March 22, 2023

Greetings Families,

Thank you to those that were able to attend our Community Night on Wednesday! During the meeting, we shared information about our Resource Fair this Saturday, updates on the HTMS Relocation Project, and we got feedback on our new “Cell Phones Off and Away” policy. Click here to view the full slide deck from that meeting. 

This week, Leadership students and school counselors are pushing into all classes to facilitate conversations about our new cell phone policy. Please review this policy with your child so that they are prepared to have their phones off and away during class time starting our first day back from Spring Break on Monday, 4/3. Students will be able to use their phones during passing periods and lunch, but please be assured that you and your child will still be able to contact each other in an emergency or to relay time-sensitive messages through the Main Office. 

In addition to reviewing the policy, please consider these practices that can help your child prepare for this transition during the school day. We’ve also included some resources that you may find helpful. 

Practices:

• Research says to emphasis “Less” with teens around phones, i.e. less time on phones, less apps rather than completely take it away;

• The biggest impact: not allowing teens access to phones at night when they are sleeping because disrupted sleep can lead to lack of focus and an overall decrease in mental health;

• Put in place parental controls on what apps students can use and when they can use them (see below for step by step videos);

• Turn off your student’s access to Snapchat, Instragram and TikTok during school hours. This can support them to stay focused on school work and to engage with peers face to face in positive and productive ways.

Resources: 

• New York Times article “The Phone in the Room”

• Center for Humane Technology

  • Provides critical steps you can take immediately to decrease distractions from technology.

• Videos on Parental controls on an Android and Parental controls on an Iphone

  • These YouTube videos take you step by step through setting up Parental controls, including screenshots to support each step.

We value your partnership in communicating the negative impact of phone use on students’ ability to focus on learning while in class. If your child is experiencing a level of anxiety or stress with this change, please reach out to their Counselor for support and possible resources.

In Partnership,

--

Trevor Greer

(He,Him,His)

Principal

Harriet Tubman Middle School

HTMS Site Council meets on the first Wednesday of each month. Meetings take place in the school library from 4:30p to 5:30p. The community is able to participate in meetings both in-person or online.

Meeting agendas and minutes can be found on the HTMS Site Council site under HTMS Quick Links. 

Our next meeting will take place 

February 1 2023

TIME CHANGE: 4:15p - 5:30p

Join Zoom Meeting
https://pps-net.zoom.us/j/87494611885?pwd=U3diTWpvRGhaM0tNbld6b1lQZk9JQT09

Meeting ID: 874 9461 1885
Passcode: HTMS2231

Join Zoom by phone
 971 247 1195 US (Portland)

Dear PPS Community,

Saturday night, gunshots were fired outside of a district-wide basketball tournament held at Franklin High School. Fortunately, no one was seriously injured and the suspect is now in custody, but if you have any information about the incident please call 503-823-3333 or utilize the SafeOregon tipline.

Dear Beverly Cleary community, 

I am pleased to announce that Rebecca Presley will be the new principal at Beverly Cleary K-8. Principal Presley comes to PPS from Glendale, Arizona, where she served first as the assistant principal and then principal at William C. Jack Elementary School. Under her leadership, Rebecca helped implement guiding coalition meetings to focus on strategic goals, hired and retained diverse staff to foster an inclusive and welcoming community, and developed multi-tiered systems of support across grade levels and programs.

Dear PPS Families, 

As we prepare for the winter sports season, we want to share a few reminders for our spectators.  

Dear families, students, and colleagues,

It has been a joy to visit learning spaces over the past four months and see our students reengaged in their classroom learning and school activities. I am pleased to observe our students interacting with peers and diving into new curriculum materials. 

This has been a very productive time for Portland Public Schools. My appreciation to all the dedicated Team PPS members who work everyday to make our school system better and stronger.