PPS is partnering with OHSU again this year to offer free weekly COVID-19 testing for students. Participation in this program is completely optional, but encouraged, and is offered regardless of vaccination status. Participating students will drop off spit samples in pre-labeled tubes at school on their designated day each week, whether they have symptoms or not. Ockley Green will begin collecting spit samples starting September 27th and every Tuesday thereafter unless otherwise noted.

What’s new?

• Registration: Beginning today Parents/Guardians can start enrolling their students through OHSU’s NEW Online Portal. If you are unable to enroll for any reason, please call OHSU support at (503) 418-8500.

• Test Tubes: New, pre-labeled test tubes with a scannable barcode will be mailed directly to your mailing address and should arrive within a week of enrollment. Test kits from last year cannot be used, so please throw them away.

• Spit Samples: Spit tests can be collected either the night before or the morning of their school’s testing day. Please use this spreadsheet to know what day to drop off your student’s spit sample.

• Test Results: When the test results are available, you will receive an email telling you to log into the online portal www.labfinder.com/ohsu to view the results.

• Additional drop-off locations: If you miss your weekly testing day, OHSU has added 3 drop-off sites around the Portland metro area.

  • Doernbecher Child Development Rehabilitation Center - 707 S Gaines Street, Portland, OR 97239

  • Primary Care Clinic at Gabriel Park - 4411 S Vermont Street, Portland, OR 97219

  • Richmond Family Health Center - 3930 SE Division Street, Portland, OR 97202

 

What stays the same?

• There is no cost to families to participate.

• OHSU uses highly accurate molecular testing, known as PCR.

• Students will continue to bring their spit samples to school on the designated testing day.

• OHSU nurses will call parents of all students who test positive or whose tests are  inconclusive for the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19.

For more information about OHSU's K-12 Screening Program, visit their website at http://www.ohsu.edu/k12testing or contact the OHSU support team at k12covidtesting@ohsu.edu or (503) 418-8500.

Portland Public Schools celebrated Earth Day 2023 with some climate-friendly additions to its transportation fleet: three electric-powered buses from GreenPower Motor Company.

When Mike Nolan of Ida B. Wells High School was named Athletic Director of the Year by the Oregon Athletic Directors Association (OADA), no one was more excited than his co-workers.

Dear PPS Community,

Saturday night, gunshots were fired outside of a district-wide basketball tournament held at Franklin High School. Fortunately, no one was seriously injured and the suspect is now in custody, but if you have any information about the incident please call 503-823-3333 or utilize the SafeOregon tipline.

Dear PPS Families, 

As we prepare for the winter sports season, we want to share a few reminders for our spectators.  

Hello Families & Partners -

Please see below for some important updates!

 

Jefferson Dancers Auditions  REMINDER

 

Auditions for Jefferson Dancers I & II are June 5th & 6th.  See this Flyer for more information.

 

Summer Acceleration Academy  REMINDER

 

We are so excited that many of our students who need additional support in grade level reading and math learning will have the opportunity to participate in Summer Acceleration Academy this summer from July 10 - August 4, 2023 from 9 am - 1 pm, with optional afternoon programming until 5:30pm through SUN or RESJ partners. Students from Ockley Green MS will be attending SAA at the Faubion hub site. 

 

Invitations for Summer Acceleration Academy are based mid-year assessments identifying students who need support reaching grade level reading and math during this four week program. Families of students who are invited to participate in Summer Acceleration Academy will receive invitations to enroll online or through the school office by calling or returning a paper form that will be sent home in backpacks.

 

We feel this is an important opportunity for your student and understand that you may have other students in your house who need summer activities who do not meet the criteria for SAA. The RESJ department will be offering summer activities at many of the SAA sites. Stay tuned for enrollment information that will be coming soon.

 

8th to 9th Grade Summer Transition Opportunity  REMINDER

 

The Leap into 9th Grade summer program prepares incoming ninth grade students to excel in high school by building a foundation for success before starting high school. 

 

Dates and Times:  July 17 - August 4, 2023, Monday - Friday, 9:00 am - 12:30 pm

@ Benson, Franklin, Grant, Jefferson, McDaniel, Roosevelt 

 

Families can register online or complete the PDF and return it to the high school.

 

Summer Opportunities

• Ubuntu Summer Camp
• Camp out Portland for LGBTQ+ Youth

 

Working On It  

These are areas that, when our team is ready to provide additional information, I will provide an update in the section above.

• Reconfiguration of spaces for the 23-24 school year with a goal of no large classes meeting in the Portable classrooms;
• Hiring for 2023-24 (we have DLI and Sped hires in process);
• Building the Master Schedule for the 23-24 school year.;
• End of year celebrations.

Important Dates

• May 29: Memorial Day - No School
• June 2: All Library materials due
• June 7: 8th Grade Oaks Park Field Trip
• June 9: 8th Grade Promotion Family Picnic
• June 9: 8th Grade Promotion @ Roosevelt High School
• June 12th: 7th Grade Field Trip
• June 14: Last Day of School for students

 

In Partnership,

--

Julie Rierson

Pronouns: she/her

Principal

Ockley Green Middle School

Hello Families & Partners -

Please see below for some important updates!

OG Plant Sales Pick Up  NEW

Thank you for all the orders for the OGMS Supporters Plant Sale! Please pickup plants ordered next Thursday 5/11 between 2-5 PM on the Ainsworth side of the school. If this pickup time does not work for your schedule please get in touch with Muriah and Carolyn at plantsale@ogsupporters.org 

Clothes Lost & Found  NEW

Please have your student check out the Lost & Found next week.  We will pack up clothes to take to Goodwill next Friday, May 12th.

Summer Acceleration Academy  REMINDER

We are so excited that many of our students who need additional support in grade level reading and math learning will have the opportunity to participate in Summer Acceleration Academy this summer from July 10 - August 4, 2023 from 9 am - 1 pm, with optional afternoon programming until 5:30pm through SUN or RESJ partners. Students from Ockley Green MS will be attending SAA at the Faubion hub site. 

Invitations for Summer Acceleration Academy are based mid-year assessments identifying students who need support reaching grade level reading and math during this four week program. Families of students who are invited to participate in Summer Acceleration Academy will receive invitations to enroll online or through the school office by calling or returning a paper form that will be sent home in backpacks.

We feel this is an important opportunity for your student and understand that you may have other students in your house who need summer activities who do not meet the criteria for SAA. The RESJ department will be offering summer activities at many of the SAA sites. Stay tuned for enrollment information that will be coming soon.

8th to 9th Grade Summer Transition Opportunity  REMINDER

The Leap into 9th Grade summer program prepares incoming ninth grade students to excel in high school by building a foundation for success before starting high school. 

Dates and Times:  July 17 - August 4, 2023, Monday - Friday, 9:00 am - 12:30 pm

@ Benson, Franklin, Grant, Jefferson, McDaniel, Roosevelt 

Families can register online or complete the PDF and return it to the high school.

 

Summer Opportunities

• Camp out Portland for LGBTQ+ Youth

• Current students at OG are eligible for PPS Summer Arts Academy! Students & families can apply by Monday, April 24 one of two ways: 

  • 1. Complete THIS GOOGLE FORM

  • 2. Fill and submit a print application to you. This application should then be emailed to summerartsacademy@pps.net  

Working On It  

These are areas that, when our team is ready to provide additional information, I will provide an update in the section above.

• Outside camera for our staff parking lot to increase safety and reduce vandalism;

• Reconfiguration of spaces for the 23-24 school year with a goal of no large classes meeting in the Portable classrooms;

• Ongoing advocacy of replacement of our Portables;

• Hiring for 2023-24;

• Building the Master Schedule for the 23-24 school year.;

• End of year celebrations.

Important Dates

• May 8 - 12: Teacher Appreciation Week

• May 22 - 26:  Outdoor School for 6th Grade Students

• May 29: Memorial Day - No School

• June 9: 8th Grade Promotion @ Roosevelt High School

In Partnership,

--

Julie Rierson

Pronouns: she/her

Principal

Ockley Green Middle School

Hello Families & Partners -

We celebrated Culture & Community this week with a spectacular event!  Our students created poster & digital presentations reflecting a piece of their cultural identity, families and staff sat together for a wonderful meal provided by TaylorMade Comfort Food catering and we were treated to wonderful DJ, band and dance performances.  It was truly magical to be in community together to celebrate our students! Thank you to our SUN Coordinator, Tore James, and our Instructional Specialist, Elise Hughes for leading this effort and to our many staff, family and partners that pitched in to create this wonderful celebration.

Please see below for some important updates!

Summer Acceleration Academy  NEW

We are so excited that many of our students who need additional support in grade level reading and math learning will have the opportunity to participate in Summer Acceleration Academy this summer from July 10 - August 4, 2023 from 9 am - 1 pm, with optional afternoon programming until 5:30pm through SUN or RESJ partners. Students from Ockley Green MS will be attending SAA at the Faubion hub site. 

Invitations for Summer Acceleration Academy are based mid-year assessments identifying students who need support reaching grade level reading and math during this four week program. Families of students who are invited to participate in Summer Acceleration Academy will receive invitations to enroll online or through the school office by calling or returning a paper form that will be sent home in backpacks.

We feel this is an important opportunity for your student and understand that you may have other students in your house who need summer activities who do not meet the criteria for SAA. The RESJ department will be offering summer activities at many of the SAA sites. Stay tuned for enrollment information that will be coming soon.

8th to 9th Grade Summer Transition Opportunity  REMINDER

The Leap into 9th Grade summer program prepares incoming ninth grade students to excel in high school by building a foundation for success before starting high school. 

Dates and Times:  July 17 - August 4, 2023, Monday - Friday, 9:00 am - 12:30 pm

@ Benson, Franklin, Grant, Jefferson, McDaniel, Roosevelt 

Families can register online or complete the PDF and return it to the high school.

Tobacco Cessation Youth Ambassadors  REMINDER 

Our Urban League of Portland Youth Specialist, Dasyanique Lewis, is looking for Tobacco Cessation Ambassadors representation across select Middle Schools, including Ockley Green Middle School.  See this flyer for more information.

 

Summer Opportunities

• Camp out Portland for LGBTQ+ Youth
• Current students at OG are eligible for PPS Summer Arts Academy! Students & families can apply by Monday, April 24 one of two ways: 
• 1. Complete THIS GOOGLE FORM
• 2. Fill and submit a print application to you. This application should then be emailed to summerartsacademy@pps.net  

 

Working On It  

These are areas that, when our team is ready to provide additional information, I will provide an update in the section above.

• Outside camera for our staff parking lot to increase safety and reduce vandalism;
• Reconfiguration of spaces for the 23-24 school year with a goal of no large classes meeting in the Portable classrooms;
• Ongoing advocacy of replacement of our Portables;
• Hiring for 2023-24;
• Building the Master Schedule for the 23-24 school year.;
• End of year celebrations.

Important Dates

• May 8 - 12: Teacher Appreciation Week
• May 22 - 26:  Outdoor School for 6th Grade Students
• May 29: Memorial Day - No School
• June 9: 8th Grade Promotion @ Roosevelt High School

In Partnership,

--

Julie Rierson

Pronouns: she/her

Principal

Ockley Green Middle School

Hello Families & Partners -

Please see below for some important updates!

 

8th to 9th Grade Summer Transition Oppotunity  NEW

 

The Leap into 9th Grade summer program prepares incoming ninth grade students to excel in high school by building a foundation for success before starting high school. 

 

Dates and Times: July 17 - August 4, 2023, Monday - Friday, 9:00 am - 12:30 pm

@ Benson, Franklin, Grant, Jefferson, McDaniel, Roosevelt 

 

Families can register online or complete the PDF and return it to the high school.

 

Tobacco Cessation Youth Ambassadors  NEW 

 

Our Urban League of Portland Youth Specialist, Dasyanique Lewis, is looking for Tobacco Cesation Ambassadors representation across select Middle Schools, including Ockley Green Middle School.  See this flyer for more information.

 

Culture and Community Night  REMINDER

 

Mark your Calendars! 

 

You’re invited to Ockley Green’s second annual Culture and Community Night! Please join us at Ockley on Wednesday, April 26th from 5:30 to 7:30 for food, performances, community resources, and most importantly highlight student's academic achievements as it relates to their individual cultures!

 

What: Culture and Community Night 

When: Wednesday, April 26th 

Time: 5:30- 7:30

Where: Ockley Green Middle School

 

Hope to see you there! 

 

OG Supporters Plan Sale  REMINDER

 

OG Supporters will be holding this sale on the Ainsworth side of the school Thursday 5/11. The nursery will be delivering plants around 1PM and then we will be sorting orders and people will start picking up between 2-5PM. We will possibly have a couple other volunteers helping us. 

 

https://ockleygreensupportersplantsale.company.site

 

Orders are due by April 20th by 5PM

 

Summer Opportunities

• Camp out Portland for LGBTQ+ Youth

• Current students at OG are eligible for PPS Summer Arts Academy! Students & families can apply by Monday, April 24 one of two ways: 

  • 1. Complete THIS GOOGLE FORM

  • 2. Fill and submit a print application to you. This application should then be emailed to summerartsacademy@pps.net  

Working On It  

These are areas that, when our team is ready to provide additional information, I will provide an update in the section above.

• Outside camera for our staff parking lot to increase safety and reduce vandalism;

• Reconfiguration of spaces for the 23-24 school year with a goal of no large classes meeting in the Portable classrooms;

• Ongoing advocacy of replacement of our Portables;

• Hiring for 2023-24;

• Building the Master Schedule for the 23-24 school year.;

• End of year celebrations.

Important Dates

• April 17th - April 28th: Statewide Assessments

• April 26th: Culture & Community Night

In Partnership,

--

Julie Rierson

Pronouns: she/her

Principal

Ockley Green Middle School

Hello Families & Partners -

In PPS, we believe that Arts Education matters and that “The arts are fundamental to children's creative expression and their overall growth and learning. Integrated into core curriculum, they enhance comprehension and engagement. On their own, they nurture self-esteem and increase whole-brain activity. The arts are our greatest tools to promote creativity in the classroom. Our vision at PPS is to increase equitable access to the arts for all children.”  Earlier this week our annual HeART of Portland: A Portland Public Schools K-12 Arts Showcase took place at the Portland Art Museum.  Two of our students, Penelope Dorneman and Zoe Smith, were selected to represent Ockley Green MS with the showcasing of the Art pieces they created for their architectural design project.  It was wonderful to have these pieces on display at this event and their Ms. Kray’s support in facilitating that is appreciated.

 

Please see below for some important updates!

 

MESD Dental Sealants was a Success  NEW

Last November, volunteers from MESD were on site to give the following number of students, shown below, dental screening, sealant and fluoride varnish services.  Thank you for getting students signed up last Fall.  We will continue to partner with MESD to offer this service to our students.

      # OF STUDENTS SCREENED                                                        61

      # OF STUDENTS RECEIVING SEALANTS                                    41

Culture and Community Night  NEW

 

Mark your Calendars! 

 

You’re invited to Ockley Green’s second annual Culture and Community Night! Please join us at Ockley on Wednesday, April 26th from 5:30 to 7:30 for food, performances, community resources, and most importantly highlight student's academic achievements as it relates to their individual cultures!

 

What: Culture and Community Night 

When: Wednesday, April 26th 

Time: 5:30- 7:30

Where: Ockley Green Middle School

 

Hope to see you there! 

 

OG Supporters Plan Sale  NEW

 

OG Supporters will be holding this sale on the Ainsworth side of the school Thursday 5/11. The nursery will be delivering plants around 1PM and then we will be sorting orders and people will start picking up between 2-5PM. We will possibly have a couple other volunteers helping us. 

 

https://ockleygreensupportersplantsale.company.site

 

Orders are due by April 20th by 5PM

 

Dining Out to Support OG at Por Que No Taqueria  NEW

 

OG Supporter Fundraiser:  On Wednesday, April 19th, come on out for some tasty tacos and more at Por Que No Taqueria to support the school and a local business! They'll be donating a % of sales for the day to OG Supporters in support of our upcoming Community & Culture Night.  Open 11am-10pm, dine in or take out.

 

Bell Schedule Update  NEW

 

The District provided 3 options for Bell Schedules at the Middle School level. We will be collecting feedback from staff, students and families. Please be on the lookout for a more detailed email and survey soon to share feedback on these options.

 

Summer Opportunities

• Camp out Portland for LGBTQ+ Youth
• Current students at OG are eligible for PPS Summer Arts Academy! Students & families can apply by Monday, April 24 one of two ways: 
  • 1. Complete THIS GOOGLE FORM
  • 2. Fill and submit a print application to you. This application should then be emailed to summerartsacademy@pps.net  

Working On It  

These are areas that, when our team is ready to provide additional information, I will provide an update in the section above.

• Outside camera for our staff parking lot to increase safety and reduce vandalism;
• Reconfiguration of spaces for the 23-24 school year with a goal of no large classes meeting in the Portable classrooms;
• Ongoing advocacy of replacement of our Portables;
• Hiring for 2023-24;
• Building the Master Schedule for the 23-24 school year.

 

Important Dates

• April 17th - April 28th: Statewide Assessments
• April 26th: Culture & Community Night

 

In Partnership,

--

Julie Rierson

Pronouns: she/her

Principal

Ockley Green Middle School

Hello Families & Partners -

We had a fun and festive end to Quarter 3 today with our Spring Dance.   While this was a whole staff & OG Supporter effort, a special shout out to Ms. Halbig, Ms. Stone, Ms. Tore and all of our Leadership students.  It was wonderful to see the excitement, laughter and amazing dance moves from our students.  Students also had the opportunity to participate in Board Games, Chess, Arts, Computer Games and many other options.  It would not have been possible without all the support from staff & volunteers, so THANK YOU for everyone’s piece in creating some joy in our community.  

 

Please see below for some important updates!

 

Culture and Community Night  NEW

Mark your Calendars! 

 

You’re invited to Ockley Green’s second annual Culture and Community Night! Please join us at Ockley on Wednesday, April 26th from 5:30 to 7:30 for food, performances, community resources, and most importantly highlight student's academic achievements as it relates to their individual cultures!

 

What: Culture and Community Night 

When: Wednesday, April 26th 

Time: 5:30- 7:30

Where: Ockley Green Middle School

 

Hope to see you there! 

 

OG Supporters Plant Sale  NEW

 

We will be holding the sale on the Ainsworth side of the school Thursday 5/11. The nursery will be delivering plants around 1PM and then we will be sorting orders and people will start picking up between 2-5PM. We will possibly have a couple other volunteers helping us. 

 

https://ockleygreensupportersplantsale.company.site

 

Orders are due April 20th by 5PM.

 

Dining Out to Support OG at Por Que No Taqueria  NEW

 

OG Supporter Fundraiser:  On Wednesday, April 19th, come on out for some tasty tacos and more at Por Que No Taqueria to support the school and a local business! They'll be donating a % of sales for the day to OG Supporters.   Open 11am-10pm, dine in or take out.

 

Summer Opportunities

• Camp out Portland for LGBTQ+ Youth
• Current students at OG are eligible for PPS Summer Arts Academy! Students & families can apply by Monday, April 24 one of two ways: 
  • 1. Complete THIS GOOGLE FORM
  • 2. Fill and submit a paper application, available in the main office at Ockley Green. This application should then be emailed to summerartsacademy@pps.net  

 

Working On It  

These are areas that, when our team is ready to provide additional information, I will provide an update in the section above.

• Outside camera for our staff parking lot to increase safety and reduce vandalism;
• Reconfiguration of spaces for the 23-24 school year with a goal of no large classes meeting in the Portable classrooms;
• Ongoing advocacy of replacement of our Portables;
• Hiring for 2023-24;
• Building the Master Schedule for the 23-24 school year.

 

Important Dates

• April 17th - April 28th: Statewide Assessments
• April 26th: Multicultural Night

 

In Partnership,

--

Julie Rierson

Pronouns: she/her

Principal

Ockley Green Middle School

Hello Families & Partners -

It has been brought to my attention that we have a mural in the library that contains an image of the Imperial German Flag that had been used during the Nazi Regime and is currently being embraced by Neo-Nazi groups. I am appreciative of the student that shared this noticing with a staff member.  As a result, I have made a Project Development Request to begin the process for making a change to just this flag on the mural.  I want to ensure that the Art in our school is representative of our values and any symbols of oppression will not be tolerated in our spaces.  For additional information regarding Murals inside school buildings, see the Art in the Schools page on the PPS Facilities website.  As I learn more about whether there are necessary steps with gathering community input when requesting a change to a mural, I will share that information with you.

 

Please see below for some important updates!

 

Bell Schedule Update  NEW

 

As shared previously, the District Middle Grades Redesign Committee is creating a limited number of Bell Schedules for Middle Schools to select from.  We will have more information on the options after an upcoming meeting on April 5th.  Once we have options, our team will invite feedback on the options from our Families, Staff & Students. 

 

SUN Afterschool Spring Term Classes REMINDER
 

Spring Registration is now open, sign up for classes here. Please make sure that you have completed a SUN application before registering.
 

Monday	Tuesday	Wednesday	Thursday
DJing	Gamer's Club (Lunch Only)	DJing	No Classes Available
Entrepreneurship		Hair Braiding
Hair Braiding		Homework Help
Homework Help		Open Gym
Open Gym
Sewing

 

Don't see a class that you're interested in, let us know here.

 

Interested in Volunteering? REMINDER

 

If you are interested in getting more involved at the school, please consider volunteering.  See the Ockley Green Supporters website: https://www.ogsupporters.org/volunteer  There are a variety of ways to help out!  Take a look. 

 

Summer Opportunities

• Camp out Portland for LGBTQ+ Youth

 

Working On It  

These are areas that, when our team is ready to provide additional information, I will provide an update in the section above.

• Reconfiguration of spaces for the 23-24 school year with a goal of no large classes meeting in the Portable classrooms;
• Ongoing advocacy of replacement of our Portables;
• Hiring for 2023-24​​​​​​​

Important Dates

• March 27th - 31st: Spring Break
• April 26th: Multicultural Night

 

In Partnership,

--

Julie Rierson

Pronouns: she/her

Principal

Ockley Green Middle School

Hello Families & Partners -

Starting next week, Wednesday March 1st, we are officially starting our Cell Phone Policy reset. In preparation for this, students considered their own cell phone usage and discussed an article, “What Phones Do To Teen Brains (And What Teens Wanted To Know About That)” by John Daley  in Advisory on Tuesday & Wednesday earlier this week.  Students will continue to learn about the new Cell Phone Policy on Monday and Tuesday next week.  Here are the Advisory lesson slides being used to support this work with our students and the new policy below.

Ockley Green Middle School

Cell Phone Use

• Cell phones off and away while class is in session (including when students leave class for the bathroom).
• No cell phone use for class work
• Cell phones may be used before and after school and lunch/recess (not during passing periods)
• Teachers document cell phone usage in classrooms and support staff intervenes and documents cell phone usage in hallways and during passing periods.  Responses noted below:
  • 1st Day- Teacher gives verbal warning to have phone off and away and documents in the form
  • 2nd Day- Teacher contacts family and documents in the form
  • 3rd Day- Teacher conferences with student and documents in the form
  • 4th Day- Teacher documents in the form then Admin email teachers about next step for the student, meets with student, contacts family, and sends a warning letter and cell phone contract 
  • 5th Day- Teacher documents in the form then Admin email teachers about next step for the student, meets with student, contacts family and student must turn in to front office or keep phone at home for one week
  • 6th Day-  Teacher documents in the form then Admin email teachers about next step for the student, sets up and conducts a meeting with their family and creates a specific cell phone support plan which could include no phone at school for a longer period of time

We value your partnership in communicating the negative impact on students’ ability to focus on learning when phones are out and they are engaging with social media or are texting during class.   Please be assured that you will be able to contact your student in an emergency or can relay time-sensitive messages, such as a new pick up time after school, through the Main Office.  

 

Please see below for some important updates!

 

OG Supporter Fundraiser  NEW

Another easy OG Supporter fundraising opportunity! Come on down to Tough Luck next Tuesday, 2/28 dine in or take out. Tough Luck will donate 15% of their sales in support of the OGMS 8th Grade Capstone Dance Team's upcoming trip to Vegas. In Vegas, they'll participate in a workshop with the world famous Jabbawockees and also experience a live performance. 

Tuesday, February 28th

Tough Luck

All day, dine in/carry out

15% of ALL sales donated to OG Supporters!

Menus, available here: https://www.toughluckbar.com/square-meals

 

Substance Use Awareness  REMINDER

Our Counselors are working on a trauma-informed presentation to provide during class on Substance Use Awareness, with a focus on the rise of opiates and the uniquely dangerous nature of fentanyl.  PPS has a number of in-district resources on substance use for students and their families.  These include: 

• Multi-Lingual Prevention Strategies and Healthy Decision Making 
• Portland Public Schools Substance Use Resources 
• Family request for supports 

 

LAST CHANCE Successful School Survey Closes February 28th  REMINDER

Thank you to everyone who has already responded to the Successful School Survey.  We are currently at 144 family responses, which is about 38% of our families.  We hope to hear from at least 50% of our families.  

To take on your own, then, if viewing this via email, click here:  Successful Schools Survey (English)  or Successful Schools Survey (Spanish). If you need a language other than English or Spanish, start with the English survey and select your language of preference. You can also access either the English or Spanish version via the QR code below.

 

Direct Link to English Survey

 

 

Direct Link to Spanish Survey

 

 

Working On It  

This is a new section that will be included moving forward to communicate what we are working on.  These are areas that, when our team is ready to provide additional information, I will provide an update in the section above.

• Reconfiguration of spaces for the 23-24 school year with a goal of no large classes meeting in the Portable classrooms;
• Ongoing advocacy of replacement of our Portables;
• 5th Grade Open House March 6th;
• Creation of clear identification process for Compacted Math courses.

Important Dates

• February 28th: Black Honor Roll Luncheon
• March 6th: 5th Grade Open House 
• March 22nd:  Spring Music Concert
• March 27th - 31st: Spring Break

 

In Partnership,

--

Julie Rierson

Pronouns: she/her

Principal

Ockley Green Middle School

Hello Families & Partners -

A couple weeks ago, you received a Community Budget Message from PPS.  As shared in that message, PPS, as well as districts across the State of Oregon, continue to experience a decline in enrollment.  Subsequently, PPS is planning for a leaner budget next year.  At Ockley Green this means that we had to make reductions in our staff for the 2023-24 school year.  These are never easy decisions to make.  Our staff is a highly collaborative, supportive and student-centered team, so it is difficult for all of us to know that some of our colleagues will work in a different setting for the next school year.  In making our staffing decisions, the administrative team prioritized the following areas:

• Maintain a robust student support team to support our ongoing Climate work focused on increasing students’ Sense of Belonging;
• Continue to provide embedded Intervention classes to support students significantly below grade level; and 
• Reduce electives to improve the class sizes for our Math, LA, Social Studies and Science classes.

To meet our staffing requirements, we will have some reduction in the first two areas listed above, but we worked to minimize any decrease to ensure we could still offer all areas of support and maintain some Intervention classes.  Some specific changes to programming next year that will support the third area listed above are: 1) elimination of Drama, but to continue to provide a full offering of Band, Dance and Art; 2) a return to offering the District minimum requirement of a Quarter each of PE and Health as opposed to a full year offering, thus reducing from 3 Health/PE teachers to 2 Health/PE teachers; and 3) reduction of our library staff, while also maintaining the ability to have our library open for the entire school day. These decisions, along with some shifts of classroom spaces, will also provide relief to the ongoing challenge of finding appropriate classroom spaces in the main building. 

Please see below for some important updates!

Substance Use Awareness  NEW

Our Counselors are working on a trauma-informed presentation to provide during class on Substance Use Awareness, with a focus on the rise of opiates and the uniquely dangerous nature of fentanyl.  PPS has a number of in-district resources on substance use for students and their families.  These include: 

• Multi-Lingual Prevention Strategies and Healthy Decision Making 
• Portland Public Schools Substance Use Resources 
• Family request for supports 

McDaniel High School is hosting a Substance Use Awareness night on February 23rd.  Interpretation will be available.  Principal Skyles has shared that it is open to all PPS families.  For more information, click here.

 

Successful School Survey  NEW

We are currently at 91 family responses, which is close to 20% of our families, on the Successful School Survey.  We hope to hear from at least 50% of our families.  

We are offering 2 in-building sessions to support families in completing the survey.  There will be treats, coffee & tea and families will have access to a computer and Spanish support.  Please join us for either of the sessions below.

• Tuesday February 21st 3:45 - 4:30 in the Library
• Wednesday February 22nd 9:00 - 9:45 (Spanish supported) in Room 203

To take on your own, then, if viewing this via email, click here:  Successful Schools Survey (English)  or Successful Schools Survey (Spanish). If you need a language other than English or Spanish, start with the English survey and select your language of preference. You can also access either the English or Spanish version via the QR code below.

 

Direct Link to English Survey

 

 

Código QR para Encuesta en Español

 

The Successful Schools Survey window is January 23rd - February 28th.  More information coming soon for supported sessions at Ockley Green with computer access to complete.

 

Working On It   NEW

This is a new section that will be included moving forward to communicate what we are working on.  These are areas that, when our team is ready to provide additional information, I will provide an update in the section above.

• Reconfiguration of spaces for the 23-24 school year with a goal of no large classes meeting in the Portable classrooms;
• Ongoing advocacy of replacement of our Portables;
• Updated Cell Phone Policy and Impact of Technology & Social Media lessons during Advisory for immediate implementation (more soon on this).

Important Dates

• February 20th: NO SCHOOL - Presidents’ Day
• February 24th: Black History Month Assembly
• February 28th: Black Honor Roll Luncheon
• March 6th: 5th Grade Open House 
• March 22nd:  Spring Music Concert
• March 27th - 31st: Spring Break

 

In Partnership,

--

Julie Rierson

Pronouns: she/her

Principal

Ockley Green Middle School

Hello Families & Partners -

Please see below for some important updates!

 

Message from our School Nurse - Vaccine Exclusion Day February 15th  NEW

Starting February 15th, students that are not up to date on their vaccinations or completed the exemption process will not be allowed in school until these have been submitted. We currently have 34 students still on the exclusion list. If you want to work out a plan for that day or have any questions please reach out to Sophia Gardner, sgardner@mesd.k12.or.us.

You can find out more information on required immunizations at the MESD website.  See this flyer for more information on sites offering immunizations.

 

Substance Use Awareness  NEW

Our Counselors are working on a trauma-informed presentation to provide during class on Substance Use Awareness, with a focus on the rise of opiates and the uniquely dangerous nature of fentanyl.  PPS has a number of in-district resources on substance use for students and their families.  These include: 

• Multi-Lingual Prevention Strategies and Healthy Decision Making
• Portland Public Schools Substance Use Resources
• Family request for supports 

McDaniel High School is hosting a Substance Use Awareness night on February 23rd.  Interpretation will be available.  Principal Skyles has shared that it is open to all PPS families.  For more information, click here.

 

Successful Schools Survey  REMINDER

Each year the Portland Public Schools community has an opportunity to participate in the Successful Schools Survey.  We value this feedback and utilize it to inform our school improvement focus.

 

If viewing this via email, then click here:  Successful Schools Survey (English)  or Encuesta de Escuelas Exitosas(Español). If you need a language other than English or Spanish, start with the English survey and select your language of preference. You can also access either the English or Spanish version via the QR code below.

 

Direct Link to English Survey

 

 

Código QR para Encueta en Español

 

 

The Successful Schools Survey window is January 23rd - February 28th.  More information coming soon for supported sessions at Ockley Green with computer access to complete.

 

Breakfast Now Served Before School  REMINDER

We started serving breakfast in the Cafeteria this week.  Starting at 8:50 AM, students can enter through the Ainsworth door on the SW corner of the building and remain in the Cafeteria until the 9:03 AM opening of school.  Please help us by communicating with your child that after picking up their breakfast, for safety reasons, students will not be able to return outside or enter the halls prior to 9:03 AM.  Additionally, with no trash cans located outside in the front of the school, this will also ensure students can be responsible for their garbage with access to the large garbage cans in the Cafeteria.

 

Important Dates

• February 10th: OG Dancers Performance @ the Blazer Game
• February 17th: NO SCHOOL - Teacher Inservice Day
• February 20th: NO SCHOOL - Presidents’ Day 
• March 22nd:  Spring Music Concert
• March 27th - 31st: Spring Break

 

In Partnership,

--

Julie Rierson

Pronouns: she/her

Principal

Ockley Green Middle School

Hello Families & Partners -

 

Today we celebrated and recognized students that are demonstrating our Ockley Green Way Core Values of Care, Collaboration and Growth.  We held Grade-Level Assemblies throughout the afternoon and recognized our Teacher Choice and Student Choice awardees for Care, Collaboration and Growth, as well as recognition of students at each grade-level with a Trifecta Award for exhibiting all 3 Core Values.  We held our monthly Ockley Way Raffle and were entertained by various student groups, including our Ockley Dancers.  The energy in the assembly was uplifting and it was wonderful to see our students and staff building community together throughout the event!

Please see below for some important updates!

Successful Schools Survey  REMINDER

Each year the Portland Public Schools community has an opportunity to participate in the Successful Schools Survey.  We value this feedback and utilize it to inform our school improvement focus.

 

If viewing this via email, then click here: https://surveys.panoramaed.com/portlandor/ppsfamily23/surveys

 

or you can access via the QR code below.

 

 

The Successful Schools Survey window is January 23rd - February 28th.  More information coming soon for supported sessions at Ockley Green with computer access to complete.

 

Breakfast Now Served Before School  REMINDER

We started serving breakfast in the Cafeteria this week.  Starting at 8:50 AM, students can enter through the Ainsworth door on the SW corner of the building and remain in the Cafeteria until the 9:03 AM opening of school.  Please help us by communicating with your child that after picking up their breakfast, for safety reasons, students will not be able to return outside or enter the halls prior to 9:03 AM.  Additionally, with no trash cans located outside in the front of the school, this will also ensure students can be responsible for their garbage with access to the large garbage cans in the Cafeteria.

 

Upcoming Events @ SEI  REMINDER

Self Enhancement has multiple events coming in February as part of Black History Month.  See This is Our Story: RESILIENCE Flyer with information on a Black-Owned Vendor Resource Fair, Family Movie Night and a Family Paint Party.

Their Poetry Competition is currently open for submissions and closes on February 17, 2023.  More information here.

 

Important Dates

• February 10th: OG Dancers Performance @ the Blazer Game
• February 17th: NO SCHOOL - Teacher Inservice Day
• February 20th: NO SCHOOL - Presidents’ Day 
• March 22nd:  Spring Music Concert
• March 27th - 31st: Spring Break

Hello Families & Partners -

 

As a staff, we recognize that we are better able to serve our students and families when we harness the power of unity to strengthen our school community.  Seeing and hearing the many ways that our staff continue to show Care and to Collaborate with each other with a shared goal of Growth as a school community is exciting!  Some recent examples of this are: 

• Our Climate Team is bringing back grade-level assemblies as part of their larger plan to celebrate the brilliance of our students and create a positive learning environment.  This will be aligned to the roll out of our House of Dragons competition which will be focused on four areas: On Time & Ready; 2) Uplifting Language; 3) Check Your Tech; and 4) Activate Your Brain.  More info to come!
• Showcasing student work during Advisory time, staffing our 2-on-2 lunchtime basketball tournament and serving as advisors for our student Affinity groups.
• Our Student Intervention Team (SIT) is going strong with identifying and providing specific interventions to address students’ academic and behavioral needs.
• We will have our first school wide assembly this year for Black History Month at the end of February in celebration and recognition of Black Excellence.
• Planning is under way for our Community & Culture Night in late April, which is supported by our amazing Social Studies team and is in collaboration with our SUN Partnership.

Please see below for some important updates!

 

Breakfast Now Served Before School  NEW

Starting Monday, January 30th, students will be able to pick up breakfast in the Cafeteria, starting at 8:50 AM.  Students must enter through the Ainsworth door on the SW corner of the building and remain in the Cafeteria until the 9:03 AM opening of school.  Please help us by communicating with your child that after picking up their breakfast, for safety reasons, students will not be able to return outside or enter the halls prior to 9:03 AM.  Additionally, with no trash cans located outside in the front of the school, this will also ensure students can be responsible for their garbage with access to the large garbage cans in the Cafeteria.

 

Successful Schools Survey  NEW

Each year the Portland Public Schools community has an opportunity to participate in the Successful Schools Survey.  We value this feedback and utilize it to inform our school improvement focus.

 

If viewing this via email, then click here:  Successful Schools Survey  or you can access via the QR code below.

 

 

The Successful Schools Survey window is January 23rd - February 28th.  More information coming soon for supported sessions at Ockley Green with computer access to complete.

 

Upcoming Events @ SEI

Self Enhancement has multiple events coming in February as part of Black History Month.  See This is Our Story: RESILIENCE Flyer with information on a Black-Owned Vendor Resource Fair, Family Movie Night and a Family Paint Party.

Their Poetry Competition is currently open for submissions and closes on February 17, 2023.  More information here.

 

Important Dates

• February 10th: OG Dancers Performance @ the Blazer Game
• February 17th: NO SCHOOL - Teacher Inservice Day
• February 20th: NO SCHOOL - Presidents’ Day 
• March 22nd:  Spring Music Concert
• March 27th - 31st: Spring Break

 

In Partnership,

--

Julie Rierson

Pronouns: she/her

Principal

Ockley Green Middle School

Hello Families & Partners -

Please see below for some important updates!

NO-NAME CALLING WEEK  NEW

Hello, Ockley Green families!  The week of January 23 - 26 will be Ockley's Ally and No-Name Calling week.  Earlier this week, students filled out surveys in their advisory classes to share their thoughts and feedback about language and bullying at our school.  The results of this survey will be discussed next week and the GSA will sponsor a table in the cafeteria at lunch on 1/25, where students and staff can sign pledges to become allies and supporters of our LGBTQ+, black and brown, indigenous and multicultural communities.  We hope that this will be part of an ongoing conversation about how we can ensure that all students and staff feel safe, supported and celebrated at our school.

 

If your child was out this week and did not have a chance to take the survey, then they can use the link below to access it this weekend.

 

SURVEY ABOUT NO-NAME CALLING WEEK AT OCKLEY

 

Successful Schools Survey - Coming Soon!!  REMINDER

Each year the Portland Public Schools community has an opportunity to participate in the Successful Schools Survey.  The Successful Schools Survey provides many benefits to our district and school community as it:

 

• Allows PPS to hear from students, staff, and families system-wide
• Gathers data which will help PPS/FHS understand experiences at our school/s
• Addresses school climate, which is a key component influencing outcomes for students
• Enables us to see improvements from last year to understand how our work in schools has changed perceptions
• Identifies areas of strength and areas for improvement

 

We value this feedback and utilize it to inform our school improvement focus.

 

The Successful Schools Survey window is January 23rd - February 28th.

 

Students will have an opportunity to take part in the survey in a designated class during this window.  Families will have the opportunity to take the survey through a link that will be provided in this weekly message and on the Ockley Green Website.

 

School Visitors in Classrooms  REMINDER

We are grateful for our partnerships with families and value that collective & consistent approaches to supporting students is powerful.  We ask that if you wish to provide support to your child by being present during a particular class, that you first contact the teacher.  Our teachers want to welcome you into their classroom and having at least a 24 hour notice of your intent to come in would be appreciated by them.

 

Respiratory Illnesses and Covid-19  REMINDER

As a reminder, families can obtain COVID-19, flu, and other vaccinations at:

• MCHD Student Health Centers by appointment
• Benson Wellness Center by appointment
• Community COVID-19 vaccination clinics - no appointment is necessary

The health and well-being of our students is extremely important to us. We are keeping close track of the trends in our state and on the local level. PPS will continue to take all the steps necessary to maintain a healthy environment for our students and staff in the coming months.

 

Route Changes  NEW

A change has been made to one or more bus route(s) servicing your students' school. Changes will go into effect on 01/23/2023. 

Please note changes below:

Impacted Route(s)*	Change Described
205-A	Add Stop: 4705 NE 7th Av

*Note: -A means AM, -P means PM and -AP means both AM and PM.

Please visit www.pps.net/bus to look at updated stop times if your student uses an impacted route. 

Please contact the Transportation department with any questions at (503) 916-6901 or transportation@pps.net. 

 

Important Dates

• January 27th: NO SCHOOL - Teacher Planning Day
• February 10th: OG Dancers Performance @ the Blazer Game
• February 17th: NO SCHOOL - Teacher Inservice Day
• February 20th: NO SCHOOL - Presidents’ Day 
• March 22nd:  Spring Music Concert
• March 27th - 31st: Spring Break

Hello Families & Partners -

This weekend brings celebration of the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.  The lessons he has left us, and that we continue to learn from, strengthen our ability to create change towards a socially just world.  For me, Dr. King’s recognition that leaders must be in service to others, rather than to be served by others, is a lesson that is central to my leadership.  I feel fortunate to be part of a staff that also holds this central to how they support students.  I hope you find time this weekend to celebrate, reflect and offer service to others.

Please see below for some important updates!

Successful Schools Survey - Coming Soon!!  NEW

Each year the Portland Public Schools community has an opportunity to participate in the Successful Schools Survey.  The Successful Schools Survey provides many benefits to our district and school community as it:

 

• Allows PPS to hear from students, staff, and families system-wide
• Gathers data which will help PPS/FHS understand experiences at our school/s
• Addresses school climate, which is a key component influencing outcomes for students
• Enables us to see improvements from last year to understand how our work in schools has changed perceptions
• Identifies areas of strength and areas for improvement

 

We value this feedback and utilize it to inform our school improvement focus.

 

The Successful Schools Survey window is January 23rd - February 28th.

 

Students will have an opportunity to take part in the survey in a designated class during this window.  Families will have the opportunity to take the survey through a link that will be provided in this weekly message and on the Ockley Green Website.

 

SUN Registration Info  NEW

SUN School returns Tuesday January 17th with Gamer's Club during lunch in Portable 153.

Classes beginning on January 18th (after school)

• Chess For Success

• Choir

• Hair Braiding

• Homework Help

• Open Gym

• The Black Student Reading Club (lunch)

SUN Application located here 

Class Registration located here 

 

OG Community Pizza Night!  NEW

Come help support this OG Supporters fundraising event by grabbing pizza next Wednesday!  Either dine in or take it home and support both a great local business and Ockley Green.

Wednesday, January 18th

Mississippi Pizza

All day, dine in/carry out

10% of ALL sales donated to OG Supporters!

Menus, available here: https://www.mississippipizza.com/

 

Box of Tissues are Needed  NEW

 

We have been going through a lot of tissues recently and are having a hard time keeping up with the demand.  If you are interested in helping out, we would appreciate it if you could send a box with your child to drop off in the Front Office for our supply.

 

School Visitors in Classrooms  NEW

We are grateful for our partnerships with families and value that collective & consistent approaches to supporting students is powerful.  We ask that if you wish to provide support to your child by being present during a particular class, that you first contact the teacher.  Our teachers want to welcome you into their classroom and having at least a 24 hour notice of your intent to come in would be appreciated by them.

 

Roosevelt Baseball FUNDTRAINING Program  NEW

Check out information on this flyer.

 

Winter MAP Testing  REMINDER

The Winter Math MAP Growth testing starts the week of Monday, January 16, 2023.   Students will test with their English and Math teachers.  Please make sure that:

• Your student to brings their chromebooks to school charged and ready to work; and
• Encourage your student(s) to get enough rest the night before testing days

Unlike standardized tests, MAP Growth assessments are used during the course of a school year, and it adjusts to each student’s performance, rather than asking all students the same questions.  MAP Growth is designed to measure student achievement in the moment and growth over time, regardless of grade level, and gives quick feedback to teachers.The MAP testing is about teachers monitoring their students' growth in Reading and Math.  These tests are used to best meet the needs of students to ensure growth and progress in their learning.  These tests help teachers to determine how to deliver instruction and select class materials. It also lets teachers know if students need extra support or are meeting grade level in these two subject areas.   

Please visit the NWEA MAP Family Toolkit for more information. 

 

Respiratory Illnesses and Covid-19  REMINDER

As a reminder, families can obtain COVID-19, flu, and other vaccinations at:

• MCHD Student Health Centers by appointment
• Benson Wellness Center by appointment
• Community COVID-19 vaccination clinics - no appointment is necessary

The health and well-being of our students is extremely important to us. We are keeping close track of the trends in our state and on the local level. PPS will continue to take all the steps necessary to maintain a healthy environment for our students and staff in the coming months.

 

Important Dates

• January 16th: NO SCHOOL - Dr. MLK Jr Day
• January 27th: NO SCHOOL - Teacher Planning Day
• February 10th: OG Dancers Performance @ the Blazer Game
• February 17th: NO SCHOOL - Teacher Inservice Day
• February 20th: NO SCHOOL - Presidents’ Day 
• March 22nd:  Spring Music Concert
• March 27th - 31st: Spring Break

 

In Partnership,

--

Julie Rierson

Pronouns: she/her

Principal

Ockley Green Middle School

Hello Families & Partners -

Welcome to 2023!  The new year brings a good time to reflect and make commitments…or in some cases recommitments!  Part of reflecting on our practice means we must be open to receiving feedback, thoughtfully reflect on it and use it to inform our work.  I have and continue to appreciate the feedback from families, students & staff.   This week I had the opportunity to join our OG Supporters monthly meeting and hear from family members.  Sharing these concerns, noticings and wonderings support me in being an advocate for our OG Community’s needs in order to best serve our students.  Thank you for your continued support of staff & students.  It is felt and appreciated.

Please see below for some important updates!

 

Winter MAP Testing  NEW

The Winter ELA MAP Growth Testing starts the week of Monday, January 9, 2023 and the Math MAP Growth testing starts the week of Monday, January 16, 2023.   Students will test with their English and Math teachers.  Please make sure that:

• Your student to brings their chromebooks to school charged and ready to work; and
• Encourage your student(s) to get enough rest the night before testing days

Unlike standardized tests, MAP Growth assessments are used during the course of a school year, and it adjusts to each student’s performance, rather than asking all students the same questions.  MAP Growth is designed to measure student achievement in the moment and growth over time, regardless of grade level, and gives quick feedback to teachers. The MAP testing is about teachers monitoring their students' growth in Reading and Math.  These tests are used to best meet the needs of students to ensure growth and progress in their learning.  These tests help teachers to determine how to deliver instruction and select class materials. It also lets teachers know if students need extra support or are meeting grade level in these two subject areas.   

Please visit the NWEA MAP Family Toolkit for more information.

 

Middle Grades Math Update  NEW

In case you missed the PPS email with the Middle Grades Math Update that was sent earlier today, please see below.  In particular, you may find the linked document helpful in providing more background information.  There are information sessions being offered next Monday & Wednesday (see below).

 

Dear middle grades families, 

We strive to provide a high-quality teaching and learning experience to every student and to ground that experience in research-informed best practices. A growing body of research suggests that students benefit from a later introduction to advanced math, and that middle grades are best spent laying a strong mathematics foundation. This has recently led some large urban districts to limit math acceleration before high school.

In light of this, we are taking two steps to strengthen how we sequence math concepts and set our middle grades students up for success.

First, we will evaluate our student performance data to understand the link between students’ performance in high school math and the concepts they learned or did not learn in middle school math. We will pay particular attention to students who took accelerated math courses to see if they missed learning key concepts.

Second, we are pausing plans to discontinue Compacted Math for the 2023-2024 school year. Rather, we will work with specific schools to field test the shift away from Compacted Math as we strengthen how we sequence certain math concepts across all grades. This will look different in different settings, and you can learn more here.

Our Math Specialists have identified office hours to discuss this shift with families, and we invite you to attend and learn more. Those will take place on Google Meets:

• January 9th, 11:30-12:00 – video link, or dial 252-696-1448‬ (PIN: ‪993 926 856‬#)
• January 11th, 2:30-3:00 – video link, or dial 601-552-3113‬ (PIN: ‪212 081 695‬#)

Sincerely,

Dr. Kimberlee Armstrong 

Chief Academic Officer

 

Ockley Green Dancers @ 2/10/23 Blazer Game

Please come join us at the 2/10/23 Blazer game to support our amazing Ockley Green Dancers.  They will be performing on the court 30 minutes PRIOR to the start of the game.  The order deadline for tickets is this Monday, 1/9!  See this flyer for more information.

 

Bus Route Change  Reminder

Here are route changes that will go into effect on 1/4.  

OCG	204-P	Delete route
OCG	220-P	Add Stop: 4705 NE 7th Ave

Respiratory Illnesses and Covid-19  REMINDER

As a reminder, families can obtain COVID-19, flu, and other vaccinations at:

• MCHD Student Health Centers by appointment
• Benson Wellness Center by appointment
• Community COVID-19 vaccination clinics - no appointment is necessary

The health and well-being of our students is extremely important to us. We are keeping close track of the trends in our state and on the local level. PPS will continue to take all the steps necessary to maintain a healthy environment for our students and staff in the coming months.

 

Important Dates

• January 16th: NO SCHOOL - Dr. MLK Jr Day
• January 27th: NO SCHOOL - Teacher Planning Day
• February 10th: OG Dancers Performance @ the Blazer Game
• February 17th: NO SCHOOL - Teacher Inservice Day
• February 20th: NO SCHOOL - Presidents’ Day 
• March 22nd:  Spring Music Concert
• March 27th - 31st: Spring Break

In Partnership,

--

Julie Rierson

Pronouns: she/her

Principal

Ockley Green Middle School

Hello Families & Partners -

This week started with our Winter Concert, with performances by our Beginning and Advanced Bands, led by our new Band teacher Benson Truong.  It was a treat to watch and listen to our wonderful students in action.  As noted by Mr. Truong during the concert, not only are these students working on their own skills on their individual instruments, but they are learning to integrate their parts into a multi-layered piece of music!  They will again perform on Sunday at the Holiday Performances at the Square (see link under Important Dates below for more info).  In addition to our Advanced Band, our Ockely Green Dancers will also be performing.  Hope you are able to come and enjoy our students in action!

Please see below for some important updates!

 

Benson High School Information for 8th Grade Students  NEW

Please see message below from our 8th Grade Counselor, Ms. Stone

Attached, please take a look at Benson High School's information presentation for the class of 2027. Benson will spend one more year at the Marshall campus, before returning to its newly remodeled building in Fall 2024. Students and families who are interested in attending Benson are encouraged to enter the lottery; as you can always decline an offered spot. 

 

Applying to Benson for the 2023-24 School Year: Benson will be accepting applications for Benson from Tuesday, November 15 to Friday, December 16th. Students only have to complete one on-line application. The online application will be on the Enrollment website: https://www.pps.net/schoolchoice.    Students are usually informed of acceptance by the end of January/beginning of February. We will have an in person and online forecasting nights about mid February for students who have been accepted.

 

Although Benson's information night has passed, please reach out to Mrs. Stone for any questions and connections to Benson staff.

 

https://docs.google.com/presentation/d/1zhATW8Gj9OI5UWt6O6QmPwlVHuyAbs22SO_V0mLkbUo/edit?usp=sharing

 

Congratulations to our Honor Roll Scholars  NEW

209 Ockley Green students earned Honor Roll status for earning 3.5 or higher GPA during Quarter 1. The hard work and perseverance of these students is commendable! Our Honor Roll Scholars are recognized in the Main Hall, will be recognized in an assembly later this month and will be entered into a gift card drawing.  

• Gavin Elder, 6th
• Amani Johnson, 7th
• Cayden Barton, 8th
• Evelyn Guerrero, 8th
• Terryn Sanders, 8th

 

Toy Drive December 17th  NEW

 

Respiratory Illnesses and Covid-19  NEW

Please see message below that was sent out to all families from Jey Buno, Chief of Student Support Services

We continue to encourage families to remain up-to-date on all vaccinations, wash hands well, and stay home when ill. Within schools, the district is reinforcing mitigation measures that have been in place throughout the pandemic. In turn, we ask that families notify their school if their child develops symptoms of, or is diagnosed with communicable disease such as COVID-19, RSV, or the flu. Doing so allows PPS to gather important data that may indicate if an outbreak is occurring, notify the school community accordingly, and take any additional mitigation measures that may be required.

As a reminder, families can obtain COVID-19, flu, and other vaccinations at:

• MCHD Student Health Centers by appointment

• Benson Wellness Center by appointment

• Community COVID-19 vaccination clinics - no appointment is necessary

The health and well-being of our students is extremely important to us. We are keeping close track of the trends in our state and on the local level. PPS will continue to take all the steps necessary to maintain a healthy environment for our students and staff in the coming months.

 

2022-23 Yearbooks  REMINDER

 

*Contact Phyllis Harris, pharris@pps.net, for more information about School Yearbook Ads

 

 

Fall Family Feedback Survey  REMINDER

The Fall Family Feedback Survey will close Monday, 12/12/22.  If you have not yet taken it, then please take a moment to share your feedback.

Fall Family Feedback Survey

 

Important Dates

• December 11th: OG Dance & Band Performances 5:00 - 6:00 at Pioneer Courthouse Square
• December 14th: Site Council 5:00 - 6:00
• December 19th - January 2nd: Winter Break

 

In Partnership,

--

Julie Rierson

Pronouns: she/her

Principal

Ockley Green Middle School

Hello Families & Partners -

In the fall of 2021, PPS rolled out a one-to-one take-home Chromebook program for all students in grades 3-12.  One-to-one technology provides anytime/anywhere learning and opens the doors to creativity, collaboration, community, communication, and critical thinking skills that students need to compete and contribute in our local and the global society.  Having this resource is due to the generosity of voters that supported the 2020 School Bond, but this resource has its limits.  As part of our ongoing work with assessing the resource needs in our building and putting systems in place to better monitor & care for our resources, we are preparing a retrieval plan for multiple assignments of Chromebooks to individual students.  Our goal is to ensure that all students have access to Chromebooks that will support their engagement with learning activities in all of their classes.  You do not need to wait for a notice to come home, if you see that your child has more than one Chromebook or Charger at home, we would appreciate you dropping the extra one off in the Front Office.  We appreciate your effort in helping us to maintain ample technology supplies for our students.

Please see below for some important updates!

 

Roosevelt 8th Grade Information Night  NEW

 

Thursday, December 8th, 6:00-8:00 PM
 

• 8th Grade Information Night Flyer 

• 8th Grade Information Night Flyer (Spanish)

 

2022-23 Yearbooks  NEW

 

*Contact Phyllis Harris, pharris@pps.net, for more information about School Yearbook Ads

 

 

Congratulations to our Honor Roll Scholars  NEW

209 Ockley Green students earned Honor Roll status for earning 3.5 or higher GPA during Quarter 1. The hard work and perseverance of these students is commendable! Our Honor Roll Scholars are recognized in the Main Hall, will be recognized in an assembly later this month and will be entered into a gift card drawing.  

 

 

Picture Retake Day on Monday 12/5  NEW

Lifetouch will be on campus from 9am to 11:45am in the Auditorium.

Each grade team has a designated period for pictures to be retaken, and there will be announcements to alert each grade team when to make their way to retakes. The schedule is as follows:

Period 1 (9:35-10:20) 6th Grade Team

Period 2 (10:24-11:08) 7th Grade Team

Period 3 (11:12-11:45) 8th Grade Team

 

 

Fall Family Feedback Survey  REMINDER

The Fall Family Feedback Survey will close Monday, 12/12/22.  If you have not yet taken it, then please take a moment to share your feedback.

Fall Family Feedback Survey

 

Important Dates

• December 5th: Picture Retake Day
• December 5th: Winter Band Concert
• December 8th: Roosevelt 8th Grade Information Night
• December 11th: OG Dance & Band Performances at Pioneer Courthouse Square
• December 14th: Site Council 5:00pm - 6:00pm
• December 19th - January 2nd: Winter Break

 

In Partnership,

--

Julie Rierson

Pronouns: she/her

Principal

Ockley Green Middle School

Hello Families & Partners -

November 13-19, 2022 marks Transgender Awareness Week, providing a moment to honor, celebrate, and uplift our trans community.  This week of awareness leads into the Transgender Day of Remembrance on November 20, 2022.  In support of creating a Sense of Belonging at Ockley Green, we are committed to using preferred pronouns and names to ensure that all our students are seen and valued as a part of our school community.  In an article from Parents, “Using a child's correct gender pronouns is the easiest way to show that you respect who they are—this can shape their mental health for the rest of their lives. For a caregiver to acknowledge their identity can make the world of difference. According to The Trevor Projects' Research Brief: Gender-Affirming Care for Youth, there is a 29% decrease in suicidal ideation and a 56% decrease in suicidal behavior for youth when their chosen name is used.”

This week our Gay Straight Alliance provided information and Trans support buttons during lunch to raise awareness and spread the word about available resources throughout the school community.  For more resources through PPS, you can go to www.pps.net/LGBTQ.

Fall Family Feedback Survey  NEW

Site Council is again supporting our Fall Family Feedback Survey.  This provides us information to help guide our work and appreciate you taking a moment to fill it out. 

Fall Family Feedback Survey

 

COVID-19 Screening Pause  NEW

We just learned that there will be no OHSU COVID-19 Screening Spit Specimen collection during Thanksgiving week (November 22nd-24th). Please reach out if you have questions.

 

Restaurant Fundraising  NEW

Tasty Fundraising Opportunity

Whether you're dining in or ordering take-out, this is a delicious way to make dinner easy, while simultaneously supporting an awesome local business AND Ockley Green!

Thursday, December 1st

Tamale Boy, Dekum location

11am to 9pm

15% of ALL sales donated to OG Supporters!

Menus, available here: https://www.tamaleboy.com/dekum-classic

 

 

Bus Route Change Info from Transportation  NEW

You should have received this information directly if it impacts you, but I wanted to share out here too.  There is a route change that will go into effect on 11/30.

OCG

203-A

Remove Stops: 5250 NE Martin Luther KIng Jr Blvd, 132 NE Lombard St

 

Dental Sealants Extension  NEW

The dental sealant team will be returning to Ockley Green Middle School after the Fall Break, November 28th-29th.  We will continue to call students down that have signed up for this service.

 

Conferences  REMINDER

Ockley Green families will be using our conference website to schedule parent teacher conferences this year. They will be held in person on November 21 and online on November 22. If families choose to do their conferences online they will use the same conference website to login to their teacher’s digital meeting rooms. The website will go live at 5:00pm on Friday November 11. Please note the scheduling interface may look different for some teachers who have an older version of google. 

 

https://sites.google.com/pps.net/ockley-green-conferences

 

OG Supporters Wreath Sale REMINDER

OG Supporters Wreath Fundraiser Items ordered will be available for pick up at Ockley Green Middle School (Ainsworth Street) on Friday, December 2nd between 1-5 PM. For questions or to make other pick up/delivery arrangements please contact Muriah and Carolyn at wreathsale@ogsupporters.org  ogmssupporterswreathfundraiser.company.site

Proceeds from the wreath sale will help fund efforts to sustain a positive environment for students and staff at OGMS. 

For students, this includes support of events and activities that foster a sense of pride, confidence, and belonging, including school dances (planned by 8th grade Leadership Class), and contributions to schoolwide cultural events. Wreath sale funds will also support Dragon Leader initiatives, which include planning and implementing team building and inclusivity activities to help 6th graders and new students feel connected to and supported within the OGMS community.

For staff, this includes a wide array of appreciation initiatives throughout the school year, including purchasing items to improve the staff room, recognizing staff during various job-specific appreciation events (such as National School Nurse Appreciation Day, Custodian Appreciation Day, etc.), supporting staff during conferences, and celebrating all staff each day during National Teacher Appreciation Week.

 

Important Dates

• November 21st (In-Person) & 22nd (Virtual): Conferences

• November 28th-29th: Multnomah County Dental Sealants

• December 5th: Picture Retake Day

• December 8th: Winter Band Concert

• December 11th: OG Dance & Band Performances at Pioneer Courthouse Square

In Partnership,

--

Julie Rierson

Pronouns: she/her

Principal

Ockley Green Middle School

Hello Families & Partners -

This month we celebrate and honor the history, culture, traditions and many contributions of Native Americans.  

 

Conferences are just around the corner on November 21st & 22nd.  We appreciate the opportunity to partner with our families to support positive academic and social-emotional outcomes for students.  With our Ockley Green Core Value of Growth, we look forward to these conversations to be able to work together to support the ongoing growth of our students.  We have already set up our priority conferences, such as conferences needing the support of an Interpreter.  Teacher Conference appointments are now live and available (see below for link). See below for more specific information about Conferences.

Please see below for some important updates!

 

Conferences  NEW

Ockley Green families will be using our conference website to schedule parent teacher conferences this year. They will be held in person on November 21 and online on November 22. If families choose to do their conferences online they will use the same conference website to login to their teacher’s digital meeting rooms. The website will go live at 5:00pm on Friday November 11. Please note the scheduling interface may look different for some teachers who have an older version of google. 

 

https://sites.google.com/pps.net/ockley-green-conferences

 

 

Hallway & Re-Engagement Plan Update  NEW

 

This week, with the reset of Hall Pass expectations in our classrooms, we have begun the Re-Engagement Waves in the halls.  During these Waves, we collected 14 students over the course of the week that did not have permission to be in the hallways.  We shared with students that we want them in class and the importance of them being there to learn.  We either re-taught the expectation for hall passes or made a conference call home to a Parent/Guardian.  We were pleased that the majority of students had a hall pass and that they were doing what the hall pass indicated.

 

As a reminder, the Classroom Re-Engagement Waves use the following outcomes:

• Wave 1: Discussion and Warning

• Wave 2: Discussion with parent or family 

• Wave 3: Individual re-engagement plan with incentive created

• Wave 4: Student makes up work missed at a different time

• Wave 5: Parent/Guardian joins meeting with student at school

 

COVID-19 Vaccination Clinic  NEW

We are pleased to announce that we will host a COVID-19 vaccine clinic in partnership with Costco Pharmacy. The clinic will be open to all, and offer first, second and booster doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. Both Pfizer and Moderna vaccines will be available. Flu shots will also be available for those who have insurance (if you are a Kaiser member, you must access the flu vaccine through Kaiser).

We ask that you please wear a mask. If you do not have a mask, one will be provided at the door.

What: COVID-19 Vaccine clinic

When: Wednesday, November 16, from 3:00 p.m. to 7:00 p.m.

Where: Dr. Matthew Prophet Center - 501 N. Dixon St.

Who: Anyone 6 years old or older wanting a first, second or booster dose. Please bring your insurance card.

Families can also search for vaccine opportunities at getvaccinated.Oregon.gov.

 

Chromebook Expectations  REMINDER

We are experiencing a high volume of Chromebook repairs and students not bringing their Chromebooks to school.  In addition, we have a number of students with more than one device currently assigned to them.  In an effort to ensure that all students have working Chromebooks, we are beginning to contact students/families with more than one assigned Chromebook and requesting that the additional one be returned.  To help keep our inventory of Chromebooks in good working condition, please review the Student Responsible Use information with your child.

With the rainy weather upon us, many students are staying in the cafeteria and playing games on their computers.  We are reminding students that first shooter games are not appropriate during school hours.  Please help us in conveying that expectation, as well as reminding them to bring their chargers to ensure computers are charged up for class. 

 

OG Supporters Wreath Sale REMINDER

OG Supporters Wreath Fundraiser Items ordered will be available for pick up at Ockley Green Middle School (Ainsworth Street) on Friday, December 2nd between 1-5 PM. For questions or to make other pick up/delivery arrangements please contact Muriah and Carolyn at wreathsale@ogsupporters.org  ogmssupporterswreathfundraiser.company.site

Proceeds from the wreath sale will help fund efforts to sustain a positive environment for students and staff at OGMS. 

For students, this includes support of events and activities that foster a sense of pride, confidence, and belonging, including school dances (planned by 8th grade Leadership Class), and contributions to schoolwide cultural events. Wreath sale funds will also support Dragon Leader initiatives, which include planning and implementing team building and inclusivity activities to help 6th graders and new students feel connected to and supported within the OGMS community.

For staff, this includes a wide array of appreciation initiatives throughout the school year, including purchasing items to improve the staff room, recognizing staff during various job-specific appreciation events (such as National School Nurse Appreciation Day, Custodian Appreciation Day, etc.), supporting staff during conferences, and celebrating all staff each day during National Teacher Appreciation Week.

 

PIL Youth Athletics - Winter Season Tryouts  REMINDER

Please see below for specific information on upcoming tryouts & practice times.  More information can be found at the PIL Athletics website.

ROOSEVELT - Cluster Coordinator: Jaeger Vega jvega@pps.net  

Boys Basketball Head Coach: Yusuf Leary yleary@pps.net 

Tryouts at Roosevelt HS

• November 12th

  • 2:15-3:45 6th grade

  • 4-5:30 7th grade

  • 5:45-7:15 8th grade

Girls Basketball  Head Coach: Nike Greene ngreene@pps.net 

Tryouts at Roosevelt HS

• November 12th

  • 9-10:30 6th grade

  • 10:45-12:15 7th grade

  • 12:30-2 pm 8th grade

JEFFERSON - Cluster Coordinator: Andre Lawrence alawrenc@pps.net  

Boys Basketball

Head Coach: Pat Strickland pstrickland@pps.net

Tryouts at Jefferson HS 

• November 12th

  • 6th grade 12pm - 1:30pm

  • 7th grade 1:45pm - 3:15pm

  • 8th grade 3:30pm - 5pm

• November 13th

  • 6th grade 12pm - 1:30pm

  • 7th grade 1:45pm - 3:15pm

  • 8th grade 3:30pm - 5pm

 

Important Dates

• November 11th: No School - Veterans Day

• November 14th-18th: Multnomah County Dental Sealants 

• November 21st (In-Person) & 22nd (Virtual): Conferences

• December 5th: Picture Retake Day

• December 8th: Winter Band Concert

• December 11th: OG Dance & Band Performances at Pioneer Courthouse Square

 

In Partnership,

--

Julie Rierson

Pronouns: she/her

Principal

Ockley Green Middle School

Hello Families & Partners -

At the beginning of the school year, I shared, through the weekly newsletter, our staff’s commitment to putting our Ockley Green Core Values into action.  As I reflect over the 1st Quarter, I am inspired by the many ways these values are practiced in this community.  While there are many, I want to highlight some that surface for me as I reflect on the Ockley Green Way and our Core Values of Caring, Growth and Collaboration.

CARING

• Affinity Lunch Groups are running strong 

• Weeks of celebratory events for Hispanic/Latino Heritage Month

• Halloween Festivities organized by our Leadership students

• SUN afterschool program kicked off

GROWTH

• Staff supporting restorative conversations, both between peers and student-teacher

• Students engaged with intervention support 

COLLABORATION

• Coordinators and Mentors from SEI, Latino Network, Coalition of Black Men and Urban League partnering with our teachers, counselors & support staff to provide seamless support for students

• Staff attending a Student Intervention Team retreat to learn together and plan for intentional interventions for struggling students

• Site Council, OG Supporters and our Dragon Leadership Team engaging in problem-solving, planning and feedback to inform systems and practices that will positively impact student outcomes 

I am truly honored to work with an incredible team who are invested in the Ockley Green Way!

Please see below for some important