Principal's Newsletter 6.7.2024
Sellwood Principal’s Newsletter – June 7, 2024
Greetings Sellwood Community,
It was wonderful to see so many of you last night for Sellwood’s Annual Showcase Night. Celebrating our students’ hard work is so important. A big thank you to all of our teachers and students who worked hard on preparations. Ms. Souther, the time, care, and effort you contribute to making Showcase happen are so appreciated. Also, a shout out to our performers: Mr. Patterson and the jazz band, the Sellwood Stars, and the marimba band. What a treat – I felt so proud of our accomplished students, whether they were performing, displaying their artwork, or their academic projects.
Next week is the last week of school, with our annual field trips to Oaks Park on Monday and Tuesday, and 8th grade promotion on Friday.
Don’t forget, next Friday, the last day of school, is a half-day ending at 12:30 PM.
Enjoy the weekend!
Sincerely,
Jeandré Carbone
Sellwood MS Principal
FOUNDATION NEWS
Message from SMS Foundation
SMS Community,
As we close out the school year we want to say THANK YOU! We are so grateful for your support of the SMS Foundation this year! You showed up at bingo, you’ve been saving cans and you’ve made generous donations to provide staffing resources for next school year! We can’t tell you how grateful we are!
There’s still time to donate by June 30, to support staffing at SMS in the 2024-2025 school year. Donate today at https://www.
As you may have heard, the PPS Board of Education voted on May 7 to stop allowing local school foundations to fundraise for staffing positions in their school. Instead, the district is launching a district-wide foundation starting on July 1. That being said, we have until June 30 to make donations to the SMS Foundation to impact staffing for next school year.
While the Foundation Board is saddened to know that we will no longer be able to raise funds to directly support our students at SMS, we are excited to share that our beloved fundraising efforts (blue bags, bingo, and more), will continue with the PTA next year. We are honored the PTA is keeping these fundraising efforts going to support our school, students, and teachers. Be on the lookout for more information about these fundraising efforts to support the PTA when the new school year begins.
Warmly,
SMS Foundation Board
PTA NEWS
Sellwood Dines Out
Thank you to Pure Green Sellwood for hosting our final SDO of the school year! We are grateful for your support and enjoyed all the delicious juices, smoothies, bowls, and mimosas.
We look forward to kicking off SDO again in the fall!
8th Grade Promotion
Please join us Friday, June 14 at 10:30 am at Sellwood Field (weather permitting)! We will celebrate the 8th graders with a ceremony, the Sellwood Band, distribution of certificates, refreshments and a photo booth.
8th Grade Graduate Yard Signs
If you ordered a yard sign for your 8th grader, they are in. PTA members have reached out via email to let you know where and when to pick up your sign. If you have any questions, please email sellwoodpta@gmail.com.
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/
CHROMEBOOK COLLECTION JUNE 10th and 11th
We are finalizing plans for the end-of-year collection of Chromebooks. In order to complete our inventory process, we will be collecting all Chromebooks and chargers.
- 6th and 7th graders will turn in their Chromebooks & chargers on June 10th in their science classes.
- 8th graders will turn in their Chromebooks & chargers on June 11th in their science classes.
Please ensure that your child turns in their Chromebook and charger on the collection date to avoid being billed for a missing Chromebook or charger.
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. Schools are being asked to bill families for lost or intentionally damaged Chromebooks or chargers. Chromebook replacements are $515 and lost chargers are $11.50.
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.
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
- 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 – Ends 12:30 PM