Hello all-

The sun is out...even though it has been chilly, it is just so nice to have the sunshine!

Remember---please help your child get to school on time! It helps the whole day go smoothly!

Tomorrow...Friday is always Vestal Spirit day!

Please consider giving a little to our effort to create an inclusive playground at Vestal in honor of Lola and William Stiles.

https://www.gofundme.com/f/lola-amp-william-playground-at-vestal?utm_medium=copy_link&utm_source=customer&utm_campaign=p_lico+share-sheet&fbclid=IwAR2tvPv93LUJ_X9_mQ2kD1Z9flVdqZU9w7OkJzbyi0pQuW6Befc4-XHy_jU

Peace, Sabrina

PTA NEWS

• Join us tonight at Threshold Brewing for  Vestal night Thursday, February 20th!  Come have a drink/snacks from 4pm-9pm and a portion of all sales goes to Vestal!  It is kid friendly!  Threshold is at 403 se 79th.https://www.threshold.beer/#

• Next PTA Meeting is Tuesday, March 3^rd at 8:15am.   All are welcome!

• Join us for the Rock Paper Soirée March 7th! This is a fun filled event with food, music, raffle prizes and silent auction to raise money for Vestal’s gardens and outdoor space! It is 6pm-9pm at MilePost 5 (850 NE 81^st).  Tickets are $25 and raffle tickets are $3.  Tickets are available in the office.  We will soon have raffle tickets for sale too!   Raffle items include movie theatre and play tickets and a variety of food and drink gift certificates.   

• FREE Vestal yard signs available for pickup or delivery to your home! See Facebook, or a PTA member or vestalelementarypta@gmail.com Show your Vestal pride!! 

• BOXTOPS for EDUCATION - Tab collection is happening. HUGE thanks to all who have turned them in! Tabs and receipts are collected at the PTA Announcements board at the front entrance, or to the main office. There is the new and easier BoxTops for Education APP on your smartphone and scan your grocery receipts. Thanks! 

• COOKIE Sale: Mrs. Fields cookie fund raiser will start on Monday March 30th and end Friday, April 10th. Frozen cookie dough, snacks, and gluten free options will be  available. All to benefit Vestal!

Hello Vestal Community-

Please remember that we have a three day weekend for President's Day on Monday!

A few reminders about Vestal:)

* School STARTS at 8:00...please help your child learn the important habit of getting to school on time ready to learn! Kids can start heading to breakfast at 7:40.

* I happen to notice a car similar to mine BUT not mine was parked in our handicapped spot last week...please only use this spot if you have a handicap permit:)

* Next Tuesday night we are trying something brand new...a take another look at Vestal Open House. Many kids who live in our neighborhood go elsewhere for school and...well, we want them back at their neighborhood school! If you know a family that might be willing to give us a new look, please invite them!

* Great news for staffing funding next Fall! We will have TWO classrooms at every grade level! This is awesome for all students!

* Tomorrow is Friday AND Valentine's day...so wear your Vestal gear, social justice messages and/or RED!

See everyone on time ready to learn tomorrow morning!

Peace,

Sabrina Flamoe

sflamoe@pps.net

Threshold Brewing is having Vestal night on Thursday, February 20th!  Come have a drink/snacks from 4pm-9pm and a portion of all sales goes to Vestal!  It is kid friendly!  Threshold is at 403 se 79th.https://www.threshold.beer/#

Join us for the Rock Paper Soirée March 7th! This is a fun filled event with food, music, raffle prizes and silent auction to raise money for Vestal’s gardens and outdoor space! It is 6pm-9pm at MilePost 5.  Tickets are $25 and raffle tickets are $3.  Tickets are available in the office.  We will soon have raffle tickets for sale too!  

Vestal's Annual Fundraiser - Rock Paper Soirée will be on March 7, 2020 from 6-9 pm at MilePost 5!  We will have raffle items, a wine wall, silent auction and amazing food and drink! Tickets on sale in the office and childcare is available during the event! Event tickets are $25 (age 21+) and Raffle Tickets are $3.  There will be an opportunity to submit raffle tickets for many items prior to the event. More to come! (see attached poster)

Soirée planning committee needs your help!  If you know any businesses/restaurant owners that might be interested in sponsoring our event or donating food or raffle items, please contact Marnie Faust - marnie.faust@gmail.com or 612-710-8083.  We are looking for red wine donations as well. And volunteers (to sell tickets, set up and break down event, pick up donated items etc)!  If you can help, let Marnie know. Thank you kindly!

Vestal Parent TAG Steering Committee Meeting:

Wednesday, 2/19/20 from 2:30 - 3:30 in Brooke Murphy's Room

The PPS TAG Department Presents

Dr. RubyDawn Lyman 

“Helping TAG Students With Navigating Family & Friendships” 

Wednesday, February 19, 2020 6:30-8:00 pm 501 N Dixon

 Street WyEast Room Level L1 Portland, OR Childcare provided 

Hello amazing community-

This week is a bit lengthy, but full of important information!

Today was really quite inspirational on many levels! We had our 2nd Annual Black Lives Matter March planned and facilitated by 5th grade Keiannah. She has inspired our community AND others the power of one voice willing to take action! Today, ACCESS joined our march as did 4 classes from Laurelhurst School. The Laurelhurst students and staff walked the 2 miles to Vestal to join in solidarity!

One thing I love about working with children is that they often simplify what can feel like very complicated situations. This morning a few kindergarteners were sharing some confusion and worry about the march; through question and answers it became clear to all of us that a march is when a whole community cares about one thing and wants to be together to support that one thing. Today it was Black Lives Matter....and it was beautiful. Check out many pictures on Facebook!

Remember, tomorrow is VESTAL SPIRIT DAY

AND tomorrow is our Food Pantry day....we always have amazing, yummy fresh food! Please come and take some! (2:30 in the studio)

Next Tuesday, the 11th, we have another Connect to Kindergarten event! Please tell any friends and neighbors that have incoming kinders to please attend!

The following Tuesday, the 18th, Vestal is hosting our FIRST EVER, "Take another look at your neighborhood school-Vestal A School for Social Justice wants YOU to join our community!" event to invite families who live in our area but have chosen other schools to please come take a look at Vestal...we all know how amazing and strong and beautiful this community is and we want others to know, too! So, pleases invite your friend and neighbors! We are ending a Vestal postcard to EVERY family in our boundary area, so they will find out, BUT a personal invite always helps!

Speaking of next year...I have wonderful news to share...we will have TWO teachers at EVERY grade level next school year! YES!!! This is GREAT for your kids and also GREAT for our staff as we do not need to let any teachers go due to lack of funding...this is a first in my 5 years as a principal in PPS. It shows a great state wide commitment to our public schools.

Many of you have asked about where we are in the process of a memorial for Lola and William...and gosh, we so miss their beautiful presence at Vestal... I have a few updates-

1) We would love to keep fresh flowers on the table in our hallway that has their pictures and notes. If you would like to bring flowers when you notice we need them, that would be wonderful. Just today, a student made a new card for this table. If you child talks about missing Lola and William or feeling sad...please encourage then to write a note or draw a picture for the table...grief is a process that hits us all in different ways and times. If you are struggling with ways to respond, simply offering that you,too, are feeling sad or you, too, miss Lola and William is enough.

2) We have the most amazing gift coming to Vestal. A local artist has volunteered his amazing time, talent, and materials to create a special, unique bench in memory of Lola and William. We have just started the conversation with him and are hopeful the bench can be dedicated before the end of the school year.

3) We are beginning the process of raising money for an inclusive playground (a playground where ALL children can play). We will keep you all posted on how and where money donations for this effort can go.

As always, I want to remind people how fortunate our staff feels to get to know and teach your children,

With peace,

Sabrina Flamoe

sflamoe@pps.net

PTA NEWS!

Join us this Friday night at 6pm for Family Movie Night!  We will have a free viewing of the Disney movie Inside Out!  Free popcorn too!  

Threshold Brewing is having Vestal night on Thursday, February 20th!  Come have a drink/snacks from 4pm-9pm and a portion of all sales goes to Vestal!  It is kid friendly!  Threshold is at 403 se 79th.https://www.threshold.beer/#

Interested in a Vestal yard sign?  Email vestalelementarypta@gmail.com.

Hello all!

This Thursday (9:30 to 1:30), it’s the Vestal PTA’s turn to provide 5 or 6 volunteers for the district clothing closet at Madison High School (Marshall campus). Volunteers will be sorting/organizing incoming clothing donations to make them available for students throughout the district.

 If people are interested or have any questions,please email Tanya Fox at  teedee10@hotmail.com

Thanks so much!

In this week's PPS Pulse: Benson students create art to beautify Lloyd District; young rappers spread message of kindness and empathy

Benson Polytechnic High School is a long-standing neighbor of Portland’s Lloyd District. Like good neighbors, some of Benson’s students are pitching in to improve the livability of the area.

Substance use and addiction can present serious challenges for students and their families, and Portland Public School is committed to providing the support, guidance and resources they need. On Thursday, we will host the first district-wide family informational night on substance use, titled “A Healthy Me is Substance Free.”

At the start of his story, Danny Fisher is at a blood drive, donating “the elixir of life.” At the end, he is nursing an eye injury that makes him look “like a monster for a few days.” The tale of what happens between those points earned the Grant High School senior first place in the Truth Be Told Story Slam held Thursday at Grant.