Astor School

School Grade Levels: K-8

5601 N. Yale St.Portland, OR 97203Ph 503-916-6244Fx 503-916-2605

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The Astor Connection

School Announcements

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  • Astor Welcome Back Letter

    Hello Astor Families, 

    Classroom/homeroom teacher notifications have been released for all 1st through 8th graders. If you did not receive this information or you have multiple children in the same grade level, then please reach out to the office starting at 503-916-6244. The office hours are from 8am to 4pm daily. Kindergarten families will receive a phone call regarding your child's teacher, school start date, and parent-teacher meeting time/day.

    All families can find our welcome back letter for the 24-25 school year here. We have so many exciting events coming up this month! You can find information on them in the last Astor Connection.

    Have a wonderful rest of the summer and we hope to see you at our Warm Welcome on August 26th from 2:30 to 3:30pm!

    Warmly,

    Blake Robertson
    Principal @ Astor

  • Astor Before-School-Year Community Events

    Hello Astor Families!

    There are a couple of great events coming up prior to the start of the 23-24 school year that we want you to know about.

    Connect to Kindergarten

    August 17th from 5:30 to 6:30 - Link with information is here 

    Join Astor Staff and other Astor Kindergarten students and families as we visit together prior to the start of the school year. You'll be able to see the kinder classrooms and our Astor PTSO will be there with Portland Goat Parties! Hope to see you there!

    Project Community Care Day

    August 19th from 9am to 12pm - Link with information is here 

    Please join us for Project Community Care Day, an annual tradition and a wonderful opportunity to help beautify our school grounds to be held on Saturday, August 19th, from 9am to 12pm.  We encourage you to bring your gardening gloves and tools and refillable water bottle. Students are welcome to join you and we’ll just ask that you supervise. We look forward to seeing you Saturday, August 19th, 9 am to 12 pm!

    Astor’s 3rd Annual Warm Welcome!

    August 28th from 4:30pm to 5:30pm - Link with information is here

    This event on campus will allow for our students and families to meet, see the entrance that they should come to at the start of each day, and pick up their back to school packets and Middle School schedules and supply lists. Additionally, many of our teachers will be at this event and it's a great time to connect with them prior to the start of the school year. Families may arrive at the school at a time that works for them between 4:30pm and 5:30pm on August 29th.

  • COBM DREAM BIGGER Mentoring Program

    Our community partner, the Coalition of Black Men, invites boys in grades 6-8 to join their DREAM BIGGER Mentoring Program.

    What: This program provides academic support, mentoring, cultural enrichment and personal development to our young men!

    When: Begins September 28th 

               Every Tuesday from 1:45 - 2:30 pm 

    Where: Room 63 (portable 3)

    How do I join?: Scan the QR code on the flyer below or visit https://forms.gle/F3RA3/1Q8ePn2aGV97

    Questions?: Contact mentoring@cobmportland.org

    COBM 1

    COBM 2

     

     

Principal's Message

  • Dear Astor Families and University Park Community,

    I'm excited to join you all for a fifth year at Astor. I’m a school leader focused on racial equity, and I’m committed to creating welcoming spaces for students and families. You'll find this emphasis in our school goals and in our day-to-day operations at Astor. Whether it's a focus on eliminating the racial achievement and opportunity gap or culturally specific events, I'm constantly pushing our community towards our school and district vision. I strongly believe that all children deserve an exceptional education that is personalized to their individual needs while preparing them to graduate from college. For many of our students, Astor is the first step in this journey of realizing their potential.

    I have worked for the last 17 years in Portland Public Schools, first as a paraeducator, then as a teacher, and now as a school leader for the past 8 years. I’ve taught throughout the district, including at SEI, Beverly Cleary, Astor, and Ockley Green. For the last four years, I was the Assistant Principal at Jason Lee. Prior to moving to Portland, I served as a Peace Corps Volunteer in the Fiji Islands with my spouse, Miranda. I’m also an Astor parent and have one daughter who attends our school and another at Roosevelt High School. They have found joy in their experiences as PPS students, and I'm confident all our children at Astor will, too.

    Finally, I have an open-door policy; please bring concerns and feedback to me at any time. I know that I will approach every situation striving to do what is best for students and putting them first. 

    Warmly,

    Principal Robertson
    brobertson@pps.net

    Robertson

     

     

District News

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  • Join the Climate Crisis Response Committee

    If you are a passionate student or community member that wants to make a difference at PPS, apply to join the Climate Crisis Response Committee! This is a committee that reports to the PPS Board of Education.

    On the committee you will learn about how PPS is making progress towards our climate justice and sustainability policies, provide input and recommendations to the PPS Board on how to better support PPS staff as we advance these policy goals, and connect with other passionate members of our PPS community from diverse backgrounds, knowledge areas, and lived experiences.

    No previous professional experience in climate change or sustainability required! Students can apply via this form. Community members can apply here.

    Deadline to apply: June 6. 

  • Students Dance Their Hearts Out at This Year's Earthstock

    Earthstock 2025 was a huge success!

    Each year, special education students from across the region gather at Portland's Crystal Ballroom for a truly unique and uniquely joyful high school dance. 

    Earthstock began in 1992 at the request of a young student who was confined to a wheelchair and was disappointed he couldn’t attend the high school dances because of transportation issues. There were 60 kids at the first event. Earthstock now entertains more than 700 students, staff and volunteers, and is rapidly becoming one the largest events of its kind in the country. 

  • Author and Former PPS Teacher Visits Skyline

    Students at Skyline school were recently treated to a visit from PPS teacher-turned-graphic novelist Aron Nels Steinke. 

    Steinke is the award-winning author and illustrator behind the popular Mr. Wolf's Class series. He also taught at Skyline during the 2015-16 school year.

    During his visit to Skyline, he opened up to a group of third, fourth, and fifth graders about how he got started as an author despite struggling to read and write in school. He also read a short excerpt from his newest book, Speechless. 

    Speechless tells the story of Mira, a sixth grader who spends her first year of middle school finding herself and her voice. Skyline students were some of the book's first readers. We can't wait to see what Mr. Steinke writes next!

     

  • Mayor Delivers State of the City at Franklin HS

    On May 2, Portland Mayor Keith Wilson delivered his first state of the city address at Franklin High School.

    Members of the district and Franklin student councils had the chance to hear Wilson speak about his plans and vision for Portland’s future. Student Representative JJ Kunsevi opened the panel with a powerful question about education funding and the impact on students. 

    It was an evening that put public education front-and-center and a chance for PPS student leaders to shine.

Upcoming Events

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Astor Vision, Mission, and Community Equity Statement

  • Vision:

    Astor students will learn to be compassionate critical thinkers, able to collaborate and solve problems, and be prepared to lead a more socially just world.

    Mission Statement:

    As a neighborhood model school, we strive to support all students regardless of their needs. The Mission of Astor K-8 School is to disrupt the predictability of outcomes based on race, specifically for our students of color, multilingual students, and students with disabilities. We seek to achieve this by educating, inspiring, challenging and empowering our students to reach their highest potential. In partnership with our families and community members, we are committed to daily excellence in a kind, inclusive, and supportive environment that values equity, individuality, collaboration, and creativity. 

    Community Equity Statement:

    We all belong at Astor. We honor diversity, celebrate differences, and seek to understand all perspectives. We strive to be an inclusive, safe, and respectful school community.

    We all belong at Astor, and together we are stronger.

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