Ockley Green Middle School

Hello Families & Partners -

This last week, we welcomed our teachers back for Inservice and Planning time.  During our staff-wide professional learning time, we focused on our Ockley Green Core Values: Caring, Growth and Collaboration and the actions needed to make these values a lived reality for our community. 

Our value of Caring will be evident through our commitment to increase the Sense of Belonging that our students feel.  This will be a theme throughout the year for our professional learning, our students will continue to have Social-Emotional Learning opportunities and we are committed to elevating Student Voice in our classrooms through shared agreements and student feedback.  Growth brings a focus on reviving our Restorative Practices, both as part of Community Building and Disciplinary Processes.  We will grow our shared vision of Collaboration beyond the partnership with our families & students, to also include how we, as a staff, partner with each other to disrupt the predictability of academic and behavioral outcomes by race, ability, language and gender.  As we welcome students back next week, we look forward to having you as part of this journey of putting Caring, Growth and Collaboration into action.

In addition to our staff, a group of 32 8th Grade Students were on campus this week to develop their skills as mentors to our 6th Grade Students through our Dragon Leaders WEB Program.  Over their two days together, they worked with our Counselors, Jillian Stone & Galen Dickstein, and WEB Teacher Rebecca Halbig to prepare for their new role as Dragon Leaders.  Students were highly engaged throughout their learning, they built community with each other and are excited to welcome our 6th Grade students next week.

Please see below for some important updates!

2022-23 Bell Schedule

Click here for the updated 2022-23 Bell Schedule.  This is also available on our website under the Quick Links.  For the District School Year Calendar, available in multiple languages, click here.

School Supplies

Please check out the General School Supply recommendation for students.  Please note that teachers may have additional supply requests specific to their class that they will share with students in the opening week of school.

6th Grade Jump Start

August 30th will be the First Day of School for 6th Grade Students only.  Our 7th & 8th Grade Students will start back on August 31st.  Here are some details about the 6th Grade Jump Start:

COVID Updates

See below for a message from PPS regarding COVID.

We are excited to have our students back to the new school year! At PPS, we are committed to promoting a safe and healthy learning environment so that high-quality and joyful teaching and learning can happen in schools all year long.

We’ve learned a lot in the last two years about COVID-19, communicable diseases, and respiratory illnesses. From the beginning of this global pandemic, we’ve been guided by advice from public health experts, made adjustments based on new data and updated science, and applied what we’ve learned to guide our response. As a result, we are in a better place today as a community with more ways to protect ourselves and each other from COVID-19 and other communicable diseases, including vaccinations, boosters, access to testing, and availability of high-quality masks, and improved ventilation.

This school year, we plan to use layered health and safety measures and strategies, like testing availability, required COVID-19 vaccination for staff and volunteers, and continuing to communicate public health recommendations to students, staff, and families.

Please click here for our updated health and safety information:

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Please share with your student that face coverings can be worn by anyone wishing to wear them.  We will continue to ask students to be respectful and considerate of others, to continue to be aware of their spacing with others and to let an adult know if they are experiencing any symptoms of illness.  Please see this Self-Screening Tool for guidelines for keeping students at home or when to notify the school of symptoms.

PPS COVID Vaccine Clinic

PPS is hosting a Back-to-School vaccine clinic in the foyer of the BESC (501 N. Dixon St.), Monday, Aug. 29, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.  

The clinic will be open to all, and offer first, second and booster doses of the COVID-19 vaccine. Both Pfizer and Moderna vaccines will be available. The CDC recommends COVID-19 vaccines for everyone 6 months and older, and boosters for everyone 5 years and older. The clinic is a partnership with Oregon Health Authority.  We ask that you please wear a mask. If you do not have a mask, one will be provided at the door.

What: COVID-19 Vaccine clinic

When: Monday, Aug. 29, from 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m.

Where: BESC foyer - 501 N. Dixon St.

Who: Anyone 6 months or older wanting a first, second or booster dose, including boosters for children ages 5-11. There is no charge for the vaccine.

Families can also search for vaccine opportunities at getvaccinated.Oregon.gov.

Important Dates

• August 27th: Community Care Day
• August 30th: Jump Start for 6th Grade - More details to come on the website
  • 6th Grade Students only
  • 8th Grade Dragon Leaders will support students with an orientation to the building, community building activities and practicing their new 7-Period schedule.
  • Family Meeting with Admin Team
• August 31st: All students attend
• September 15th: Back to School Night
• October 18th: Picture Day
• November 21st & 22nd: Conferences

Please take a moment to find and bookmark our school website to become more familiar with programs and information.  We have been busy making updates and have prioritized a thorough review and update of Ockley Green information this school year.

Again, we look forward to entering this coming school year and to the many new experiences we will share with our families and students.

In Partnership,

Julie Rierson

Pronouns: she/her

Principal

Ockley Green Middle School