Querida comunidad Chávez,

¡Felicitaciones por completar con éxito el año escolar 2023-2024! Este año ciertamente ha sido uno para los libros. Parece que fue ayer cuando dimos la bienvenida a los estudiantes y sus familias al edificio durante la jornada de puertas abiertas, y ahora estamos concluyendo lo que ha sido un viaje inolvidable.

Tanto los estudiantes como el personal siempre recordarán este año por el increíble aprendizaje y el arduo trabajo que se llevó a cabo, en medio de desafíos inesperados como la tormenta de hielo que nos hizo perder una semana de clases. Fue un año lleno de giros y vueltas, pero a pesar de todo, nuestro personal y estudiantes encontraron maneras de unirse, formar relaciones sólidas y crecer tanto académica como socialmente.

Extiendo mi más sincero agradecimiento a cada uno de ustedes por su inquebrantable apoyo. Servir como su director interino ha sido una experiencia increíble, llena de risas y recuerdos preciados que han hecho que este año escolar sea verdaderamente excepcional. Los animo a que se aferren a las amistades y a las maravillosas experiencias que han tenido en César Chávez este año.

A medida que avanzan, espero ansiosamente escuchar acerca de los notables logros y éxitos que les esperan a cada uno de ustedes en su trayectoria académica.

Mis mejores deseos para unas relajantes y agradables vacaciones de verano.

Un cordial saludo,

Jorge A. Meza

 Dear Chávez Community,

Congratulations on successfully completing the 2023-2024 school year! This year has certainly been one for the books. It feels like just yesterday we were welcoming students and their families into the building during Open House, and now we're wrapping up what has been an unforgettable journey.

Students and staff alike will always remember this year for the incredible learning and hard work that took place, amidst the unexpected challenges like the ice storm that caused us to miss a week of school. It was a year filled with twists and turns, yet through it all, our staff and students found ways to come together, forming strong relationships and growing both academically and socially.

I extend my heartfelt thanks to each one of you for your unwavering support. Serving as your interim principal has been an incredible experience, filled with laughter and cherished memories that have made this school year truly exceptional. I encourage you to hold onto the friendships and the wonderful experiences you've had at César Chávez this year.

As you move forward, I eagerly await hearing about the remarkable achievements and successes awaiting each of you in your academic journey.

Best wishes for a restful and enjoyable summer break.

Warm regards,

Jorge A. Meza 

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¡Haga clic aquí para convertirse en miembro de la PTA!

HeART of Portland, the annual celebration of local student artists, is returning to the Portland Art Museum (PAM) beginning April 16.

The two-week fine arts showcase features work by students from across Portland Public Schools and is made possible by the Arts Access Fund, which also supports elementary visual and performing arts educators.

2025 HeART of Portland kicks off with an opening reception at PAM on April 16 at 6:30 p.m. and concludes with the Miller Family Free Day on April 27. The opening reception will include musical and theatrical performances, as well as a set from the elementary school honor choir – made up of two singers from each PPS elementary – and the debut of the honor dance collective. 

In addition, the showcase will feature more than 100 works of student visual art, handpicked by PPS arts educators, and a collaborative art project for K-12 students that embraces the rebellious spirit of the current PAM exhibition, Psychedelic Rock Posters and Fashion of the 1960s. 

The reception and HeART of Portland exhibits are free and open to everyone. Please join us in lifting up our student artists!

Portland Public Schools is continuing to host a series of events aimed at starting productive conversations about what is possible in the systems we create for our children with disabilities.

As part of this series, we are excited to welcome you to a free screening of The Ride Ahead on Thursday March 20 at McMenamins Kennedy School. Doors open at 6 p.m. and the movie begins at 7:00.

The Ride Ahead is a film about adult life with disabilities by a man with disabilities. It is the debut of 21-year-old Samuel Habib who, struggling to find his place in the world, decides to make a film that charts how a group of disabled adults navigate challenges and forge their own unique paths. The film serves as a roadmap for himself and others and illustrates the compelling power of one person truly determined to live life on his own terms.

In documenting his journey, Samuel is following in the footsteps of his father, the filmmaker Dan Habib. You can learn more about their work here.

Staff, families, and community members are all invited. Parking is free and McMenamins' full menu is available for ordering. We hope to see you there!

In meteorological terms, Portland’s first big weather event of 2024 was the definition of a perfect storm. Frigid temperatures and high winds combined with snow and ice to bring down tree limbs, close roads, scramble traffic, freeze pipes, and knock out power for tens of thousands of residents.

It was a metaphorical perfect storm for Portland Public Schools as well. Fallen trees cut power to multiple schools and others have suffered water damage from broken pipes. Lack of heat was also a problem, and impassable roads, paired with snowed-in and icy parking lots, made it impossible for buses to run safely. Those same conditions limited how the district’s facilities and operations teams can even assess the scope of the issues, let alone begin working on solutions. And icy sidewalks meant walkers have no safe route to school.

This week could bring similar conditions to the Portland area, and PPS’s School Closure Team is ready to meet the challenge. The team convenes regularly during inclement weather to take all of the above into careful consideration. By now, families are quite familiar with how the district communicates these decisions. What’s perhaps less known is how district leaders arrive at such decisions in the first place. 

As part of our district's focus on events that center belonging, equity, and inclusion, we have been screening a series of films that we hope will challenge our perceptions about what is possible in the systems we create for our children with disabilities.

The next film in the series is “Champions,” which will screen on Saturday February 8th at 2:00 PM at Lincoln High School. This event will also include first-hand testimonials from PPS students.

This movie highlights the journey of a basketball coach who leads a team of players with intellectual disabilities. Through humor and heartfelt moments, the movie emphasizes the strengths, individuality, and value each player brings to the team and how inclusion enriches communities and creates positive, supportive environments.

Staff, families, and community members are all invited. Parking is free and light refreshment will be provided. We hope to see you there!