Portland Public Schools

Reflections on March 14th

On Wednesday, students across the nation chose to speak out on the issue of school safety. In many school communities, students observed a moment of silence and walked out of class to give voice to their thoughts and feelings. We should all listen. The horrific mass shootings that have taken student lives in recent years have provoked an incredibly important dialogue and created a valuable “teachable moment” for all of us.

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Grant Magazine earns Gold Crown for 5th year in a row

For the fifth year in a row, Grant Magazine was awarded a Gold Crown by the Columbia Scholastic Press Association, considered the highest honor for high school journalism.

The high school publication’s staff, along with advisor Chris Hawking, traveled to Columbia University in New York, where they received the award and attended a national journalism conference Friday. In the award year of 2016-17, about 1,100 student-produced digital publications, print newspapers, magazines and yearbooks were published, and Grant Magazine was one of 85 to be awarded a Gold Crown.

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Students travel to Seattle for ‘Hamilton’

More than 700 students from PPS high schools traveled to Seattle on March 14 to take in a matinee of the musical “Hamilton.” The Hamilton Education Program made discounted tickets available to sophomores and juniors studying U.S. history at historically underserved schools, and the Harold & Arlene Schnitzer CARE Foundation picked up the tab, allowing students from Benson, Franklin, Jefferson, Madison and Roosevelt to go.

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PPS students discuss race on OPB’s ‘Think Out Loud’

What do high school students in Portland think about race in the classroom? Oregon Public Broadcasting’s “Think Out Loud” radio show explored the topic in its March 13 broadcast and tapped Portland Public Schools students and teachers for its panel.

The panel included Jefferson High School junior Sarah Steele and Lincoln senior Jamie Bikales, who were joined by a student from Central Catholic and one from St. Mary’s.

Also on the panel were teachers Jayme Causey of Jefferson, Cesar Ramirez of Benson and Courtney Palmer of Grant, along with Angie Morrill, director of Indian Education in PPS.

OPB’s introduction of the segment: “With racial bias under the national microscope like never before, we talk to students, teachers and others in education about how race and racial identity are playing out – in curricula, class discussions and everyday life. We invited an audience to join us at the De La Salle North Catholic auditorium to discuss the real life experiences students have around race at school and explore ways that teachers can facilitate positive and productive discussions about race.”

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Alliance theater students tackle Shakespeare

Long rehearsals. Lots of characters. Lines in Old English. Alliance at Meek students are taking on the Bard in their latest production, “A Midsummer Night’s Dream.”

“Last year was our first year with a theater department,” said Rebecca Rothery, theater teacher at Alliance at Meek. “Most students in this production have never been in a play, much less Shakespeare.”

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Students prepare for PPS Spelling Bee

How do you spell competition and could you please use it in a sentence? Students throughout the district are setting aside their smartphone spell checks for pencils and paper whilst competing to represent their school at the PPS Spelling Bee in April. Jackson Middle School sixth-grader Adullah says it requires a lot of brain power to spell.

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My Voice: Nicholas Paesler

In this edition of My Voice, Cleveland High School junior Nicholas Paesler talks about working with Oregon Student Voice. The organization recently released a report outlining what students across the state think about their education.

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News and Notes

• Latino Family Conference set for April 7
• Nationally-known artist opens exhibit at Martin Luther King Jr. School
• PISA student gets scholarship that will help her keep swimming
• Climate activist holds writing workshops at PPS high schools

UPCOMING EVENTS

Wednesday, March 21
Late opening MOST K-8 schools

Saturday, March 24
Teaching with Purpose Leadership Summit

March 26-30
Spring break, no classes

April 3-4
Oregon Professional Educator Fair

Saturday, April 7
Conferencia Latinoamericana para padres de familia

Tuesday, April 10
Board meeting

Sports update: Spring schedule kicks into gear

With Grant putting an exclamation point on winter by winning a state title in boys basketball, it’s time to turn the page on sports seasons. Competition in high school spring sports started last week. Here’s a quick overview of the Portland Interscholastic League.

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Grant’s Student-Run Printing Business prepares students for careers

For now, the program has a simple name: “Student-Run Printing Business.” But a new Grant High School class is laying a foundation for helping students, both general and special education, transition into careers after graduation.

Six students are enrolled in the inaugural class, which is taught by Special Education teacher Mary Flamer at Grant’s temporary home on the Marshall High campus. Students create and sell merchandise -- such as T-shirts, sweatshirts and coffee mugs -- while learning skills such as marketing, accounting, production, inventory control, sales and customer service.

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Most likely to succeed: Jack Ely, Washington High School, 1961

Co-founder and vocalist for the Kingsmen, a group known almost entirely for a single hit song, “Louie, Louie.” The song was recorded in one take at a Portland studio in 1963 and became a rock and roll classic. Beyond its catchiness, the song is best known for its unintelligible lyrics, leading listeners over decades to make up their own.

No PPS Pulse on March 27 and April 3

Due to spring break, the PPS Pulse newsletter will not be published on March 27 and April 3. Be sure to look for the April 10 edition to catch back up with PPS news.

WE WANT YOUR IDEAS

Please feel free to submit story suggestions, links to the best stories on your school web site or newsletter, photos, videos and other items you think would have district wide interest. Email story ideas, images and documents to: ltrapp@pps.net.

PULSE CONTACTS

Coordinator
Lindsay Trapp
ltrapp@pps.net

Editor
Mike Tokito
mtokito@pps.net

Staff writer
Pamela Jordan
pjordan1@pps.net

Designer
Louise Tollisen
ltollisen@pps.net

Calendar
Rosie Fiallo
rfiallo@pps.net

The District is committed to equal opportunity and nondiscrimination in all its educational and employment activities. The District prohibits discrimination based on race; national or ethnic origin; color; sex; religion; age; sexual orientation; gender expression or identity; pregnancy; marital status; familial status; economic status or source of income; mental or physical disability or perceived disability; or military service.