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Chief Joseph Elementary
A strong, diverse and respectful community
where we make learning creative and fun

2409 N. Saratoga St.•Portland, OR 97217•Ph (503) 916-6255•Fx (503) 916-2618

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Chief Joseph
School News

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Principal's Message

  • Dear Families,

     

    Welcome to the 2025-26 school year! Staff are looking forward to our first day with students, and the opportunity to strengthen existing relationships and form new ones.  We will continue our collective focus on building critical thinkers with the strong academic skills needed to become change agents in our community.

     

    The first day of school for grades 1-5 is Tuesday, August 26th. School doors will open at 7:55, and school will begin at 8:00, dismissing at 2:30pm.   Students wanting to eat breakfast, should enter through the cafeteria doors, beginning at 7:45.  Please give your students enough time to eat breakfast and be in class by 8:00.  After the first day, Kindergarten students enter through the doors at the west end of the building near Arbor Lodge Park. Students in grades 1-5 will enter through the doors near the library. 

     

    On the first day of school we will have a slightly different plan.   Fourth and Fifth grade students will go directly to the classroom.  First, Second, and Third graders will meet their teachers outside and enter the building as a class.  There will be signs for each teacher outside on the blacktop, near the library entry door.  Students will line up at their new teacher’s sign.  The teachers will meet students outside, and walk them to the classroom.  Please prepare your student to say goodbye outside.  There will be a place for parents to drop off their supplies in grades one and two, and they will be moved to the classroom.  For individual supplies, please make sure your students' supplies are in a bag, marked with their name.  Students in grades 3-5 will carry the supplies to the room, support will be available if needed.

     

    The school day begins with a community circle, and we are making it our goal to start the school day when the bell rings at 8:00.  Please try to arrive in time for students to get to class and put away belongings, so they are ready to join the community circle at 8:00.

     

    This year, 4th and 5th grade classes will be blended.  For Language Arts, Science, Social Studies, and Health, all students will receive the 5th grade curriculum.  Math instruction will be grade level, with some students changing classrooms for grade level instruction.

     

    We have had a few shifts in positions; staffing for the 2025-26 school year is as follows:

    Kindergarten:  Ms. Cooper, Ms. Penny

    1st Grade:  Ms. Peake, Ms. Pepper

    2nd Grade:  Ms. Pearson, Mr. Brown

    3rd Grade:  Ms. Michels, Mr. Wolfe

    4th/5th Blend: Ms. L. Ferguson, Ms. A. 

    Ferguson & Mr. Ibrahim

    PE: Coach Kay 

    Music: Ms. Devicq

    Media: Ms. Hall (Part-time)

    Art: Ms. Redhead

    Counselor: Ms. Clark (3x week)

    Ms. Gemperle (1x week)

    TBD (1x week)

    Reading Intervention: Ms. Hall (Part-time)

    ELL: Ms. Routtenberg

    School Climate Specialist: Ms. Whitaker

    Learning Center: Ms. Lopez

    Speech Pathologist: Ms. LeMeune

    Paraeducator: Ms. Thompson, Ms. Weaver

    School Psychologist: Ms. Emily Doak

    Instructional Coach: Ms. Ellsworth

    School Admin. Assistant: Ms. Ashley 

    Principal’s Admin. Assistant: Ms. Michelle

    Nutritional Services: Ms. Grigsby

    Custodian: Ms. DeWeese, Mx. Miguel

     

    School Supplies

    Please see our website for the 2025-26 supply list. Please know this list is recommended, not required.  I am really encouraging families to repurpose as many supplies as they can.  Let’s cut down on waste by reusing those scissors and plastic pencil boxes.  If you have extra supplies such as tissues, disinfectant wipes or hand sanitizer the office can always use extra!

     

    If you need support in getting supplies, please contact Michelle or Ashley at mirowley@pps.net & agale@pps.net or call the school.

     

    Breakfast and lunch will be free for all PPS students this school year!

     

    I am extremely excited for the upcoming year and look forward to continuing to build community, advance social justice issues and improve learning.

     

    Sincerely,

     

    Amber Gerber

    Principal, Chief Joseph Elementary School

     

District News

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  • Two Lincoln High School Grads Win National Merit Scholarships

    6/12/2025

    Congratulations to Lincoln High School students Richard Deng and Coral Platt! Both were awarded National Merit Scholarships of $2,500 toward their college studies.

    They were chosen from more than 15,000 finalists nationwide. Richard plans to pursue a career in politics and Coral is looking at a future in the legal sector.

  • Two PPS Educators Named OnPoint Educators of the Year

    6/2/2025

    Two exceptional PPS educators, Ricardo Barber and Hang Jones, were recently named OnPoint Educators of the Year for 2025.

    As part of this prestigious honor, both teachers will have their rent or mortgage paid for an entire year, and their schools also receive a $2,500 donation. 

    Ricardo Barber teaches third grade at Faubion, and Hang Jones serves as a social worker at Marysville Elementary. 

    The OnPoint Prize for Excellence in Education celebrates educators who embrace innovative teaching techniques that ignite enthusiasm in their students. 

    Congratulations to Ricardo Barber and Hang Jones! And thank you both for everything you do to make a difference in the lives our students.

  • Student Filmmakers Showcase Their Monster Talent

    5/22/2025

    The assignment their teacher gave them was simple – make a short film that begins with a phone call and ends with someone hanging up. Benson first-year students Dylan Martinez-Torres and Dariel Soriano Zamora ran it all the way to a small city populated by two very big and rather iconic monsters – Godzilla and Hedora.

    The result, Sorry, Wrong Number, is one of the more than 90 films entered into the annual Best of PPS Film Festival. The festival is a celebration of exceptional student filmmaking that includes a showcase at the historic Hollywood Theatre. 

    The fourth annual installment of the festival took place on May 21 and included a screening of 13 standout films. The films came from all over PPS and ran the gamut from Dylan and Dariel’s monster short to documentaries, film noir, and broadcast journalism. 

    Read More

  • Join the Climate Crisis Response Committee

    5/19/2025

    If you are a passionate student or community member that wants to make a difference at PPS, apply to join the Climate Crisis Response Committee! This is a committee that reports to the PPS Board of Education.

    On the committee you will learn about how PPS is making progress towards our climate justice and sustainability policies, provide input and recommendations to the PPS Board on how to better support PPS staff as we advance these policy goals, and connect with other passionate members of our PPS community from diverse backgrounds, knowledge areas, and lived experiences.

    No previous professional experience in climate change or sustainability required! Students can apply via this form. Community members can apply here.

    Deadline to apply: June 6. 

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