Principal's Newsletter 4.26.2024
Sellwood Principal’s Newsletter – April 26, 2024
Greetings Sellwood Community,
As we approach the final months of the school year, we have several upcoming field trips that I wanted to highlight.
On May 7th, we will have two field trips. The first is a field trip for all 7th graders, to Pure Seed Farms, and the 2nd is an all 8th-grade field trip to the University of Oregon. All 7th and 8th grade teachers and many support staff will be chaperoning the two field trips, and there will be no 7th or 8th grade classes on that day. Please read below for more information about the two May 7th field trips. You should have already received the permission slips, and the permission slips are due May 3rd.
We do realize that the University of Oregon is a long drive. Originally, the central office had arranged for our visit at the University of Portland. Unfortunately, U of P cancelled the trip, and the University of Oregon is the only other school accepting large groups of middle school students. Many Sellwood students eventually attend U of O, and the trip should be a valuable learning experience for our 8th graders. We thank the ever generous Sellwood PTA for helping us upgrade our transportation from bumpy orange school buses to Blue Star Coach, so at least the long drive will be comfortable, maybe even with a movie!
Just announced - an all 8th grade trip to Cleveland High School for a tour and orientation on the morning of May 17th. Buses will depart Sellwood just after the start of school and return to school at 11:25. Permission slips will be coming soon.
Finally, we have the Oaks Park field trips on June 10th and 11th. That is a lot of activity!
Enjoy the weekend,
Sincerely,
Jeandré Carbone
Sellwood MS Principal
PTA NEWS
Sellwood Garden Tour 2024 - May 19 - Volunteers Needed
We have many volunteer opportunities open for the Garden Tour on Konstella - this is a great opportunity to support the school and connect with members of the SMS community.
We will have 2 shifts open that day, 10:45am-1:30pm and 1:30-4:15pm. Volunteers will be assigned to each of our 6 gardens as hosts, directing traffic, answering questions, and representing the school. Please check Konstella for all volunteer openings and reach out if you have questions. We appreciate your support!
PTA Clothing Center Volunteers Needed - May 2
We need 2-3 volunteers from SMS to help out at the Clothing Center, which is located at Marshall High School, from 9:30am-1:30pm on May 2. The Center serves over 2000 PPS students each school year, providing them with clothing and shoes so that they can feel good about attending school. Please sign up through Konstella or email sellwoodpta@gmail.com if you are able to help. Thank you!
April PTA Social & Sellwood Dines Out
Our thanks to PDX Sliders for hosting SDO on Tuesday! They generously donated a portion of their proceeds to support the school. Thanks also to those who joined the PTA and Principal Carbone that evening - we enjoyed connecting with all of you and meeting some new members of the SMS community.
We look forward to seeing you at our next PTA General meeting on May 28 at 7:00pm in the SMS Library.
8th Grade Graduation Sign Orders & Volunteers Needed
If you have a graduating 8th grader and would like to purchase a yard sign to celebrate them, please visit the following link: https://spirithero.com/
We are also looking for volunteer support for our 8th Grade Promotion on June 14. Please check Konstella for opportunities to help with set up & decorations, refreshments, handing out certificates, and clean up. This is a special day for our 8th graders and we need your support to make it happen!
SMS PTA Board opportunities - 2024-2025
We are looking for new PTA Board members for the 2024-2025 school year. We will have several member-at-large vacancies on the board and want to ensure all feeder schools are represented. Please consider joining us to and helping with important committees like Sellwood Dines Out, Staff Appreciation, PEAK programs and other important events throughout the year. Reach out to sellwoodpta@gmail.com with any questions.
Important links:
- PTA email: sellwoodpta@gmail.com
- Join the PTA: www.schoolpay.com/link/
sellwoodpta - Join Konstella: https://www.konstella.com/cd/
AXC2Z9 - Instagram: @sellwoodmiddlePTA
- Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/
SellwoodMiddleSchoolPTA/
7TH GRADE PURE SEED FIELD TRIP
All 7th grade students will attend a field trip to Pure Seed farm and headquarters to learn about careers in agriculture on May 7th from 9:30 to 2pm. Permission slips have been distributed and are due May 3rd. We are looking for chaperones! If you are interested, please email mmortensen@pps.net
8TH GRADE FIELD TRIP TO THE UNIVERSITY OF OREGON
As part of college and career learning, all PPS 8th-graders will be visiting a college or university this spring. Sellwood 8th graders will attend a field trip to the University of Oregon on May 7th. Buses will be departing first thing in the morning, and returning at approximately 5PM. Students will visit the Student Welcome Center, tour the campus, visit the Athletics Facilities and the Museum. Field trip permission slips have been distributed and are due, Friday, May 3rd. We are looking for chaperones! If you are interested, please email mmortensen@pps.net
OAKS PARK FIELD TRIPS – PERMISSION SLIPS DUE MAY 3rd
All students should have received the Oaks Park permission form to sign and return. Here are the details of the field trip.
- When:
- 8th graders - Monday, June 10th, 2024, 9:30am – 2:30pm
- 6th/7th graders – Tuesday, June 11th, 2024, 9:30am – 2:30pm
- Transportation: We will be walking both to and from the park. Make sure to wear comfortable shoes! All students will return to Sellwood for school dismissal; no exceptions.
- Cost: $18.00 will include Adrenalin Peak Roller Coaster, Go-Karts, Atmosphere (new ride).
- Preferred payment on-line with School Pay.
- If this presents a financial hardship, scholarships are available. Let us know by emailing Ms. Collins dcollins@pps.net or Claire Howard choward1@pps.net
- Lunch: Students may: 1. Bring a sack lunch, 2. Request a Sellwood sack lunch, or 3. purchase lunch at OAKS Park. Please note that there can be very long lines and waits for purchasing food at the park. We have reserved a Picnic Area (students can leave their lunch here during the day).
- Other Costs: Students can bring extra money for snacks, games. etc.
- Due Date for Permission Slips: Friday, May 3rd.
- Expectations: In order to make sure this experience is safe and enjoyable for everyone, students attending Oaks Park are expected to be on their best behavior and must be responsive to adult direction. We are also expecting that as we come closer to the end of the year, that students will continue to meet behavior expectations while at school.
- If a student were to receive a serious stage 2-3 referral that would merit suspension, between now and the end of the year, that student may be suspended from attending Oaks Park with their class. Examples of incidents that may merit suspension: fighting, serious disruptive conduct, violation of the PPS drug/alcohol policy, bullying and harassment, physical attack/harm, property damage (intentional), etc.
STUDENT LEADERSHIP CLASS NEWS
May Day Flower Drive
Bring hardy potted flowers or plants to donate at school May 1-3. Please bring plants to the courtyard before or after school. Leadership students will plant them outside to beautify our grounds! We are hoping for pansies, daisies, and other easy-care plants. Think of us when you are digging and dividing in your yard, or pick up an extra few plants at the garden center.
Let's honor Earth Month by reducing our plastic impact!
Did you know that only 9% of plastic is currently recycled? Do you have a “bag of bags” under a sink somewhere? Leadership students are spearheading a plastic film recycling drive through Ridwell. We can accept clean, dry plastic bags and film May 6 through May 20. Students and caregivers can drop off plastics inside, near the main office. ***To distinguish plastic *film* from some other kind, try to push your finger through the plastic. If it gives easily and you can make a hole in it, bring it to school!***
This is a one-time collection, but Ridwell is also offering one year of FREE monthly plastic film pickups for Sellwood Middle School for the entire 2024-2025 school year if we get 10 new members to join (purchase a Ridwell subscription for your home) using this link by May 31, 2024: get.ridwell.com/Sellwood
Imagine the impact of a whole school recycling plastic film, bags, and packing materials. Our textbooks and Chromebooks alone result in a LOT of plastic packaging waste which could be avoided!
LOST OR INTENTIONALLY DAMAGED CHROMEBOOKS
As we are nearing the end of the 2023-24 school year, questions are surfacing about students who have lost or intentionally damaged their Chromebook or their charger/adapter. In October, the School Board updated the board policy on instructional materials, 6.40.010-P, to include charging students for lost or damaged equipment. Parents/guardians will pay the school and the school will purchase replacement Chromebook using the PPS IT Purchasing process. Chromebook replacements are $515 and lost chargers are $11.50.
PIL YOUTH SPORTS
PIL sports registration, schedules and calendar found HERE. Sellwood falls under the "Cleveland Cluster". If your student is playing a sport or any extracurricular activity outside of the PIL, we would love to support them as well. Send an email to Mr. KB (akennybrew@pps.net) including the schedule, including playoff information, and team pictures. Thank you
COUNSELING CORNER
Students with last names A-L: Mr. KB – akennybrew@pps.net
Students with last names M-Z: Ms. Katie – kfrancis@pps.net
MAIN OFFICE
The best way to reach us is by email.
- Melissa Whiteside (mwhitesi@pps.net) is our school secretary and registrar.
- Claire Howard (choward1@pps.net) is our principal’s secretary and bookkeeper.
- 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;
- press 3 for Claire
- press 2 for all Attendance matters.
- press 5 for Records, Registration.
- press 0 for the front counter; however, students may answer this line. Do not discuss anything confidential or leave any confidential messages.
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 or if you must get a message to a student. For student pickup, advance notice is strongly recommended to minimize classroom interruptions. No pickups/dismissals will be allowed after 3:30 pm.
Guides to Help you:
To access your student’s attendance in Synergy: Log into ParentVue.
To make changes to your student’s registration in Synergy: ParentVue/StudentVue
Please email Melissa Whiteside (mwhitesi@pps.net) for:
- Passwords: If you have forgotten your password, have been locked out of your account, or do not have login credentials
- ParentVue (if your account has been disabled).
Please email Claire Howard (choward1@pps.net) for:
- School Pay/Bookkeeping/accounting issues.
- Administrative Support: Messages or matters of support to the principal or assistant principal.
IMPORTANT DATES TO REMEMBER
- May 7: All 8th-grade Field Trip to University of Oregon in Eugene (returning 5PM)
- May 7: All 7th-grade Field Trip to Pure Seed Farms
- May 9 & 10: Sellwood School Play “Roshambo”
- May 17th: All 8th-grade trip to Cleveland HS - AM only
- May 19: PTA Garden Tour
- May 22: Spring Band Concert
- May 27: Memorial Day – NO SCHOOL
- June 6: Showcase Night
- June 10: OAKS Park – 8th Grade
- June 11: OAKS Park – 6th and 7th Grades
- June 12-14: Make-up Days
- June 14: 8th Grade Promotion 10:30 AM
- June 14: Last Day of School – Half Day