Good Evening Lane Families, 

Happy New Year! It was wonderful to see your students back in classes today, as we return to our regular CDL schedule. I hope that you have been able to have a safe and enjoyable holiday season with all of the challenges that we face. Here are a couple of announcements. 

COVID-19 Awareness Event Focused in the African American/Black/African Communities: Friday, January 8

In collaboration with OHA, Multnomah County Public Health, and Department of County Human Services, District 2 is sponsoring an event in the African American/Black/African communities to bring COVID-19 awareness, safety and health education, Vaccination readiness conversations, Vaccination education/Q&A, and Resource sharing via a culturally affirming community engagement forum January 8, 2021. The hope expressed in this partnership is to help with assuaging concerns about the vaccination, creating open forums for transparent communication and building trust. The COVID-19 pandemic has hit BIPOC communities hardest and real effort is needed to help reduce the spread and trajectory of the virus in Multnomah County. Please see this flyer for more information. 

Shared Reading Books Selected

Thank you to all who completed the Shared Reading Book Selection Survey. After tabulating the input from students, staff, and families, we have ordered the following books. Each student will receive a copy of their grade level title to read with their classes and add to their home library. I will let you know when the books are available for distribution.  

6th Grade: Some Places More Than Others, by Renee Watson

7th Grade: Seedfolks, by Paul Fleischman

8th Grade: As Brave as You by Jason Reynolds

Reminders:

Lane Food Pantry Reopens Tomorrow

The Lane Food Pantry will be open tomorrow and regularly on Tuesdays from 2:30 to 4. 

Lane Meal Hub Open

PPS Nutrition Services continues to offer meal from 3 - 5 pm at Lane, in the north parking lot. Please wear a mask when picking up food. 

As always, please reach out if you have questions, concerns or needs that we may be able to help with. You can reach me by replying to this email, or by texting my cell at 971-678-9700. Be well, be safe!

Sincerly, 
Michael Rowell, Principal
Lane Middle School

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.