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Capitol Hill School

A Great Place to Grow

8401 SW 17th Ave•Portland, OR 97219•Ph 503-916-6303•Fx 503-916-2616

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Capitol Hill
School News

2024-2025 Principal's Message

  • Welcome to Capitol Hill!

    I am thrilled to be entering my 3rd year as the principal of this amazing school. I've been a teacher at the Elementary, Middle School, and High School levels. I’ve been a Learning Specialist, Dean of Students, Assistant Principal, and Principal. I’m passionate about creating a school environment that allows every single student to feel special and valued. I have been married for 13 years to my wife and we have 4 wonderful girls. I strive to be present and enjoy every bit of life I am offered. I love being outside, eating and cooking good food, and watching movies. My favorite parts of Oregon are the cool mornings and evenings and beautiful landscape.

     

    When it comes down to it, our core values are what drives us forward as humans. My core values are a steadfast way that I anchor every decision as a building principal.

     

    Core Values

    Honesty and Transparency

    Student First Decision-Making

    Listen to Understand

    Realize We Are All Humans

     

    2024-2025 Message

     

    I believe that every single student can be successful. At Capitol Hill we are committed to helping students realize their full potential and be their authentic selves by giving them the support they need. Students come to school with different levels of unique needs. It is our job as a school staff to develop relationships with students and families so that we can better understand what each child needs to be successful. When students struggle academically or behaviorally, we need to ask ourselves: What is the lagging skill? What support is or is not in place? What do we need to do differently in order to lift up that student towards growth and success?

     

    All students at Capitol Hill will feel a strong sense of belonging and value for who they are and what they bring. All students at Capitol Hill will find joy and excitement in their learning journey. All students at Capitol Hill will become kind, empathetic, and collaborative human beings. All students at Capitol Hill will actualize their learning in order to successfully move forward after their time at Capitol Hill.

     

    I am committed to our educators at Capitol Hill. Our staff are human beings and it’s important they are treated and respected as such. Being a teacher is one of the most important jobs you can have AND is one of the most challenging. I am committed to supporting our current staff and hiring the best of the best. The staff at Capitol Hill are compassionate, driven, and caring human beings who take educating your children very seriously.

District News

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  • Student Filmmakers Showcase Their Monster Talent

    5/22/2025

    The assignment their teacher gave them was simple – make a short film that begins with a phone call and ends with someone hanging up. Benson first-year students Dylan Martinez-Torres and Dariel Soriano Zamora ran it all the way to a small city populated by two very big and rather iconic monsters – Godzilla and Hedora.

    The result, Sorry, Wrong Number, is one of the more than 90 films entered into the annual Best of PPS Film Festival. The festival is a celebration of exceptional student filmmaking that includes a showcase at the historic Hollywood Theatre. 

    The fourth annual installment of the festival took place on May 21 and included a screening of 13 standout films. The films came from all over PPS and ran the gamut from Dylan and Dariel’s monster short to documentaries, film noir, and broadcast journalism. 

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  • Join the Climate Crisis Response Committee

    5/19/2025

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

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

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

    Deadline to apply: June 6. 

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

    5/19/2025

    Earthstock 2025 was a huge success!

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

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

  • Author and Former PPS Teacher Visits Skyline

    5/19/2025

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

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

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

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

     

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