Sellwood Principal’s Newsletter – May 26, 2023

Greetings Sellwood Community,

Happy Friday to all!  The weather is shaping up for a lovely, moderately warm weekend!  I know all of us could use some well-deserved rest and relaxation!

Enjoy the three-day weekend,

Jeandré Carbone

Sellwood MS Principal

jcarbone@pps.net

Sellwood Principal’s Newsletter – May 19, 2023

Greetings Sellwood Community,

As we approach the last weeks of the school year, I would like to thank two parent organizations that have a huge, positive impact on successful outcomes at Sellwood Middle School.

The Sellwood PTA has shown consistent, amazing support to staff and students this year.  They have supported all teachers and other support staff with grants that help them purchase items that enrich their classes for all students.  The PTA elective grant has helped Sellwood provide elective enrichment across the board.  A few of the items purchased: science kits, batteries, art supplies, Legos, PlayDoh, putty, art supplies, headphones, microphones, baskets, yoga balls for student seats, calculators, posters, lots of books, and sports equipment.  The PTA JEDI grant will allow us to continue our partnership with No Place for Hate, providing student training, staff PD, and a future parent information night.  The PTA has also provided coordination, volunteers, and supplies for many events such as the Ice Cream Social at the beginning of the year, and the 8^th-grade commencement ceremony coming up in June.  The PTA has organized parent volunteers who have been very helpful hallway monitors, lending additional adult presence near student bathrooms, and also hallway monitoring on state testing days.  The PTA staff appreciation program has been truly amazing, with regular snack Wednesdays, crockpot Wednesdays, plus breakfast and lunches during educator appreciation week.  A big thank you to all of the parents who signed up to bring in snacks, delicious crockpot stews, and who volunteered for the various events.  Please support the PTA by purchasing tickets to the Garden Tour on June 4^th or consider volunteering for the event! See below for the link to purchase tickets.  My husband and I went last year and really enjoyed it.  I just bought our tickets for this year. Sellwood Middle sends a lot of love and gratitude to our wonderful PTA. 

The Sellwood Foundation fundraises tirelessly and has a lot of fun while doing it.  Their fundraising events have not only successfully raised much needed funds for Sellwood staffing, but also have been great opportunities for much needed socializing.  The Petanque party and Drag Queen Bingo this year were very fun events.  If not for the Sellwood Foundation, we would not have had French, cooking, or technology electives, and we would not have had additional support staff who help teachers and students in myriad ways every day.  Sellwood Middle also sends love and appreciation to the Sellwood Foundation, as well as all of the families who have donated to the Foundation and attended their fundraisers.  Another way to support the Foundation is by joining them!  See below for details.

I hope you enjoy the weekend,

Jeandré Carbone

Sellwood MS Principal

jcarbone@pps.net

Sellwood Principal’s Newsletter – May 12, 2023

Greetings Sellwood Community,

We are coming up on the last month of school!  Please read below about several end-of-year events, such as state testing, Showcase Night, the Oaks Park field trip, Chromebook collection, and 8^th-grade Promotion.

I hope you stay cool on a warm weekend. 

Jeandré Carbone

Sellwood MS Principal

jcarbone@pps.net

Sellwood Principal’s Newsletter – May 5, 2023

Greetings Sellwood Community,

Thank you to all the parents who continually step up to support and honor Sellwood’s hardworking staff.  Next week is staff appreciation week, which has been extended to a second week to make sure we include our wonderful 6^th grade team. Next week, they will be heading off to Outdoor School with our 6^th-graders, and we did not want them to miss out on the fun.  With our wonderful PTA coordinating (I am looking at you, Rachel) and many parent volunteers, Sellwood teachers and staff will enjoy breakfast, a crockpot lunch, and then a pizza party.  We are happy we can enjoy these events together and in-person, after a few years when we were not able to hold in-person meetings or eat together as a staff. 

Speaking of Outdoor School, we are so excited that the overnight camping experience is back this year.  Families of 6^th-grade students should have received lots of information to get prepared, but as a reminder, students will be gathering at Sellwood at 2:30 PM this Sunday.  Bon Voyage!

I hope everyone has a great weekend,

Jeandré Carbone

Sellwood MS Principal

jcarbone@pps.net

Portland Public Schools celebrated Earth Day 2023 with some climate-friendly additions to its transportation fleet: three electric-powered buses from GreenPower Motor Company.

When Mike Nolan of Ida B. Wells High School was named Athletic Director of the Year by the Oregon Athletic Directors Association (OADA), no one was more excited than his co-workers.

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 PPS Families, 

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