worker/County Attorney.
Important Dates to Remember
September 8–12 – Fall Book Fair
Students will have the opportunity to shop during their activity time.
September 8–12 – Fall MAP Testing
Students will complete their fall MAP assessments during this week. Please help by ensuring your child gets a good night’s rest and arrives to school on time.
September 8 – Background Check Opportunity
4:00–6:00 PM at Dry Ridge Elementary
Marianne Smith, our Family Resource Center Coordinator, will host a background check event for any Grant County family. The cost is $10 (cash or check only). A background check is required for volunteering in our school or attending any field trips.
September 9 – Kentucky High Attendance Day
Our goal is 100% attendance! Officer Robert Morgan will be taking a drone picture of our students forming the letters DRE on the lawn. Students should wear their grade-level color:
Preschool, Kindergarten, 1st Grade → Red
2nd & 3rd Grade → White
4th & 5th Grade, Ms. Kendall, Ms. Skinner, & Mr. Weinel’s classes → Black
September 9 – Grandparents Night (Preschool, Kindergarten, 1st Grade & 2nd Grade )
5:00–7:00 PM
September 11 – Grandparents Night (3rd, 4th & 5th Grade)
5:00–7:00 PM
Note: If grandparents have grandchildren in both primary and intermediate grades and are only able to attend one night, please plan to attend on September 11. Of course, families are welcome to attend both nights if possible.
We are looking forward to another successful and exciting week at Dry Ridge Elementary!
With Appreciation
Michelle A. Lawrence, Ed. S
Principal, Dry Ridge Elementary
We are celebrating our Grandparents and Grandpeople in our students' lives next week! Please join us next Tuesday or Thursday night.
Reminder...
Another opportunity for Grant County family members to complete a background check. Remember you MUST have an approved background before volunteering and attending field trips.
Tuesday September 9th is Kentucky High Attendance Day! We will be taking the Annual DRE Drone Picture that day! Our goal is 100% attendance.
It's time to "Kick Off" the NFL Football Season! Wear your favorite team gear this Friday, September 5. 🏈
Grades 3-5, this week we will begin our fitness testing in PE. This week we will do the PACER test and the shuttle run. Please wear gym shoes! Next week we will do push ups, curl ups and sit and reach. Once we finish our fall testing, students will set goals for themselves and work towards reaching their goal throughout the school year. We will retest again at the end of the school year so kids can see their growth!
Also, if you have any lightly used gym shoes that you are willing to donate, please send them in. I like to keep all different sizes available in the gym in case kids forget or a shoe breaks during the day. All sizes welcome! Gym shoes only. Thank you!
We hope everyone has a fun and safe holiday weekend!!
The activity scheduke for next week will be as follows:
Monday - LABOR DAY - No School
Tuesday - A day
Wednesday - B day
Thursday - C day
Friday - arts day (we will combine the grade levels in the gym to work on Grandparent's Day artwork and music performance).
DRE families, please remember that unless your child has special transportation accommodations that have been approved by the district that all pick ups and drop offs are at the back of the building. Only buses and preapproved transportation accommodations are permitted in the front..
Dear Dry Ridge Families,
We had another wonderful week of learning and growing together! Thank you for your continued support as we work to make Dry Ridge Elementary a safe, welcoming, and engaging place for all students. Below are a few important updates and reminders for the weeks ahead.
SOAR Points Begin Monday
Starting Monday, August 25th, we will officially launch our SOAR Points system. Teachers will be awarding points for appropriate behaviors and may also take points away for unexpected behaviors. This will allow students to receive daily feedback and encouragement as they work toward meeting our SOAR expectations.
All SOAR points will be tracked in our new district app. Please make sure you have downloaded GCS-KY from the App Store (look for the Grant County emblem).
👉 If you already have the app but are not receiving messages:
Try updating the app, or Uninstall and reinstall it. This will ensure you are connected and receive the most up-to-date information.
Reminders About Attendance, Start Times, and Water Bottles
School Start Times
Just a gentle reminder that school starts promptly at 8:00 am. We’ve already had a few tardies this week, which is common during the first week as everyone gets back into the routine. Please ensure your child arrives on time so they can start their day smoothly.
Attendance Notes
If your child was absent this week, please remember to send in a doctor’s note if they were seen by a doctor. If they were not seen by a doctor, a parent note is required.
Please keep in mind that district policy only allows 7 parent notes for the entire school year. After those are used, absences will only be excused with a doctor’s note.
Water Bottles
Students are encouraged to bring a water bottle each day. However, water bottles must contain water only—no flavored water, sports drinks, or other beverages. We’ve had quite a few spills, and keeping it to water only helps us keep classrooms and hallways clean and safe.
Important Dates
Monday, September 1 – No School – Labor Day
September 8–12 – Book Fair in the Media Center
Tuesday, September 9 – Grandparents Night (K–2) 5:00-7:00
Thursday, September 11 – Grandparents Night (3–5) 5:00 = 7:00
We look forward to another great week ahead. Thank you for partnering with us to help our Cardinals SOAR every day!
With appreciation,
Michelle A. Lawrence, Ed. S
Principal, Dry Ridge Elementary
We had another wonderful week of learning and growing together! Thank you for your continued support as we work to make Dry Ridge Elementary a safe, welcoming, and engaging place for all students. Below are a few important updates and reminders for the weeks ahead.
SOAR Points Begin Monday
Starting Monday, August 25th, we will officially launch our SOAR Points system. Teachers will be awarding points for appropriate behaviors and may also take points away for unexpected behaviors. This will allow students to receive daily feedback and encouragement as they work toward meeting our SOAR expectations.
All SOAR points will be tracked in our new district app. Please make sure you have downloaded GCS-KY from the App Store (look for the Grant County emblem).
👉 If you already have the app but are not receiving messages:
Try updating the app, or Uninstall and reinstall it. This will ensure you are connected and receive the most up-to-date information.
Reminders About Attendance, Start Times, and Water Bottles
School Start Times
Just a gentle reminder that school starts promptly at 8:00 am. We’ve already had a few tardies this week, which is common during the first week as everyone gets back into the routine. Please ensure your child arrives on time so they can start their day smoothly.
Attendance Notes
If your child was absent this week, please remember to send in a doctor’s note if they were seen by a doctor. If they were not seen by a doctor, a parent note is required.
Please keep in mind that district policy only allows 7 parent notes for the entire school year. After those are used, absences will only be excused with a doctor’s note.
Water Bottles
Students are encouraged to bring a water bottle each day. However, water bottles must contain water only—no flavored water, sports drinks, or other beverages. We’ve had quite a few spills, and keeping it to water only helps us keep classrooms and hallways clean and safe.
Important Dates
Monday, September 1 – No School – Labor Day
September 8–12 – Book Fair in the Media Center
Tuesday, September 9 – Grandparents Night (K–2) 5:00-7:00
Thursday, September 11 – Grandparents Night (3–5) 5:00 = 7:00
We look forward to another great week ahead. Thank you for partnering with us to help our Cardinals SOAR every day!
With appreciation,
Michelle A. Lawrence, Ed. S
Principal, Dry Ridge Elementary
DRE Families- Please remember that only buses are permitted in the front loop during arrival and dismissal. If you need to come inside, please park in one of the parking spaces.
Dear Dry Ridge Elementary Families,
What an incredible first week back at Dry Ridge Elementary! Thank you for sending us such eager, smiling students and for partnering with us to start the year on such a positive note. Your support truly helps us create the safe, welcoming, and engaging learning environment that every child deserves.
We are officially revved up for a fantastic year! 🚗💨
Reminders for a Smooth Start
Car Line - Please stay in the same lane during pick-up. This is how we call students in order, and it ensures they are walking the shortest distance possible to reach you. If cars get out of order, students may have to walk farther into the parking lot, which creates safety concerns.
Cell Phones & Smartwatches - As a reminder, cell phones, smartwatches, and other personal electronic devices should be left at home. This helps us keep the focus on learning and prevents distractions.
Bus Update - Students who were riding Bus 246 (third load) will begin riding Bus 151 starting Monday morning. Pick-up and drop-off times will be similar to last year. Students on this bus were sent home with a bright green letter containing more details.
Looking Ahead – September Dates
September 1 – No School – Labor Day
September 8–12 – Fall Book Fair
September 9 – Grandparents Night (Grades K–2) 5:00–7:00 PM
September 11 – Grandparents Night (Grades 3–5) 5:00–7:00 PM
Thank you again for your partnership and engagement in helping us create a Revved Up first week back! We can’t wait to see all the learning, growth, and fun this year will bring.
With Appreciation,
Michelle A. Lawrence, Ed. S
Principal, Dry Ridge Elementary
What an incredible first week back at Dry Ridge Elementary! Thank you for sending us such eager, smiling students and for partnering with us to start the year on such a positive note. Your support truly helps us create the safe, welcoming, and engaging learning environment that every child deserves.
We are officially revved up for a fantastic year! 🚗💨
Reminders for a Smooth Start
Car Line - Please stay in the same lane during pick-up. This is how we call students in order, and it ensures they are walking the shortest distance possible to reach you. If cars get out of order, students may have to walk farther into the parking lot, which creates safety concerns.
Cell Phones & Smartwatches - As a reminder, cell phones, smartwatches, and other personal electronic devices should be left at home. This helps us keep the focus on learning and prevents distractions.
Bus Update - Students who were riding Bus 246 (third load) will begin riding Bus 151 starting Monday morning. Pick-up and drop-off times will be similar to last year. Students on this bus were sent home with a bright green letter containing more details.
Looking Ahead – September Dates
September 1 – No School – Labor Day
September 8–12 – Fall Book Fair
September 9 – Grandparents Night (Grades K–2) 5:00–7:00 PM
September 11 – Grandparents Night (Grades 3–5) 5:00–7:00 PM
Thank you again for your partnership and engagement in helping us create a Revved Up first week back! We can’t wait to see all the learning, growth, and fun this year will bring.
With Appreciation,
Michelle A. Lawrence, Ed. S
Principal, Dry Ridge Elementary
I want to make you aware that one of our routes will be running later than normal for the remainder of this week and possibly into next week. Today, students on this route were not picked up until close to 5:00 p.m., and we anticipate similar delays until the transportation department is able to adjust staffing and routes. Please note that this does not impact all students that ride Bus 245. This bus currently has three loads of students.
We realize this is not the impression we would like to give on the very first day of school, and I sincerely apologize for the inconvenience. While this situation is outside of our school’s control, please know that we are more than happy to work with you to find temporary solutions that meet your family’s needs until the transportation department can get this resolved.
Please don’t hesitate to reach out to our office if you have questions or if we can help in any way. Your children’s safety and comfort are always our top priorities. If you have specific questions about your child's pick up time, drop time or bus number, please contact the bus garage directly at 859-824-3332.
Michelle A. Lawrence, Ed. S
Principal, Dry Ridge Elementary