Sellwood Principal’s Newsletter – October 28, 2022
Greetings Sellwood Community,
Last week, the Sellwood Foundation started their annual fundraising campaign. Next year, the southeast school boundaries are shifting, which will cause Sellwood’s enrollment to drop slightly over the next few years. Every drop in enrollment carries with it the possibility of losing school staff. Therefore, the financial support provided by the Foundation will be more important than ever in order to maintain or fortify Sellwood’s course offerings and student support. Read below to learn how you can support the foundation’s annual fundraising campaign.
Parent teacher conferences will be happening in less than a month. The conference formats available are both virtual and in person. Next Wednesday, we will be sharing the schedule and all of the details for sign ups, so keep an eye out for that communication.
Sincerely,
Jeandré Carbone
Sellwood MS Principal
SELLWOOD MIDDLE FOUNDATION UPDATE
Annual Giving Campaign
Calling all Sellwood Families! The Annual Giving Campaign, the largest fundraiser of the year, is in full swing! This fundraising effort is crucial to provide programs and staffing at our school, and with the help of a generous donor, every donation made during this fundraising campaign will be matched 100%!
Our goal is to raise $50,000 in the next two weeks to pay for more teachers, more course variety and smaller class sizes, which means our efforts positively impact every student at our school.
We invite all families to donate at the level they are comfortable. No amount is too small, as together we can make a difference! Please use the provided QR code:
Please use the provided QR code:
or visit the Foundation donation website at Donate — Sellwood Middle School Foundation
PTA NEWS
Staff Appreciation Wednesday Snacks
Thank you to all who have sent in snacks. The teachers and staff are so grateful. Some tell us it’s the only chance they get for a quick bite during the school day.
Please continue to help!
Granola bars, fruit, nuts, anything works! Your student can bring the snack into the office at the start of the school day when they arrive! Sign up on Konstella or use the link below.
It’s Not Too Late to Join the Sellwood Middle School PTA!
Help us reach our goal of 100 members! The annual $20 membership dues can be paid on SchoolPay. Dues are used by the PTA for teacher supply reimbursements, arts and music programs, community events, and school support. A portion of your dues also helps the Oregon and National PTA organizations further their missions. Thanks for your support!
PTA Fruit Fundraiser
We received lots of orders for the apple and pear fundraiser, thank you! Please plan to collect your boxes of fruit on Wednesday 11/3 from 2 to 6 pm from the Sellwood Middle School parking lot (located at the intersection of SE 15th and SE Harney). If you are unable to pick up your fruit during this time, you can contact Amy to make alternative arrangements at acolumbo@comcast.net. Please note that any fruit not picked will be donated.
Thanks, Amy
503-347-3994
Check out the JEDI Newsletter this week for information about bullying, about the work of SMS's teachers and staff in creating a safe environment for students and some ideas about how you can help your child to feel their safest at school.
Bridget Geraghty Barnicle
she/her/hers
FROM THE SCHOOL NURSE AND HEALTH ASSISTANT
Free Community Vaccination Clinic
PIL GIRLS’ YOUTH BASKETBALL
Hello, basketball tryouts are a little more than one week away. Here’s all the relevant information:
Tryout Information:
Fall clinic information:
CHS WBB 2022 Fall Basketball.pdf
General CHS Program information:
https://sites.google.com/
It is important for 6th grade families, and those new to PIL youth sports, to know that athletes must: 1) register with FamilyID, 2) complete a current PIL sports physical, and 3) provide proof of residency PRIOR to tryouts. Players will not be allowed to participate in tryouts without clearing all three steps. All the links necessary are contained within the PIL GBX FLYER.
Thanks in advance,
Stacey Berg
Cleveland Cluster GBX Coordinator
CHILD TAX CREDIT – FROM OREGON DEPARTMENT OF EDUCATION
Many low-income families and individuals have not claimed Child Tax Credits or the Third Stimulus payment due to them. Families have until November 15, 2022 to claim the credit.
Nearly 90% of children in the U.S. are eligible for the 2021 expanded Child Tax Credit (CTC), which provides up to $3,600 per child. Additional income like the CTC is associated with stronger educational performance, improved health, and reduced stress among kids in families with low incomes. Unfortunately, too many kids are at risk of missing out. You do not have to be tax experts to help!
While the tax filing deadline has passed, families with no or low incomes can still file without penalty and claim the full CTC (or the remaining half if they received 2021 advance payments).
Families have until mid-November to claim the credit on their own through the simplified filing portal, GetCTC.org/orschools. After that, families can still claim the 2021 CTC, but must file full tax returns. They have until April 15, 2025, to do so.
To Claim the CTC:
- Distribute printed or digital flyers.
- Text or email to families in your state using these sample messages in multiple languages.
- Promote the CTC and the Affordable Connectivity Program (ACP), a new federal benefit that helps families pay for internet service and a computer or tablet. You can find more resources on the ACP here.
Outreach materials are available in 11 languages, including flyers, template emails, texts, and robocalls.
Reduce Barriers to File:
Code For America has created a tool, GetCTC.org, to reduce barriers to people without filing requirements. This tool enables people to claim the Child Tax Credit and third stimulus payment (up to $5,000 per eligible child) - and people can sign up in 15 minutes or less on their mobile devices in English or Spanish. People must file before November 15 to easily get this money this year.
CLEVELAND YOUTH WRESTLING
Our registration window for Cleveland Youth Sports Middle School Wrestling season is now open. We would like to invite your student to be part of our program. We are a not cut sport and accept anyone who would like to participate. Wrestling is a great sport because “Any Body” can wrestle. Wrestling is open to athletes of all genders and sizes. Unlike other sports wrestlers compete against people their own size, We also have one of the largest girls wrestling teams in the state. You can learn more about the details of our wrestling program by clicking on the following link:
Thank You,
Aaron Roddis
Cleveland Wrestling Youth Development
FROM THE SELLWOOD COMMUNITY HOUSE
The Monster March Parade and Halloween Spooktacular return Saturday, Oct. 29th! The Monster March will once again be led by the Sellwood Middle School band, with participation from the Sellwood Stars Dance Team! Parade is 3-4, Spooktacular is 4-7pm. Both events take place at Sellwood Community House.
The Monster March is FREE. Spooktacular tickets can be purchased online. Any SMS youth who would like to volunteer can sign up here! https://www.
RACIAL EQUITY AND CONSCIOUSNESS DEVELOPMENT:
“Not everything that is faced can be changed, but nothing can be changed until it is faced”
- James Baldwin
- Read: Being Black in Portland: This article was written in 2015 and it is as real and relevant in 2022. Take a few minutes out of your day to read Dear White Portland … Racial injustice in the City of Roses, from the perspectives of young black men who live here. Their powerful true-life experiences and perspectives are essential for our understanding of how race shows up in Portland
MAIN OFFICE:
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.
- Our Sellwood website (pps.net/sellwood) has many “Quick Links” to help you immediately.
The Office Phone Number
- The office phone number is 503-916-5656.
- When prompted, press 4 for Melissa (“Records/Registration”) or press 3 for Claire (Principal’s Secretary)
- When prompted, press 2 for any “Attendance” matters. It’s a designated line just for attendance.
- You can also press 0 for the front counter where often students help us answer the phone and direct communication. This is not a private line and confidential messages should not be left in this voice box.
Secured Building
- Sellwood is 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:
- Please email both Melissa and Claire for student pick up, a student arriving late, or any other matter that may require meeting a parent/guardian at the front door or getting a message to a student. Advance notice is strongly recommended since the office is very busy throughout the day.
Guides to Help you:
- For questions about your student’s absence: Log into ParentVue.
- 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
- November 3: End of 1st Quarter
- November 3: Pick-up PTA Fruit Fundraiser 2:30-5:30 SMS Parking Lot
- November 4: No school for students – Teacher planning day
- November 9: Picture retakes
- November 11: No school - Veteran’s Day
- November 19: Sellwood Foundation & PTA Meetings
- November 21 & 22: Parent Teacher Conferences
- November 23-25: Fall Break
- December 12: Winter Band Concert 7:00 PM (new date)
- December 19 – January 2: Winter Break
- January 16: No school - Martin Luther King, Jr. Day
- January 26 – End of 1st semester
- January 27 – No school for students - Teacher planning day
- February 17 – No school for students – Teacher planning day
- February 20 – No school – President’s Day (potential snow day make-up day)
- March 27 – 31 – Spring Break
- April 7 – End of 3rd Quarter
- April 10th – No school for students – Teacher planning day
- May 16: Spring Band Concert 7:00 PM
- May 29: No school – Memorial Day
- June 13 – Last day of school
- June 14, 15, 16 – Potential snow day make-up days
