Dear Colleagues,

Today at noon, additional COVID-19 vaccination appointments for PPS employees and PPS community partner staff eligible for Wave 4 will be released.

Please note:  The Governor's Office notified us late last week about a change regarding Wave 4 eligibility.  Only student-facing staff are eligible to receive a vaccination at this time. Staff who do not have contact with students as part of their normal course of work do not qualify for Wave 4 vaccines. As of the writing of this message, the OHA scheduling system still does not identify this restriction, but the restriction is in place nonetheless.  

Wave 4 includes teachers' support staff; specialists and administration of 9th to 12th grade; substitutes of all grade levels; athletic coaches; and student-facing district and community partner staff. 

You can find updated information about all Waves by clicking here. There are still appointments available for employees and community partner staff in Waves 1 and 3.

Please follow these instructions (English | Español) to schedule your appointment. 

All updates and other vaccination resource information can be found on the PPS vaccines webpage, or you can email vaccine@pps.net.  

Thank you,

Sharon Reese
Chief Human Resources Officer

Dear Colleagues,

Beginning tomorrow, Thursday, February 18 at 9:00 a.m. and again at noon, PPS employees and PPS community partner staff eligible for Wave 4 can schedule appointments to receive COVID-19 vaccinations at the Oregon Convention Center mega clinic. 

The Oregon Health Authority informed us there will be limited appointments available for Wave 4 at this time. Because these appointments will be limited at first, not everyone in Wave 4 will be able to secure vaccination appointments on Thursday. Additional appointments will be available next week. We would like to ask central office staff and other colleagues who do not typically work directly with students to hold off trying to secure an appointment tomorrow and help protect appointment slots for high school staff, who are also part of Wave 4. We will let you know as soon as more appointments are available, and we thank you for helping to ensure vaccine access to student-facing staff as soon as possible. 

Wave 4-eligible employees include teachers and support staff of 9th grade – 12th grade, substitutes, student teachers, community partner staff, central office staff and other non-school based staff who were not included in prior waves.

You can find information about all Waves by clicking here. There are still appointments available for employees and community partner staff in Waves 1 and 3.

Please follow these instructions (English | Español) to schedule your appointment. 

All updates and other vaccination resource information can be found on the PPS vaccines webpage, or you can email vaccine@pps.net.  

Thank you,

Sharon Reese
Chief Human Resources Officer

Dear Colleagues,

Today at noon additional vaccine appointments for PPS employees and PPS community partner staff eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccinations in Waves 1- 3 will be available for scheduling at the Oregon Convention Center mega clinic. You can find information about all Waves by clicking here. 

Please follow these instructions (English | Español) to schedule your appointment. 

The Oregon Convention Center is open today, Monday, February 15.

Missed vaccine appointments due to weather closures:
If you were scheduled for an appointment during the closure, you will receive a MyHealth message, an email, or a phone call with the below details on rescheduling:

• If a person was scheduled for their 1st dose on 2/12 or 2/14, their new appointment will be on Wednesday 2/17.
• If a person was scheduled for their 1st dose on 2/13, their new appointment will be on Thursday 2/18.
• For those who are scheduled for a second dose, OHA will be accommodating those within the recommended window for either Pfizer or Moderna.

All updates and other vaccination resource information can be found on the PPS vaccines webpage, or you can email vaccine@pps.net.  

Thank you,

Sharon Reese
Chief Human Resources Officer

Dear Colleagues,

We have been informed that, with unsafe road conditions, the Oregon Convention Center mega vaccine clinic was closed today. 

If someone is scheduled for an appointment Friday, a member of the mega clinic team will contact them to assist with rescheduling their appointment. A decision for Saturday will occur later this afternoon.

For up-to-date information related to inclement weather and the Oregon Convention Center mega clinic, please call this hotline: 971-268-6622.

Enjoy the long weekend,

Sharon Reese
Chief Human Resources Officer

Dear Colleagues,

Today (February 11) at noon additional appointments for PPS employees and PPS community partner staff eligible to receive the COVID-19 vaccinations in Waves 1- 3 will be available for scheduling at the Oregon Convention Center mega clinic. 

Snow and freezing temperatures are in the forecast for the remainder of this week. For up-to-date information related to inclement weather and any impact on the Oregon Convention Center mega clinic, please call this new hotline: 971-268-6622. For those who cannot make it due to inclement weather, you will be contacted for rescheduling without going through the website scheduling tool - we are waiting for more details. 

You can find information about all Waves by clicking here. 

Please follow these instructions (English | Español) to schedule your appointment. 

All updates and other vaccination resource information can be found on the PPS vaccines webpage, or you can email vaccine@pps.net.  

Thank you,

Sharon Reese
Chief Human Resources Officer

Dear Colleagues,

Beginning at noon today, PPS employees and PPS community partner staff eligible for Wave 3 can schedule appointments to receive COVID-19 vaccinations this week at the Oregon Convention Center mega clinic. The Oregon Health Authority informed us there will be limited appointments available for Wave 3 at this time. We will continue to update you as more appointments are available.

Wave 3-eligible employees include teachers and support staff of 6th grade – 8th grade school teachers, long-term subs, student teachers, and community partner staff. You can find information about all Waves by clicking here. There are still appointments available for employees and community partner staff in Waves 1 and 2.

Please follow these instructions (English | Español) to schedule your appointment. 

All updates and other vaccination resource information can be found on the PPS vaccines webpage, or you can email vaccine@pps.net.  

Thank you,

Sharon Reese
Chief Human Resources Officer

Dear Colleagues,

A reminder that, as of noon today, PPS employees and PPS community partner staff eligible for Wave 2 can schedule appointments to receive COVID-19 vaccinations this week at the Oregon Convention Center mega clinic. 

Wave 2-eligible employees include 2nd to 5th grade school teachers, long-term subs, student teachers, and community partner staff. You can find information about all Waves by clicking here.

Please follow these instructions (English | Spanish) to schedule your appointment. 

All updates and other vaccination resource information can be found on the PPS vaccines webpage, or you can email vaccine@pps.net.  

Send us your vaccine selfies!
Don’t forget to send us your vaccine selfies and photos! (It’s our understanding that selfies may not be permitted in the Convention Center mega clinic, so please consider outdoor or other locations.) We have already received some heartwarming photos that we are hoping to share in internal communications (such as being highlighted in The One), on social media and other documentations. Our goal is to reach herd immunity through inoculation for the health of our entire community, so images of your willingness to get the vaccine in this phase may encourage others who look to our school staff as role models. Please submit photos to vaccine@pps.net and include your position and location, department, or community partner organization.

Thank you,

Sharon Reese
Chief Human Resources Officer

Dear Colleagues,

PPS employees and staff of our community partners eligible for Wave 2 will be able to schedule your COVID-19 vaccine appointments at the Oregon Convention Center mega clinic starting at noon on Monday, February 1.

A reminder that Wave 2 eligible employees include elementary school teachers, long-term subs, and student teachers and community partners working in 2nd to 5th grade classrooms. You can find information about all Waves by clicking here.

Wave 1 eligible employees who have not yet scheduled an appointment may also continue to schedule during Wave 2. There are still Wave 1 appointment slots available now.  

You can schedule your appointment through Oregon Health Authority’s online eligibility screening and automated scheduling tool. Please follow these instructions (English | Spanish) to schedule your appointment. 

While wait times are expected to improve today and moving forward, we have heard that lines at some points during the day may require standing outside. Please be sure to dress accordingly.

A reminder that all updates and other vaccination resource information can be found on the PPS vaccines webpage, or you can email vaccine@pps.net.

Have a great weekend.

Sharon Reese
Chief Human Resources Officer

Dear Colleagues,

There are still available appointments for PPS staff and staff of our community partners eligible in Wave 1. If you are in this wave, please follow the instructions (English | Spanish) to schedule your appointment.

If you are not in Wave 1, please be patient. We expect appointments to open next week and will keep you advised as soon as we receive information.

• Wave 1
  • Individuals providing (or have volunteered and scheduled to begin) limited in-person instruction (LIPI)
  • Emergency child care providers
  • Operations staff that facilitate or provide direct services to students including bus drivers, campus safety associates, custodians, maintenance, and nutrition services staff
  • SUN Food Pantry Providers
  • Teachers, long-term subs, and student teachers in Pre-K, KG, and 1st grade classrooms, and specialists (athletics, electives, ESL, media specialists, SEL, SPED, and many more), support staff (attendance coaches, clerical, community agents, EA, Para, SLI, TIC, and many more), administration, and community partners at schools with elementary grade levels

FAQs Updated
Our FAQs have been updated, including new parking information for the Oregon Convention Center. We have been informed that they are improving their process flow at the Oregon Convention Center to reduce wait times and increase social distancing.

Phase 1a Second Doses at Oregon Convention Center
We have been informed by OHA that staff who received their first dose through Phase 1a must contact the provider who administered the first dose to schedule the second dose. We have raised this issue repeatedly, and we know it is causing concern. The Convention Center clinic is not able to administer second doses for individuals who received the first dose somewhere else. If you received a first dose and your provider has told you to use the OHA process, please explain to your provider that OHA has refused second doses through the Oregon Convention Center clinic and instructed you to go back through your provider.  

Send us your vaccine selfies!
We want to see your vaccine selfies and photos! We would love to collect your photos and selfies while receiving your vaccine to potentially share in internal communications (such as being highlighted in The One), on social media, and other documentations. Our goal is to reach herd immunity through inoculation for the health of our entire community, so images of your willingness to get the vaccine in this phase may encourage others who look to our school staff as role models. Please submit photos to vaccine@pps.net and include your position and location, department, or community partner organization.

Regarding the request for vaccine selfies: It has come to our attention that the Oregon Convention Center does not allow photos to be taken during the vaccination process. Please follow the OCC rules. If you'd like to take a selfie outside or once you've left the building and share with us, please submit photos to vaccine@pps.net and include your position and location, department, or community partner organization.

Vaccine Panel information
We are co-hosting a virtual Vaccination Panel Conversation with Multnomah County and the Coalition of Communities of Color on Friday, January 29, from 5:00 - 6:30 p.m. Watch live at youtube.com/ppscomms.

For more information, please visit the PPS Vaccine Webpage, refer to the updated frequently asked questions document, or email vaccine@pps.net. 

Thank you,

Sharon Reese 
Chief Human Resource Officer

Dear Colleagues,

We have just been notified that more vaccine appointments are now available through Oregon Health Authority’s online eligibility screening and automated scheduling “bot”. If you are an employee or partner in Wave 1, please follow these instructions to schedule your appointment.  

We have been informed that the LIPI question, which was omitted from the initial rollout, has now been added to the eligibility screening. 

For more information, please visit the PPS Vaccine Webpage, refer to the frequently asked questions document, or email vaccine@pps.net. 

Thank you,

Sharon Reese 
Chief Human Resource Officer

Dear Colleagues,

We have heard from many staff and partners who were eligible in Wave 1 were successfully able to schedule a vaccine appointment. We have also heard from a number of staff and partners who experienced technical difficulties with the registration process.  

Oregon Health Authority is aware and currently working to address the multiple issues experienced by educators from across the Portland metro area. We have attempted below to capture questions that are awaiting answers. We would like staff and partners to refer to the FAQ for questions that we have been able to answer regarding the registration process and vaccine information.  

We have received several questions to which we are still seeking answers. As soon as we have answers to outstanding questions, we will update the FAQ and communicate with everyone. Here are some common topics we can share now:

• I received inaccurate information from PPS yesterday about vaccine scheduling.
  • We passed on information precisely as it was provided to us. Some of that information was misinterpreted by individuals, and then that misinformation was repeated to others inaccurately. Some of the information turned out to be incorrect due to errors in Oregon Health Authority’s scheduling process.  
  • What is within our control: We are sharing information with you as soon as we get it and in several formats--emails, our vaccine webpage, our vaccine FAQs, and fielding questions and answers centrally through the vaccine@pps.net email address. We are also sharing with OHA and our health system partners our questions, concerns, and feedback to influence corrections, improvements, and clarity.
  • What is not within our control: Errors and glitches in the scheduling process and changing information about vaccine access or the scheduling process.
  • What can you do: Keep in mind that information is changing and be a part of the solution. The questions you are asking and the experiences you are sharing with us are helping us influence the process and shape the resources we can offer.  
• I did not receive an appointment confirmation email. Is my appointment scheduled?
  • It is our understanding that a confirmation email is sent when an appointment is successfully scheduled. We are waiting to hear what the expectation is for those who went through to the scheduling tool and ended up receiving, or not receiving, an error. 
• I have volunteered for LIPI for grades 2nd or above and there are no eligibility questions regarding LIPI - how do I schedule an appointment?
  • We have been informed that the lack of the LIPI question is a technical issue that OHA is working to resolve. As soon as it is added, we will update our FAQ. 
• I received my first vaccine dose from my health care provider through Phase 1a but was not scheduled for my second dose. How do I get scheduled for my second dose? 
  • At this time, the scheduling tool and the healthcare systems have directed people back to their healthcare provider or the location they received their first dose. We have heard that the healthcare providers are then redirecting individuals back to the convention center to schedule their second dose. We have advocated for individuals to receive their second dose through the mass clinic and are awaiting further guidance. 
• The website is telling me there are no appointments available, does this mean I cannot get my vaccine?
  • At this time the first wave of appointments has been filled. New appointment times will be available soon, however, we do not know the exact timeline. At the earliest, that could be later this afternoon; at the latest, it could be next week. We will notify employees and partners via email when we are informed that new appointments are available. 

Thank you for your patience and perseverance. We will continue to communicate with you as we receive updates from OHA. In the meantime, please continue to visit the PPS Vaccine Website. If you have any questions that are not answered in the FAQ, please email vaccine@pps.net.

Thank you,

Sharon Reese
Chief Human Resources Officer

Español

Good afternoon,

We are pleased to share that scheduling is now open for Wave 1 COVID vaccinations. The Oregon Health Authority has created an online eligibility screening and automated scheduling “bot” to support vaccination appointment scheduling. If you are an employee in Wave 1 (employees providing limited-in-person instruction or LIPI, Pre-K to 1st grade teachers and elementary school support staff, specialists, administration; bus drivers, custodians, maintenance and nutrition service, campus safety employees and community partners who provide child care or  SUN food pantry staff), please follow the instructions below. 

Please note: Long-term substitutes, student teachers, CBO and Charter School employees, and community partners are included in each wave appropriately based on your participation in LIPI and in-person, on-site service and appropriate grade band.

If you are not a Wave 1 employee, the “bot” will not allow you to schedule; please only schedule your appointment during your assigned wave. We will notify you when subsequent waves are open for scheduling. 

There are more employees in this wave than available appointments. If you’re unable to make an appointment in this first round, we will let you know when more appointments are available.    

Subsequent waves will be notified when appointments are available. The exact timing of when each wave will begin is still dependent on when vaccines and appointments are available. If you have already received your first shot, you will need to go through the provider who administered the shot to receive the second dose.

Please refer to the email you received on January 26, 2021, at noon for detailed instructions to schedule an appointment.

For more information, please visit the PPS Vaccine Webpage, refer to the frequently asked questions document above, or email vaccine@pps.net. 

Thank you,

Sharon Reese
Chief Human Resource Officer

Español

Good morning,

Last Friday we shared the good news that health providers will offer appointments to PK-12 educators and staff, along with our community partners who provide student-facing support, starting January 27 at the Oregon Convention Center. There are approximately 40,000 PK-12 employees in the Portland metro area. The vaccination center at the Oregon Convention Center will administer approximately 2,000 vaccines per day. It will take a number of weeks for all educators to be vaccinated.

Vaccines will be provided in a sequence of four waves to specific employee groups.

Wave 1 includes:

• All employees providing limited-in-person instruction (LIPI), regardless of their role
• Bus drivers, custodians, maintenance, nutrition service and campus safety employees
• Elementary school teachers for Pre-K to 1st grade and support staff, specialists, administration at elementary schools
• Community partners who work with students
• Community partners who provide child care and SUN food pantry staff

The other waves are:

• Wave 2: Teachers and support staff of 2nd grade – 5th grade
• Wave 3: Teachers and support staff of 6th grade – 8th grade
• Wave 4: Teachers and support staff of 9th grade – 12th grade, substitute teachers, athletic coaches or other staff not based at a district or educational facility

Wave 1 employees are scheduled to have the opportunity to make a vaccination appointment beginning at 12:00 noon today. All employees will receive a follow-up email with instructions for signing up for an appointment around noon. Employees we believe are eligible for wave 1 vaccines will receive a separate email. There are more employees in this wave than available appointments for the week. If you’re unable to make an appointment this week, more appointments will become available. We will forward any updates on when more appointments are available.   

Staff in subsequent waves will be notified when appointments are available. The exact timing of when each wave will begin is still dependent on when vaccines and appointments are available.

This process, created by health care providers and the Oregon Health Authority, is designed to get the most educators and staff vaccinated as quickly as possible. We thank you for following the process, and for your patience.

We invite you to visit the PPS vaccinations webpage. We will also co-host a virtual Vaccination Panel Conversation with Multnomah County and the Coalition of Communities of Color on Friday, January 29, from 5:00 - 6:30 p.m.

If you have any questions, please let us know at vaccine@pps.net.  

Thank you,

Sharon Reese
Chief Human Resources Officer

Español

Dear Colleagues,

Portland-area health care systems are collaborating with school districts and educational service districts on a joint plan to provide COVID-19 vaccinations to educators and school staff working for Multnomah, Washington and Clackamas County schools as soon as possible. Final details should be available very soon; here is what we know as of today:

• Health care providers will offer a central vaccination center for PreK-12 staff at the Oregon Convention Center. Our expectation is that the vaccinations will be scheduled for as early as next week.  
• Staff who provide direct, in-person support to students (including LIPI) will be offered appointments first. Staff in these first groups will receive information about scheduling early next week.
• Current estimates are that our health care systems partners will administer approximately 2,000 vaccinations each day at the Oregon Convention Center based on vaccine availability, so it will take several weeks to administer the first dose of vaccines to all school staff. 

We are grateful that Governor Brown has worked to prioritize vaccine access for educators and school staff, given the critical importance of opening schools as quickly and safely as possible. 

As soon as we have more information, we will share it with you. In the meantime, if you have questions about the vaccines, we invite you to visit the PPS vaccinations webpage. We will also co-host a virtual Vaccination Panel Conversation with Multnomah County and the Coalition of Communities of Color on Friday, January 29, from 5:00 - 6:30 p.m.   

Thank you for your patience as we work through this complex process with multiple other entities.

Wishing you a wonderful weekend,

Sharon Reese
Chief Human Resources Officer

Español

Dear PPS Colleagues,

Despite today’s surprising news that a recently promised increase in vaccine supply was based on a federal vaccine reserve that, as it turns out, does not exist, Governor Brown announced this afternoon that the state remains on-schedule to provide COVID-19 vaccinations to educators and school staff, beginning the week of January 25. 

Oregon Health Authority Director Patrick Allen added: “We hope to vaccinate most educators within two weeks, but that depends on the doses we receive.”

Already, we are working with Portland metro area healthcare providers, including Kaiser, OHSU, Providence, Legacy and PeaceHealth, in co-developing a vaccination plan to provide educators and school staff with their first COVID-19 vaccine dose. We expect many more details to emerge in the coming days, and we will share those details with you as we have them. In the meantime: 

• How do I find out more?  Please do not call health care providers with questions about vaccine access for educators and school staff. Our health care providers are overwhelmed with questions from the public and have asked that school districts implore their employees to hold their calls. We will share more on how to prepare for upcoming vaccination opportunities as soon as we have additional information.
• Why should school staff get vaccinated?  Vaccination is a safe, effective and reliable way to prevent becoming infected with COVID-19. It’s the best tool we have to accelerate the end of the pandemic in Oregon and, in the meantime, to allow us to re-open schools to students. A reminder: mask-wearing, hand-washing, and social distancing are still very important! 
• Is the vaccine safe? Is it effective?  Thanks to advances in medicine, scientists were able to create and test a vaccine quickly. The Food & Drug Administration (FDA) requires rigorous safety testing before it will approve any vaccine. Tens of thousands of people — including Oregonians — from many backgrounds, ages and communities of color, participated in vaccine testing. Clinical trials measured the effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines. Each vaccine requires two doses. The Moderna vaccine is 94% effective two weeks after a person receives the second shot. The Pfizer vaccine is 95% effective one week after the second shot. 

We expect to learn much more in the next few days and we will be in touch with you early next week. In addition, we are in the planning stages of hosting a vaccine town hall for PPS employees sometime this month. In the meantime, you can find more information about COVID-19 vaccines and answers to frequently asked questions on the Oregon Health Authority vaccine website.

Wishing you a safe and peaceful holiday weekend as we celebrate the legacy of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.

Sharon Reese
Chief Human Resources Officer

Español

This communication was sent to PPS staff who are McKinney-Vento Student Success Advocates (who are currently providing in-person services), School Counselors, Social Workers, QMHPs, Psychologists, Speech Language Pathologists, Board Certified Behavioral Analysts, Certified Nursing Assistants, Physical Therapists, Occupational Therapists, Audiologists, and Autism Specialists.

Colleagues,

I am reaching out because we think that, based on your job at Portland Public Schools, you may qualify to receive the COVID-19 vaccine through Phase 1A.  If you are interested in getting a vaccine, I encourage you to seek further guidance from your healthcare provider.

We know there is a lot of uncertainty about the vaccine, and we are planning to host informational sessions in the near future. 

Information and guidance about COVID-19 vaccine availability and distribution is in flux and is not always consistent from every provider.  Reviewing the phase descriptions from the Oregon Health Authority and based on some input we have received, we believe your work may fall under Phase 1A’s group 2, “mobile crisis care and related services” or group 4, “all other outpatient health care personnel (HPC).” 

You will qualify as a school employee in Phase 1B, based on what we know from Governor Kate Brown’s recent press releases.  We are working with our local and state health authorities and others on a plan for vaccine distribution, and we will update you as we learn more.

In the meantime, your healthcare provider (Kaiser, Providence, OHSU, and others) can determine if you qualify in Phase 1A.

If you have questions about COVID-19 vaccines or Oregon’s distribution plan, please visit the Oregon Health Authority’s vaccine FAQ page.

Thank you,

Sharon Reese
Chief Human Resources Officer