From Lisa Newlyn, Principal

To all our families celebrating Rosh Hashanah, I wish you and your loved ones a very Happy New Year full of new hopes and new opportunities.  Shalom!

Fond Farewells and Welcomes
It was hard to say Farewell last week to two valued RGMS staffers, Spanish teacher, Elena Overvold and Attendance Secretary, Britney Small.  Both made generous contributions to our team and will be missed by staff and students alike.

Please join me in welcoming David Goldstein who joined our staff week as our new Spanish Teacher.  He comes to us as an experienced teacher with an eye towards being our Jewish Student Union advisor.  We are grateful for his agility in joining our staff after the start of the school year.  

Back to School Night
We look forward to seeing you all on campus Thursday evening for Back to School Night.  This year we will be 100% in person in order to reunite and get acquainted with each other as a community in support of our students.  You can find our Back to School Night Program linked HERE, and posted, below.  BIG THANK YOUs to our PTA and the Cider Mill Restaurant for the yummy family dinner!  Join us for dinner at 5pm, Announcements at 6:00pm, and Classroom Visits at 6:30pm. 

Health Precautions
We have been experiencing an uptick in sick kids and cases of COVID.  If you missed our community message, please read our health reminder HERE and do your part to keep our staff and student community healthy and in attendance.  Thank you!

Newsletter Formatting
Thanks for the feedback on this newsletter!  I'm glad to know people and clicking the link in their email boxes and staying close to all the latest from RGMS.  I am working on the formatting so it's phone friendly.  Be patient with me and we'll get it dialed in soon!

There's lots going on in the land of Robert Gray Middle School - read on below for all the rest! 

Have a great weekend,
Lisa Newlyn, Principal

Recently, we have received several questions from staff, families, and a media outlet, asking us to detail our efforts at maintaining optimal air quality in our schools. We understand the concern and the need for reassurance from our students and employees – that as a school system, we are taking prudent measures to promote a safe and healthy learning environment.

On September 20, 2022, the Portland Public Schools (PPS) Board of Education unanimously approved a historic agreement that centers Black students, and embarks on the development of a community plan for their future by making the voter-approved Center for Black Student Excellence (CBSE) a reality.

We are pleased to announce that we will host a COVID-19 vaccine clinic in partnership with the Oregon Health Authority. 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. Additionally, this clinic will include access to the new bivalent vaccine (12+). The CDC recommends COVID-19 vaccines for everyone 6 months and older, and boosters for everyone 5 years and older.

We are currently seeking membership applications for the district’s inaugural PPS Racial Equity and Social Justice Community Advisory Committee (RESJ CAC). This committee will advise both the Superintendent and School Board about about the racial equity and education impacts of policy decisions and work collaboratively to increase understanding and progress towards the PPS Racial Educational Equity Policy and the PPS RESJ Plan and Framework, PPS reImagined, and the PPS Strategic Plan.