Middleton Families
Welcome to the 2023-2024 school year. We are excited to welcome you and your child back to Middleton!
There is so much to look forward to this year, including meeting new teachers and seeing old friends, and, of course, a lot of wonderful learning. Many thanks goes out to our custodial and district facilities team for preparing our building and grounds, as well as our staff who took part in summer learning opportunities.
I'd like to also welcome our new staff:
- Kim Abdill, 1st Grade Teacher
- Gracie Hutchins, 2nd Grade Teacher
- Stacey Dolezal, Instructional Coach
- Tyleur Kotzian-Upshaw, Learning Specialist
- Debbie Nelson, Learning Specialist
- Sydney Jordan, General Education Instructional Assistant
This weekly newsletter includes information you need to stay up to date on what is happening in our school. It's a great way to stay connected to all of the important events at Middleton. We are looking forward to welcoming students back very soon and are excited for a fantastic school year!
School Schedule
The first day of school for grades 1st - 5th is Wednesday, August 30. Kindergarteners will follow a different beginning of the year schedule. More information about the Kindergarten schedule can be found later in the newsletter. The school day begins at 7:55 AM with the doors opening at 7:30 AM for general arrival. Students eating breakfast at school may arrive as early as 7:30 AM. The regular school day ends at 2:15 PM. On Wednesdays school dismisses at 1:15 PM with the exception of August 30 and September 6 when school will release at 2:15 PM.
Arrival and Dismissal
As a part of our annual safety and security review, our district elementary team has been thoughtfully considering how to make our elementary arrival and dismissal times as safe as possible. One major safety concern for our buildings is the entry of parents into the building for drop off in the mornings. Allowing parents to enter the building without background checks or scheduled volunteer times, creates a large breach in our building security measures. As such, we are going to continue to keep our arrival (and dismissal) procedures the same as last year. Parents will be allowed to drop off their students at the main entrance doors in the morning and all teachers will walk students out of the building at the end of the day. This will still provide parents with the opportunity to check in with teachers at pick up if needed, and will also help us to very closely monitor who is in our buildings at all times. For more details regarding drop off and pick up locations please see the slide deck linked here.
Volunteers and parent helpers will still be welcome in our schools during pre-scheduled volunteer times with our PAC or our classroom teachers. Additionally, parents are encouraged to attend our Teacher Meet and Greet Night on August 28 from 4:00-6:00 PM to visit classrooms and see the building. We will also host an in-person Back to School Night on Thursday, September 21 from 6:00-7:30 pm, and in-person conferences in late October and early May. It is important to us that we balance both student safety and parent involvement in our school community, and we believe this plan will allow us to do both. Additional information about volunteering can be found below.
School Calendar
The Sherwood School Board has adopted a Revised 23-24 District Calendar. Revisions include starting the school year one day earlier than previously posted. The first day of school for grades 1-5, 6, and 9 is now August 30th. Meet and Greet Night will be on August 28th. This is your chance to visit the school and see the classrooms. You can view the updated Sherwood School District calendar here: https://sherwood.k12.or.us/calendar/
Teacher Meet and Greet Night
Transportation
School Meals
- Free Meals Application- Meal pricing returns this year. Information about lunch and breakfast prices and menus can be found on our Nutrition Department web page linked here. You can also make payments in person via the drop box outside located in the Middleton lobby. If you would like to apply for our free lunch program please complete the application linked here.
Get Involved
- Background checks are completed online: Background Check Forms. Background checks may take up to 10 days to process.
- The state of Oregon no longer requires COVID vaccinations for PK-12 school volunteers.
PAC- Our parent volunteer group is a very important part of our school. We are in need of several volunteers to support upcoming events. If you are interested, reach out to middletonpacboard@gmail.com to learn more about how to get involved.
PreK
Please visit our District PreK Program webpage for specific details. If you are interested in having your child attend please complete the interest form linked here and we will follow up soon.
If you have any questions, please contact Amy Gillett, our district Early Learning Coordinator for assistance: agillett@sherwood.k12.or.us 503-825-5087.
Kinder Orientation and Ramp Up
“Kindergarten Orientation Days” August 30, August 31, and September 1 Your child will be invited to one of the three orientation days. They will spend this day doing fun activities with all Kindergarten teachers in a small group setting.
Students’ assigned day for Kindergarten Orientation is determined by the first letter of their last name:
Student Last Name A – G: Wednesday, August 30 (7:55 am – 2:15pm)
Student Last Name H – M: Thursday, August 31 (7:55 am – 2:15pm)
Student Last Name N – Z: Friday, September 1 (7:55 am – 2:15pm)
Families will drop their students off at the main entrance and staff will be present to take students to the classrooms.
7:55 am - Kindergarten drop off
8:00 am - Parents meet under the Middleton covered play area for a Welcome and Q & A with staff.
“Ramp-Up Days” September 5-7
Tuesday, September 5 & Wednesday, September 6 - all children attend the full school day (7:55am - 2:15pm). During these two days, students will spend time in each kindergarten classroom with a variety of students and staff.
Thursday, September 7 - No school for kindergarten students - teachers thoughtfully create balanced classes and prepare classrooms. Kindergarten class lists will be emailed by noon.
Friday, September 8 – Kindergarten students begin in assigned classes (7:55 am - 2:15 pm).
Additional Important Information
Please send a healthy, nut-free snack, with your child each day.
Cold lunch is strongly recommended for the first days of school; however, hot lunch may be purchased. Lunch money should be sent with your child in a sealed envelope or zip-lock bag with your child's first and last name clearly marked on the front. If you are interested in seeing prices, lunch menus or applying for free meals, please see the section below.
School supplies will be brought to school during our Middleton Meet and Greet Night on August 28th from 4:00 PM- 6:00 PM. A list of supplies for kindergarten can be found linked here.
