Principal's Newsletter 5.10.2024
Sellwood Principal’s Newsletter – May 10, 2024
Greetings Sellwood Community,
It’s been a very busy week! On Tuesday, our 7th-grade field trip to Pure Seeds Farm and our 8th-grade trip to the University of Oregon were big undertakings. We received positive feedback from staff and students, so we consider the trips to have been well worth the effort. Thank you so much to the family members who volunteered as chaperones! We could not have done it without you. We also thank the Sellwood PTA for helping upgrade the U of O buses to Blue Star Coaches. The trip to Eugene was much more comfortable for all.
This week was Teacher and Staff Appreciation Week, and the PTA and our parent community once again went above and beyond to show the Sellwood MS team some love with a Higgins Bagels breakfast and Jade Bistro lunch. We are so grateful for our community, and grateful for our teachers and staff.
Finally, last night was the opening night for our first school play in 5 years, Roshambo. It was very well received, and our whole student body got to see it performed this morning at a school-wide assembly. The final performance will be tonight at 7PM. Our drama teacher, Ms. Crabtree, and her team of actors and stage crew, have worked so hard to make the play a success. Congratulations, team Roshambo!
Sellwood family, thanks for all you do. Try to stay cool this 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!
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/
OAKS PARK FIELD TRIPS – PERMISSION SLIPS WERE DUE MAY 3rd
All students should have received the Oaks Park permission form to sign and return. If you have not submitted your child’s field trip permission form and the $18 payment, please do so right away.
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. (extended to May 17th)
- 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.
8TH-GRADE PROMOTION
Friday June 14, 8th Grade Promotion
Sellwood Field, 10:30-11:30 am
Please join in celebration of our Sellwood Middle School 8th grade class with a promotion ceremony at the Sellwood Middle School Field. We will have our amazing Sellwood Middle School band performing, with a photo booth and light refreshments for families and graduates.
Thank you to Sellwood PTA for sponsoring this event! If you would like to volunteer, please look on Konstella for Sign Ups or email Liz: supere@ohsu.edu.
STATE TESTING
OSAS testing is on May 21 and 23rd. We will have a different bell schedule for these 2 days. To prepare for these important tests, please make sure your student:
- gets a good night sleep
- eats a healthy breakfast
- brings a snack to eat during the testing break
- brings a fully charged Chromebook
ANNUAL SUCCESSFUL SCHOOL SURVEY
Our district values your feedback! On Monday, you should receive an email from Panorama asking you to take a brief survey to tell us about your experience with PPS and Sellwood Middle. To ensure we continue to provide high quality, rigorous learning experiences that meet the needs of our learners and prepare them for college and career, we need your feedback. We want to know what you think.
The survey window will begin on May 6th and close on May 31st. Your family will be able to take the survey online at home at your earliest convenience. If you do not receive an email with a link to the survey , you can go to the following link to take the survey:
surveys.panoramaed.com/
Staff and students will take the survey on May 14th and 16th during the school day.
For more information, please refer to the attached SLIDES.
We thank you in advance for your thoughtful responses. If you have any questions about the survey administration, please don’t hesitate to contact the School Climate Specialist at mmortensen@pps.net.
SELLWOOD STARS ACCOMPLISHMENTS 2023-24
Please help us congratulate our dance team, The Sellwood Stars, on an award-winning season. Below is a list of their accomplishments.
Philomath 2/10:
★ Drill Down: Allyssa, Eowyn, Maya, Ramona, Ava, Phoebe, Sylvie, Saoirse, Cory, Olive
✯ Routine/Team Awards: 1st Jazz, 1st Contemporary
Milwaukie/Dancesation 2/17:
★ Drill Down: Anna, Saoirse, Ramona
☆ Superstars: Ivy, Martine
✯ Routine/Team Awards: 2nd Jazz, 2nd Contemporary
Rex Putnam 2/24:
★ Drill Down (Advanced): Eowyn, Saoirse, Phoebe, Sylvie
☆ Superstars: Ava, Zac, Eowyn
✯ Routine/Team Awards: 2nd Jazz, 2nd Contemporary, 2nd Hip Hop
PIL/District Champs 3/9:
★ Drill Down: Maya, Saoirse, Sylvie, Anna, Phoebe (champion)
State Champs 4/13:
★ Drill Down: Alessia, Willa, Ava, Maya, Anna, Slyvie, Eowyn, Ramona
☆ Super Stars: Allyssa, Ava, Maya
✯ Routine/Team Awards: 1st Hip Hop
Routines: Contemporary, Jazz, Hip Hop
Team Members: Martine, Alessia, Saoirse, Allyssa, Ivy, Ava, Tierney, Phoebe, Eowyn, Anna, Ellison, Willa, Maya, Olive, Cory, Lela, Sylvie, Ramona, Naomi, Zac, Nina, Kaya, Zani, Miranda, Oona, Finley, Frances, Willow
ROGUE PACK THEATRE COLLECTIVE
PLAYWRITING & PERFORMANCE SUMMER CAMP
Rogue Pack Theatre Collective is offering a two week full-time summer theatre camp July 22 – Aug. 2nd culminating with a free performance in Sellwood Park for the whole community.
Here is a preview of the registration page and info:
https://roguepack.regfox.com/
Ann Singer, Executive Director, Rogue Pack Theatre
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 9 & 10: Sellwood School Play “Roshambo” 7PM
- May 17th: All 8th-grade trip to Cleveland HS
- May 19: PTA Garden Tour
- May 22: Spring Band Concert – 6PM
- May 27: Memorial Day – NO SCHOOL
- May 28: PTA Meeting 7PM
- June 6: Showcase Night 5:30 – 7PM
- 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 – 11:30 AM
- June 14: Last Day of School – Half Day