Skyline K-8 News
December 6, 2019
From the Principal
Happy Friday!
A huge shout out to Melody Hiser for hosting the Scholastic Book Fair in the library this week. Thank you to Morgan Bors, Langdon Peale, Chloe Warner, Ryan Hiser and Marianne Halt for volunteering at the book fair. The book fair will be open tomorrow from 10:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m. during the Pop Up Shop Event which goes 10:30 a.m. - 2:30 p.m. We have a number of parent and student vendors at the event and hope to see you there.
Thank you to everyone who made it to conferences. We had an amazing turnout and are so lucky to have such a strong home/school partnership for our students here at Skyline K-8.
A huge shout out to Wendy Hendren for organizing an amazing opportunity for our students Monday evening. Lincoln Youth Wrestling and it’s coaches along Lincoln HS Girls and it’s coaches couldn’t be more happy to have hosted about 60 middle school and elementary school girl wrestlers from Wilson, Cleveland, Hood River and White Salmon. A big thank you to our amazing custodian, Vicky Ibarra, and math teacher, Amy Tilt, for helping at the event.
Thank you to Ms. Kindred for hosting the staff meeting in her classroom and sharing a teacher trick. A big shout out to Cosette Posko and Clarissa Kearns for providing our staff with yummy snacks during our meeting.
Last month’s K-8 family group activity centered around students feeling connected to and respected here at Skyline. This month on Wednesday,students had the opportunity to make a connection with other Skyline students. Ask your child(ren) about the awesome activity planned by Miss Allie for all of our family group leaders. If they need a hint the activity had a Venn Diagram. :)
On Thursday, our 3-5 teachers spent the afternoon working with our Literacy TOSA Jenny Smith, Melissa Dunn and me, looking at student data to help better target our instruction and progress monitor their successes.
Next week Skyline K-8 has a team of six staff members; Bianca Arias, Julie Melton, Melissa Dunn, Megan Kindred, Sarah Barten and BG Aguirre attending the PPS MTSS Coaching Academy on December 10th and 11th. To learn more about MTSS, please check out the MTSS district website https://www.pps.net/domain/5007.
In an effort to provide further support for our school climate and culture, we are receiving additional administrative support beginning January 6th. Pam Joyner will be at Skyline for two to three days per week throughout January and February.
Pam is a retired PPS principal and currently serves as a substitute administrator and principal mentor. She brings years of experience to the job and is excited about working with us. She will introduce herself and communicate her schedule with everyone once she starts in January.
I am committed to providing excellent support and leadership at our school and I hope that the additional support will have positive outcomes for our school climate and culture.
All the best,
Mrs. Aguirre
If you are not following us on Twitter @BGAGUIRRE1 and @skyline_ib, you are missing out! It has been so much fun watching all of our students engaged in learning while also being safe, respectful, responsible and IB ready. You can also follow Portland Public School at @PPSConnect!
NEXT WEEK AT A GLANCE
Monday:
Weekly Office Meeting 10:00a.m. - 11:00 a.m.
IB/PLC Debrief Meeting 1:00 p.m. - 2:30 p.m.
Tuesday:
MTSS Cohort 2 Training - Allison Couch Will sub for me
Staff Meeting 3:30 p.m. - 5:00 p.m. (IB Planner work for teachers K-5/Middle School + Specialists PBIS planning with Allie in the library)
Wednesday:
MTSS Cohort 2 Training - Allison Couch Will sub for me
Thursday:
Middle School PLC Meeting 7:45 a.m. – 8:30 a.m. in Mrs. Dunn’s room
3-5 Professional Learning Committees 1:40 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. in Mrs. Dunn’s room
Friday:
K-2 Professional Learning Committees 1:40 p.m. - 3:00 p.m. in Mrs. Dunn’s room
Upcoming Events
December
7- *Holiday Pop Up Shops, Book Fair
10:30 AM- 2:30 PM
10- Middle School Progress Reports
11- Lincoln Visit 8th Grade
13- Milk and Bookies 5:00-5:45 PM (Library)
*PTA Movie Night (Gym)- The Grinch
6:00-7:00 PM
18- School PBIS/Climate Meeting
7:45 - 8:30 AM
18- IB Assembly - Thinker
8:45-9:15 AM
18- Pastries with the Principal
9:15-10:00 AM
18- *Parent Education- Earthquake Preparedness - Lydia and Steve Eberlein
6:00 - 7:30
23-Jan 3 - Winter Holiday Break
*PTA Sponsored Event
Lunch Volunteers
We would love to continue to have lunch volunteers daily from 11:00 a.m. - 11:40 a.m. for our K-2 lunch and recess after winter break until spring break. Please email or call Debbi in the main office if you are interested in volunteering. Thank you in advance.
Lost and Found
Please take a moment to check the Lost & Found outside the main office when you are in the building!
Student Council
This week our middle school student council presidential nominees have been very busy campaigning in our primary presidential election! Our nominees have spent the week posting posters and campaigning all around the school. Today we held our first election to determine our top 4 Presidential candidates who will join our Vice President, secretary and grade level representative candidates on next week's ballot. We are very happy to announce our top 4 presidential nominees who will be on our final election ballot next week are:
Madi Weaver
Jake Karnstein
Emily Halt
Aidan Halt
Our official ballot for next week will be;
President
Madi Weaver
Jake Karnstein
Emily Halt
Aidan Halt
Vice-President
Dylan Schechter
Austin Kruse
Iris Weaver-Bell
Malia Pierce
Secretary
Lily Meier
Alissa Kim
Ayssa Elder
6th Grade Level Rep
Kaili Pierce
Mikaylin Leiser
Libby Elder
7th Grade Level Rep
Ezra Pero
Izzy Lamb
Millie Mead
8th Grade Level Rep
Chase Kochis
Student Council met on Thursday during lunch to hear middle school concerns, wants and changes that students want to initiate. There were many great ideas and hearing their voices was very exciting! Many of the ideas that were brought up are ideas that our candidates will use in their campaign next week. We also talked about how Student Council’s role in change around Skyline is not an elimination of what one simply does not like, but rather presentations of how to make improvements and solutions to problems that the middle school students feel are important. We also talked about the fact that there are outside factors that may limit some of the changes that can occur. Money, space, instructional minutes that need to be met and the length of our school day are all examples of outside factors. It is going to be a fun week next week in our middle school as all campaigns will be in full gear! Friday, December 13th we will be holding a debate for all our candidates. This will be a chance for all candidates to answer questions and talk about the platform that they are running on. Immediately following the debate, final elections will be held! I will announce all official winners next Friday!
TAG Corner
All TAG Nomination forms have been turned in! Thank you to all teachers and families who have turned in their forms. If you are a second-grade parent/guardian, the 2nd grade Intellectual TAG test results are not in as of yet. As soon as they are in, I will notify teachers and they will send nomination forms home to all those who qualify.
If you have any questions please feel free to email me at mdunn2@pps.net or call at 503-916-5212.
TAG Night at OMSI!
The TAG Department is excited to once again bring you an opportunity to visit the OMSI for a special exhibit. On December 9th, from 6 p.m. – 8 p.m. TAG families are invited to explore Chrisopher Marley’s Exquisite Creature exhibit. There will be no charge for entrance into the museum and no charge for the exhibit.
State Testing
As we all look at our year ahead, I wanted to share some testing information. Our State Testing window opens for Science on January 7th, 2020. However, we do not begin testing our students in Science until later in the school year, April or May. The testing window opens for Math and English Language Arts on March 9th, 2020. Last year the staff and I looked at and reflected on best practices for testing. Testing should not be stressful, punitive or in any way cause a student to feel any amount of anxiety. Testing also should not cause teachers to lose excessive amounts of instruction. With the reflections from last year, and previous years, the staff and I are creating schedules, support and systems to ensure all students are feeling successful. Please know that all assessments provide teachers and schools with information to celebrate successes, student growth as well as improve on practices and instruction. If you ever have any questions or concerns always feel free to reach out to me. I will always share information that I receive from the district to best communicate with the Skyline Community.
Counselor's Corner
Happy December! Winter is almost here and I have been loving being in classrooms every week.
Within the K - 5 classrooms I have been focusing primarily on problem solving strategies, and that different strategies are appropriate for different settings. We have done a lot of role playing, and recently we practiced using “I messages” as a way for solving problems respectfully. We have also been learning about The Zones of Regulation (which is review for some), and I have been focusing on: helping students learn to differentiate between small/medium/big problems, teaching them the various emotions that belong in each zone, learning how to identify one’s own triggers, and then choosing an appropriate tool when you feel triggered. Now that we have worked on the building blocks of self-regulation, I will be focusing my lessons on inclusivity and kindness.
In middle school, I have been working with the 8th graders on forecasting for 9th grade in order to prepare them for their upcoming transition to high school. I have also taken on leading Unity Club, which is a place for students to connect and share ideas regarding safety, inclusion, and kindness. Our mission statement, created by the 2019-20 Unity Club members, is: The goal of Skyline Unity Club is to make sure all students feel safe and respected. We want to work towards making Skyline a better place through student-led projects that focus on inclusion.
Unity Club members helped me to design the questions on the middle school Bullying Prevention survey that I administered in October, and they are also working on posters that focus on inclusion and a possible attendance-optional skit in the future. Currently, Unity Club is only open to 6th - 8th grade students during their Wednesday lunch and recess time. However, we are looking into opportunities in the future for K - 5 students to learn more about or take part in Unity Club activities.
If you have any questions or would like to know more information, please call or email Allie Penix at apenix@pps.net or 503-916-5212.
Library/ Technology
Thank you to everyone for making the Book Fair a success! We can't wait to share all the amazing new books!
This month's Makerspace Challenge is the Cardboard Gingerbread Challenge. Students use any materials around their home to create a gingerbread building- the trick is to not buy anything. We want to see what we can recycle and reuse. Gingerbread creations will be on display in the library through January.
MARIMBAS FOR SKYLINE STUDENTS- Half Way There!
Skyline students need one to one instrumentation for Music Class to learn rhythm, melody, harmony and ensemble musicianship. Marimbas can be played by all students K-8. They are simple enough for a young student and complex enough for older students. Music is fun, interesting and challenging when all students have an instrument to play in the Marimba Ensemble!
Help us raise $5,000 for a full classroom set of Marimbas. Make check donation out to Skyline PTA and deliver to the front office - Thank you for your generosity to Skyline Music Students!
Further Questions? Please email sbarten@pps.net
Watch our amazing students!
https://www.wevideo.com/view/1474324950
Donate https://www.schoolpay.com/
2019-20 Eighth Grade Information Nights
Dear families,
Eighth-grade students in Portland Public Schools will have a chance to see their future high schools when informational sessions are held throughout the district from October to January. Neighborhood, focus-option and alternative high schools will give students and families the opportunity to tour the campus, meet staff and learn more about the academic and athletic programs offered. The different nights are listed below and if you have questions please reach out to the high schools.
Benson Polytechnic High School
Tech Show, April 16 & 17, 2020 6-9 p.m.
Cleveland High School
“Bridging the Gap”
Thursday, Dec. 12, 7-9 p.m.
“Discover Franklin” High School
Wednesday, Dec. 4th, 6-8:30 p.m.
Lincoln High School- Please see attached info below
Wednesday, Dec. 11, 6-8 p.m.
Timeline
Lottery/Transfer Application Timelines for the 2020-21 School Year:
- Middle & High School applications available November 5-December 3
- K-5 applications available February 5-March 6
Winter Weather Update
PTA Connection
Thanks to Cosette Posko, Nicole Fravel, Helen Leiser, Melody Hiser, and Morgan Bors, we’ve managed to pack the following FUN events into the last two weeks before Winter Break! Please join us for one or more!
Holiday Pop Up Shops
Saturday, December 7
10:30-2:30
Skyline’s Gym
This is a PTA fundraiser for our school’s Backpack Food Program, Giving Tree, and PTA. Support local vendors and our school while getting your holiday shopping done in one place. Head downstairs to the library to grab some books at our Scholastic Book Fair, too (see below).
Scholastic Book Fair
Saturday, December 7
10:30-2:30
Skyline’s Library
This is a school fundraiser for our school’s library. Grab some great books for a great cause!
PTA Family Movie Night “The Grinch”
Friday, December 13
6:00-8:00 (doors open at 6, movie starts at 6:30)
Skyline’s Gym
*Parents/guardians to remain with their kids during the movie; this is not a drop-off event.
This is a PTA family engagement event! Wear pajamas, bring blankets and chairs, and prepare to enjoy a family favorite alongside your kids! Snacks and pizza slices available for purchase (cash, check to Skyline PTA, or credit card accepted). Doors open at 6 p.m., movie starts at 6:30 p.m. Parents and guardians, please enjoy the movie with your kids; this is not a drop-off event.
FREE Talk – Earthquake Preparedness
Wednesday, December 18
6:00-7:30
Skyline’s Library
*Free childcare & pizza dinner for kids available
This is a PTA parent education event! Join us in the library for a free and informative workshop with Lydia Ledgerwood-Eberlein & Steven Eberlein of Tipping Point Resilience on the Cascadia Subduction Zone and earthquake preparedness. An earthquake is scary, but preparing for one shouldn’t be! Learn more about Lydia and Steven's story and work, here: https://www.tippingpointresilience.com/about/
PTA will offer FREE childcare during this talk! Please RSVP for childcare by sending an email to me: skylineschoolpta@gmail.com. We look forward to seeing you
Fall PTA Cookie Dough Fundraiser
We’ve learned that the shipment has been delayed due to the holidays, BUT that the orders are on their way and should arrive at school before Winter Break. Stay tuned for updates on Skyline PTA’s private FB group (request to join---"Skyline School: Events & Updates”), and via email and text messages. Thank you for your patience.
Keep on keeping on, Skyline!
Clarissa Kearns
Skyline PTA President
Can you help our kids get excited about STEAM?
AmazonSmile
Holiday Pop-Up Shops
Holiday Pop-Up Shop
Saturday, December 7th
10:30-2:30
Join us this Saturday, December 7th for our annual Holiday Pop-Up Shops! We have a line-up of over 20 local vendors selling gorgeous artisan goods. What a fantastic way to support local artisans! Share with friends and family and bring them along! Find out all the details on the website:
https://skylineschoolpta.com/vendors/
STAFF APPRECIATION
We try to provide snacks for staff meetings every Tuesday Afternoon.
Please sign up for a day!
Contact Susan Heffernan is you have questions.
https://m.signupgenius.com/#!/showSignUp/30e0c44a9a92aa2f85-teacher1
Skyline Community Partnership Fundraising Events 2019-2020
Skyline Community Partnership Fundraising Events 2019-2020
Please support these businesses who are donating a portion of their profits back to our school. Enjoy the best of local food, shopping & entertainment and raise funds for our PTA! Questions? Contact Nicole - nicoleoanderson@gmail.com
Skyline + Sit Still Hair Salon (Bethany Village)
20% of haircut sales to Skyline families back to our PTA during the month of January!
Skyline + Sweet Tomatoes Beaverton
Thursday, January 9
20% of all Skyline sales back to our PTA
Skyline + Garnish Apparel
TBD February. Percentage of your purchase from this Skyline mom-owned women's boutique back to our PTA. Your perfect outfit for the Rock & Roll auction is here! Details to come.
Foundation Information
1. What does the money raised from Foundation pay for at Skyline?
A: The money we raise can only go directly to pay for (FTE) Full-Time Equivalent employees or staff.
2. How much support did Skyline staffing get for our current school year?
A: Last year’s auction raised enough to support .75 of an FTE and .45 of an (EA) Educational Assistant.
3. What are the ways I can donate to the Foundation?
A: You can sign up to donate online through fundforpps.org as a one-time or monthly giving, write a check made to “fund for pps” (memo -skyline), or come and support the auction in the spring!
4. Who are the members of the board and how can I contact them?
A: Our board members are:
Tiffani Torgeson – chair – torgesontiffani@gmail.com
Liz Ascher – co-chair – leezard85@yahoo.com
Erika Gustafson – secretary – emacy.gustafson@gmail.com
Michelle Ruppelt – interim treasurer – ruppeltfamily@yahoo.com
Morgan Bors – auction chair – skylineauction@gmail.com
Kristin Rader, local Skyline resident & Realtor donates $100 for every sale closed in the Skyline area AND $100 for any Skyline School family who refers a new client to her (when the sale closes). The numbers are great this year! So far $1400!! Yay! And there is still time to get in a few more!
We’re at a total of $5500 in just 6 years of this donation program ☺
Kristin Rader
Principal Broker
Keller Williams Realty Sunset Corridor
503-539-6946
Backpack Program
Hello Skyline Families –
Our wonderful school has an important program that helps fellow Skyline families that are in need of grocery help.
Usually, we get our food for the Backpack program from Sunshine Pantry in Beaverton. Sadly, they are in the midst of moving facilities and cannot help us right now.
I am asking that you, our awesome families, help us out until we can resume our regular food pick up.
I ask that you drop non-perishables at the school near the office. We are looking for pasta, sauce, fruit cups or squeezes, cereals, beans, veggies, canned meats. Anything your family would consume can be donated. Remember shelf-stable foods only.
Thank you,
Liz Ascher
Backpack Program Chair
Winter Session After School Bird Art Classes
Registration for the winter session of watercolor classes with Ronna Fujisawa is OPEN! Ronna has truly enjoyed getting to know our kids this fall, and can't wait to meet even more this winter. Teacher Tom has again graciously agreed to loan his room for Ronna's class!
When: Thursdays, January 9 - March 19, 2020
Time: 3:15 p.m. - 5:00 p.m.
Price: 11 classes for $275 or drop-in for $35/class
Location: Room 217 (Teacher Tom's classroom)
All supplies and snacks included.
Register here: https://www.saltywaterart.com/sign-up-for-classes
Students will learn about local birds and their distinguishing characters, and how to paint them in watercolor using basic visual fundamentals and various techniques in watercolor painting. During the winter term the class will be looking at different styles of art through history. Join the fun! Open to all ages!
Financial assistance is available on a first come basis!
Scholarship: Ronna is offering one full scholarship for a family who needs assistance. Please email Ronna directly to inquire: ronnafujisawa@me.com.
Financial Aid: Ronna is also offering 2 spots for this class at a 50% discount. Please email Ronna directly to inquire: ronnafujisawa@me.com.
QUESTIONS? Email Ronna at: ronnafujisawa@me.com.
Hello Lincoln Youth Baseball Families!
We are excited to announce that Registration for Spring Baseball is officially OPEN! Coaches can register now too.
Please regsiter your player at: www.LincolnYouthBaseball.com
T-ball- Prek and Kindergarten
A-ball- 1st grade
AA-ball- 2nd grade
AAA/Minor's- 3/4th grade
Major's- 5/6th grade
Seniors- 7/8th grade
Please email us with questions: lincolnyouthbaseballsoftball@gmail.com
GO CARDS!