Kelda Van Patten, our 3D Visual Art teacher, has deservingly been awarded the 2017 Oregon Middle Level Art Educator of the Year by the Oregon Art Education Association. Congratulations, Kelda! da Vinci is so fortunate to have you as a teacher and staff member!  

 

da Vinci Arts Middle School can earn up to 10% of your sale proceeds if you simply start all of your Amazon shopping experiences from this link 

1. Students will ONLY DESIGN and PAINT the door of their locker;
   1. If students design more than one locker as a group, they will be allowed to carefully paint the adjacent frames.
2. After students have finished painting, volunteers will paint the locker frames black to frame their design. Our hope is that this will minimize paint dripping and sticking the lockers shut, and it should also make it easier for students to open and close their doors. Our plan is that the black frames will not have to be painted each year, but only touched up. 
3. ALL 3rd floor LOCKER HANDLES will be TAPED and NOT PAINTED prior to student painting. The 1st floor combination space will also be taped and is NOT to be PAINTED. By not painting 3rd floor locker handles, they should continue to function as is--without undue stress.  

1. TAPE ALL THE TARPS DOWN to protect the floors; 
2. On Tuesday, TAPE ALL the 3rd Floor LOCKER HANDLES in preparation for painting on Wed.

Dear da Vinci Families,

• At the Portland Drammy Awards, Nicole Accuardi received the  "Mary Brand Award from the Portland Civic Theatre Guild on behalf of da Vinci Drama in the amount of $2000 to purchase an electric piano for the department.” At the ceremony, composer Michael Allen Harrison offered to replace some of our older pianos through his non-profit Play it Forward. 

• Tap teacher Sara Martins, whose Spring Musical and Dance Concert choreography is exceptional, choreographed and did a cameo dance performance in the Portland Gay Men’s Chorus The Divos. 

• Promoted 8th grader Elizabeth Loomis won Young Audience’s annual Tee-shirt design contest. Kudos also to Jake Wooley, Sylvia Amoruso, and Lena Gonzales (who was among the top 7 finalist for the second year in a row). Congratulations all! 

Dear da Vinci Families, 

I hope you are all well.  

Visual Art and Creative Writing Capstone 

Yesterday afternoon, the Connie Cheifetz Gallery in the main Hall was a buzz of excitement and celebration for the 8th grade Visual Art and Writing Capstone exhibition opening.  Each Capstone student received a rose, and as students, parents, teachers, and friends mingled, the celebratory atmosphere was joyous and fun! Numerous parents commented on the outstanding work, and the rich diversity of expression and talent. From artist statements that described process and inspiration, to favorite destinations captured in black and white images, weaving, ceramic pieces, sculptures, painting, drawings, prints, prose and poetry, this accomplished work was outstanding!  Congratulations students and staff, Brava, Bravo! 

Foundation ASK…

In the next two weeks, e hope to get as close to $80,000 as we can. To be specific, for the 2017-18 school year, our Foundation funds will help support the following positions: Math, English Language Arts, Dance, African Drumming, Library and a half of a secretarial position. Simply put, we need your continued support, and any and all donations: $10, $25, $50,  $100, $500 or more make a huge difference. 

As outgoing 8th grade families have been particularly generous, having new 6th grade families join us to achieve 100% participation would be awesome! 

Incentive: 

• Paul King and Walter Jaffee of White Bird have generously donated a pair of excellent tickets to an upcoming show for their 2017-18 Whitebird Season. For any donation that is $100 or over, your name will be entered into a drawing that will take place on Monday, July 3, 2017.

I strongly believe in our art focus da Vinci community. Please join me in writing another or a first Foundation check, and asking a relative or friend to match your donation. Donations to the foundation can also be made online.

Thank you for your amazing children, and thank you in advance for supporting their most valued da Vinci education!

Best,

Fred

Dear da Vinci Families,

Last Thursday, Beginning Band, Jazz Band, Trogdor, African Drumming Ensemble, Choir and Advanced Band, skillfully played and sang their way into the hearts of a large, appreciative, and enthusiastic crowd. The wonderfully eclectic Spring Music Program was memorable. 

As Music Director Mr. Mark Gerolami shared throughout the concert, “each ensemble made great gains and collectively they were a pleasure to work with.” The level of difficulty by both Beginning and Advanced Bands was impressive, and it was very cool that 7th grader Mason McKinney-Best conducted the Beginning Band in Baroque Celebration. African Drumming students played great, and having teacher Hakim Muhammad join them for the finale was special! Spring Trogdor showcased new and familiar faces, and Sara Daley and Mark did a fabulous job showcasing their considerable talents. The Choir, singing Leonard Cohen’s Hallelujah to closing with The Parting Glass arranged by Audrey Snyder received roaring approval as sonorous soloist and ensemble harmonies filled the auditorium. Brava, Bravo Mark, Hakim, Sara, and students for a brilliant evening of music!

Today, from 3:30-4:30 PLEASE JOIN US for the 8th grade Visual Arts & Creative Writing Capstone Opening! 82 Visual Artists, and 10 Creative Writing students have created and presented their best work and it is exceptional! Meera Kreitzer, our Senior Director, after touring the exhibition, said “it was amazing, and the whole show should be on display at the BESC district administrative building.” She loved the richness, the distinctiveness of the art work, and the informative artist statements. She was equally impressed by the powerful, humorous, and raw heartfelt creative writing that goes far beyond their years. CONGRATULATIONS, and ultimate Kudos to Kelda, Jessica, Alison, Jasmine, Chelsea, Austin, and students for a wonderful exhibition. The team is dedicating this show to our beloved Jasmine R. R. Spiegel, and her parents will be in attendance. Awesome! 

In other news, a huge THANK YOU to ALL of the eighth grade parent chaperones that made the Great Wolf Lodge Trip a major success. With high expectations, and friendly reminders from me and Sheli Bryan, Daniel Boettcher, and Heidi Sprecher, our students were strong da Vinci ambassadors and had a great time. Staff and parents completely appreciated the good spirits, cooperation, and fun that was had by all! 

Don’t miss performing arts Capstone Show A from 1:00-3:00 pm Friday, June 2, and Capstone Show B on Friday, June 9th, at the same time. 

Thank you for your wonderful children, and please help them finish strong!

Best,

Fred

Dear da Vinci Families,

 24 student poets, two rounds of amazing slams, five awesome judges, one entertaining Emcee, and a super supportive audience;  da Vinci’s Poetry Slam 2017 was a perfect 10!!!!

Brava Ms. Wasson! Assembling an all-star crew of former students as judges, recruiting student Emcee Gabe Rosenfield, and Katie Loewen and Daniel Boettcher to compute scores—the cast was set. As is tradition, sacrificial poet Eli Carey set a high bar and there was no looking back! As Ms. Wasson shared after the first round, "these brave poets made us all laugh or cry!" 

"It IS about the poetry not the points," reminded Gabe. CONGRATULATIONS poets: Sara Ownby, Skye Eichmiller, Hannah Ernst, Julian Geary, MJ Sasse, Lelya Vickers, Amber McConnell, Laila Deweese, Mia Miles-Avery, Telia Quiroz, Sophia (Thea) Morris, Meg Redwine, Nora Smith, Elsa Norling, Mac Bixby, Autumn Bascue, Yukpa Wright, Zadie Jones, Dashiel Rucka, Ollie River Satalich, Sarina Sanders, Alayja  Turner-Moore, Erandi Jones-Vega, and Mila Aldridge. THANK YOU for your eloquent, gutsy, heartfelt, funny, and thought-provoking words, you all were awesome!

The second round, featuring the 10 highest scoring poets, competed for top honors. Like the first round, ALL the poets were outstanding and their slams, on topics ranging from race, semi-colons, sexual identity, social justice, to gut wrenching disappointment, featured stark and truthful words that rang true. The top three places went to five students. Tied for Third place were: Yukpa Wright and Dashiell Rucka, tied for Second place were Erandi Jones Vega and Hannah Ernest; and our da Vinci Arts Middle School Poetry Slam 2017 winner was MJ Sasse. Congratulations ALL!

To conclude, Ms. Wasson asked the audience to give a rousing round of applause to the judges (Nona, four former students, including Alex Hernandez (our 2016 Winner), and a guest, Meredith Stewart (a friend of Mr. Boettcher’s). She also thanked Gabe, Katie and Daniel, student tech crew, staff members (many of whom coached some of the poets), and the audience for their wonderful and inclusive support. 

Finally, the Slams this year were outstanding. Never before had their ever been a tie, and this year there were two. As Ms. Wasson shared, "It is a testament to how close the scores were," and the superlative quality of writing and the performances. “The poets were that GOOD!” 

Brava, Bravo Ms. Wasson and ALL! THANK YOU for your tenacious and creative voices!  

Best,

Fred

Dear da Vinci Families,

After winning 155 visual art Scholastic Art & Writing Awards school-wide, it is not surprising that the 8th grade Capstone Show is outstanding! 

Kelda, Jessica, Chelsea, Alison, Austin, and eighth grade Visual Arts and Creative Writing students invite you to enjoy the 2017 da Vinci Arts Middle School Capstone Exhibition. Now open in the Connie Cheifetz Gallery, the rich and creative artwork and artist statements are inspiring. The 2D images, the 3D soft and hard pieces, textile work, photography and creative writing, collectively speak to the time, passion and importance of sharing art. The teachers have a simple request: “Think about what these young artists and writers are communicating through their work.” Absorb their honest, fun and profound insights—their hearts and minds are open. 

This year’s Capstone Exhibition is dedicated to our loving teacher, friend, artist, mentor, and colleague Jasmine R. R. Spiegel. In short, Jasmine would be thrilled with this "wonderful outpouring of creativity,” writes Kelda. Their collective work tells their story. With themes like “abstract nature, animals, playlist of songs, color, study of the face, fantasy, characters, magic, surrealism, fiber, global faces, moods and emotions, and with inspiration from Ansel Adams, the Renaissance, Vivian Maier, and Diego Rivera the pieces demonstrate creativity, skill, research and voice. 

On Sunday, April 30, two da Vinci visual art students were honored by the Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education. Eighth graders Sophia Date and Tess Kelleher won First and Second Place respectively in the Middle School competition. The Sala Kryszek Art and Writing Contest honored 20 middle and high school students who responded to the following prompt: How could the Holocaust happen in a country like Germany, a country with abundant education and people who achieved great advancements in science, art, music, literature and philosophy? Do you think that something like this still happens in the world today? What steps can you take now and in the future to offset these events from taking place? Using what you have learned about the Holocaust, create a piece of writing or a work of visual art that reflects your response to the above questions. The resulting art and writing was powerful, evocative, and stunning. Notablely, Jasmine Spiegel’s aunt, Elaine Bacharach Coughlin, is the Board President of the Oregon Jewish Museum and Center for Holocaust Education. Thank you for your excellent art and scholarship, and congratulations to Sophia and Tess. 

The Capstone Reception Celebration is on Wednesday,  May 31, 3:30-4:30 pm. Please join us! In addition, the visual art and creative writing students have collaborated with performing art students on the Capstone Performance this year. In the Capstone Performances on June 2nd and June 9th, you may notice that many of the props, visual projections, song lyrics, costumes, theatrical lines, characters, settings, masks, wigs, etc. are contributions from the visual art and creative writing students. Please use this link to check out some of the work you might see in the performances this year here. 

We hope you enjoy the Capstone Exhibit and Capstone Performances this year! We can’t wait to share our collaboration with you! 

Check out the visual art portfolios on the links provided below. Kids love and value your feedback, so please share your thoughts! 

Austin's website, 2D art Capstone Portfolios, and Instagram

Kelda's Website, 3D art and Textiles Portfolios, and Instagram

Enjoy!

Fred

Dear da Vinci Families,

“Pure Magic” is how Dance Department Director Claire Olberding described this weekend’s Spring Dance Concert, 2017. Thanks to the compelling choreography of Karida Griffth, Eowyn Emerald Barrett, Oluyinka Akinjoila, Tracey Durbin, Renee Meiffren, Sara Martins, Claire Olberding, and ALL the dancers, each performance was superb. Brava, Bravo choreographers, the entire production crew: Heidi Sprecher, Lighting  Sara Estrella, Costumes,  MJ Sasse, Stage Manger, Snowzie Vinar Costume Assistant, Pamela Kruetz Parent Volunteer Coordinator, ALL the teachers and parents who volunteered to make this happen, and the first-time-ever brilliant student Tech Crew, Gabe Porath, Kain Ashford, Simon Carr, Julian Geary, Evan Grosse, Piper Haswell, and Elizabeth Loomis. It was a total team effort, and I am sooooo proud of this community for producing such fine work—congratulations ALL!

Through dance, we mourned the loss of and celebrated the lives of two special da Vinci community members. On Friday night, Jay Harris and his wife Mary attended as Claire shared that for 20 years, Mary’s mother Winnie Scott had come to every single da Vinci performance. A Winnie Scott plaque will honor her on a chair, and the family has started a fund with a generous donation towards auditorium improvements. Thank you, Winnie, for your love and exuberance, as you cheered many generations of da Vinci performing artists. They go forth, honoring you. 

At each performance, Sara Martins shared our love and admiration for the inspiring and courageous life of our dear former colleague Jasmine R R Spiegel. Jasmine’s husband and her parents honored us all by attending the final show and agreed that Jasmine’s signature smile would have approved. The heart, dedication, technique, artistry and beautiful gutsy voices of each dancer came together to say a collective “Thank you, Jasmine, for inspiring us!”  

Finally, thank you da Vinci parents for your amazingly wonderful and talented children. As Jasmine’s mother shared in an email to me: 

"Please convey our family's appreciation to the staff and students at da Vinci.  We were so impressed with the remarkable capstone projects of the students and with the wonderful dance concert.  It was noteworthy to us that these fine displays of talent were from middle school students; their maturity was evident in the presentations!   And we felt humbled by the dedications to Jasmine- that was so beautiful and touching."

As Sara described, in her short 29 years, Jasmine taught us all to love, listen, speak and express our voices loudly through art and scholarship. Her expertise, tenacious inquiry, courage and love of life will forever be remembered.

As announced at the concert, DVD proceeds will go to the da Vinci Foundation. You can order a DVD online for $20 or through a paper form which is available in the office.

Pizzicato Dough for Dollars is this coming Tuesday, May 9 at the Laurelhurst location!

A huge Shout Out to the Dance and Visual Arts departments, congratulations ALL, and thank you for making da Vinci such a special and rare community.  

Best,

Fred

Dear da Vinci Families,

I hope you are well. Although this has not been an easy week for our community, on behalf of the staff, thank you so much to ALL those who contributed time and delicious treats to make Staff Appreciation Week special. Your caring and supportive energy were huge. 

Ms. Spiegel’s passing rocked our community to our core. Thank you to all staff, families, and students who honored her Family at Jasmine’s moving funeral on Sunday. The district support on Monday, helped us all cope with this untimely and tragic loss. Her love of teaching at da Vinci, her genuine enthusiasm for the arts, and her amazing ability to connect well with students will be remembered and missed forever. She touched us all and will remain in our hearts and minds. Thank you to all who were able to honor her short, but wonderfully rich life! 

An Auction Update

Our very successful Auction was a tremendous boost to our PTA and da Vinci Foundation—Thank you! Our Foundation balance is now just over $60,000, and to fully restore two sections of English Language Arts and two sections of dance, our goal, by June 30, 2017, is  $80,000. 

Is this doable? We think it is. If you missed the event, there are still some FANTASTIC items to bid on here including tickets to the Pendleton Round Up, a NEW Wine Tasting Party and an old FAVORITE, Margarita Mamas https://davinci.schoolauction.net/auction2017/catalog/online 

If you have not had a chance to give this year, now is your perfect opportunity. We are hoping for 100% participation as Foundation dollars impact every student in the building. Join the hundreds of parents, grandparents, and friends who have supported the da Vinci Foundation this year. Join us by clicking the Red All Hands Raised button now and make a direct gift (choosing da Vinci) or better yet, set up a monthly recurring gift. Every gift from $5 or $5,000 makes a difference.

Attend our next Dine Out this coming Tuesday, May 9, at Pizzicato (28th and Burnside). 

Don’t miss the Dance Concert tonight at 7:00 or tomorrow, Saturday at 3:00 or 7:00! Celebrate our amazing dancers and staff!

 Fred

Dear da Vinci Families, 

THANK YOU so much to all those families and friends who attended last Sunday’s awesome da Vinci Auction at Bodyvox! Congratulations to YOU for raising $39,661  at our annual event that benefits our da Vinci PTSA and our Foundation. This is an amazing accomplishment and could not have been done without the participation and help of so many!

If you missed the event, there are still some FANTASTIC items to bid on here including tickets to the Pendleton Round Up, a NEW Wine Tasting Party and an old FAVORITE, Margarita Mamas https://davinci.schoolauction.net/auction2017/catalog/online

Want to give directly to support our staff? Click the red Donate button at All Hands Raised here: https://allhandsraised.org/donate/

 —Make sure you choose da Vinci Arts Middle School.

Finally, these are the folks that made this event happen! Please give them a warm thank you next time you see them:

Beth Woods, Auction Chair

Melissa & John Gaddis

Stephanie Featherman

Susan Freedman 

Don Gavitte

Claire Olberding

Mark Gerolami

Elizabeth Skelding

Foukje Douyvestien

Becky Grosse 

Mike Marshall

Jeff Miller

Linda Hush-Loomis

Judy Holmes

And a HUGE thanks to our night-of volunteers:

Sheli Bryan

Liz Robbins

Amber Wagner 

Alicia McMillen

Jack Mille

Nicole Edner

Fauad Wadeh

Kristina Holmes

Maren Willette

Jeannie Frederick

Cecilia Gassa-Sena

Lindsay Streich

Kate English

Todd Woodley

Cris Keirsey

Maggie Vera

Kari Williamson

Jennifer and Mike Heilbronner

Heather Russell 

Liz McCue 

Thank you Beth, Auction TEAM, and ALL, for an amazingly successful event! 

Best to all,

Fred

1. BEFORE the budget shortfall, to maintain present levels of staffing our goal was to raise $60,000. 
2. As of January, we have raised $25,000. 
3. If we sold all 1,000 RAFFLE Tickets, we would raise an additional $9,000. 
4. We have sold 275 Raffle Tickets. 

1. If you have NOT entered the drawing to win $500, $250, or $100, the Main Office will happily sell you tickets. 
   1. IF EVERY da Vinci family does this, WE CAN support our amazing school and reach our goal of selling all 1,000 tickets.
2. PARENTS, PLEASE TAKE TICKETS TO WORK, and give your co-workers a chance to support your amazing children and Win Cash!
   1. One parent has taken 100 tickets and is confident that she can sell them all. The Main Office is happy to give you tickets to sell. 
3. FAMILIES, in support of your children, sell them to your friends and neighbors.  

1. Feel great by joining our Foundation TEAM of contributing members. You will have done your part to keep da Vinci a thriving arts focus school.  
2. Keep three styles of Dance…Every year the Foundation funds our Dance Program and other staff;
3. Maintain reasonable class sizes. 
4. Incentive: Any Family that sells 50 tickets will earn a $50 Gift Card. 

Dear da Vinci Parents and Families, 

Come to the 2017 da Vinci Arts Fair! On two floors, the student and professional artists have wonderful work to offer you. In a word, it’s fabulous!!!!! 

Please check out the 14 amazingly generous arts raffle baskets donated by different artists. Tickets are only two dollars each or three for five. These gorgeous baskets will bring a smile to your face every day as you support the da Vinci Arts Fair and our PTSA. Please see our links on Instagram @davinciartsfair and Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/davinciartsfair

 As da Vinci students continue to amaze, I am privileged to share the following: 

Last year, three students, Thisby Loomis, MJ Sasse, and Ainsley Leof were all finalist in the Oregon Children’s Theatre's (OCT) Young Playwrights for Change 10 Minute Play competition. For 2016, MJ Sasse’s play Wartorn was named the National winner. This year, Tamara Carroll of OCT, just announced the seven finalist and five of them are da Vinci students! Please help me congratulate Nicole Accuardi who read all ninety 10 minute plays of her students, and our outstanding five playwrights! As Tamara shared in an email to Nicole, "The plays were quite strong and we struggled to pick just 6…in the end, we decided to choose 7.” These seven plays will be read at OCT on May 21st. 

 1.       Monsters Under My Bed by Annika Duyvestein – Regional Winner!

 2.       It’s Hard to Understand by Kate McStay

 3.       Boys Cry by Estacada Thorsen

 4.       What Makes a Bully by Riley Cook

 5.       It’s a Two-Way Street by Hazel True

 6.       Berlin 1933 by Holland Roads

 7.       Never Enough by Julian Geary

 Annika, Kate, Riley, Holland, and Julian, Congratulations for your wonderful writing! 

On Wednesday, January 25th, our Social Studies Department (Ann Fournier, Erin Savage, Chelsea Blair, Jason Gershuny and Lewis & Clark student teacher Haverty Brown) produced our annual National Geographic Geography Bee. First, to all the Social Studies class winners who competed in the Bee: Helen Kenny, Milan Clark, Fox Knapp, Cole Hagedorn, Jack Dahl, Liam Kay, Raya Vinar, Evan Grosse, Melody Kostek, Finn Dills, Maura McQuillen, Daniel Duyvestein Mac Bixby, Alexander Dowie, and Henry Boyer…Congratulations, you were awesome! From four rounds of challenging questions about states, continents, and Weird But True, two finalist Raya Vinar and Mac Bixby emerged.  After giving two correct answers in a row, eighth grader Mac Bixby prevailed and is our da Vinci’s 2017 Geography Bee Champion. Mac, representing Ms. Savage’s 4th period class, travels, enjoys geography and knowing about the world. She will now take a paper test to qualify for the State Bee. Congratulations Mac, we are very proud of you! 

Scripps Spelling Bee 

Megan Young, with support from Shannon Wasson, Alison Lanigan, Lori Shumway, and Chelsea Blair, staged our annual da Vinci Scripps Spelling Bee. Our English Language Art class winners, were Aoife Brogan-Marshall, Delilah Hartwell, Jack Dahl, Poppy Schoedinger, Zaydah Wadeh, Simon Carr, Austin Frost, Leah Abramson-Slater, Paige Blair, Hannah Ernst, Irina Klippert, Anne Dynes, Beck Waxman, Eli Jones, Archie Rohden, Kate McStay, and Jasper Jordens. Over six engaging and increasingly difficult rounds, these brave spellers vied for the top spot. As Ms. Young explained, consider spelling a word you have possibly never heard before, out loud, into a microphone with 450 peers, parents, and teachers watching. That is nerve racking! Congratulations to all our spellers, great work! Representing da Vinci at the next level, please help me congratulate our 2017 da Vinci Arts Middle School Scripps Spelling Bee Champion, seventh grader Simon Carr!  

Scholastic Art Award: Best in Grade

For the first time, Pacific Northwest College of Art (PNCA) is offering a new award this year called Best in Grade.  They give the award at Nationals and PNCA is thrilled that they now offer it. For her collage, Orangie Gets Hit On, da Vinci student Violette Miller was honored at the PNCA Awards Night for Best in Grade for the 7th grade, Congratulations Violette! 

The Scholastic Gold Key exhibition will be at PNCA (Pacific Northwest College of Art, 511 NW Broadway) until Saturday, February 25. As Austin said, "it is a remarkable show." Honor our students and enjoy this great exhibition of award winning art! CONGRATULATIONS ALL!!!"

Upcoming Events:

On Thursday and Friday don’t miss the Master’s Drama Showcase from 4-6 in the auditorium.

Enjoy this gorgeous Oregon sunshine, and see you at the Arts Fair!

Fred

Dear da Vinci Parents and Families,

I hope you are well. February 2nd is Connie Cheifetz’s Birthday and da Vinci Founder’s Day. In keeping with Connie’s vision, on Thursday, Dance 3-4 students treated their parents and friends to a wonderful informal showcase that included class work and performance “works in progress.” The latter, fully costumed by da Vinci parent Sara Estrella, delighted and entertained in three different styles. 

Renee Meiffren’s ballet piece starts casually in a diner, and then bursts into action with a lively mix of jukebox jive and ballet! Blending technique is challenging, and her students demonstrated skill and energy! Claire Olberding’s piece began with Gabe Rosenfield playing a solo Conga drum, and then it transitioned into fluid movement that matched the percussive sounds. On the floor, moving through space with jumps, turns, and elegant moves the dancers tell their own story. Sara Martin’s piece, to the music Pack Up the Louie by Caro Emerald, transports you to 1940’s train station. With luggage in hand, the dancers weave a tale of travel and personal stories. Each piece, using small groups, ensemble, and an occasional solo, is skillfully choreographed and, and entertained the appreciative audience. 

The pieces were showstoppers, but what made it all look so easy is the daily, serious classwork that undergirds every movement. Dance, da Vinci’s Physical Education, is physics in motion—an exacting science and art. It takes 10 years to train a dancer, so every minute of class time matters. An American Ballet Theatre Certified Instructor, Ms. Meiffren is teaching a refined syllabus that builds healthy stance and muscle memory so that students gradually develop the correct muscles needed for classical technique. Straight knees, extended spines, and correct turn out from the hip are essential elements. With only one ballet class a week, students are making excellent progress. 

Dance Department Chair, Claire Olberding explained how the Luigi technique came to be because gifted dancer Luigi suffered a serious car accident, and as rehabilitation created a movement style that "never stops moving." The movement is sinewy, grounded, bold, and subtle, teaching students nuanced refinements that help them expressively move. The Luigi technique demands strength and ease as students work hard to make this lyrical and challenging style look easy. The blend of tempos, levels, basic and complex movements expose students to a wonderful array of movement vocabulary. 

Now in her third year at da Vinci, Sara Martins, teaches her students the "best of the best!”  As part of her curriculum, Sara skillfully blends the outstanding work of Brenda Buffalino, Honi Coles, Steve Condos and other great Tap Masters. These intricate, fun, rhythms have the dancers focusing and smiling as they navigate the subtle syncopations. As Ms. Martins explained, for “stamina, her students will repeat these combos faster until their muscles ache.”  

The Dance 3-4 Showcase offers a snapshot of daily da Vinci dance training. Few middle schools have such a comprehensive program. A former principal dancer with Oregon Ballet Theatre commented on the "great teaching and the skill of the dancers.” Congratulations ladies and students, and stay tuned for May’s Spring Dance Concert for much more! 

Scholastic Writing Awards 

Despite the December inclement weather, Ms. Lanigan managed to motivate 11 students to submit 14 pieces. As she describes, "Personally, I was grateful the paperwork even got to NYC as I mailed the packet of money and forms (via overnight mail) as snow began falling the Wednesday before Christmas. Everything was due that Friday."

Congratulations to Ms. Lanigan, Amber, Gabriel, and Ella who won four poetry awards.

Amber McConnell, Silver Key for "What He Took With Him"

Amber McConnell, Honorable Mention for "What We All Are"

Gabriel Robinson, Honorable Mention for "Sorrow Home"

Ella Van Schoick, Honorable Mention for "An Inevitable Falling" 

An Introduction and correction

With great pleasure, I want to introduce Textile teacher Jessica Hickey.  Jessica works with Kelda Van Patten during our period 1 Textile class and her expertise and passion are inspiring our students to new heights. When I previously announced the Scholastic Art Awards, I failed to include Jessica. I apologize for my omission.  Please enjoy a brief summary of her experience: 

Jessica Hickey lives and works in Portland, OR. She received her Master of Fine Arts in contemporary art practice from Portland State University, and her Bachelor of Fine Arts from the University of Oregon in fibers and ceramics. Currently, she is the Fibers Studio Manager at Oregon College of Art and Craft. Hickey has taught textile, ceramic, and mixed media arts courses for Oregon College of Art and Craft, Nike Design Atelier program, Eugene Metropolitan Parks District and more. Her work has been shown nationally and internationally utilizing hand woven textile, sculptural, and installation methods. We are so pleased to share Jessica’s background and so fortunate to have her working with Kelda and our students — Thank you, Jessica! 

Corrected "Brava, Bravo Scholastic Art Awards!"

I am thrilled to share that this year, our visual art students taught by Kelda Van Patten, Austin, Jasmine Spiegel, and Jessica Hickey earned 153 Scholastic Art Awards (24 Gold, 29 Silver, 90 Honorable Mention). Working with these inspiring teachers and mentors over the last three years, our students won 109 Awards in 2015, 92 last year, and this year 153 awards. This success speaks to the exceptional support, teaching and student creativity that is da Vinci. Kelda, Jasmine, Austin, Jessica and students, congratulations!  Here is a slide show of the Gold Key awards: View our slideshow.

From Kelda, Austin, Jasmine and Jessica:

"Congratulations to ALL students who entered artwork into the Scholastic Art Awards, and thank you, Liz, who supported students in the process of submitting their work. We love you all and your work is amazing! 

The Scholastic Gold Key exhibition will be at PNCA (Pacific Northwest College of Art, 511 NW Broadway) from Jan.29-Feb.25. 

It’s da Vinci 2017 RAFFLE time!  Our Foundation Raffle is Win-Win! 

• Every ticket sold supports da Vinci staffing for next year, AND
• Every ticket is eligible to win either $500, $250, or $100 respectively. 

Our Goal is to sell 900 tickets by the drawing on Friday, March 3, at 4:30 pm.

 Each ticket costs $10. 

• If every family bought 2 tickets ($20), the Foundation will make over $8,000, which would be a RAFFLE first! With the State budget for K-12 Education lower than anticipated, we need your support to supplement our district staffing to maintain our incredibly rich arts and academic program. 
• Our families’ generosity makes this happen. 

Here is the positive impact:

• Reasonable class sizes
• Outstanding arts electives in Drama, Dance, Music, Visual Art, and Writing
• Our amazingly caring da Vinci staff

Here’s how, it is quick and easy:

• The Main Office will sell tickets during the day. If you or your student wishes to purchase multiple tickets to sell to neighbors, friends, or on FACEBOOK, that has been one of the most successful strategies used in the past. 
• Mr. Locke will sell Raffle Tickets each morning outside at DROP OFF.
• For each ticket you fill out your Name, Phone number, and your child’s 6th period class if known. 
• Winners will be contacted by phone, so you need NOT be present to win. 

THANK YOU in advance, we sooooo appreciate your support :) …all contributors win the da Vinci Raffle!

 The da Vinci Foundation Team

Best,

Fred

Dear da  Vinci Families,

 da Vinci teachers regularly support students to take risks and go above and beyond the ordinary. The artifacts of this work are many: letters to the editor of The Oregonian, travel brochures advertising colonial states, Rube Goldberg machines, posters celebrating famous African Americans, digital presentations that offer insights about science topics, Pecha Kucha presentations about famous artists, visual arts exhibitions in the Connie Cheifetz Gallery, the annual Dragons’ Fire literary review, and more.  And just in the past week, students have been honored beyond the school walls for their outstanding artwork—including through publication in the New York Times and through regional Scholastic Art Awards.

 On Wednesday, January 18, 6th grader Emma Laus’s portraits of Barack and Michelle Obama were published in the New York Times. Emma’s work illustrates the article To Obama with Love, and Hate, and Desperation which describes eight years of Presidential mail and the process by which interns chose 10 letters for the President to read each day. 

 Emma, your portraits are gorgeous, and we are so very proud of your work, congratulations! Here is the article link (double click),  https://www.pps.net/domain/112 and thank you, Judy Holmes, for creating our website banner honoring Emma and the Gold Key Slide show! 

Brava, Bravo Scholastic Art Awards!

I am thrilled to share that this year, our visual art students taught by Kelda Van Patten, Austin, and Jasmine Spiegel, earned 153 Scholastic Art Awards (24 Gold, 29 Silver, 90 Honorable Mention). Working with these inspiring teachers and mentors over the last three years, our students won 109 Awards in 2015, 92 last year, and this year 153 awards. This success speaks to the exceptional support, teaching and student creativity that is da Vinci. Kelda, Jasmine, Austin, and students, congratulations!  Here is a slide show of the Gold Key awards: View our slideshow

From Kelda, Austin, and Jasmine:

"Congratulations to ALL students who entered artwork into the Scholastic Art Awards, and thank you Liz who supported students in the process of submitting their work. We love you all and your work is amazing! Please stay tuned as the Scholastic Writing Awards will be announced in February.

 Students who won Gold Key, please be sure to bring your work to your art teacher ASAP and no later than Thursday. The Scholastic Gold Key exhibition will be at PNCA (Pacific Northwest College of Art, 511 NW Broadway) from Jan.29-Feb.25. ALL participating students & families are invited to the reception at PNCA on Thursday, February 2nd, 4-7pm. In addition, if you won Gold Key, please check your email or talk to your art teacher about how to get your tickets to the Gold Key CEREMONY at the Portland Art Museum. CONGRATULATIONS ALL!!!"

Winter Music Concert! Tomorrow, Wednesday evening at 7:00 pm. Enjoy Beginning and Advanced Band, Choir, African Drumming, After School Jazz Band, and Trogdor. See you there!  

Best,

Fred

Dear da Vinci Families,

I hope you are all well, and we soooo appreciate ALL of you who were able to support your students by attending Conferences. This morning, PPS Communications sent out the email below to all PPS Staff addressing possible concerns that some staff, students, and families may have as a result of Tuesday’s election. If PPS Communications sends out a similar message to families, then I am risking that you will get it twice. That said, because the information is timely and useful, I am sending it to you as written, in the hopes that aspects of it may be helpful. 

Furthermore, if you or your students have specific questions or concerns, please feel free to respond. We have had an excellent first quarter, and there is much excitement on the da Vinci horizon. Tonight, Portland Playhouse opens with a Shakespeare Evening, and our production of Macbeth will continue tomorrow at 6:00, Saturday at 2:00 pm, and next week as well. We hope to see you there!  

Have a wonderful long weekend!

Best, 

Fred

Dear PPS Staff: 

  This was a divisive election, and we have heard that many students and families are feeling concerned and unsafe. At Portland Public Schools, we believe in equity and the human dignity of all people and our main responsibility is to ensure the safety of our students and staff and we will continue to work hard to fulfill that responsibility to our kids. 

 
As we move forward, you may be trying to figure out how best to support your students and colleagues. We have put together a few suggestions and resources about how best to respond to concerned staff, students, and families with their feelings after the election.  

As school staff, this could be an opportunity to discuss how to disagree and resolve conflict respectfully. More specifically, this is a time to reinforce a caring community in our classrooms and schools.

Please think about how you can listen, show compassion, and create space for students and families. They may need resources, time to connect with one another, assurances from staff that they are welcome and valued members of your community.

Additional articles/lessons:
•    What Do We Tell The Children? (Huffington Post)
•    Election Emotions: Sharing and Community Building Circle (Morningside Center for Social Responsibility)
•    Experts Weigh In: How to Talk to your Kids about the Election Results (Today)
•    Election 2016 Resources (Teaching Tolerance)
•    The Election Is Over, But for Teachers, Hard Conversations Are Just Beginning (Education Week)
•    In other election news: First Somali-American Muslim Woman Legislator, First Formerly Undocumented Immigrant in Congress (and First Dominican-American), Three Asian American Women in the U.S. Senate (First Thai American, First Indian American, Second Black Woman in the Senate), First Latina in the Senate

Supports and Resources
•    Human Resources and the Employee Assistance Program for staff related issues
•    Student Services for student support needs
•    Office of School Climate and Discipline for school climate and disciplinary issues

 
Sincerely,
 
Antonio Lopez 
Assistant Superintendent, Office of School Performance

Chris Russo
Assistant Superintendent, Office of Teaching & Learning
 

Two incentives, Win Win!  

Dear da Vinci Families, 

 In the first two weeks of our da Vinci Foundation Fall ASK, 42 families have contributed $3,150. 

This is AWESOME! THANK YOU to ALL our da Vinci families that have donated to our Fall ASK…Every donation matters, you are keeping da Vinci strong! 

Last year, during our Fall ASK OVER 90 FAMILIES contributed over $10,000. 

JOIN US…Here’s why:

The money you donate to the da Vinci Foundation directly impacts teaching positions and our ability to maintain our current, unique, arts-focused curriculum that makes our school such an amazing place.

 As a parent of a seventh grader, I’m so grateful for our supportive and talented teachers and staff. My daughter is flourishing at da Vinci because her school day is infused with creativity through illustration and dance that keeps her head — and her heart — engaged in learning. —Brian Schaeperkoetter

 Other families, who have chosen to join us as Fall Ask donors agree:         

 “After being a da Vinci parent for four years now, each and every student is such an important part of our da Vinci community. The staff and teachers are experts at understanding our children’s strengths, helping them find their way into the community, and positioning them to flourish during their time at da Vinci.” — Beth Woods

 "We are joining the Fall Ask challenge because what da Vinci has given our family is truly priceless.  Our daughters thrive at da Vinci!  Here they are given tools to learn in a way that makes sense to them. They see that doing their best work brings success and the feeling of pride that comes with that effort is its own reward. Keeping arts integration at da Vinci strong is important to our family, our community and, education as a whole.”   — Jill and Jason Trinchero

 

JOIN US…our goal is to have 30 more families donate by Wednesday, 12/14.

Please Join our FALL ASK and give now https://allhandsraised.org/donate/ . Even better, become a monthly donor. Monthly donors are especially valuable to the Foundation because they provide a consistent and reliable source of income. And, monthly giving allows you to spread a larger gift out over the course of a year. It’s easy to do, just sign up online here https://allhandsraised.org/donate/ 

Two Incentives to Win

 If you sign up as a monthly donor through the month of December, we will put your name into a raffle for some excellent gift certificates from local businesses. How does $30 to Staccato Gelato sound? $50 to East Burn? All current and new monthly donors have a shot at winning one of these prizes!

Make a donation right now to support da Vinci! go to: https://allhandsraised.org/donate/  

 Beth Woods, Jill and Jason Trinchero, Brian Schaeperkoetter, da Vinci Foundation Chair

Claire Olberding & the da Vinci Foundation Challenge Pot Sponsors

Dear da Vinci Families, 

 I hope you are all well and Happy Holidays! I am writing from Philadelphia and want to update  you on our excellent progress.  

 As of Monday, 12/12, 42 families had donated to our da Vinci Foundation Fall ASK;

As of Wednesday, 12/14, 65 families had donated;

As of Thursday, 12/22, 96 families have donated! 

—51 families have now made one time donations;

—33 families have now made recurring gifts;
 —12 families have written checks or given a cash donation.   

To ALL our 96 Fall Foundation ASK donors, …you’re awesome--Thank you! 

More than our words can express, please know that your generous contributions are so appreciated. 

Our hope: 

With over 460 families, to keep our arts focus community vibrant with present levels of staffing, our hope and need is that ALL da Vinci families can contribute at a level that works for them. 

Why give?

·         Foundation funds support our arts program and therefore ALL da Vinci students;

·         At the Dance 1-2 Showcase, Claire Olberding, Dance Dept. Chair, shared that if you paid for similar dance training at a private studio the cost, over three years, would be over $5,000.  

·         With your support we can continue to have amazing teachers & amazing arts offerings. 

Our 2016-17 Goal:

·         To maintain our current program we need to raise $60,000 by June, 2017

·         Every donation makes a difference! 

·         Recurring donations thus far have ranged from $10, $25, $50 to $100 per month

·         One Time donations have ranged from $10, $25, $50, $100, $250, $500, $1000 and $2,000

·         What level works for you?

All donations are tax deductible:

·         To meet our goal of $60,000 by June 2017, we need 100% of our families to make a tax deductible donation. 

·         When you give, All Hands Raised sends you are receipt in the mail. 

·         YOUR DONATION supplements our PPS budget, AND 

·         Keeps our arts program vibrant for YOUR CHILDREN; 

·         8th grade families…Your support over three years has been awesome, Thank you!  

·          6th & 7th grade families…the arts program your children enjoy next year, depends, in part, on your contributions;

·         KEEP da Vinci strong, DONATE TODAY!  

It FEELS GREAT to be a PROUD da Vinci Foundation donor… JOIN Beth, Jill, Jason Brian, and the other Challenge Pot Sponsors and the 96 donors because 

“After being a da Vinci parent for four years now, each and every student is such an important part of our da Vinci community. The staff and teachers are experts at understanding our children’s strengths, helping them find their way into the community, and positioning them to flourish during their time at da Vinci.” — Beth Woods

"We are joining the Fall Ask challenge because what da Vinci has given our family is truly priceless.  Our daughters thrive at da Vinci!  Here they are given tools to learn in a way that makes sense to them. They see that doing their best work brings success and the feeling of pride that comes with that effort is its own reward. Keeping arts integration at da Vinci strong is important to our family, our community and, education as a whole.”   — Jill and Jason Trinchero

As a parent of a seventh grader, I’m so grateful for our supportive and talented teachers and staff. My daughter is flourishing at da Vinci because her school day is infused with creativity through illustration and dance that keeps her head — and her heart — engaged in learning. —Brian Schaeperkoetter

give now https://allhandsraised.org/donate/ . Even better, become a monthly donor. Monthly donors are especially valuable to the Foundation because they provide a consistent and reliable source of income. And, monthly giving allows you to spread a larger gift out over the course of a year. It’s easy to do, just sign up online here https://allhandsraised.org/donate/ 

LAST CHANCE to win two incentives:

 If you sign up as a monthly donor through the month of December, we will put your name into a raffle for some excellent gift certificates from local businesses. 

·         How does $30 to Staccato Gelato sound? 

·         $50 to East Burn? 

·         All current and new monthly donors have a shot at winning one of these prizes!

Make a donation right now to support every da Vinci student and our amazing teachers! 

go to: https://allhandsraised.org/donate/  

 HAPPY HOLIDAYS, and thank you in advance for joining us !!!

The entire 2016-17 da Vinci Foundation Donor Family 

Dear da Vinci Families,

 I hope that as temps climb, you are well. As the weather has forced us to change performance dates, we appreciate your patience and flexibility. Unequivocally,  it is wonderful to have your children back in school! 

 As we honor Dr. King’s legacy, I offer you two NPR arts related segments. In a brief four minute interview, Photographer Bernard Kleina shares how he documented King’s Chicago Freedom Movement through color photos by accident, as all professional photographers of the day used black and white images for publications. His intent was to clearly demonstrate the peaceful nature of Dr. King’s social justice activism. As he shares, "In Chicago, I was involved in some of the marches and in other marches, I tried to document what was going on," Kleina recalls. "There was a great deal of criticism of Dr. King, saying that he was the one causing the violence, so I wanted to show the truth of what was going on.” He adds the importance of seizing the moment: "I definitely didn't realize at the time I was photographing Dr. King that history was being made," Kleina says. "Even now, it kind of surprises me when I look back at my own images. But I like to tell people that if you wait until you're completely qualified for something, maybe it's too late.” I suggest you listen to the short interview with Kleina and then double click on the Title 

When King Came To Chicago: See The Rare Images Of His Campaign — In Color and it will open to amazing images of Dr. King. http://www.npr.org/tags/126940356/martin-luther-king-jr

The second segment, hosted by Michel Martin Going There, is a longer segment on the housing crisis that Dr. King and others chose to fight in 1966 and the impact of their efforts fifty years later. She begins by featuring the Chicago Children’s Choir who sing three outstanding and moving tributes. The “Children” of the Choir look more like high school students but their music is superb so I wanted to share it with you. To listen to the Choir, do the following:

1) Double clicking on the link, http://www.npr.org/tags/126940356/martin-luther-king-jr  and then click to start Michel Martin’s show. 

2) After starting the program, then fast forward to 4:15 into the program when she introduces the choir’s three songs. —Enjoy!  

In tribute to Dr. King’s dream and tenacious work, I share these photographs, songs, and narrative. I am equally thankful for your children, as their vitality, energy, hope, and love of artful learning inspire us. They are our collective future. 

 Here are a few important updates:

—Our Geography Bee will be on Wednesday, January 25 before lunch.

—Our Winter Music Concert will be on Wednesday, January 25, at 7:00 pm.

—The Dance 3-4 Showcase will be on Thursday, February 2, at 7:00 pm.

—Please see our website Calendar for additional dates and changes. 

dV Foundation update: 

Thanks to our generous Challenge Pot Sponsors AND 105 families our da Vinci Foundation balance is now $20,481. 

--Donations ranged from $5 to $2,000. A very SPECIAL  Thank you to ALL DONORSll!!!

 As "Recurring monthly donors,” 43 families were eligible for our drawing: 

Congratulations to our randomly selected winners! 

Wendy Wilcox wins a $30 Gift Certificate Tokens at Staccato Gelato.  

Debra Michelson is our East Burn winner! 

To ALL who donated to the da Vinci Foundation this year THANK YOU, your support is awesome and vital to maintain our current program.  

—If you have not donated yet, every donation helps us reach our 2016-17 goal of $60,000 by June, 2017.

-- Make a donation right now to support da Vinci (Make sure you choose da Vinci Arts Middle School). 

This weekend, as I updated my presentation for incoming 6th grade Information Sessions, I loved incorporating new student work. The art and academic work speaks to the passion and richness of our curriculum and the quality of creative learning that is da Vinci.  

Thank you for your talented children, and for helping to make da Vinci a special place. 

 Best,

 Dear da Vinci Families,

 I hope this finds you well, and that you enjoyed your Veteran’s Day Holiday. 

If you have not see Macbeth, it is brilliant, and will keep you entertained, participating, and absorbed from start to finish! Today at 2:00, and next Thursday and Friday at 6:00, and Saturday at 2:00! 

 As a school community we pride ourselves in being open, inclusive, and forward thinking. As growth minded individuals, we seek opportunities to strengthen our resolve to continue to evolve as an outstanding arts community that celebrates and values all individuals. Beyond the excellent instruction da Vinci students receive on a daily basis, there are other opportunities for our students and families to learn, and share their experiences in a safe and supportive setting. I encourage you and your student to consider the following:

This coming Wednesday, November 16th please note the following After School meetings:

QSA (Queer/Straight/Alliance)

-- Meets twice a month.  Late opening Wednesdays (or where they would be if there are no late openings) from 3:00-4:00 and one Wednesday lunch meeting a month (two weeks afterward).
-- Lead by teacher Erin Savage and counselor Katie Loewen.  
- All LGBTQ+ students and their allies are welcome to join.
-- Snacks provided. Meetings offer a safe space to de-brief life and plan schoolwide actions and events.

--Room: 207  at  3:15 –4:45 p.m.

**BSU/POC (Black Student Union and People of Color) 

--Meets once per month

Cafeteria at 3:15 –4:45 p.m.

—African Drumming teacher Hakim Muhammad will facilitate for the 2016-17 school year. Interested parents are welcome to join him.

--Pizza will be provided

 --All People of Color (Students and parents) are welcome to attend and join the conversation. This time affords People of Color the chance to connect and talk about school and life celebrations and issues in a safe and supportive environment. 

—**Please Note: In December and going forward, the BSU/POC will meet on a different Wednesday than the QSA so that students may choose to attend both. 

Guest Speaker: Noni Causey, M.ED

Executive Director, Black Educational Achievement Movement (BEAM)

Ms. Causey will be sharing information on the 2nd Annual Middle Passage to Education Summit, which is a day long event on Friday, December 16, 2016 at the University of Portland. Attending students of African American descent, will participate in four workshops: 1) Positive Identity Through Black History; 2) Financial Literacy; 3) Personal Responsibility; and 4) Social Justice and Civic Engagement (See attached flyer).

da Vinci Courageous Conversations About Race

Wednesday evening, 7:00-8:30 in the Library; Light snacks will be provided, and ALL students and parents are welcome and encouraged to openly talk about race. 

As an outcome of our first evening talking about race, la week ago, I was extremely fortunate to attend August Wilson’s Red Door Project as they presented the New Black Fest’s HANDS UP 7 Playwrights, 7 Testaments, directed by Kevin Jones. Beginning with Darrell Grant’s inspirational arrangement of John Lennon’s Imagine, which was followed by four other brilliant pieces that opened each half of the program, the evening was beyond powerful. The jazz music and singers gracefully framed the seven monologues, that each shared their perspective and experience around race. The entire evening was riveting, compelling and humbling.  Here is the link to the Red Door Project. IF you have not seen Hands Up, I strongly urge you to see it if it is offered again: 

The August Wilson Red Door Project

reddoorproject.org/  

 The mission of the August Wilson Red Door Project is to change the racial ecology of Portland through the arts.

We hope you will take advantage of these great learning opportunities. 

 Thank you for reading, your voices, and most of all, your wonderful children!

 Fred

Dear da Vinci Families,

 I hope you are well. If you have any last minute election questions, I strongly suggest you consider talking to our 7th and 8th grade da Vinci social studies students. For the last two weeks they have immersed themselves in national and local campaigns, issues, and ballot measures.  Social Studies teachers Ms. Savage, Ms. Fournier, and Ms. Blair, gave all 7th and 8th graders a candidate or an issue to research, understand, and write a factual persuasive speech. As students shared, "it was really hard to argue for a candidate I don’t agree with” or “find accurate information on a lesser known candidate” but, by design, that was part of the challenge. Armed with fact checked evidence, Ms. Fournier’s students presented their speeches with corresponding power points, and Savage/Blair students honed their persuasive pitches to win you over. 

Teaming with Mr. Gershuny extended this timely learning opportunity to ALL 6th grade students. LastThursday, as practice before presenting to their peers and teachers, the 7th and 8th graders sharpened their skills by presenting to different groups of Mr. Gershuny’s students as they rotated through the classroom. Armed with a recording form, 6th graders took copious notes that helped them distinguish between the opposing views. 

To deepen their understanding, many 7th and 8th graders wrote a letter to the Editor. Ms. Savage selected a number to be sent to the Oregonian, and yesterday, five were published! Grace Riley argued for tighter gun control, Carson Viggiano shared her concerns about the tone of the Presidential Election, Paige Yerton and Nina Schroeder took opposing sides of Measure 98 and Olivia Nally wrote a compelling piece on why a “Yes” vote on Measure 97 may support future generations of public school children. Impressive? You bet! Here is the link: http://www.oregonlive.com/opinion/index.ssf/2016/11/students_from_da_vinci_middle.html

Judge for yourself, but in an election season that has been frought with challenges, these five young scholars demonstrate the power of speaking their minds with researched acumen. Additionally, three more students will be featured in a special section of Tuesday’s editorials, stay tuned! Congratulations to Ms. Savage, Ms. Fournier, Ms. Blair, Mr. Gershuny, and ALL 6th, 7th, and 8th grade Social Studies students for seizing this great learning opportunity—all for good!

Finally, mirroring Oregon’s election process, the social studies teachers organized da Vinci’s Mock Election. To vote you had to register, and at lunch on Tuesday all votes cast will be tallied and before school is out our da Vinci results will be announced.  Stay tuned, and great work Social Studies teachers and students!

In MY LAND/YOUR LAND, visual art students offer us a provocative and gutsy Exhibition. As Austin and Kelda describe: "The November art exhibition is now open in the Connie Cheifetz Gallery. The title of the new exhibit is "My Land/Your Land." Through visual art, students were asked to express and voice their opinions about politics, social justice, protest, current events, and/or the current Presidential election. There are a variety of different opinions expressed in the artwork. We ask that you respect points of view that may differ from your own. The show includes plaster masks, screenprinted T-shirts, and drawings/paintings. Please go check it out!"   THANK YOU Austin, Kelda and students for sharing your truths—Congratulations!

Finally, on Thursday, October 27, Executive Director of Young Audiences Cary Clarke was our Principal for Half a Day! His interest and exuberance for our academic and arts program was inspiring, and he loved spending the morning meeting teachers and connecting with our students. Here is his "Thank You” to staff:

Team da Vinci,

I don't want to overcrowd your inboxes, but while I have you on the line I just wanted to say how impressed I was by your work today. I saw so much energy, creativity, heart and dedication in your classrooms and I have been truly buzzing all day since. Thank you for so graciously welcoming a stranger into your midst today!

Cary

Parents, Thank you for your wonderful children, we are so proud of their effort and commitment to learning and growing each day!

See you at Conferences on Wednesday and Thursday. 

Best,

Fred

 Dear da Vinci Families,

Last night at our first PTSA meeting, we elected new officers, adopted our 2016-17 budget and generated excitement about how we best continue to serve and support our wonderfully special da Vinci Arts learning community.

Our students are extremely fortunate to attend school in such a generous community and benefit greatly from your many contributions of time and money. Our exceptional arts-infused program is not possible without support beyond what Portland Public School District provides.

Our PTSA and our Foundation coordinate fundraising, and we want to share with you their  unique roles. Here is an overview of fundraising for the 2016-17 school year:

da Vinci PTSA

Purpose: The da Vinci PTSA raises funds to supply arts materials and academic enrichment for students. This includes staff classroom budgets, planners, library books and special events. Additionally, we hope to focus on increasing our da Vinci technology.

Goal: $50,000

2016-2017 Fundraising:

• Scrip: on-going throughout the year
• Fred Meyer Rewards: link your card one time and a portion of everything you buy at Fred Meyer will be donated back to the school.  Easy!
• Chinook Books: Fall 2016
• Arts Fair: February 11, 2016
• da Vinci School Auction (Spring date TBA, shared event with Foundation)

da Vinci Foundation

Purpose: da Vinci Foundation funds are the only way to provide additional staff (PEOPLE) for our school, above and beyond what the district allocates each year.  For this year, Foundation funds have afforded us with three essential staff positions. 

 $60,000 is our fundraising goal. To meet our goal, we need 100% participation. 

2016-2017 Fundraising:

• One-time donations and/or monthly contributions can be received at any time through All Hands Raised. Click the donate button and be sure to pick da Vinci in the recipient menu
• Restaurant/community partnerships: Pizzicato Night, Tuesday, Oct. 25, 2016
• Fall campaign (November/December)
• Selling roses at major school performances
• Shopping at Amazon.com When you use our Amazon.com link on da Vinci’s homepage. A portion of your purchases will be donated back to the school.
• Raffle (three winners at $500, $250, & $100)
• da Vinci School Auction (Spring date TBA, shared event with PTSA)

Run for the Arts Next FRIDAY, October 7th!

Purpose: Run for the Arts is an annual fundraiser that allows da Vinci students to fundraise directly for staff & supplies to further our arts education goals at the school. Students solicit contributions from sponsors for each lap they complete on Friday, October 7^th.   

Goal: $12,000 

• Pledge Forms went home on Tuesday, 9/27;  also, an online Enroll a Runner page is here and if everyone uses this, we can easily collect pledges from family and friends far and wide online.
• Completed forms with collected funds are due Monday, Oct. 24^th.
•  There are many ways to contribute, and we NEED and value your SUPPORT FOR EVERY da Vinci student!

We hope you will add your voice to our PTSA as a voting member, and stay tuned to the Scroll for our next meeting. Sheli or Liz have PTSA envelopes in the main office.

Our first da Vinci Foundation meeting will be Monday, October 3^rd from 7:00 pm to 8:30 at Migration Brewery, 2828 NE Glisan. If you are unable to make it but would like to join our Foundation Team, please email Foundation Chair Brian Schaeperkoetter or Principal Fred Locke.

 Sincerely,

Don Gavitte & Howard Freedman, PTSA Co-Presidents

Brian Schaeperkoetter, Foundation Chair

Fred Locke, Principal

The PPS school board and communications department have been working to update the district’s public records policy with an eye towards greater transparency and compliance with several new laws that were passed by the Oregon Legislature this year.

Oregon schools, including PPS, will focus more on the role of Native Americans in Oregon history, thanks to a bill passed by the state Legislature.

Senate Bill 13, which focuses on providing accurate, place-based tribal education across the state, was signed into law by Gov. Kate Brown over the summer. It directs the state Department of Education to develop curriculum and provide teacher training relating to Native American experience in Oregon.

Hundreds of Portland Public Schools parents and community members have participated in public sessions aimed at gathering comments on the proposal to open two new middle schools at Roseway Heights and Harriet Tubman.