Alston Ridge Families:

 

It has been an amazing February at school. Thank you for the support that has made so many learning experiences for our children: a Spelling Bee to celebrate literacy, our Science Fair for student-investigators and engineers, appreciation events for our teachers, and strong mid-year growth in achievement across our grades. Our classroom communities are making remarkable progress academically and socially. We are grateful for everything that you do to help prepare your student for success each day, and the ways you encourage and affirm our faculty’s work.

 

Track Change Request Period

Track Change Requests are accepted annually during the month of February for the next school year. Requests will not be prioritized on a first come, first served basis. All requests will be reviewed after the end of the Track Change Request Period. Track Changes should be submitted via the online form--https://forms.gle/ciwNKcEcZfvyu6Xt7. If a track change is granted, the track change will be the final assignment for the following school year. Due to current enrollment, there are limited opportunities for changes on any track. Final assignments will be communicated to families who request a Track Change by May 1.

 

Single-Subject Acceleration Parent Test Request for 2025-2026

SSA is an acceleration opportunity provided for Wake County students. Students who meet specific criteria in Mathematics or English Language Arts (ELA) have the opportunity to accelerate in one subject area. A test will be administered to students to determine if they meet criteria. If a student meets the acceleration criteria, they will be assigned to the next grade level for the one subject area in which they are eligible. They will remain with their same-grade peers for all other subjects.

 

Parent Test Request Windows:

Track 1: February 17, 8:00 a.m. – March 7, 5:00 p.m.

Track 2, Track 3, Track 4: March 10, 8:00 a.m. - March 28, 5:00 p.m.

 

**Parent test requests must be sent before the window closes for their track, or the student will NOT be tested this year. Please be aware that the window closes at 5:00 p.m. on the last day of the request window.**

 

The test request form will be available on the WCPSS Single-Subject Acceleration page beginning the week of 2/17  (scroll to the bottom of the WCPSS SSA page to find the section marked “Test Request Process” where links will be activated during the week of 2/17). The WCPSS SSA page will also include links to a video presentation answering FAQ about SSA.

 

Testing Windows:

Track 1, Track 2, Track 3: April 4 - April 17

Track 4: April 28 - May 9

 

Wake County Pre-Kindergarten Application Open

The online 2025-2026 Wake Pre-K application is now available. Families of children who will be 4 years old by Aug. 31, 2025 can apply for pre-K services for the next school year. The Wake Pre-K application will allow families to submit one application to determine their eligibility for one of three different services: WCPSS Title I Pre-K, NC Pre-K, and Telamon Head Start

 

Eligibility for the Title I program is based on academic need. Eligibility for NC Pre-K and Telamon Head Start is based on financial need. Applicants will be considered based on how well they fit the program criteria. Learn more about Pre-K programs through Wake County’s Office of Early Learning & through the Wake Pre-K Flyers: Flyer (English) / Flyer (Spanish)

 

Applications are not considered on a first come, first served basis. The deadline to apply for a Wake County Public School System Title I Pre-K is June 13.

 

Book Fair & Talent Shows

The school’s annual book fair is coming in March! Tracks 1 & 4 will have the chance to explore and purchase new books during the week of March 3, followed by Tracks 2 & 3 during the week of March 10. Evening Book Fair hours will be held on Tuesday, March 4 and Tuesday, March 11, from 4:45 p.m. – 7:00 p.m. These evening hours will coincide with student Talent Show performances at 5:30 p.m. each evening. We hope to see you and your family at one of the events, and look forward to students diving into a great new book!

 

Career Day Volunteers Needed

ARES Career Days are coming soon--March 27th (Tracks 2 & 4) and April 3rd (Tracks 1 & 3)! This is an incredible opportunity for our 4th and 5th grade students to explore careers, hear inspiring stories, and begin imagining their own futures. Whether you’re a doctor, artist, entrepreneur, engineer, accountant, or work in any other field, we would love for you to share your journey, skills, and insights with our curious and eager young minds.

Here’s how you’ll be involved:
Share Your Story: Give a brief, engaging presentation about your career path, daily work, and the steps that led you to where you are today.
Engage with Students: Be ready for inquisitive students who learn best through hands-on interaction and have thoughtful questions. 
Inspire a Dream: Open our students' eyes to the endless possibilities ahead by sharing about the future of your career.

To make this event a success, we need you! Every volunteer brings unique value, and we’d love to have a diverse range of careers represented. If you're interested in being part of this exciting day, please complete the Volunteer Interest Form by February 28th. Email advocacy@alstonridgepta.com with any questions!