6031 N Montana Ave.•Portland, OR 97217•Ph 503-916-5660•Fx 503-916-2661
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Hello Ockley Green Families & Partners -
I sent this message out last week, but given the importance, feel it is relevant to share again this week.
PPS sent out a communication last night on 10.19.23. I am also including it here for your reference. As we approach the potential strike start date of November 1st, the most up-to-date information for families will be on the Family Resources During a Strike webpage.
Please know that I and our staff are committed to ensuring students continue to have a positive school environment and that the routines we have established remain strong up to and after their return after this potential loss of school days. I have been in regular communication with our site-based PAT Representatives and we will continue to problem-solve how we best support students during this time.
I continue to hope for an agreement prior to November 1st and our staff continues to stay focused on providing students a calm & positive learning environment through next Tuesday. This will include our Harvest Festival at the end of the day on Tuesday which includes Face Painting, Volleyball, Cornhole, Haunted House Making and many more options for students.
Please see below for some important updates!
Conferences are November 20th - 21st
One way that we are elevating student voice and supporting our students to grow as reflective engaged learners is to have them prepare for Student-Led Conferences this year. These will occur during the Conferences scheduled for November 20th & 21st. These will happen during 20-minute time slots and you will meet with a teacher and your student. During this time, your child will present a portfolio of their work completed thus far in the school year. This portfolio will provide an overview of their academic achievements, creative projects, and personal development. In addition, your child will share their academic, social, and behavioral goals for the remainder of the year. We believe that this self-assessment process empowers our students, encouraging them to take ownership of their learning and growth.
Our staff have prioritized their scheduling slots and teachers are beginning to reach out through next week directly to families to confirm a time. Once priority scheduling is complete, teachers will send out an email with information on self-scheduling. See below for the overall schedule and for when Virtual options will be available.
Time |
November 20, 2023 |
November 21, 2023 |
8:30-12:00 |
In-Person ONLY 20-Minute Conferences |
In Person OR Virtual 20 Minute Conferences |
12:00-1:00 |
Lunch break |
Lunch break |
1:00-4:30 |
In-Person ONLY 20-Minute Conferences |
In Person OR Virtual 20 Minute Conferences |
4:30 - 5:30 |
Dinner break |
Dinner break |
5:30-8:00 |
In-Person ONLY 20-Minute Conferences |
In-Person ONLY 20-Minute Conferences |
In addition to the 20-minute time slot that you schedule, you will be able to informally connect with other staff available during these days.
Road Closure October 30th
We received notification that on Monday, from 8:00 AM - 3:00 PM, the following area will be closed to traffic: Maryland to Montana/Rosa Parks to Holman. Bus traffic will still be allowed through.
Oregon Battle of the Books (OBOB)
Ockley Green will be participating in the Oregon Battle of the Books again this year! OBOB is a fun reading competition that encourages students to read great books from many different genres and perspectives. Interested students can get a form from the library. They do not need to have a team, they can just sign up individually.
Important dates:
We have copies of all of the OBOB books available in the library, and on SORA, so students should start reading now!
If you have any questions, contact Ms. Peacock at vpeacock@pps.net
PIL Youth Winter Sports Tryouts
JEFFERSON - Cluster Coordinator: Andre Lawrence alawrenc@pps.net
Boys Basketball - Tryouts at Jefferson HS
Girls Basketball - Tryouts at Jefferson HS
Wrestling - No Tryouts
ROOSEVELT - Cluster Coordinator: Jaeger Vega jvega@pps.net
Youth Boys Basketball Tryouts
Youth Girls Basketball Tryouts
Youth Wrestling begins on Nov 8
Wreath Sale October 23 - November 3
OG Supporters annual Holiday Wreath Sale is here. Please consider supporting their fundraising efforts with the purchase of a beautiful wreath. OG Supporters Wreath
OG Supporters Tamale Boy Fundraiser
Fundraiser Event! Come on out to Tamale Boy, on NE Dekum on Thursday, 11/2 and they will be donating a percentage of all sales, dine-in or take-out. Support a local restaurant, enjoy a great meal, and support OGMS! No flier or mention of the event needed.
Garden Clean Up Volunteers Needed
Thank you OG Supporters and Bekki Sims for taking on the Garden Clean Up Project. If you are interested in being part of the Garden Crew, then contact either admin@ogsupporters.org or bekki.jane@yahoo.com.
Important Dates
Please take a moment to find and bookmark our school website to become more familiar with programs and information.
In Partnership,
Julie Rierson
Pronouns: she/her
Principal, Ockley Green Middle School
Hello Ockley Green Families & Partners -
PPS sent out a communication last night on 10.19.23. I am also including it here for your reference. As we approach the potential strike start date of November 1st, the most up-to-date information for families will be on the Family Resources During a Strike webpage.
Please know that I and our staff are committed to ensuring students continue to have a positive school environment and that the routines we have established remain strong up to and after their return after this potential loss of school days. I have been in regular communication with our site-based PAT Representatives and we will continue to problem-solve how we best support students during this time.
Please see below for some important updates!
PIL Youth Winter Sports Tryouts
JEFFERSON - Cluster Coordinator: Andre Lawrence alawrenc@pps.net
Boys Basketball - Tryouts at Jefferson HS
Girls Basketball - Tryouts at Jefferson HS
Wrestling - No Tryouts
ROOSEVELT - Cluster Coordinator: Jaeger Vega jvega@pps.net
Youth Boys Basketball Tryouts
Youth Girls Basketball Tryouts
Youth Wrestling begins on Nov 8
Pest Control
We continue to have no sightings of rats and feel confident that the infestation has been taken care of. However, we will still continue to have rat mitigation steps in place. Please review the Ockley Green IPM Notification 10.23.pdf for an updated steps.
Wreath Sale October 23 - November 3
OG Supporters annual Holiday Wreath Sale is here. Please consider supporting their fundraising efforts with the purchase of a beautiful wreath.
OG Supporters Tamale Boy Fundraiser
Fundraiser Event! Come on out to Tamale Boy, on NE Dekum on Thursday, 11/2 and they will be donating a percentage of all sales, dine-in or take-out. Support a local restaurant, enjoy a great meal, and support OGMS! No flyer or mention of event needed.
Student Rights & Responsibilities Handbook
Today during Period 7, students received a copy of the PPS 2023-24 Student Rights & Responsibilities Handbook. Teachers reviewed some new language and changes in the behavior expectations and students spent time identifying their Rights & Responsibilities. See this slidedeck for a list of the new updates..
SUN School is in Session
Ockley Green SEI SUN registration
Fall registration is still open! Please make sure to fill out an application before signing up for programming. Enrichment classes are Monday - Thursday from 3:45 PM to 5:30 PM. Registration is first come, first served!
Important Dates
Please take a moment to find and bookmark our school website to become more familiar with programs and information.
In Partnership,
Julie Rierson
Pronouns: she/her
Principal, Ockley Green Middle School
Hello Ockley Green Families & Partners -
We have added a critical component to our Where Everybody Belongs (WEB) program this year in having regular guidance sessions for our 6th Grade students, led by our Dragon Leaders. This week, our Dragon Leaders led their first direct guidance activity with their student groups during Advisory. These students showed our Ockley Green Core Values: Caring, Collaboration and Growth as they worked with their 6th Grade students. I am incredibly appreciative of how this important work is helping in the creation of a positive learning environment through supporting our 6th Grade students' transition.
Please see below for some important updates!
Bargaining & Contingency Plan
Please see this information regarding Bargaining.
RHS Cluster Diverse Learners Night
Families in the Roosevelt Cluster are welcome to join for an evening of food, music and information. The event is October 19th, 5:30 - 7:00 PM. See these fliers for more information: English, Spanish.
SUN School is in Session
Ockley Green SEI SUN registration
Fall registration is still open! Please make sure to fill out an application before signing up for programming. Enrichment classes are Monday - Thursday from 3:45 PM to 5:30 PM. Registration is first come, first served!
Class List
Dental Sealants Coming November 16th
Multnomah County’s School and Community Oral Health Program is offering Free sealants and dental screening. A dental screening is a quick look inside your child’s mouth to check the overall health of their teeth, and sealants will be placed if needed.
This service is available for students in 2nd, 3rd, 6th, 7th, and 8th grades.
What questions do you have? Please call us at 503-988-3905.
To use this FREE service please fill out the electronic permission slip at this link:
Electronic Permission Form English
Volunteer Opportunity - PTA Clothing Center in PPS
The clothing center serves more than 1,500 students across the city each year. It's entirely run by volunteers. Each school in the district is assigned to arrange for volunteers two days per school year, and our turn is coming up on October 19th. On days where there aren't enough volunteers, the Clothing Center is unable to open. Please help keep the doors open for families in need! If you're available, you can sign up HERE.
Important Dates
Please take a moment to find and bookmark our school website to become more familiar with programs and information.
In Partnership,
Julie Rierson
Pronouns: she/her
Principal, Ockley Green Middle School
Hello Ockley Green Families & Partners -
This coming week, we are excited to start our House of Dragons schoolwide positive behavior program focused on supporting our students in being engaged learners at school. In addition to continuing to support our students feeling a strong sense of belonging at school, our goal is to also reaffirm our academic and school expectations and support our students to engage in behaviors that create a positive learning environment.
Our House of Dragons are set up as multigrade Houses through our Advisory classes. The behaviors we have identified that characterize being OGMS Proud are:
Students can also earn points for:
Your student received a handout earlier this week during Advisory with specific information for how to set up a Parent/Family account through LiveSchool. Having this access will allow you to see comments & points from staff on your child’s own growth. For more information on accessing this, as well as more information about our House of Dragons, see this slideshow. Here is a video that provides you an overview of the LiveSchool Parent App.
Please see below for some important updates!
SUN School Starts Next Week
Ockley Green SEI SUN registration
Fall registration is now open! Please make sure to fill out an application before signing up for programming. Enrichment classes are Monday - Thursday from 3:45 PM to 5:30 PM. Registration is first come, first served!
Class List
Dental Sealants Coming November 16th
Multnomah County’s School and Community Oral Health Program is offering Free sealants and dental screening. A dental screening is a quick look inside your child’s mouth to check the overall health of their teeth, and sealants will be placed if needed.
This service is available for students in 2nd, 3rd, 6th, 7th, and 8th grades.
What questions do you have? Please call us at 503-988-3905.
To use this FREE service please fill out the electronic permission slip at this link:
Electronic Permission Form English
Student Check Out & Pick Up
During Hybrid, there was a change to the Student Check Out process that included students being sent outside to Parents/Guardians to pick up when they are being checked out from school. Starting October 2nd, we are requiring the Parent/Guardian to come into the Front Office to sign their student out. We only allow students to be released to the people listed in Synergy. Thank you for your understanding and help with ensuring student safety.
Volunteer Opportunity - PTA Clothing Center in PPS
The clothing center serves more than 1,500 students across the city each year. It's entirely run by volunteers. Each school in the district is assigned to arrange for volunteers two days per school year, and our turn is coming up on October 19th. On days where there aren't enough volunteers, the Clothing Center is unable to open. Please help keep the doors open for families in need! If you're available, you can sign up HERE.
Important Dates
Please take a moment to find and bookmark our school website to become more familiar with programs and information.
In Partnership,
Julie Rierson
Pronouns: she/her
Principal, Ockley Green Middle School
Hello Ockley Green Families & Partners -
Our Social Worker, Genie Gomez, is leading the implementation of our new SEL Curriculum, We Do It For the Culture in Advisory. She is working with a terrific group of staff to further develop the activities and ensure that they are accessible to students. A big shout out to Rocio Miranda Alarcon, Kathryn Dennis, Grace Rodgers, Hannah Givertz, Crystal Stevens, Craig Patterson and Galen Dickstein for their work on making Advisory a meaningful time for students.
Please see below for some important updates!
Student Check Out & Pick Up
During Hybrid, there was a change to the Student Check Out process that included students being sent outside to Parents/Guardians to pick up when they are being checked out from school. Starting October 2nd, we are requiring the Parent/Guardian to come into the Front Office to sign their student out. We only allow students to be released to the people listed in Synergy. Thank you for your understanding and help with ensuring student safety.
MAP Testing Continues Next Week
This week, students completed MAP Testing in Math and next week, they will take the Reading MAP Test. MAP is a test to measure comprehension of standards and growth throughout the year. Please make sure your child brings their charged chromebook next week. We have a charging station available in the library for students and math and language arts teachers will have a handful of computers to loan students during the test.
Lockdown Drill
Today, our students participated in our first Lockdown Drill. This drill can be difficult to experience and I truly wish that it was not a necessary part of our students’ lives. Prior to the drill, students reviewed expectations in Advisory and they did an amazing job of quickly moving into safe places in their classrooms when we held the drill.
Talented and Gifted Updates (TAG)
During the TAG Family Night we shared information about the systems and supports for our students, their families and teachers here at Ockley Green. It has a wealth of information about the referral process, acceleration, and services for students currently identified. All teachers have been provided with a roster of their students identified for TAG in math, reading and intellectuality. Additional resources include the Important Dates 2023-2024 and the TAG Parent Advisory Council (TAGAC) If you have a question about TAG that your child’s teacher, or school TAG facilitator Ms. Melissa (mbrabham@pps.net) are not able to answer, please use Let’s Talk to communicate with the TAG office.
OG Supporter Fundraiser
Our first revenue share event of the school year is here! Help support this fundraiser and come check out the new Mike’s Drive-in on Lombard on Thursday, Oct. 5th from 4-8pm, dine in or take out. This event requires showing the flier or at least mentioning the Ockley Green event when ordering. Please share with friends and family!
Ockley Green Supporters October Meeting
OG Supporters meetings are held every first Wednesday of the month, from September through May. All meetings are virtual. You can find a link to join at www.ogsupporters.org/events. At our next meeting, on Wednesday, October 4th, Principal Rierson will be our guest speaker. If there are any specific topics you'd like her to address, you can let her know by filling out this form.
Volunteer Opportunity - PTA Clothing Center in PPS
The clothing center serves more than 1,500 students across the city each year. It's entirely run by volunteers. Each school in the district is assigned to arrange for volunteers two days per school year, and our turn is coming up on October 19th. On days where there aren't enough volunteers, the Clothing Center is unable to open. Please help keep the doors open for families in need! If you're available, you can sign up HERE.
Important Dates
Please take a moment to find and bookmark our school website to become more familiar with programs and information.
In Partnership,
Julie Rierson
Pronouns: she/her
Principal, Ockley Green Middle School
Hello Ockley Green Families & Partners -
It was wonderful to connect with families during the Back to School Night on Wednesday of this week. We appreciate your partnership in supporting your learner to find success here at Ockley Green.
This week brought opportunities to celebrate Hispanic/Latino Heritage Month, which offers an opportunity to honor, recognize, and celebrate Latino contributions to our community, state, and country. Students created personalized Papel Picado banners during Advisory and these are now displayed throughout our hallways. Over the next month, our students will have the opportunity to further understand the unique history and contributions of Latinos/Latinas in Portland and across our country.
Please see below for some important updates!
MAP Testing Starts Next Week
On September 27 OGMS students will be taking the Measures of Academic Progress (MAP) test. MAP is a reading and a math test to measure comprehension of standards and growth throughout the year. Students will take the test three times to measure their growth. In the Fall: September, Winter: January and Spring: April
Please make sure your child brings their charged chromebook starting Monday September 27. We have a charging station available in the library for students and math and language arts teachers will have a handful of computers to loan students during the test.
Lockdown Drill
Next week, our students will participate in our first Lockdown Drill. This drill can be difficult to experience and I truly wish that it was not a necessary part of our students’ lives. We will review information in Advisory on Tuesday about why we do this drill and the importance of practicing the steps we take in this situation and have the drill later in the week.
Please remind and encourage your student that they can always talk with a trusted adult if they are feeling anxious or concerned as a result of this, or any, drill. Don’t hesitate to reach out with any questions you may have regarding our safety & emergency practices.
OG Supporter Fundraiser
Our first revenue share event of the school year is here! Help support this fundraiser and come check out the new Mike’s Drive-in on Lombard on Thursday, Oct. 5th from 4-8pm, dine in or take out. This event requires showing the flyer or at least mentioning the Ockley Green event when ordering. Please share with friends and family!
Bus & Pick Up
Please help us in creating a safe area for our buses on Montana by making pick-ups before and after school on Ainsworth Street. We have already observed students darting out from behind buses, so your help with keeping car traffic on Ainsworth is greatly appreciated.
Stay Involved through ParentVue
ParentVUE is a secure website and mobile app which offers parents and guardians real time access to:
User ID and password remain the same each year. If you have not set up your account or have any questions, contact Ian Palu, ipalu@pps.net .
Important Dates
Please take a moment to find and bookmark our school website to become more familiar with programs and information.
In Partnership,
Julie Rierson
Pronouns: she/her
Principal, Ockley Green Middle School
Hello Ockley Green Families & Partners -
Next week we will host Back to School Night on Wednesday, September 21st, 5:30 - 7:30. We are looking forward to seeing you and sharing more about Ockley Green. This year, we will start out the night with a couple of options prior to the Welcome and Classroom Visits. Please join us for one of the offerings at 5:30.
TAG and ESL Family Meetings 5:30 - 5:55
If your student receives ESL services or is identified as Talented & Gifted, then please join us at 5:30 for a Family Meeting.
ESL Family Meeting - Room 113 TAG Family Meeting - Library
Gym Reception 5:30 - 5:55
This is an informal reception where you will be able to learn about attendance, Liveschool, our restorative justice practices, Cafe Latino, and ParentVue. We will also have a classroom wish table where you help a teacher collect all the materials they need to have a successful year. Plus we will have a photo area where you can snap a picture with our Dragon.
Please see below for some important updates!
Chargers for Chromebooks
Last year, Rachel Manter led the effort to fully update our Chromebook records and implemented a system for managing repairs to Chromebooks. In June, we collected all Chromebooks to ensure that they were updated and cleaned. Students have received their Chromebooks, however, we currently have only about half of the needed Chargers. The PPS IT Department is no longer providing chargers to schools. Thus, I needed to determine how to fund an order of chargers, which was made this week for the additional 250 Chargers needed. We will distribute those as soon as we receive them. Please note: We are keeping a record of every charger given out. If a student loses their charger, then it will not be replaced by the school.
Pest Control Update
Pest Control has isolated what they believe to be the remaining source & access that needs to be addressed. They are taking aggressive measures, including creating physical barriers in addition to ongoing chemical treatment.
We will continue to hold the expectation of hot lunches being consumed in the cafeteria and are communicating to staff about the steps they can take to aid in pest prevention. The presence of rodents is concerning for multiple reasons and we will continue to work on creating a school facility that is conducive to learning.
Lunch Time
We have been closely monitoring lunch time to ensure that students have time to eat and get in some movement. We have made alterations based on feedback and observations. We have noticed the time to get through the line has decreased and most students have 15-20 minutes to eat.
Some have asked about the possibility of 2 lunches, but our modified block schedule makes this challenging to achieve. With the improved lunch line times, we will continue with only one lunch period.
The library is now available at lunch time. Students can collect a library pass in the morning before the first class of the day.
We are organizing our Lunch Clubs and will soon have options out for students. Students can suggest a club! They can talk with Mr. Chavez to learn about that process.
Bus & Pick Up
Please help us in creating a safe area for our buses in Montana by making pick-ups before and after school on Ainsworth Street. We have already observed students darting out from behind buses, so your help with keeping car traffic on Ainsworth is greatly appreciated.
Stay Involved through ParentVue
ParentVUE is a secure website and mobile app which offers parents and guardians real time access to:
User ID and password remain the same each year. If you have not set up your account or have any questions, contact Ian Palu, ipalu@pps.net .
Important Dates
Please take a moment to find and bookmark our school website to become more familiar with programs and information.
In Partnership,
Julie Rierson
Pronouns: she/her
Principal, Ockley Green Middle School
When students from Cleveland High School’s Advanced Commercial Foods and Baking class visited Hosford Middle School last month to try out a new recipe they called Baked Pears Goat Cheese Sunflower Seed Delight, the results of an informal sticker poll were very much on the positive side: 26 kids liked it and 30 loved it. Twenty-two were on the fence.
Sixth grader Isaac Huynh was in the latter category. “I’ve had goat cheese before, but this goat cheese tastes different,” he said. “I think the whole thing might have been better with whipped cream.”
Ever wondered if dogs might be able to sniff out cancer? Or how Magic the Gathering is connected to the Satanic Panic of the 1980s? Or if your running watch might be gaslighting you?
Seniors in the Cleveland High School International Baccalaureate (IB) program answered these questions – and many more – at the 15th annual Extended Essay Senior Showcase on February 21. The showcase gives IB students the opportunity to present the results of two years’ worth of research into academic topics of their choosing. The topics begin as inquiry questions, which students then investigate and eventually answer in the form of a 4000-word essay.
At first glance, the annual Portland Public Schools district calendar might seem to fulfill one crucial function: to alert students, staff, and families to the days when school is in session and when it is not.
If that were the case, crafting the calendar would be the work of days, if not hours. In fact, the calendar is a multipurpose living document that involves meticulous planning and careful forethought to ensure the best possible outcomes for students and staff. It also reflects the needs and observances of the many diverse communities the district serves.
Ethan Kramer, Beaumont Middle School’s assistant principal, sees middle school math as so much more than 2x + 3y = 5.
“It’s helping to build the logic center – the prefrontal cortex – in analysis and processing,” he said. Given this, Kramer and others believe that middle grades instruction must lay a strong foundation to support more challenging math concepts in the future – first high school, then beyond.
But what are the components of that foundation? And how is it best established?
The district’s middle grades core academics team and its grades 6-8 math committee have spent the last year weighing these questions in tandem with educators and community stakeholders. Their goal: a comprehensive math curriculum that challenges students without rushing or skipping over key concepts.
6:00 PM - 9:00 PM School Board- Budget Work Session with vote on a consent agenda
4:30 PM - 6:00 PM School Board - Facilities and Operations Committee meeting
6:00 PM - 9:00 PM School Board- Regular Meeting
4:30 PM - 6:00 PM School Board - Student Success Committee
4:30 PM - 6:00 PM School Board - Facilities and Operations Committee meeting