The Rose Festival Court is composed of up to 15 outstanding young women chosen from Portland Metro-area high schools. Members receive leadership training, a chance to travel, and network with community leaders. Court Members receive one-on-one mentorship from top female executives, a $3,500 scholarship provided by The Randall Group valid for any accredited college, university, or trade program, a complete wardrobe including shoes and accessories, and a lifetime of enduring friendships with their Rose Festival Court sisters. 

Learn more about the Rose Festival Court Program and view the application on the Rose Festival Website.  

Note on eligibility: This program is open to Junior and Senior students who identify as a woman. If you are not eligible for it, please consider encouraging your friends to apply. 

Information Sessions:

Q & A with 2020 CHS Princess Zoey. This meeting is just for Cleveland students to learn more about the program and ask questions. Students who attend will receive a special gift. - 

• Friday, January 22, 12-12:30 pm

Google Meet Link: meet.google.com/sjv-ufjz-csk

Rose Festival Court Info Session - Join the Court!

These sessions are hosted by the Rose Festival Foundation and will be open to all students applying. Hear from former members of the Court Program and learn more about this one in a lifetime opportunity. 

• Thursday, January 28, 6:30 pm
• Saturday, January 30, 1 pm
• Tuesday, February 2, 6:30 pm

Zoom Information

• Meeting ID: 840 8940 1010
• Passcode: 186284

Parent/Student Court Program Overview 

The Rose Festival will be hosting three parent/student info sessions. Topics include Q&A about the judging process and the benefits of the program. Come with any questions you may have. While not required, they are highly encouraged. 

• Tuesday, February 9, 7 pm
• Thursday, February 18, 7 pm
• Saturday, February 20, 1 pm

Zoom Information

• Meeting ID: 840 8940 1010
• Passcode: 186284

Cleveland Families,

I would like to share some announcements and updates with you all. First, progress reports will be going out next week with teachers having until this Friday, December 11 to submit the progress grades. We know some students are struggling. Please know that we are actively using the feedback you gave us at parent teacher conferences and via email to implement strategies to support students in their learning. 

Second, the district has decided that we will not be giving the PSAT in January. This decision was made in consultation with school leaders and representatives from the district offices of testing and risk management. Here is a link to the announcement which outlines alternative ways for your student to qualify for the 2022 National Merit Scholarship Program.

PSAT Guidance-English

PSAT Guidance-Spanish

PSAT Guidance-Russian

PSAT Guidance-Mandarin Chinese

PSAT Guidance-Vietnamese

PSAT Guidance-Somali

Lastly, I sent an email last week about the new attendance process that we are using that includes new attendance codes. Teachers now take positive attendance (marking a student present instead of absent) every day for that day’s classes. Teachers enter attendance by the end of the work day and attendance calls go out in the early evening. These calls are to remind families to have their students check into their classes which they may do on Canvas. Here are the new codes:

CS - Student checked into their synchronous class

CA - Student checked in asynchronously

UNV - teacher does not have record that the student has checked in by 3:45pm that day

If your student receives an UNV, that does not mean they will be marked absent but that as of 3:45 PM they have not checked into the period in question. We appreciate your patience as we roll out this new system. The data we receive helps us to better support students and allows you to know on the day of classes if your student has engaged rather than having you learn about it the following day.

Thank you for engaging with us. As always, feel free to reach out to any of our school staff if you have questions or concerns about your student. Please stay safe.

Dear PPS Students, Families and Colleagues,

Today we celebrate and honor the life and work of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., a hero of mine. As his influence is seen and felt in the ongoing movement for racial justice, I want to share this video created by the Boise-Eliot/Humboldt Elementary School community. They found a creative way to unify their voices to bring us a unique reading of Dr. King’s famous “I Have a Dream” speech of 1963, originally delivered to a crowd of almost a quarter million people at the March for Jobs and Freedom in Washington D.C. I think you will enjoy this collaboratively produced presentation of Dr. King’s words brought to life by a new generation of change-makers for justice at PPS.

Dear PPS Families,

We are so grateful to our educators and our community who have continued to support our students through these times of transition this year. The presidential election and its fallout, especially the January 6 attack on the U.S. Capitol, have been disturbing and unsettling for all of us, and the feeling of unease continues as next week’s inauguration of Joe Biden nears. We know it can be an especially difficult time for our students and we remain optimistic about the power of democracy and education as they try to make sense of the events and issues.

The Oregon Department of Education (ODE) has issued adapted versions of its annual reports for every school and school district, including Portland Public Schools. The 2019-20 reports do not include data on statewide assessments, class size or attendance. That data is typically included but was not gatherable because classes were conducted online starting in March during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Dear PPS Families,

I join all those in public education across the country who denounce the attack on the U.S. Capitol yesterday. The violent and ultimately failed insurrection at the U.S. Capitol was traumatic to witness for all of us, including our students, but I remain optimistic about their future and our country’s.