Sellwood Principal’s Newsletter – March 24, 2023

Greetings Sellwood Community,

I wanted to give a quick shout out to Sellwood’s brilliant Speech & Debate Team.  They have been honing their skills in the PEAK afterschool program, led by Cleveland HS students.  On March 10^th they competed in the Speech & Debate Middle School Tournament at Cleveland.  Each of the students walked away with 1-3 certificates and placed in 1^st, 2^nd, or 3^rd place.  Way to go, Speech & Debate Team!  We celebrate your accomplishments!

Next week, Spring Break gives us all an opportunity to rest and recharge, and hopefully have some fun.  Checking the weather report this morning I noticed the forecast has improved.

Have a great week and enjoy the break!

Jeandré Carbone

Sellwood MS Principal

jcarbone@pps.net

Sellwood Principal’s Newsletter – March 19, 2023

Greetings Sellwood Community,

I apologize for the late newsletter.  Last week, I was on the East Coast caring for my mother who is unwell.

I wanted to give a shout out to the Sellwood Stars - Friday the 10th, Sellwood took home 1st place at PIL for the Jazz Routine. Anna, Ellison, Allyssa, Saoirse and Sylvie won the drill down in a clean sweep taking all of the top 5 spots.

Saturday the 11th the Sellwood Stars competed in Tigard's first ever Middle School Competition. They took home 2nd for their Pom routine and 3rd for their Jazz routine. In the drill down they took home 7 out of 10 spots. Winners in drill were Maya, Addie, Ivy, Willa, Eowyn, Anna, and  Saoirse. 

Also, the winning team of Sellwood’s Oregon Battle of the Books (OBOB) competition was the 6^th-grade team “The OBOBcats” (Naomi Eshel, Ramona Freeman, Lily Palandri, Sylvie Shi Lyons, and Lela Whitehead) and they will be representing Sellwood at the Regional Competition on March 18.

Congratulations to the Sellwood Stars and the OBOBcats!

Finally, PPS has confirmed that due to the two snow days in February the school year will be extended by one day.  The last day of school will be Wednesday, June 14^th.  

Have a great week!

Jeandré Carbone

Sellwood MS Principal

jcarbone@pps.net

Sellwood Principal’s Newsletter – March 10, 2023

Greetings Sellwood Community,

Last weekend, we had a great time at the Sellwood Foundations BINGO fundraiser.  It was wonderful to see all of you there, and we are grateful to all for participating in a very fun event that is also for a great cause – Sellwood Middle School staffing!

I would like to give a shout out to our Band Director Gavi Patterson de Tarr and the Sellwood Advanced Band who achieved the highest possible score of Outstanding from the judges at the PPS Middle School Band Festival on March 9th.  Congratulations – Sellwood’s band program is truly amazing!

Jeandré Carbone

Sellwood MS Principal

jcarbone@pps.net

Sellwood Principal’s Newsletter – March 3, 2023

Greetings Sellwood Community,

Happy Friday!  Last week’s snow has melted, but we have not yet heard whether our two unexpected snows will impact our end of year dates.  I know many of us would like to make summer plans, so I will be certain to pass the word along as soon as I know anything.

Don’t forget that this Saturday evening is Sellwood Middle School Foundation’s Drag Queen BINGO fundraiser.  The details are posted below.

Hope to see you there!

Jeandré Carbone

Sellwood MS Principal

jcarbone@pps.net

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.  

Dear families, students, and colleagues,

It has been a joy to visit learning spaces over the past four months and see our students reengaged in their classroom learning and school activities. I am pleased to observe our students interacting with peers and diving into new curriculum materials. 

This has been a very productive time for Portland Public Schools. My appreciation to all the dedicated Team PPS members who work everyday to make our school system better and stronger.

Dear PPS Community,

Every single person in Portland Public Schools believes that our learning spaces must be safe, stable, and secure, and that we have a shared responsibility to ensure the safety and well-being of the students under our care. We recognize that recent events, both locally and nationally, have rattled our community.

Superintendent Guerrero issued a broader statement about gun violence and its impacts on our schools, but we also want to explain how we both keep schools safe, and keep you informed.