Principal's Newsletter 6/3/2022
Sellwood Principal’s Newsletter – June 3, 2022
Greetings Sellwood Community,
It has been an intense week of highs and lows. On the heels of two horrific mass shootings, Sellwood experienced a very upsetting and scary graffiti threat that will take some time to heal and recover from.
We also had the opportunity to welcome students and families to the building for our Spring Band Concert and our Showcase Night. Both events were well attended and, after two years of COVID restrictions, it was lovely to see families in the school’s hallways once again. Thanks to all of the teachers and students who shared their work with us.
Because only light can drive out darkness, I wanted to leave you with images from our final advisory session, where Sellwood students created the visuals of a peace sign and a heart out on our field. Thank you to AP Diana Collins for the idea and the coordination, and custodian Scott Taylor for providing the drone and having the skills to capture these great images.
I hope you enjoy some peace this weekend.
Sincerely,
Jeandré Carbone
Sellwood MS Principal
PTA NEWS
End of Year Volunteer Needs
Please look for announcements soon on how to support the 8th grade promotion and our last staff appreciation lunch.
FOUNDATION NEWS
We are 1/4 of the way to our $10,000 goal. Help us reach it, for our kids!
Did you miss the Foundation Fall Fundraiser? A generous donor offered to match up to $50,000 and we still have $10,000 available to be matched, so let's do this for our kids! The money we raise this Spring will go to teacher staffing for the 2022-2023 school year. We hope to raise enough to hire Educational Assistants who will help provide additional supports for students needing educational interventions, in addition to supporting the French/Technology and Culinary Arts electives. When parents and caregivers like you give back to our school, the Sellwood Foundation is able to help expand opportunities for all students. Every donation counts, and thank you to those who have already donated!
www.sellwoodmiddlefoundation.
SOUTHEAST GUIDING COALITION NEWS
On May 24, the PPS Board of Education approved boundary and program changes for eighteen
Southeast schools. They also agreed to allow more time for a final decision on the future location of the English program for Lent neighborhood students who do not enroll in Spanish Immersion.
The changes will formally take effect in Fall 2023, and are designed to create a new middle school at Harrison Park, increase enrollment at Lane Middle School and small neighborhood elementary schools, and consolidate some Chinese and Spanish immersion programs.
Planning for successful change has already begun:
- Individualized letters and emails will be sent this week to all impacted families with details about enrollment options. Please email enrollment-office@pps.net or call 503-916-3205 if you have any questions about how the changes will affect your student’s school assignment.
- Over the next months school teams will work together with central departments to build new community connections and plan for a smooth transition. We will continue to share updates on implementation through school newsletters and at https://www.pps.net/Page/13615
.
We are grateful to the SE Guiding Coalition and many, many students, parents, staff and community members who shared ideas and concerns throughout the process.
2022 SUMMER WARRIOR CAMP AT CLEVELAND HIGH SCHOOL
Learn to play Basketball the Warrior way!
June 21-23 9 am - noon (current 3rd-5th graders)
June 21-23 1 pm- 4 pm (current 6th-8th graders)
Cost is $50.
Sign up and pay at https://sites.google.com/
Questions? Email pwaiwaiole@gmail.com
Lisa Waiwaiole
Cleveland HS Women's Basketball
CHROMEBOOK COLLECTION
Students will bring their Chromebook, charger, and case with them and they will be collected during Social Studies classes on the following dates:
8th grade June 6th
7th grade June 8th
6th grade June 9th
If your student wants to keep their Chromebook over the summer, fill out this permission form and they will turn it in on the Chromebook collection date.
OHSU SCREENING TESTING SUMMER
- OHSU screening testing available July 11 - August 5th
- Students who are currently enrolled in OHSU Screening Testing and also enrolled in Summer Acceleration Academy will be automatically enrolled. As always, students may opt-out at any time. The opt out process is simply to uncheck the OHSU Screening Testing box in Synergy.
- Data entry and program management will be supported centrally, Summer Acceleration Academy administrators and office staff will not be required to enter data into Synergy.
- Families who would like to continue testing but are not enrolled in summer academy can submit samples at their chosen summer academy site by dropping at office on identified weekly pickup day. Please include this language (or similar) in a message to families this week:
- OHSU Screening testing will be supported for PPS students July 11th through August 5th. Samples will be collected at Summer Acceleration Academy sites on Wednesdays while Summer Acceleration Academy is in session. Please ensure that your students’ sample is in the office of your identified Summer Acceleration Academy site between 9 am and 11:30 am.
- If your student is currently enrolled, and you need additional sample collection kits for the weeks of July 11th through August 5th, please contact your school office. Summer Acceleration Academy will not be able to support enrollment or supply needs of students who are not participating in their program.
- OHSU Screening Testing Fall:
- Fall will have a new online enrollment process; central office will work with schools to support family enrollment for those who do not have technology readily available.
NINTH GRADE COUNTS 2022 SUMMER PROGRAMS
Guide to free and low-cost summer transition programs for rising 9th graders in Portland and Multnomah County. Guide.
OPPORTUNITIES, CAMPS, and CLASSES
- Bustin’ Barriers Summer Camps for Kids Experiencing Disability
- Saturday Academy Summer STEAM Camps & Classes
- Portland Metro Fire Summer Camp
- Summer Acceleration Academy webpage
- PIL Math Trajectory Summer Program (McDaniel)
- PIL Math Trajectory Summer Program (Roosevelt)
- Benson Tech Youth United Multi-Sport Summer Camp
- Adapted PE Field Day (K-8 flier) (9-12 flier)
- Cognizart 360 Arts Summer Camp
- Verselandia! (April 28, 2022 Flier) (Educator Invitation)
- OSU STEM Academy AWSEM Club Spring Dates (English) (Spanish)
- VIBE of Portland Art Camps, Classes, No-School Workshops
- VIBE of Portland East Winds Summer Camp
- OSU Summer Reading Program
- Multnomah Early Childhood Program (English) (Spanish) (Vietnamese)
- Portland Parks & Recreation Preschool 2022-2023 Registration
YEARBOOK NEWS
We still have a few yearbooks available for sale! Check your "Order History" in SchoolPay* to see if you're on the list. Ordering will shut down when we run out. We will NOT have extras, but the Publishing class will make complimentary "Memory Books" available for students on the day we distribute yearbooks.
*If you cannot use SchoolPay, contact Claire in the office to order with a check or cash.
AMERICAN CULTURAL EXCHANGE PROGRAM
The ACEP will be running a 3-week program for High School students from Spain at International Special Programs at Portland State University and are looking for homestay families with middle and/or high school aged teenagers in the home. Here is the flyer of the homestay provider that is working with them.
COUNSELING CORNER
Students with last names A-L: Mr. KB – akennybrew@pps.net
Students with last names M-Z: Ms. Katie – kfrancis@pps.net
Working with a variety of students: Ms. Susan – sucook@pps.net
RACE, RACISM, & RACIAL EQUITY RESOURCES
- “What is Systemic Racism?” videos from RaceForward
- Racism Interruptions sentence frames (see PDF in folder)
- “Why Aren’t There More Black People in Oregon? A Hidden History” (Walidah Imarisha)
MAIN OFFICE:
- Open Monday to Friday, School Hours
The best way to reach us is by email.
- Melissa Whiteside (mwhitesi@pps.net) is our school secretary.
- Claire Howard (choward1@pps.net) is our principal’s secretary.
The Office Phone Number
- The office phone number is 503-916-5656.
- When prompted, press 4 for Melissa or “Attendance”; press 3 for Claire.
- You can also press 0 for the front counter where often students help us answer the phone and direct communication.
Secured Building
- Sellwood is now a locked and secure building.
- Please ring the doorbell to the right of the main doors to reach the office. We will guide you accordingly.
Parent/Student Requests:
- Arrangements can be made with the office staff for student pick up, a student arriving late, or any other matter that may require meeting a parent/guardian at the front door. If you know of such needs in advance, please email either Melissa or Claire.
Guides to Help you:
- For questions about your student’s absence: Log into ParentVue.
- To make changes to your student's registration in Synergy: ParentVue/StudentVue
Please email Melissa (mwhitesi@pps.net) for:
- Attendance: If you need to excuse your child's attendance.
- Passwords: If you have forgotten your password, have been locked out of your account, or do not have login credentials.
- Registration, Enrollment.
- ParentVue (if your account has been disabled).
Please email Claire (choward1@pps.net) for:
- School Pay.
- Bookkeeping/accounting issues.
- Administrative Support: Messages or matters of support to the principal or assistant principals.
IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER
- June 7 – 8th-grade trip to OAKS Park, 10:00 to 2:00 PM
- June 7 – Staff vs. Student Volleyball Game – around 2:45
- June 10 – 6th & 7th graders trip to OAKS Park, 9:30 to 12:00 PM
- June 10 – 8th-grade promotion 10:30 AM
- June 10 – Last Day of School (half-day ending at 12:30)
- August 30 – First day of the 2022-23 school year