Mark Your Calendars 📆
October 8
No School - State Inservice Day
October 20
PTA Meeting, 6:30pm
School News 🐟
Updated Mask Requirements
PPS is no longer allowing students or staff to wear gaiter-style or bandana-style masks to school. Gaiter masks are the ones that These masks do not meet safety requirements. Please have your child wear a double-layered mask that covers their nose and mouth securely. We will provide a mask to students who need one.
Morning Drop Off
The front of the school is used for drop off. Please do not park your car, leave it and walk your student to the door.
If you are going to park and walk your student to the door, please park in the parking lot or on a side street. Do not park in the front of the school because it creates traffic backups and unsafe conditions for students being dropped off or crossing the street.
Please Keep Umbrellas Home
We are seeing a number of students bringing umbrellas to recess. This is creating unsafe playground conditions. While we don’t want your child to get wet if it starts to sprinkle or rain while they are outside, we also need to be conscientious of every child’s safety. Please send your child with a raincoat when needed. If you need help getting a raincoat for them because of financial reasons, please reach out and we will help you.
Please Welcome
Recently, we found out that we will be getting an additional Kindergarten teacher joining our team. This was very exciting news since our Kinder classes were very full!! Our new teacher’s name is Jessica Dowden. She comes to us from our neighboring school, Maplewood Elementary. Please help us in welcoming her to our team.
In order to create space at lunch and for specials, we will be implementing an updated school schedule. While it would be ideal for classes to be able to keep the same schedule, adjustments were necessary to ensure social distancing at recess, lunch, and specials.
Welcome Back
This week, we were able to invite Meredith Gilchrist back to our staff. Meredith will be providing lunch and recess support. Her help is invaluable to us as we continue to implement COVID safety protocols throughout the school.
Jeremy’s Corner
Capitol Hill Families,
Greetings from the Social Work corner of our wonderful school! While I hope the return to school has been great for both you and your kids, I also want to recognize it has been full of challenges, and will continue to have surprises for us all. Given this unique experience and time, we understand many are grappling with challenges of anxiety, depression, and other social or emotional needs.
During these times, one of the most difficult things to do is actually ask for help. Songs like “Don’t Bother Me,” “Leave Me Alone,” and “Creep” remind us that when we are struggling, we often just want to wallow by ourselves. Funny thing is, we also know this is not often helpful and what we really need to do is say “Help!” Please know we are here to help you and your child. If you are feeling like your family could use some assistance, please feel free to reach out, we would love to hear from you and help in any way possible.
Sincerely,
Jeremy Schlott, LCSW
jschlott@pps.net
971-378-9594
Mental Health Resources
Portland Public School’s Mental Health Information
https://www.pps.net/Page/1747
Parent Support Groups
https://www.namimultnomah.org/family-support-groups
Multnomah County Crisis Line
https://www.multco.us/behavioral-health/mental-health-crisis-intervention
503-988-4888
Special Thanks ❤️
Thank you to all of our parents who have been finding ways to volunteer outside of our building. We really appreciate your continued support!|
Thanks to our front office staff for working tirelessly to support teachers, families and students as we implement a number of new protocols across our building.
A special thank you to teachers for providing a stable and supportive classroom environment for students who are returning to full-time, in-person school after almost a year and a half!
PTA News 📬
Please read the latest PTA Newsletter!!
Visit the PTA Website for PTA News = https://capitolhillpta.membershiptoolkit.com/
September 3, 2021
Dear Capitol Hill Families,
This has been an amazing first week back to school! It has been a joy to us to hear our students happy voices, laughter, and footsteps in our classrooms and hallways once more. We are fortunate to be a school where all of our classes are able to accommodate at least 3 feet of distance between students, a covered play area that allows students to eat lunch 6 feet apart, and hallways that are wide enough for classes to pass each other with 6 feet of space in between. Our teachers have been focusing on community building, teaching routines, and get to know you activities. They have also taught their students to space out in line using creative techniques including “zombie arms.” Although this creates the longest lines we have witnessed in some of our largest classes, it helps us to be safer while together at school. Things are running very smoothly and I am happy to say, we are meeting all of the guidelines provided in our district’s standard operating procedures!! Thank you for your patience as we have kicked off this new year while implementing so many new procedures to protect us from the transmission of COVID. Please remember that there is no school on Monday because it is a holiday. We will be back to business on Tuesday and will be looking for each one of your children’s smiling faces then.
If you are dropping your child off in the morning, it is important that you wear your mask and socially distance yourself as you wait for your child to enter the building. There are dots painted in front of the school to help you. You might have noticed many parents coming to drop off their students in Kindergarten through second grades. Our Kindergarten and first graders have had a staggered start to the school year, meaning that each day since the first day of school, we have welcomed a new group of our youngest students to school. That also means that multiple adults may have arrived to see their little one off and take pictures. Tuesday is our last group of Kindergarten students who will be having their first day of school so we expect the traffic to continue to be heavier than usual. We do expect it to be much less on Wednesday of next week and beyond. Thank you for your patience and support as we welcome our new students into our school for their first day.
It is very important that every child have a water bottle labeled with their name and a snack. If you cannot send a snack to school, your child can pick up a breakfast and save it for snack time. If your child also need both a breakfast and snack, they can pick up extra food in the morning when they get their breakfast. We want to be sure every child has enough food and water to get them comfortably through the day. If you have a student in the primary grades, please also remember to send a change of clothes in a gallon baggie labeled with their name in case of an accident.
Finally, all children need to be screened for illness by you using this checklist. If your child is sick, we urge you to keep them home. If your child comes to school and develops symptoms, we will call you to pick them up right away. If you want your child to be COVID tested due to primary symptoms that developed while at school, please fill out our COVID Testing Consent Form and return it to school. If you don’t have a printer, we have printed copies at school. There is going to be an option for weekly screening tests for families who are interested, but we don’t have them yet. When we get them, we will send out more information.
It has been such a pleasure to be back in our learning spaces with our students this week. We appreciate all you are doing at home to prepare them for school each day and get them ready for this year together.
In partnership,
Aimee Alexander-Shea
Principal
December Newsletter
Please review the attached drop off and dismissal procedures for the ‘19-‘20 school year. Help us make safety a priority by following these guidelines. Here are a few very important things to remember about drop off and pick up. Our building opens at 7:45am so please wait until that time to drop your child off at school. Please remember to return your After School Plan on the first day of school so we know how your child is getting home. I encourage your to visit our school website at www.pps.net/capitolhill for school supply lists, upcoming events, student/parent handbook, important reminders, and classroom updates.
As your new Principal, I am honored to join the Capitol Hill Community. The high level of dedication, care, and support each family and staff member shows at our school has already become apparent in the short time I have been here. If you volunteer at our school, thank you! If you don’t, please consider signing up. The first step is filling out the background check at www.pps.net/Page/149. It takes a village to raise children and we would love to have you join ours. I am committed to working with each of you to create a nurturing school environment that meets your needs and expectations.
Thank you for entrusting us with your precious child. We are committed to ensuring that Capitol Hill is a safe and loving place that truly is a great place to learn and grow. Please drop by, call or email me if you ever you have a question, concern, or would simply like to introduce yourself.
Sincerely,
Aimee Alexander-Shea
Principal
TRAFFIC INFORMATION
I also want to encourage you to follow our Capitol Hill Traffic Plan. Remember that you are welcome to park in any available space in the parking lot and that you're welcom to come early to school. The drop-off is not busy at 7:45. Here are some general suggestions from our traffic plan:
DO:
- Pedestrians and bikes only on Carson 7:30 - 8:15; 2:00 - 2:30
- Cross only at crosswalks
- Drop students off school curbside only
- Keep 17th One Way - south during drop-off times
- Be mindful of students crossing at 16th and Carson
Please Don't:
- Make U turns in front of the school (it's unsafe and illegal)
- Load/unload students at the crosswalk/yellow curbs
- Block the parking lot entrance/exit
- Park in the wrong direction
Pick up and drop off on 17th in the designated Drop Off Only Zone in front of school
- Drop students school curbside
- Do NOT drop at yellow curbs
- Limit vehicle traffic on Carson 7:45 – 8:05; 2:05 – 2:30
- Please park the correct direction
