Hello wonderful Vestal community-

We are definitely into the Fall, this week we had pouring down rain to warm spring like weather! Just a reminder that we eat outside whenever possible, so please send your child with a  jacket!

 A few notes-

• Tomorrow is Vestal Spirit day!  LOVE seeing all the supportive social justice messages and seeing the wonderful Vestal gear! Might be a good day to wear the Vestal hat!

• Start planning your outfit...TUESDAY Oct. 19th is Picture day!

• Today was a good example of being outside with some rain...works better with rain coats! Know that we strongly encourage kids to wear coats and put up hoods...and sometimes they choose otherwise:)

• COVID testing- REALLY will happen next week! We will send home kits on Monday, please return them Tuesday!

Vestal Peace, Sabrina Flamoe

Hello wonderful Vestal community-

We are definitely into the Fall, this week we had pouring down rain to warm spring like weather (so0metimes during the same day!) Just a reminder that we eat outside whenever possible, so please send your child with a  jacket!

 A few notes-

• There is NO SCHOOL TOMORROW...see you Monday!

• Toys, Cards, games...Oh My! We have been having many kids bring Pokemon cards to school. This is causing some trouble-especially because Pokemon cards are pretty distracting, but also many students do not have any and are now wanting some. Moving forward we are asking that all pokemon cards (and other toys from home) stay at home. If they are brought to school, it is expected that they stay in backpacks and are not out at all. Some of your kids will need some reminders about this next week. We will give reminders, but it can be super helpful if you make sure they are being left at home. I kno wmany kids LOVE pokemon, and I beleive Pokemon is Cool...and it'll be a. bummer to share this rule with kids, but please remind them the cards are very distracting and not all students who want them have them, so it is important that Pokemon cards staty at home where they can be enjoyed!  We so appreciate your support with this guidance!

• Monday will be our first experience with the OHSU Covid testing process. If your child signed up, they will receive a kit in their backpack. Please follow the directions and have them return the kit on Tuesday. OHSU will pick up Tuesday.

• Start planning ahead...Oct. 19th is Picture day!

Vestal Peace, Sabrina Flamoe
 

Hey Vestal Families! This week in Physical Education the kindergarten and first grade students are learning about galloping and skipping while participating in a game called silly bananas. Ask them to show you what they can do. In the third, fourth and fifth grades we are learning how to move and change direction with force. The students are all working hard. I am so happy to be able to work with the Vestal students in person again  and grateful to work in such an amazing community. Have a great week!
 

Coach C

Hello all, welcome to the last day of September! We are definitely seeing some very Fall like weather. Today was a great example...it was lightly sprinkling during lunch times, but we did eat outside. Please be sure to send your student with a rain jacket or some sort of jacket to keep them dry. If you need a jacket, please let us know! You can email me directly, or email Kate, our wonderful social worker! (see below for email)

Thsi week has been full of so much learning! It is terrific to see students get into the routine of school! This week I have seen amazing word study, reading workshop, our new math curriculum in full force, choice time, and heard lots of music coming from our auditorium! Yeah! School is pretty cool. Also, your kids are doing such a great job with keeping their masks on, distancing, and being so very kind to others. Some of you have asked about masks...it REALLY is ok if your student forgets theirs, we have lots at school!

A few things to remember-

* Tomorrow is Vestal Spirit Day! Wear your Vestal gear and/or t-shirts with social justice messages!

* Just thinking ahead...picture day is Oct. 19th. You will get info sent home next week.

*  Please return the OHSU paperwork if you would like to be included in weekly COVID testing. It is 100% optional. We will let folks know when test kits will be sent home!

* Please remind your child that if they bring something to school that belongs to them personally, it should be kept in their locker and/or backpack. It is hard when kids special things get ruined or broken or lost...we encourage special items to be left at home.

* Fresh Food Pantry begins Friday, October 1st, from 2:15-3:15pm in the STUDIO

It is free and open to all the Vestal community.

Please bring your own bags if you can - we only have a limited supply.

Thank you!

Vestal Peace, Sabrina

Message from Library-This week in library K-1 read Middle of the Fall by Kevin Henkes and we are working on making predictions & connections as readers! In 2nd & 3rd grade we were read Creepy Carrots by Aaron Reynolds & drew some of our own Creepy Carrots. 4th & 5th grade learned about the free online resource Ask Doug, we have also been exploring book reviews & will write our first draft and create some book review flipgrids next week. 

Vestal Family Resources

The latest from Vestal Counseling, SUN & Family Resources

Counseling with Mr. True!

Hi Vestal parents, caregivers, and families!

This month, we are focusing on a few key social-emotional learning (SEL) tools for students. We are introducing the Zones of Regulation which is a way for students to express and identify how they are feeling through the use of colors: Blue, Green, Yellow, and Red.

• The Blue Zone means students may be feeling sad, tired, sick, or bored.
• The Green Zone means students may be feeling happy, focused, calm, or ready to learn.
• The Yellow Zone means they may be feeling excited, anxious, frustrated, nervous, worried, or silly. The Red Zone means they may be feeling angry, or out of control.

We are also introducing three tools through the TOOLBOX curriculum. These tools are: the Breathing Tool, the Quiet/Safe Place Tool, and the Listening Tool. These are tools which help students regulate their emotions and their bodies. Please see the pictures below for examples.

If you would like more information about these tools or the Zones of Regulation, we are happy to send home resources for you and your students. We are so thankful for the amazing partnerships we are creating between the families and Vestal. Thank you for being a part of the Vestal community.

If you would like to contact Mr. True, you can email him at mtrue@pps.net, call him at 503-916-6437, or text/call him at 971-231-4862. Or you can also find him at school to chat in person. You can also find more information here: https://sites.google.com/pps.net/mrtrueswebsite/home

SUN with Mr. Ryan!

Welcome back Vestal Students!

The Vestal SUN Community School team is ready for another year of creating a safe and comfortable place for every member of our community. Our fresh food pantry will start up again on Friday, Oct. 1 from 2:15 to 3:15 p.m. It is free and open to the whole Vestal community. This will happen every Friday of the school year when the school is open.

In case you missed it, the SUN office has moved to the back hallway, between the staff lounge and the kitchen. If you walk to the back hallway, you will see a big sign for the SUN school – come in and say hi! My office is open any time I am in the building, and if not, I can be reached at 503-438-5119, or ryanm@irco.org.

Family Resources with Ms. Kate!

Vestal families!

We know that life isn't *just* about being at school, and that now more than ever, many families are looking for a little extra help getting through. Vestal is here to help our students and families where we can with:

• Clothing, coats, and shoes
• Food
• Energy bill assistance
• Emergency rental assistance
• Finding financial assistance for childcare
• Signing up for Oregon Health Plan

Check out our resource website at:

https://sites.google.com/pps.net/leeandvestalresources/home

Please contact Kate Blackmore, School Social Worker at Vestal Elementary at kkovacichblackmore@pps.net for more information.

Links to articles & Events

In This Together Grief Support for Families

In This Together is a program that supports children, teens, and families who have experienced the death of someone close to them. Our support groups are offered at no cost to participants. A virtual group is scheduled for Oct. 19 to Nov. 23. For assistance signing up, please contact Petya at 503-414-5145 or ppohlsch@lhs.org OR Carrie at 503-953-5315 or carrie.kilpatrick-white@providence.org.

Parent/Caregiver Guide to Helping Families Cope with the Covid-19 Pandemic

https://www.nctsn.org/resources/parent-caregiver-guide-to-helping-families-cope-with-the-coronavirus-disease-2019

NAMI Family Support Groups

https://www.namimultnomah.org/family-support-groups

Hello all! Wow, what a gorgeous Fall day!

We have been very lucky with the amazing weather, especially as we sit outside for lunch...fingers crossed the rain waits until tomorrow evening:)

Tomorrow is SPIRIT Day!  Please encourage your child to wear Vestal gear or anything that supports messages of Social Justice!

This week in Art:
Hello wonderful Vestal families!
Thank you to ALL Vestal students, for making my first week of being an Art teacher amazing!
For those of you who who are new to the Vestal community, I am Ms. Breaux (rhymes with crow,
one of my favorite birds). I have been a Kindergarten Educational Assistant at Vestal for the
past 5 years, and earned a master’s degree in teaching in 2020. I am thrilled to be Amy Steel’s
successor here, and I will do my best to fill her big shoes.I am so happy to get to teach many of
my former Kindergarteners again, and to teach new students, too.
We have had a pretty chill week in Art, starting with a small drawing project for 1st-5th grade
students, about some things that are important to them and goals they have (big and small). It
has given me a chance to get to know each student a bit more. I will be assembling these for
each class, and will have them up in the Art room next week.
In Kindergarten, we read a book about rainbows and students colored their own rainbows, too. I
was informed by a Kindergarten scientist that my rainbow was upside-down (I now know that
purple is at the bottom!); I absolutely LOVE learning things from my students, and I will take that
note and do better next time!

PTA Updates
-We will be doing another Community Clean up Day from 10am-12pm on Saturday, September 25th!  More info on what to bring but mark your calendar.
-A PTA info form is going home this week with kiddos about all things PTA and where/how you can help.  Keep an eye out!  There are lots of ways to get involved!
-Free Vestal yard signs will be available Friday at pick up!  If you can’t be there and want one, please email vestalelementarypta@gmail.com and we will get you one!

I hope everyone has a wonderful weekend, I will be away from school tomorrow taking my oldest to his sophomore year at OSU...hard to believe...it really goes by so fast! Enjoy your young ones!

Vestal Peace, Sabrina Flamoe

PPS wants to hear from you to weigh the impacts of requiring all students 12 years and older to be vaccinated against COVID-19. We heard that Saturday is a better day for Spanish-speaking families to attend this session. This session will be conducted via Zoom.  

The state of Oregon’s requirement that all school employees be vaccinated against COVID-19 will have a minimal impact in Portland Public Schools classrooms and campuses. As of the state deadline of Monday, October 18, more than 96% of the district’s employees were fully vaccinated.

Dear PPS Families,

As the PPS Board of Education considers a requirement that students (ages 12 and older) be vaccinated against COVID-19, we are providing you a quick summary on the timeline for a possible decision:

The PPS Board of Education, at its meeting on Tuesday, October 26, will consider making Friday, November 12 into a professional development day for teachers, with no classes for students. Because November 11 is a federal holiday, Veterans Day, students would have a four-day weekend.