Sellwood Principal’s Newsletter – June 18, 2021

Greetings Sellwood Community,

I wanted to wish you all a joyous and reflective Juneteenth. Tomorrow, we celebrate our newest Federal holiday, established to commemorate the end of slavery in the United States.  Although President Lincoln delivered the Emancipation Proclamation in 1863, it was not until two years later on June 19^th when Union soldiers arrived in Texas, that the state’s Black Americans learned that slavery had been abolished.  The news sparked widespread celebration in Black communities.  Since 1865, in Texas, there have been annual Juneteenth celebrations, which over time have spread across the US.  Juneteenth both recognizes the end of slavery and celebrates the achievements and culture of Black Americans.  It is also an especially good day to reflect on how far we still need to go to achieve racial justice and equity. Happy Juneteenth National Independence Day!

I wanted to send a quick update to let you know of a few changes regarding the PPS Summer Academy and orientation/jump start for 6^th and 7^th graders.

Previously, Sellwood had been designated as a Summer Academy hub for students at several middle schools.  The Summer Academy hub has now moved to Lane Middle School and will not happen at Sellwood.  All Sellwood students who are registered for the summer program are being contacted regarding the change of location.

In addition, in my last newsletter I had announced that Sellwood, like all middle schools, would not be permitted to have a “jumpstart” or orientation for only 6^th and 7^th graders on the first day of school, as had been past practice.  As an alternative, we had planned to offer a special orientation for 6^th and 7^th graders during the summer.  That solution was problematic for many students and teachers who would not have been able to attend.  Fortunately, we have now been given permission to hold a two-hour orientation for 6^th and 7^th graders on September 1^st, the first day of school.  6^th and 7^th graders will start the first day of school at 9:15 and 8^th graders will start two hours later at 11:15.  8^th-graders will also receive an orientation, but it will be shorter.

Please note that our main office will be closed after Tuesday, June 22^nd, when our secretaries go on summer break, and will reopen on Monday, August 9^th.

Finally, we have mailed individual schedules home and you should receive them by Monday.  I will be sending additional details regarding the upcoming school year in early August.

Have a great summer, and I look forward to seeing you again soon.

Jeandré Carbone

Sellwood MS Principal

jcarbone@pps.net

Dear Sellwood Community,

I apologize, but I inadvertently put the wrong date in my newsletter for the second material drop off pick up date.  It is Monday, June 14, 1 -4 PM and Thursday, June 17 3-6 PM  (not Tuesday)

Sorry for the confusion - I need to wear my reading glasses!

SELLWOOD END OF YEAR MATERIALS DROP-OFF AND PICK-UP (YEARBOOKS!)

Please see information about date, time, and items to pick up or return as we end the school year.

Date: Monday, June 14, 2021

Time: 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm

Location: By the bike racks on the South side of the building next to the parking lot

Date: Thursday, June 17, 2021

Time: 3:00 pm to 6:00 pm

Location: By the bike racks on the South side of the building next to the parking lot

Items to Return

• Library books
• Textbooks
• Chromebooks/Cords (Only if not returning to a PPS school in the fall)
• Hotspots (Only if not returning to a PPS school in the fall)

Items to Pick Up

• Yearbooks (We have some extra for purchase if you didn’t order in advance. You can pick up for $20- please bring cash)
• 8th Grade- Pick up Certificate and T-Shirt if you did not already

Sellwood Principal’s Newsletter – June 11, 2021

Greetings Sellwood Community,

It is the last day of school, and I hope this summer provides the opportunity for all of us to rest and rejuvenate, and maybe enjoy a little adventureJ.

It was wonderful to see all of our 8^th-grade students and families on Wednesday for our drive-thru promotion celebration.  It was a truly unique event and I hope everyone enjoyed it.  We wish all of our departing 8^th-graders a wonderful high school experience and successful future.

We will have two “materials drop off-pick up” events next week (yearbooks, library books, etc.): Monday – from 1-4 PM, and Tuesday – from 3-6 PM.  See details below.  Please note that your student does not need to return their PPS Chromebook if they are returning to any PPS school, even high school.  If your child is leaving the district, please return the Chromebook on one of the dates mentioned, or bring it to the district office at the BESC.  Yearbooks will also be available for pick up.

For students attending Sellwood next year, we plan to mail individual schedules home by the end of next week.  Our main office will be closed after Tuesday, June 22^nd, when our secretaries go on summer break, and will reopen on Monday, August 9^th.

The first day of school, September 1^st, will be here before we know it!  We realize that our new 6^th-graders, and many 7^th-graders, have never been inside the school and have many questions about how middle school works.  We will provide an opportunity on August 20^th for 6^th and 7^th graders to have a special school tour, orientation, learn how to open their lockers, etc.  We also know that many students will be on vacation at that time and not able to attend on August 20^th, so we plan to provide a similar orientation on September 1^st.  Unfortunately, we have been notified that we will not be allowed to have a special 6^th-grade only first-day next year, which is how we had traditionally provided an orientation for our new students in past years.  That being said, on September 1^st, ALL students may feel like new students, even returning 8^th graders!  We will send out the specific details about the 6^th/7^th grade orientation before June 22^nd.

Have a great summer, and I look forward to seeing you again soon.

Jeandré Carbone

Sellwood MS Principal

jcarbone@pps.net

Sellwood Principal’s Newsletter – June 4, 2021 

Greetings Sellwood Community,

The last week of school is upon us.  I anticipate the week with mixed emotions, mostly feeling both relief and hope.  We will celebrate the end of a year unlike any in our lifetime.  It has been hard, but we have learned, grown, and persevered together.  As I write this, Kate Brown has announced the end of most COVID restrictions when the state reaches the threshold of 70% of those 18 and over receiving one dose of the vaccine, which should happen before the end of June.

Today we started making plans for next year, deciding on the date for Back-to-School Night, September 23rd.  I sincerely hope we will be together in-person, as I do not want a repeat of our Zoom experience from this year :-)  I look forward to adding more dates, such as band concerts and marimba concerts to the calendar.  Won't that be amazing? Here is a link to next year's calendar, in case you have not seen it yet.

Have a great weekend,  

Jeandré Carbone
Sellwood MS Principal
jcarbone@pps.net

IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER

• June 9: 8th-grade Drive-through Promotion Celebration 3-5:00 PM
• June 11: Last Day of School
• September 1: First Day of School 20201/22
• September 23: Back-to-School Night

Dear PPS Families & Community,

Thank you for your ongoing collaboration and support as we continue to navigate these unprecedented times. In our ongoing effort to support the needs of all our students, PPS is offering an Online Learning Academy (OLA) for students who cannot attend in-person due to COVID-19 related health reasons.

Dear PPS High School Families,

Yesterday, Multnomah County Health announced updated guidance for mask-wearing: Wear a mask when indoors around people you don’t live with, whether vaccinated or not. This update is in response to increases in Delta variant cases in Oregon and is consistent with evolving guidance from state and national public health agencies, including the CDC, which today will advise that vaccinated people who live in high-transmission areas wear masks in indoor public spaces and that K-12 schools require masks for all.

Yesterday, Multnomah County Health announced updated guidance for mask-wearing: Wear a mask when indoors around people you don’t live with, whether vaccinated or not. This update is in response to increases in Delta variant cases in Oregon and is consistent with evolving guidance from state and national public health agencies, including the CDC, which today advised that vaccinated people who live in high-transmission areas wear masks in indoor public spaces, and that K-12 schools require masks for all.

All of us at Portland Public Schools are mourning the loss of Paul Edward Coakley Sr., a beloved educator who passed away on July 18, 2021. He was 67.